Morgan Stanley Goes Against the Shorts in China

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

Description: It’s investing $50 million in Yongye International, a fertilizer company that’s been under attack

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: 06/29/2011

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/morgan-stanley-goes-against-the-shorts-in-china-06302011.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the issues in this report.
  • What would you advise investors to do at this time?

Bank bashing is back, stocks suffer

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

Description: Banks are making a profit but they are taking heat from all sides. Neither the market nor Main Street is happy with them right now.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 06/23/2011

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/06/23/n_bz_bank_bashing_stocks.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the issues related to why banks and bank stocks are out of favor?
  • Do you agree with the assessment?
  • Do you believe the banks are a source of economic slow-growth?

Where Apple is vulnerable: Motorola’s view

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

Description: Motorola Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha says that the only possible weakness for Apple is as it scales up, it may lose its innovative edge.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 06/22/2011

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/technology/2011/06/22/t_ls_motorola_apple.fortune/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the analysis presented by Mobility CEO Sanjay Jha.
  • Do you agree with his assessments and projections for the industry?
  • How should investors incorporate the “hit or miss” factor when evaluating risk?

Bonds: How to Play Interest Rate Peril

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

Description:  With uncertainty high, some bond investors are looking to “unconstrained” managers who take a more active approach to selecting fixed-income securities

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: 06/23/2011

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/investor/content/jun2011/pi20110623_808293.htm

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the various strategies employed to manage bond funds?
  • As an investor, which strategy looks best to you today looking forward?

Overbuilding in Spain Leaves Many White Elephants

Posted by & filed under Financial Planning, Governments & Regulators.

Description: Last March, local officials inaugurated a brand new airport in Castellón, a small city on Spain’s Mediterranean coast. They are still waiting for the first scheduled flight.

Source: NYTimes.com

Date: 06/24/2011

Link: http://www.nytimes.com/2011/06/25/business/global/25iht-transport25.html?ref=business

Questions for discussion:

  • Explain the financial planning problems in Spain?
  • How can they be resolved?

Putting RIM back on the winning track

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis, Management Issues.

Description: The most telling aspect of Research In Motion Ltd.’s (RIM-T28.23-0.91-3.12%) recent conference call was the amount of time its CEOs spent explaining why they should keep their jobs.

Source: GlobeandMail.com – video report

Date: 06/24/2011

Link: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-investor/putting-rim-back-on-the-winning-track/article2074548/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarized the reasons for RIM’s recent dramatic fall is share value?
  • How much is this due to confidence in the current management team?
  • How would you suggest investors play the stock?

Keeping companies like Facebook private – forever

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

Description:  Fortune editors Dan Roth and Dan Primack believe companies will continue to go public even if regulators relax rules forcing them to.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 06/15/2011

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/06/15/f_deal_ipo_facebook.fortune/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the issues related to the laws governing when a firm must go public.
  • Are there winners or losers in the current situation?
  • Will there be winners or losers if the laws are changed?
  • How else will business be affected by changes to this legislation?

Jim Rogers: ‘I’m staying liquid’

Posted by & filed under Economic Analysis.

Description: The legendary investor sees more troubling times for the global economy and says he is staying away from stocks for the foreseeable future.

Source: CNNMoney.com – video report

Date: 06/16/2011

Link: http://money.cnn.com/video/news/2011/06/16/n_rogers_debt.cnnmoney/

Questions for discussion:

  • Summarize the analysis presented by Jim Rogers.
  • Do you agree with his assessments and solutions?
  • How would you approach investing today and for the next few years?

Pandora Falls Below IPO Price, Reversing Yesterday’s Gain

Posted by & filed under Company Analysis.

Description:  Pandora Media Inc. fell, erasing yesterday’s gain, amid concern that competition may stymie efforts by the online-radio company to reach profitability.

Source: Businessweek.com

Date: 06/16/2011

Link: http://www.businessweek.com/news/2011-06-16/pandora-falls-below-ipo-price-reversing-yesterday-s-gain.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Explain the volatility of the stock value.
  • How would you estimate a value for the firm?
  • Would you be an investor today?

Penney Nabbing Johnson From Apple Sets ‘Huge Expectation’

Posted by & filed under Financial Planning, Management Issues.

Description: Ron Johnson, who helped turn Apple Inc. (AAPL) into a retail star with flashy big-city stores, now faces the challenge of conjuring up similar buzz around 109-year-old retailer J.C. Penney Co.

Source: Bloomberg.com

Date: 06/15/2011

Link: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-06-15/j-c-penney-nabbing-johnson-from-apple-sets-huge-expectation-.html

Questions for discussion:

  • Why did the stock rise in value so dramatically?
  • Do you think it was justified?
  • Would you be an investor in J.C. Penney?