Why Cisco parks $43 billion overseas

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Management Issues.

Description:    Cisco’s John Chambers says the 33% tax rate on foreign profits prevents companies from repatriating the money and creating jobs. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 01/26/2012 Link:  http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/26/n_davos_chambers_investment.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Where are Cisco’s profits invested in today’s global economy? How is this issue a business, economic, and political issue? Is there a… Read more »

Weidner: There’s a Rotten Side to Apple’s Success

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: Marketwatch’s David Weidner makes a stop on Mean Street to point out that amid all of Apple’s recently reported financial successes, there is a familiar dark side to all the good news. Photo: Reuters. Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 01/26/2012 Link:  http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/weidner-there-a-rotten-side-to-apple-success/595D3920-BA75-44B6-9C8D-E33B59F12A13 Questions for discussion: Summarize the criticisms levied against Apple? Are they… Read more »

At Credit Suisse, Toxic Bonuses Turn into Gold

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis.

Description:  At the depths of the financial crisis, senior bankers at Credit Suisse Group (CS) received $5.05 billion of junk-grade loans and commercial-mortgage-backed bonds as part of their annual bonuses. Those assets, considered long-shot investments when they were transferred to an internal employee fund in late 2008, offered the Swiss investment bank a way to… Read more »

Why you shouldn’t blame ETFs for wild markets

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Description:  Critics say the popular funds are causing stocks to swing wildly together. Finding proof is another matter. Source: Fortune.com Date: 01/27/2012 Link:  http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/01/27/etfs-market-swings/?iid=SF_F_Lead Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons ETFs are blamed. Do you agree with these views?

Bankers at Davos Humbler as Austerity Hits

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Description:  Leaders of the world’s biggest banks touted the virtues of austerity at the World Economic Forum in Davos — for themselves, not just for over-indebted governments. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: 01/26/2012 Link:  http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2012-01-26/incredible-shrinking-bankers-at-davos-humbler-as-austerity-hits.html Questions for discussion: According to the report, what are the key messages being sent to the banking industry? How do you think… Read more »

How the U.S. Lost Out on iPhone Work

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Financial Planning, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description:  When Barack Obama joined Silicon Valley’s top luminaries for dinner in California last February, each guest was asked to come with a question for the president. But as Steven P. Jobs of Apple spoke,President Obama interrupted with an inquiry of his own: what would it take to make iPhones in the United States? Source: … Read more »

How Nike keeps running up profits

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Management Issues.

Description:    With the stock up 120% in the last three years, Nike pushes more retail in emerging markets. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 01/20/2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/01/20/n_nike_china_oil.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Why are inventories a concern for a company like Nike? Do you think the growth prospects are good for the company? What level of growth… Read more »

Google Rarely Misses Estimates, So What Happened?

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis.

Description: Google’s fourth-quarter earnings rise but come in below analysts’ targets, and that doomed the search firm’s stock in late trades. Currency and tax issues, combined with a recent rally, set up the shares for a fall, according to MarketWatch tech editor Dan Gallagher. Lauren Rudser reports. Source:  Marketwatch.com – video report Date: 01/05/2012 Link: … Read more »

Bank investors better get used to low returns

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Description:  Reduced risk has translated into a return on shareholder’s equity that’s more akin to a sleepy regulated utility than a top investment firm. Source: Fortune.com Date: 01/20/2012 Link:  http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/01/20/bank-earnings-shareholder-return/?iid=SF_F_Lead Questions for discussion: Why are bank stock returns expected to be reduced? Do you agree with the explanation?

New Normal on Wall Street: Smaller and Restrained

Posted by & filed under Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description:  With firms like Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley reporting weak results for last year, Wall Street is having to confront doubts about itself. Source: NYTimes.com Date: 01/19/2012 Link:  http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/01/19/the-new-normal-on-wall-st-smaller-and-restrained/?ref=business Questions for discussion: Summarize the key points presented in the report. Do you agree with these assessments? Is this a good or bad scenario, in… Read more »