• Trading "Smart Speculations"

We predicted Goldman Sachs would do well in 2019, and it did – tremendously!

On January 7, you received a Trade of the Day titled “Your First Top Pick for 2019.”

If you recall, we outlined the opportunity that was currently available in Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS).

We referenced extreme levels of market volatility that closed out 2018 and recommended a way to use it to your advantage. Here’s what we wrote…

You see, if anyone is smart enough to profit from the insane uptick in volatility, it’s the boys at Goldman Sachs. As you’ll see below, you can now own the company at levels we haven’t seen since late 2016. As smart speculators, we must ask ourselves, “Has the pullback in valuations fully accounted for all these worries?”

In response, we believe that if anyone is smart enough to figure out how to adjust to the volatile markets – and turn this volatility into profits – it’s Goldman Sachs. Using the recent pullback to buy the company at 2016 levels is certainly a bet we’re willing to make – whether it’s a pure stock play or a longer-dated LEAPS call. That’s why Goldman Sachs is our first official “Smart Speculation” play of 2019. 

What happened next?

It’s been only 10 days, but Goldman Sachs has followed this script to a T.

The trigger for the move was the company’s Q4 and 2018 year-end results, which were spectacular. It beat expectations on both the top line and bottom line, and the stock reacted with a powerful 9.5% upside move. Even after this one-day gain, Goldman Sachs is still trading for less than its book value.

Does Goldman Sachs still have room to go? Yes, absolutely. However, with gains in hand, let’s use this wonderfully timed move to officially lock in our first winner of 2019.

If you played along, ring the register now! Congratulations on a quick, well-timed winner.