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12% Letter (defunct)

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Art
Guest
Art
February 17, 2010 3:11 pm

I subscribed a year ago, when I first started actively trading. It has really helped me learn, and introduced me to covered calls. I have enjoyed my time with the service. My issue is that each covered call lasts about 6 months or so, and since I don’t get in and out a lot, I have to pass on most picks since I don’t have uninvested cash available. I think the service is great, and a great value for new investors and those who are learning. However, I haven’t been able to use it to the fullest, so I won’t be resubscribing. I have no problem recommending a one year test of it to anyone, though. I’m glad I did.

Richard
Guest
Richard
February 24, 2010 8:39 pm

I am sucking up the excellent dividends on his HTH-PA recommendation (9%), and loving it. I have just added his most current pick, CIM, which is paying currently 19%. I have watched his other picks for the last 18 months and he seems to get in (and out if necessary) with very good timing. I am well pleased with this service. I don’t do the calls. I am building a retirement income and his picks are quite good. I also use True Wealth and the Oxford Club and am doing quite well.

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Brian C
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Brian C
March 3, 2010 12:47 pm

I subscribed to the 12% letter a couple years ago (somehow I didn’t renew) and my overall experience has been good. I’ve relied on various newsletters and investment groups for ideas and leads (Agora publishing, Stansberry, Oxford Club, Oil & Energy, True Wealth and all freebie daily emails from same)and of the bunch, 12% comes up with some good reccos to fit my investment style.

From reading through everything, Mr. Dyson does decent research and usually has a pretty good argument and points explaining why he is recommending a given position/stock. What he recommends may not always fit into my particular investment style of holding on to something for longer terms and building wealth through dividend reinvestment and Dollar-Cost-Average buying, but overall, I’m satisfied with 12% and have easily made my $99 back without breaking a sweat.

Just be sure to do your own research and due diligence and you should be able to make a buck or two.

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cautious
cautious
March 11, 2010 5:27 am

Have subscribed for 2 years. A pleasant respite from all the bombastic hype of the rest of Stansberry’s tribe. Good solid advise overall with steady results at a reasonable price.

cautious
cautious
March 11, 2010 5:35 am

I forgot to add to my review that I am indebted to Tom for discovering Stock Gumshoe. He mentioned SG in one of his letters, which speaks well of him since the boloney usually fears the slicer!

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b1938
Guest
b1938
July 6, 2010 9:38 am

I think the 12% Letter is good value for money. I continue to subscribe to it. Most of the recommendations have done OK. He recommends a conservative approach to income investing and wealth preservation with preferred stocks, companies with fortress balance sheets and some covered call writing. Realty Income, O, for example, has been extremely successful; I doubt that I would have invested in it without the advice from the Letter. On the other hand, his PBCT recommendation has dropped more than 10%. But overall: no complaints. I agree with J.P.L.; if you call S&A, you shouldn’t have any problem with refunds. I certainly haven’t.

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julia
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julia
July 7, 2010 4:06 pm

So far I have not even been able to get on the site. I can see that my $39 was probably wasted. I will keep you posted.

J.P.L.
Guest
J.P.L.
July 10, 2010 12:35 am

Hi, Julia,
You didn’t ask for any help, but I’ll share my views anyways.
I the past, I, too, cannot access their sites upon first subscribing, because it takes them several days to set up access.
If you phone them for a temporary password and user name, you’ll get immediate access.
Also, there is a refund policy if you don’t like it.
Their latest recommendation looks quite good and has been going up. However, I’ve refrained from buying because this may still be a bear market.

I hope the above helps.

JPL
07-10-2010

KJB
KJB
September 14, 2010 3:27 pm

I am in my second year of this newsletter and it will probably be one of the few I renew for many years to come.
Here’s why:
~ Dyson offers clear, cogent advice backed with detailed research AND links to further your own research on each recommendation.
~ Value received far outweighs annual cost of $99. And when you renew he’ll send you a two year deal for same price. I am a small-time income investor( < $50k) and already I have some picks whose dividends excel the subscription each distribution period – so in some cases 4X’s the fee +some on each reco. With his winners, I am substantially above the 12% moniker( which truly, for income, I’d be quite happy with, but he does have quite a few which deliver consistent 15-20% returns). I do have one “loser” pick with him(down currently 25%) but I researched this Canadian company on my own and made my own decision knowing its products/sales may take time to recover and I’m OK on that because the underlying assets are solid and cash is abundant. Heck, even Berkshire Hathaway languishes for long periods before producing…
~ His style is very pragmatic and easy to understand. Sometimes I wish he would offer more detail and he will repeat himself often, but that is for effect and to make a point mainly. I think Tom is an ex-pat Brit living in FL and I am not particularly an Anglophile, but Tom cuts through the BS better than most of his verbose compatriots in the newsletter shilling/huckster environment, so if this Brit makes me money, I can forgive his heritage!
~ One thing I’ve learned, and Tom is the only author I’ve noticed to issue this warning, is this: when he or any other financial pundit makes a reco, hold yur horses for a few days/weeks – especially in this environment, to make sure there is not a false run-up based on his advice by the impulsive knuckleheads – like I used to be!
~ I actually look forward to his monthly missives. I always learn something new, or I reaffirm information I’ve read independently. Tom seems to dig into book values and management better and looks for key external drivers.
~ For income AND “Fortress safety”, as he calls one subset of picks, you will find refuge in the 12% Letter IF you read him thoroughly.

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Caulker
Caulker
September 20, 2010 1:50 pm

I have subscribed to a ton of letters and this is one of the best. Been with it about a year now. Well researched and clear. Some recos are aggressive (as income plays go) and one must stay on top of them. But as a small invester I need more return than is available with CD’s, etc. so this is a big help. Customer service is very good in case things don’t work out like they have for me with other S A publications.

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Peter Delevoryas
Guest
Peter Delevoryas
October 16, 2010 12:13 am

Started subscribing around the start of the year. Actually was up $3k but then the market took it all away. The recommended stops are too wide in my opinion, plus, if you invest in all the recommendations you might have around 20 or more positions to manage. An opening gap can really wipe you out – and you’re scrambling to juggle all those positions. Diversifying that much doesn’t work for me – better to stay with 5 positions or less.

Caulker
Caulker
November 10, 2010 8:37 am

The 12% Letter
Tom Dyson has done an outstanding job of selecting income equities. I have done very well with his high-yield selections. He has now moved on to another venture and it remains to be seen how his replacement does.

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kobe
Guest
May 19, 2011 12:58 pm

I began with the crisis of 2008 and went to various newsletters including Weiss and Young but began the 12%
near mid-2009 on a special $49 offer and now about a year.
When the direct renew went onto my credit card without notice. I called and got a refund…then took another
half off flyer at $ 39 .
Results: I am looking for yield. Each year I have a tax
summary as everyone does and I notice dividends….they have doubled for me with Tom Dyson’s recos….now Dan Ferris is
following the same path. I particularly like the ‘ World Dominators ” concept for slow and steady growth.

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Linda
Member
Linda
May 20, 2011 10:10 am

I like Dan’s newsletter. It is good reading and gives me some great ideas – since a good portion of my portfolio is soley for dividend yielders. I have taken some of his ideas. Worked well. But I research first, and understand my risks.

solobj
Member
solobj
May 21, 2011 2:11 pm

If all you want out of a newsletter is blind stock advice, I’d urge you to memorize Basic Strategy cold, learn at least minimal card counting, and go to your favorite casino and have a seat at a 2-deck blackjack table! you will find less volatility and variance there, than in the market; investment newsletters, if used properly, can do so much for you long-term…much more than help you pick stocks…the better ones (and this one belongs to a family of newsletters that are among the best ones) do more educating than I ever expected; I wouldn’t have known HOW to invest properly if not for this newsletter and a couple of its cousins…that said, I also love blackjack (just stay away from the single deck games)

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TOM
Guest
TOM
May 26, 2011 12:47 am

I am more confused (and upset) now than before I bought into this. I paid for subscriptions to Dan Ferris’ 12% and Steve Sjuggerud’ “Wealth”.

Each newsletter has another subscription to another “stategy” newsletter. It reminds me of “BUT WAIT…THERE”S MORE….IT SLICES….IT DICES”

Maybe I’m just too naive or uneducated in investing … but so far I’m very disappointed and it seems like another rip off scam.

I’m not looking for a “get rich” scheme… just how to safely invest what little money I have.

I’ll see what the next newsletters have to say but so far…??

I’ll see how good they are on their return policy!

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drj
Guest
drj
May 28, 2011 10:41 am

Dan Ferris is now editing this letter. For the price I think it’s one of the best in the business. I was a fan of the letter’s investment philosophy before he took over the editing responsibilities, and my satisfaction has increased with his entry. I’m not interested in moon shots and this letter provides solid income recommendations each month. The education on investment analysis along with recommendations for entry and exit make this letter a great pick regardless of whether one is just starting to plan for retirement or using the advice to supplement a retirement income.

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Thomas Clodfelter
Guest
Thomas Clodfelter
July 27, 2011 8:59 am

I took the whole hook line and sinker; 12%, Daily Wealth, S&A, each time thinking there would be an answer to their whole “carrot and stick” teasing. But sadly there isn’t…just another “But before I tell what this is… subscribe to this newsletter and I’ll tell you”
Their newsletters took me in a direction I wouldn’t have on my own, but only through Gumshoe have I been able see and understand the articles. I can now make an informed decision if these companies and investment plans are right me.
And yes ..I have unsubscribed to them all. Not quite a bait and switch scheme … but I can see it from where I’m standing! So thank you Gumshoe!

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Peter Palframan
Guest
Peter Palframan
November 29, 2011 8:09 pm

The focus of the 12% Letter has changed since Tom Dyson was the editor. The original intent of the newsletter was to find investments that would provide a 12% or better yield, so it included things like preferred shares, m-reits and exchange traded bonds that were slightly higher risk. Since Dan Ferris took over a year ago, it has changed its focus to an emphasis on dividend paying stocks that are also have a high level of safety. Ferris calls them World Dominating Dividend Growers; I believe the industry terms for them is Dividend Aristocrats which I believe are defined as stocks that have increased their dividend every year for at least the last 10 years. He justifies the 12% Letter moniker by the fact that even though many of these companies are currently yielding between about 3% and 6%, because they have a record of increasing (growing) their dividend every year, effectively within a few years it can get to a 12% yield/return based on the original investment. If you are focused on income and a high level of safety, it’s a useful source of information and certainly identifies the stocks that fit that category. Ferris does a good review of his recommendations and for the income portion of my portfolio I find it useful and will continue to subscribe. Having said that, listings of the Dividend Aristocrats (that includes all the Ferris reccos) are available elsewhere at little or no cost. Getting the 12% Letter saves you the effort of finding all the info yourself and does provide additional useful information and background. Hope that’s helpful……

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Carol C
Member
December 15, 2011 11:50 pm

As a multi-year subscriber to the 12% Letter, I can say that I am pleased with the results. Tom Dyson authored the letter prior to Dan Ferris. Dan offers fewer investment choices than Dyson did, but safe ones that he dubs “World Dominating Dividend Growers”. These are companies that are first in their class with consistent and increasing dividends. I can recommend this investment letter to those who wish to invest and grow those investments with increasing dividend income.

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