[CANSLIM] PECS vs MCAF Post Analysis


From: "Katherine Malm" <kmalm@earthlink.net>
Subject: [CANSLIM] PECS vs MCAF Post Analysis
Date: Thu, 17 Jan 2002 16:55:19 -0600

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Post analysis of 2 recent trades, warts and all:

Most important lesson learned: Never lose focus--even a day can make the =
difference between excellent vs decent gains.

PECS-Good buy, Decent Sell
- -Macrotheme: Good quality services companies do not have excess =
capacity/inventory to bog them down during economic recovery. "New" =
names during early bull are most likely to do better than "old =
favorites"
- -Due diligence highlights: Company competes with ACN and CSC for =
government contracts. Small & nimble. Successful. Developing JABS-joint =
automated booking system for tracking criminals across agencies. Long =
history of contract wins.
- -Stalked the trade for: 1 month
- -Purchased: 11/14 on breakout @ $27.50
During the trade and Exit:
   --11/20/01--Stock reverses and closes below low of previous day on =
high volume. Red Flag.
   --11/27-11/28/01--2 days of high volume without further price =
progress. 2nd Red Flag. Depending on market strength I will sometimes =
take a little off the table. I give this one a chance, but it's up to 2 =
red flags so is now on high alert.
   --12/5/01--You may remember that shortly after this I posted the =
"Rubberband Sell Rule" (RSR) spreadsheet and calculations to the list. =
You can see why it was on my mind. I did the calculation intraday on =
12/5 and it flashed a sell warning. Tail down on close. 3rd red flag. =
Market is starting to show signs of stress. I am already taking profits =
on other positions and moving to cash. I give this stock one last chance =
to see what it will do. I have the sell order ready.=20
   --12/6-12/8/01--3 down days. Final red flag. I wait to sell into the =
next bounce.=20
   --12/9/01--Sell at avg price $34.93. Gain: 27%.
Lessons learned: 3 red warning flags =3D sell. Good focus got me out =
reasonably close to the top.


MCAF-Great buy, Lousy Sell
Macrotheme: Good quality services companies do not have excess =
capacity/inventory to bog them down during economic recovery. "New" =
names during early bull are most likely to do better than "old =
favorites" Personal data security in interconnected world.
Due diligence highlights: Tie in to Windows XP release. Subscription =
based revenue stream with auto renewal option. 2 quarters of newly =
positive EPS numbers. High growth. New IPO--spinoff from NETA.
Stalked the trade for: 5 months
Purchased: 10/11/01 on gap open breakout on earnings news. Offered up a =
$0.21 sacrifice to the gap gods to get in.
During the trade & Exit(s):
   --10/30/01--posted 2 days of little/no movement on high volume. =
Market still getting its legs after 9/28 FTD. Took 20% off the table at =
$22.16 (Gain: 22.4%)
   --11/16 & 11/17/01--new highs on low volume. Red flag.
   --12/5/01--breaks out of consolidation zone on high volume. Good =
sign.
   --12/18-12/19/01--new highs on so-so volume. High alert. RSR calc =
shows it's extended and could correct 15-25%. That would put it at 50dMA =
and intermediate term support. Hold.
   --12/31/01--reversal day with a tail on so-so volume. Red flag.
   --1/9/02--reversal day with tail on high volume. Counts as =
distribution day. RSR calc flashing screaming red signals. I get busy =
and forget to look at end of day charts for a couple of days. Lost =
focus.
   --1/11/02--another tail on high volume. Normally with this many red =
flags, I would take another 50% off the table. Was busy and didn't check =
charts end of day.
   --1/14/02--gap down. I know earnings announcement is just around the =
corner. This is a BIG RED FLAG and I normally sell into a bounce after =
this happens. Was still distracted on other things and wasn't paying =
attention.
   --1/15/02--one more bounce day available. I have a lengthy =
conversation with a friend about MCAF. He reminds me of my gap down on =
impending earnings news sell rule. I take note and decide to give it a =
chance to show support at 50dMA. Read---I am breaking my sell rules =
here.
   --1/16/02--Market posts 4th distribution day in 2 weeks. I always =
take money off the table when this happens, regardless of technical =
condition of my holdings. I make the decision to close out my remaining =
MCAF position the next morning.
   --1/16/02--MCAF announces earnings after hours. Beats estimates and =
guides future estimates higher. Stock is up in after hours trade. I like =
to sell into strength, so am glad that I will have a bounce to sell into =
the next morning.
   --1/17/02--I am watching MCAF. Gap up on open. Price starts to fade, =
I get ready to hit the sell button...Honest to goodness truth...the =
phone rings. During the conversation I am distracted (no focus again) =
and we begin to talk about other things. I get a cup of coffee. I come =
back to my desk ready to place the sell order and....yes....the stock =
has plunged into oblivion...I wait a bit to see if I can get one last =
bounce which never comes....I sell at $24.45. Gain: 35.1%. Opportunity =
cost: $12.23/share if I'd sold on the last BIG RED FLAG. Possible gain =
on last part of position would have been: 102.7%.=20

Lesson learned--There is NEVER an excuse for losing focus. If Jeff calls =
when I've got my finger on the sell button, ask him to hold on a minute.

Note--some of you have asked why I don't use a trailing stop. I just =
don't like to use hard trailing stops, a personal preference. I use my =
sell rules to get me out of a stock (of course, when I'm paying =
attention!) When the stock is showing red flags I will set a =
"catastrophic" stop loss. This is set just below the low of the last =
area of consolidation. MCAF was set at 19.87.

Charts will be posted soon at:
http://WallStreet-LLC.com/pub/MCAF-PostAnal011702.jpg
http://WallStreet-LLC.com/pub/PECS-PostAnal011702.jpg


Katherine



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<DIV>Post analysis of 2 recent trades, warts and all:</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>Most important lesson learned</STRONG>: <EM>Never lose =
focus--even=20
a day can make the difference between excellent vs decent =
gains.</EM></DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>PECS-Good buy, Decent Sell</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV><EM>-Macrotheme</EM>: Good quality services companies do not have =
excess=20
capacity/inventory to bog them down during economic recovery. "New" =
names during=20
early bull are most likely to do better than "old favorites"</DIV>
<DIV><EM>-Due diligence highlights:</EM> Company competes with ACN and =
CSC for=20
government contracts. Small &amp; nimble. Successful. Developing =
JABS-joint=20
automated booking system for tracking criminals across agencies. Long =
history of=20
contract wins.</DIV>
<DIV>-<EM>Stalked the trade for:</EM> 1 month</DIV>
<DIV>-<EM>Purchased:</EM> 11/14 on breakout @ $27.50</DIV>
<DIV><EM>During the trade and Exit:</EM></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --11/20/01--Stock reverses and closes below low of =
previous=20
day on high volume. Red Flag.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --11/27-11/28/01--2 days of high volume without =
further price=20
progress. 2nd Red Flag. Depending on market strength I will sometimes =
take a=20
little off the table. I give this one a chance, but it's up to 2 red =
flags so is=20
now on high alert.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --12/5/01--You may remember that shortly after this I =
posted=20
the "Rubberband Sell Rule" (RSR) spreadsheet and calculations to the =
list. You=20
can see why it was on my mind. I did the calculation intraday on 12/5 =
and it=20
flashed a sell warning. Tail down on close. 3rd red flag. Market is =
starting to=20
show signs of stress. I am already taking profits on other positions and =
moving=20
to cash. I give this stock one last chance to see what it will do. I =
have the=20
sell order ready. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --12/6-12/8/01--3 down days. Final red flag. I wait to =
sell=20
into the next bounce. </DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --12/9/01--Sell at avg price $34.93. Gain: =
<EM>27%</EM>.</DIV>
<DIV><EM>Lessons learned:</EM> 3 red warning flags =3D sell. Good focus =
got me out=20
reasonably close to the top.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><STRONG>MCAF-Great buy, Lousy Sell</STRONG></DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><EM>Macrotheme</EM>: Good quality services companies do not have =
excess=20
capacity/inventory to bog them down during economic recovery. "New" =
names during=20
early bull are most likely to do better than "old favorites" Personal =
data=20
security in interconnected world.</DIV>
<DIV><EM>Due diligence highlights</EM>: Tie in to Windows XP release.=20
Subscription based revenue stream with auto renewal option. 2 quarters =
of newly=20
positive EPS numbers. High growth. New IPO--spinoff from NETA.</DIV>
<DIV><EM>Stalked the trade for</EM>: 5 months</DIV>
<DIV><EM>Purchased</EM>: 10/11/01 on gap open breakout on earnings news. =
Offered=20
up a $0.21 sacrifice to the gap gods to get in.</DIV>
<DIV><EM>During the trade &amp; Exit(s):</EM></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --10/30/01--posted 2 days of little/no movement on =
high=20
volume. Market still getting its legs after 9/28 FTD. Took 20% off the =
table at=20
$22.16 (Gain: <EM>22.4%</EM>)</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --11/16 &amp; 11/17/01--new highs on low volume. Red=20
flag.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --12/5/01--breaks out of consolidation zone on high =
volume.=20
Good sign.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --12/18-12/19/01--new highs on so-so volume. High =
alert. RSR=20
calc shows it's extended and could correct 15-25%. That would put it at =
50dMA=20
and intermediate term support. Hold.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --12/31/01--reversal day with a tail on so-so volume. =
Red=20
flag.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --1/9/02--reversal day with tail on high volume. =
Counts as=20
distribution day. RSR calc flashing screaming red signals. I get busy =
and forget=20
to look at end of day charts for a couple of days. Lost focus.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --1/11/02--another tail on high volume. Normally with =
this=20
many red flags, I would take another 50% off the table. Was busy and =
didn't=20
check charts end of day.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --1/14/02--gap down. I know earnings announcement is =
just=20
around the corner. This is a BIG RED FLAG and I normally sell into a =
bounce=20
after this happens. Was still distracted on other things and wasn't =
paying=20
attention.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --1/15/02--one more bounce day available. I have a =
lengthy=20
conversation with a friend about MCAF. He reminds me of my gap down on =
impending=20
earnings news sell rule. I take note and decide to give it a chance to =
show=20
support at 50dMA. Read---I am breaking my sell rules here.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --1/16/02--Market posts 4th distribution day in 2 =
weeks. I=20
always take money off the table when this happens, regardless of =
technical=20
condition of my holdings. I make the decision to close out my remaining =
MCAF=20
position the next morning.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --1/16/02--MCAF announces earnings after hours. Beats=20
estimates and guides future estimates higher. Stock is up in after hours =
trade.=20
I like to sell into strength, so am glad that I will have a bounce to =
sell into=20
the next morning.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;&nbsp; --1/17/02--I am watching MCAF. Gap up on open. Price =
starts to=20
fade, I get ready to hit the sell button...Honest to goodness =
truth...the phone=20
rings. During the conversation I am distracted (no focus again) and we =
begin to=20
talk about other things. I get a cup of coffee. I come back to my desk =
ready to=20
place the sell order and....yes....the stock has plunged into =
oblivion...I wait=20
a bit to see if I can get one last bounce which never comes....I sell at =
$24.45.=20
Gain: <EM>35.1%</EM>. Opportunity cost: $12.23/share if I'd sold on the =
last BIG=20
RED FLAG. Possible gain on last part of position would have been:=20
<EM>102.7%</EM>. </DIV>
<DIV><EM></EM>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV><EM>Lesson learned--</EM>There is NEVER an excuse for =
losing&nbsp;focus. If=20
Jeff calls when I've got my finger on the sell button, ask him to hold =
on a=20
minute.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Note--some of you have asked why I don't use a trailing stop. I =
just don't=20
like to use hard trailing stops, a personal&nbsp;preference. I use my =
sell rules=20
to get me out of a stock (of course, when I'm paying =
attention!)&nbsp;When the=20
stock is showing red flags I will set a "catastrophic" stop loss. This =
is set=20
just below the low of the last area of consolidation. MCAF was set at=20
19.87.</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Charts will be posted soon at:</DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"http://WallStreet-LLC.com/pub/MCAF-PostAnal011702.jpg">http://Wal=
lStreet-LLC.com/pub/MCAF-PostAnal011702.jpg</A></DIV>
<DIV><A=20
href=3D"http://WallStreet-LLC.com/pub/PECS-PostAnal011702.jpg">http://Wal=
lStreet-LLC.com/pub/PECS-PostAnal011702.jpg</A></DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>Katherine</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV>
<DIV>&nbsp;</DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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