Apple has its mojo back

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Description: Apple investors have reason to be excited again. iOS 8 is coming. So is the big stock split. And remember that Beats deal? Tim Cook is making his mark. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 23, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/23/investing-the-buzz-apple-tim-cook-ipad-iphone.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Why has Apple stock value recovered so much according to the… Read more »

Apple is in trouble and here’s why

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Description: Chamath Palihapitiya, former Facebook Vice President of Growth for Mobile and International, discusses Facebook’s and Google’s acquisition strategies on Bloomberg Television’s “Bloomberg West.” (Source: Bloomberg) Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 23, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/video/do-facebook-s-recent-acquisitions-make-sense-ZXH3LiaTQxWPgqHUqHUQEQ.html Questions for discussion: Why is Apple in trouble, according to Chamath Palihapitiya? How should investors use the opinions… Read more »

All about the bling! Tiffany shines

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Description: Tiffany’s shares are soaring as consumers can’t get enough little blue boxes. But it’s not the only luxury retailer doing well. Nordstrom and Michael Kors have reported strong earnings this year too. Source: CNN.com – video report Date: May 21, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/21/investing-the-buzz-tiffany-diamonds-michael-kors-nordstrom-luxury.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about Tiffany stock… Read more »

Red Lobster’s Sale Embroils Its Parent in a Fight

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Description: Peeved over the pending sale of Red Lobster, an investment firm wants to replace Darden Restaurants’ (DRI) board of directors. Starboard Value, an activist hedge fund in New York, contends that Darden has “essentially given away” the seafood chain in its recent $2.1 billion agreement to sell it to Golden Gate Capital, a private equity… Read more »

Golf Market Stuck in Bunker as Thousands Leave the Sport

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

Description: The golf industry is in the rough. Once the go-to activity for corporate bonding, the sport is suffering from an exodus of players, a lack of interest among millennials and the mass closure of courses. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: May 23, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-05-23/golf-market-stuck-in-bunker-as-thousands-leave-the-sport.html Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about the reasons… Read more »

Tim Geithner responds to critics

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

Description: Former U.S. Secretary of the Treasury Timothy Geithner says the banking industry is like ‘the power grid’ and that the economic recovery from the financial crisis is ‘moderate.’ Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 15, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2014/05/15/n-tim-geithner-financial-crisis-economic-recovery-criticism.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the explanations provided by Tim Geithner for the way he handled… Read more »

Wal-Mart woes deeper than winter snow

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Description: It was a rough winter for retailers and Wal-Mart was no exception. But the company also issued weak guidance for the warmer second quarter as it boosts investments to remain competitive against Amazon and Costco. Source: CNN.com – video report Date: May 15, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/15/investing-the-buzz-walmart-retailers-kohls.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Why did Wal-Mart miss earnings… Read more »

Sears is in serious trouble

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Description: Sears used to be an American retail icon. Ditto for Sears-owned Kmart. But with sales plunging and losses mounting, the only thing left for Sears to do is sell assets and close stores. That’s not a reason to buy the stock. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 15, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/14/investing-the-buzz-sears-kmart-retailer-eddie-lampert.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for… Read more »

Companies Choose Profits Over Productivity

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

Description: When the U.S. economy emerged from the recession in June 2009, productivity was rising at a fast clip. Companies had spent the downturn cutting jobs and were lean and efficient. Productivity—output per hour worked—jumped 5.5 percent in the fourth quarter from a year earlier as workers did more with less. But as the recovery has chugged… Read more »

Meet the Father of the Modern IPO

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Description: In 1984, Eric Dobkin was working for Goldman Sachs (GS), selling stocks to professional money managers, when he was handed an assignment: The bank ranked a lowly ninth in underwriting new stock offerings. Fix it. Source: Businessweek.com Date: May 15, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-05-15/eric-dobkin-father-of-the-modern-ipo#r=hpt-ls Questions for discussion: Summarize the way IPOs are handled today, according… Read more »