Square raises $100 million at $6 billion valuation

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Description: Square raises another $100 million, and it isn’t done yet. Source: Fortune.com Date: Sep 12, 2014 Link: http://fortune.com/2014/09/12/square-raises-100-million-at-6-billion-valuation/ Questions for Discussions: Evaluate the risk associated with this company in light of the competitive environment and costs of building a network of users. Do you believe the company can be made into an attractive acquisition… Read more »

Blackstone’s $26 Billion Hilton Deal: The Best Leveraged Buyout Ever

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Description: In the early spring of 2009, with the recession deepening, Christopher Nassetta stood alone in an empty house in Arlington, Va., surrounded by moving boxes and trying not to despair. Source: Businessweek.com Date: Sep 12, 2014 Link: http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2014-09-11/blackstones-hilton-deal-best-leveraged-buyout-ever#r=nav-f-story Questions for Discussions: Summarize the financial highlights in this story. Do you agree with assessment that… Read more »

What will Yahoo do with Alibaba cash?

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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… Read more »

AES powering the world

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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… Read more »

Elon Musk: Tesla Stock Price ‘Kind Of High Right Now’

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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,… Read more »

Alibaba Seeks $21.1 Billion in Record-Breaking U.S. IPO

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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… Read more »

Alibaba’s expected blockbuster IPO may mean garage sale of less attractive tech stocks

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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… Read more »

Was it really a record-breaking summer for stocks?

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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?

O’Leary on Tim Hortons

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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?

S&P 500 Tops 2,000. Don’t Do Anything

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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?… Read more »