This company loves the snow

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Description: Let it snow. Douglas Dynamics, a maker of snow plows, loves the winter weather. It reported strong earnings and its stock (ticker symbol PLOW) is up on the news. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Mar 05, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/03/11/buzz-douglas-dynamics-snow-plows.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Is it likely the firm would experience increases year over year… Read more »

Dividend Stocks Fall on Rising Rate Forecast: EcoPulse

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Description: Shares of high-dividend-yielding companies are trading near the lowest level in almost three years relative to the market, as the prospect of higher interest rates makes these stocks less attractive to investors. Source: Bloomberg.com Date: Mar 14, 2014 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-03-14/dividend-stocks-fall-on-rising-rate-forecast-ecopulse.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons for investor rotation into and out of these… Read more »

Puerto Rico Gets a Break With Rates on Its Bonds

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial analysis, Governments & Regulators.

Description: Puerto Rico is expected to sell roughly $3 billion in bonds on Tuesday at interest rates that are considerably lower than many investors in the municipal market had expected, providing a rare bright spot for the cash-squeezed island. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Mar 10, 2014 Link: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/03/10/puerto-rico-gets-a-break-with-rates-on-its-bonds/?ref=economy Questions for discussion: What are the concerns to… Read more »

How Ukraine crisis affects your money

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial analysis, Governments & Regulators, Market Analysis.

Description: Stocks, energy prices, commodities and gold are a few of the ways the escalating tensions in Ukraine and Russia could affect your finances. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Mar 03, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/03/03/investing-ukraine-russia-global-markets-stocks-energy-commodities-grains-gold.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: How does the Ukraine crisis affect economic and business activity, according to the report? How have investors… Read more »

Tesla Looks Like a Bubble, Will It Pop?

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Description: After years of being underappreciated by Wall Street, financial analysis’s are predicting ludicrous growth rates for Elon Musk’s electric car company. Source: TheDailyBeast.com Date: Mar 01, 2014 Link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2014/03/01/tesla-looks-like-a-bubble-will-it-pop.html Questions for discussion: Summarize the financial history of the firm. Why do you think it has performed so well? Do you believe Tesla looks like… Read more »

Can’t Get a Bank Loan? The Alternatives Are Expanding

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Description: Ivan Rincon’s products may have been skimpy, but he was convinced his growth prospects were not. Orchid Boutique, the online swimwear shop he founded six years ago in Miami with his wife, Mayra, was approaching $3 million in annual sales. It had been profitable since 2010, he said, with margins that ran between 10… Read more »

Zuckerberg on WhatsApp acquisition

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Description: Facebook CEO, in his keynote at Mobile World Congress, says WhatsApp was a “great fit” for the social network. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Feb 24, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2014/02/24/t-zuckerberg-on-whatsapp-acquisition.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: How does Mark Zukerberg justify the valuation for WhatsApp? Do you believe it is a good deal for Facebook investors? How… Read more »

Buffett: We’d like to own more of Heinz

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Description: Warren Buffett may end up putting more money into ketchup maker Heinz. Source: Fortune.com Date: Feb 28, 2014 Link: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2014/03/01/buffett-heinz/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the highlights presented in this report. Do you think the investment in Heinz was a good one? Would you be buying more?

Institutional ownership of Apple stock reaches new 5-year low

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Description: Institutional ownership of large-cap stocks is currently at high levels, but there is one glaring exception to that trend: Apple, which is currently at a five-year low among hedge funds, banks, mutual funds, and other powerful types of financial institutions. Source: Appleinsider.com Date: Feb 26, 2014 Link: http://appleinsider.com/articles/14/02/26/institutional-ownership-of-apple-stock-reaches-new-5-year-low Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial… Read more »