Basics about the Waterman Life Cross:
The Life Cross compares the
relative yield and P/E ratios of a proprietary list of companies. Its original use was on my own portfolio of stocks, but it can really contain any set you want to put in there, it just might create a crowded graph as it gets more diversified. For example, the
most recent version for retail starts with a ranking of 132 different companies.
I try not to limit the chart to a single index. The retail chart contains tickers found in the S&P Retail Select Industry Index, MVIS US Listed Retail 25 Index, Dynamic Retail Intellidex Index, and the EQM Online Retail Index.
I created the Life Cross chart due to a need to quickly sort lists of data based on fundamental weightings. There are lots of financial "charts" out there, but to my knowledge, none that exist that rank data in a comparative method in this way. My chart is named after the infamous "Death Cross" chart in technical analysis, which claims that certain moving averages predict an upcoming bear market.
I originally got the idea while looking at a prospectus from Vanguard, where they were using scatterpoint charts to rank and compare their own mutual funds internally. It's strange then that Vanguard doesn't have any mutual funds created with this exact methodology, but rather weight their funds using market cap.
How data is ranked:
The Life Cross takes just two factors into consideration: The current dividend yield, and the twelve month P/E ratio. Stocks that pay no dividends are simply eliminated before I prepare the chart. I also eliminate those investments with negative earnings.
When the chart is drawn, it divides the given companies based on relative yield. That is; how they relate to each other based on the annual dividend yield, how much the stock costs, and how much future earnings are expected to be. Higher yielding stocks will be towards the right side of the chart, and stocks with higher P/E ratios will be towards the top. The chart divides your holdings in a way that unmasks "better than average" opportunities against other holdings.
The user gets a visual representation of the universe of his or her holdings by quadrant. Tickers toward the bottom right represent better deals for investors, all else equal. Those are the stocks you should buy more of. Tickers towards the top left might be considered for selling. The other two quadrants are probably best to just hold.
Risks of using the Waterman Life Cross:
The chart is not magical, always do your own due diligence. While it cannot guarantee future performance, the chart can give you a good point to begin your research from. It might also introduce you to a company you're unfamiliar with as an investment idea. Just be aware that the chart data can change quickly and dynamically.
When I publish these charts, it's usually after the market closes. If you use the data the following trading day, then you're probably golden. Trades within a few days of creating these charts are also probably ok, but markets can change so quickly that the data might already be antiquated a week later. Additionally, a side effect of eliminating non-dividend paying stocks from these lists is unfortunately that what might be a great growth opportunity is simply not seen.
I plan to analyze at least one major index at the end of each market day, and will be offering services to create custom Life Cross charts, as well as an e-book on how to create these for yourself. Until that time, please leave any requests that you have in the comments section of either this blog, or in the location where I have posted the most recent chart. Your feedback is greatly appreciated, and I am always interested in suggestions for how to make these charts more useful.
Further related reading:
Before I started using the words "relative yield", I described methods to locate good opportunities in stocks by searching for relative weakness in price. These methods, along with the Life Cross are actual stock picking strategies that I employ to this day:
Includes: $RIO $BHP $BBL $VTI
