Train stocks go off the rails

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

Description: Shares of railroad giant CSX are down sharply due to lower coal shipments, a sign that the recent tear in transportation stocks may be nearing an end. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Jan 16, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/01/16/investing-the-buzz-csx-railroad-transportation-norfolk-southern-union-pacific.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about rail stocks in general and CSX in… Read more »

Yahoo’s Asian Lifeline

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Description: Yahoo’s core business has been eroding. It’s lost ground in display advertising and in online search, and the Wall Street consensus is that its revenue declined last year. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Jan 18, 2014 Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/19/technology/yahoos-asian-lifeline.html?ref=technology Questions for Discussions: What does the report say about how investors are approaching investing in Yahoo? Do you… Read more »

Stocks: Talk of a market bubble is the real bubble

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

Description: Bitcoin may be a bubble. Twitter (TWTR) may be a bubble. Talking incessantly about how cold it is (“It’s frickin freezing in here Mr. Bigglesworth!”) may be a bubble. But the broader stock market? That is not a bubble. Source: CNNMoney.com Date: Jan 07, 2014 Link: http://buzz.money.cnn.com/2014/01/07/bubble/ Questions for Discussions: Explain the meaning of… Read more »

The $20 book that companies are betting could save them $100,000 or more

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Description: CBS, Michael Dell, and others are giving David Agus’s A Short Guide to a Long Life to their employees to encourage good health. Source: Fortune.com Date: Jan 17, 2014 Link: http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2014/01/17/the-20-book-that-companies-are-betting-could-save-100000-or-more/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for Discussions: What is the message to managers and employees? What are the cost and benefits contributions to cash flow and cost… Read more »

Netflix hit by Morgan Stanley downgrade

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

Description: Shares of Netflix tumbled after Morgan Stanley downgraded the stock due to fears of increased competition and that investors have unreasonably high expectations for subscriber gains. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Jan 07, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/01/07/investing-the-buzz-netflix-streaming-house-of-cards-dvds-amazon-prime-hulu-hbo-go.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the reasons for the downgrade. Do you think Netflix will remain overvalued like… Read more »

At Wal-Mart, moving the needle on e-commerce

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Description:  The retailer’s global e-commerce chief, Neil Ashe, sits down with Fortune’s Adam Lashinsky in Las Vegas to talk struggles and strategy. Source:  Fortune.com – video report Date: Jan 07, 2014 Link: http://tech.fortune.cnn.com/2014/01/07/at-walmart-moving-the-needle-on-e-commerce/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about Wal-Mart’s ecommerce strategic thinking? What are the financial issues facing the firm as… Read more »

Four charts that explain the 2014 market so far

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

Description: As new-year pension money pours in, the stock market is screaming higher today. The true test will be when the very short-term oversold condition is relieved. In spite of today’s rally, the first three days have a major significance that investors should pay attention to. Source: Marketwatch.com Date: Jan 07, 2014 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/four-charts-that-explain-the-2014-market-so-far-2014-01-07 Questions… Read more »

Apple Users Spent $10 Billion on Apps in 2013

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Description: Apple (AAPL) offered one of its periodic check-ins on activity in the App Store Tuesday, and announced that its users spent $10 billion last year in the App Store, with $1 billion coming in December alone. Source:  Businessweek.com Date: Jan 07, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-01-07/apple-users-spent-10-billion-on-apps-in-2013 Questions for Discussions: What is the financial significance of the… Read more »

UPDATE 4-JPMorgan to pay over $2 billion to settle Madoff case

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

Description:  JPMorgan Chase & Co will pay more than $2 billion of penalties to settle charges by U.S. federal authorities that it failed to report suspicious activity involving Bernard Madoff’s Ponzi scheme. Source:  Reuters.com Date: Jan 07, 2014 Link: http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/01/07/jpmorgan-madoff-deal-idINL2N0KH0ZP20140107 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the illegal behaviors for which the bank is being fined. Why… Read more »