Continue reading Closing Bell: Another Down To The Wire Day (PAR, DELL, DYN, STRA, APOL)

Closing Bell: Another Down To The Wire Day (PAR, DELL, DYN, STRA, APOL) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Options Update: Apollo Group Volatility Increases; Shares Near 44-Month Low originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 13 Aug 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

It seems as if everyone is worried about the economy going into a double-dip recession these days. Worry in and of itself can be very destructive, both to your mental state and to the economy overall. Besides pulling out your hair, causing acid reflux and other health problems, worry can actually become self-fulfilling prophecy and cause the very thing you are most afraid of.

A number of years ago when I read Dale Carnegie's book How to Stop Worrying and Start Living, one method he suggested was just to accept the worst case scenario and then move on with life from there.

So accept it: THE ECONOMY IS DOOMED! it's going to be 10 years of economic nightmare!

Now what?

Continue reading The Economy Is Doomed! Now What?

The Economy Is Doomed! Now What? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 01 Aug 2010 14:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Imagine taking the personal connections and interactions that occur every day on the likes of Facebook and Twitter... and bringing them to bear on an education. To a large extent, this hasn't been done yet, but the potential is profound. In a new report by the Center for Community Survey for Student Engagement, two-year programs aren't taking advantage of the tools at their disposal -- plenty of growth is still possible. Kay McClenney, director of the CCSSE, says, "Colleges are not taking advantage of that particular set of tools for making connections with students to the extent that they could."

Continue reading Community colleges missing the social media boat

Community colleges missing the social media boat originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 16 Nov 2009 17:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The McGraw-Hill Companies (NYSE: MHP), a distributor of business information and educational materials which counts Scholastic (NASDAQ: SCHL) as a related stock, issued third-quarter results earlier today. Sales contracted over 8%. Net income on a dollar basis dropped almost 14%. Earnings per diluted share decreased a very unlucky 13% to $1.07. At least expectations were taken out. Earnings.com indicates a beat of two pennies for per-share profit.

The declines are pretty understandable. When you think about McGraw-Hill, you understand fairly quickly that the company's business model is tied closely to the economy. Education markets must be tough given all the budget cuts happening in school systems across the country. Plus, spending by administrators is probably done these days very slowly and carefully.

Continue reading McGraw-Hill comes out ahead of estimates in Q3, but stock is having trouble

McGraw-Hill comes out ahead of estimates in Q3, but stock is having trouble originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

A new bill that would revamp student loan programs in the United States passed the House of Representatives. The proposed program, which would affect the largest change on college aid since they came into existence in the 1960s would push private lenders out of the business and put the U.S. government in control.

The new measure would end subsidies for private lenders, increase Pell Grants available for students in financial need, and create grants for community colleges. The proposal includes almost all of President Obama's key points on higher education from the campaign trail. It passed the House 253 - 171, with most representatives sticking to party lines.

Continue reading Government poised to take charge of student loan business

Government poised to take charge of student loan business originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sat, 19 Sep 2009 16:10:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading President Obama says that financial crisis is not over

President Obama says that financial crisis is not over originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Exxon Mobil (XOM) gives boost to student achievement

Exxon Mobil (XOM) gives boost to student achievement originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 28 Aug 2009 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With the chances of finding a job fairly slim, people are certainly thinking about starting -- or even buying -- a business. But, which industry to go into?

It's a tough decision. Yet, there are still opportunities. To get some insight on this, I had a chance to talk to Toon van Beeck, who is the senior analyst with IBISWorld. Let's take a look:

Continue reading Entrepreneur's Journal: What are the growth businesses today?

Entrepreneur's Journal: What are the growth businesses today? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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.

This post is part of a special annual report -- Top Stock Picks '09 -- in which TheStockAdvisors.com asked 75 leading newsletter advisors to select their favorite investment for the new year.

"Apollo Group (NASDAQ: APOL), my top pick for 2009, has been an education provider for over 30 years," says Kevin Kennedy, a specialist in quantitative and momentum analysis.

The editor of The Coolcat Report explains, "The company's revenues and earnings have been steady despite the negative economy."

The advisor continues, "Apollo Group provides academic access and opportunity to more than 350,000 students through its subsidiaries, which include University of Phoenix.

"Other divisions include the Institute for Professional Development, College for Financial Planning, Western International University, Meritus University, Insight Schools and Apollo Global. It also owns Aptimus, a provider of innovative digital media solutions.

"The company's educational programs and services are provided at the high school, undergraduate and graduate levels in 40 states and the District of Columbia; Puerto Rico; Alberta and British Columbia, Canada; Mexico; Chile; and the Netherlands, as well as online throughout the world.

Continue reading Top Stock Picks '09: Apollo Group (APOL)

Top Stock Picks '09: Apollo Group (APOL) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 05 Jan 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Lots of stuff will be made in China, but better stuff will be made in the U.S.

Lots of stuff will be made in China, but better stuff will be made in the U.S. originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Dec 2008 15:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading No. 6: Rich people invest in themselves

No. 6: Rich people invest in themselves originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 04 Dec 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Financial winter is here and the temperature of the market seems to be dropping anew. Credit markets are frozen and the line for government handouts grows by the day. There is no easy fix to the morass.

That much is clear.

As such, we will have plenty of time to contemplate exactly where it is we want to go from here. Hopefully, we won't make the same mistakes twice, and, in that way, some good may come out of the carnage after all.

We all know how we got into this mess. Greed and debt led to asset value growth that was unsustainable. The piper is calling in a major way.

He'll have plenty of listeners, mainly those now unemployed. Job losses are growing by the minute with some speculating that unemployment rates will grow to 10% or more before this recession is finished.

Certainly, the craziness in the mortgage market with its Wall Street accomplice had much to do with our troubles today. But then again, so did weakness in our education system. Shortcomings there have as much to do with job losses to overseas competition as anything else.

Continue reading Online educators look to be a safe haven investment

Online educators look to be a safe haven investment originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 13 Nov 2008 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Forget stocks, go for the parakeet: What kids are learning about Wall Street originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 29 Oct 2008 11:25:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading The Bush Administration's tax cut didn't increase investment and savings

The Bush Administration's tax cut didn't increase investment and savings originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 08 Sep 2008 11:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The majority of high school seniors answered basic questions about finance incorrectly in a nationwide poll conducted by the Federal Reserve. Fed chairman Ben Bernanke called for better financial education, and linked the woeful state of basic economic knowledge to the housing crisis.

Bernanke said, "In light of the problems that have arisen in the subprime mortgage market, we are reminded of how critically important it is for individuals to become financially literate at an early age so that they are better prepared to make decisions and navigate an increasingly complex financial marketplace."

It's hard to disagree with him on this point, but a cynic might wonder if a poorly educated population is really the source of the housing crisis. Sure, Americans don't know much about the power of compound interest or how to calculate net present value, but that's not why the economy is in trouble. The housing bubble was produced by people who knew what they were doing -- mortgage brokers who winked at "liar's loans" and sophisticated bankers who created new financial instruments to get rid of the bad debt. All of these people were highly educated in economics and finance. The problem isn't ignorance but a lack of integrity and regulation.

Continue reading High school seniors fail economics

High school seniors fail economics originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 09 Apr 2008 11:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

There is never a shortage of jobs. Some people have two or three jobs. The classified adds have thousands of jobs all the time -- always. If someone is unemployed there is a reason and it is definitely not a lack of jobs.

Sometimes it is a regional lack of jobs, General Motors (NYSE: GM) and Ford Motor (NYSE: F) in the rust belt states of Michigan and Ohio have downsized, but foreign manufacturers Toyota (NYSE: TM) and Nissan Motors (NASDAQ:NSANY) in the Southeast have up sized. This does not help the states where jobs are leaving, and indeed causes other massive problems like weakening the tax base and pushing housing and other elements of the local economy down. However, from a national unemployment standpoint that does not count.

In our discussions of unemployment and the economic picture we attempt to understand the government figures and attribute some meaning. We know the government is prone to put things in their best light (lie) sometimes and there is discussion about what a true measure would be, but does that really matter? It is more important that whatever criteria is used remain constant so that we can use the data for comparisons, not that it be altered often as people become concerned about the exactness of the figures.

It might be time we need to account for a new set of metrics. What are the costs of retraining? How could these costs be distributed without expanding government -- not something I would support. We know that some people are not employable or are only marginally employable because they simply do not have the capability to do many jobs. I have numerous jobs, although generally speaking, I have created them myself over time. Clearly education and training are a factor, along with over all aptitude.

Continue reading What unemployment? Some folks have 3 jobs

What unemployment? Some folks have 3 jobs originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Mar 2008 16:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

With a name like that, you know The Aristotle Corporation (NASDAQ: ARTL) must be involved in education. It is. Aristotle Corporation makes a vast array of educational materials and supplies for K-12. The company also makes various health care and medical teaching materials and supplies, as well as food industry items. The problem is that Aristotle Corporation is dependent upon state departments of education for much of its sales. Those budgets are not expanding. Thus, the company saw moderate net sales increases 5% in 4Q2007 and 4.2% in FY2007, but EPS decreased slightly in both periods.

Aristotle Corporation is in the process of revamping its higher-margin proprietary educational products in order to improve gross margins in 2008. The company managed to reduce its long-term debt by $42 million and does not forecast any significant capital expenditures in 2008. The stock is currently trading at under $10 per share, and pays a semi-annual dividend of $0.33 per share. Aristotle Corporation offers high-quality educational products, but needs to broaden its customer base beyond fixed-budget, slow contract approving school districts.

Aristotle Corporation (ARTL) struggles to earn passing grade originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 12 Mar 2008 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading U.S. fiscal condition for 2009 president will hardly be ideal

U.S. fiscal condition for 2009 president will hardly be ideal originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 25 Feb 2008 17:17:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.