Preston - the key to sound lt. investment is to enter at an appropriate divi yield and an acceptable PE ratio - all other factors being equal. Pik is a solid defensive stock in difficult times with a low Beta. At 3100 cps, it is trading on a reasonable and growing divi yield of 5%. The business has stood the test of time compounding at 15% p.a plus the divi - not spectacular but solid nonetheless. RMH is a slightly different kettle of fish with more cyclical earnings and susceptible to larger PE valuation swings...and now the mavericks in equity trading have gone and lost R750m! The poor souls who invested in 1997 took 7 years just to get their money back! Today, however, the situation is much different with RMH/FSR having a diversified earnings base and a very reasonable forward PE at 2600 cps with a divi yield of 6%. It has lost 30% since Nov. and most of the damage is probably already in the price. Check out the 10-year charts on both which encapsulates the post-1998 downturn and subsequent recovery. All shares other than the commodity counters are under tremendous pressure at present and likely to remain so until at least the third quarter. In the near-term they might well become even slightly cheaper. A true long-term investor should however not be watching the ticker on a daily basis..provided the initial purchase was sound.
