Expedia takes off

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

Description: Shares of the travel site are soaring after the company crushes earnings forecasts yet again, raising the bar for rivals Priceline and Orbitz. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 26, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2012/10/26/investing-expedia-priceline-orbitz.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Why do you suppose Expedia has performed better than other online competitors? How important is “brand” in… Read more »

Sparks Fly With Greg Smith Over Goldman Sachs Book

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

Description: Bloomberg Television recaps the discussion between former Goldman Sachs employee Greg Smith and Bloomberg’s Stephanie Ruhle on his career at Goldman Sachs and the reasons why he wrote his book, “Why I Left Goldman Sachs.” He speaks on Bloomberg Television’s “Market Makers.” Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Oct 25, 2012 Link: http://bloom.bg/SiOE6B#ooid=JhYTZjNjpkF3-sNmTXx_b4-fCePOVqwF Questions… Read more »

Citi Chairman Is Said to Have Planned Chief’s Exit Over Months

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Description:  Vikram Pandit’s last day at Citigroup swung from celebratory to devastating in a matter of minutes. Having fielded congratulatory e-mails about the earnings report in the morning that suggested the bank was finally on more solid ground, Mr. Pandit strode into the office of the chairman at day’s end on Oct. 15 for what… Read more »

A Bank CEO Thrives Far From Wall Street

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: Can Wall Street can still be home to a successful, long-serving, largely noncontroversial chief executive officer? An UnBlankfein? Or AntiPandit? Source: Businessweek.com Date: Oct 26, 2012 Link:  http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2012-10-26/a-bank-ceo-thrives-far-from-wall-street#r=hp-lst Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about the banking industry, leadership, and financial performance?  

Billions in Hidden Riches for Family of Chinese Leader

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

Description:  The mother of China’s prime minister was a schoolteacher in northern China. His father was ordered to tend pigs in one of Mao’s political campaigns. And during childhood, “my family was extremely poor,” the prime minister, Wen Jiabao, said in a speech last year. Source:  NYTimes.com Date: Oct 25, 2012 Link:  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/10/26/business/global/family-of-wen-jiabao-holds-a-hidden-fortune-in-china.html?ref=business Questions for… Read more »

Southwest CEO: Higher oil prices ahead

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Economic Analysis, Financial Planning, Management Issues.

Description: Southwest Airlines’ Gary Kelly says the outlook for fuel prices in the fourth quarter is getting worse. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 18, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/10/18/n-southwest-gary-kelly.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Summarize the state of business affairs at Southwest. How is Gary Kelly planning to deal with rising fuel costs over the next few… Read more »

Ben Stein on How to Ruin Your Financial Life

Posted by & filed under Financial Planning, Growth & Valuation.

Description: Actor, economist and author Ben Stein on The News Hub discusses steps you can take to really ruin your financial life. Photo: AP. Source: Moneywatch.com – video report Date: Oct 18, 2012 Link: http://on.wsj.com/Tkfhe0 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the advice presented by Ben Stein. Do you agree with his analysis and recommendations for individuals?

Wealthy Advised to Sell for Gains Before Unfriendly 2013

Posted by & filed under Financial Planning, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation.

Description:  Sell. That’s the message from some financial advisers, who are telling wealthy clients that the remainder of 2012 amounts to a last-chance sale on federal tax rates. Taxes are set to rise in January in the U.S., pushing the top rate on dividends to 43.4 percent from 15 percent and the top rate on… Read more »

Addepar’s Software for the Super-Rich

Posted by & filed under Financial analysis.

Description:  About nine years ago, Joe Lonsdale started working at Clarium Capital Management, the hedge fund of billionaire technology investor Peter Thiel. Lonsdale was fresh out of Stanford University and had little practical experience in finance, but found himself consulting on Thiel’s early investment in Facebook (FB) and overseeing projects for Clarium’s other holdings. On… Read more »

Wall Street Week Ahead: Investors face earnings blitz with dread

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Description:  U.S. earnings started the quarter on the wrong foot, and things have only gotten worse. Source: Reuters.com Date: Oct 19, 2012 Link:  http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/10/20/us-usa-stocks-weekahead-idUSBRE89J00620121020 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the concerns over earnings being reported. How should investors interpret these reports? What will the affect be on stock prices, in your opinion? How will the markets… Read more »