The 2021 Buy List

The 2021 trading year is on the books!

It was a good one for us. Our 2021 Buy List gained 21.25% this year. Including dividends, we were up 22.25%. This was one of our best years ever.

Trex (TREX) repeated as our top-performing stock, with a gain of 61.29%. That was followed by Middleby (MIDD) at 52.62% and Danaher (DHR) at 48.11%. We had seven stocks up more than 40% this year.

Zoetis (ZTS) was our best turnaround stock. By March, it was a 12% loser, but it finished the year up 47.45%. I’m glad we held on.

Our biggest loser of the year was Disney (DIS), which lost 14.51%. That happened despite the company’s reporting massive earnings surprises in February and May.

Check Point Software (CHKP) was our second-biggest loser, with a loss of 12.30%. Miller Industries (MLR) was our worst turnaround story. It ran out to a 24% gain by April but finished the year down 12.15%.

The 2021 Buy List

Here’s a breakdown of how our Buy List performed in 2021. For tracking purposes, I assume the Buy List is a $1 million portfolio. All 25 stocks are equally weighted at the start of the year.

Stock Shares 12/31/20 Beginning 12/31/21 Ending Profit/Loss
ABT 365.330167 $109.49 $40,000.00 $140.74 $51,416.57 28.54%
AFL 899.482797 $44.47 $40,000.00 $58.39 $52,520.80 31.30%
ANSS 109.950522 $363.80 $40,000.00 $401.12 $44,103.35 10.26%
BR 261.096606 $153.20 $40,000.00 $182.82 $47,733.68 19.33%
CERN 509.683996 $78.48 $40,000.00 $92.87 $47,334.35 18.34%
CHKP 300.955534 $132.91 $40,000.00 $116.56 $35,079.38 -12.30%
CHD 458.557836 $87.23 $40,000.00 $102.50 $47,002.18 17.51%
DHR 180.066625 $222.14 $40,000.00 $329.01 $59,243.72 48.11%
DIS 220.774920 $181.18 $40,000.00 $154.89 $34,195.83 -14.51%
FDS 120.300752 $332.50 $40,000.00 $486.01 $58,467.37 46.17%
FISV 351.308625 $113.86 $40,000.00 $103.79 $36,462.32 -8.84%
HEI 302.114804 $132.40 $40,000.00 $144.22 $43,571.00 8.93%
HSY 262.587803 $152.33 $40,000.00 $193.47 $50,802.86 27.01%
ICE 346.951167 $115.29 $40,000.00 $136.77 $47,452.51 18.63%
MIDD 310.269935 $128.92 $40,000.00 $196.76 $61,048.71 52.62%
MLR 1,052.077854 $38.02 $40,000.00 $33.40 $35,139.40 -12.15%
MCO 137.816979 $290.24 $40,000.00 $390.58 $53,828.56 34.57%
ROST 325.706376 $122.81 $40,000.00 $114.28 $37,221.72 -6.95%
SHW 163.285299 $244.97 $40,000.00 $352.16 $57,502.55 43.76%
SLGN 1,078.748652 $37.08 $40,000.00 $42.84 $46,213.59 15.53%
SCL 335.232987 $119.32 $40,000.00 $124.29 $41,666.11 4.17%
SYK 163.238655 $245.04 $40,000.00 $267.42 $43,653.28 9.13%
TMO 85.877453 $465.78 $40,000.00 $667.24 $57,300.87 43.25%
TREX 477.783086 $83.72 $40,000.00 $135.03 $64,515.05 61.29%
ZTS 241.691843 $165.50 $40,000.00 $244.03 $58,980.06 47.45%
Total $1,000,000.00 $1,212,455.83 21.25%

Here’s the data behind the dividend-adjusted returns. I’ve listed each stock’s beginning price, ending price and dividend-adjusted starting price.

Stock Start Finish Adju Start Gain Gain w/Divs
ABT $109.49 $140.74 $107.82 28.54% 30.53%
AFL $44.47 $58.39 $43.40 31.30% 34.54%
ANSS $363.80 $401.12 $363.80 10.26% 10.26%
BR $153.20 $182.82 $150.95 19.33% 21.11%
CERN $78.48 $92.87 $77.56 18.34% 19.74%
CHKP $132.91 $116.56 $132.91 -12.30% -12.30%
CHD $87.23 $102.50 $86.21 17.51% 18.90%
DHR $222.14 $329.01 $221.46 48.11% 48.56%
DIS $181.18 $154.89 $181.18 -14.51% -14.51%
FDS $332.50 $486.01 $329.52 46.17% 47.49%
FISV $113.86 $103.79 $113.86 -8.84% -8.84%
HEI $132.40 $144.22 $132.23 8.93% 9.07%
HSY $152.33 $193.47 $149.30 27.01% 29.58%
ICE $115.29 $136.77 $114.03 18.63% 19.94%
MIDD $128.92 $196.76 $128.92 52.62% 52.62%
MLR $38.02 $33.40 $37.32 -12.15% -10.50%
MCO $290.24 $390.58 $288.09 34.57% 35.58%
ROST $122.81 $114.28 $121.62 -6.95% -6.04%
SHW $244.97 $352.16 $243.04 43.76% 44.90%
SLGN $37.08 $42.84 $36.60 15.53% 17.05%
SCL $119.32 $124.29 $118.11 4.17% 5.23%
SYK $245.04 $267.42 $242.61 9.13% 10.23%
TMO $465.78 $667.24 $464.85 43.25% 43.54%
TREX $83.72 $135.03 $83.72 61.29% 61.29%
ZTS $165.50 $244.03 $164.59 47.45% 48.27%
Total 21.25% 22.25%

For the year, the S&P 500 gained 26.89%. Including dividends, the index was up 28.71%.

While we underperformed the overall market, I’m not disappointed with a gain of more than 22%. We also closed the gap significantly towards the end of the year. Here’s how we did against the S&P 500:

Our 16-year track is still well ahead of the S&P 500: 490.52% to 428.98%.

It’s not unusual for us to lag the market during bullish years. Our “beta” this year was 0.858. The daily changes on our Buy List had an 87.2% correlation with the daily changes of the S&P 500.

Posted by on December 31st, 2021 at 5:53 pm


The information in this blog post represents my own opinions and does not contain a recommendation for any particular security or investment. I or my affiliates may hold positions or other interests in securities mentioned in the Blog, please see my Disclaimer page for my full disclaimer.