Description: Companies sitting on almost $3 trillion in cash are starting to spend it, putting what is typically the slowest month for mergers and acquisitions on course to be the busiest this year. Source: Businessweek.com Date: 08/20/2010 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2010-08-20/m-a-sees-august-revival-as-companies-tap-3-trillion.html  Questions for discussion: Summarize the current state of M&A activity? What are the reasons for… Read more »
Posts Categorized: Growth & Valuation
News Hub: Yellow Flags Ahead for Investors
Description: Brett Arends tells Simon Constable and Michael Casey a few of his ten reasons why investors should becautious ahead. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 08/13/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/news-hub-yellow-flags-ahead-for-investors/3E054F1A-9AAE-4733-B2A4-59E18B0DEEC9 Questions for discussion: Summarize the concerns expressed in this report. Do you agree with the primary points – especially those related to deflation? What investing… Read more »
Apple sets sights on Exxon value
Description: Apple’s super streak gives it a market valuation second only to the oil behemoth Exxon Mobil. But readers of ‘The Buzz’ are skeptical. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 08/06/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2010/08/06/n_bz_apple_exxon_mobile.cnnmoney/ Questions for discussion: Summarize the reasons given for the overvaluation of Apple stock? What were the arguments that suggest Apple is not overvalued… Read more »
BP Considers Cut to Dividend
Description: BP is considering reducing its dividends to help quell political uproar against the company. Meanwhile, the U.S. raised estimates of the oil gushing from the crippled Gulf of Mexico well. Monica Langley, Dennis Berman, Evan Newmark and Bruce Orwall discuss. Also, a discussion of Saturday’s World Cup soccer match between England and the U.S…. Read more »
Market Edge: Dividend Hike a Healthy Sign
Description: Companies that regularly increase their dividend payments are often steady stock picks, according to Don Taylor, manager of Franklin Rising Dividends Fund, who talks with MarketWatch’s Jonathan Burton about the stocks that meet his investment criteria. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 05/17/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/market-edge-dividend-hike-a-healthy-sign/CFE526EF-6662-4AE0-B2F9-A80E7D6D5CD2 Questions for discussion: Summarize the thinking about growth,… Read more »
Steve Jobs Makes The Worst Trade Ever
Description: Brett Arends tells us about one of the greatest trade blunders ever – a decision by Steve Jobs in 2003 to accept a safer but much lower returning investment in exchange for his 55 million Apple Stock options, now worth nearly $13 billion. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 05/18/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/steve-jobs-makes-the-worst-trade-ever/74CD1F05-723A-4E63-BB16-DA4AC94AFFD5 Questions… Read more »
IBM to Spend $20 Billion on Takeovers Through 2015
Description: International Business Machines Corp. Chief Executive Officer Sam Palmisano, seeking to boost earnings by focusing on software and services, said he plans to spend $20 billion on acquisitions in the next five years. Source: Bloomberg.com  Date: 05/12/2010 Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=newsarchive&sid=aRqLcBIcjkcE Questions for discussion: What is the significance of IBM’s announcement? Why are acquisitions an… Read more »
Apple earnings soar on strong iPhone, Mac sales
Description: Apple Inc said Tuesday that profit rose 90% in its fiscal second quarter as it sold almost 9 million iPhones, easily topping analyst estimates in both profit and sales amid a surge in demand in international markets. Source: Marketwatch.com  Date: 04/20/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/apple-earnings-soar-on-strong-iphone-sales-2010-04-20?siteid=nwtwk Questions for discussion: As an investor with a one year… Read more »
Top tech companies 5 years from now
Description: Now that 2010’s Fortune 500 list is out, Techmate debates which companies are likely to rise or fall on the list in 2015. Source: CNNMoney.com – video report Date: 04/16/2010 Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2010/04/16/tm_fortune_500_5yrs.fortune/ Questions for discussion: Do you agree with the analysis presented? Which other companies do you think offer good chance for capiatl growth?
Value Investing for the Next Decade
Description: Long-duration investing is about finding well-established companies to buy and hold for the next 10 years, according to fund manager Bill Smead, who favors pharmaceutical, housing and equity-fund plays. Matt Andrejczak reports. Source: Marketwatch.com – video report  Date: 03/16/2010 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/video/asset/value-investing-for-the-next-decade/49B13123-0A86-4B78-ACD1-85EF967190FC Questions for discussion: Why do you believe investors are holding stocks for… Read more »
