In Search of the Perfect Investment

When in doubt, stay out.

I talk to friends who are buying real estate with “hair” on it. I talk to friends who are investing in “sure thing” startups.

All underestimate the long-term agita if — God forbid — things don’t go according to plan.

I have several “hot” investments that sit, dormant — some growing, some ailing. But all driving me nuts, year on year. Dead capital.

With public stocks, I can pull the plug (often too early). But I can pull the plug and move on.

I remind myself of my drawer-full of brilliant investments that haven’t paid me a nickel in ten years.

And I eye my desk today — groaning with startups, produced by a booming (full employment) economy, cheap computer software and the cloud.

I like seeing them. I like seeing the tech ones that promise to disrupt an industry, or two. And one day, they will. I don’t have the capital to finance their growth. These days, they’re calling them “fat” startups.

CNBC has a fascinating list of what it calls Disruptor 50 companies. Here’s what it says:

In the fifth annual Disruptor 50 list, CNBC features private companies in a range of industries — from biotech and machine learning to transportation and retail — whose innovations are changing the world. These forward-thinking starts-ups have identified unexploited niches in the marketplace that have the potential to become billion-dollar businesses, and they rushed to fill them. A startling 31 are unicorns that have already reached or passed the billion-dollar mark. In the process, they are creating new ecosystems for their products and services. Unseating corporate giants is no easy feat. But we ranked those venture capital–backed companies doing the best job. In aggregate, these 50 companies have raised nearly $44 billion in venture capital at an implied Disruptor 50 list market valuation of about $239 billion, according to PitchBook data. Already it’s hard to think of the world without them. Read more about the consumer and business trends that stand out in the 2017 list ranking and the methodology used to select this year’s Disruptor companies.

Here’s CNBC’s top ten:

You have to have deep pockets and oodles of patience to play this game. But it is fascinating. Go to CNBC’s site and click on the companies. It will tell you what each do. Click here. 

The tech stock boom among listed stocks continues. I’m not sure why. I’m guessing the continuing boom is attracting investors who sat out the Post-Trump Election Boom and their new money is helping our mini-tech boom.

No one can predict markets. Hence it’s an awful idea to try. Stay the course.

Meantime, I’m staying heavily in tech — see ideas on right. (If you receive this blog via email, go to the web site and check out the  column on the right listing Favorite stocks. Click here.

My dear friend and genius Bob Kantor bet me a year ago that HPQ would do well. I didn’t believe him. Hence I didn’t include HPQ in my list of favorite stocks. But, a year later, my small holding of HPQ is up 31%. HPQ’s P/E is still only 12.7, which is low for a tech stock. Me thinks it’s time to buy a few more. Thank you Bob.

OK. Now to the real point of today’s column:

You made enough money this week.

Go visit a beautiful place.

Here are images from Conde Nast Traveler’s 50 Most Beautiful Places in the World. I chose several pictures because those are beautiful places. I’ve visited some of those places — those marked with an *.

I want to go to the others before I croak.

Na’Pali Coast: Kauai, Hawaii

Cappadocia, Turkey

Angkor Wat: Siem Reap, Cambodia*

Keukenhof Park, Holland: The Netherlands

The Great Barrier Reef and Whitehaven Beach: Queensland, Australia

Torres del Paine National Park: Patagonia, Chile

Denali (formerly Mt. McKinley), Alaska

Uluru (formerly Ayers Rock), Northern Territory, Australia*

Redwood National Park: California*

Bagan (formerly Pagan): Myanmar (formerly Burma)

Lake Bled: Slovenia

Petra, Jordan

Oia: Santorini, Greece

Samarkand, Uzbekistan

Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona*

Machu Picchu: Peru

The Arctic Circle

Lavender fields: Provence, France

Halong Bay: Vietnam

Paro Taktsang: Bhutan

 Bryce Canyon: Bryce, Utah*

Namib Desert: Namibia

Okavango Delta: Botswana*

For the full Conde Nast Traveler’s 50 Most Beautiful Places In the World, click here.

Harry Newton, who wishes each of you “Safe Travels” for your summer visit to one or more of these beautiful places.

OH, yes, the window — mentioned in the headline. When eyeing investment opportunities, remember the old aphorism: When God closes a door, He opens a window. You’ll lose an investment in the morning… But, by afternoon, a better one will have come along. Trust me on this one.

Have a great long weekend. See you Tuesday.