To get started you will enter the same positions as the model portfolio and make each position replicate the allocation percentage of the portfolio. For instance, if the model portfolio position #1 is equal to 21% of the portfolio value, then your position #1 should be 21% of the capital you've allocated to this strategy. Below you will find two tools that will make this very easy to figure out.
When you set up your All Stars monthly portfolio this way it will follow the performance of the model portfolio. Note, there will be some discrepancies in your performance vs. the model's due to slippage and commissions or minor differences in position sizing.
Below you will find the real-time model portfolio allocation and the exact number of shares (for a sample $5000 portfolio) you need to buy at any given time in order for your portfolio to replicate the day to day performance of the model.
If you are trading a portfolio that is larger or smaller than $5,000 we have created a calculator as part of your “Trade Tracking Tool” which will allow you to enter your desired portfolio size, and be given your exact position sizes. You'll find instructions to download your Trade Tracking Tool on this page.
Alternatively, you can determine the number of shares to buy by multiplying the recommended number of shares by the multiple of your portfolio size relative to the $5,000. For instance, if you are trading a $10,000 portfolio, you would take the recommended number of shares and multiply by two ($10,000 = $5,000 x 2). For a $20,000 portfolio, you would take the recommended number of shares and multiply by four ($20,000 = $5,000 x 4). For a smaller portfolio, like $2500, you would take the shares and divide them in half ($2,500 = $5,000 / 2).
Since the trades are already in progress, your entry price will be different from the model and your stops or targets could be closer or further away than the original model position, but what is important is that your real-time portfolio performance should very closely replicate the published results.
When you start a portfolio from scratch, use the "% of Total Portfolio" and "Shares to Own Per $5000" to establish new positions with the correct allocation. When you start a new portfolio the important relationship is each positions value as a percentage of the portfolio. This allows you to start a portfolio and follow the performance of the model regardless of where the trades are setup or what the recent market action has done.
All new positions (monthly rotations) start at 20% of the total portfolio. The model will use any excess cash available to ensure the new position is 20%.
At times, some of the portfolios might have a position in “cash” or have already reached multiple targets and have very little exposure to a position left. The real-time portfolio position sizing recommendations take these factors into consideration when showing the recommended share totals.
Once you have established your initial portfolio sizes and positions, you can continue to track the current positions and follow along with the stops, targets, and trade updates in the “Model Portfolio” section of the member area.
Below are the real-time calculations for starting a portfolio in the monthly model:
You can keep track of your trades with these simple trade tracking Excel spreadsheets.
Use the download buttons below. If asked, elect to "save," the file will be saved to your computers default download folder unless you specify otherwise.
Once downloaded, you will need to "uncompress" or "unzip" the file of out of the "zip file" you downloaded. This is a Microsoft Excel file and will require a copy of that program to run.
Instructions for how to use the file can be found on the first tab of the document, "Instructions."
The MarketGauge Trade Tracker is used for "All Stars Active" trades. The NASDAQ100-All-Stars-Trade-Tracking-Tool is used for the regular "All Stars" trades.