Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: When LeBron James announced his return to the Cleveland Cavaliers in July, fans celebrated by hanging banners, getting drunk and digging old jerseys out of purgatory.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Nov 04, 2014

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/11/09/magazine/will-the-lebron-james-stimulus-be-good-for-cleveland.html?ref=business

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is the expected economic impact on Cleveland?
  • Do you think it is a fair assessment?
  • What else might it possibly mean for Cleveland from an investment and business point of view?

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

Description: Fiat Chrysler announced Wednesday it’s spinning off its famous luxury car brand Ferrari into an independent company – listing 10 percent of the stock on the market and distributing the remaining 90 percent to its shareholders.

Source: Fortune.com – video report

Date: Oct 29, 2014

Link: http://for.tn/1vhz0IF

Questions for Discussions:

  • Why did Fiat spin off Ferrari?
  • How did the move affect stock prices?
  • Do you think the plan announced is doable?

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

Description: They can’t be saved. They can’t be killed and are ready to cause the next global crisis! You’d be right to think zombies, but were you thinking zombie banks?

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Oct 31, 2014

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2014/10/31/zombie-banks.cnnmoney/index.html

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are “zombie” banks and how were they “created”?
  • Why are they a problem to the financial world?
  • Is there a solution?

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

Description: Gluskin Sheff’s David Rosenberg isn’t rattled by the recent volatility in the financial markets. “For stocks, it always comes down to the Fed and the economy,” Rosenberg said to Business Insider.

Source: FinancialPost.com

Date: Oct 29, 2014

Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/10/29/david-rosenberg-bear-markets-dont-just-appear-out-of-nowhere-theyre-cause-by-these-two-conditions/

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is David Rosenberg’s fundamental belief about stock market behavior?
  • Does his data support his thesis?
  • What do you think are the key determinants of stock market behavior?

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

Description: Facebook Inc. missed profit expectations for the first time in two years as the social network warned investors that higher costs from a series of acquisitions are beginning to take a toll on results.

Source: WSJ.com

Date: Oct 28, 2014

Link: http://online.wsj.com/articles/facebook-results-improve-on-mobile-ad-strength-1414526855

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is affecting FB financials?
  • Do you think the firm can grow out of these recent cost acquisitions or are they going to be a drag on earnings for a longer period of time?

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

Description: Valeant Pharmaceuticals said on Monday that it was willing to raise its offer for the Botox maker Allergan, and once again invited the company to negotiate a friendly deal.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: Oct 27, 2014

Link: http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/valeant-ready-to-raise-offer-for-botox-maker-allergan/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Questions for Discussions:

  • What will the affect of a $200 offer be on both firms’ stock values?
  • Do you think the strategy of publically offering this price is a correct one?

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

Description: Chipotle’s stock had been hotter than a Serrano pepper. But investors aren’t happy about slowing growth. Is Qdoba, the burrito chain owned by Jack in the Box, stealing customers?

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Oct 21, 2014

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/10/21/investing-the-buzz-chipotle-qdoba.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Why did Chipotle stock drop off?
  • Is this a good time for investors to buy the stock?
  • What does the new competition suggest about changing consumer behavior?

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

Description: Wall Street has a message to Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos. Stop spending so much! Big investments have led to red ink. Amazon’s weak holiday quarter sales outlook doesn’t help either.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Oct 24, 2014

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/10/24/investing-the-buzz-amazon-jeff-bezos-black-friday.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Why did investors sell off Amazon stock?
  • What are they looking for from management?
  • Do you think they will get that with current management thinking?

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

Description: For two decades, globalization has been the world economy’s central story line—or so it was until Russia and China sharply changed the narrative for big companies in the West, the question now is: can there be a happy ending?

Source: Fortune.com

Date: Oct 08, 2014

Link: http://fortune.com/2014/10/08/the-new-cold-war-on-business/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize and evaluate the concerns expressed in this report that would interest international investment strategy?
  • Do you think these concerns are currently factored into the stock prices of businesses that are involved globally?

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

Description: With the U.S. on track to become the world’s largest oil producer by next year, it’s become popular in Washington and on Wall Street to call America the new Saudi Arabia. Yet the real Saudi Arabia hasn’t relinquished its role as the producer with the most influence over oil prices.

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: Oct 23, 2014

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-10-23/oil-saudi-arabias-risky-price-play#r=nav-f-story

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the oil market and Saudi Arabia’s current strategy?
  • How should investors play current price fluctuations?