Description: Carl Icahn, the billionaire activist investor, offered to buy Oshkosh Corp. (OSK) for about $3 billion, saying the supplier of military vehicles’ management has failed to deliver on pledges to improve profitability. Source: Businessweek.com Date: Oct 11, 2012 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-10-11/icahn-makes-offer-to-acquire-oshkosh-in-3-billion-deal#r=bloomberg Questions for Discussions: What are the financial and the managerial issues the firm is… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Financial analysis
Sprint Says It Is in Negotiations With Softbank of Japan
Description: Sprint Nextel confirmed on Thursday that it was in talks with Softbank of Japan over a “potential substantial investment.†A deal would give the struggling American cellphone service provider a deep-pocketed backer to help finance its turnaround effort. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Oct 11, 2012 Link: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/10/11/softbank-of-japan-said-to-near-a-deal-for-control-of-sprint/ Questions for Discussions: Explain the reasons for the… Read more »
5 charts every investor needs this quarter
Description: Neither previous quarterly performance nor the election year cycle have proved to be good predictors of the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s. Source: Moneywatch.com Date: Oct 05, 2012 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/5-charts-every-investor-needs-this-quarter-2012-10-05?dist=lcountdown Questions for Discussions: What do each of these charts tell you about investing? Which do you think is most relevant today? Which other charts would… Read more »
Bank of America to Pay $2.43 Billion to Settle Suit Over Merrill Deal
Description: Bank of America announced on Friday that it would pay $2.43 billion to settle a class action lawsuit related to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch, as the legal woes continue for the financial institution. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Sep 28, 2012 Link: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/09/28/bank-of-america-to-pay-2-43-billion-to-settle-class-action-over-merrill-deal/?ref=business Questions for Discussions: What lessons are there to be learned here for investors and… Read more »
Medicare Bills Rise as Records Turn Electronic
Description:Â When the federal government began providing billions of dollars in incentives to push hospitals and physicians to use electronic medical and billing records, the goal was not only to improve efficiency and patient safety, but also to reduce health care costs. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Sep 21, 2012 Link:Â http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/22/business/medicare-billing-rises-at-hospitals-with-electronic-records.html?_r=1&hp Questions for Discussions: What are… Read more »
Apple’s iPhone 5 Is Worth More Than The Efforts Of The Federal Reserve
Description: “In the face of “a suboptimal recovery†the Fed said it would persist until the outlook for the job market improves “substantiallyâ€, but a sceptical Mr Warsh said: “The iPhone 5 is going to do more for the real economy than QE3?. Source: Forbes.com Date: Sep 14, 2012 Link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/timworstall/2012/09/15/apples-iphone-5-is-worth-more-than-the-efforts-of-the-federal-reserve/ Questions for discussion: Summarize… Read more »
Bankers, Expect Your 2012 Bonus to be Down 30%
Description: As investment bank bonus pools continue to shrink, banks are expected to continue to layoff staff. The WSJ’s Deborah Kan speaks to Christian Brun from executive search firm Wellesley Partners about just how bad it’s about to get. Source: Moneywatch.com – video report Date: Sep 07, 2012 Link: http://on.wsj.com/Qi5MdW Questions for Discussions: According to… Read more »
Dallas Cowboys Lead NFL With $2.1 Billion Valuation
Description: The most famous quote attributed to legendary Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi is “winning isn’t everything, it’s the only thing.†But if Lombardi had coached in this era instead of the 1960s he may have substituted the word “marketing†for “winning.†Source: Forbes.com Date: Sep 05, 2012 Link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2012/09/05/dallas-cowboys-lead-nfl-with-2-1-billion-valuation/ Questions for Discussions: What… Read more »
Warren Buffett’s simple recipe for success
Description: I don’t know how to put this, but … Warren Buffett is awesome, and you and me, we almost certainly are not. Source: MontrealGazette.com Date: Aug 27, 2012 Link: http://www.montrealgazette.com/business/Warren+Buffett+simple+recipe+success/7152863/story.html#ixzz25E1ueyGx Questions for Discussions: What does this report suggest are the reasons for Buffett’s success? What sort of investor should emulate this strategic thinking?
Weak Sales and a Large Write-Down Give H.P. a Loss
Description:Â The pressure is building for Meg Whitman to make a miracle happen. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Aug 22, 2012 Link:Â http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/23/technology/weak-sales-hurt-hp-in-quarter.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial condition at HP and the industry in general. What can management do to affect change in a positive direction? Would you be an investor today?
