Review by Goldbug, September 8, 2009

Overall Rating
Performance of Picks/Advice
Consistency
Interesting to Read/Educational
Customer Service
Value for the Money

The Permanent Wealth Investor
aka: Alpha Bulldog Alert
Editor: Martin Hutchinson
Publisher: Oxford Club
Type: Income Investing Stocks

I got this also as a package deal back in March to the lifetime investor’s club for Oxford and he is one of the better investors in this club. His wins are more than his losses and if the stock in his portfolio does make a capital loss, it is offset by the high dividend payout. I love seeing the dividends these stocks pay out. He picks the highest dividends and makes sure that the company can support the dividend payout. With his picks, I am up 20%. Not as aggressive as an options newsletter but still much safer. I gained 24% on BGF, 3% on WIN and 18% on POM. My only losing position is FTR down 1.6%. Not to mention, the dividends made up for that loss and then some. I am overall satisfied with Martin’s picks and would recommend this service.

Review by Rini, December 18, 2009

Overall Rating	Not Rated
Performance of Picks/Advice
Consistency
Interesting to Read/Educational
Customer Service
Value for the Money

I was an original subscriber to the April 2009 Charter Member offering at $695 per year with a 90 day refund guarantee, which they did honor with absolutely no fuss at all. Mostly all of Mr Hutchinson’s initial six picks were winners, but keep in mind that this was a high probability just after the market dive in March. True, the dividends on these were all at 8% or greater, but one single major attraction was used as the teaser to hype a return of $4,201 (Telkom, TKG), and depended upon getting in when he first hyped it as part of the initial tease, not later, as I did just before the ex-div date for this single special dividend. One needed to purchase 400 shares to reap the $4,201 as hyped.

His spreadsheet shows it as a profit, but my delay caused me a loss. I got out after a subsequent distribution (about $24+) from a spin-off (around June, or so), which knocked the price down by the same amount, to below my entry point. The entire spin-off deal was not clear with regard to timing on this (it was TKG, an ADR) compared to the South African payout, and I received no replies to my emails at all, questioning dates and clarification. I actually had a clearer picture than the PermWealth advisory did on TKG. They finally advised a bailout on it, a while after I already did. They made a profit based on their early entry price, I didn’t. It would have been a moderate winner if one sold off before the spinoff. The “bonus” payout of the spin off wasn’t any bonus. TKG has since delisted from the NYSE. They spun off their VOD holding in South Africa, and one can go to that site and the company sites to see how each has performed afterwards. (I think VOD was doing well, at least for the while afterward that I watched it.)

I again later jumped back in a few months later on another teaser at $995, to check out whether my initial disappointment was accurate, and to check out subsequent performance. In fairness, the ratios of cap gain winners to losers is quite good … good enough to recoup the subscription IF you have enough money to play enough of them, and in sufficent volume. Otherwise, your performance is based on luck of picking the better winners on less volume commitment. That wasn’t possible for me at my stage of experience. The div yields were around 8% and one had to act quickly on short notice from emails which I DID NOT RECEIVE!! I canceled before the end of 90 days, but had to follow up on it to get it, without further delay.

Maybe I expected too much, but I was disappointed in the newsletter. His scheme is probably workable, but not likely as hugely profitable as described. I also detect quite a deviation from the initial method and projections of rewards. This one is not my game, it is possibly fair game for someone who can play the whole spread in sufficient volume. It REQUIRES SUFFICIENT AVAILABLE FUNDS at the time of alerts. And, of course, there is some analysis of expectations, and reasoning on each situation which seems like spin to me. (That’s an opinion, based on personal perception and hindsight.)

In hindsight, some of his recommendations to exit some positions actually went on to recoup and continue further gains as well as pay another good dividend. Examples are Banco Santander (STD), Zenith National Insurance (ZNT), CalMaine Food (CALM), a Mexican Airport group (PAC) which come to mind. It’s all timing, personal liquidity, and, I think, some churning to make it look like he’s doing something. I think the performance has dwindled, and it is deviating from the initial game plan described in the initial welcoming literature. (Unless I misread or misinterpreted the print.)

In fairness, I probably would have done better if I had not delayed to observe a bit, if I had participated in greater volume (I limited myself to 200 shs, not 400), and/or if I had bought more of the selections. But as far as searching out the high dividends? That’s what you are paying him for. Otherwise, one can do that for oneself with sufficient time, patience and ability. At this time, I observe that the ads still are hyping that someone made $13k or so (it happens to be an exact multiple of the initial $4,201 TKG special situation come-on.) That was then. What has he done lately? I didn’t stick around to see. The teaser becomes more repulsive viewed with insider’s hindsight. Again, that’s my opinion. I would like to see some fair comments and examples from others about their experience.