The top two transactions in the first-quarter portfolio of David Carlson (Trades, Portfolio) of Elfun Trusts were large stake reductions – one in a biotechnology company, the other in an ecommerce company.
Carlson trimmed his stake in Monsanto Co. (MON, Financial), a St. Louis-based agricultural biotechnology company, by nearly 78% with the sale of 560,000 shares for an average price of $90.35 per share. The transaction had a -2.39% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
The remaining stake of 160,000 shares is 0.04% of Monsanto’s outstanding shares and 0.63% of Carlson’s total assets. Monsanto’s leading shareholder among the gurus is PRIMECAP Management (Trades, Portfolio) with a stake of 11,498,797 shares. The stake is 2.63% of Monsanto’s outstanding shares and 1.05% of PRIMECAP’s total assets.
Monsanto has a P/E of 30.7, a forward P/E of 17, a P/B of 10.5 and a P/S of 3.4. GuruFocus gives Monsanto a Financial Strength rating of 8/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 8/10.
Monsanto sold for $97.72 per share Tuesday.
Carlson reduced his stake in eBay Inc. (EBAY, Financial), a San Jose, California-based ecommerce company, by more than 88%. The guru sold 1.5 million shares for an average price of $24.36 per share. The deal had a -1.78% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
PRIMECAP is eBay’s leading shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 8,303,100 shares. The stake is 0.72% of eBay’s outstanding shares and 0.21% of PRIMECAP’s total assets.
The company has a P/E of 17.5, a forward P/E of 11.7, a P/B of 4.3 and a P/S of 2.6. GuruFocus gives eBay a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 7/10.
The company sold for $23.27 per share Tuesday.
Carlson pared his stake in Comcast Corp. (CMCSA, Financial), a Philadelphia-based telecommunications and mass media company, by nearly 29%. Carlson sold 400,000 shares for an average price of $57.32 per share. The transaction had a -0.98% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
The remaining stake of 1 million shares is 0.04% of Comcast’s outstanding shares and 2.76% of Carlson’s total assets. Dodge & Cox is Comcast’s leading shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 43,741,144 shares. The stake is 1.8% of Comcast’s outstanding shares and 2.61% of Dodge & Cox’s total assets.
Comcast has a P/E of 18.3, a forward P/E of 16.5, a P/B of 2.8 and a P/S of 2. GuruFocus gives Comcast a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 9/10.
Comcast sold for $60.43 per share Tuesday.
Carlson cut his stake in State Street Corp. (STT, Financial), a Boston-based financial services company, by nearly 13% with the sale of 150,000 shares for an average price of $56.87 per share. The deal had a -0.43% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
The remaining stake of 1,050,000 shares is 0.27% of State Street’s outstanding shares and 2.77% of Carlson’s total assets. Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss is State Street’s leading shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 17,840,319 shares. The stake is 4.51% of State Street’s outstanding shares and 1.6% of the guru’s total assets.
State Street has a P/E of 13.7, a forward P/E of 11.4, a P/B of 1.3 and a P/S of 2.4. GuruFocus gives State Street a Financial Strength rating of 6/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 6/10.
State Street sold for $59.69 per share Tuesday.
Carlson bought a 140,000-share stake in Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR, Financial), a Stamford, Connecticut-based telecommunications and mass media company, for an average price of $179.13 per share. The acquisition had a 1.28% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
The stake is 0.12% of Charter’s outstanding shares and 12.8% of Carlson’s total assets. Charter’s leading shareholder among the gurus is Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) with a stake of 10,326,803 shares. The stake is 9.18% of Charter’s outstanding shares and 1.63% of Buffett’s total assets.
Charter has a forward P/E of 60.2 and a P/S of 2.3. GuruFocus gives Charter a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 6/10.
Charter sold for $203.36 per share Tuesday.
Carlson purchased a 480,000-share stake in Microsoft Corp. (MSFT, Financial), a Redmond, Washington-based computer software and hardware company, for an average price of $52.42 per share. The deal had a 1.2% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
The stake is 0.01% of Microsoft’s outstanding shares and 1.2% of Carlson’s total assets. PRIMECAP is Microsoft’s leading shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 59,535,523 shares. The stake is 0.76% of Microsoft’s outstanding shares and 3.41% of PRIMECAP’s total assets.
Microsoft has a P/E of 40.1, a forward P/E of 17.5, a P/B of 5.3 and a P/S of 4.7. GuruFocus gives Microsoft a Financial Strength rating of 8/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 7/10.
Microsoft sold for $50.51 per share Tuesday.
Carlson invested in a 230,000-share stake in Vertex Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRTX, Financial), a Boston-based pharmaceutical company, for an average price of $91.01 per share. The transaction had a 0.82% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
The stake is 0.09% of Vertex’s outstanding shares and 0.82% of Carlson’s total assets. Vertex’s leading shareholder among the gurus is Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio) with a stake of 12,668,241 shares. The stake is 5.12% of Vertex’s outstanding shares and 2.22% of Vanguard’s total assets.
Vertex has a forward P/E of 17.3, a P/B of 20.8 and a P/S of 15.1. GuruFocus gives Vertex a Financial Strength rating of 7/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 5/10.
Vertex sold for $80.71 per share Tuesday.
Carlson sold his 330,000-share stake in Anadarko Petroleum Corp. (APC, Financial), a petroleum and natural gas company based in The Woodlands, Texas, for an average price of $40.53 per share. The divestiture had a -0.69% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
Anadarko’s leading shareholder among the gurus is Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) with a stake of 4.9 million shares. The stake is 0.96% of Anadarko’s outstanding shares and 1.47% of Nygren’s total assets.
Anadarko has a P/B of 2.2 and a P/S of 3.2. GuruFocus gives Anadarko a Financial Strength rating of 5/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 6/10.
Anadarko sold for $49.74 per share Tuesday.
Carlson boosted his position in Facebook Inc. (FB, Financial), a Menlo Park, California-based social networking service, by more than 68% with the purchase of 130,000 shares for an average price of $105.28 per share. The transaction had a 0.67% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
The stake, now 320,000 shares, is 0.01% of Facebook’s outstanding shares and 1.65% of Carlson’s total assets. Frank Sands (Trades, Portfolio) is Facebook’s leading shareholder among the gurus with a stake of 24,104,624 shares. The stake is 0.84% of Facebook’s outstanding shares and 8.12% of Sands’ total assets.
Facebook has a P/E of 72.4, a forward P/E of 28, a P/B of 7.1 and a P/S of 17. GuruFocus gives Facebook a Financial Strength rating of 9/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 7/10.
Facebook sold for $117.35 per share Tuesday.
Carlson hiked his stake in Chevron Corp. (CVX, Financial), a San Ramon, California-based oil and gas company, by more than 39%. Carlson purchased 130,000 shares for an average price of $87.41 per share. The deal had a 0.56% impact on Carlson’s portfolio.
The stake, now 460,000 shares, is 0.02% of Chevron’s outstanding shares and 1.98% of Carlson’s total assets. Chevron’s leading shareholder among the gurus is Barrow, Hanley, Mewhinney & Strauss with a stake of 5,566,391 shares. The stake is 0.3% of Chevron’s outstanding shares and 0.81% of the guru’s total assets.
Chevron has a P/E of 146, a forward P/E of 26.5, a P/B of 1.3 and a P/S of 1.5. GuruFocus gives Chevron a Financial Strength rating of 6/10 and a Profitability and Growth rating of 7/10.
Chevron sold for $100.75 per share Tuesday.
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