ESRX -- Important ! Take note !!!

See the news below.  Usually, these are not good.  I am getting out of ESRX now at a reduced gain.  Like I said, I ain't taking any chances especially in this jittery market.

Express Scripts says Jeff Hall will no longer serve in the role of CFO
The Company announced that it is initiating a CFO transition process. As part of that transition, Jeff Hall will no longer serve in the role of Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer of the Company, effective as of July 30, 2013. Mr. Hall will continue his employment with the Company in a different role through September 1, 2013 in order to facilitate a smooth and orderly transition. The Company has commenced a search for a permanent successor as Chief Financial Officer and will make an announcement once a successor is appointed. Express Scripts also announced that effective July 30, 2013, Matthew Harper will serve as the Company's interim Chief Financial Officer until such time as the Board has appointed a permanent successor to Mr. Hall.

WHY AM I SILENT ?

There is a saying, "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread."  I have no illusion of being an angel but I certainly would not like to be a fool.  So, I have been busy booking profits and parking money in cash.  With gains handsomely over 20% during the last year and the number of uncertainties in the market, I would rather hold onto cash now and wait for a better opportunity to buy.

I have with regard to some stocks, like AAPL and MT, taken some PUT positions where an execution of the PUT would result in my buying the stock at values any sane person would consider significantly below fair values.  But other than that, I am out, out of even stock mutual funds for now.  And who wants to be in bonds today?  I don't trust the FED can put off the bad news for too long, and Uncle Sam can't go on borrowing either.  May be I will miss out on the tail end of a rally, but honestly I am willing to take that risk as opposed to the risk of losing my shirt and waiting many years to get clothed again.

The trillion dollar questions are: Will the dollar hold as the reserve currency?  How does one hedge that risk that is getting bigger by the day?

I will post the results of my own research as days go by.  For now, I say: let the titans and fools duke it out for now.   I don't want to get trampled in the riot to come.

Something for the Young

http://www.morningstar.com/Cover/videoCenter.aspx?id=603699

Retirement may look far away, and one may have an attitude "Who cares?"   I am sure some baby boomers who felt that way in their twenties, thirties and forties are now regretting that attitude. They probably didn't know about the power of compounding.  If they were new immigrants, they simply had greater pressing priorities.  Now, without the safety nets even they had, the younger ones are in greater risk in their later ages.  Pass on the above link to your younger ones for them to see .

AAPL : Watch the action after hours today (Tuesday, 7/23); signficantly up.    Ready to make up prior losses?   Next quarter is the most critical to determine where this goes in the next 12 months.
Watch if you can access it:
http://www.morningstar.com/cover/videocenter.aspx?id=603935

EXPRESS SCRIPTS (ESRX) - voila !

I did a stock screen on Morningstar where I have a premium membership with the following criteria:  Wide Moat, Price < 0.95* fair value estimate, fair value uncertainty <= medium,
growth grade >= B+ , and guess what?  The only survivor in their entire Wide Moat list turned
out to be ESRX.  I have high regard for Morningstar ratings and thought you would like to know the results of my above screening.

Arcelor Mittal (MT)

MT continues to test one's patience, but the waiting is somewhat mitigated by the
dividend yield.  I treat this only as a long term hold and don't expect any miracles in the short run, anyway.

http://www.thestreet.com/story/11974396/5/5-hold-rated-dividend-stocks-cwh-ns-arcp-hta-mt.html

Stupid comments on AAPL

http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2013/07/08/apple-29-dumb-comments/?

http://techpinions.com/apple-cant-innovate-anymore-my-a/19583

This is a nice read.  I continue to be bullish.

ESRX update

http://seekingalpha.com/article/1534922-express-scripts-has-more-upside-potential-than-you-might-expect?source=email_rt_article_readmore