How CrossFit Became A $4 Billion Brand

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: CrossFit CEO Greg Glassman has turned the fitness industry on its head. He’s done it, I think, by making CrossFit a mirror image of himself.

Source: Forbes.com

Date: Feb 25, 2015

Link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/mikeozanian/2015/02/25/how-crossfit-became-a-4-billion-brand/

Questions for discussion:

  • Explain the reasons for the extreme financial success of CrossFit.
  • Do you think Greg Glassman can maintain growth at the current rate?
  • How would you go about evaluating a buyout of the firm from Greg Glassman?

HSBC bank raided by Swiss authorities

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: The public prosecutor’s office in Geneva has opened a criminal inquiry into allegations of money laundering at HSBC.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Feb 17, 2015

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2015/02/18/hsbc-bank-raid.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are the concerns for investors if the investigations show illegal activities have been going on at the bank?
  • How is this a management problem?

The Hot New Statistic Oil Traders Are Eyeing Is 71 Years Old

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: (Bloomberg) — It was like clockwork. Every week since 1944, Baker Hughes Inc. would release its survey of how many rigs were out drilling for U.S oil and gas. And every week, oil and gas traders would, for the most part, overlook it.

Source: Bloomberg.com – video report

Date: Feb 18, 2015

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-18/the-hot-new-statistic-oil-traders-are-looking-at-is-71-years-old

Questions for Discussions:

  • What does the Baker-Hughes survey report?
  • What is the survey suggesting is happening in the oil market today?
  • How are traders reacting to this information?

If history is a guide, oil could rebound in May

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: Oil bulls may only need to be patient for a little while longer.

Source: MarketWatch.com

Date: Feb 18, 2015

Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/if-history-is-a-guide-oil-could-rebound-in-may-2015-02-18

Questions for discussion:

  • Explain the analysis upon which the prediction is based.
  • Do you agree with this assessment and prediction?

5 Reasons Why Apple’s $750 Billion Market Cap Could Get Even Bigger

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: Apple AAPL -0.2% has broken its fair share of records lately, posting the most profitable quarter in history after selling a record 74.5 million iPhones and becoming the first U.S. company to cross the $700 billion valuation mark.

Source: Forbes.com

Date: Feb 19, 2015

Link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/laurengensler/2015/02/19/5-reasons-why-apples-750-billion-market-cap-could-get-even-bigger/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the reasons presented in order of importance.
  • Do you agree with this assessment?
  • What are other reasons that might be argued for or against Apple capitalization getting bigger?

Traders Are Betting Sears Will Be the Next Big Retailer to Fail

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Industry Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: (Bloomberg) — Billionaire Eddie Lampert’s quest to revive Sears Holdings Corp. is looking dubious to credit-swaps traders.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: Feb 19, 2015

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-19/sears-turnaround-seen-failing-by-traders-in-credit-swaps-market

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are the signs that traders think suggest Sears’ demise?
  • Do you agree with this assessment?
  • Can Sears be saved?

Twitter’s user problem overshadows strong revenue increases

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation, Industry Analysis.

Description: The company posted $479 million in quarterly revenue, up a meteoric 97 percent from this time last year. However, the social media giant’s user growth has slowed to a crawl.

Source: Fortune.com – video report

Date: Feb 06, 2015

Link: http://for.tn/1C1nKnj

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are investors’ concerns with Twitter?
  • Do you think it represents a good growth investment?

Citi: Oil Could Plunge to $20, and This Might Be ‘the End of OPEC’

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation.

Description: The recent surge in oil prices is just a “head-fake,” and oil as cheap as $20 a barrel may soon be on the way, Citigroup said in a report on Monday as it lowered its forecast for crude.

Source: Bloomberg.com – video report

Date: Feb 09, 2015

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-09/citi-oil-could-plunge-to-20-and-this-might-be-the-end-of-opec-

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the arguments for oil going to $20?
  • Do you agree with the analysis?
  • Do you think this is the beginning of the end of OPEC?

Tim Cook Doesn’t Believe This Made-Up Math Law Will Limit Apple’s Growth

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: The mathematical theory analysts use to justify concerns over Apple’s growth doesn’t really exist

Source: Bloomberg.com – video report

Date: Feb 11, 2015

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-11/tim-cook-doesn-t-believe-this-made-up-math-law-will-limit-apple-s-growth

Questions for discussion:

  • Does the law of large numbers have any application in understanding the limits to growth of any company?
  • What can explain the risk of investing in Apple at this time?
  • Would you be an investor today?

A Deal That Could Reverse Pfizer’s History of Value-Destroying Acquisitions

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial analysis, Growth & Valuation.

Description: Pfizer has made more than its share of value-destroying acquisitions. The pharmaceutical giant’s $15.2 billion purchase of Hospira could reverse that history.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Feb 05, 2015

Link: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2015/02/05/a-deal-that-could-reverse-pfizers-history-of-value-destroying-acquisitions/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize Pfizer’s M&A history.
  • What’s different this time?
  • Would you be an investor today?