What a magnificent chart:
The Wall Street Journal describes the company hence:
Illumina, Inc. develops, manufactures and markets life science tools and integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation and function. It provides a comprehensive line of genetic analysis solutions with products and services that serve a broad range of highly interconnected markets, including sequencing, genotyping, gene expression and molecular diagnostics. The company operates its business through two segments: Life Sciences Business unit and Diagnostics Business unit. The Life Sciences Business unit includes all products and services related to the research market, namely the product lines based on its sequencing, bead-array, vera-code, and real-time PCR technologies. The Diagnostics Business unit focuses on the emerging opportunity in molecular diagnostics. Its customers include leading genomic research centers, academic institutions, government laboratories, and clinical research organizations, as well as pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrigenomics, and consumer genomics companies. The company’s broad portfolio of systems, consumables, and analysis tools are designed to simplify genetic analysis that addresses a full range of genomic complexity, price points, and throughputs, enabling researchers to select the best solution for their scientific challenge. Illumina was founded by David R. Walt, John R. Stuelpnagel, Anthony W. Czarnik, Lawrence A. Bock and Mark S. Chee in April 1998 and is headquartered in San Diego, CA.
It’s growing strongly. It’s profitable. Its P/E is around 200 (depending on which service you believe). Nosebleed.
Much of today’s exciting stocks are in nosebleed territory, e.g.
TRIP ‘s P/E is 66. No dividend.
This one is more tempered:
The Journal describes it:
St. Jude Medical, Inc. develops, manufactures and distributes cardiovascular medical devices for the global cardiac rhythm management, cardiovascular and atrial fibrillation therapy areas and neurostimulation medical devices for the management of chronic pain. It operates through two operating divisions: Cardiovascular & Ablation Technologies and Electronic Systems Division. The Cardiovascular & Ablation Technologies Division combining legacy Cardiovascular and Atrial Fibrillation product divisions. The Implantable Electronic Systems Division combining Cardiac Rhythm Management and Neuromodulation product divisions. Its products in each therapy area are as follows: Cardiac Rhythm Management – tachycardia implantable cardioverter defibrillator systems and bradycardia pacemaker systems; Cardiovascular – vascular products, which include vascular closure products, pressure measurement guidewires, optical coherence tomography imaging products, vascular plugs and other vascular accessories, and structural heart products, which include heart valve replacement and repair products and structural heart defect devices; Atrial Fibrillation – electrophysiology introducers and catheters, advanced cardiac mapping, navigation and recording systems and ablation systems; and Neuromodulation – neurostimulation products, which include spinal cord and deep brain stimulation devices. The company was founded by Manuel A. Villafana in 1976 and is headquartered in St. Paul, MN.
St Jude’s P/E is a more reasonable 27 times. It actually pays a small dividend.
Most everything “hot” has had a big run in recent months. You need tight stops to protect your profits. But you also have to put in low re-purchase bids. For example, I sold out of Boeing, keeping some profits but didn’t buy back in at its recent low of $121. It’s now $130.
I don’t think it’s too late for Boeing. And at today’s prices, you’re getting a P/E of 22 and a dividend yield of 2.24%. Not too shabby.
To indulge my laziness.
I figured it would be nice if I could switch my office lights off from my couch, as I fall asleep. My first bet was the Lutron MIR-600THW-WH 600-Watt Maestro IR Dimmer with Infrared Receiver, White — $39.97 from Amazon.
Wrong. The light switch is not within line of sight from the couch. Dumb me.
Better solution: the Lutron MRF2-600MTHW-WH Maestro Wireless 600-Watt Multi-Location Dimmer, White — $69.99 from Amazon.
Lessons:
1. There is a big difference between wireless and infrared. All Motorola cable TV remotes are infrared, which means you can’t access them behind a wall. Another reason to dislike Motorola.
2. Every time you discover what a circuit breaker does, you should label it — because your electrician didn’t.
3. Wall dimmers use electricity even when they’re switched off. Feel them. They’re warm. A simple on-off switch doesn’t use electricity when it’s OFF. What a new idea.
4. Everything works the second time. But the first time can be mighty expensive.
5. CHECK. CHECK. CHECK.
6. This Worx is a very useful screwdriver for doing electrical work.
$37 from Amazon and worth every penny.
They’re coming out of the woodwork.
I get pitched on a myriad of insanities. The hardest pitches seem to be those for the least appealing projects — (a new Murphy rule?). Today’s reality is the great investments go to the family, the second great investments go to established venture capital firms, the third ones go to the less established VC firms and the fourth (and least good) go to the likes of you and me. It’s important to realize that you and I are the bottom of the barrel.
Still I look at them all. Maybe I’ll luck out? Maybe I’ll learn something? One thing I rarely do is to sign an NDA — a non disclosure agreement. These docs are very one-sided, with infinite liability on my side, and none on theirs.
Anyho, I said no to one and just received this priceless email:
I sent you one of our plans. We have revealed our hand to you. At this point, we don’t even know if you have the capability of participating. We just removed a huge chunk of risk for a private investor. The train is pulling into the station on this opportunity. Either you have a ticket to get on board or you do not. The next move is yours. Either you are interested or you are not. A “tiny” interest is not compelling. We are looking for bold interest as that is the only way to move forward and succeed. Either that is appealing to you or it is not. Either way is OK but bold opportunity requires bold interest. You decide. All I’m saying is, if you are interested in getting on the train you need to step onboard now. That in no way commits a dollar of your money but it does require a willing participant in the evaluation process to see if you are a “fit” for us and we are a “fit” for you. No more, no less. If your interest in indeed “tiny” then I would say let’s not waste each other’s time, but, the ball is in your court.
Thank you,
Don
The Saturday delivery
A Jew stops in posh gourmet food shoppe on Regent Street, London. An impressive salesperson in morning coat with tails approaches him and politely asks, “May I help you, Sir?”
“Yes,” replied the customer, “I would like to buy a pound of lox.”
“You mean smoked salmon.”
“Okay, a pound of smoked salmon.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes, a dozen blintzes.”
“You mean crepes.”
“Okay, a dozen crepes.”
“Anything else?”
“Yes. A pound of chopped liver.”
“You mean pate.”
“Okay,” said the Jewish patron, “A pound of pate. And, I’d like you to deliver everything o my house on Saturday.”
“Sorry,” retorted the indignant salesperson, “We don’t schlep on Shabbos!”
Harry Newton apologies about the confusion on Aereo. You can watch and record Aereo shows even though you’re not physically in the right area. You just have to tell them you are. You do this by repeatedly clicking YES.
Harry, tried to sign up for Aereo NY though I live in an area that does not yet have coverage. I figured I’d just keep clicking yes and all would be good. Unfortunately, they require credit card payment and the card’s billing address must be in the area. Any idea how to get a temporary card number with a NY billing address?
Harry, check out the philips hue bulbs. I haven’t used them yet since they don’t make a size that fits my sockets yet but my friends all swear by them. They connect to your wireless netwrok and can be controlled by an app on your smart phone or tablet. You can vary the intensity and color of each bulb individually or form groups. You can also set timers.