Artful Investing

My purchase of SOCO on March 13th looks extremely well-timed. The shares have surged from my purchase price of 869.5p to 1101.5p to sell at close of business on Friday, the last trading day of March.

In addition, the market loved results from Chaucer and has pushed the shares up to 75p to sell, the highest they have been since my purchase at 42.88p on 2003. Fayrewood and Invox continue to malinger, waiting for the market to wake up to the value they present but I'm confident both will make a significant and positive contribution to returns in 2006.

Here's the portfolio review and things are looking much better than they were at the end of February. End of February:

Chaucer Holdings, 06/10/2003 at 42.88p (64p)
Fayrewood, 15/04/2005 at 112.5p (111p)
Fayrewood, 19/04/2005 at 111.5p (111p)
Invox, 10/01/2006 at 93.13p (70p)
Invox, 09/02/2006 at 81.5p (70p)
+ cash holdings

versus today's values and with SOCO back in the mix:

Chaucer Holdings, 06/10/2003 at 42.88p (75p)
Fayrewood, 15/04/2005 at 112.5p (104p)
Fayrewood, 19/04/2005 at 111.5p (104p)
Invox, 10/01/2006 at 93.13p (66p)
Invox, 09/02/2006 at 81.5p (66p)
SOCO International, 13/03/2006 at 869.5p (1101.5p)
+ cash holdings

total return for 2006: +1%

I expect a little more from SOCO this month. Chaucer is beginning to edge closer to fair value and the long-awaited awakening of Invox and Fayrewood could occur at any moment. I'm feeling a lot more positive about my investments now and have more cash to arrive in my account soon. It will need a home of course - and the research efforts must be stepped up.

The Artful Dodger