JP Morgan Chase & Co (JPM)

Could buy a dividend stock that's down, but there's no indication that that's a precondition for success. This one's at fresh all-time highs, and that's what good companies do over time. "Buy high, sell higher" is a better mantra than "buy low, sell high". 

Best bank in the world. Raised dividend twice last year. They win everywhere. 

Just reported a clean top and bottom line beat. Loan loss provisions were lower than expected. Net interest income came in light. All businesses performed well, including commercial/investment banking beat handily while wealth management was in line. They raised full-year net interest income forecast by $1 billion. The CEO did cite risks from tariffs. 

Is the biggest and best of the money centre banks, but trades at 2.2x book value vs. Citi's 0.7-0.8x book. Citi was punished but is under a new CEO. Citi is less exposed to international markets and that volatility. Numbers are showing positive. He likes both. But JPM is fully valued though continues to do good things. The other is a little riskier, but more potential upside.

All the US financials have done pretty well, which is a good reflection on the potential of the economy. Her core US bank stock. Great long-term hold. For new $$, wait for a pullback; on down days, you can start to average in. Very well run, lots of excess capital. Plans to grow US presence.

A new purchase (June) for the portfolio. Global scale. Quite possibly the best bank in the world. Its smaller wealth management business is a focus for growth. Increasingly, scale matters in banking; secular shift away from regional banks. 

Abundant organic growth opportunities, so it pays out a modest 25% of earnings in dividends. Outperforms the Canadian big 6, a rare feat. Robust earnings and dividend growth, compounding ~13% over the last decade. Yield is 1.99%.

Among the banks, they've done the best with their digital strategy, close to MS. They stay abreast of what's happening in fintech and adapt that for their customers/users.

Buy the leader. Strongest on the way up, most resilient on the way down. Best bank in the world. Global financials represent the most clearly defined leadership theme in the market right now.

Will benefit from the strong US economy and interest rates.

High quality. Globalization is starting to move in a different direction, so this option provides a more domestic focus.

Very efficient, with the lowest overhead ratio and highest ROE of all competitors. Very strong balance sheet, and it's very liquid. Should outperform peers in any type of economic environment. Stock's pulled back on tariff uncertainties about 17% from its highs, now trading ~12.5x forward PE. Increased dividend last week. Yield is 2.42%.

Strongest broad-based financial. One of his larger positions.

Financial sector offers great promise, though it's reacted to current markets by pricing in a potential recession. Slower economic growth would not be good for banks. Absent a recession, with consumer confidence returning and unleashing M&A, the sector provides a good opportunity.

Don't value it on PE. Instead look at price to book, and it's expensive at 1.8x. Less expensive options include BAC and C.

Flagship US bank. Dimon has done a spectacular job. Pristine risk controls. Trading ~13x PE. Either #1 or #2 in all of its major businesses. Still growing and gaining market share. Core holding in any portfolio. Time is ripe to buy the best, you don't have to go down the food chain. Yield is 2.73%.

Friday kicks off bank earnings season, a sector that has been crushed, because Wall Street expects a downturn in the economy. JPM is down from 14x to 11x, and shares from $280 to $210, -7.48% today alone. An incredible fall.