A reader recently asked us here at BloggingStocks.com to check out whether it was true that Sears Holdings Corp. (NASDAQ: SHLD) was a stockholder in Consumer Reports. The answer is no. There are no stock holders. The following information and more is available at ConsumerReports.org

• Consumer Reports(R) and ConsumerReports.org(R) are published by Consumers Union, an expert, independent nonprofit organization whose mission is to work for a fair, just, and safe marketplace for all consumers and to empower consumers to protect themselves. To achieve this mission, we test, inform, and protect. To maintain our independence and impartiality, CU accepts no outside advertising, no free test samples, and has no agenda other than the interests of consumers. CU supports itself through the sale of our information products and services, individual contributions, and a few noncommercial grants. Consumers Union is governed by a board of 18 directors, who are elected by CU members and meet three times a year. CU's President, James Guest, oversees a staff of more than 450.

Apparently some appliance salespeople were saying SHLD had a stake in Consumer Reports, which rates Sears' brand Kenmore consistently among the highest. I do not know how these silly rumors get started or why our inquirer could not have easily researched this on their own. But the internet works both ways; rumors and hoaxes get out of hand much too fast these days.

I hope we at Bloggingstocks.com have helped put an end to this one.

To find potential opportunities and verify my track record read Chasing Value or Serious Money.

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the principal for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. He is on the advisory board of Internet start-up CircleBuilder.com.

Rumor shredder: Sears Holdings (SHLD) is not linked to Consumer Reports originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 20 Sep 2007 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Cruising down Wilshire Boulevard I noticed fresh window dressing at the Gap Inc. (NYSE: GPS) promoting it's version of "dress shirts," long sleeves rolled up to the elbow, in everyday colors; white, blue, striped. They were simple and clean, and for the right price, it's all good. But then that's the problem with the Gap now, it's all good -- and nothing great.

The Gap seems to be on cruise control. Everything about it seems average. It's not that it doesn't offer nice clothes, it's just that I can get them anywhere. I can find the same merchandise at any number of stores including some places that have not been traditional competitors until now, like JC Penny (NYSE: JCP), Sears Holdings (NASDAQ: SHLD), via catalog or online retailers such as Lands' End (owned by Sears) and many more. Equally important, the Gap seems to have lost its ability to distinguish itself in any way except for Gap Kid's which I think has more to offer. The Old Navy Stores and Banana Republic owned by Gap Inc. at least conjure up some image or separate identity.

Speaking about average, I checked out the stock to find it closed yesterday at $18.78 within pennies of its 52 week average, between a low of $15.91 and its high of 21.39. How nice that it pays a dividend, but it too is average with a yield of 1.7%. Its profits margins are low to average, its ROE is average and lower than its P/E around 21 which is too high. And so I cruised past the stores and now have cruised past the stock and if you should be thinking about investing in the Gap, I recommend you cruise on by as well.

But don't just take my word for it. Yesterday my young BloggingStocks colleague Zac Bissonnette posted Gap hopes white t-shirt is its savior, outlining a similar view in portraying a petty attempt by Gap to Glam Up...Not!

Those of you who are new to BloggingStocks can check out my other stories and read Chasing Value or Serious Money to find more potential opportunities and verify my track record as well.

Sheldon Liber is the CEO of a small private investment company and the vice president for design and research at an architecture & planning firm. Check out his other posts for BloggingStocks here.

Chasing Value: Cruising past the GAP - the stores & the stock originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 18 Jul 2007 15:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.