In the fast-changing world of tech stocks, there are few true buy-and-hold opportunities. Great stocks such as Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL), Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), Google (Nasdaq: GOOG), Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) and Oracle (Nasdaq: ORCL) come to mind. Few other tech companies have been… Read More

With the economic situation in Europe, you’d think consumers would be spendthrifts. But one high-end clothing, footwear and accessories retailer appears to have captured the hearts and wallets of fashion-conscious Europeans. Since going public in December,… Read More

The Bakken Shale… the very mention of it conjures images of gushing oil wells, makeshift work camps (known as “man camps“) and North Dakota boom towns bursting at the seams. #-ad_banner-#It’s arguably the most prolific oil source in North America — a symbol of prosperity and hope in what’s been a difficult time in the United States during the past few years.  And here’s the good news: I’ve got my eyes on a company that’s right in the middle of the action, having built an expansive position in the rich Bakken Shale. Read More

The Bakken Shale… the very mention of it conjures images of gushing oil wells, makeshift work camps (known as “man camps“) and North Dakota boom towns bursting at the seams. #-ad_banner-#It’s arguably the most prolific oil source in North America — a symbol of prosperity and hope in what’s been a difficult time in the United States during the past few years.  And here’s the good news: I’ve got my eyes on a company that’s right in the middle of the action, having built an expansive position in the rich Bakken Shale. Daily oil production doubled in 2010, tripled in 2011 and will likely quadruple in 2012. That accelerating output is leading to off-the-charts earnings growth. The company is called Kodiak Oil & Gas (NYSE: KOG).  The company is a pure play on the Bakken Shale, and it’s no coincidence that it is also one of the fastest-growing exploration and production companies in the nation. The company has steadily expanded its footprint in the Williston Basin (which extends into adjacent areas of Canada), from 72,000 acres in 2010 to 93,000 in June 2011… Read More

During the past half century, the financial media has tried to stay abreast of ever-changing investor interest. In the 1950s and 1960s, that meant a deep emphasis on value investing, as investors searched for stocks that looked like great bargains in relation to their… Read More

Although it has been more than a year since the United States lost its top-tier “AAA” credit rating from Standard & Poor’s, the significance of the event is still a bit hard to fathom.#-ad_banner-# Think about it — for so many decades, the… Read More

I just finished watching the first presidential debate, and like about 50 million other Americans, I’m left a little disappointed and wanting more details about the candidates’ plans. Each candidate talked a good game and promised to turn the struggling economy around,… Read More

In the final months of his life, Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) CEO Steve Jobs worked hard to ensure a vital future for his company. He prepared his management team to stand on its own, and they have exceeded almost everyone’s expectations. In fact, in… Read More

Whenever we have an extended market crash, it is a good idea to look for the survivors. These are the companies that have endured the brutal years of a bear market and are still… Read More

When it comes to investing, there is perhaps nothing more gratifying than unearthing a gem of a stock that turns out to deliver some very big gains. Companies like Amazon.com (Nasdaq: AMZN), Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) and Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) are marquee examples of large-cap stocks that continue delivering large gains;… Read More