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

Description: Scotland’s leading banks warned Thursday that they would move their headquarters to England if Scots vote to leave the United Kingdom, intensifying doubts about the territory’s economic future and dealing a blow to the Scottish independence campaign just days ahead of a historic

Source:ABCNews.com

Date: Sep 11, 2014

Link: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/scottish-banks-move-independence-approved-25435839

Questions for Discussions:

  • What are the economic questions related to an independent Scotland?
  • Why would financial institutions be motivated to relocate to England?

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Governments & Regulators, Growth & Valuation, Management Issues, Market Analysis.

Description: With billions in cash coming once Yahoo sells some of its stake in Alibaba, can CEO Marissa Mayer impress investors? Yahoo needs to prove to Wall Street once and for all that its turnaround strategy can work.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: Sep 02, 2014

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/investing/2014/09/02/what-will-yahoo-do-with-alibaba-money.cnnmoney/

Questions for Discussions:

  • What would you do with the cash?
  • How would you expect investors to respond to some of the different scenarios that management at Yahoo might choose?
  • Would you be looking at possible mergers or acquisitions?

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

Description: Interview with CEO Andres Gluski and perspectives on the electricity generating business around the word.

Source: BNN.ca – video report

Date: Aug 21, 2014

Link: http://www.bnn.ca/Video/player.aspx?vid=429528

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the electricity generating business as described by Andres Gluski.
  • Has the firm performed well from an investor’s point of view?
  • What risks are associated with this business for investors?
  • Would you buy into the company?

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

Description: Elon Musk sure knows how to stir up investors. On the day Tesla’s CEO announced that his car company’s $5 billion next generation battery “gigafactory” would be built in Nevada, Musk quipped, ”I think our stock price is kind of high right now to be totally honest.” Musk continued: ”If you care about the long term, Tesla, I think the stock is a good price. If you look at the short term, it is less clear.”

Source: Forbes.com

Date: Sep 05, 2014

Link: http://www.forbes.com/sites/briansolomon/2014/09/05/elon-musk-tesla-stock-price-kind-of-high-right-now/

Questions for Discussions:

  • Why would Musk make these sorts of statements?
  • Do you think this behavior is part of a publicity effort to raise awareness about the company valuation and help maintain a higher stock value?

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

Description: Alibaba Group Holding Ltd., the e-commerce company whose fortunes surged along with China’s economy, plans an historic U.S. initial public offering that may also claim the global record.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: Sep 06, 2014

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-09-05/alibaba-seeks-21-1-billion-in-record-breaking-u-s-ipo-3-.html

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the financial highlights described in this report that argue for and against the IPO valuation.
  • Do you believe the valuation is justified?

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

Description: Investors are looking over portfolios to make room for Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holdings Inc’s market debut next month – and that means some less attractive stocks that funds are holding might be shown the door.

Source: FinancialPost.com

Date: Aug 26, 2014

Link: http://business.financialpost.com/2014/08/26/alibabas-expected-blockbuster-ipo-may-mean-garage-sale-of-less-attractive-tech-stocks/

Questions for Discussions:

  • How might Alibaba’s IPO affect individual stocks and funds according to the report?.
  • Do you agree?

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

Description: Bloomberg’s Mike Regan discusses the summer’s market movements with Matt Miller on “Street Smart.” (Source: Bloomberg)

Source: Bloomberg.com – video report

Date: Aug 29, 2014

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/video/was-it-really-a-record-breaking-summer-for-stocks-Y0wgnB9_QzO2faMmLfjC6g.html

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the commentary and analysis presented in this report on the markets.
  • Do you agree with this view?
  • Where do you see things heading?

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Financial Planning, Industry Analysis.

Description: It’s the most successful Kickstarter campaign ever. The Coolest Cooler (yes, a cooler) raised $13.3 million in its 52-day run. The previous record holder, the Pebble smartwatch raised $10.2 million in 2012.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: August 29, 2014

Link: http://money.cnn.com/2014/08/29/smallbusiness/coolest-cooler-kickstarter-campaign-ends/index.html?iid=Lead

Questions for discussion:

  • How is Kickstarter helping finance entrepreneurs?
  • Do you think it can ever grow past the current record level of fundraising?

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

Description: O’Leary’s take on the Tims-Burger King merger.

Source: BNN.ca – video report

Date: Aug 28, 2014

Link: http://www.bnn.ca/Video/player.aspx?vid=427238

Questions for Discussions:

  • Summarize the opinions presented by Kevin O’Leary about the reasons for the deal and why he sold his shares.
  • Do you think the deal will result in increased cash flow for either company?

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

Description: On Monday the Standard & Poor’s 500-stock index traded above 2,000 for the first time, getting to just under 2,002 before retreating below the 2K mark in early afternoon. Should you cheer? Or panic?

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: Aug 25, 2014

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-08-25/s-and-p-500-hits-2-000-dot-should-investors-buy-sell-or-hold#r=hpf-s

Questions for Discussions:

  • What is the message to investors in this article?
  • What is it based upon?
  • Do you agree with the analysis?