Summary Points: - General Electric stock performance was terrible in 2017, and 2018 has not been much better. - The company reported disappointing Q4 2017 results, but there were some positive takeaways from the earnings release/management commentary. - There are significant risks that need to be considered, but I plan to stay long the stock. The hits just keep on coming for General Electric ($GE), and at this point in time, even the most loyal shareholders have already throw

Summary Points: *MetLife recently won a major legal battle with the government, which resulted in the company no longer being designated as a SIFI. *MetLife reported noisy Q3 2017 results two months ago, but I believe that the company is well-positioned for 2018. *MetLife is a long-term buy (3-5 years) at today's price. MetLife ($MET) rarely gets mentioned when investors talk about insurance companies that may be worth investment dollars, and rightfully so, as MET shares have

Summary Points: *Synchrony Financial's bull case keeps getting stronger. *The company reported better-than-expected Q4 2017 earnings but there was some noise in the numbers. *Synchrony Financial is a long-term buy at today's price. Synchrony Financial ($SYF) is a company that I have covered since its initial public offering in mid-2014 (see my first article on this company here), and I am now more bullish than I have ever been on this private-label credit card company. To thi

Summary Points: *Warren Buffett recently said that he would buy General Electric at the right number. Makes sense, right? *General Electric's stock has performed well in 2018, but let's not get ahead of ourselves. *Looking out, I believe that General Electric's stock is a long-term buy at today's price. In a recent interview, Warren Buffett told CNBC's Becky Quick that he would buy General Electric (GE) at the "right number," which led to speculation that Berkshire Hathaway (

Summary Points: *KeyCorp shares have outperformed the S&P 500 over the last two years, and investors should expect more of the same in 2018. *It recently reported lackluster Q3 2017 results, but that does not change the bank's long-term story. *KeyCorp shares are a long-term buy at today's price. KeyCorp ($KEY) has been one of the best-performing stocks of the R.I.P. portfolio, as shares are up almost 40% since December 2015. In late 2015, I explained why I was bullish about

Summary Points: *This real-money portfolio was first introduced to the Seeking Alpha community in December 2015, and it has outperformed the S&P 500 since that point in time. *The portfolio underperformed the S&P 500 in 2017 but the portfolio's projected annual income is up 34% YoY. *The financial holdings were again the top performers for the portfolio. A top-2 position, General Electric, was a major drag on the portfolio's performance over the last 12 months. The Retire In