Just invested a bit of $ in JOE. Any Predictions?

I am beginning to think that we need an investment forum. I feel like I am in a stock chat room.

My tip: buy low, sell high.

Paula - thanks for posting.

I think they have a brilliant concept and there will be a lot of demand for the larger parcels.

I think an investment group would be good and I really like that recipe discussion (should be a sticky if it isn't already -- I have a great easy recipe for crockpot gumbo that's very handy if you want to go to the beach and come home to a nice easy dinner -- will post on the recipe thread as soon as I get a chance to find it).

As for St. Joe, I think they need to shape retirees'/middle class views of vacation homes and they may do it with their river camps and other ideas, especially since ocean front properties are getting scarcer and priced out of so many people's price range. Since Joe's CEO is a former DIsney exec., my guess is he's pretty good at shaping people's vision of the good life. If there are lakes or rivers near the properties they're developing inland, then I think Joe's ideas are even more marketable.

I just looked at some reports on Schwab's website on Joe. Interestingly, one of the reports said that there was unfavorable inside activity. I assume they meant the buy/sell activity of the top executives and board, which they listed for the past several years. I really couldn't tell if it was a problem -- there was some selling of stock, including the CEO's stock, yet there was some buying as well. I'd have to compare the activity of Joe's sr. people to that of other companies. Also, Greenspan cautioned of a housing bubble. And this is supposed to be an above average hurricane season.

Any thoughts (or is there anyone who has access to company analyses and can assess the insider buy/sells and explain what the problem, if any, is?)? I'm still keeping my JOE stock and may still increase it a little. It's not enough to make or break my future although it will pay some of the kids' college education if it does well, and if it doesn't I'll keep working an extra year or two and just won't get to spend as much time in S. Walton as soon as I had hoped!

Again, any finance whizzes out there who have access to and can assess investment reports?

Oops, I meant to say SoWal...

Paula - Well since you first posted, JOE is up about 5%. Not bad for three weeks!

I agree that it's been very good so far and I expect it to continue. I've been following it and still may invest more. But I'm not investing too much -- just enough to make following JOE interesting.

Joe is making a run at $82/share today. Go Joe Go! :clap_1:

I saw that. Made me wish I bought more a few weeks ago when i said I was going to do it! But I will very soon. Reuters had a very positive article about JOE this morning on the web (through my Yahoo home page links) - Although as I said earlier, Schwab was more skeptical. I bought in early May.

I bought in back in Jan and Feb at an average per share price of $70.11. Over 17% return in six months. Go Joe!!

I think Joe will go well over $100 per share even if land prices do fall as the speculators clear out. Most of the land they own is still on the books for their purchase price ($1-$2 PER ACRE!!!).

From Reuters on Yahoo this morning. We'll see...I wouldn't bet my life savings on JOE, but I'm glad I invested what could turn out to be a year of the kids' college someday if JOE continues on this path... (now, what to do about the other 7 years of college since we have two kids...):

NEW YORK, June 19 (Reuters) - The St. Joe Co. (JOE.N: Quote, Profile, Research) , one of Florida's biggest landowners, is poised for strong earnings growth in coming years as more baby boomers scoop up building sites in the Sunshine State, according to analysts interviewed in the June 20 issue of Barron's.
Shares of the Jacksonville, Florida-based company, which sells land and develops residential and commercial properties, have more than doubled to over $80 in the past year, helped by rising housing and land prices in Florida.

Sheila McGrath, an analyst at Ryan Beck & Co., expects St. Joe's profit to jump almost 50 percent in 2005, to $1.65 per share. That compares with $1.11 per share, excluding special items, earned last year.

McGrath expects the company's profit to jump to $2.21 per share in 2006, based on expectations of increased sales of rural acreage, Barron's said.

I think I'll short St. Joe--just kidding Landlord (see post under Alys Beach) :laughing1