BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com BloggingStocks http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/feedlogo.gif BloggingStocks http://www.bloggingstocks.com en-us Copyright 2012 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[With solar overheated, here are two indirect ways to play climate change]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/15/with-solar-overheated-here-are-two-indirect-ways-to-play-climat/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/15/with-solar-overheated-here-are-two-indirect-ways-to-play-climat/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/10/15/with-solar-overheated-here-are-two-indirect-ways-to-play-climat/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Investors hoping to ride the climate change bandwagon have had a roller coaster ride over the past two years. Greentech stocks soared with the oil spike in 2007 and 2008, then crashed with stock market and commodity price declines in 2009. Since then, some of the most obvious stock plays have strongly rebounded. Many solar stocks have posted high double-digit gains since rebounding off year-to-date lows in March 2009.

The leading solar panel manufacturer, FirstSolar (NASDAQ: FSLR) has appreciated by 45% from lows of near $100 to a closing price of $154 on October 14. "I wouldn't be stepping into buying these stocks right now," says Pacific Crest senior analyst Mark Bachman, who covers solar stocks. Still, he rates FirstSolar as a market perform and considers it the best solar stock at present on his coverage list.

Continue reading With solar overheated, here are two indirect ways to play climate change

With solar overheated, here are two indirect ways to play climate change originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 09:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alternative energyAlternativeEnergyaluminumcardboardCleantechclimate changeClimateChangegreenGreenTechInvestingpaperrecyclingsoftwareThu, 15 Oct 2009 09:50:00 EST<![CDATA[General Electric: Up, down or sideways?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/02/general-electric-up-down-or-sideways-ok-to-post-melly/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/02/general-electric-up-down-or-sideways-ok-to-post-melly/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/02/general-electric-up-down-or-sideways-ok-to-post-melly/#commentsFiled under: ,

After a nifty rebound off a 52-week low of $5.73, industrial and financial services giant General Electric (NYSE: GE) is in a weird place. The company's shares are trading at around $11.75, which is well below the $15 levels achieved in early May. This would seem odd as GE appears to be well positioned for the Green Shoots Scenario. The company has a big presence in alternative energy, health care solutions, and industrial products -- all big beneficiaries of both the Obama stimulus package and a nascent economic rebound.

So why does the market seem to be scared of GE? A couple of key reasons. First, GE's investments in commercial real estate (CRE) are looking increasingly toxic as the rate of CRE failures soars and CRE debt remains difficult to roll over.

Continue reading General Electric: Up, down or sideways?

General Electric: Up, down or sideways? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 02 Jul 2009 14:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>airlinescommercial real estateCREfinancialsGEgeneral electricGoldman SachsGSTARPThu, 02 Jul 2009 14:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Whole Foods looking tastier?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/30/whole-foods-looking-tastier/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/30/whole-foods-looking-tastier/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/30/whole-foods-looking-tastier/#commentsFiled under: ,

It was easy to discount a company dedicated to selling high-end groceries in the midst of a terrible global downturn. And Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFMI) has indeed suffered from investor fears. Shares of the company fell from year-ago levels of about $22 per share to lows of near $8 per share in the dark days of December 2008. They have since rebounded to the $22 level on green shoots speculation. On Monday, however, they tumbled again to $18.80. Is it time to buy?

That's a tricky question. First, the positives. Whole Foods is a well-managed grocery chain. It has been extremely disciplined in its expansion push, choosing good locations. It has also overcome relatively low revenues per employee by posting higher margins on items and much higher average cash register rings.

Continue reading Whole Foods looking tastier?

Whole Foods looking tastier? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 30 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>featuredgrocerieswal-martwfmiwhole foodsTue, 30 Jun 2009 11:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Baltic Dry plunges: Captain, she's going down!]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/25/baltic-dry-plunges-captain-shes-going-down/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/25/baltic-dry-plunges-captain-shes-going-down/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/25/baltic-dry-plunges-captain-shes-going-down/#commentsFiled under: , ,

On June 23, the CEO of the world's largest dry bulk cargo shipping company warned that he actually sees a decline in shipping volumes. That's very bad news for the bullish global trade argument and a smack to the head of the Green Shoots Brigade. Dry bulk cargo is how the world ships coal, steel, and other raw materials. The Baltic Dry Index -- the daily average of prices paid to ship these materials -- has long been a key leading indicator of industrial production. And after a spectacular triple digit run, the Baltic Dry Index rolled over this week and headed steeply downwards.

Continue reading Baltic Dry plunges: Captain, she's going down!

Baltic Dry plunges: Captain, she's going down! originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Batic Dry indexcommoditiesfeaturedshippingThu, 25 Jun 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Shoe drops on Nike]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/25/shoe-drops-on-nike/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/25/shoe-drops-on-nike/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/25/shoe-drops-on-nike/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Nike (NYSE: NKE) has thus far navigated this downturn exquisitely. It has maintained sales overseas, in particular in Asia. Nike's legendary supply-chain mastery and inventory management skills have likewise served it very well. So it was a shock when the shoe giant announced Wednesday that future orders had dropped by 12%, according to Bloomberg. Bummed out investors bid down Nike share's by nearly 5% in after-hours trading.

Granted, Nike faced difficult comps. During the Beijing Olympic Games last summer Nike togs were selling like hotcakes around the globe. And a chunk of the reduction in order value came due to currency fluctuations. But it's hard to deny that this quarterly earnings announcement was a bleak reminder that the "green shoots" may be more of a Washington creation than a reality in the global economy.

Continue reading Shoe drops on Nike

Shoe drops on Nike originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 25 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consumer spendingConsumerSpendingfeaturednikerecessionThu, 25 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Green Shoots Scenario: Onshoreable jobs]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/17/green-shoots-scenario-onshoreable-jobs/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/17/green-shoots-scenario-onshoreable-jobs/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/17/green-shoots-scenario-onshoreable-jobs/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

Markets were mixed and downish Tuesday, but there was some good news to be found.

Housing starts and building permits soared, causing a big pop in shares to battered homebuilders. Whether this is a false start or a real jump, its hard to get anything but good news out of a housing market so beaten down.

On the industrial side, the Produce Price Index remained relatively stable, walking the narrow path between two evils -- deflation and inflation.

Continue reading Green Shoots Scenario: Onshoreable jobs

Green Shoots Scenario: Onshoreable jobs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>constructiondeflationhousinginflationoutsourceoutsourcingppiWed, 17 Jun 2009 08:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Doomsday Scenario: Credit card problems, PE downsized, American workers lag]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/15/doomsday-scenario-credit-card-problems-pe-downsized-american/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/15/doomsday-scenario-credit-card-problems-pe-downsized-american/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/15/doomsday-scenario-credit-card-problems-pe-downsized-american/#commentsFiled under: , , ,

Not a good day for those looking for green shoots with markets down strongly. And no wonder. Credit card problems with the U.S. consumer are off the hook as CapitalOne (NYSE: COF) charge-offs rose to their highest historical level of 9.91% (via ZeroHedge) and American Express (NYSE: AXP) rose to 10% (via Mish Shedlock).

Higher chargeoffs and retracting credit means further consumer spending retraction. A semi-annual survey by Collier Capital found that 20% of institutional investors plan to downsize their target allocation to private equity, (via PEHub) the largest negative response since the survey started in 2004. An article by two Harvard University economists found that the biggest reason for the growing income inequality is lagging educational improvement in the American workforce (via VoxEU). There is no quick fix for this so its fairly bad news (although better than blaming the inequality on globalization and some neo-capitalist cabal).

Alex Salkever is Director of Research at Piqqem.com, a stock analysis site powered by the Wisdom of Crowds.

Doomsday Scenario: Credit card problems, PE downsized, American workers lag originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 15 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>CapitalOnecreditcredit cardsCreditCardsincome gapIncomeGapprivate equityPrivateEquityMon, 15 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Green shoots scenario]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/12/green-shoots-scenario/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/12/green-shoots-scenario/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/12/green-shoots-scenario/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,

A bit of good news to go with the bad. New unemployment claims are down in the past few months, with the moving average for monthly claims dropping to just over 600,000, about 37,000 below the all-time high reached in the early spring of 2009. That doesn't mean they aren't high, but at least we're not in a screaming nosedive.

For the first time in 10 months, the International Energy Association raised its oil demand forecast. That helped send oil prices higher, true, but it also is a clear sign that the global industrial production machine has bottomed and could reverse in the near term, if it has not already done so.

Continue reading Green shoots scenario

Green shoots scenario originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 12 Jun 2009 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>banksfeaturedGreen Shoots ScenarioGreenShootsScenariooilunemploymentFri, 12 Jun 2009 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Doomsday Scenario: Beige book bombs, income inequality]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/10/doomsday-scenario-beige-book-bombs-income-inequality/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/10/doomsday-scenario-beige-book-bombs-income-inequality/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/10/doomsday-scenario-beige-book-bombs-income-inequality/#commentsFiled under:

More dark clouds for your silver lining. The Beige Book numbers came in today showing continuing mild deflation. The report, published eight times per year, is a compendium of anecdotal insights from the various Federal Reserve Banks.

A report out of Harvard University shows that income inequality in the U.S. that has ballooned since the 1970s is the result of an gap in educational attainment by U.S. children and workers. Prior to that period, children were almost always better educated than their parents. No longer. And fixing this one is going to be tough as the general cultural perception still holds that professional degrees are more important than pure scientific degrees. Lastly, as oil continues to rise, concerns are surfacing that high oil prices could halt the recovery or at least slow down the rebound.

Alex Salkever is the Director of Research at Piqqem.com, a stock prediction community powered by the Wisdom of Crowds

Doomsday Scenario: Beige book bombs, income inequality originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>educationFederal ReserveFederalReserveRecessionWed, 10 Jun 2009 18:30:00 EST<![CDATA[House: Save the auto dealers! Can Ford survive the intervention?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/10/house-save-the-auto-dealers-can-ford-survive-their-interventio/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/10/house-save-the-auto-dealers-can-ford-survive-their-interventio/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/10/house-save-the-auto-dealers-can-ford-survive-their-interventio/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Well, you knew it had to happen since Uncle Sam effectively owns Chrysler and General Motors. The U.S. House of Representatives is trying to pass a bill that would mandate the large automakers honor existing franchise agreements and put off dealer closures. The Dow Jones Newswire article quoted Bailey Wood, a lobbyist for the National Automobile Dealers Association, with the following doozy: "Closing dealerships will not make either Chrysler or GM any more viable, and Congress is realizing that," Wood said.

That the politicians are getting involved in operational decisions is clear evidence of the impending doom for the large auto companies. It's hard enough to exit bankruptcy and restart a business. It's far harder to do so while carrying political agendas on your back.

Continue reading House: Save the auto dealers! Can Ford survive the intervention?

House: Save the auto dealers! Can Ford survive the intervention? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 10 Jun 2009 09:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>automakerscarchryslerdaimlerchryslerfFordGMinthenewsWed, 10 Jun 2009 09:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Green shoots scenario: Krugman calls recovery]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/08/green-shoots-scenario-krugman-calls-recovery/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/08/green-shoots-scenario-krugman-calls-recovery/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/08/green-shoots-scenario-krugman-calls-recovery/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Summer is here and green shoots are popping up everywhere. Paul Krugman calls a recovery by September, a very fast turnaround for someone who has been very bearish. Taiwan exports hit a six-month high last month, sparking hopes that the electronics industry is set for a recovery -- a nice high multiplier economics shift.

Meanwhile, what's good for General Mills (NYS: GIS) is good for America and the cereal maker upped guidance, implying a bottom in consumer staples and that, at the very least, cutbacks in purchases of essentials reported in the latest spending numbers are overblown.

Alex Salkever is the Director of Research at Piqqem.com, a stock prediction and analysis community powered by the Wisdom of Crowds.

Green shoots scenario: Krugman calls recovery originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>general millsGeneralMillsKrugmanpaul krugmanPaulKrugmanrecessionrecoveryMon, 08 Jun 2009 17:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Doomsday Scenario: Chain store sales down 5%, Wal-Mart hides, hotel rates plunge]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/04/doomsday-scenario-chain-store-sales-down-5-wal-mart-hides-ho/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/04/doomsday-scenario-chain-store-sales-down-5-wal-mart-hides-ho/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/04/doomsday-scenario-chain-store-sales-down-5-wal-mart-hides-ho/#commentsFiled under: ,

To counterbalance all the green shoots talk, take a walk on the dark side.

Exhibit 1: Chain store sales declined 5% in May, a significant decline that did exclude giant Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT). Guess Joe Consumer still doesn't feel up to shopping much. And Wal-Mart said it will stop reporting monthly sales figures, something that many economists and investors find troubling because that will mean they are losing a key indicator on consumer spending.

Continue reading Doomsday Scenario: Chain store sales down 5%, Wal-Mart hides, hotel rates plunge

Doomsday Scenario: Chain store sales down 5%, Wal-Mart hides, hotel rates plunge originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Jun 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>economic dataretailtravelwal-martWMTThu, 04 Jun 2009 17:40:00 EST<![CDATA[Earth to Bill Ackman: Wait to sell Target real estate]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/02/earth-to-bill-ackman-wait-to-sell-target-real-estate/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/02/earth-to-bill-ackman-wait-to-sell-target-real-estate/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/02/earth-to-bill-ackman-wait-to-sell-target-real-estate/#commentsFiled under:

Hedge fund magnate Bill Ackman of Pershing Square Capital recently had his bid to seat five new directors on the board of Target (NYS: TGT) soundly rejected by shareholders. Management has fought Ackman tooth and nail. Ackman's strategy has been fairly simple. He believes Target should sell off key real estate assets with lease backs for his stores. He also believes Target should, as much as possible, get out of the credit card business by letting a specialist company run that practice. The board has told Big Bill to just buzz off. We are seeing a current Piqqem Sentiment of Target as Neutral with actually not a ton of interest, implying no one sees a big move in the stock coming.

Continue reading Earth to Bill Ackman: Wait to sell Target real estate

Earth to Bill Ackman: Wait to sell Target real estate originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 02 Jun 2009 16:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ackmanpershing square capitalPershingSquareCapitalTargetTue, 02 Jun 2009 16:45:00 EST<![CDATA[Goldman Sachs lost out on Twitter to some dude named Gary]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/01/goldman-sachs-lost-out-on-twitter-to-some-dude-named-gary/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/01/goldman-sachs-lost-out-on-twitter-to-some-dude-named-gary/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/06/01/goldman-sachs-lost-out-on-twitter-to-some-dude-named-gary/#commentsFiled under: ,

The most powerful investment bank on the planet boasts a respected team of technology analysts. But Goldman Sachs Group (NYSE: GS) seemed to miss the boat on grabbing a good Twitter handle. The company tweets under @GS_News (and it has plenty of useful tweets).

A logical handle would have been @GS, same as its ticker symbol, but some dude name Gary grabbed the @GS twitter handle. He's got less than 10 followers right now. What might be a possible business opportunity for Gary, is a Fail Whale for the Goldman Sachs brain trust.

Continue reading Goldman Sachs lost out on Twitter to some dude named Gary

Goldman Sachs lost out on Twitter to some dude named Gary originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>goldman sachsGoldmanSachsGSinthenewstwitterMon, 01 Jun 2009 12:00:00 EST<![CDATA[Monsanto: Buy the Dip?]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/29/monsanto-buy-the-dip/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/29/monsanto-buy-the-dip/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/29/monsanto-buy-the-dip/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Shares of seed and agricultural products company Monsanto Company (NYS: MON) plunged from $92 to $79 yesterday when the company lowered guidance. Monsanto has long been a favorite play on the growing demand for food. It's high-tech, genetically manipulated seeds can produce higher crop yields. No doubt, the food future looks bleak and that's good for Monsanto. But how long will investors have to wait before demand hockey sticks for these seeds and Monsanto can make higher prices stick?

Continue reading Monsanto: Buy the Dip?

Monsanto: Buy the Dip? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 29 May 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>agricultureagriculture stocksAgricultureStocksfoodgmomonsantoseedsFri, 29 May 2009 16:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Carnival hits a Swine Flu iceberg]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/28/carnival-hits-a-swine-flu-iceberg/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/28/carnival-hits-a-swine-flu-iceberg/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/28/carnival-hits-a-swine-flu-iceberg/#commentsFiled under:

The Swine Flu outbreak keeps chugging along as the number of people affected rises.

Shares of all travel-related companies have been sickened by the threat of a really bad pandemic, as opposed to a mild flu with a lot of media hype. And the market concerns can hardly be sneezed at. During the hellish Spanish Flu Pandemic of 1918, when tens of millions died, the bug circumnavigated the globe once in a milder form before mutating into the more virulent and deadly form that killed so many.

Continue reading Carnival hits a Swine Flu iceberg

Carnival hits a Swine Flu iceberg originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 28 May 2009 10:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>carnivalcclcruisecruise shipfeaturedtravelThu, 28 May 2009 10:20:00 EST<![CDATA[Drill Baby Drill? Maybe not really]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/26/drill-baby-drill-maybe-not-really/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/26/drill-baby-drill-maybe-not-really/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/26/drill-baby-drill-maybe-not-really/#commentsFiled under: , ,

Oil driller stocks have long been a favorite of hedge funds (and Karen Finerman of "Fast Money") and something of a proxy for expected movements in oil prices. During the huge oil spike last year, the Oil Service HOLDRs (ETF) (NYSE: OIH) Oil Services ETF shot the moon. Buyers bid up issues of the underlying companies based on expectations that persistent oil prices in excess of $100 per barrel would make exploration and extraction of hard to reach deposits financially viable.

Continue reading Drill Baby Drill? Maybe not really

Drill Baby Drill? Maybe not really originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 26 May 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>oil drillingoil drilling stocksRIGtransoceanTue, 26 May 2009 18:00:00 EST<![CDATA[$9 Trillion Fed blackhole draws cries for GAO audit]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/22/9-trillion-fed-blackhole-draws-cries-for-gao-audit/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/22/9-trillion-fed-blackhole-draws-cries-for-gao-audit/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/22/9-trillion-fed-blackhole-draws-cries-for-gao-audit/#commentsFiled under: , ,

You had to see this coming. The U.S. Federal Reserve is now being subjected to cries for transparency that it has said are necessary for the financial institutions it regulates. The campaign is being spearheaded by Florida Democratic Congressman Alan Grayson. Believe it or not, no one currently audits the Federal Reserve's accounts. And some skeptics have come to think that the Federal Reserve's fiscal house is not in order and that the Fed has actually not been able to balance its books and account for all the assets it has purchased. Zero Hedge claims the Fed cannot account for nearly $9 trillion in off-balance sheet transactions.

Continue reading $9 Trillion Fed blackhole draws cries for GAO audit

$9 Trillion Fed blackhole draws cries for GAO audit originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 22 May 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>Alan Graysonfedfederal reserveGAOgeithnerinthenewsZero HedgeFri, 22 May 2009 16:30:00 EST<![CDATA[Target beat masks problems]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/20/target-beat-masks-problems/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/20/target-beat-masks-problems/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/20/target-beat-masks-problems/#commentsFiled under: ,

The cheap chic retailer beat the Street handily in its latest earnings numbers. That's no surprise, considering the dismal performance of Target (NYSE: TGT) as compared to peers over the past year. The drugstore that stocks everything nearly destroyed a hedge fund run by legendary investor Bill Ackman designed solely to bet on Target shares. I think Target's rebirth may not be long-lived. Piqqem Sentiment for Target is neutral. Investors may be giddy today but they should consider the obstacles to a full-blown revival.

Here's why. The company's growth in groceries just means more reliance in a notoriously low-margin and fickle consumer environment where they compete with brutal sharks such as Costco and Wal-Mart. Getting into the food biz is nothing to crow about, but that's just what the Target CEO Greg Steinhafel did on the conference call when he said the chain was seeing real gains in food shopping at Target stores.

Continue reading Target beat masks problems

Target beat masks problems originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 20 May 2009 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>consumer spendingConsumerSpendinginthenewsretailretailerretailersspending habitsspendinghabitsTargetTGTWed, 20 May 2009 15:40:00 EST<![CDATA[White Paint Index: What the price of titanium means to the economy]]>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/18/white-paint-index-what-the-price-of-titanium-means-to-the-econo/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/18/white-paint-index-what-the-price-of-titanium-means-to-the-econo/http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/05/18/white-paint-index-what-the-price-of-titanium-means-to-the-econo/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , ,

Econoblog Financial Armageddon has a great post on titanium and what the price of this prized commodity means for the general economy. In a nutshell, titanium is a critical component of paint, particularly the base color white. Titanium is used in all manner of paints for houses and buildings, cars, home appliances, and consumer electronics. So this number impacts a wide swath of the industry from homebuilder like Toll Bros. (NYSE: TOL) to car companies like Ford (NYSE: F) to appliance makers like General Electric (NYSE: GE) to retailers like BestBuy (NYSE: BBY). From an AP article on titanium dioxide trends:

Continue reading White Paint Index: What the price of titanium means to the economy

White Paint Index: What the price of titanium means to the economy originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 18 May 2009 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>titaniumMon, 18 May 2009 16:20:00 EST