The Practical Investing Portfolio
Columnist Kathy Kristof put her real money into the market so she could help you be a better investor.
![](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/tv5GSqGymt8sseUxYegrzP-415-80.jpg)
Kiplinger’s columnist and author of Investing 101 Kathy Kristof took approximately $200,000 of her own money and divided it into two pieces — $10,000 going into Vanguard Total Stock Market Index ETF (symbol VTI), and the rest going into individual stocks that she selected.
Kristof has ended her active management of the portfolio. In the table below, you can review the portfolio’s performance over its 7.5 year run.
Name | Ticker | PurchaseValue | SharesHeld | CurrentPrice | CurrentValue | TotalReturn |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ares Capital | ARCC | $10,037.68 | 1290.392 | $17.16 | $22,143.13 | 120.6% |
Apollo Commercial Real Estate Finance | ARI | 10,018.75 | 1261.090 | 17.90 | 22,573.51 | 125.3% |
Apple Inc. | AAPL | 16,076.73 | 364.134 | 170.42 | 62,055.72 | 286.0% |
Boeing | BA | 26,682.23 | 82.387 | 417.97 | 34,435.29 | 29.1% |
Corning Inc. | GLW | 10,003.92 | 856.012 | 34.51 | 29,540.97 | 195.3% |
Costco | COST | 10,953.60 | 60.634 | 216.47 | 13,125.44 | 19.8% |
General Motors | GM | 15,719.00 | 625.391 | 39.09 | 24,446.53 | 55.5% |
Gilead Sciences Inc. | GILD | 13,621.50 | 162.988 | 67.59 | 11,016.36 | -19.1% |
Intel Corp. | INTC | 9,996.30 | 545.679 | 51.66 | 28,189.78 | 182.0% |
Invitation Homes | SFR | 3,114.72 | 190.000 | 23.52 | 4,468.80 | 43.5% |
KKR Financial Holdings | KKR | 9,997.63 | 962.430 | 23.53 | 22,645.98 | 126.5% |
Knowles Corp.* | KN | 1,698.00 | 83.000 | 16.15 | 1,340.45 | -21.1% |
Lazard Ltd. A | LAZ | 10,174.03 | 243.325 | 36.73 | 8,937.33 | -12.2% |
Seagate Technology Plc. | STX | 16,304.81 | 757.557 | 45.71 | 34,627.93 | 112.4% |
Spirit Airlines | SAVE | 1,158.68 | 83.000 | 61.67 | 5,118.61 | 341.8% |
Starwood Property Trust | STWD | 6,887.43 | 837.987 | 21.82 | 18,284.88 | 165.5% |
Target Corp. | TGT | 10,021.39 | 243.142 | 72.84 | 17,710.46 | 76.7% |
Taylor Morrison Home Corp | TMHC | 11,903.00 | 1223.000 | 18.11 | 22,148.53 | 86.1% |
Cash | Row 18 - Cell 1 | Row 18 - Cell 2 | Row 18 - Cell 3 | Row 18 - Cell 4 | 9,799.93 | Row 18 - Cell 6 |
Portfolio Total | Row 19 - Cell 1 | $189,998.00 | 9872.148 | Row 19 - Cell 4 | $392,609.63 | 106.6% |
Vanguard Total U.S. Market ETF | VTI | $10,863.00 | 187.741 | 142.74 | $26,798.15 | 146.7% |
Stock prices are as of February 15, 2019. *Received through a spinoff.
![https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hwgJ7osrMtUWhk5koeVme7-200-80.png](https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/hwgJ7osrMtUWhk5koeVme7-320-80.png)
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free E-Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
Get Kiplinger Today newsletter — free
Profit and prosper with the best of Kiplinger's advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and much more. Delivered daily. Enter your email in the box and click Sign Me Up.
-
Visa Is the Worst Dow Stock Wednesday. Here's Why
Visa stock is down sharply Wednesday after the credit card company came up short of revenue expectations for its fiscal Q3.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Another Analyst Moves to the Sidelines on Tesla Stock After Earnings
Tesla stock is spiraling Wednesday after the EV maker's big earnings miss and Wall Street has been quick to weigh in. Here's what you need to know.
By Joey Solitro Published
-
Why Your Electric Bill Will Keep Climbing
The Kiplinger Letter There's no end in sight for energy rate hikes, so look for ways to curb your power use.
By Jim Patterson Published
-
How to Master Index Investing
Index investing allows market participants to use baskets of stocks and bonds to build the best portfolio to meet their goals. Here's how it works.
By Nellie S. Huang Published
-
16 Low-Cost ETFs to Buy
Expense ratios for index funds have declined in recent years, making them a cheap investing strategy to consider. Here are 16 low-cost ETFs to consider.
By Kyle Woodley Published
-
Best Banks for High-Net-Worth Clients
wealth management Kiplinger's 2023 list of the best banks for higher-net-worth clients.
By Lisa Gerstner Published
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks End the Week on a High Note
Intel stock plunged after a big earnings miss, but encouraging inflation and consumer sentiment data created tailwinds for the broad market.
By Karee Venema Published
-
Stock Market Today: Stocks Climb After Spotify Job Cuts
Spotify became the latest company to announce layoffs, while Salesforce climbed on activist investor news.
By Karee Venema Published
-
Kiplinger's Industrial Policy Report
A look at the new wave of industrial policy over the next five years, examining some of the major investments, key trends, varied risks, and big questions.
By John Miley Published
-
Stock Market Holidays in 2024: NYSE, NASDAQ and Wall Street Holidays
Markets When are the stock market holidays? Here, we look at which days the NYSE, Nasdaq and bond markets are off in 2024.
By Kyle Woodley Last updated