Hilary Kramer’s services…might as well get a dart board
by Scott | May 29, 2014 2:01 pm
I tried out the ”whole enchilada” package with the Hilary Kramer[1] services; they have titles like ”High Octane Trader,” and ”Game Changers[2].” Well, I used the advice, and started losing money. The options[3] recommendations in particular were poor; some made money but several lost and the losers were much more detrimental than the winners were beneficial. Luckily, I had hedged effectively so my losses were limited. So I tried a different strategy: I took her recommendations and then compared them to the press reports and research I could do at Fidelity[4] and Morningstar[5]. I passed on several of them because she was in conflict with many if not all others.
I had hoped that this indicated she was a contrarian to be trusted, and I would win when others lost. Guess what? When she went against the grain she was wrong every time. Loser after loser piled up.
Now down almost 20% with the terrible advice she was giving, I decided to play the pattern I had seen emerge: do the opposite of what she recommended puts on Disney (DIS)[6] in mid-April, so I bought calls. And, 35% later and counting, I have made back the losses from following her crummy advice.
She did no better on her stock picks; broke even mostly, and likewise, when she was contrary she was wrong.
So don’t wast your time or money on this one. Tell your friends.
- Hilary Kramer: https://www.stockgumshoe.com/tag/hilary-kramer/
- Game Changers: https://www.stockgumshoe.com/tag/game-changers/
- options: https://www.stockgumshoe.com/tag/options/
- Fidelity: https://www.stockgumshoe.com/tag/fidelity/
- Morningstar: https://www.stockgumshoe.com/tag/morningstar/
- Disney (DIS): https://www.stockgumshoe.com/tag/dis/
Source URL: https://www.stockgumshoe.com/2014/05/microblog-hilary-kramers-services-might-as-well-get-a-dart-board/
Thanks for the overview of Ms. Kramer. She keeps sending very tempting emails, I scrounge around a little and see she is an INCREDIBLE market timer! Aren’t they all?
Never think that when you figure out that you are losing and would like a refund that it is going to be sent to you
Couldn’t agree more! If my double digit losses that I experienced with Ms. Kramer were double digit gains (like she advertises), I’d be rich! In less than a year I’ve lost about 21% of my portfolio with her recommendations. I will NOT be renewing any of my subscriptions I have with her. Get a better dart board Hilary.
I was interested in her “Absolute Capital Return” I could be a Millionaire in 4.5 years starting with 5K. Is this the reco service you are talking about?
I bought into one of her options trading services almost two years ago. For the price I did expect better educated guess, however I never would invest without doing some of my own research, e.g., Candle stick patterns, RSI and Volume indicators, general market condition/direction. -Arguably the very basics. Often her advice made no sense or could not be executed. I recall a short recommendation for a stock that was flashing bullish reversal in its Candle stick pattern and an RSI lower than it had been in the last year. An OPTIONS trader (short term trader) would be a fool to take that bet. if anything that is a long play. A lot of the recommendation could not be executed, because she gave the Bid price to buy vice the Ask Price Yet, somehow she would show it as executing, and then she would sell at the Ask Price. – In the Options game these 10-20 Cent differences can be the difference between a loss and a 10% gain. I would stay away from her and use some of the free sites out there. -I like using technical patterns, RSI, Volume, and Candlestick Patterns to determine my trades. Also, keep in mind that Options trading is about as close to Gambling as you can get, and when you loose a hand at 21 you double down on the next hand, so think about that when making a trade. Give yourself 90 days on any Options expiration and be prepared, to double down especially if that trade’s price drops to a point that doubling down will allow you to get in at a 10% or greater reduction. Example: On 01 Feb 10 WMT 15May $70 call option contracts are bought $1, then on 01Mar 10 more of same options contracts are bought at 70 cents. This brings the total price of the 20 WMT 15May $70 contracts to 85 Cents, I just reduced my positions cost point by 15%. – Remember the technical indicators(RSI, Volume etc..), chart pattern, candlestick pattern show a bullish reversal. BLUF: Stay away from this service, with a little research, you can do better yourself.
Stay away from this service!!! It’s terrible! I back tested her historical results (something you can only do AFTER you subscribe). Taking all of her recommendations and assuming you invested 10% of your capital on each one, you would be down 23% in your account. It is no where close to what she advertises and in fact… she outright lies! She says “We’re banking more winners that cancel out the losses (even in this volatile environment)” Obviously that is a LIE!
Unfortunately, it’s one of those “too good to be true” stories.
You are so right.You can only see her total record after you buy the service.More losses than 10% winners.
It seems all of these option buying services are ripoffs and doomed to failure. If you’re buying naked options, you’re matching wits with very, very smart people, those who sell those options. These people win 80-90% of the time, and you’re going to beat them by buying the options? Most options expire worthless, so it really is a rigged game. Sure, the risk is limited, but so is playing blackjack – you only risk what you bet on each hand. And yet the house has the percentage, and wins in the long run. Same with option sellers – they are the house. You, the option buyer, are the rube. Sure, you’ll get some winners, maybe even those vaunted “double-digit” winners, or even a doubler or tripler. But in the long run, the 50-100% losses will do you in on total return. Not that there isn’t a place for options at time, or better yet, option spreads, to take advantage of long term trends that you can catch at the beginning. Sometimes you can get a 10:1 or even 20 to 40 to 1 return (think buying crude put options when crude was at $100, or the Euro short at 1.38), but those opportunities come pretty seldom. No way are there great opportunities every week that you can make a living from, or great return. Great idea on doing the opposite of her reccs. Even better than buying calls than puts when she recommends them, you could sell the puts to her suckers!
Just more information, have to love the first article by her where she talks about how she “can’t tolerate dishonesty”
http://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/2013/05/24/avoiding-fraud-in-frothy-market.html
And then, turns out she’s the leading filer of lawsuits against M&As.
http://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/lawsuit-class-kramer/
Seems pretty scammy to me.