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<generator>Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/</generator><item><title><![CDATA[Sunday Funnies: Motley Fools seem desperate]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/11/01/sunday-funnies-motley-fools-seem-desperate/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/11/01/sunday-funnies-motley-fools-seem-desperate/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/11/01/sunday-funnies-motley-fools-seem-desperate/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/rants-and-raves/" rel="tag">Rants and Raves</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/newsletters/" rel="tag">Newsletters</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/sunday-funnies/" rel="tag">Sunday Funnies</a></p><p><img border="1" hspace="4" alt="" vspace="4" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2009/11/dunce_cap-small.jpg" width="160" height="201" />How desperate can they get? First I received a very long-winded, 10+ page e-mail from Motley Fool with the following sales pitch :<em>That's why I'm offering you the chance to join <em>Motley Fool Stock Advisor</em> for just $79 -- that's 60% OFF<span style="COLOR: rgb(255,0,0)"><strong></strong></span> our regular membership rate. But a word of warning: This special discount will be available for a limited time only!</em></p>
<p>Two days later, I received another <em>10+ page, jargon-filled</em> e-mail blabbering on about the virtues of the newsletter while trying to create a sense of urgency because the clock was ticking and I was going to miss out.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/11/01/sunday-funnies-motley-fools-seem-desperate/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Sunday Funnies: Motley Fools seem desperate</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/11/01/sunday-funnies-motley-fools-seem-desperate/">Sunday Funnies: Motley Fools seem desperate</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/11/01/sunday-funnies-motley-fools-seem-desperate/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/19218008/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/11/01/sunday-funnies-motley-fools-seem-desperate/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Investment advice</category><category>investment newsletters</category><category>money</category><category>money management</category><category>MoneyManagement</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>Sheldon Liber</category><category>spam</category><category>Sunday Funnies</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sheldon Liber]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 01 Nov 2009 11:20:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The week in preview: Focus returns to earnings: Alcoa, Chevron, Family Dollar]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/05/the-week-in-preview-focus-returns-to-earnings-alcoa-chevron/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/05/the-week-in-preview-focus-returns-to-earnings-alcoa-chevron/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/05/the-week-in-preview-focus-returns-to-earnings-alcoa-chevron/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/earnings-reports/" rel="tag">Earnings Reports</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/forecasts/" rel="tag">Forecasts</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/aa/" rel="tag">Alcoa Inc (AA)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/cvx/" rel="tag">Chevron Corp (CVX)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/fdo/" rel="tag">Family Dollar Stores (FDO)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/economic-data/" rel="tag">Economic Data</a></p><p><img border="1" hspace="4" alt="" vspace="4" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2007/04/alcoa.jpg" width="160" height="121" /> The second half of the calendar year has begun, and earnings return to the spotlight this week. As usual, <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/alcoa-inc/aa/nys">Alcoa Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/alcoa-inc/aa/nys">AA</a>) is among the first of the S&amp;P 500 to report quarterly results. For the second quarter in which Alcoa agreed to sell <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/qp/pr/_a/platinum-equity-to-acquire-wire-harness-and-electrical-distribution-business-from-alcoa/rfid209305534?channel=pf">its wire harness and electrical distribution business</a> and its <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/qp/pr/_a/alcoa-fastening-systems-expands-into-casablanca-morocco/rfid222088817?channel=pf">fastening systems business</a> expanded into Morocco, analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expect the New York-based aluminum producer to report swinging to a net loss of $0.34 per share from a profit of $0.66 per share in the year-ago period. Second quarter revenue is expected to have fallen 48.3% to $3.9 billion. The full-year forecast is currently for a loss of $1.04 per share and revenue of $16.7 billion (-38.0%). Alcoa has missed expectations in the past three quarters, by as much as 17 cents per share. The long-term EPS growth forecast is 10.0%, which is better than the sector average. Alcoa slashed its dividend earlier this year, and the First Call consensus recommendation remains to hold AA. However, TheStreet.com recommends it as <a href="http://www.thestreet.com/_aol/video/10533540/against-the-grain-buy-alcoa.html?cm_ven=AOL&amp;cm_cat=Free&amp;cm_pla=Feed&amp;cm_ite=Feed&amp;s=1#28297371001">an against-the-grain pick</a>. At $9.86, shares are down 12.4% since the beginning of the year, and recently have been bumping up against the 200-day moving average.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/05/the-week-in-preview-focus-returns-to-earnings-alcoa-chevron/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The week in preview: Focus returns to earnings: Alcoa, Chevron, Family Dollar</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/05/the-week-in-preview-focus-returns-to-earnings-alcoa-chevron/">The week in preview: Focus returns to earnings: Alcoa, Chevron, Family Dollar</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/05/the-week-in-preview-focus-returns-to-earnings-alcoa-chevron/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/19086659/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/07/05/the-week-in-preview-focus-returns-to-earnings-alcoa-chevron/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>AA</category><category>Alcoa</category><category>BP</category><category>Chevron</category><category>consumer credit</category><category>consumer sentiment</category><category>CVX</category><category>DLTR</category><category>Dollar Tree</category><category>earnings</category><category>Elizabeth Duke</category><category>Exxon Mobil</category><category>Family Dollar</category><category>FDIC</category><category>FDO</category><category>featured</category><category>Import Price Index</category><category>ISM</category><category>Jim Cramer</category><category>job vacancies</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>PBG</category><category>PEP</category><category>Pepsi Bottling</category><category>PepsiCo</category><category>PGR</category><category>Progressive</category><category>public debt</category><category>Sheila Bair</category><category>Timothy Geithner</category><category>XOM</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 05 Jul 2009 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The week in preview: Bernanke, earnings winners, and Raymond James conference]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/08/the-week-in-preview-bernanke-earnings-winners-and-raymond-jam/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/08/the-week-in-preview-bernanke-earnings-winners-and-raymond-jam/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/08/the-week-in-preview-bernanke-earnings-winners-and-raymond-jam/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/earnings-reports/" rel="tag">Earnings Reports</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/conventions-and-conferences/" rel="tag">Conventions and Conferences</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/economic-data/" rel="tag">Economic Data</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/federal-reserve/" rel="tag">Federal Reserve</a></p><p><img height="160" alt="" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2007/10/ben-bernanke.jpg" width="220" align="right" vspace="4" border="1" />After <a href="http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=20601208&amp;sid=aD8l1OLhFSx0&amp;refer=finance">testifying before a Senate committee</a> about <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/american-international-group-inc/aig/nys">AIG</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/american-international-group-inc/aig/nys">AIG</a>) last week, the Fed's Ben Bernanke <a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2115797&amp;client=aol">participates in a Council of Foreign Relations event</a> Monday evening.</p>
<p>Economic data due to be released this week include <a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2039851&amp;client=aol">wholesale trade</a> and <a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2044497&amp;client=aol">job vacancies</a> for January on Tuesday morning, the <a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2039827&amp;client=aol">U.S. Treasury budget</a> for February on Wednesday, <a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2039803&amp;client=aol">retail sales</a> for February and <a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2035878&amp;client=aol">business inventories</a> for January on Thursday morning, and the <a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2038666&amp;client=aol">U.S. trade balance</a> for January on Friday morning.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/08/the-week-in-preview-bernanke-earnings-winners-and-raymond-jam/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The week in preview: Bernanke, earnings winners, and Raymond James conference</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/08/the-week-in-preview-bernanke-earnings-winners-and-raymond-jam/">The week in preview: Bernanke, earnings winners, and Raymond James conference</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/08/the-week-in-preview-bernanke-earnings-winners-and-raymond-jam/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1480196/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/03/08/the-week-in-preview-bernanke-earnings-winners-and-raymond-jam/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>ADI</category><category>AEO</category><category>Aeropostale</category><category>Agilent Technologies</category><category>AIG</category><category>AMAT</category><category>American Eagle Outfitters</category><category>American Oriental Bioengineering</category><category>American Public Education</category><category>Analogs Devices</category><category>AOB</category><category>APEI</category><category>Applied Materials</category><category>ARO</category><category>Ben Bernanke</category><category>Boston Beer</category><category>ConocoPhillips</category><category>COP</category><category>Diamond Foods</category><category>Dicks Sporting Goods</category><category>DKS</category><category>DMND</category><category>Elbit</category><category>ESLT</category><category>featured</category><category>Ferrellgas Partners</category><category>FGP</category><category>GYMB</category><category>Gymboree</category><category>Hot Topic</category><category>HOTT</category><category>HOV</category><category>Hovnanian</category><category>IMAX</category><category>J. Crew</category><category>JCG</category><category>Jim Cramer</category><category>Jones Soda</category><category>JSDA</category><category>KR</category><category>Kroger</category><category>LHC</category><category>LHGC</category><category>MAKO</category><category>Mako Surgical</category><category>Mens Wearhouse</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>MTN</category><category>MW</category><category>National Semiconductor</category><category>NSM</category><category>Raymond James</category><category>SAM</category><category>SFD</category><category>Smithfield Foods</category><category>SPLS</category><category>Staples</category><category>Vail Resorts</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 08 Mar 2009 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The week in preview: Eye on Marvel, KBR, First Solar, Deckers and more]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/22/the-week-in-preview-eye-on-marvel-kbr-first-solar/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/22/the-week-in-preview-eye-on-marvel-kbr-first-solar/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/22/the-week-in-preview-eye-on-marvel-kbr-first-solar/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/earnings-reports/" rel="tag">Earnings Reports</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/forecasts/" rel="tag">Forecasts</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/mvl/" rel="tag">Marvel Entertainment (MVL)</a></p><p><img alt="" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2009/02/mvl_shoo_fslr_kbr.jpg" align="right" vspace="4" border="1" />Analysts surveyed by Thomson Reuters expected the parade of earnings declines to continue into the final week of February, with <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/martha-stewart-living-omnimedia-inc/mso/nys">Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/martha-stewart-living-omnimedia-inc/mso/nys">MSO</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/nordstrom-inc/jwn/nys">Nordstrom Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/nordstrom-inc/jwn/nys">JWN</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-home-depot-inc/hd/nys">Home Depot Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-home-depot-inc/hd/nys">HD</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/wynn-resorts-limited/wynn/nas">Wynn Resorts Ltd.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/wynn-resorts-limited/wynn/nas">WYNN</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/macy-s-inc/m/nys">Macy's Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/macy-s-inc/m/nys">M</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/dreamworks-animation-skg-inc/dwa/nys">DreamWorks Animation SKG Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/dreamworks-animation-skg-inc/dwa/nys">DWA</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/limited-brands-inc/ltd/nys">Limited Brands Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/limited-brands-inc/ltd/nys">LTD</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/target-corporation/tgt/nys">Target Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/target-corporation/tgt/nys">TGT</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/royal-bk-cda-montreal-que/ry/nys">Royal Bank Of Canada</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/royal-bk-cda-montreal-que/ry/nys">RY</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/del-monte-foods-company/dlm/nys">Del Monte Foods Co.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/del-monte-foods-company/dlm/nys">DLM</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/kohl-s-corporation/kss/nys">Kohl's Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/kohl-s-corporation/kss/nys">KSS</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-washington-post-company/wpo/nys">Washington Post Co.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-washington-post-company/wpo/nys">WPO</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/dell-inc/dell/nas">Dell Inc.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/dell-inc/dell/nas">DELL</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/gap-inc-del/gps/nys">Gap Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/gap-inc-del/gps/nys">GPS</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/campbell-soup-company/cpb/nys">Campbell Soup Co.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/campbell-soup-company/cpb/nys">CPB</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/radioshack-corporation/rsh/nys">RadioShack Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/radioshack-corporation/rsh/nys">RSH</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/h-j-heinz-company/hnz/nys">H.J. Heinz Co.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/h-j-heinz-company/hnz/nys">HNZ</a>) all expected to post lower earnings for the most recent quarter. <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/office-depot-inc/odp/nys">Office Depot Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/office-depot-inc/odp/nys">ODP</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/saks-incorporated/sks/nys">Saks Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/saks-incorporated/sks/nys">SKS</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/cooper-tire-and-rubber-company/ctb/nys">Cooper Tire &amp; Rubber Co.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/cooper-tire-and-rubber-company/ctb/nys">CTB</a>) are expect to have swung to a loss.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/22/the-week-in-preview-eye-on-marvel-kbr-first-solar/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The week in preview: Eye on Marvel, KBR, First Solar, Deckers and more</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/22/the-week-in-preview-eye-on-marvel-kbr-first-solar/">The week in preview: Eye on Marvel, KBR, First Solar, Deckers and more</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/22/the-week-in-preview-eye-on-marvel-kbr-first-solar/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1466844/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/22/the-week-in-preview-eye-on-marvel-kbr-first-solar/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Campbell</category><category>Cooper</category><category>CPB</category><category>CRM</category><category>CTB</category><category>DECK</category><category>Deckers</category><category>Del Monte</category><category>Dell</category><category>Digital Realty Trust</category><category>DLM</category><category>DLR</category><category>DLTR</category><category>Dollar Tree</category><category>DreamWorks</category><category>DWA</category><category>earnings</category><category>featured</category><category>First Solar</category><category>Flowserve</category><category>FLS</category><category>footwear</category><category>FSLR</category><category>Gap</category><category>GPS</category><category>Halliburton</category><category>HAS</category><category>Hasbro</category><category>HD</category><category>Heinz</category><category>HNZ</category><category>Home Depot</category><category>Jim Cramer</category><category>JWN</category><category>KBR</category><category>Kohls</category><category>KSS</category><category>Limited Brands</category><category>LTD</category><category>M</category><category>Macys</category><category>Martha Stewart</category><category>Marvel</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>MSO</category><category>MVL</category><category>Nordstrom</category><category>ODP</category><category>Office Depot</category><category>PCG</category><category>RadioShack</category><category>RBC</category><category>Royal Bank of Canada</category><category>RSH</category><category>RY</category><category>Safeway</category><category>Saks</category><category>Salesforce.com</category><category>SHOO</category><category>SJM</category><category>SKS</category><category>Smucker</category><category>Spider-Man</category><category>Steven Madden</category><category>SWY</category><category>Target</category><category>Teleflex</category><category>TFX</category><category>TGT</category><category>Washington Post</category><category>WPO</category><category>WYNN</category><category>Wynn Resorts</category><category>X-Men</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 22 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The week in preview: A glimmer at the end of the tunnel?]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/15/the-week-in-preview-a-glimmer-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/15/the-week-in-preview-a-glimmer-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/15/the-week-in-preview-a-glimmer-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/earnings-reports/" rel="tag">Earnings Reports</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/forecasts/" rel="tag">Forecasts</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/cvs/" rel="tag">CVS Corp (CVS)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/economic-data/" rel="tag">Economic Data</a></p><p><img alt="" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2008/01/trader.jpg" align="right" vspace="4" border="1" />Among all the negative economic data that came out last week was a positive surprise: <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/bbdp/retail-sales-rise-unexpectedly-in/332129">retail sales were higher in January</a>. A fluke or a glimmer at the end of the tunnel? That may depend on whether we see any positive surprises arising from items on this week's economic calendar:</p>
<ul>
    <li><a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/conferencedetail.asp?client=aol&amp;event=2044250">Consumer Analyst Group of New York Conference</a>: Monday through Friday </li>
    <li><a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2035994&amp;client=aol">NY Empire Manufacturing Index</a> (Feb. 2009): Tuesday, 8:30 AM </li>
    <li><a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2039888&amp;client=aol">NAHB Housing Market Index</a> (Feb. 2009): Tuesday, 1:00 PM </li>
    <li><a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2089155&amp;client=aol">Fed's Bullard speaks before National Association of Business Economists</a>: Tuesday, 1:00 PM </li>
    <li><a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2039657&amp;client=aol">Housing starts</a> (Jan. 2009): Wednesday, 8:30 AM </li>
    <li><a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2089156&amp;client=aol">Fed's Pianalto speaks before Commercial Developers Power Breakfast</a>: Wednesday, 9:00 AM </li>
    <li><a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2038461&amp;client=aol">Industrial production</a> (Jan. 2009): Wednesday, 9:15 AM </li>
    <li><a href="http://aol.ccbn.com/economiceventdetail.asp?event=2089165&amp;client=aol">Fed's Bernanke speaks before National Press Club Luncheon</a>: Wednesday, 12:30 PM </li>
</ul><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/15/the-week-in-preview-a-glimmer-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The week in preview: A glimmer at the end of the tunnel?</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/15/the-week-in-preview-a-glimmer-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/">The week in preview: A glimmer at the end of the tunnel?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/15/the-week-in-preview-a-glimmer-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1458860/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2009/02/15/the-week-in-preview-a-glimmer-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>APA</category><category>Apache</category><category>Axsys</category><category>AXYS</category><category>Cabot Oil</category><category>CBS</category><category>CMCSA</category><category>COG</category><category>Comcast</category><category>Community Health</category><category>Consumer Price Index</category><category>CVS Caremark</category><category>CYH</category><category>DE</category><category>Deere</category><category>earnings</category><category>EOG</category><category>EXPE</category><category>Expedia</category><category>featured</category><category>Fed</category><category>Goodyear</category><category>GT</category><category>Hewlett-Packard</category><category>Hormel</category><category>housing starts</category><category>HP</category><category>HPQ</category><category>HRL</category><category>INTU</category><category>Intuit</category><category>JCP</category><category>JCPenney</category><category>Jim Cramer</category><category>Leading Economic Indicators</category><category>LOW</category><category>Lowes</category><category>MDT</category><category>Medtronic</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>OfficeMax</category><category>OMX</category><category>PCLN</category><category>PDE</category><category>Priceline</category><category>Pride</category><category>Reliance Steel</category><category>retail sales</category><category>RS</category><category>Sprint Nextel</category><category>Ultra Petroleum</category><category>UPL</category><category>WAG</category><category>Wal-Mart</category><category>Walgreen</category><category>Walmart</category><category>Walter</category><category>WFMI</category><category>Whole Foods</category><category>WLT</category><category>WMT</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 15 Feb 2009 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The week in preview: Alcoa, GE kick off earnings season]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/05/the-week-in-preview-alcoa-ge-kick-off-earnings-season/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/05/the-week-in-preview-alcoa-ge-kick-off-earnings-season/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/05/the-week-in-preview-alcoa-ge-kick-off-earnings-season/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/earnings-reports/" rel="tag">Earnings Reports</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/forecasts/" rel="tag">Forecasts</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/ge/" rel="tag">General Electric (GE)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/aa/" rel="tag">Alcoa Inc (AA)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/economic-data/" rel="tag">Economic Data</a></p><p><a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/alcoa-inc/aa/nys"><img alt="" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2008/10/aa_yum_swy_ge.jpg" align="right" vspace="4" border="1" />Alcoa Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/alcoa-inc/aa/nys">AA</a>) kicks off the new earnings seasons when it reports third quarter results on Tuesday. The Pittsburgh-based aluminum producer, which celebrated its <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/qp/pr/_a/alcoa-celebrates-120-years-of-innovation/rfid144909112?channel=%22pf%22">120th anniversary</a> with the launch of its website, is expected to post a profit of 54 cents per share, down 15.6% from the same quarter of last year, on revenue of $7.2 billion, down 2.1%. While Alcoa has tended to <a href="http://finance.aol.com/earnings/alcoa-inc/aa/nys/actuals-estimates">fall short of estimates</a> in recent quarters, in the second quarter it did offer a positive surprise of almost 3%. Its long-term earnings per share growth forecast is 14.8%, a little less than the S&amp;P 500, and analysts polled by Thomson Financial on average recommend <a href="http://finance.aol.com/earnings/alcoa-inc/aa/nys/analyst-recommendations">buying Alcoa</a>, and have for more than 90 days. Shares reached a new 52-week low last week, and are down 48.9% from a year ago.</p>
<p><a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/general-electric-company/ge/nys">General Electric Co.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/general-electric-company/ge/nys">GE</a>) is also expected to report a slip in earnings this week. Analysts anticipate that the conglomerate will post a third-quarter profit of 45 cents per share, down just 6.3% from a year ago, on revenue of $47.7 billion, which is up 12.1%. GE has tended to eke out <a href="http://finance.aol.com/earnings/general-electric-company/ge/nys/actuals-estimates">small positive surprises</a> in recent quarters, by less than 1% in the second quarter. GE's long-term earnings per share growth forecast is only 11.0%, which is less than the sector average and the S&amp;P 500. The consensus recommendation has recently swung to <a href="http://finance.aol.com/earnings/general-electric-company/ge/nys/analyst-recommendations">hold GE</a>, but <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/bbdp/warren-buffett-buys-into-general/197153">Warren Buffett has bought in</a> to the tune of $3 billion. GE also reached a new 52-week low last week as the markets tumbled. GE shares are down 48.1% from a year ago.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/05/the-week-in-preview-alcoa-ge-kick-off-earnings-season/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>The week in preview: Alcoa, GE kick off earnings season</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/05/the-week-in-preview-alcoa-ge-kick-off-earnings-season/">The week in preview: Alcoa, GE kick off earnings season</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/05/the-week-in-preview-alcoa-ge-kick-off-earnings-season/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1332628/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/10/05/the-week-in-preview-alcoa-ge-kick-off-earnings-season/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>AA</category><category>Alcoa</category><category>Cantel Medical</category><category>CBS</category><category>Centennial Communications</category><category>Chevron</category><category>CMN</category><category>consumer credit</category><category>COST</category><category>Costco</category><category>CVX</category><category>CYCL</category><category>earnings</category><category>featured</category><category>Fed</category><category>GE</category><category>General Electric</category><category>Goldman Sachs</category><category>home sales</category><category>Host Hotels</category><category>HST</category><category>IDT</category><category>International Speedway</category><category>ISCA</category><category>Kane Anderson</category><category>KED</category><category>Limited Brands</category><category>Lindsay Corp.</category><category>LNN</category><category>LTD</category><category>Millennium Midstream Partners</category><category>MillenniumMidstreamPartners</category><category>MON</category><category>Monsanto</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>NAVI</category><category>Navisite</category><category>Piper Jaffray</category><category>Premier Exhibitions</category><category>PRXI</category><category>public debt</category><category>RBN</category><category>Robbins and Myers</category><category>RT</category><category>Ruby Tuesday</category><category>Safeway</category><category>Sealy</category><category>SWY</category><category>Team</category><category>TISI</category><category>trade balance</category><category>Warren Buffett</category><category>YUM</category><category>Yum Brands</category><category>ZZ</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 05 Oct 2008 12:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Best Buy considered one of the 'worst stocks for 2008']]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/17/best-buy-considered-one-of-the-worst-stocks-for-2008/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/17/best-buy-considered-one-of-the-worst-stocks-for-2008/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/17/best-buy-considered-one-of-the-worst-stocks-for-2008/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/forecasts/" rel="tag">Forecasts</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/wmt/" rel="tag">Wal-Mart (WMT)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/bby/" rel="tag">Best Buy (BBY)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/cc/" rel="tag">Circuit City Stores (CC)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/cost/" rel="tag">Costco Wholesale (COST)</a></p><a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/01/14/worst-stocks-for-2008-best-buy.aspx"><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2008/01/bby.jpg" />Best Buy, Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/01/14/worst-stocks-for-2008-best-buy.aspx">BBY</a>), which saw <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/11/best-buy-same-stores-sales-rise-2-1-in-december/">modest sales gains</a> in the holiday shopping month of December, is set to dominate the consumer electronics sector in 2008. <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/circuit-city-stores-inc/cc/nys">Circuit City Stores, Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/circuit-city-stores-inc/cc/nys">CC</a>) is flailing its arms in surrender and competitors like <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/wal-mart-stores-inc/wmt/nys">Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/wal-mart-stores-inc/wmt/nys">WMT</a>) and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/costco-wholesale-corporation/cost/nas">Costco Wholesale</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/costco-wholesale-corporation/cost/nas">COST</a>) just cannot match the consumer experience for gadgets and gizmos that Best Buy offers.<br /><br />Although Best Buy has a <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/10/best-buy-downgraded-while-it-still-rules-consumer-electronics/">commanding lead</a> in the consumer electronics marketplace in my opinion, the company's stock has been classified as one of the "worst stocks" to own in 2008 by <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/01/14/worst-stocks-for-2008-best-buy.aspx">The Motley Fool</a>. Technically, the analysis is something I agree with. Indeed, there are many good things going for Best Buy going into 2008, but at the same time, consumer spending may decline as energy and food prices continue to be high. Consumers may very well curb their discretionary spending on flat-panel televisions, iPods and laptop PCs.<br /><br />However, I don't agree with the statement that competitors are becoming better in the consumer electronics space. Wal-Mart has really made a push towards displaying consumer electronics much like Best Buy does. Despite a helpful customer service experience, breadth of selection and pleasing overall environment, it doesn't come close to Best Buy's customer experience (my two cents). <br /><br />How about the prices? Best Buy is right there along with Wal-Mart, for example. From what I have seen, Wal-Mart's electronics products pricing is not any lower than comparable products at Best Buy. Wal-Mart also has no incentive program like Best Buy's ultra-successful <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/09/best-buy-rewards-program-is-getting-more-rewarding/">Rewards Zone loyalty program</a>. Considering all that, where would you shop for that next 50-inch plasma TV?<p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/17/best-buy-considered-one-of-the-worst-stocks-for-2008/">Best Buy considered one of the 'worst stocks for 2008'</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:03:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2008/01/14/worst-stocks-for-2008-best-buy.aspx>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/17/best-buy-considered-one-of-the-worst-stocks-for-2008/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1089504/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/17/best-buy-considered-one-of-the-worst-stocks-for-2008/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>BBY</category><category>Best Buy, Inc.</category><category>BestBuy,Inc.</category><category>Consumer spending</category><category>ConsumerSpending</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>MotleyFool</category><category>Rewards Zone</category><category>RewardsZone</category><category>U.S. recession</category><category>U.s.Recession</category><category>wal-mart</category><category>wmt</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Brian White]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 17 Jan 2008 15:03:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[An interesting perspective on 2008: Don't buy real estate dips, financials, look at commodities, some foreign currencies]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/03/an-interesting-perspective-on-2008/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/03/an-interesting-perspective-on-2008/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/03/an-interesting-perspective-on-2008/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/economic-data/" rel="tag">Economic Data</a></p>Motley Fool member NICKDAWG had a very interesting and opinionated post on the site's popular message board, the Liquid Lounge. The post, which can be found <a href="http://www.fool.com/community/pod/2008/080103.htm">here</a>, listed the member's 10 predictions for 2008. In my opinion, many of his thoughts are very logical and worthwhile. I'd like to focus on a couple of his points (bold-face) in specific, though:<em><br /></em><strong><em><br />Do not buy any "dips" in houses or real estate</em></strong><em><br /><br />I think that for most retail investors, avoiding real estate (especially in the first half of this year) is a very smart decision. Don't be a hero and try and catch the bottom in these stocks. It's simply not worth the risk.<strong><br /></strong></em><strong><br /><em>Sell consumer oriented issues. Don't "bottom fish" in the financials. Favor high quality, special situations with strong balance sheets. <br /></em></strong><em><br />In my opinion, bottom-fishing financials in the late first half of this year should prove to be a low risk, market-beating opportunity. Many of the financials that have been marked down in the most recent downturn have almost no risk of going bankrupt. I think buying many of these stocks now will prove to be a smart decision several years from now but I do believe that many of them haven't yet bottomed. I am going to post about this in coming weeks.<br /></em><em><em><br /></em></em><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/03/an-interesting-perspective-on-2008/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>An interesting perspective on 2008: Don't buy real estate dips, financials, look at commodities, some foreign currencies</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/03/an-interesting-perspective-on-2008/">An interesting perspective on 2008: Don't buy real estate dips, financials, look at commodities, some foreign currencies</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:27:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/03/an-interesting-perspective-on-2008/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1076618/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2008/01/03/an-interesting-perspective-on-2008/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>2008 outlook</category><category>2008Outlook</category><category>motley fool</category><category>MotleyFool</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Kevin Kelly]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 03 Jan 2008 17:27:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Investing in Colorado: Vail Resorts (MTN), Dynamic Materials (BOOM), Newmont Mining (NEM)]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/11/20/investing-in-colorado-vail-resorts-mtn-dynamic-materials-bo/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/11/20/investing-in-colorado-vail-resorts-mtn-dynamic-materials-bo/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/11/20/investing-in-colorado-vail-resorts-mtn-dynamic-materials-bo/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/nem/" rel="tag">Newmont Mining (NEM)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/commodities/" rel="tag">Commodities</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/stocks-to-buy/" rel="tag">Stocks to Buy</a></p><p><img width="150" vspace="4" hspace="4" height="102" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2007/11/mountains.jpg" />Where can you find the "Wall Street of the West?" In Colorado, of course -- specifically, Denver's 17th Street financial district. <br /></p>
<p><a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Colorado">Colorado's economy</a> has come a long way from its foundation on trapping and mining. Denver's location, equidistant between Los Angeles and Chicago, between Seattle and New Orleans, has helped the Centennial State become the economic center of Rocky Mountain states -- even Denver's time zone and elevation help it keep in touch with the rest of the world. It's no wonder there's a large federal government presence in the state (U.S. Air Force Academy, NORAD, NOAA, Denver Mint, U.S. Geological Survey). <br /></p>
<p>Companies such as <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/lockheed-martin-corporation/lmt/nys">Lockheed-Martin</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/lockheed-martin-corporation/lmt/nys">LMT</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/qwest-communications-international-inc/q/nys">Qwest Communications</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/qwest-communications-international-inc/q/nys">Q</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/comcast-corporation/cmcsa/nas">Comcast</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/comcast-corporation/cmcsa/nas">CMCSA</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/molson-coors-brewing-company/tap/nys">Molson Coors</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/molson-coors-brewing-company/tap/nys">TAP</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/crocs-inc/crox/nas">Crocs</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/crocs-inc/crox/nas">CROX</a>) offer a sense of the diversity of the state's economy. And so do the three companies examined here: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/vail-resorts-inc/mtn/nys">Vail Resorts Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/vail-resorts-inc/mtn/nys">MTN</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/dynamic-materials-corporation/boom/nas">Dynamic Materials Corp.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/dynamic-materials-corporation/boom/nas">BOOM</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/newmont-mining-corporation/nem/nys">Newmont Mining Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/newmont-mining-corporation/nem/nys">NEM</a>).</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/11/20/investing-in-colorado-vail-resorts-mtn-dynamic-materials-bo/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Investing in Colorado: Vail Resorts (MTN), Dynamic Materials (BOOM), Newmont Mining (NEM)</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/11/20/investing-in-colorado-vail-resorts-mtn-dynamic-materials-bo/">Investing in Colorado: Vail Resorts (MTN), Dynamic Materials (BOOM), Newmont Mining (NEM)</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/11/20/investing-in-colorado-vail-resorts-mtn-dynamic-materials-bo/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1043931/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/11/20/investing-in-colorado-vail-resorts-mtn-dynamic-materials-bo/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>BOOM</category><category>CMCSA</category><category>Colorado</category><category>Comcast</category><category>Crocs</category><category>CROX</category><category>Denver</category><category>Dow Jones Sustainability index</category><category>Dynamic Materials</category><category>gold</category><category>LMT</category><category>Lockheed-Martin</category><category>Miramar Mining</category><category>MNG</category><category>Molson-Coors</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>MTN</category><category>NEM</category><category>Newmont Mining</category><category>organic foods</category><category>Q</category><category>Qwest</category><category>RAH</category><category>Ralcorp</category><category>TAP</category><category>Vail Resorts</category><category>Wall Street of the West</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 20 Nov 2007 19:00:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Grainger (GWW): A lifetime stock]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/27/grainger-gww-a-lifetime-stock/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/27/grainger-gww-a-lifetime-stock/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/27/grainger-gww-a-lifetime-stock/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/earnings-reports/" rel="tag">Earnings Reports</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/good-news/" rel="tag">Good news</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/competitive-strategy/" rel="tag">Competitive Strategy</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/mexico/" rel="tag">Mexico</a></p><p>Demand for new residential and commercial construction continues to be weak in many parts of the country, though that will change shortly in California. But maintenance of existing facilities continues to be a growth industry. <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/grainger-w-w-inc/gww/nys">W.W. Grainger</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/grainger-w-w-inc/gww/nys">GWW</a>) is the leading supplier of facilities maintenance products. The company posted record numbers in its <a href="http://pressroom.grainger.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=194987&amp;p=irol-newsArticle&amp;ID=1062774&amp;highlight=">most recent earnings report</a>. Sales increased 9% to $1.9 billion, operating earnings increased 15% to $174 million, and EPS increased 11%. Based on these figures, CEO Richard Keyser has revised FY 2007 EPS guidance from $4.75-$4.90 to $4.85-$4.95.</p>
<p>Grainger is pursuing a market expansion strategy and a product line expansion simultaneously. The company has added 70,000 new products in its U.S. locations, opened four new U.S. locations, and continues to exit existing low margin contracts as they expire in 2007. Daily sales have increased each month for July, August, and September. Sales in the U.S. increased 9%, dwarfed by the 24% increase in sales in Mexico and the opening of two more locations. Grainger is also entering the facilities maintenance market in China, a smart move given the massive amount of construction in progress in China.</p>
<p>But current numbers are not the only reason to check out Grainger. Motley Fool lists Grainger as a <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/10/17/stocks-for-the-rest-of-your-life.aspx">stock to own for the rest of your life</a>, based on Grainger's dividend pay out record. The current dividend yield is 1.5%, with a payout ratio of 26% and YoY quarterly dividend growth in excess of 20%. In order for a company to pay out increasingly higher dividends over the long haul, it must be able to generate sufficient amounts of cash regularly and repeatedly. Grainger has certainly demonstrated it can do that. The stock traded recently at $89.05, up 16 cents.<br /> <br /> <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/earnings">Visit <span style="font-weight: bold;">AOL Money &amp; Finance</span> for more earnings coverage</a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/27/grainger-gww-a-lifetime-stock/">Grainger (GWW): A lifetime stock</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sat, 27 Oct 2007 18:10:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/27/grainger-gww-a-lifetime-stock/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1023236/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/27/grainger-gww-a-lifetime-stock/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dividends</category><category>facilities maintenance</category><category>Grainger</category><category>GWW</category><category>hardware</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>Richard Keyser</category><category>W.W. Grainger</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Victoria Erhart]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sat, 27 Oct 2007 18:10:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Investing in Ontario: Research in Motion (RIMM), Nortel Networks (NT), and IMAX (IMAX)]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/25/investing-in-ontario-research-in-motion-rimm-nortel-networks/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/25/investing-in-ontario-research-in-motion-rimm-nortel-networks/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/25/investing-in-ontario-research-in-motion-rimm-nortel-networks/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/msft/" rel="tag">Microsoft (MSFT)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/rimm/" rel="tag">Research in Motion (RIMM)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/nt/" rel="tag">Nortel Networks (NT)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/stocks-to-buy/" rel="tag">Stocks to Buy</a></p><p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2007/10/toronto.jpg" />My recent <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/">Investing in Ontario</a> post took a look at the <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/royal-bk-cda-montreal-que/ry/nys">Royal Bank of Canada</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/royal-bk-cda-montreal-que/ry/nys">RY</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/manulife-financial-corporation/mfc/nys">Manulife Financial Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/manulife-financial-corporation/mfc/nys">MFC</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-toronto-dominion-bank/td/nys">Toronto-Dominion Bank</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-toronto-dominion-bank/td/nys">TD</a>); three public <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/international/2007/06/04/investing-in-your-backyard-ontario.aspx">companies examined by the Motley Fool</a> this past summer. <br /></p>
<p>However, Ontario is more than just Canada's financial center. Its abundance of resources and location on Great Lakes have made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ontario#Economy">Ontario a manufacturing powerhouse</a>, including steel production and automobile manufacturing in southern Ontario, and mining and forestry in the north. Toronto is Canada's film and media center, as well as an important tourism destination. Niagara Falls is one of world's most popular tourist destinations. Other Ontario companies the Motley Fool liked include <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/research-in-motion-limited/rimm/nas">Research in Motion Ltd.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/research-in-motion-limited/rimm/nas">RIMM</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/nortel-networks-corporation/nt/nys">Nortel Networks Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/nortel-networks-corporation/nt/nys">NT</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/imax-corporation/imax/nas">IMAX Corp.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/imax-corporation/imax/nas">IMAX</a>).</p>
<p>Research in Motion (RIM), Canada's largest public company, is well know for its BlackBerry smart phones, but it also provides software development tools and produces radio-based modems used in portable devices. The consensus recommendation of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial is to <a href="http://www.thomsoninvestortools.com/component/firm/aol/view.asp?country=US&amp;tier=default&amp;symbol=RIMM&amp;uid=stocks/earnings&amp;view=recommendations">buy RIM</a>, and has been since April. <a href="http://www.thomsoninvestortools.com/component/firm/aol/view.asp?uid=stocks/earnings">RIM met analysts' earnings per share estimate</a> when it reported second quarter FY2008 earnings in early October, and Wall Street expects EPS of 62 cents in the third quarter, double the 31 cents actual from a year ago. RIM has a five-year EPS growth rate of 73.5%, easily beating the S&amp;P 500 and the technology sector average. <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/research-in-motion-limited/rimm/nas/charts?dr=YTD&amp;symbs=&amp;ag=&amp;index=&amp;te=mountain&amp;se=default&amp;vl=on&amp;ss=on&amp;hs=on&amp;vs=on&amp;sym=RIMM&amp;exch=USA&amp;state=1&amp;settings=1&amp;vl1=on&amp;ss1=on&amp;dv1=off&amp;hs1=on&amp;vs1=on&amp;scs=0&amp;daysb4=0&amp;fromdate=&amp;todate=&amp;freq=1&amp;timeframe=20">RIM's share price has been climbing</a> since a share split in August, to reach a 52-week high of $128.36 on Tuesday; it opened today at $124.75. Also this week, RIM announced plans to <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/rims-blackberry-to-go-on-sale-in-china/20071023154409990001">sell the BlackBerry in China</a>, and introduced <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/rim-introduces-facebook-for-blackberry/n20071024123209990026">Facebook for the BlackBerry</a> as well. For more on <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/microsoft-corporation/msft/nas">Microsoft Corp.</a>'s (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/microsoft-corporation/msft/nas">MSFT</a>) challenge to RIM and other RIM-related news, see Bloggingstocks' <a href="http://rimm.bloggingstocks.com/">RIM coverage</a>.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/25/investing-in-ontario-research-in-motion-rimm-nortel-networks/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Investing in Ontario: Research in Motion (RIMM), Nortel Networks (NT), and IMAX (IMAX)</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/25/investing-in-ontario-research-in-motion-rimm-nortel-networks/">Investing in Ontario: Research in Motion (RIMM), Nortel Networks (NT), and IMAX (IMAX)</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:45:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.fool.com/investing/international/2007/06/04/investing-in-your-backyard-ontario.aspx>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href=http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/25/investing-in-ontario-research-in-motion-rimm-nortel-networks/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1021350/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/25/investing-in-ontario-research-in-motion-rimm-nortel-networks/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Bank of Canada</category><category>BlackBerry</category><category>Canada</category><category>Casablanca</category><category>China</category><category>digital projection</category><category>Facebook</category><category>featured</category><category>Great Lakes</category><category>IMAX</category><category>lawsuits</category><category>Manulife</category><category>Manulife Financial</category><category>MFC</category><category>Microsoft</category><category>Morocco</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>MSFT</category><category>Niagara Falls</category><category>Nortel</category><category>Nortel Networks</category><category>NT</category><category>Ontario</category><category>Ontario Securities Commission</category><category>Research in Motion</category><category>RIM</category><category>RIMM</category><category>Royal Bank of Canada</category><category>RY</category><category>SEC</category><category>smart phone</category><category>TD</category><category>Toronto</category><category>Toronto-Dominion Bank</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 25 Oct 2007 16:45:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Investing in Oregon: Electro Scientific (ESIO), Mentor Graphics (MENT), Triquint (TQNT), Tektronix (TEK)]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/19/investing-in-oregon-electro-scientific-esio-mentor-graphics/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/19/investing-in-oregon-electro-scientific-esio-mentor-graphics/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/19/investing-in-oregon-electro-scientific-esio-mentor-graphics/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/products-and-services/" rel="tag">Products and Services</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/intc/" rel="tag">Intel (INTC)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/stocks-to-buy/" rel="tag">Stocks to Buy</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/technology/" rel="tag">Technology</a></p><p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="0" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2007/10/oregon.gif" alt="Oregon" />My recent <a href="http://nke.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/08/investing-in-oregon-columbia-sportswear-colm-flir-flir-st/">Investing in Oregon</a> post took a look at some companies that the Motley Fool had featured in its investigation of <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/small-cap/2007/04/20/investing-in-your-backyard-oregon.aspx">investment opportunities in the Beaver State</a>, including <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/precision-castparts-corp/pcp/nys">Precision Castparts Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/precision-castparts-corp/pcp/nys">PCP</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/stancorp-financial-group-inc/sfg/nys">StanCorp Financial Group Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/stancorp-financial-group-inc/sfg/nys">SFG</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/flir-systems-inc/flir/nas">FLIR Systems Inc.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/flir-systems-inc/flir/nas">FLIR</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/columbia-sportswear-company/colm/nas">Columbia Sportswear Co.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/columbia-sportswear-company/colm/nas">COLM</a>). <br /></p>
<p><br />But the Motley Fool article also mentioned that one of the most prominent business influences in Oregon wasn't even headquartered in the state: semiconductor giant <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/intel-corporation/intc/nas">Intel Corp.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/intel-corporation/intc/nas">INTC</a>) from Santa Clara, California. It also included mention of four Oregon-based businesses that provided support for Intel: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/tektronix-inc/tek/nys">Tektronix Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/tektronix-inc/tek/nys">TEK</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/mentor-graphics-corporation/ment/nas">Mentor Graphics Corp.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/mentor-graphics-corporation/ment/nas">MENT</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/triquint-semiconductor-incorpora/tqnt/nas">Triquint Semiconductor Inc.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/triquint-semiconductor-incorpora/tqnt/nas">TQNT</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/electro-scientific-industries-inc/esio/nas">Electro Scientific Industries Inc.</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/electro-scientific-industries-inc/esio/nas">ESIO</a>). One could imagine that <a href="http://intc.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/16/yahoo-intel-ibm-beat-wall-street-forecasts-is-tech-back/">Intel's impressive earnings report</a> this week should have been good news for these supporting companies.</p>
<p>Beaverton-based Tektronix, widely known as Tek, is one of the leading makers of test and measurement equipment, such as digital multimeters, logic analyzers, and curve tracers, and oscilloscopes. <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles?id=n20071015090909990040">Tek will win its seventh technical Emmy</a> this year. <a href="http://www.thomsoninvestortools.com/component/firm/aol/view.asp?country=US&amp;tier=default&amp;symbol=TEK&amp;uid=stocks/earnings">Tek beat Wall Street expectations</a> in its previous three quarters, reporting earnings per share of 40 cents for its first quarter FY2008. But the consensus of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial was to <a href="http://www.thomsoninvestortools.com/component/firm/aol/view.asp?country=US&amp;tier=default&amp;symbol=TEK&amp;uid=stocks/earnings&amp;view=recommendations">hold shares of Tek</a>. The share price reached a 52-week high of $37.95 on Monday when it was announced that <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/danaher-corporation/dhr/nys">Danaher Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/danaher-corporation/dhr/nys">DHR</a>) <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/danaher-to-acquire-tektronix-inc-for/n20071015111609990077">will acquire Tek</a>. Tool and equipment maker <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles?id=n20071018061709990067">Danaher just announced record third quarter results</a>.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/19/investing-in-oregon-electro-scientific-esio-mentor-graphics/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Investing in Oregon: Electro Scientific (ESIO), Mentor Graphics (MENT), Triquint (TQNT), Tektronix (TEK)</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/19/investing-in-oregon-electro-scientific-esio-mentor-graphics/">Investing in Oregon: Electro Scientific (ESIO), Mentor Graphics (MENT), Triquint (TQNT), Tektronix (TEK)</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:30:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://nke.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/08/investing-in-oregon-columbia-sportswear-colm-flir-flir-st/>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/19/investing-in-oregon-electro-scientific-esio-mentor-graphics/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1017270/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/19/investing-in-oregon-electro-scientific-esio-mentor-graphics/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Cassini spacecraft</category><category>COLM</category><category>Columbia Sportswear</category><category>Danaher</category><category>DHR</category><category>Electro Scientific Industries</category><category>ESI</category><category>ESIO</category><category>featured</category><category>FLIR</category><category>FLIR Systems</category><category>gallium arsenide</category><category>Heartland Value Fund</category><category>INTC</category><category>Intel</category><category>MENT</category><category>Mentor Graphics</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>New Wave Research</category><category>Oregon</category><category>PCP</category><category>Precision Castparts</category><category>semiconductors</category><category>SFG</category><category>StanCorp Financial</category><category>tech sector</category><category>tech stocks</category><category>TEK</category><category>Tektronix</category><category>TQNT</category><category>Triquint</category><category>Triquint Semiconductor</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 19 Oct 2007 17:30:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Investing in Ontario: Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Manulife Financial (MFC), Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/industry/" rel="tag">Industry</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/canada/" rel="tag">Canada</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/stocks-to-buy/" rel="tag">Stocks to Buy</a></p><p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2007/10/toronto.jpg"  alt="" />Its abundance of resources and location on the Great Lakes have made <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economy_of_Ontario">Ontario an economic powerhouse</a>. Canada's capital, Ottawa can be found there, as well as its largest city, Toronto, which is also Canada's financial hub. Seven of Ontario's eight largest companies are financial institutions, and Toronto is also the home of one of the largest stock exchanges in the world. When the Motley Fool took a look at stock <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/international/2007/06/04/investing-in-your-backyard-ontario.aspx">investment opportunities in Ontario</a> this past June, three of the companies they focused on were financial institutions: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/royal-bk-cda-montreal-que/ry/nys">Royal Bank of Canada</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/royal-bk-cda-montreal-que/ry/nys">RY</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/manulife-financial-corporation/mfc/nys">Manulife Financial Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/manulife-financial-corporation/mfc/nys">MFC</a>) and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-toronto-dominion-bank/td/nys">Toronto-Dominion Bank</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-toronto-dominion-bank/td/nys">TD</a>). Considering the credit crunch and the weakness of the U.S. dollar, I thought it might be interesting to see how those companies are faring now.</p>
<p>The Royal Bank of Canada, also known as RBC Financial Group, is Canada's largest financial institution. It has 1,300 domestic locations and offices in 30 countries. In September, RBC's Gord Nixon won Canada's <a href="http://www.canada.com/nationalpost/financialpost/story.html?id=7f8da002-889e-4204-8b62-ffe0d1a2e8fc&amp;k=55384">Outstanding CEO of the Year</a> award for 2007. More recently, RBC announced the <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/wsj/_a/rbc-buys-rbtt-financial/n20071002090809990020">acquisition of a Caribbean bank</a>, and it was one of four Canadian banks <a href="http://today.reuters.com/news/articlehybrid.aspx?type=comktNews&amp;rpc=33&amp;storyid=2007-10-03T205324Z_01_N03251687_RTRIDST_0_TORONTODOMINION-GAIN-UPDATE-2.XML">affected by restructuring at VISA</a>. With <a href="http://www.thomsoninvestortools.com/component/firm/aol/view.asp?country=US&amp;tier=default&amp;symbol=RY&amp;uid=stocks/earnings">RBC's five-year earnings per share growth</a> rate of 26.5% (better than the S&amp;P 500), the consensus recommendation of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial is to <a href="http://www.thomsoninvestortools.com/component/firm/aol/view.asp?country=US&amp;tier=default&amp;symbol=RY&amp;uid=stocks/earnings&amp;view=recommendations">buy RBC</a>, despite missing earnings expectations for the past two quarters. <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/royal-bk-cda-montreal-que/ry/nys/charts?dr=120&amp;symbs=&amp;ag=&amp;index=&amp;te=mountain&amp;se=default&amp;vl=on&amp;ss=on&amp;hs=on&amp;vs=on&amp;sym=RY&amp;exch=USA&amp;state=1&amp;settings=1&amp;vl1=on&amp;ss1=on&amp;dv1=off&amp;hs1=on&amp;vs1=on&amp;scs=0&amp;daysb4=0&amp;fromdate=&amp;todate=&amp;freq=1&amp;timeframe=70">RBC's share price is near an all-time high</a> on the NYSE, closing Thursday at $57.09 on the NYSE. RBC will release its next quarterly report on November 30.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Investing in Ontario: Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Manulife Financial (MFC), Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/">Investing in Ontario: Royal Bank of Canada (RY), Manulife Financial (MFC), Toronto-Dominion Bank (TD)</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:25:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1011733/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/12/investing-in-ontario-royal-bank-of-canada-ry-manulife-financ/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Bank of Canada</category><category>Canada</category><category>CEO of the Year</category><category>Charles Grassley</category><category>Commerce Bancorp</category><category>featured</category><category>Gord Nixon</category><category>long-term care complaints</category><category>Manulife</category><category>Manulife Financial</category><category>MFC</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>Ontario</category><category>Ottawa</category><category>RBC</category><category>Royal Bank of Canada</category><category>RY</category><category>Senator Grassley</category><category>TD</category><category>TD Bank</category><category>TD Banknorth</category><category>TD Financial Group</category><category>Toronto</category><category>Toronto Stock Exchange</category><category>Toronto-Dominion Bank</category><category>U.S. dollar</category><category>VISA</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Fri, 12 Oct 2007 14:25:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Investing in Nebraska: Cabela's (CAB), Buckle (BKE), and Valmont (VMI)]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/04/investing-in-nebraska-cabela-s-cab-buckle-bke-and-valmont/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/04/investing-in-nebraska-cabela-s-cab-buckle-bke-and-valmont/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/04/investing-in-nebraska-cabela-s-cab-buckle-bke-and-valmont/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/products-and-services/" rel="tag">Products and Services</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/stocks-to-buy/" rel="tag">Stocks to Buy</a></p><p>Earlier this summer the Motley Fool took a look at <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/06/22/investing-in-your-backyard-nebraska.aspx?terms=backyard&amp;vstest=search_042607_linkdefault">investment opportunities in Nebraska</a>. Apparently, only 18 public companies are based in the cornhusker state, the largest of which are familiar names to even the most casual investors: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/berkshire-hathaway-inc-del/brk.a/nys">Berkshire Hathaway</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/berkshire-hathaway-inc-del/brk.a/nys">BRK.A</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/union-pacific-corporation/unp/nys">Union Pacific Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/union-pacific-corporation/unp/nys">UNP</a>), <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/conagra-foods-inc/cag/nys">Conagra Foods Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/conagra-foods-inc/cag/nys">CAG</a>), and <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/td-ameritrade-holding-corporation/amtd/nas">TD Ameritrade</a> (NASDAQ: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/td-ameritrade-holding-corporation/amtd/nas">AMTD</a>). But the Motley Fool also mentioned two smaller, less-familiar stocks: sporting goods retailer <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/cabela-s-incorporated/cab/nys">Cabela's Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/cabela-s-incorporated/cab/nys">CAB</a>) and fashion retailer <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-buckle-inc/bke/nys">The Buckle Inc.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/the-buckle-inc/bke/nys">BKE</a>).</p>
<p>Sidney-based Cabela's was founded in 1961 and went public in 2004. <a href="http://www.thomsoninvestortools.com/component/firm/aol/view.asp?country=US&amp;tier=default&amp;symbol=CAB&amp;uid=stocks/earnings&amp;view=recommendations">Cabela's is considered a buy</a> by the consensus of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial, but a closer look shows that they are split between strong buy and hold. The share price reached a 52-week high of $28.80 in early August after <a href="http://today.reuters.com/news/articleinvesting.aspx?type=marketsNews&amp;storyID=2007-08-02T202608Z_01_N02379029_RTRIDST_0_CABELAS-RESULTS-UPDATE-1.XML">Cabela's second quarter results</a> beat Wall Street expectations. The price was $23.91at the close on Wednesday. The Motley Fool points to tough same-store sales and insider trading as reasons for <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/09/18/profit-from-sophomore-slumps.aspx">Cabela's "sophomore slump."</a> In other words, high expectations from the IPO have worn off and its time to consider buying. In addition, Motley Fool, like <em>Consumer Reports</em> before it, likes <a href="http://www.fool.com/personal-finance/credit/2007/09/19/top-credit-cards.aspx">Cabela's VISA credit card</a>. Cabela's was also recently <a href="http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/09/06/ap4091267.html">included on S&amp;P Small Cap 600 index</a>, and it made the 2007 <em>Forbes</em> list of <a href="http://www.forbes.com/2007/09/25/best-midcap-stocks-07midcaps-cx_bz_0925midcap_land.html">100 best mid cap stocks</a>. Cabela's will release <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/cabelas-inc-announces-earnings-date-for/n20071003165209990039">third quarter results</a> on November 1.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/04/investing-in-nebraska-cabela-s-cab-buckle-bke-and-valmont/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Investing in Nebraska: Cabela's (CAB), Buckle (BKE), and Valmont (VMI)</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/04/investing-in-nebraska-cabela-s-cab-buckle-bke-and-valmont/">Investing in Nebraska: Cabela's (CAB), Buckle (BKE), and Valmont (VMI)</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:44:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/04/investing-in-nebraska-cabela-s-cab-buckle-bke-and-valmont/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/1001117/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/10/04/investing-in-nebraska-cabela-s-cab-buckle-bke-and-valmont/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>AMTD</category><category>Berkshire Hathaway</category><category>BKE</category><category>BRK.A</category><category>Buckle</category><category>CAB</category><category>Cabela’s</category><category>CAG</category><category>Conagra</category><category>Jones Soda</category><category>Matchbox Twenty</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>Nebraska</category><category>TD Ameritrade</category><category>Union Pacific</category><category>UNP</category><category>Valmont</category><category>VMI</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 04 Oct 2007 13:44:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Will FedEx deliver on Q4 earnings?]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/14/will-fedex-deliver-on-q4-earnings/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/14/will-fedex-deliver-on-q4-earnings/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/14/will-fedex-deliver-on-q4-earnings/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/earnings-reports/" rel="tag">Earnings Reports</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/gm/" rel="tag">General Motors (GM)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/fdx/" rel="tag">FedEx Corp (FDX)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/ups/" rel="tag">United Parcel'B' (UPS)</a></p><p><img vspace="4" hspace="4" border="1" align="right" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2007/02/fdx-logo.jpg" alt="" />Analysts, shareholders (and would-be shareholders), and many others no doubt will be keeping on eye on Memphis-based <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/fedex-corporation/fdx/nys">FedEx Corp.</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/fedex-corporation/fdx/nys">FDX</a>), the global leader in express transport and delivery, when it reports Q4 2007 earnings next Wednesday, June 20. Many consider FedEx to be a <a href="http://blogs.wsj.com/marketbeat/2007/02/20/the-fedex-indicator/">bellwether for the economy</a>.</p>
<p>Since <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/03/21/fedexs-decline-isnt-suprising/">FedEx reported a mild Q3</a> back in March, the trend of its share price <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/fedex-corporation/fdx/nys/charts?dr=3&amp;symbs=&amp;ag=mov_avg_50&amp;index=&amp;te=mountain&amp;se=default&amp;vl=on&amp;ss=on&amp;hs=on&amp;vs=on&amp;sym=FDX&amp;exch=USA&amp;state=1&amp;settings=1&amp;vl1=on&amp;ss1=on&amp;dv1=off&amp;hs1=on&amp;vs1=on&amp;scs=0&amp;daysb4=0&amp;fromdate=&amp;todate=&amp;freq=1&amp;timeframe=20">hasn't been especially impressive</a> these past three months. Blame it on the economy, fuel costs, the weather, or <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/13/dhl-buys-astar-back-beefs-up-competition-against-ups-and-fdx/">stiff competition</a> from rivals <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/united-parcel-service-inc/ups/nys">United Parcel Service</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/united-parcel-service-inc/ups/nys">UPS</a>) and DHL, a <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/deutsche-p-npv-regd/dpo/ise">Deutsche Post</a> (LSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/deutsche-p-npv-regd/dpo/ise">DPO</a>) company, but FedEx has struggled of late, as reflected perhaps in the BloggingStocks Battle of the Brands match-up: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/04/09/ups-vs-fedex-battle-of-the-brands/">FedEx vs. UPS</a>. Analysts' <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/04/02/fedex-when-is-a-downgrade-an-upgrade/">feelings are mixed on FedEx</a> as well, and the company does still face such troubles as <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/us-supreme-court-review-fedex/story.aspx?guid=%7B85C05531-08DD-4E2B-9308-9BD7340B8C4E%7D">discrimination lawsuits</a>.</p>
<p>But it's no accident that <a href="http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2007/04/16/daily3.html?jst=b_ln_hl">FedEx is within the Fortune 500</a>'s top ranks. It continues to expand, both <a href="http://www.forbes.com/feeds/ap/2007/05/14/ap3719421.html">domestically</a> and <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/fedex-express-to-acquire-flying-cargo-in/n20070406080809990004">internationally</a>, and stands to benefit from impending increased <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/flights-between-us-and-china-to-double/n20070523171909990007">air traffic between China and the United States</a>. <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/general-motors-corporation/gm/nys">General Motors</a> (NYSE: <a href="http://finance.aol.com/quotes/general-motors-corporation/gm/nys">GM</a>) recently declared FedEx its <a href="http://money.aol.com/news/articles/_a/fedex-honored-by-general-motors-as-a/n20070402093209990018">2006 Supplier of the Year</a>, and the <a href="http://memphis.bizjournals.com/memphis/stories/2007/06/04/daily34.html?jst=b_ln_hl">FAA has given FedEx a vote of confidence</a> as well. And in May, FedEx announced a <a href="http://news.moneycentral.msn.com/provider/providerarticle.aspx?Feed=ACBJ&amp;Date=20070525&amp;ID=6962007">10% boost in its cash dividend</a>, to ten cents per share. The Motley Fool thinks <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/06/05/the-next-big-bargain.aspx">FedEx may be a bargain</a>, as well.</p>
<p>According to <a href="http://ec.thomsonfn.com/DomesticEarnings/CompanyEarnings?transform=estimates-de&amp;pid=Mzg0UVU5TUxURT1QJFkEQUALSTO&amp;ticker=FDX">Thomson Financial</a>, the brokers' consensus on FedEx is buy (6 buy, 7 strong buy, 7 hold). Its P/E is 15.89 (compared to 11.96 industry average), and its market cap is $33.16 billion. When FedEx reports earnings next week, Wall Street is expecting revenue of $9.14 billion, or earnings per share of $1.89, compared to $1.82 actual last quarter, and $1.35 a year ago. Its price target is $124.42; the 52-week low was $97.79 in August 2006 and the high was $121.42 near the end of this past February. FedEx closed Wednesday at $108.82.</p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/14/will-fedex-deliver-on-q4-earnings/">Will FedEx deliver on Q4 earnings?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:45:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/14/will-fedex-deliver-on-q4-earnings/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/917792/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/14/will-fedex-deliver-on-q4-earnings/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Battle of the Brands</category><category>DHL</category><category>discrimination lawsuits</category><category>domestic expansion</category><category>earnings reports</category><category>economic bellwether</category><category>FAA</category><category>FDX</category><category>FedEx</category><category>Fortune 500</category><category>fuel costs</category><category>General Motors</category><category>international expansion</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>Q4 2007</category><category>quarterly reports</category><category>Supplier of the Year</category><category>United Parcel Service</category><category>UPS</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Trey Thoelcke]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 14 Jun 2007 14:45:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Give the prize to the cheaters in CNBC's stock-picking contest!]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/10/give-the-prize-to-the-cheaters-in-cnbcs-stock-picking-contest/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/10/give-the-prize-to-the-cheaters-in-cnbcs-stock-picking-contest/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/10/give-the-prize-to-the-cheaters-in-cnbcs-stock-picking-contest/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/scandals/" rel="tag">Scandals</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/columns/" rel="tag">Columns</a></p><p>In case you haven't heard, there is a <a href="http://www.businessweek.com/print/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2007/db20070607_007145.htm">full-blown controversy</a> surrounding CNBC's recent "Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge," with the network posting a message on its website saying that the "CNBC Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge ended May 25th. CNBC has been contacted by several contestants alleging unusual trading in violation of contest rules among some of the 20 finalists. Once these questions were raised, CNBC immediately launched a thorough investigation to determine who may have violated the rules."</p>
<p>Apparently, some contestants may have found ways to go in and change their orders after the market had closed, kind of like placing late bets at the track. While cheating is certainly bad, I had a hard time taking the contest seriously from day one. <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/02/12/how-to-win-cnbcs-million-dollar-challenge.aspx">As the Motley Fool's Bill Barker wrote back in February</a>, "this contest has stunningly little to do with 'investment strategy' and everything to do with maximum risk taking."</p>
<p>With the many thousands of people competing for the best portfolio performance over such a short period of time, I would argue that the portfolio was about little other than luck. I certainly wouldn't call the winner a "trading genius" or anything.</p>
<p>This brings me back to the cheating issue. In a contest that was essentially little more than a glorified lottery, who really cares if the winner didn't play by the rules? In fact, finding some strategy for beating CNBC's security system is probably more of an accomplishment than winning this crap shoot of a stock-picking contest.</p>
<p>Of course, I don't really think the prize should be given to a cheater, just as someone who cheated at bingo shouldn't get the prize. But it's hard to muster up a lot of righteous indignation for someone who found a way to outsmart an investing and trading contest that had little to do with investing or trading.</p>
<div class="fL" align="left">
<div class="fL winner_sil"> </div>
</div><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/10/give-the-prize-to-the-cheaters-in-cnbcs-stock-picking-contest/">Give the prize to the cheaters in CNBC's stock-picking contest!</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:40:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href=http://www.businessweek.com/print/bwdaily/dnflash/content/jun2007/db20070607_007145.htm>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href=http://www.app.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070609/BUSINESS/706090455/1003>Read</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/10/give-the-prize-to-the-cheaters-in-cnbcs-stock-picking-contest/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/914349/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/06/10/give-the-prize-to-the-cheaters-in-cnbcs-stock-picking-contest/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Bill Barker</category><category>Cheating</category><category>CNBC</category><category>Contest</category><category>Million Dollar Portfolio Challenge</category><category>MillionDollarPortfolioChallenge</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>portfolio performance</category><category>PortfolioPerformance</category><category>STock-picking</category><category>stock-picking contest</category><category>Stock-pickingContest</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Zac Bissonnette]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 10 Jun 2007 12:40:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Serious Money: The page on Buffett -- Part I: your understanding]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/10/serious-money-the-page-on-buffett-part-i-understanding/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/10/serious-money-the-page-on-buffett-part-i-understanding/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/10/serious-money-the-page-on-buffett-part-i-understanding/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/brk-a/" rel="tag">Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/columns/" rel="tag">Columns</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/entrepreneurs/" rel="tag">Entrepreneurs</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/serious-money/" rel="tag">Serious Money</a></p><p>Volumes have been written about Warren Buffett's investment approach and I was thinking that although he tends to share his methodology, he sometimes is not as straightforward as he could be. This is the first in a series discussing my view of Buffett's approach, an interpretation in the simplest terms so that the information is immediately usable.</p>
<p>Although you can make money investing in the stock market many different ways, the person who has made the most money by far is Warren Buffett. Therefore, it seems to follow that every time you deviate from this path, you are reducing your chances of ultimate success.</p>
<p>Consider the following: If Tiger Woods wanted to help you with your golf swing or putting stance, would you say, "no thanks, I know what I'm doing?" If Carlos Santana wanted to show you a few moves on the guitar or Steven Spielberg offered to help you edit a movie, would you tell them to get lost? Not if you were truly interested in improving. For some reason, though, through the years Mr. Buffett has periodically been relegated to the sidelines of the investing world while a multitude of prognosticators claim to have a better way, even here on BloggingStocks. Over the last ten years I have found that the more I learn and the more I align my stock investment strategy with Buffett's approach, the better I do.</p><p><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/10/serious-money-the-page-on-buffett-part-i-understanding/" rel="bookmark">Continue reading <em>Serious Money: The page on Buffett -- Part I: your understanding</em></a></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/10/serious-money-the-page-on-buffett-part-i-understanding/">Serious Money: The page on Buffett -- Part I: your understanding</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Thu, 10 May 2007 14:40:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/10/serious-money-the-page-on-buffett-part-i-understanding/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/892637/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/05/10/serious-money-the-page-on-buffett-part-i-understanding/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A)</category><category>BerkshireHathaway(brk.a)</category><category>Digg.com</category><category>investment quotient</category><category>InvestmentQuotient</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>MotleyFool</category><category>seeking alpha</category><category>SeekingAlpha</category><category>Sheldon Liber</category><category>SheldonLiber</category><category>TheStreet.com</category><category>understanding</category><category>Value Investing</category><category>ValueInvesting</category><category>Warren Buffett</category><category>WarrenBuffett</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Sheldon Liber]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Thu, 10 May 2007 14:40:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Should Gap go private?]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/30/should-gap-go-private/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/30/should-gap-go-private/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/30/should-gap-go-private/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/internet/" rel="tag">Internet</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/gps/" rel="tag">Gap Inc (GPS)</a></p><p>Yesterday, I wrote about Jim Cramer's prediction that The Gap, Inc. (NYSE:GPS) would be taken private in the not-so-distant future. Today, the Motley Fool continued the speculation with a <a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/01/30/dueling-fools-should-gap-go-private.aspx">series of "Dueling Fool" posts debating the future of the company.</a></p>
<p>One argument for taking the company private is that we are in the midst of "feeding frenzy" of leveraged buyouts and that a favorable private equity deal may not be favorable a few years down the road. Going private would remove the company from the scrutiny of public opinion and allow the company to take more drastic steps to improve.</p>
<p><iframe width="175" scrolling="no" height="125" frameborder="0" align="right" src="http://webcenter.polls.aol.com/modular.jsp?template=1089&amp;view=101545&amp;pollId=101630&amp;channel=aol_us_moneynews1" border="0"></iframe>If I were a shareholder of Gap, I would probably support the idea of a sale. The company has been under-performing for years and the turnaround efforts have not worked. A buyout could put Gap shareholders out of their misery at a nice premium to the current price.</p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/30/should-gap-go-private/">Should Gap go private?</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:16:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/30/should-gap-go-private/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/745360/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2007/01/30/should-gap-go-private/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>dueling fools</category><category>DuelingFools</category><category>Gap buyout</category><category>GapBuyout</category><category>going private</category><category>GoingPrivate</category><category>motley fool</category><category>MotleyFool</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Zac Bissonnette]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Tue, 30 Jan 2007 17:16:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[The foolish five: The best of Motley Fool]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/27/the-foolish-five-the-best-of-motley-fool/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/27/the-foolish-five-the-best-of-motley-fool/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/27/the-foolish-five-the-best-of-motley-fool/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/analyst-reports/" rel="tag">Analyst Reports</a></p><p><img width="200" vspace="4" hspace="4" height="42" border="1" align="right" alt="" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2006/12/logo.gif" />Each weekday, I'll be bringing you my list of the five best articles from the staff at The Motley Fool:</p>
<ol>
    <li>
    <div><a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2006/12/26/investing-in-your-backyard-michigan.aspx">Investing in Your Backyard: Michigan</a> This piece gives an overview of some of some of the top publicly traded stocks in Michigan, including (of course) General Motors and Ford, but also Border's and Pulte Homes.</div>
    </li>
    <li>
    <div><a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2006/12/26/conagras-tasty-quarter.aspx">ConAgra's Tasty Quarter</a> Michael Leibert takes a look at one of Jim Cramer's least favorite stocks. A laggard over the past few years as it attempts to sell off its commodities businesses to focus on its brands (like Healthy Choice, Chef Boyardee, and Hunt's), the company rebounded this quarter with a 38% gain in earnings after extraordinary items.</div>
    </li>
    <li>
    <div><a href="http://www.fool.com/personal-finance/retirement/2006/12/26/the-40-year-old-savings-virgin.aspx">The 40-Year Old Savings Virgin</a> With a title like that, I probably don't even have to tell you any more to get you to read the article. It's an interesting (albeit un-earth-shattering) look at the importance of starting early in saving and investing. Show it to your kids and grandkids.</div>
    </li>
    <li>
    <div><a href="http://www.fool.com/community/pod/2006/061226.htm">Buffett Small Cap Investing</a> This is an interesting take on Warren Buffett's ideas about investing in small cap stocks for huge profits over short periods of time. It's different from the buy-and-hold stuff that is now associated with Buffett, but it's how he earned the best returns of his career with the Buffett partnership. On a side note, this (big investments in a few small cap stocks) is how I've made most of gains in the market.</div>
    </li>
    <li>
    <div><a href="http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2006/12/26/3-questions-to-ask-before-selling.aspx">3 Questions to Ask Before Selling</a> This is a good article to read and remember. I always try to ask myself these questions before I sell a stock.<br /><br /></div>
    </li>
</ol><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/27/the-foolish-five-the-best-of-motley-fool/">The foolish five: The best of Motley Fool</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Wed, 27 Dec 2006 11:05:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/27/the-foolish-five-the-best-of-motley-fool/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/724947/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/12/27/the-foolish-five-the-best-of-motley-fool/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>ConAgra</category><category>Michael Leibert</category><category>Michigan</category><category>Motley Fool</category><category>MotleyFool</category><category>Warren Buffett</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Zac Bissonnette]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Wed, 27 Dec 2006 11:05:00 EST</pubDate></item><item><title><![CDATA[Whole Foods, poised for better things]]></title><link>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/12/whole-foods-poised-for-better-things/</link><guid isPermaLink="true">http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/12/whole-foods-poised-for-better-things/</guid><comments>http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/12/whole-foods-poised-for-better-things/#comments</comments><description><![CDATA[<p>Filed under: <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/analyst-upgrades-and-downgrades/" rel="tag">Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/good-news/" rel="tag">Good news</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/products-and-services/" rel="tag">Products and Services</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/consumer-experience/" rel="tag">Consumer Experience</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/wmt/" rel="tag">Wal-Mart (WMT)</a>, <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/category/wfmi/" rel="tag">Whole Foods Market (WFMI)</a></p><p><img id="vimage_2" alt="organic gala apples" hspace="4" src="http://www.blogcdn.com/www.bloggingstocks.com/media/2006/11/gala_apples.jpg" align="right" vspace="4" border="0" />Whole Foods Market, Inc. <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/quotes.asp?symb=WFMI">(NASDAQ:WFMI)</a> was reinstated as outperform on 11-10-06. This stock is very attractive to me based on the things I've read about it. If the analyst's assertions are true, and WFMI's stock lost value based on a simple change in management focus from business operations to maintaining share price, then what should be happening in timely fashion will be a moderated climb back up to WFMI's <a href="http://www.marketwatch.com/tools/quotes/intchart.asp?symb=WFMI&amp;sid=8393&amp;freq=1&amp;time=8&amp;siteid=mktw">fair market value.</a> Salim Haji, an excellent writer over at The Motley Fool, <a href="http://www.fool.com/news/commentary/2006/commentary06110935.htm?logvisit=y?logvisit=y&amp;source=estmarhln001999&amp;npu=y">offers the <em>opinion</em> that this stock has an intrinsic value</a> in the $50 to $60 range. <br /></p>
<p>With additional consideration of the fact that WFMI is undertaking a strategic stock buy back program, if I was looking for some fun places to play with some funds, this would be one of them. It is my opinion that this stock deserves some close attention right now. I think it is headed back up. One other thing I take into consideration about this situation is the possibility that Wal-Mart is going to fall flat on its corporate face <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/10/26/organic-panic-at-wal-mart/">with its "organic" food roll out</a>. If that happens, (and I think it will), then Whole Foods Market will add even a bit more sparkle to my eye!</p>
<p>You can learn more about organic foods at <a href="http://www.aboutorganics.co.uk/organic_food_drink/organic_fruit_vegetables.htm">About Organics</a>.<br /></p><p style="padding:5px;background:#ddd;border:1px solid #ccc;clear:both;"><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/12/whole-foods-poised-for-better-things/">Whole Foods, poised for better things</a> originally appeared on <a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com">BloggingStocks</a> on Sun, 12 Nov 2006 20:12:00 EST.  Please see our <a href="http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/">terms for use of feeds</a>.</p><h6 style="clear: both; padding: 8px 0 0 0; height: 2px; font-size: 1px; border: 0; margin: 0; padding: 0;"></h6><a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/12/whole-foods-poised-for-better-things/" rel="bookmark" title="Permanent link to this entry">Permalink</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/forward/700738/" title="Send this entry to a friend via email">Email this</a>&nbsp;|&nbsp;<a href="http://www.bloggingstocks.com/2006/11/12/whole-foods-poised-for-better-things/#comments" title="View reader comments on this entry">Comments</a>]]></description><category>food</category><category>fool</category><category>grocery</category><category>grocery stores</category><category>GroceryStores</category><category>motley</category><category>motley fool</category><category>MotleyFool</category><category>organic</category><category>organic food</category><category>OrganicFood</category><category>organics</category><category>the fool</category><category>the motley fool</category><category>TheFool</category><category>TheMotleyFool</category><category>wfmi</category><category>whole foods</category><category>WholeFoods</category><dc:creator><![CDATA[Gary Sattler]]></dc:creator><pubDate>Sun, 12 Nov 2006 20:12:00 EST</pubDate></item></channel></rss>
