Description: Fans of tech stocks and train wrecks got to combine their interests in 2012, as several high-profile companies endured an awful year: Shares of Facebook are off 31 percent, Zynga is down 73 percent, and Groupon is at negative 79 percent. Yahoo! struggled, Netflix fell, and even Apple had a rough stretch that lopped… Read more »
Posts Tagged: Risk Management
Fiscal Cliff Fears Drive Huge Spike in Dividend Payouts
Description: Taxes on dividends may go up on January 1. And companies are shoveling dividends out to their shareholders before the taxman comes calling. Source: TheDailyBeast.com Date: Nov 28, 2012 Link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/28/fiscal-cliff-fears-drive-huge-spike-in-dividend-payouts.html Questions for Discussions: What is the history of dividend payouts and changing tax policies? Do you think the payouts are good for the… Read more »
Why Some M&A Deals Are Best Done In-House
Description: When PPR, the French owner of Gucci, sold a stake in its African distributor CFAO in August, it didn’t use an investment bank to handle the transaction. Instead, the company turned to an in-house mergers-and-acquisitions team led by a former France Telecom (FTE) M&A executive. “When we can, we do it on our own,  Read more »
How HPs Disastrous Deal Blows a Hole in Consulting
Description: HP lost $8.8 billion on acquisition gone bad. Are high-priced consultants and accountants like KPMG and Deloitte to blame? Source: TheDailyBeast.com Date: Nov 21, 2012 Link: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/21/how-hp-s-disastrous-deal-blows-a-hole-in-consulting.html Questions for Discussions: Who is at fault for this situation? What does this report say about the value of consultants and their effort at due diligence? What… Read more »
Amazon’s Jeff Bezos: The ultimate disrupter
Description: He’s a pro-customer, tightfisted risk-taker who is conditioning Wall Street to embrace his erratic earnings. If you’re running a business with high margins — watch out. Source: Fortune.com Date: Nov 16, 2012 Link: http://management.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/16/jeff-bezos-amazon/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for Discussions: What does the article say about Jeff Bezos’ management thinking and style? Why has Amazon succeeded? Where… Read more »
Stop calling it a ‘fiscal cliff’
Description: Commentary: Austerity would hurt but it wouldn’t be sudden Source: Marketwatch.com Date: Nov 14, 2012 Link: http://www.marketwatch.com/story/stop-calling-it-a-fiscal-cliff-2012-11-14?siteid=nwtwk Questions for Discussions: Summarize the key changes that will take place if no changes are made to current law. Do you agree with the assessment presented by the commentator in this report? How do you think markets… Read more »
Twinkie Maker Hostess to Close
Description:Â Hostess Brands Inc., the maker of iconic treats such as Twinkies and traditional pantry staple Wonder Bread, said Friday it is shuttering its plants and firing about 18,000 workers as it seeks to liquidate the 82-year-old business. Source:Â WSJ.com Date: Nov 16, 2012 Link:Â http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324556304578122632560842670.html Questions for Discussions: Summarize the reasons for the demise… Read more »
Thousands of banks may disappear
Description:Â Wall Streeters say Obama’s second term will be the death knell for small banks. Source: Fortune.com Date: Nov 09, 2012 Link:Â http://finance.fortune.cnn.com/2012/11/09/banks-disappear-obama/?iid=SF_F_River Questions for Discussions: What is the basis for this prediction? Do you agree with the sentiment? Would the consequences be good or bad? How should investors react?
Google Ventures ups fund to $300m a year
Description: Google Ventures announced in a tweet yesterday it has increased its fund by 50 percent to $300 million a year and plans to invest $1.5 billion in startups through 2017. Source: Smartplanet.com Date: Nov 09, 2012 Link: http://www.smartplanet.com/blog/bulletin/google-ventures-ups-fund-to-300m-a-year/5174?tag=header;header-sec Questions for Discussions: Explain the rationale for Google’s Venture fund? What primary benefit can Google receive… Read more »
Joy: There’s Not Much Value in Treasuries
Description: Nov. 2 (Bloomberg) — David Joy, chief market strategist at Ameriprise Financial, talks with Bloomberg’s Stephanie Ruhle about his strategy for investing in the bond market. They speak on Bloomberg Television’s “Lunch Money.” (Source: Bloomberg) Source: Bloomberg.com – video report Date: Nov 02, 2012 Link: http://bloom.bg/YeXiFQ Questions for Discussions: Summarize the bond strategies made… Read more »
