Shares have soared over 108% in the last 52 weeks, with an over 33% gain in 2017 alone. The company also throws off an annual dividend yield greater than 1.5% and boasts a substantial $45 billion-plus market cap. Sounds like a miracle company, right? I know, when I first heard the above performance stats, I immediately thought this was some under-the-radar, high-tech hardware company quietly taking over its sector. #-ad_banner-#I was shocked to discover that this company is part of the oldest transportation industry in the United States, railroads. Other than hearing some chatter about Warren Buffett investing in the… Read More

Shares have soared over 108% in the last 52 weeks, with an over 33% gain in 2017 alone. The company also throws off an annual dividend yield greater than 1.5% and boasts a substantial $45 billion-plus market cap. Sounds like a miracle company, right? I know, when I first heard the above performance stats, I immediately thought this was some under-the-radar, high-tech hardware company quietly taking over its sector. #-ad_banner-#I was shocked to discover that this company is part of the oldest transportation industry in the United States, railroads. Other than hearing some chatter about Warren Buffett investing in the industry, I believed that railroad companies were simply too old school, slow, and close to dying off. Boy, was I wrong! In the United States, railroads are a $60 billion industry consisting of 140,000 miles of tracks. It is a highly monopolistic industry with nearly insurmountable barriers to entry for additional competitors. According to the Federal Railroad Administration, the rail network makes up approximately 40% of U.S. freight moves by ton-miles (the length freight travels) and 16% by tons (the weight of cargo moved). In general, bulk freight, such as grain and coal, ships in rail cars and consumer goods,… Read More

A few weeks ago, I was on an exciting phone call with Joseph Hogue, Chief Investment Strategist for StreetAuthority’s newest premium newsletter, Pre-IPO Millionaire. The call was regarding his latest project — and believe me when I say, it’s something that should have every investor excited about what’s in store. I’ll get to the details of that call in a moment, but first, allow me to recap… Joseph is a research analyst who has written for StreetAuthority for years. He’s also a respected expert in the burgeoning field of pre-IPO investing — that is, investing in “startup”-stage companies before they… Read More

A few weeks ago, I was on an exciting phone call with Joseph Hogue, Chief Investment Strategist for StreetAuthority’s newest premium newsletter, Pre-IPO Millionaire. The call was regarding his latest project — and believe me when I say, it’s something that should have every investor excited about what’s in store. I’ll get to the details of that call in a moment, but first, allow me to recap… Joseph is a research analyst who has written for StreetAuthority for years. He’s also a respected expert in the burgeoning field of pre-IPO investing — that is, investing in “startup”-stage companies before they go public. These are the kinds of deals that have delivered incredible gains to wealthy investors in companies like Facebook and Twitter before they went public. We’re talking about seriously innovative companies and potentially life-changing opportunities for investors here. Thanks to the recent loosening of regulations that allow practically anyone to invest in these companies, we quickly saw an opportunity to partner with Joseph and educate the public about this exciting new way of investing. —Sponsored Link— SHOCKING: Is Your Pension A Ticking Time Bomb? American public pensions are now $5.6 TRILLION in debt. The… Read More

Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) is one of those stocks that investors either love or hate. It’s hated because of its high valuation, but it’s loved because, despite that high valuation, it has continued to crank out huge returns. In the last five years, shares are up 675%. Check out the huge move in the chart below.   Today, I’m going to explain why Netflix remains a great pick for investors looking for growth. In fact, I am predicting that Netflix will be one of the top performing S&P 500 stocks in 2017. Management Has Made Netflix… Read More

Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) is one of those stocks that investors either love or hate. It’s hated because of its high valuation, but it’s loved because, despite that high valuation, it has continued to crank out huge returns. In the last five years, shares are up 675%. Check out the huge move in the chart below.   Today, I’m going to explain why Netflix remains a great pick for investors looking for growth. In fact, I am predicting that Netflix will be one of the top performing S&P 500 stocks in 2017. Management Has Made Netflix The Most Dynamic Company In The S&P 500 Netflix has one of the best management teams in the S&P 500. The company has completely disrupted three separate industries in the last 15 years, an important move in a global economy that’s changing faster than ever. In the late 1990s, Netflix began sending movies to customers through the mail. That sounds ridiculous in the era of smartphones, but back in the day it was a radical idea that eventually led to the bankruptcy of industry heavyweight Blockbuster. When it became apparent streaming was the future of content distribution, Netflix was… Read More

In May 2016, a historic event for individual investors was announced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This new opportunity to take control of your wealth revolves around an asset class that has brought outsized returns only for the richest investors. It has remained off-limits to everyone else because you had to have a specific net worth just to get in. Now for the first time since 1933, individual investors have been given the same access to this market, and it could be bigger than the internet boom of the 1990s. I’m talking about the concept of investing in… Read More

In May 2016, a historic event for individual investors was announced by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). This new opportunity to take control of your wealth revolves around an asset class that has brought outsized returns only for the richest investors. It has remained off-limits to everyone else because you had to have a specific net worth just to get in. Now for the first time since 1933, individual investors have been given the same access to this market, and it could be bigger than the internet boom of the 1990s. I’m talking about the concept of investing in companies before they go public on the major stock exchanges — specifically, investing in pre-IPO companies with equity crowdfunding. If this sounds new to you, then pay close attention, because it’s going to change the very idea of investing as you know it. And understanding this new opportunity means looking deeper and knowing where to find the analysis you need to move the odds in your favor. Your Ticket To “The Next Big Thing” Until last year, by law, only the wealthiest investors could invest in “pre-IPO” companies. Now, thanks to the passage of Regulation CF (crowdfunding), any investor can… Read More

The new year is turning out to be just as I predicted for jet-maker and defense specialist Boeing (NYSE: BA). Fresh on the heels of better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings results, shares of the Dow component have posted year-to-date gains of 3.59%. Within the Dow, Boeing trails only Disney (NYSE: DIS) and Visa (NYSE: V) in 2017 performance. New Orders, New Growth Prospects Boeing stock, currently trading at around $163, reached a new 52-week high of $170 on January 26. This marks a 10% rise since we last recommended the stock on December 15. And it would be a mistake to… Read More

The new year is turning out to be just as I predicted for jet-maker and defense specialist Boeing (NYSE: BA). Fresh on the heels of better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings results, shares of the Dow component have posted year-to-date gains of 3.59%. Within the Dow, Boeing trails only Disney (NYSE: DIS) and Visa (NYSE: V) in 2017 performance. New Orders, New Growth Prospects Boeing stock, currently trading at around $163, reached a new 52-week high of $170 on January 26. This marks a 10% rise since we last recommended the stock on December 15. And it would be a mistake to lock in these gains now, especially as the Chicago-based company continues to secure long-term contracts with various local and international government agencies. Most recently, Boeing announced a win on a $2.1 billion contract to build 15 more KC-46A refueling aircrafts. #-ad_banner-#The recent order for 15 planes follows a $2.8 billion deal in August for 19 planes, which now puts Boeing’s KC-46A orders at 34. But wait, there’s more. Earlier this month, the company won a $22 billion deal from SpiceJet Ltd., an India-based, low-cost airliner looking to expand its domestic and international operations. India’s fourth-largest airline by number of passengers… Read More

When the chorus of investment commentary gets so strong in one direction, I start to question the collective wisdom of the market. I’m a believer in general market efficiency, that most news is recognized in prices. #-ad_banner-#But occasionally, herd mentality sets in and the market outlook clearly needs to be reevaluated. It’s in this ability to step back and question the herd’s stampede in one direction that investors can find huge opportunities. It was obvious when pundits argued that valuations didn’t matter during the tech bubble. It was obvious in 2007 when subprime defaults exploded and mortgage lenders started going… Read More

When the chorus of investment commentary gets so strong in one direction, I start to question the collective wisdom of the market. I’m a believer in general market efficiency, that most news is recognized in prices. #-ad_banner-#But occasionally, herd mentality sets in and the market outlook clearly needs to be reevaluated. It’s in this ability to step back and question the herd’s stampede in one direction that investors can find huge opportunities. It was obvious when pundits argued that valuations didn’t matter during the tech bubble. It was obvious in 2007 when subprime defaults exploded and mortgage lenders started going bankrupt, even as analysts still predicted higher prices. That same collective wisdom is starting to skew to one side again, despite strong evidence to the contrary. Traders and analysts alike are nearly unanimous in a trend that could unravel and become one of the biggest surprises of 2017. The Market’s Love Affair With The U.S. Dollar The greenback made a run at fresh highs in late 2016 and closed the year out strong on the prospect for faster U.S. economic growth and rate hikes. Net long positions by traders in the U.S. dollar reached $25.4 billion on January 3… Read More

Successful stock market investing over the long term takes skills in several disciplines. First, you need to be able to think outside of the box by looking behind the headline stocks into lesser-known names operating behind the scenes. Now, I am certainly not saying to avoid the headline names. Getting in early on a favorite stock is a sure way to stock market profits. But often, once a stock starts making mainstream news headlines it’s upward price momentum is about to slow or fail altogether. #-ad_banner-#Identifying companies that support one or a combination of headline names yet do not get… Read More

Successful stock market investing over the long term takes skills in several disciplines. First, you need to be able to think outside of the box by looking behind the headline stocks into lesser-known names operating behind the scenes. Now, I am certainly not saying to avoid the headline names. Getting in early on a favorite stock is a sure way to stock market profits. But often, once a stock starts making mainstream news headlines it’s upward price momentum is about to slow or fail altogether. #-ad_banner-#Identifying companies that support one or a combination of headline names yet do not get the same attention as the headliner is a consistent way to locate winning stocks for the long term. Once you locate your behind-the-news stock, it’s time to take a close look at its fundamentals to make certain there is support behind the price move. Are the fundamentals improving over time? Are revenue and sales upward-trending from quarter to quarter? Do the products and services support an overall societal or economic trend? These are the basic questions to answer before making an investing decision. Next, make certain the share price is in an overall upward trend. This means judging whether the… Read More

Sometimes, names can be misleading. Consider hedge funds, for example. The “hedging” in hedge funds’ day-to day-operations sometimes generates more risk, not less. How much more? Well, Long-Term Capital Management L.P. (LTCM), which had a great name that implied longevity and long-term thinking, had a fantastic team that counted not one but two Nobel Laureates in economics. Long-Term Capital Management ended up being relatively short-lived during the 1990s, lasting only about six years. Fast forward two decades. The hedge fund industry is alive and well, having survived not only LTCM, but also the Great Recession, during which many funds closed. Read More

Sometimes, names can be misleading. Consider hedge funds, for example. The “hedging” in hedge funds’ day-to day-operations sometimes generates more risk, not less. How much more? Well, Long-Term Capital Management L.P. (LTCM), which had a great name that implied longevity and long-term thinking, had a fantastic team that counted not one but two Nobel Laureates in economics. Long-Term Capital Management ended up being relatively short-lived during the 1990s, lasting only about six years. Fast forward two decades. The hedge fund industry is alive and well, having survived not only LTCM, but also the Great Recession, during which many funds closed. The industry has also weathered outright frauds such as the Bernie Madoff scandal. The modern hedge fund world is diverse. Some hedge funds (defined as private investment pools available to qualified, or “accredited,” investors) are similar, by composition, to mutual funds, albeit with more concentrated portfolios. Some invest in everything from stocks to bonds to real estate to gold and other commodities, and many continue using derivative strategies and hedging techniques. Leverage is not uncommon. These days, many hedge funds invest (and trade) in equities, and it’s normal to see a hedge fund or two among the top holders of… Read More

This is BIG… For the first time since 1933, the SEC is now allowing regular people like you and me to invest in brand-new explosive-growth companies BEFORE THEY GO PUBLIC. Imagine getting in on the next Facebook for 33 cents a share or the next Apple at 78 cents. In StreetAuthority’s Pre-IPO Millionaire, I vet six to eight deals like this one each month, and offer my exclusive in-depth analysis of a single opportunity that I believe could return 1,000% or more. Click here for more information. — Joseph Hogue, CFA The leading cause of teenage fatalities in the United… Read More

This is BIG… For the first time since 1933, the SEC is now allowing regular people like you and me to invest in brand-new explosive-growth companies BEFORE THEY GO PUBLIC. Imagine getting in on the next Facebook for 33 cents a share or the next Apple at 78 cents. In StreetAuthority’s Pre-IPO Millionaire, I vet six to eight deals like this one each month, and offer my exclusive in-depth analysis of a single opportunity that I believe could return 1,000% or more. Click here for more information. — Joseph Hogue, CFA The leading cause of teenage fatalities in the United States is car accidents — not guns or drugs, but automobile collisions. Nearly 40,000 people of all ages lost their lives in car accidents last year, on top of the 4.4 million people that needed medical assistance after an accident. The U.S. Department of Transportation estimates that 94% of these accidents were a result of human error — speeding and reckless and distracted driving. #-ad_banner-#With estimated costs of $847 billion a year for accidents and related injuries, America desperately needs a solution. To date, the only advances have been in monitoring a driver’s habits to better price insurance. A few… Read More

Over the years, one thing has become abundantly clear: that is being a contrarian makes sense in the stock market. To be clear, I am not talking about going against my research. When I say contrarian, what I mean is going against the prevailing public/media sentiment. Often, when everyone is saying one thing, it’s time to take the opposite side. #-ad_banner-#For example, when everyone is overtly bullish, it’s time to look for compelling reasons to get short. The same thing can be said when the entire financial press has turned bearish, meaning it’s actually a superb time to search for… Read More

Over the years, one thing has become abundantly clear: that is being a contrarian makes sense in the stock market. To be clear, I am not talking about going against my research. When I say contrarian, what I mean is going against the prevailing public/media sentiment. Often, when everyone is saying one thing, it’s time to take the opposite side. #-ad_banner-#For example, when everyone is overtly bullish, it’s time to look for compelling reasons to get short. The same thing can be said when the entire financial press has turned bearish, meaning it’s actually a superb time to search for reasonable long ideas. Along with offering a reliable supporting case for the contrarian view, the recent Presidential election made several additional market axioms clear. First, things are not always as they seem. The media tends to exaggerate the harmful to obtain viewership. Second, it is critical to look behind the headlines and think for yourself when it comes to making investment decisions. This can be tough, but the rewards for bucking media bias and the consensus are often handsome. Even the mighty George Soros has been carried away with biases and media hype. One particular error in judgment resulted in… Read More