Capital Depreciation

Shares of Capital One (COF) are continuing to fall after news of their nearly $15 billion bid for North Fork Bank (NFB). After hitting new highs at $90 per share, COF stock has dropped more than 10 percent to $80 and change. This sell-off is exactly what we saw after the company announced plans to buy Hibernia a year ago. History tends to repeat itself, and this instance should reinforce that view. Patient buyers will be well rewarded once the deal closes and investors realize how strong of a move it was. Momentum traders and merger arbs are causing longer term investors such as myself to salivate at the stock's current price.