Is peer-to-peer lending online the future?

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

Description: Lending Club Founder and CEO Renaud Laplanche is disrupting traditional banking by getting investors to lend directly to consumers online. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 25, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2013/10/25/investing-lending-club-peer-to-peer-loans-banking.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Describe the business model presented in this report. What are the pros and cons to the regular banking system? Do… Read more »

Microsoft is a better investment that Amazon: Blair

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: Wedge Partners’ Brian Blair comments on today’s earnings reports from Microsoft and Amazon. He speaks with Jon Erlichman on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Oct 24, 2013 Link: http://bloom.bg/1cgtSB9 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the reasons for Microsoft bullishness according to Brian Blair. Do you agree? Explain why… Read more »

Callaway Golf swings closer to profits

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

Description: Chip Brewer, president and chief executive officer at Callaway Golf recaps third-quarter results and what the company is doing to grow sales and develop new products. He speaks on Bloomberg Television’s “In The Loop.” Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Oct 24, 2013 Link: http://bloom.bg/1chkmh6 Questions for Discussions: How has Callaway product development contributed… Read more »

An Intriguing Product That’s Too Complex for Many

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

Description: The sales pitches go something like this: A mutual fund that promises to zig when the rest of the stock market zags. Bond funds that protect investors when interest rates rise. Access to the most sophisticated hedge fund managers in the country, even if you’re not particularly wealthy. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Oct 25, 2013… Read more »

Is JPMorgan Getting a Bad Deal?

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

Description: In resolve a handful of state and federal investigations, JPMorgan Chase (JPM) has tentatively agreed to pay $13 billion—more, as my colleague Nick Summers points out, “than the combined salaries of every athlete in every major U.S. professional sport, with enough left over to buy every American a stadium hot dog.” Thirteen billion is also… Read more »

In defense of hedge funds

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

Description: Despite plenty of press indicating hedge funds do not beat the broader market, SkyBridge Capital founder Anthony Scaramucci says he can pick winners. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 18, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2013/10/18/investing-hedge-funds-return-anthony-scaramucci-skybridge-baseball.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What do you think of Anthony Scaramucci’s metaphorical comparison of hedge fund managers to baseball players? Do… Read more »

Google sales top estimates on boosted ad spending

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: Google Inc. reported sales that topped estimates during the third quarter as advertisers boosted spending on mobile and video promotions. Jon Erlichman reports on Bloomberg Television’s “Street Smart.” (Source: Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Oct 17, 2013 Link: http://bloom.bg/GSV8Y3 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial results for Google. The next day, Google… Read more »

Shiller predicts more property bubbles

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Growth & Valuation, Market Analysis.

Description: Economist and Nobel laureate Robert Shiller thinks human beings are ‘irrational in many ways,’ and sees a number of property bubbles forming around the world right now. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Oct 15, 2013 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2013/10/15/n-robert-shiller-nobel-economics-people-irrational-behavioral-finance.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for discussion: What does Robert Shiller think about human judgement? Do you agree with his… Read more »

Google Stock Tops $1,000, Highlighting a Tech Divide

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: Google has done something few companies ever do in the stock market: it has joined the $1,000 club. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Oct 18, 2013 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/19/technology/google-stock-scales-1000-a-share.html?_r=0&adxnnl=1&ref=business&adxnnlx=1382203603-zc642Xuu4AMH4ERvfO7rpg Questions for Discussions: Explain the rise in Google share value since its inception. Do you think Google and the other Internet businesses mentioned in the article are bubbles?

Target-Date Funds’ Risky Balancing Act

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

Description: Over the past decade, target-date funds have become a half-trillion-dollar industry by seeming to answer several of a typical investor’s prayers all at once. Source: Businessweek.com Date: Oct 17, 2013 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-10-17/target-date-funds-may-face-losses-when-interest-rates-rise#r=nav-fst Questions for Discussions: What are target-date funds? Do they remove the necessary financial planning to manage a fund? Do you think the… Read more »