I’ve been thinking about biotech stocks a great deal lately. The sector seems to be trading much better in the early weeks of 2012, with a few spectacular gainers already in the bag and likely more to come. Yet investors are also well aware many biotech stocks simply flame out… Read More
Value Investing
The appeal of investing in turnaround stocks is very compelling. Some companies look to revamp products to re-invigorate sales growth. Others find ways to slash expenses and unlock major profit-margin gains. Still, others look to clean up a debt-laden… Read More
In the past seven years, Home Depot (NYSE: HD) has bought back a whopping 600 million shares. That’s really impressive until you realize many of the shares were bought back right when the stock was trading at a… Read More
The stock market continues to grind higher. And you can give the U.S. economy the tip of the cap for the recent gains. Recent data points imply that the incipient economic strength we saw last fall has continued into 2012. If this trend remains in place, then… Read More
In the quest for growth, certain companies seek to acquire rivals as a primary driver to build market share. Management teams justify their motives by promising shareholders they will be able to integrate new purchases to the corporate fold easily, cut costs and move… Read More
Few companies can transform themselves from an old-line, houseware manufacturer into a cutting-edge player in the telecommunications sector. And rarely does the market deeply discount the stock price of a high-quality, high-tech stock because it sees its core business as becoming commoditized. Read More
How do you know when a business is poorly run? When the U.S. government pumps $20 billion in it just to keep it going. That, in a nutshell, explains why legions of investors will never, ever invest in Citigroup (NYSE: C). [block:block=16] That’s a… Read More
In an economic downturn, businesses and consumers rush to conserve their resources and cut spending as quickly as possible. There’s no telling how long a downturn may last, so taking a conservative stance on making purchases can easily make sense. But there are some things a person… Read More
If REITs were players’ pieces on a Monopoly game board, then they all just drew the equivalent to an “Advance to Go, Collect $200” card. Real estate investment trusts — well-loved by investors for their… Read More
When you voluntarily cease doing business with your biggest customer, you best have a good explanation. If not, then investors will think you’re nuts — and dump your stock. But car battery maker Exide Technologies (Nasdaq: XIDE) had a good excuse. The company’s biggest customer, Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) made life… Read More