Intel 401k (SP) Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2011

The Intel 401k Plan has about 50 investment options and 48 are in the scan this year. That is too many for the average employee to evaluate even just once a year. The Intel Plan as you know if you visit this site often has been a Top performer in spite of the Balanced portfolio not being helped by company stock INTC. The scan posted today using 12-31-2011 5yr Market data has only 8 investment options with over 5% of Plan assets. They are all income options. The employee portfolio's largest holdings are all equity funds; INTC at 9% of Plan, FCNTX at 7.7% and FLPSX at 7.3%. That suggests to me that employees near or in retirement may want to consider adding a few income options like PGOVX to balance their equity dominated portfolios.

Stanley Black & Decker 401k (VP) Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2011

Stanley Black & Decker's 401k Balanced portfolio's 5yr APR was not helped as much this year as last by company stock SWK. In 2011 SWK's total return was only 3.54% according to Morningstar and the Balanced portfolio's APR was down to 4.86%. The employee portfolio has over 50% of the Plan in company stock. Their 5yr APR is 5.43% but with much higher volatility. All in all a good Plan that is a little below last years in terms of Balanced portfolio performance.

2011 Top 401k Plans Balanced Portfolios

Compass Minerals International repeated this year as top 401k Plan led by company stock CMP producing a Balanced portfolio with a 5yr APR of 15.3% and an amazing 5yr Sharpe ratio of 3.26. Intel also repeats as a top performer again in second place with a very good 5yr Balanced portfolio without company stock. That is even more amazing in my opinion. New Jersey Resources, TERADATA and Range Resources round out the Top 5 performers with NJR and TDC new to the list this year. Although not a company 401k Plan the ProVise Management group in Florida had a model early retirement portfolio that was published in the WSJ on October 5th of 2011 worth considering and of course Stanton & Castleton has retirement portfolios (not just mine) worth considering too.

ONEOK, Inc. 401k (TP) Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2011

The ONEOK 401k Plan Balanced portfolio invested 8.95% of that portfolio in company stock OKE. This is a US natural gas company operating in the Midwest mostly. The employee portfolio invested 42.8% of Plan in the stock, too much for a retiree but it continues to do well. The 401k Plan has few investment options but they include PTTRX and a stable value fund that are over 80% of the Balanced portfolio. This is a small plan helped by a very good company stock the last 5 years.

Boeing 401k (VIP) Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2011

Boeing's 401k Plan Balanced portfolio was not helped by company stock this year because it has a negative 5 year Sharpe ratio. The stock BA was up 15% in 2011 but it was up 28% in 2007 and the 5yr APR came down in spite of a good 2011. That can be confusing. In the scan the stable value fund is still FUNDG and the investment options in the scan are the same as last year with 2 exceptions. The short-term investment option is SHY and the global equity option is VHGEX. These are better proxies than STIF and WGEF used last year in my opinion. All in all a good plan but company stock BA is still recovering from 2008.

Church & Dwight 401k (SPSP) Plan PSDS Scan 12-31-2011

Church & Dwight had another good year in 2011 and their 401k Plan Balanced portfolio now has a 5yr APR of 8.0% with a Sharpe ratio of 2.22. Extraordinary. The employee portfolio's largest holding at over 40% of Plan is company stock CHD. Too much for a retiree in my opinion. I have CHD in my Stanton & Castleton IRA but only about 5% of Plan. This 401k also has several good equity funds like NBGNX and the PIMCO bond fund PTTRX. There is not much more to say. A good Plan and a very good company stock the last 5 years and longer.

My Stanton & Castleton IRA 12-31-2011 PSDS Scan

This is the first scan posted using 12-31-2011 5yr Market Data from Thomson-Reuters. It is for my year-end changes to last years portfolio. The two stocks last year MCD and CHD helped performance and reduced risk so well I added two more OXY and CAT. They were both on sale late last year with low PEG ratios in fact CAT's was only 0.59 when I bought it and they pay a nice dividend. Berkshire Hathaway stock does not yet pay a dividend (I am still hoping) and it does not have a positive 5yr Sharpe ratio. It is not in the Balanced portfolio but it remains in my portfolio. Sharpe ratio is a good tool but in this instance I decided to over rule the tool, accept the volatility risk and keep the stock for my Grandchildren. No surprise there.