If the post-recession markets had to be defined by one theme, it would be the emergence of activist investors.  Shareholder activism, defined by buying control of a company with the goal of making a major change in order to enhance its value, has been around since the first traders in the Dutch East India Company. But we’ve rarely seen so much activity and oversight lately. Activist campaigns have surged from 104 in 2000 to 758 in 2016 according to Activist Insight’s annual review. Nearly half (40%) of S&P 500 companies saw activist investor campaigns in the… Read More

If the post-recession markets had to be defined by one theme, it would be the emergence of activist investors.  Shareholder activism, defined by buying control of a company with the goal of making a major change in order to enhance its value, has been around since the first traders in the Dutch East India Company. But we’ve rarely seen so much activity and oversight lately. Activist campaigns have surged from 104 in 2000 to 758 in 2016 according to Activist Insight’s annual review. Nearly half (40%) of S&P 500 companies saw activist investor campaigns in the seven years through 2015. Assets under activist management have grown nearly 20% annually for more than a decade, topping $123 billion last year. Activists have been attracted by the mountain of balance sheet cash companies hold, and the historically cheap cost of debt. That availability of money lends itself to poor checkbook control by management and an attractive source of cash return to the billionaire activists that can buy seats on a board to control it. #-ad_banner-#Oversight by large investors has helped protect shareholder rights and led to some impressive gains. A portfolio of activist targets… Read More

By the end of the 20th century, General Electric (NYSE: GE) represented the epitome of bloated, mega-cap conglomerated largesse. Helmed by management hotshot Jack Welch, GE dabbled in everything from its traditional industrial manufacturing businesses, which included heavy capital goods like locomotives and jet engines, to household appliances and media property ownership (NBC). But its crown jewel was its finance arm, GE Capital, which was used to help customers finance the jet engines and the locomotives. But after the turn of the millennium, GE wasn’t so lucky. The bear market that began with the bursting of the tech bubble mauled… Read More

By the end of the 20th century, General Electric (NYSE: GE) represented the epitome of bloated, mega-cap conglomerated largesse. Helmed by management hotshot Jack Welch, GE dabbled in everything from its traditional industrial manufacturing businesses, which included heavy capital goods like locomotives and jet engines, to household appliances and media property ownership (NBC). But its crown jewel was its finance arm, GE Capital, which was used to help customers finance the jet engines and the locomotives. But after the turn of the millennium, GE wasn’t so lucky. The bear market that began with the bursting of the tech bubble mauled the company’s stock price, sending it down a full 56%. Prices recovered somewhat only to be hammered down by the 2008 Financial Crisis and resulting credit freeze, which threatened the very existence of the company. While the stock is up 195% from those 2009 market lows, it’s been a long road back and the price has more or less moved sideways for the last three years. But that may be about to change. Jeff Immelt, the CEO that guided the company through the dangers of 2008, recently retired, handing the reins over to John Flannery. Prior to his… Read More

Let’s get right to the point. I just recently shared a timely trade with my Profit Amplifier readers that I want to tell you a little about. But since time is of the utmost importance, I’m going to have to get right to the point. But please don’t mistake my brevity or lack of personal trade-related anecdotes for cutting corners. —Sponsored Link— Earth-Shattering Marijuana Legislation Just Announced A new earth-shattering government announcement could completely change the legalization of marijuana — forever. In fact, thanks to this historic legislation, tiny pot stocks trading for under $5 are… Read More

Let’s get right to the point. I just recently shared a timely trade with my Profit Amplifier readers that I want to tell you a little about. But since time is of the utmost importance, I’m going to have to get right to the point. But please don’t mistake my brevity or lack of personal trade-related anecdotes for cutting corners. —Sponsored Link— Earth-Shattering Marijuana Legislation Just Announced A new earth-shattering government announcement could completely change the legalization of marijuana — forever. In fact, thanks to this historic legislation, tiny pot stocks trading for under $5 are getting set to double, triple, or quadruple. In an exclusive interview, pot stock expert, Michael Robinson, shares all the good news — including details on five tiny weed stocks that could potentially turn a small stake into $100,000… Click here to continue. I’ve examined the details thoroughly and can feel confident in telling you that the stock I’m going to discuss is extremely and undeservedly overbought. Experts from Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, as well as several other high-powered analysts, are on my side. But while their warnings get louder and louder, they seem to be… Read More

Cryptocurrency investing is quickly shifting from a hacker novelty to mainstream practice. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum have become so popular that major money management firms and central banks are taking this technology very seriously.  Investors have earned near-unbelievable returns from the leading cryptocurrency names over the last 24 months. Insane volatility combined with massive future potential has attracted both short-term traders and long-term investors to the fray.  Beyond simply creating a medium of exchange, the technological innovation at the heart of these currencies, known as the blockchain, is revolutionizing how business is conducted. Dozens of major banks and money… Read More

Cryptocurrency investing is quickly shifting from a hacker novelty to mainstream practice. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum have become so popular that major money management firms and central banks are taking this technology very seriously.  Investors have earned near-unbelievable returns from the leading cryptocurrency names over the last 24 months. Insane volatility combined with massive future potential has attracted both short-term traders and long-term investors to the fray.  Beyond simply creating a medium of exchange, the technological innovation at the heart of these currencies, known as the blockchain, is revolutionizing how business is conducted. Dozens of major banks and money management firms have pending projects in this space, including industry-leading names like Citi, Credit Suisse, UBS, and MetLife.  What has me most excited is the fact that everyday investors can easily get involved with this world-changing technology. In fact, one of the world’s most popular cryptocurrencies is currently trading at just $0.18, allowing widespread participation regardless of your account size.  #-ad_banner-#If you think it’s too late to participate in what could be the most profitable market of all time, you are dead wrong. The industry is still in its infancy despite the explosive growth over the last year. Read More

It’s right there at the top of the masthead of my premium newsletter: High-Yield Investing.  Notice the emphasis on the word “high.”  —Sponsored Link— Breaking: 4 Stocks To Double In 2017 Four stocks that have the potential to double in 2017, creating some of the biggest profit opportunities over the next several months. Profits of +100% or more. Click here to get the tickers now. Some investors are perfectly content with Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and its ordinary 2.6% dividend yield, or Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), which pays 2.3%. After all, these are… Read More

It’s right there at the top of the masthead of my premium newsletter: High-Yield Investing.  Notice the emphasis on the word “high.”  —Sponsored Link— Breaking: 4 Stocks To Double In 2017 Four stocks that have the potential to double in 2017, creating some of the biggest profit opportunities over the next several months. Profits of +100% or more. Click here to get the tickers now. Some investors are perfectly content with Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and its ordinary 2.6% dividend yield, or Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT), which pays 2.3%. After all, these are two of the most widely-held stocks in the world.  Not us. #-ad_banner-#My readers aren’t interested in hearing about Wal-Mart or Microsoft. They subscribe to my newsletter to discover securities with truly elevated payouts — not average ones.  My goal is to help my readers dramatically boost their portfolio income. That’s why I constantly scour obscure corners of the market to uncover new investment ideas. But it’s no easy task.  In years past, you could almost trip over 5% yielders. They were everywhere. But in today’s low-yield environment, they have become a rare breed — and 10%+ yielders are practically an… Read More

March of 1998 was a big month for Pfizer and its shareholders. That’s when the new little blue pill called Viagra was released. It was a breakthrough for the pharmaceutical industry — the first ever male performance enhancement drug. Viagra’s commercial release created a new multi-billion drug market virtually overnight. Millions of American men and women enjoyed the benefits of the drug, but the biggest winner was Pfizer shareholders. As Viagra delivered record sales month after month, Pfizer’s share price jumped 64% in 12 months. Take a look below. Today, I see this same pattern repeating itself in… Read More

March of 1998 was a big month for Pfizer and its shareholders. That’s when the new little blue pill called Viagra was released. It was a breakthrough for the pharmaceutical industry — the first ever male performance enhancement drug. Viagra’s commercial release created a new multi-billion drug market virtually overnight. Millions of American men and women enjoyed the benefits of the drug, but the biggest winner was Pfizer shareholders. As Viagra delivered record sales month after month, Pfizer’s share price jumped 64% in 12 months. Take a look below. Today, I see this same pattern repeating itself in the cannabis industry. The FDA is close to potentially approving its first ever cannabis pharmaceutical — a final ruling could happen by the end of 2017, less than 12 weeks away. #-ad_banner-#This would be a ground breaking approval for the entire pharmaceutical industry and particularly for the cannabis industry. It could also give birth to the first ever cannabis blockbuster drug. This drug could generate more than $1 billion in annual revenue. Just like Pfizer with Viagra, this drug could send shares of this promising young cannabis biotech soaring over the next 12 months. The Company Behind This Game-Changing Treatment… Read More

Income, strength, and stability are the three core characteristics every retired person needs in their portfolio. Because retirees lack the luxury of a steady paycheck, dividends are the key to financial stability after one leaves the workforce.  But what types of dividend stocks are best for retirees? Of course, any choice needs to possess the three core characteristics above, but there are other factors that make a dividend-payer truly unique. By far the most important is a genuine potential for price appreciation and growth.  I drilled down three stocks that I think contain all three of these essential characteristics…  1. Read More

Income, strength, and stability are the three core characteristics every retired person needs in their portfolio. Because retirees lack the luxury of a steady paycheck, dividends are the key to financial stability after one leaves the workforce.  But what types of dividend stocks are best for retirees? Of course, any choice needs to possess the three core characteristics above, but there are other factors that make a dividend-payer truly unique. By far the most important is a genuine potential for price appreciation and growth.  I drilled down three stocks that I think contain all three of these essential characteristics…  1. AT&T (NYSE: T) AT&T shares have suffered this year, with a nearly 10% price plunge due to slowing growth, competition, and a substantial debt load. The selling has placed this legacy telecommunication and data company deep in the value zone, setting up an ideal buy opportunity for yield-hungry investors. #-ad_banner-#Long known as a dividend aristocrat, AT&T has increased its dividends for an astounding 30 years in a row. Currently yielding an impressive 5%-plus annually with a quarterly dividend of about $0.49 per share, the company is the seventh-highest-yielding name in the S&P 500.  Boasting revenue of nearly $162 billion,… Read More