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 »
Posts Categorized: Growth & Valuation
Who loses if Apple buys Beats
Description: By purchasing Dr. Dre-backed Beats, Apple would gain a music subscription service and high-end headphone maker. Time to play a funeral dirge for publicly traded Pandora and Skullcandy? Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 09, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/09/investing-the-buzz-apple-skullcandy-pandora-beats.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Why is this deal bad news for competitors like Pandora and Skullcandy?… Read more »
K-Cups killing it for Keurig
Description: Looks like short sellers betting against Keurig Green Mountain may be getting squeezed again. The stock is hotter than a freshly brewed K-Cup due to better-than-expected earnings and revenue. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 08, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/08/investing-the-buzz-keurig-green-mountain-coffee-roasters-starbucks.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Why do you think short sellers are drawn to this stock?… Read more »
Why Oil Prices Haven’t Gone Crazy
Description: The oil markets have plenty of reasons to be spooked. In Libya, home to Africa’s largest reserves, production has fallen more than 80 percent since militias seized control of the country’s biggest ports last summer. Most of Iran’s oil remains trapped as well. Sanctions aimed at punishing Iran for its nuclear weapons program have crippled… Read more »
Wall Street disconnects from LinkedIn
Description: LinkedIn’s stock is having a dismal 2014 despite hitting a subscriber milestone of 300 million. Is the company just overvalued like we’ve seen with other tech stocks? Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 02, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/05/02/investing-the-buzz-linkedin-social-media.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial performance of LinkedIn as described in this report. Do you… Read more »
Billionaires who control the strings
Description: Dan Loeb, David Einhorn, Bill Ackman and Eddie Lampert are a breed of billionaires coined ‘activist investors’ who use their clout to influence change in companies. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: May 01, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/pf/2014/04/30/romans-ackman-icahn-eddie-lampoert-einhorn-herbalife.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What are ‘activist investors’, as defined by this report? How do they participate in… Read more »
Twitter is a #trainwreck
Description: Twitter is great for journalists. But it seems to be losing momentum. Unless it adds more users, it will never be as successful a stock as Facebook. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Apr 30, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/04/30/investing-the-buzz-twitter-facebook-social-media-mobile.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Why has Twitter stock not performed well, according to the report? Do you… Read more »
Top Clinton Aides Blew a Chance to Avert the Financial Crisis
Description: The U.S. economy and the stock market were booming on April 21, 1998, when the heaviest hitters of the Clinton administration met to discuss a controversial topic: whether the government should regulate a profitable but risky corner of the financial markets. Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin, the former Goldman Sachs (GS) co-chairman, attended. So did… Read more »
Sen. Warren: Onus on you, Mr. Regulator
Description: Sen. Elizabeth Warren explains why financial regulators — including ones in her own party — need to get tougher with the U.S. banking system and says she has ‘a lot of tools in the toolbox’ to passing legislation. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Apr 24, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2014/04/25/elizabeth-warren-bank-regulators-finance-reform-congress-consumer-protection-financial-bureau.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Do you… Read more »
El-Erain fears ‘global recession’
Description: Chief Economic Adviser at Allianz Mohamed El-Erian says without a political solution in Ukraine, sanctions could lead to increased energy prices and a global recession. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: April 24, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/04/25/investing-russia-ukraine-economic-sanctions-global-markets-recession-risk.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize Mohamed El-Erian’s concerns for the global economy. Do you agree with his analysis? How… Read more »
