Description:Â Fictitious trading and brazen gambling by a single individual could have brought down the Swiss financial giant UBS, a British prosecutor said on Friday at the trial of a former bank employee accused of causing a multibillion-dollar trading loss. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Sep 14, 2012 Link:Â http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/as-his-fraud-trial-opens-ex-ubs-trader-is-accused-of-brazen-gambling/?ref=business Questions for Discussions: Summarize the highlights of… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Growth & Valuation
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 »
Too quick to a call bottom for U.S. home prices: Shiller
Description: The much-anticipated bottom of the U.S. housing market may finally be upon us, as the closely watched S&P/Case Shiller index of home prices rose 0.5 percent from last year – marking the first time since 2010 that home prices increased year-over-year. Source: BNN.ca – video report Date: Sep 07, 2012 Link: http://www.bnn.ca/News/2012/9/7/Too-quick-to-a-call-bottom-for-US-home-prices-Shiller.aspx Questions for… Read more »
Are the Big Banks Keeping Their Commitment to Small Businesses?
Description:  Last September in Cleveland, 13 of the nation’s largest banks stood beside Vice President Joseph R. Biden Jr. and Karen Mills, chief of the Small Business Administration, and announced a commitment to increase small-business lending by $20 billion over the following three years. Source: NYTimes.com Date: Sep 06, 2012 Link: http://boss.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/09/06/are-the-big-banks-keeping-their-commitment-to-small-businesses/?ref=smallbusiness Questions for Discussions: … Read more »
The Mystery Man Behind Weight Watchers And The Private Equity Deal Of The Century
Description:Â The private equity industry has produced legendary investors like Steve Schwarzman, David Rubenstein and Mitt Romney. But none of these guys have done a deal quite like Raymond Debbane, an unknown and secretive private equity investor who is based in New York. Debbane is the man behind Weight Watchers International, which is the private… 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 »
Facebook Shares Hit New Lows
Description: Facebook shares fell 5% to new lows Friday as two analysts from firms that underwrote its initial public offering cut their price targets on the shares, Paul Vigna reports on the News Hub. Photo: AP. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report Date: Aug 31, 2012 Link: http://on.wsj.com/R3hzXy Questions for Discussions: Summarize the explanation in this… Read more »
Reduced Estimate for Facebook Revenues
Description:Â Ad, other revenues at the site will fall short of expectations Source: eMarketer.com Date: Aug 31, 2012 Link:Â http://www.emarketer.com/Article.aspx?R=1009314&ecid=a6506033675d47f881651943c21c5ed4#LSUMqlXHZEGugLmO.99 Questions for Discussions: Why has eMarketer reduced its forecast of ad revenues? What is the basis for their forecast? What does this say about the risks associated with forecasts, especially for firms like Facebook? How… 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?
How financial feminists invest $64 million
Description: From a Dry Soda company to biodegradable diapers, Golden Seeds is making money by investing in women-led start-ups. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: Aug 24, 2012 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2012/08/24/n-golden-seeds.cnnmoney/ Questions for Discussions: Is there a fundamental advantage or disadvantage to investing this way? Why might firms run by women have greater financial success?
