KukaXoco Finance: Investment Center
Stocks/ETFs/Options Markets Analysis & Investing
As part of KukaXoco's financial advisory services, we track a variety
of stock, futures and currency markets, looking for potential trading
positions. These are curated from a variety of sources, and then
monitored with our proprietary trading algorithms. Feel free to make
use of them. (
Real-time advisory updates by messaging/email available
from KukaXoco Finance)
Below are links to our web pages with technical analysis tools and
relevant markets news for various stocks, commodities and futures. --
A continuación se encuentran enlaces a nuestras páginas
web con herramientas de análisis técnico y noticias
relevantes de los mercados para diversas acciones, materias primas
y futoros.
Como parte de los servicios de asesoramiento financiero de KukaXoco,
realizamos un seguimiento de una variedad de mercados de acciones,
futuros y divisas, en busca de posibles posiciones comerciales.
Estos se seleccionan a partir de una variedad de fuentes y luego
se monitorean con nuestros algoritmos comerciales patentados.
No dudes en hacer uso de ellos.
We seek seed capital to complete Phase I of our post-AI technology
(negative probability topologies) for our public stock charts in
2026, charts with post-market close signals that will allow the
public to make 1% to 2% a month using stocks and options. Our
private intraday signals are much more profitable (only available
to our investors), so we are glad to freely help you become richer
as well.
STOCKS/ACCIONES & ETFS
(
Note:
Text in brown below are clickable links.
(D) means the stock/ETF has daily options with high liquidity.
(W) means the stock/ETF has weekly options with high liquidity.
(F) means that there is a corresponding futures contract. ---
(D) significa que la acción/ETF tiene opciones diarias con alta
liquidez. (W) significa que la acción/ETF tiene opciones semanales
con alta liquidez. (F) significa que existe un contrato de futuros
correspondiente. The numbers in brackets, '[]', are the dividend (if any),
the rough cost of a one-week/one-month option.
[trend up / trend down: tendencia al alza / tendencia a la baja]
)
Links to industrial sectors below:
Big Tech,
Financials,
Metals,
Cryptocurrencies,
Drugs/Biotech,
Energy,
Oil,
Industrials,
Retail,
Dividends,
Colombia,
India/Bharat,
China,
Nihon/Japan,
Currencies,
Commodities,
Insurance,
Low Cost Stocks
Links to special collections:
- stocks you don't need to analyze:
Long-term SPY-tracking Stocks
- low/no-return, zombie stocks that:
Can't Beat SPY/GLD
- mostly low/no-return stocks selling the vices:
Drugs, Dopamine, Gambling & Guns
- ETFs claiming to invest morally (but track the immoral SPY):
Unethically Ethical ETFs
INDEXES / ÍNDICES
- SPY (D)(F) -
SPDR SP500 ETF Trust [1.1% - $4/$6] (NYSE)
(trend up)
The leader of State Street's SPDR ETFS.
For over 20 years, Berkshire Hathway (BRB-B) (see below) has
outperform the SPY, and thus better for stock trading. SPY still
better for options trading. For long term holders, it has a higher
annual fee (0.09%). It has $672 billion in assets.
- XSP (D)(F) -
S&P500 Mini SPX Options Index (Chicago)
The CBOE Mini-SPX (XSP) is an index option product designed to track
the S&P 500. At 1/10th the size of the standard SPX options contract,
XSP is the same notional size as S&P 500 ETF options, but with the
added benefits of: cash settlement and no early exercise.
- VOO (W) -
Vanguard SP500 ETF Trust [1.2%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- the Vanguard SP500 ETF exactly tracks the SPY. VOO is the biggest
of the three, with $1.4 trillion in assets, a slightly higher
dividend than the SPY (1.15%) and a lower annual fee (0.03%).
Only has weekly options, as does the IVV.
- VO -
Vanguard Mid-Cap Index ETF [1.1%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- the Vanguard Mid-Cap Index ETF much tracks the SPY and VOO,
From 2009 to 2024, it much tracked the SPY, if not doing a bit
better, and doing a bit worse during the AI bubble since then.
- IVV -
iShares Core S&P500 ETF [1.1%] (NYSE Arca)
(trend up)
- the Blackrock's iShares Core SP500 ETF tracks the SPY. Second in AUMs
with $701 billion, also a slightly higher dividend (1.16%), and the
same lower annual fee (0.03%).
- SPLG (M) -
SPDR Portfolio SP500 ETF [1.27%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
SPLG exactly tracks the SPY, but costs about 1/8th as much.
SPDR funds are offered by State Street.
- SPX (D) -
SP500 Index
(trend up)
The SPX is the actual SP500 index. There are
no shares corresponding to the SPX, so all settlements are in cash.
It has daily expiring options, and good volume/liquidity, but unlike
SPY options, SPX options are traded European-style - you have to hold
them until expiry. SPX raw prices are multiplied by 0.1 to scale
the graphs to the SPY.
- VIX (W) -
CBOE Volatility Index
(trend down)
VIXY (W) -
VIX Short-Term Futures ETF
(trend down)
The VIX is the 30-day expected volatilty
of the SP500, based on call and put options. There are no shares
corresponding to the VIX, so all settlements are in cash.
It has weekly expiring options, and good volume/liquidity, and like
the SPX options, VIX options are traded European-style - you have to
hold them until expiry. The VXX ETN (below) is a horrible investment,
steadily declining since its inception - it is created with futures.
Much the same for the VIXY.
- VXX -
iPath SP500 VIX Short Term Futures ETN [0.0%, $0.40/$0.60] (CBOE)
(trend down)
The VXX ETN is a horrible investment, steadily
declining since its inception - it is created with futures. From a
close of 969 in in March 2020 to 12 in July 2024. Just as horrible is
the VIXY (a VIX ETF), VXZ and VIXM.
- QQQ (D)(F) -
Invesco QQQ (Nasdaq 100) Trust [0.53%, $4/$7] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Since the dot-com crash of 2000, the QQQ
has somewhat outperformed the SPY, the QQQ surfing the wave of tech
bubbles. Interestingly, the owner of QQQ, Invesco, has a lousy stock
performance, pretty much flat for the last 30 years.
- NDX (D) -
Nasdaq 100 Index
(trend up)
The NDX is the actual Nasdaq index. There
are no shares corresponding to the NDX, so all settlements are in cash.
It has daily expiring options, and good volume/liquidity, but unlike
QQQ options, NDX options are traded European-style - you have to hold
them until expiry. NDX raw prices are multiplied by 0.0245 to scale
the graphs to the QQQ.
- TQQQ -
Invesco ProShares Ultrapro QQQ (Nasdaq 100) Trust [0.75%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
The QQQ on steroids, tripled leveraged.
- QQQI -
NEOS Nasdaq-100 High Income ETF [14.3%] (Nasdaq)
(trend slightly up since 2024)
While the stock price has pretty much been flat since 2024, it
catches up somewhat with its high dividend. For example, up 4% since
February 2024, while the QQQ is up 40%. Even with its dividend,
QQQI just isn't equal to the QQQ.
- SCHG -
Schwab US Large-Cap Growth ETF (M) [0.4%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
SCHG has outperformed the SPY since 2010, by closely tracking the
Dow Jones U.S. Large-Cap Growth Total Stock Market Index. But as
its five biggest holdings are Nvidia, Apple, Microsoft, Amazon,
and Meta Platforms, it is as much a Nasdaq clone and/or an AI
bubble rider, since it has much tracked the QQQ.
- IWM (D)(F) -
Russell 2000 ETF [1.27% $3/$4] (NYSE)
(trend up)
The SP600 index, often discussed, much tracks the IWM, so if you
want to trade based on the SP600 index, you can use the IWN ETF.
- RUT (D) -
Russell 2000 Index (Chicago)
(trend up)
The RUT is the actual Russell 2000 index.
There are no shares corresponding to RUT, so all settlements are in cash.
It has daily expiring options, and good volume/liquidity, but unlike
IWM options, RUT options are traded European-style - you have to hold
them until expiry. RUT raw prices are multiplied by 0.10 to scale
the graphs to the QQQ.
- DIA (W) -
SPDR Dow Jones Industrial Average ETF [1.4%] (NYSE Arca)
(trend up)
- EAF -
iShares MSCI EAFE ETF [2.9%%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
A BlackRock ETF whose price and yield performance of publicly traded
securities in the European, Australasian and Far Eastern markets.
Since launch in 2001, it has underperformed the SPY even with its
somewhat higher yield.
- DAX -
DAX (German Stock Exchange) ETF [2.3%% $1/$2] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- XRT -
SPDR S&P Retail ETF [1.22%, $1/$1.50] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- SH -
ProShares Short SP500 [6.02%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
One can also use the signals for SPY, but do the opposite, since
SH moves in the opposite direction from SPY.
- SDY -
SPDR S&P Dividend ETF [2.54%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- BTAL -
AGF USA Market Neural Anti-Beta Fund [3.3%] (NYSE)
(trend flat)
The Fund seeks performance results that correspond to the price and
yield performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Thematic Market Neutral
Anti-Beta Index (symbol: ^DJTMNSV). The Fund invests at least 80%
of its net assets in common stocks that are in the Target Anti-Beta
Index. The index is designed to measure the performance of a
long/short strategy utilizing long positions in value companies
and short positions in growth companies.
- BRK-B -
Berkshire Hathaway [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
For decades, Berkshire outperformed the SPY, though with no dividend.
Since October 2023, the SPY has been outperforming BRK-B, with BRK-B
being flat from October 2024 to October 2025 while the SPY is up 20%.
Has Buffett lost his magic touch?
Berkshire Hathaway stock gets rare downgrade -
and a major concern is Warren Buffett's departure as CEO.
While Berkshire is much an insurance company,
it stock price tracks the major indexes, and 43% of its holding is one
Big Tech company, Apple (70% of its holdings are Apple, Bank of America,
American Express and Coca-Cola). CNBC maintains a
tracker of the portfolio of Berkshire's stocks. There are two
funds that try to track BRK-B: the VanEck Morningstar Wide Moat ETF
(MOAT) and the iShares MSCI USA Quality Factor ETF (QUAL),
but both are somewhat outperformed by BRK-B, so why bother?
However, a new ETF, VistaShares Target 15 Berkshire Select Income
tracks Berkshire Hathaway's portfolio but also provides a dividend
of 3.8%. Since it launched in December 2024, it is down 8.8% while
BRK-B is down about 3%.
BOND INDEXES
- TMV -
Direxion Daily 20+ Year Treasury Bear 3X Shares [3.2%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
LOUSY EXCUSES TO EXIST AS A FUND
Side note: unlike Berkshire, many actively managed (stock picking)
investment funds have a horrible track record. Over the last 15 years,
79% of large-cap funds didn't beat the return of the SP500, so save
money (no fees) and buy the SPY. Same for mid-cap and small-cap funds/ETFs.
Investors finally throw in the towel on active fund managers (IBD, May 2024).
Indeed, according to a Morningstar study, of 370 asset allocation funds,
only 1 has managed to beat the SP500 on a risk-adjusted basis since 2009
(see
The SP500 rules everything around me).
Indeed, most actively managed funds find it hard to justify their existence.
In the last 24 years, every year on the average,
62% of all actively managed funds didn't beat the SPY.
- BEN -
Franklin Resources [5.30%] (NYSE)
(trend down since November 2021)
Since 2000, both the SPY and TROW have outperformed BEN. Buy the SPY.
Franklin Resources (better known as Franklin Templeton) is
currently struggling. In the fall of 2024, there were
damaging reports about the firm in the wake of an SEC probe
into suspicious trading at its fixed-income unit, and having the
worst quarter for financial outflows in its history.
As of November 2024,
$55 billion of customers' monies have been withdrawn from Franklin
Templeton's Western Asset Management.
- CBDRX -
Columbia Balanced Fund [1.89%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Invests (ineptly) in common stocks and debt securities. Since 2013,
the SPY has outperformed CBDRX, and GLD has mostly outperformed
CBDRX. Maybe the managers use too much CBD to relax.
Buy the SPY and GLD.
- TROW -
T. Rowe Price Group [4.25%] (Nasdaq)
(trend down since September 2021)
Since 2005, the SPY has outperformed TROW. Buy the SPY.
WHY WE DON'T USE FUNDAMENTAL ANALYSIS
The existence of the many ETFs above and below are one reason that we
don't use fundamental analysis to generate our buy/sell signals (along
with fraudulent touting of EBITDA, the fact that over 80% of all patents
are invalid reflecting the fact that profit-earning innovation is next
to dead, manipulated earnings estimates gamed by accounting tricks to
meet earnings expectations, and the markets much dependent on real
cocaine and Fed 'cocaine' [rate cuts, QE/moneyprinting, etc.]). In
November 2024, Klement on Investing had a nice article on how niche
ETFs pretty much make fundamental analysis meaningless. In his article,
The Rise of Ponzi ETFs, he writes how niche-ETFs, legal Ponzi schemes,
have destroyed fundamental analysis. An asset management firm that launches
such a niche thematic ETF necessarily has to invest in a very concentrated
portfolio of stocks, many of which may be very illiquid. If this ETF then
attracts investor money, it must invest this money into the few illiquid
stocks it holds. Lots of money chasing these illiquid stocks means their
share prices rise,
not because of fundamentals but because of a lack
of supply. This in turn creates stronger performance for thematic ETF.
Themes with strong performance attract media attention and investor
attention. If there are enough investors that find the theme attractive,
more money will flow into the ETF and the underlying stocks, pushing
prices even higher. Result? We have created a Ponzi scheme where new
investors pay for the gains of previous investors.
BIG TECHNOLOGY / GRAN TECNOLOGÍA
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section: ABNB, AMBA, CARS, CSCO, DBX, DIS, DOUL, EB, EPAM, EXPE,
IBM, INTC, LUMN, KLAR, MDB, MRVL, NVTS, OKTA, OPEN, PINS, PYPL,
QRVO, SONY, SWKS, TSLA, U, VNET, W, Z
See in SPY-Equivalent
section: STX
See in Drugs, Dopamine & Guns
section: MARA
- AAPL (W) -
Apple [0.52%, $3.50/$4.50] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- ADBE -
Adobe [0.0%, $17/$21.50] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- ADSK -
Autodesk [0.0%, $1/$6] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- AMD (W) -
Advanced Micro Devices [0.0%, $4/$7] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
In November 2024,
AMD announces plans to fire about 1000 people, 4% of the company,
as it struggles to compete with Nvidia.
- AMT (W) -
American Tower [3.35%, $4/$7] (NYSE)
(trend down)
AMT is an REIT, but its real estate
holdings are for the telecommunications industry. From 2000 to
2010, it mostly beat the SPY and gold. But underperformed since
then and on a downtrend since September 2021.
- AMZN (W) -
Amazon [0.0%, $2.50/$5] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- ASML -
ASML [0.68%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- AVGO -
Broadcom [1.2%, $12/$75] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- AXON -
Axon Enterprise [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Since 2014, has signficantly outperformed the SPY. Sells hardware
and software for law enforcement. Reasonable debt and margins.
- BKNG -
Booking Holdings [0.9%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Has done well against GLD and SPY. Subsidiaries include Priceline,
Kayak and OpenTable.
- LYV -
Live Nation Entertainment [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
From 2006 to 2020, Live Nation and gold
tracked each other, but since then, Live Nation has done better.
Curious minds wonder, how? We don't know. In unrelated news, in
May 2024,
the Justice Department and 30 states sued Live Nation under
criminal antitrust laws, alleging that Live Nation controls
roughly 80% of "major concert venues' primary ticketing for
concerts". Oh.
- CRM -
Salesforce [0.68%, $4/$6] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- CRWD -
Crowdstrike [0.0%, $6/$18] (Nasdaq)
(July 2024 crash)
On 18 July 2024, Crowdstrike caused a global
crash of corporate computer systems. Already in a downtrend from 390 on
05 July, by 26 July, CRWD was down to 260, a 33% loss. Will lawsuits
push the price down lower?
- DELL -
Dell [1.35%, $3.50/$7.00] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- GOOGL -
Google [0.46%, $2.50/$4] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- LRCX -
Lam Research [0.86%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- MELI -
Mercado Libre [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Generally up since 2008, spiked up/down in 2020 due to Covid, has
recovered.
- META -
Facebook [0.41%, $10/$17] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
From September 2021 to October 2022, META
dropped from $380 to almost $80, after Apple made it harder for META
(and others) to spy on you, make ads of META less valueable. However,
META road the AI bubble from $80 to $480 by September 2023.
- MSFT -
Microsoft [0.73%, $4.50/$7.50] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- MU (W) -
Micron [0.38%, $2/$4] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Micron is been riding the AI bubble selling memory chips for Nvidia's
processors, but Barron's argues that Micron
could face fiercer competition from Samsung, including Samsung
selling more memory chips to Nvidia.
- NFLX -
Netflix [0.0%, $9/$17] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
An interesting September 2024 article argues
that
Netflix's main competition is not Disney nor Amazon Prime, but
rather Google's YouTube.
- NXPI (W) -
NXP Semiconductors [1.7%, $4.5/$9.0] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- ORCL -
Oracle [1.1%, $1.1/$3.3] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- PANW -
Palo Alto Networks [0.0%, $4.50/$9] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- PLTR -
Palantir Technologies [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- QCOM -
Qualcomm [2.5%, $4/$8] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- SAP -
SAP AG [1.2%, $4/$8] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Since 2000, has generally tracked the SPY and GLD, a less bubbly stock.
- SHOP -
Shopify [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- SMH -
VanEck Semiconductor ETF [0.43%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Since 2000, the SMH has generally outperformed the QQQ while
having a slightly lower dividend (0.43% versus 0.53%).
- SNPS -
Synopsys [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- SOXX (M) -
iShares Semiconductor ETF [0.6%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- TNET -
TriNet Group [1.0%, $4/??] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- TSM (W) -
Taiwan Semi. Manu. [1.26%, $3/$6] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- TTD (W) -
Trade Desk [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
A cloud-based ad buying platform. Outperfomed the SPY since 2017.
No debt, good margins. Motley Fool:
Trade Desk should continue rising in the next five years.
- TXN (W) -
Texas Instruments [2.69%, $3/$6] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
- NVDA (W) -
Nvidia [0.02%, $4/$8] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
How much of Nvidia is innovation, and
how much a financially engineered bubble? A good June 2024 article
exploring the financial engineering games of Nvidia is at Macro Butler:
Dark Pooled Artificial Accounting.
We are also tracking
NVDL, a 2-times long NVDA Daily
ETF, which started trading in 2023. It has a 3.6% dividend yield and
weekly options.
Winter 2025: after explosive growth, around June 2024, the stock price
of Nvidia started plateauing around $130, with a very weak pattern of
head-and-shoulders centered around 17 November 2024. Is this the peak
of Nvidia, and the AI bubble? Some articles:
Nvidia stock's correction has accelerated since Microsoft's CEO hinted
the frenzied (bubbling) demand for AI chips may be waning, and
Nvidia stock slides amid AI spending slowdown fears, increased
competition, an anti-trust investigation in China, and most AI
companies not seeing a meaningful return for their AI investments.
POPPING UP THE AI BUBBLE
Some news articles for AI-bubble skeptics:
Shares of Dell and HP plunge after generative AI fails to ignite a 'PC refresh cycle',
A majority of tech job seekers call "bullshit" on the workplace AI revolution,
with survey respondents doubt it boosts performance of even lightens the
workload.
Turns out, the generative AI upgrade 'supercycle' is not happening with the iPhone or Android.
The AI bubble is bursting. Here is how we know. Technology customers
are apparently already getting bored of smart devices with generative AI.
Mentioning "AI" actively lowered emotional trust, decreasing purchase intentions.
December 2024:
Most iPhone owners see little to no value in Apple Intelligence so far,
and eveb more Samsung smartphone owners say that they cannot see much point
in the AI features offered.
These AI investments are a waste of shareholder money, if the companies
are not profitting. Despite the hundreds of billions invested in AI
hardware - "Across the software industry, SI revenue remains theoretical".
As AI-generated slop art pollutes everything,
AI hype (for profits) plumments over a cliff with costs continue to soar.
AI companies are spending more and more to develop GenAI despite growing
market skepticism of any profits to be generated.
27 January 2025 - mini-AI-bubble pop due to China.
An upstart company in Zhōngguó, OpenSeek,
OpenSeek, sparks a $1 trillion market loss,
with its new lost cost AI technology,
days after Trump idiotically hypes a $500 billion megadeal poposed
by job-killer OpenAI.
67% of software companies surveyed (43 out of 64) reported decelerating
revenue growth.
See our article: Will
AI ever be useful for technical analysis? Part 1 - it is not a given.
March 2025, New York Times -
The technology fantasy that powers AI is running on fumes.
- ARKK -
Ark Invest invests in the oxymoronic "disruptive technology". Other
than riding the Tesla bubble in 2020-2021, ARKK has underperformed
the SPY and GLD.
Cathie Wood's Ark Invest has destroyed $14 billion in wealth over the
past decade, according to a
Morningstar study, which also reported billions in wealth destroyed
by the ARK Genomic Revolution ETF (ARKG).
October 2024:
China ETFs Join Cathie Woods's ETFs as the biggest wealth destroyers for investors in the USA.
Prudent then for Cathie Woods to say that
her "volatile" ARK Innovation Fund should NOT be a huge percentage of
anyone's investment portfolio.
July 2025: despite ARKK and ARKX being up in 2025, investors have
withdrawn almost $1 billion from her funds. This shows
"a greater skepticism of Wood's long-term performance".
- AI ETFs -
One reason much of the recent AI bubble is a bubble is that their
"Artificially Intelligence" really isn't that intelligent. One test
of this thesis is the performance of AI ETFs, ETFs that solely use
AI algorithms to manage a stock portfolio. Not that intelligent here.
A September 2024 MarketWatch article (and other analyses) reported
that most AI-traded ETFs have horrible performance, with many not beating
the trivially intelligent strategy of buying the SPY. One of the
first, AIEG, formed in January 2017, has had an annual return of
7.85%, while during the same time, the SP500 returned 14%. Avoid
ETFs that use AI - one more reason much of the AI bubble is a bubble.
- CHEGG -
Chegg [0%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
The AI bubble will pop when it has profited from the firing of as
many humans as possible (there isn't much profit in generative porn,
generative lousy advice, etc.). Canary in the coal mine is Chegg,
for many years an online tutoring site with 2000 employees as of
December 2022. As of December 2024, it will probably have no humans
working for it, as students can freely/very-cheaply get the same
advice from generative AI systems. From a high of around $90 in
December 2022, its stock has plummeted to 98% to $2. Chegg has huge
negative net margins, and debt/equit of 1.6. Bye-bye!
- SMCI -
Super Micro Computer [0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend down)
Super Micro in early 2024 rode the AI
bubble from $10 at the beginning of 2023 to $110 in March 2024.
Since then, it has fallen over 50% to the 40s in October 2024.
On 30 October 2024,
shares of Super Micro plummet 30%, after its accounting firm,
Ernst and Young, ended its relationship with Super Micro, mostly
because E&Y doesn't trust financial reports of management.
Could be a "canary in the mine" for the popping of the AI bubble:
Super Micro's $50 billion stock collapse underscores risk of AI hype.
06 November 2024:
Shares of Super Micro drop 19% on sinks on weaker-than-expected
outlook, uncertainty over annual filing.
Nvidia's last move to use other IT infrastructure companies just gave Supermicro investors some epically bad news.
In December 2024, SMCI was removed from the Nasdaq.
- SNOW -
Snowflake [0%] (NYSE)
(trend flat since 2022)
an AI cloud services company, that while popping after its IPO in 2020,
reaching a high of 350 in September 2021, has plummeted to $130 in
November 2024. Not a good sign for the AI bubble as a whole for a
child of Google. In November 2024,
Google, the parent of Snowflake, sells 79% of its share in Snowflake.
- 005930.KS -
Samsung Electronics [1.8%%] (KSC/KSX)
(trend up)
005930.KS is quoted in Korean won, which we adjusted to US dollars by a factor of 0.0008.
One of the first AI-bubble companies to pop (Bloomberg - Oct 2024):
Shares of Samsung drop 32% in four months. The stock price is flat
since October 2020. 07 Nov. 2024 at CNBC:
How Samsung fell behind in the AI boom leading to a $126 billion wipeout.
FINANCIALS / FINANCIEROS
Side note: since 2000, JPMorgan and Goldman Sachs have generally
tracked each other, and both have mostly had better returns than
Bank of America and State Street. Since Blackstone went public in 2007,
it has performed similarly to JPMorgan.
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section: AEG, FLG, FMNB, KEY, OBDC, ONB, OZK, PEBO,
STT, TFC, WFC, WU, ZION
See in SPY-Equivalent
section:
- JPM -
JPMorgan Chase [2.28%, $2.25/$4.25] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- GS -
Goldman Sachs [2.42%, $5/$10] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- BAC -
Bank of America [2.41%, $0.50/$1.00] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- BLK -
BlackRock [2.4%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Over the last twenty years, it outperformed SPY and GLD. In the last
ten years, it has pretty much tracked the SPY - it has become so big
as to become a SP500 proxy.
- BMO -
BMO [5.08%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Was Bank of Montreal.
- APO -
Apollo Global Management [1.5%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Global alternative asset manager and retirement services providers.
Since launch in 2010, has outperformed SPY, and quietly has mostly
outperformed Berkshire Hathaway - both with a similar dividend.
- ARES -
Ares Management Corp [2.3%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- AXP -
American Express [1.1%, $4/$8] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Before 2000, MA and V outperformed AXP. Since 2000, AXP has outperformed.
- BX -
Blackstone [2.82%, $2/$4] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- COF -
Capital One [1.2%, $2/$6] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- EMIRATESNBD.AE -
Emirates NBD Bank [6.2%] (ADX)
(trend up)
Since 2014, much tracks the SPY, with a higher dividend.
- FICO -
Fair Isaac [$0.0] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- MA -
Mastercard [0.60%, $4/$8] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- MCO -
Moody's Corp. [0.80%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- MQG -
Macquarie Group (Australia)
(trend up)
- a big banking corporation in Australia.
Since 2009, Macquarie has pretty much tracked the SPY with
a similar dividend, though in 2025 it fell behind the SPY
as the SPY was AI bubbled. A November 2025 article in Reuters
argues that
the good times for its stock's performance is in the past.
- TPG -
TPG Inc. [2.8%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Since it IPOed in January 2022, it has somewhat outperformed SPY
and GLD with a yield greater than SPY. An alternative asset
management company. A nice review in the 24 July Barron's:
This private equity giant is expanding. Its stock is a buy.
- V -
Visa [0.77%, $2.50/$5] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Mastercard and Visa pretty much track
each other, with Mastercard having a higher long term return.
On 25 Sept 2024, Visa was sued by the US government for violating
criminal antitrust laws. Two weeks later,
a group of merchants filed a second criminal antitrust lawsuit
against Visa.
- XLF -
Financial Sector (banks) SPDR Fund [1.55%, $0.40/$0.60] (NYSE)
(trend up)
FINANCIALS TO AVOID
- JHEQX -
JPMorgan Hedged Equity Fund Class I [0.83%]
Note:
JPMorgan's JHEQX fund trades common stocks, but uses call/put
options to increase returns. Apparently not very well, for all
of JPMorgan's expertise, since from its inception in 2014, the SPY
has outperformed JHEQX, and GLD has mostly outperformed JHEQX.
See JEPI, JPMorgan's Equity Premium Income ETF in the Dividends
section, mostly flat for four years, 7% not worth underpeformance
re SPY.
- See in Dividends section: IEP
METALS / METALES
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section: AA, AAL.K, GOLD, NEW, PPLT
See in SPY-Equivalent
section:
- GLD -
SPDR Gold Shares [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Side note: GLD pretty much tracks the spot price of gold, a
reasonable proxy. GLD also pretty much tracks the non-tradeable
S&P GSCI Gold Spot index.
Granite Shares, which sponsors a variety of ETFs, has an ETF that
tracks GLD, BAR,
which has less than $1 billion in assets and has no options.
Gold has been the champion asset for the 21st century. From 2000
to the end of 2024, the S&P500 recorded an annualized return of 7.7%, while
GLD/GSCIGold recorded an annualized return of 8.5% annually.
Click here for KukaXoco Gold News
Gold generally outperforms silver. But when silver is too cheap compared
to gold, some traders like buying silver.
- AEM -
Agnico Eagle Mines [0.9%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
It has outperformed SPY since 2015. AEM and GLD pretty much track
each other, and so AEM pretty much beats many stocks. Further, it
has a 0.9% dividend, making all stocks that underperform gold less
attractive. AEM is a gold mining company based in Canada, mines in
4 countries, has paid dividends for 41 years, and has 54 million
ounces of provable reserves.
- GDX -
VanEck Vector Gold Miners [1.41%] (NYSE)
(trend down since August 2020)
- GOLD -
Barrick Gold Corporation [2.17%] (NYSE)
- SLV -
iShares Silver Trust [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- CPER -
US Copper Index Fund [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- SCCO -
Southern Copper [2.74%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Side note: SCCO has performed well against other miners,
such as Barrick Gold. SCCO has done well against gold prices.
And the renewable boom will increase the demand for copper. A nice chart:
Copper will be the next 'oil', as demand rises to 40 million tons by
2040 (up from 24 million tons in 2020), while demand for oil will
drop to 66 million barrels/day by 2040 (down from 90 million in 2020).
- ATI -
ATI Inc. [0%, $1.50/$2.00] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
ATI is big into titanium, and titanium
is becoming a more popular metal (it is very useful) as its
production costs come down. From 2000 to 2018, ATI was beaten by
the SPY and GLD, but since then, it has outpeformed both.
- STLD -
Steel Dynamics [1.4%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Since 2015 it has outperformed the SPY, with a slightly higher dividend.
Big into steel and metal recycling.
- X -
US Steel Corp. [0.52%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
In 2024, Nippon Steel made an offer to buyout US Steel. Click here:
latest news on takeover.
In June 2025, X was delisted after being taken over by Nippon Steel.
CRYPTOCURRENCIES / CRYPTOMONEDAS
Side note: we mostly don't cover casino-based stocks and ETFs, but the
cryptocurrency casino is too popular to ignore.
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section:
See in SPY-Equivalent
section:
See in Drugs, Dopamine & Guns
section: HOOD
- BTC-USD -
Bitcoin spot price
(trend up since May 2022)
- COIN -
Coinbase [0.0%, $7/$19] (NYSE)
(trend up since April 2022)
COIN mostly tracks bitcoin and GBTC prices (though underperforms,
but has tradeable options, which are a bit pricey. Click here for:
KukaXoco Bitcoin News.
- GBTC -
Grayscale Bitcoin Trust [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up since Nov 2022)
GBTC outpeformed bitcoin from 2022 to 2024,
but since then has mostly tracked bitcoin prices. But there are no
options for GBTC, only for COIN. Some other bitcoin ETFs include BITO
(started in October 2021) which GBTC has outperformed, and
IBIT and FBTC started in 2024 which have tracked GBTC, with
Blackrock's IBIT now with more assets than GBTC.
- IBIT -
iShares Bitcoin Trust [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up since January 2024)
Since December 2024, it has mostly tracked GLD AND SPY.
- MSTR (W) -
Strategy (was MicroStrategy) [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up since Jun 2022)
MicroStrategy is a bitcoin development company, with most of its worth
due to its large holdings of bitcoin. For some time, MicroStrategy has
had a premium 200% to 300% over the price of bitcoin, because it
is a tradeable stock for conservative investors. But as CoinDesk
summarizes a Steno Research report:
"The launch of options on spot bitcoin exchange-traded funds in
the USA will reduce the incentives for investors to hold
MicroStrategy stock over these ETFs" (Oct 2024).
There are also tax problems. MicroStrategy owns about $47 billion
worth of bitcoin, which includes $18 billion of unrealized gains.
But even if it doesn't sell a single bitcoin to obtain realized gains,
it might have to pay billions in taxes on those unrealized earnings,
difficult for a company with a lot of debt, and negative earnings.
For true gamblers in cryptocurrencies, there is the MSTX doubled
leveraged version of MSTR, one of the worst investments on the
planet, having dropped from 8000 in September 2024 to 30 in February
2025. MSTR hasn't done much better, from almost 480 in November 2024
to 240 in Febrruay 2025.
In March 2025, GameStop announced that it will become another bitcoin
casino, by
using its corporate cash to buy a lot of bitcoin, the strategy of
the MicroStrategy casino.
Microstrategy offers two preferred stocks, STRF and STRK, with yields
over 7%. See DIVIDENDS section.
- HOOD -
Robinhood Markets [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up since Nov 2022)
Want to gamble on cryptocurrencies,
meme stocks, and now democracy? The Robinhood casino is the place
to be. It crashed after its 2021 IPO, and never rose above its
open IPO price. From April 2022 to April 2025, it mostly tracked
the price of bitcoin. While both peaked September 2025, HOOD is
still up much more than bitcoin.
- BRPHF
Galaxy Digital Holdings[0.0%] (OTC)
(trend flat since 2009)
A digital asset and blockchain company.
IPOed at around $500 in 2006, plummeted to $18 in 2008 (that was
quick!), and ranged between $2 and $20 (now $11) since 2021.
Another way to gamble on cryptocurrencies.
DRUGS, BIOTECH / DROGAS, BIOTECHNOLOGÍA
ENERGY / ENERGÍA
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section: PAA
See in SPY-Equivalent
section: ONEOK
- CCJ -
Cameco [0.17%, $1.20/$2.40] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Cameco sells both uranium for fueling nuclear power plants, and
components for nuclear reactors.
- FCG (F) -
First Trust Natural Gas ETF [2.39%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- FSLR -
First Solar [0%, $7/$12] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Since 2014, it has much tracked the SPY, sometimes doing better,
sometimes doing worse. Nice dividend of 4.85%.
- GEV -
GE Vernova [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
In the electric power business, including generation from natural gas,
nuclear, and hydropower. IPO'd December 2023, up over 25% since then.
Similar to VRT and VST, riding the AI bubble.
- NEE (F) -
Nextera Energy [2.85%, $1.00/$2.00] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Electric power and energy infrastructure company. A sister company,
NextEra Energy Partners is mentioned in the dividends section.
- TPL -
Texas Pacific Land Corporation [0.5%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
One of the leading socialist companies in the United States (along
with Tesla), in the sense that with no debt, a near insane P/E ratio
of 68 (if the paid 100% of their profits in dividends, you would need
68 years to recoup your investment), while paying and paying 0.5%
dividend, it has incredibly outperformed the SPY in the last 10 years
- more so that almost every publicly traded company. How? Much of its
income is from royalties on oil and natural gas extracted from its
850,000+ acres of land. It profits incredibly from sales of oil and
natural gas, without having to pay anything to deal with the CO2
pollution from such fossil fuels which fuels global heating.
Capitalistic profits, socialistic expenses - well done, comrades!
- UGA (F) -
United States Gasoline Fund [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- VRT -
Vertiv Holdings [0.1%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Stock price was flat from 2019 to 2023, then boomed thanks to the AI
bubble.
- VST -
Vistra [0.9%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Stock price was flat from 2015 to 2023, then boomed thanks to the AI
bubble.
OIL / PETRÓLEO
Side note: most of the major oil companies have similar stock price
performances and dividends. Choose whichever one tickles your fancy.
INDUSTRIALS / INDUSTRIALES
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section: BA, BAX, CAG, CE, CLX, CNX, DD, IFF, FLR, JWN, KHC,
LHK, LKQ, LYB, NOMD, UPS, VZ, WHR
See in SPY-Equivalent
section: CMG, LPX
- AER -
Aercap Holdings [1.07%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- AIR.PA -
Airbus SE [0.99%] (Paris)
(trend up)
Since 2005, it has outperformed gold
and even more so outperformed the troubled Boeing. Better yet,
Airbus has a 1% dividend, while Boeing has no dividend.
- APD -
Air Product [2.2%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
They provide industrial gases and equipment. Has mostly tracked
GLD and SPY over the decades. In October 2023, at least
one activist fund (D.E. Shaw) took a billion dollar stake in the
company, and wants to help build long-term value.
- AZO -
Autozone [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Has done well against GLD and SPY. However, in October 2024,
Goldman Sachs changed its "Buy" recommendation to "Sell",
because of low-income consumers being financially under pressure.
- BLDR -
Builders FirstSource [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- CALM -
Cal-Maine Foods [9.1%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Big producers of eggs in the USA. Generally tracks the SPY, while
offering a nice dividend.
- DBD -
Diebold Nixdorf [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- DECK -
Deckers Outdoors [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Has done well against GLD and SPY.
- IDXX (M) -
IDEXX Laboratories [0.0%, $12] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
It has performed well over the last
20 years. IDEXX develops, manufactures and distributes products and
provides services primarily for the companion animal veterinary,
livestock and poultry, dairy and water testing industries.
Based in the lovely city of Portland, Maine.
- WMT (W) -
Walmart [1.26%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Since 2000, Costco (below) has tended to outperform Walmart.
- COST (W) -
Costco [1.26%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Costo and Walmart track each other, but
over the years, COST has tended to outperform Walmart.
- CASY -
Casey's General Stores [0.44%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
Casey's has done well in recent decades, tracking the SPY and Walmart,
having outperformed both in the last 10 years. It is a general
convenience store operating in 17 states. Small dividend at 0.44%
compared to the SPY, but has appreciated enough to compensate for
the SPY's larger dividend.
- BJ (W) -
BJ's Wholesale Club [2.2%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
From 2018, BJ's has tracked or outperform WMT, except in 2025, when
BJ's dropped from $120 to $100.
- HD (W) -
Home Depot [2.2%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Much tracks the stock price and dividends of SPY.
- RL (W) -
Ralph Lauren [1.2%, $5/$10] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- TJX (W) -
The TJX Companies [1.28%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
An off-price apparel and home fashions
retailer. Sounds boring, but has mostly outpeformed the SPY and GLD
in the last 20 years. CNBC (October 2024):
Americans love TJ Maxx. Here is why big brands do, too.
- KR -
Kroger [1.9%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Since 2004, it has mostly tracked the SPY with a higher dividend.
Kroger and Walmart have tracked each other for 20 years, with
KR sometimes more than WMT, and sometimes less, with a slightly
higher dividend. Kroger is a good stock to diversify with in the
retail industry space.
- PG (W) -
Procter & Gamble [2.32%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
While PG has underperformed SPY and
GLD since 2014 it has been a steady riser, with a decent dividend.
It performs better than a peer, Unilever (UL).
- ROCK -
Gibraltar Industries [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
ROCK and SPY oscillate around each other,
bur ROCK has no dividend.
- UL (W) -
Unilever [2.85%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
A bouncy stock, from $60 in 2020/2021, to $45 in 2022, to
over $55 in 2024.
DEFENSE
Investing in defense stocks is a no-brainer. For the last 20 years,
the prices of aerospace and defense stocks has been highly correlated
with defense spending in the USA
(
click here for a graph of this correlation).
Since both Democrats and Republicans will continue to increase the
budget of the military, these stocks will continue to increase.
Let us be honest - helping to kill people is always profitable, and
none of these companies, however, are "beating swords into plowshares".
However, for the criminally managed socialist (no competition while
living off of government contracts, often with guaranteed profits)
defense contractors - Boeing, Raytheon, Lockheed Martin, Northrop
Grumman, and General Dynamics -
The Big 5 Must Die. They missed out on AI. They missed out (and
fear) drones. They are not innovative anymore. They seem to be
too busy serving the interests of Wall Street, not the defense of the
USA.
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section: BA, LHX
- ITA -
iShares US Aerospace & Defense ETF [0.84%] (CBOE)
(trend up)
ITA tracks the Dow Jones US Aerospace and Defense Index (SPDJI).
For the last 20 years or so, ITA has much tracked the SPY with
a lower dividend (0.84% versus 1.2%), doing a bit better due the
recent wars going on around the world.
- CW -
Curtis-Wright [0.14%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Provides production and services, mostly to the aerospace and
defense industries, and into the commercial power and process
markets. From 2000 to 2020, it much tracked the SPY. Since
2020, it has significantly outperformed the SPY, riding both
the Defense Spending and AI bubble. Should continue to do well
after the AI bubble bursts.
- GD -
General Dynamics [1.90%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
If you want to profit from government
military waste, GD is your investment. In the last 20 years, it
has beaten gold and steadily increased its dividends
(now at 1.9%). The US Navy has ordered 12 nuclear ballistic
submarines from GD for $130 billion to be delivered by 2042.
With other military orders, the future is good for GD earnings
and dividend increases.
- LMT -
Lockheed Martin [2.69%] (NYSE)
(trend down since April 2023)
If you want to profit from government
military waste, LMT is your investment. In the last 20 years, it
has beaten gold and steadily increased its dividends
(now at 2.69%). Brilliant management?
Innovative technology? Nope (don't look at their patents)!
LMT is the lead contractor on the most wasteful military expenditure
in the history of the world, the F-35 program, which will end up
costing American taxpayers $2 trillion dollars
(
Has the Pentagon learned from the F-35 debacle? - June 2023).
- NOC (M) -
Northrup Grumman [1.94%] (NYSE)
(trend up since 2020)
Another government defense contractor that has also steadily
beat GLD and SPY.
- RTX -
RTX [2.06%] (NYSE)
(trend up since 2020)
Another government defense contractor
that has also steadily beat GLD and SPY - a merger of Raytheon,
Collins Aerospace and Pratt & Whitney.
- RHM-DE -
Rheinmetall AG [1.0%] (XETRA)
(trend up since 2021)
giant weapons company Germany. Strange stock behavior. It pretty
much tracked the SPY from 2004 to 2021. From 2022 forward, it has
hugely outperformed the SPY, maybe due the war between Russia and
Ukraine.
DIVIDENDS / DIVIDENDOS
Side note: these are stocks whose prices don't have much long-term increases,
but pay 'good' dividends, say, over 5%/year to make them more interesting
than yields on Treasury bonds. We don't like them, but everyone is always
touting them. Dividends below 5%/year (stocks listed in the "STUPIDITY"
section), well, you might as well buy one of the Treasury Bond funds.
Especially if a T. Rowe Price prediction comes true:
Treasury 10-year yields may climb to 6% for the first time in more than
two decades, with other large money manager predicting T-Bond yields
over 5% next year.
Another observation: when inflation is high,
stocks and bonds become more correlated, and can have similar returns.
During these periods, stocks with strong dividends and deccent growth, such
as Ares Capital below, become more attractive.
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section: AEG, CAG, CTO, FBPEX, LYB, KHC, VWOB, TLK
See in SPY-Equivalent
section:
- ARCC -
Ares Capital [9.1%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up since 2008)
A specialty finance company focused on providing direct loans and other
investments in private middle market companies in the United States.
Mostly over $15 during the last 20 years, now at $21, steadily up from 2010.
May 2025 good recommendation by Motley Fool
- BSTZ -
BlackRock Science and Technology Term Trust [10.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up since 2023)
It currently has a dividend of 10% (nice) and some stock price
growth, so since 2023 it has matched the return of the SPY with
its growth and smaller dividend. Could be riding the AI bubble,
so take a look after the AI bubble burst.
- CUBE -
CubeSmart [4.1%] (NYSE)
REIT focusing on self-storage properties. They have a decent
dividend at 4%, and the stock price has steadily risen sicne 2014.
Mostly beaten by the SPY and GLD over the years, but at least it
has more stock appreciation than other dividend plays.
- EMIRATESNBD.AE -
Emirates NDB Bank [6.2%] (ADX)
Nice dividend, see entry in Financials section.
- ENB -
Enbridge [6.6%] (NYSE)
(trend flat in last ten years)
A pipeline and utility company in Canada, has paid dividends for
69 years)
- EPD -
Enterprise Products Partners [7.2%] (NYSE)
(trend flat in last twelve years)
EPD provides midstream energy services to producers and consumers
of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), crude oil,
petrochemicals and refined products.
- ET -
Energy Transfer LP [7.6%] (NYSE)
(trend up since 2020)
Concentrates on natural gas deliveries and storage. Up over 150%
since 2020, comparable to the SPY, with a better dividend. A
bouncy stock over the last 20 years.
May 2025 good recommendation by Motley Fool
- HYT -
BlackRock Corporate High Yield [10%] (NYSE)
(trend flat since 2010)
Has averaged around $11.50 since 2010. Junk-bond fund.
- NEP -
NextEra Energy Partners [19%] (NYSE)
Has averaged around $20 for the last ten years, rising to $80
in 2021, and now down to $20. An October 2024 Motley Fool article
argues that
dividend cuts are coming for NEP as it addresses the high cost of
capital, and use cash for organic expansion investments.
- PFLT -
PennantPark Floating Rate Capital [12%] (NYSE)
Has averaged around $12 for the last fourteen years, dropping to
$5 during the Covid pandemic and now up to $11. Mostly provides
floating-rate loans to middle-market private companies.
- PYLD -
PIMCO Multisector Bond Active ETF [5.9%] (NYSE)
Launched in March 2023, it has gradually drifted up from $25
to $27, while offering a nice 5.9% dividend. One to track for the
long-haul.
- RITM -
Rithm Capital [9.8%] (NYSE)
Has averaged around $11 for the last ten years, dropping to $5
during the Covid pandemic and now up to $10. It is a REIT.
- TCPC -
BlackRock TCP Capital [14.7%] (NYSE)
Has a high yield because its price has dropped from 14 in 2021
to 7 in 2025. But even if it rises back to 14, the yield is still
a healthy 7%.
- WBA -
Walgreens Boots Alliance [9%] (Nasdaq)
(trend down)
Walgreens is a pharmacy retailer, nearly as ubiquitous as CVS.
From 1996 to 2016 it rose from $10 to nearly $100, but since then
it has dropped back to $10. High dividend yield of little comfort.
- IEP -
Icahn Enterprises [16%] (Nasdaq)
For the last 16 years, IEP has mostly averaged $50,
underperforming SPY and GLD. But it offered a nice dividend of
about 16%. However, in May 2023, it plummeted from $50 to $20,
and then to $12 by November 2024. While it pushed the dividend
to 32%, in November 2024 it announced it will cut the dividend
in half to fund a purchase. Debt/equity of about 2.5, and
negative net margins. If you like catching knives, chase its
dividends.
- JEPI -
JPMorgan Equity Premium Income ETF [8.3%] (NYSE)
(trend mostly flat in four years of existence)
CNBC: "The Fund seeks to provide the majority of the
returns associated with the Fund's primary benchmark,
the S&P 500 Index, while exposing investors to less risk
through lower volatility and still offering incremental income."
NOT! JEPI has been outperformed by SPY and GLD in most of its
existance, enough to make the higher dividend not too attractive.
Indeed, the compounded interest still makes JEPI underperform
the SPY.
- JEPQ -
JPMorgan Nasdaq Equity Premium Income ETF [10.2%] (NYSE)
(trend somewhat up in 3 years of existence)
JEPQ is similar to JEPI - a high dividend, but even with its
compounded interest, unable to beat the SPY, though JEPQ is
more attractive than JEPI. From Yahoo Finance:
JEPI vs JEPQ vs QQQI: Which One Should You Buy in November 2025?,
the recommendation being to buy QQQI for the most income. Though
QQQI shares the same underperformance. For example, November 2024
to November 2025, QQQI was up 4% plus 14% dividend is gain of 18%.
QQQI (the NEOS Nasdaq 100 High Income ETF) was up 21%.
- MPLX -
MPLX LP [7.7%] (NYSE)
Owns and operates midstream energy infrastructure and logistics assets and
provides fuels distribution services. Subsidiary of Marathon Petroleum Company.
Since 2016, it has averaged around $30, down to $10 in 2020, now at $50.
May 2025 good recommendation by Motley Fool
- MPW -
Medical Properties Trust [7.9%] (NYSE)
Leases facilities to healthcare companies.
While it now has a high dividend, it is only because the stock has
plummeted in recent years, from averaging around $10 from 2006
to 2022, peaking at $23 in 2021, now down to $4. Find a better
dividend roller coaster.
- PSEC -
Prospect Capital Corporation [13.7%] (Nasdaq)
While it has a high dividend, it is only because the stock has been
a steady decliner, from $18 in 2007 to $4.50 in 2024. It provides
credit to private businesses.
Shares of Prospect Capital, a $7.6 billion publicly-traded private credit fund, tumbled more than 16% Friday after the firm reduced its dividend by 25% for the first time in seven years.
- STRF, STRK -
MicroStrategy - Preferred stocks (Nasdaq)
STRF and STRK are
two preferred stocks sold by MicroStrategy.
The current yields are over 7%. Unlike other preferred, these two
are not backed by earnings to pay annual dividends, but instead the
dividends are paid with appreciation in the price of bitcoin. The
initial offering, known as Strike (ticker: STRK) has a face value
of $100 and an 8% annual dividend, but now changes hands at about $87,
for a yield of about 9.2%. MicroStrategy is willing to pay such
high yields because it feels that bitcoin with rise at a 20%-plus
annual rate, exceeding the 10% or so dividend on the preferred stocks.
Another way to gamble in the cryptocurrency casino.
- USOI -
UBS ETRACS Crude Oil Shares Covered Call ETN [23%] (Nasdaq)
One of the economists. Since June 2020, USOI is down about 50%.
But it recently has been offering a 23% dividend, now at $13.
One to buy and hold?
- IEF -
iShares 7-10 Year Treasury Bond [3.7%] (Nasdaq)
(trend flat since October 2022)
Trend down since 2012, trend up since 2002.
- TLT -
iShares 20+ Year Treasury Bond [4.47%] (Nasdaq)
(trend down since March 2020)
Note: TLT is down about 50% since March 2020, and its 4.4% dividend
provides little comfort. Since 2007, the
Vanguard Extended Duration Treasury Index Fund ETF (EDV)
has tracked TLT, though TLT's return has been somewhat higher,
since it is down 60% since March 2020. If you want to trade
something like this, trade SGOV, iShares 0-3 Month Treasury Bond
ETF, which has fluctuated around $100 since March 2023, and offers
a 4.5% dividend.
- TBT -
ProShares Ultrashort 20+ Year Treasury [4.39%] (NYSE)
(trend up since March 2020)
COLOMBIA
Side note: Colombian stocks, at least those traded in New York, mostly
are losers - declining in price for years, trending down, though some with
good dividends.
- TGLS -
Tecnoglas [0.86%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Note: one of the best performing Colombian stocks. Its main
product lines involve glass and windows for residential and
commercial buildings. The stock was mostly flat from 2012 to
2021, but since then has risen nicely in price, from around $10
in 2020 to $50 in 2024.
- BBVA -
BBVA - Banco Bilbao [5.6%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Note: not based in Colombia, but has many retail branches in Colombia.
- AVAL -
Grupo Aval [7.8%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
- BBD -
Banco Bradesco [1.7%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
From a high of $15 in 2008, it has
to under $3 in 2014. Insider Monkey, Sept. 2024:
Banco Bradesco: among the worst affordable stocks to buy under $10.
- CIB -
Bancolombia [10.20%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
- CPA -
Copa Holdings [6.9%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
Note: based in Panama, but does a lot of business in Colombia through
its subsidiary, AeroRepublica (Copa Colombia).
- EC -
Ecopetrol [30%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
Note: after peaking in 2012 over 50, it has spent the last ten years
averaging around 10. One of the largest dividends available.
- EWB -
iShares Brazil ETF [6.37%] (NYSE)
Since 2005, EWB has been flat. It has
a 6.37% dividend, but across 20 years, that return is still less
than gold. Too bad, if it performed better, you could write off
your 'research' trips to Rio.
- COLO -
Global X MSCI Colombia ETF [5.6%] (NYSE Arca)
(trend down)
Note: another lousy play on Colombia. After peaking in the 80s from
2010 to 2014, it has dropped down to an average of $30 or so. Its
former symbol was GXG.
- LTM -
LATAM Airlines [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
Note: after peaking at $30 in 2010, it has become a penny stock,
now trading around $0.50. "LTMAY" was delisted by the New York Stock
Exchange in June 2020, and became a penny stock, and relisted in
July 2024. We will start tracking in 2025. While LATAM is based
in Chile, it has a lot of operations in Colombia.
- TIMB -
Tim S.A. [5.5%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
Note: a Brazilian company, a subsidary of Telecom Italia Finance,
which provides mobile and fixed telephony services. Despite some
ups and downs, the stock is basically flat in the last 20 years.
BHARAT / INDIA
Side note: most stocks of companies based in Bharat, and that are traded on
the NYSE or NASDAQ, have underperformed SPY and GLD over the last 10 to 20
years, and don't have high dividends. Fun for short term speculative
trrading.
- INFY -
Infosys LTD [2.3%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
The big computer services company of India. Since 2014, mostly
tracks the SPY, and outpeforms GLD. Probably the best of the
stocks listed here to invest in.
- IBN -
ICICI Bank LTD [0.8%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Second largest bank in India. Since 2014, has somewhat outperformed
HDB (HDFC Bank).
- HDB -
HDFC Bank LTD [1.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- HDFC Bank Limited. A big private bank in India. Since 2010,
is has pretty much tracked the SPY, except during the AI
bubble times starting in 2024. When bubble bursts, it should
go back to tracking the SPY. 1% dividend is decent.
- WIT -
Wipro LTD [0.2%] (NYSE)
(trend flat)
Another big computer services compant based in India. Since
2004, outpeformed by GLD and SPY, and mostly flat since 2010.
Not worth investing in.
- RDY -
Dr. Reddy's Laboratories [0.6%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
India's big pharmaceutical and generic drug company. Since 2014,
mostly outperformed by GLD and SPY, with low dividend.
- MMYT -
MakeMyTrip LTD [0.0%] (Nasdaq)
(trend flat/spike)
The Expedia of India, focusing on online travel services.
A weird stock. From 2010 to 2013, the stock price has horribly
flat. But up 250% in 2014, hopefully on good earnings.
- YTRA -
Yatra Online [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
A smaller travel services company in India. Horrible stock
performance, from from 11 in 2017 to 1.5 in 2024.
- WNS -
WNS Holdings [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend down)
A business management services company. Since 2015, mostly
outperformed by SPY and GLD, peaked in March 2023, and since
then is down 60%.
- SIFY -
Sify Technologies LTD [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend flat)
A computer network services company. It quickly peaked after its
IPO in 2000 (probably riding the dot-com boom), but crashed
shortly thereafter. Since 2009, the stock price has been mostly
flat with no dividend. Not worth investing in.
ZHŌNGGUÓ / CHINA
- AAPL (W) -
Apple [0.52%, $3.50/$4.50] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
A New York Post article argues:
How Apple invested big, profited greatly, and sold itself to China.
A bit ironic for one of the largest (dopamine apps) drug traffickers in history
being so dependent on a country that suffered horribly due to England's opium wars.
- AMZN - Amazon
(trend up)
See Amazon in the BigTech section. Amazon
obtains 71% of the goods it sells from China. It is as much a
Chinese company as other Chinese companies listed here.
- BABA -
Alibaba [1.28%] (NYSE)
(trend down since October 2020, flat since October 2022)
- BYD -
BYD [0.48%] (Shenzhen)
(trend up)
Long term - go long BYD, short Tesla. In October 2024, BYD launched
a $14,000 plug-in hybrid vehicle, as it continues to dominate
foreign rivals. It makes its batteries and processor chips in-house.
- FXI -
IShares China Large-Cap ETF [2.85%] (NYSE)
(trend down since February 2021)
NIHON / JAPAN
Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsui, Sumitomo and Mitsubishi are the Big Five
trading houses in Nihon. They have good stock price appreciation and
good dividends. How good? Reuters, May 2025: Warren Buffett
endorses trading houses in Japan, could hold them "forever". His
Berkshire Hathaway owns over $25 billion of shares of these companies as of
2024. In context, Berkshire Hathaway owns about $100 billion of shares of two
of the biggest legal drug traffickers: Apple (dopamine) and CocaCola (sugar).
Toyota manufactures the most automobiles in the industry, and wisely is
pursuing hybrid vehicle technology (electric with gasoline).
- 8001.T (Tokyo) -
Itochu Corp [2.8%] (Tokyo)
(trend up)
- 8002.T (Tokyo) -
Marubeni Corp [3.6%] (Tokyo)
(trend up)
- 8031.T (Tokyo) -
Mitsui & Comp. [4.1%] (Tokyo)
(trend up)
- 8053.T (Tokyo) -
Sumitomo Corp. [3.8%] (Tokyo)
(trend up)
- 8058.T (Tokyo) -
Mitsubishi Corp. [3.8%] (Tokyo)
(trend up)
- 6902.T (Tokyo) -
Denso Corp [3.3%] (Tokyo)
(trend up)
Develops, manufactures and sells automotive parts in the areas
of thermal systems, powertrain systems, mobility electronics,
electrification systems, advanced devices, and non-automotive
business. Mostly underperforms the SPY.
- TM (Tokyo) -
Toyota Motor [3.3%] (Tokyo)
(trend up)
From 1995 to 2015, Toyota outperformed the SPY. Since then, it has
underperformed, though it has a decent dividend.
===========================================================
CROSS-LISTED in
Can't Beat SPY/GLD
- SONY -
Sony Group [0.6%] (NYSE)
- 9984.T -
SoftBank Group [0.48%] (Tokyo)
CURRENCIES / MONEDAS
COMMODITIES / MATERIAS PRIMAS
INSURANCE / SEGURO
See in Can't-Beat-Gold
section: AIG, HUM
See in SPY-Equivalent
section: UNUM
- ALL -
Allstate [2.24%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- AON -
Aon PLC [0.96%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
- CB -
Chubb [1.37%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Chubb has pretty much tracked the price of gold since 2000, but
has had a dividend over 1%. Berkshire Hathway invested significantly
in Chubb in 2014.
- MKL -
Markel Group [0.0%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
In the last 20 years, it has much tracked SPY, though with no
dividend. Not a lot of debt.
- PGR -
Progressive [0.2%] (NYSE)
(trend down since December 2024)
In the last 20 years, it has much tracked SPY, though with a measily
dividend of 0.2%. It peaked in December 2024 after steadily
increasing for ten years. Interest rates and catastrophic weather
events have hurt many in the insurance industry. An October 2025
article by SimplyWall has
the pros and cons of buying this 'dip' in Progressive.
- RYAN -
Ryan Specialty Holding [0.65%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Since it went public in 2021, it has done somewhat better than
the SPY, with about half the dividend yield. A lot of debt-to-equity
at over 500%.
- TRV -
Travelers Companies [1.6%] (NYSE)
(trend up)
Since 1995, TRV has pretty much tracked the SPY, while offering a
slightly higher dividend. Reasonable debt-to-equity ratio. A way
to spread risk for a SPY-and-equivalents strategy.
- UNH -
United Health Group [1.51%] (Nasdaq)
(trend up)
From 1991 to 2021, UHN outperformed the SPY, but since then SPY has
outperformed (and the SPY has a higher dividend). One secret of UHN's
success. In December 2024, the CEO of UNH was murdered in public.
The CEO, Brian Thompson (who became CEO in 2021),
had deployed an AI system to automatically deny benefits to sick
people, AI misantropy at its worst. A lawsuit alleged that his
insurance company, United Healthcare, used an AI algorithm to deny
and override claims to elderly patients that had been approved by
their doctors. The algorithm in question, known as nH Predict,
allegedly had a 90 percent error rate. Who murdered him? Such
callous corporate behavior created "only about 50 million
customers of the reigning medical monopoly in the USA might have
a motive to exact revenge upon the UnitedHealthcare CEO".
LOW-COST STOCKS
