Originally published in the Stock Savvy Dad newsletter on May 12, 2026.

Think about the friends you had as a kid that you no longer speak to.

Some drifted away naturally. You moved, life got busy, and you lost touch. No drama. The friendship just ran its course. Others you had to walk away from intentionally. Maybe they started making choices that didn’t align with yours and you knew staying close would cost you more than it was worth.

Your portfolio works the same way.

Not every stock is meant to stay forever. Knowing when to trim or sell is just as important as knowing what to buy. I’ve had both happen in my own portfolio recently.

Altria Group was a stock I owned for the dividend income. The company did fine but as I rebuilt my portfolio around higher conviction positions I had to be honest with myself. Altria’s entire business model revolves around tobacco, a shrinking and unhealthy industry. It no longer fit who I am as an investor or where I want my money working. So I sold it and moved on. Clean exit. No regrets.

Airbnb is a different story. I’ve owned it for about four years and I’ve been gradually trimming my position. The growth hasn’t met my expectations. The stock hits a ceiling, dips, recovers, and repeats. There are also geopolitical factors outside their control that create consistent headwinds. So I trim when it hits a certain price, take my profits, and manage how much I’m willing to commit going forward.

Think of it like a friendship you haven’t fully walked away from. There’s still something there. But you’re no longer going all in.

And yes, sometimes you sell simply because the stock did exactly what you wanted it to do and you take your profits. No friendship equivalent for that one.

What I want my daughters to understand someday is that walking away at the right time isn’t giving up. In life and in investing, that’s one of the hardest skills to develop. And one of the most valuable.

— Stock Savvy Dad
​Invest smarter, build wealth, be a savvy dad.