Every quarter, many money managers have to disclose what they've bought and sold. Their latest moves can shine a bright light on smart stock picks.
Today let's look at the Kahn Brothers hedge fund company, co-founded by Irving Kahn, who at age 106 has yet to retire. (If you respect the Chartered Financial Analyst, or CFA, designation as a sign that someone has studied stocks intensely and has passed a tough series of exams, know that Kahn was one of the first to ever earn the credential.) Kahn founded the company in 1978 with two of his brothers. Its total portfolio was valued at $509 million as of Dec. 31, 2011.
The fund's top holding is Pfizer
Interesting developments
So what does Kahn Brothers' latest quarterly 13F filing tell us? Here are a few interesting details:
New holdings include controversial agricultural company Monsanto
Among holdings in which Kahn Brothers increased its stake were Medco Health Solutions
Kahn Brothers reduced its stake in a lot of companies, including IBM
Finally, Kahn Brothers unloaded nearly its entire stake in CTM Media, a distributor of print and online advertising and information in North American tourist markets that was spun off by IDT a few years ago.
We should never blindly copy any investor's moves, no matter how talented the investor. But it can be useful to keep an eye on what smart folks are doing, and 13F forms can be great places to find intriguing candidates for our portfolios.
If you're intrigued by the potential of banking companies but don't have enough faith in Citigroup, check out our special free report, "The Stocks Only the Smartest Investors Are Buying," to learn about some more compelling banking stocks.