Continue reading Copper Gains Glamour as Hedge

Copper Gains Glamour as Hedge originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 07 Dec 2010 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Closing Bell: When Bad News Is Good News (INTC, TBT, PAR, NBG, SPWRA, TIF, F)

Closing Bell: When Bad News Is Good News (INTC, TBT, PAR, NBG, SPWRA, TIF, F) originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Ford Was Top Brand in Europe in March

Ford Was Top Brand in Europe in March originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 15 Apr 2010 09:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading CarMax Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview

CarMax Fourth Quarter Earnings Preview originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 31 Mar 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Nissan to Sell Electric Car for Less Than $44,300 -- a Bargain?

Nissan to Sell Electric Car for Less Than $44,300 -- a Bargain? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading Toyota President Asked to Testify Before House Committee

Toyota President Asked to Testify Before House Committee originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Thu, 18 Feb 2010 16:40:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Continue reading General Motors may decide the fate of Opel

General Motors may decide the fate of Opel originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Sep 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Can investing and collecting go hand-in-hand? Yes -- especially if you are collecting coins, stock certificates, bank notes, or other rare items of value. Larry Schutts, an expert in investment-related collectibles, will periodically review items of interest from his collection and answer your questions here.

The automobile has had a profound influence on the evolution of American culture. Our freedom to move from place to place in private vehicles is a primary factor in determining where we live, the way we work, and how we socialize. The development of the automotive industry followed the usual pattern. Initial efforts were privately funded, but subsequent improvements touched every aspect of the manufacturing process and ultimately required more sophisticated levels of financing. That led to a wide variety of corporate stock offerings. The old certificates are generally available at reasonable prices and are particular collector favorites. The appreciation levels associated with many of them makes them popular with the investment crowd, too. Compare twelve-year price gains of the specimens discussed below with advances in the Dow Jones Industrial Average (+10%) and the S&P 500 Index (+2%) over the same period.

Continue reading Collectible Investments: U.S. auto stock certificates

Collectible Investments: U.S. auto stock certificates originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 20 Jul 2009 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Americans driving less: Will we stay in 'shock' state? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 15:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

And is it surprising? No. Consumers aren't really looking for that second chopper these days, I don't think. Although Harley-Davidson is built to leverage the midlife crisis that many men go through when they reach middle age, I doubt that the crisis many middle-aged men are going through currently is purely life-related. I'd be willing to bet it is a crisis based on a hellishly large loss of confidence in the security of their golden years fueled by the declining total value of their retirement accounts. In a world where companies like Ford (NYSE: F) and General Motors (NYSE: GM) are having a hard time moving inventory, you can bet that it's not a walk in the park for a manufacturer of motorcycles.

Continue reading Harley-Davidson: Avoid for now

Harley-Davidson: Avoid for now originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 17 Oct 2008 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Well, I can't predict when the market will turn, or when Toyota's (NYSE: TM) stock will once again be in favor, but I can tell you that I won't be buying its shares here. According to this article, Toyota may not do as well as it planned in terms of sales in 2008 in the U.S. market. The company told investors that year-over-year growth in the number of cars sold is now in question. In 2007, Toyota moved 2.62 million automobiles in the U.S., and for 2008, Toyota wanted to sell 2.64 million cars.

I probably don't need to say it, but I will: considering the negative trends in oil futures, gas prices, consumer confidence, inflation, recession potential, and the housing industry, the fact that the stocks of Toyota, General Motors (NYSE: GM), and Ford (NYSE: F) are having a really tough time right now is not surprising. Toyota's stock closed down 2% on the news of the sales struggle at the end of Tuesday's trading session. That's not a particularly horrible downward move, and the stock is still a few bucks above its 52-week low, but I think there's a chance the stock will take out that low at some point.

Investing in the auto industry might be a dicey move here. Sure, you could pick up some bounces, but being early in this space could prove depressing for even the heartiest investor. Auto sales might get worse before they get better (they're pretty bad now as it is), so I'll stay away from Toyota and this sector.

Disclosure: I don't own any company mentioned here; positions can change at any time.

Even Toyota (TM) is going to struggle originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 25 Jun 2008 12:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

CarMax (KMX) profits plunge 55%, shares plunge 16% originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 20 Jun 2008 10:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

The tightening of access to credit and higher costs associated with financing hit used car seller CarMax Inc. (NYSE: KMX) right in the wallet. The company suffered a huge 48% drop in 4th quarter (4Q) net earnings, the vast majority of which stemmed from growing losses and increasing credit expenses in its auto finance unit. Thus unit posted a $1 million loss in 4Q2008, as compared to a $31.7 million profit in 4Q 2007. CarMax CEO Tom Folliard states the company is willing to tolerate such a loss in order to maintain in-house financing capabilities as a way to help boost sales and grow market share. But for how long? Fiscal Year (FY) 2008 earnings declined 8% as a result of the 4Q plunge.

CarMax is doing a whole lot of things right. 4Q sales increased 9% to just over $2 billion and FY 2008 sales increased 10% to $8.2 billion for used cars, to help counter a 20% decline in new car sales. Comparable store sales increased 3% and market share grew a bit. But in order to hit these numbers, CarMax dropped its gross profit per unit by $120. Average profit per unit sales was just over $2500.

"You can't sell what you can't finance" remains as true in the used car market as in real estate. Despite increasing costs for credit and financing, CarMax plans to continue its expansion plans, opening 14 used car superstores in 2009. Revenue is projected to grow in the 7-14% range based on modest growth in sales per unit volume. FY 2009 EPS is forecast at $0.78-$0.84. Used car retailers will remain in a much stronger financial position than new car retailers, at least for the foreseeable future.

Credit crunch hits used car market; CarMax profits drop 48% originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Apr 2008 16:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ford models lead list of 'most delightful vehicles' originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Tue, 08 Jan 2008 17:14:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Ford's Sync is a hit -- the new Focus, not so much originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 04 Jan 2008 09:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Nissan anticipates more U.S. market share in 2008 originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Fri, 21 Dec 2007 17:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

General Motors racing Toyota to 100% electric vehicle originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Just when it looked like things might be going right at Ford (NYSE: F), it may be going wrong again. The company, which reported a better third quarter than Wall Street expected, said that a bad U.S. economy might drive sales down and force the company to cut production on some vehicles. The No. 2 car maker has faced double digit sales declines in most of its monthly reports this year.

In statements picked up by Reuters, Ford CEO Alan Mulally said, "The business environment has clearly gotten tougher. It's gotten tougher and we want to be ready to move if we need to."

The comments cannot hearten the UAW, which just gave Ford a nifty new contract. Lower production and idling of plants generally means layoffs. The UAW may have won a big battle, but part of the war now still appears to be ahead.

Ford has reached an interesting tipping point. If it is going to compete with other large car companies in the U.S., it needs to have a full line of cars and light trucks. It also needs to have the capacity to increase production when the markets begin to improve. Ford may cut more workers, layoff more managers, and stop production at more facilities. But at some point, it is only half a car company by size. And that means an end to Ford as it has been known for almost 100 years.

Douglas A. McIntyre is an editor at 247wallst.com.

Ford ready to shelve some autos if sales fall further originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Wed, 14 Nov 2007 09:43:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Low-price entry level cars from car-makers like Kia may be attractive to a lot of young drivers. They're inexpensive (as low as $11,395 for a Kia Rio) and you still get that new car smell.

You may be able get more value and more safety in a used car but unfortunately, given the frequency of accidents involving new drivers, not enough attention is given to vehicle safety.

According to The New York Times, "A survey released in June by the Insurance Institute found that vehicles bought in anticipation of adding a new driver to the family were more likely to be of sizes and types considered less safe than vehicles already owned."

Experts recommend buying an older mid-size vehicle rather than a newer compact or, heaven forbid, an SUV or van. Studies have shown that the more passengers there are in a car, the more likely a new driver is to crash it.

The most important thing is to stand up to your kid and be the parent. Of course, few kids will feel cool driving a Volvo station wagon (the only kind of car my mother would let me drive), but trading coolness for safety is a deal parents have to be willing to make.

For more information, check out Consumer Reports' guide to Cars for Teen Drivers.

What kind of car should you buy for your young driver? originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 01 Oct 2007 18:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

I'm currently mulling buying a new car, hopefully something that does better on gas than the old Volvo I'm currently driving. Not knowing much about cars, but wanting to be a savvy consumer, I spent a little time Googling around for information on how to shop for a car. There were plenty of how-to guides, mostly filled with fairly obvious advice -- make a decision at your own pace, focus on the price not the payments if you are planning to finance, etc. But there was one article that, in addition to providing some valuable insight into car shopping, was also fascinating reading.

Edmunds.com hired journalist Chandler Phillips to go "undercover" and work at two new car dealerships in the Los Angeles area. He then wrote a 9-part series on the experience, and provides numerous tips for how to beat the car dealers by knowing how they think, how they're paid, and what the job is really like.

Chandler's top 7 things to remember should be planted firmly in your mind next time you go shopping for a ride:

1. Use the internet to research cars before you go to the dealer.
2. Take your time -- Don't let the dealer rush you into making a decision.
3. Trust your gut. Don't work with a dealer/dealership that you don't like.
4. Know the numbers for the car you want.
5. Visit more than one dealer before making a purchase.
6. Remember that even after a deal is agreed to, there is still negotiating to be done.
7. Never forget: It's your money.

Read this before you buy a car originally appeared on BloggingStocks on Mon, 06 Aug 2007 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.