Description: Alibaba’s IPO pop was stupendous. Wall Street and its favorite clients get billions of dollars in found money. And those who let this happen should be thoroughly ashamed. Source: Fortune.com Date: Sep 19, 2014 Link: http://fortune.com/2014/09/19/alibaba-ipo-its-official-wall-street-wins-you-will-lose/ Questions for Discussions: What is the basis for the criticism in this report? Do you agree?
Posts Categorized: Financial analysis
A deep look at poverty in Asia
Description: Interview with Shang Jin Wei, Chief economist with Asia Development Bank. Source: BNN.ca – video report Date: Sep 11, 2014 Link: http://www.bnn.ca/Video/player.aspx?vid=438737 Questions for Discussions: Describe the level of poverty discussed in this report. How are governments and businesses dealing with the need to generate wealth? Do you think globally operating businesses are unethical… Read more »
Square raises $100 million at $6 billion valuation
Description: Square raises another $100 million, and it isn’t done yet. Source: Fortune.com Date: Sep 12, 2014 Link: http://fortune.com/2014/09/12/square-raises-100-million-at-6-billion-valuation/ Questions for Discussions: Evaluate the risk associated with this company in light of the competitive environment and costs of building a network of users. Do you believe the company can be made into an attractive acquisition… Read more »
Blackstone’s $26 Billion Hilton Deal: The Best Leveraged Buyout Ever
Description: In the early spring of 2009, with the recession deepening, Christopher Nassetta stood alone in an empty house in Arlington, Va., surrounded by moving boxes and trying not to despair. Source: Businessweek.com Date: Sep 12, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-11/blackstones-hilton-deal-best-leveraged-buyout-ever#r=nav-f-story Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial highlights in this story. Do you agree with assessment that… Read more »
AES powering the world
Description: Interview with CEO Andres Gluski and perspectives on the electricity generating business around the word. Source: BNN.ca – video report Date: Aug 21, 2014 Link: http://www.bnn.ca/Video/player.aspx?vid=429528 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the electricity generating business as described by Andres Gluski. Has the firm performed well from an investor’s point of view? What risks are associated… Read more »
Alibaba Seeks $21.1 Billion in Record-Breaking U.S. IPO
Description: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., the e-commerce company whose fortunes surged along with China’s economy, plans an historic U.S. initial public offering that may also claim the global record. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Sep 06, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-05/alibaba-seeks-21-1-billion-in-record-breaking-u-s-ipo-3-.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial highlights described in this report that argue for and against the IPO… Read more »
Alibaba’s expected blockbuster IPO may mean garage sale of less attractive tech stocks
Description: Investors are looking over portfolios to make room for Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holdings Inc’s market debut next month – and that means some less attractive stocks that funds are holding might be shown the door. Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Aug 26, 2014 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/08/26/alibabas-expected-blockbuster-ipo-may-mean-garage-sale-of-less-attractive-tech-stocks/ Questions for Discussions: How might Alibaba’s IPO affect individual… Read more »
Allergan’s attempts to elude Ackman’s bid fuel bearish bets
Description: Should Bill Ackman and Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc. fail in their bid to take over Allergan Inc., options traders will be hedged. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Aug 28, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-08-28/allergan-attempts-to-elude-ackman-bid-fuel-bearish-bets.html Questions for Discussions: What does this report say about the various strategies in play? What would you advise investors to do at this time?
Why Target will pull out all the stops to save face in Canada
Description: It only took 15 months after Target Corp. made a wildly hyped venture into Canada before someone sounded a death knell for the mass merchant. Source: FinancialPost.com Date: Aug 22, 2014 Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/08/22/why-target-will-pull-out-all-the-stops-to-save-face-in-canada/ Questions for discussion: What is the financial damage to Target due to its poor performance? How would you deal with the… Read more »
Canada’s very own private-equity giant Onex quietly tops returns of big-name U.S. rivals
Description: The best performer of the biggest publicly traded private-equity firms this year won’t be found among U.S. giants such as Blackstone Group LP or KKR & Co. The leader is Canada’s own contender, the dark horse in the race, Gerry Schwartz’s Onex Corp. With a 15% stock gain, Onex is running well ahead of… Read more »
