Description: Oculus CEO Brendan Iribe tells CNNMoney’s Laurie Segall why Facebook became interested in buying his company. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Apr 11, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2014/04/11/t-oculus-facebook-brendan-iribe.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: Why did Facebook buy Oculus, according to this report? How necessary was the financial input of Facebook money for Oculus to move forward? How… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Growth & Valuation
Pimco’s Bill Gross Picks Up the Pieces
Description: There is no one who talks quite like Bill Gross, the co-founder of Pimco. He is perhaps the most influential financial manager of the past two decades, yet his stories involve an equal mix of whimsy and sheepishness, with fragments of Joni Mitchell songs, Howdy Doody vignettes, and references to classic American diner food… Read more »
Is the U.S. stock market rigged?
Description: Steve Kroft reports on a new book from Michael Lewis that reveals how some high-speed traders work the stock market to their advantage Source: CBSNews.com – video report Date: Mar 30, 2014 Link: http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/is-the-us-stock-market-rigged Questions for Discussions: Explain how high-speed traders were able to exploit the trading environments. How was the problem solved? How… Read more »
Teen Retailers: Who’s Worth Buying?
Description: Should you invest in what your kid’s like to wear? We put the three A’s under the spotlight: Aeropostale, American Eagle, and Ambercrombie & Fitch. Source: BNN.com – video report Date: Apr 04, 2014 Link: http://watch.bnn.ca/#clip1078271 Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial highlights presented in this report and the reasons for the decline at… Read more »
El-Erian: Cautious optimism about Greece’s return to capital markets
Description: Renewed access to financing must not divert the debt-troubled nation from implementing critical economic reforms. Source: Fortune.com Date: Apr 03, 2014 Link: http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2014/04/03/el-erian-caution-optimism-about-greeces-return-to-capital-markets/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for discussion: Summarize El-Erian’s assessment of investing in Greek debt and how the Greek government is managing that debt. How would you categorize the risk associated with Greek debt today?
The Pow! Bang! Bam! Plan to Save Marvel, Starring B-List Heroes
Description: It’s been four years since Disney purchased Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion. At the time, it wasn’t hailed as a brilliant move. Disney’s stock price sank on news of the deal. Superheroes were hot properties in Hollywood, but Disney was spending billions for a company that had years ago signed away the film rights… Read more »
Candy Crush IPO to raise billions
Description: King Digital, the creator of the insanely popular Candy Crush Saga game, is going public. CNN’s Samuel Burke speaks with subway riders on how addictive the game is. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Mar 24, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2014/03/24/candy-crush-ipo-kin-social-media-game-smartphone.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: How does Candy Crush generate revenue? Do you think the company is… Read more »
As whiskey market consolidates, a skirmish in Tennessee
Description: The bourbon bubble continues to expand, and a handful of multinationals strengthens its collective grip on the whiskey market. Source: Fortune.com Date: Mar 27, 2014 Link: http://features.blogs.fortune.cnn.com/2014/03/27/tennessee-whiskey/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for discussion: Describe the competitive landscape in this industry. Is it likely to be opened up by government legislation to greater competition as happened with craft… Read more »
More Coffee, Please: Cafés Are Growing Faster Than Their Fast-Food Peers
Description: If you’ve tracked how much money you spent at coffee shops in the past few years, there’s a good chance it has gone up. The trend is reflected in rising same-store sales at Starbucks (SBUX) (8 percent in 2013) and Dunkin’ Donuts (DNKN) (3.4 percent). Even if you prefer a boutique coffee shop, it’s hard to… Read more »
Japan’s Jeff Bezos on $900M Viber buy
Description: Rakuten CEO Hiroshi Mikitani explains why the $900 million purchase of messaging app Viber was a smart business move and how it will differ from Facebook’s Whatsapp. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Mar 21, 2014 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2014/03/21/ceo-rakuten-hiroshi-mikitani-japan-viper-app-ecommerce.cnnmoney/index.html Questions for Discussions: What is the basis for the acquisition price paid for Viber? Do you… Read more »
