Hello Friends!  Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting my blog, Stock Picks Bob's Advice!  As always, please remember that I am an amateur investor, so please remember to consult with your professional investment advisers prior to making any investment decisions based on information on this website.

I really HATE buying a stock one day and then selling it a few days later.  It really stinks.  No kidding. 

On September 11, 2008, just 4 days ago (!) I purchased 210 shares of Robbins & Myers (RBN) at a cost basis of $38.21/share.  Today, I sold my 210 shares at $35.0832.  That represented a loss of $(3.13)/share or (8.2)% since purchase.

As you probably know (!) it was a pretty awful day in the market.  The Dow closed down (503.99) to 10,917.51, and oil dropped $(5.47) to $95.71/barrel.

With the stock declining tied to something fundamental like the price of oil, I sold my shares and am downgrading my "buy":

ROBBINS AND MYERS (RBN) IS RATED A SELL

I don't like selling my own shares and leaving the rating at a "buy" either.  Just doesn't seem right.  But I do this if there is nothing what I would call "fundamentally" wrong with the stock.  In this case, the stock is trading as an oil-related holding (again like Graham (GHM)), and with the price of oil continuing to break down, there is little reason for me to even leave RBN at a 'hold'.  Anyhow, that's my rationale.  Above all, remember that I am an amateur!

Since I was down at 5 positions, and this puts me at 4, paradoxically this sale actually gives me a "buy signal" since I was at my 'minimum' holding level of 5 positions. 

I shall wait for something positive in the market and start scanning the lists of top % gainers when that happens.  I am not in a hurry.

Thanks so much for stopping by and visiting my blog!  If you have any comments or questions, please feel free to leave them right here or email me at bobsadviceforstocks@lycos.com.

Yours in investing,

Bob