I like China, inexpensive electric cars, and companies with products subsidized by their governments so it should be par for the course that I’ve found a new stock that fits my investing mold. One of those stocks is Kandi Technologies, KNDI. Read more…
I’ve said it once and I’ll say it a billion times: I love Asian stocks. But as much as I like the opportunities in Asia, exchange-traded fund sponsors have been less willing to offer new Asian niche ETFs. Sure, virtually all countries are covered in one shape or form by an exchange-traded fund, but not many also have a small and large cap niche ETF. Van Eck has come to fill the void for India. Read more…
I’ve had a ton of conversations with individual stock pickers. Some were buy and hold investors, and others were short term traders. But one thing all successful investors or traders had in common was a simple exit strategy, one that would limit their losses before they grew large enough to sink their winners. Read more…
Generally, publicly-traded companies sell for multiples several times greater than that of privately held companies. Much of this has to do with the size and risk differential though with stock prices fairly high, and risk just as high, for the first time ever investors may get a better deal out of private company purchases. Even if you have to risk it all. Read more…
General Motors is set for an initial public offering, one that will reduce ownership by the Treasury to less than 50% of the total company. The move was expected by analysts after the firm started producing a profit after debts were written off in bankruptcy and the US Treasury holdings were converted to stock. Read more…
Another earnings season is under our belts and the consensus is…the economy is still stagnant. Other than the financial sector, consumption spending and investment from businesses remains weak. When businesses aren’t willing to invest, well, you probably shouldn’t either. Read more…
If we were to poll brokers about customers who “blow up” their accounts, I would venture to guess that most would say the losses came from poor money management by their clients. A trader or investor without a plan to follow with each trade is just another person waiting to lose it all. Read more…
Brick and mortar retail is dying faster than I could ever imagine. As consumers shift toward cheaper online and digital options, and time preference during recession skews toward a longer wait, now more than ever, brick and mortar stores are on the brink. This time, though, the brand in question is oddly profitable, and for sale. Read more…
Mark Zuckerburg may have a new movie coming out about his dealings with Facebook and a previous “partner” in the enterprise, but on the minds of investors isn’t a scandal. Nope, we’re looking toward an IPO. Read more…
In light of terrible business decisions in the past, General Motors is really stepping up its game with a new brand of hybrid…the Chevy Volt. The car, which will cost $41,000, is placed perfectly to dominate its competition, both in the price and its future branding. I love this thing. Read more…
The summer earnings season is off with a bang. Banks are reporting higher revenues and generally lower loan losses while manufacturers and retail outlets post growth on their bare bones staffing. Bottomline profits are great for a year, but after that, the year-over-year statistics aren’t so pretty. Read more…
When the federal deficit reaches levels the country has never before seen, politicians get excited about any possibility to raise revenues. A recent approach, one designed to reduce speculation while increasing revenue, is spreading around the world. The financial transaction tax. Read more…
I like companies that sell something other than low price. When I’m looking for a stock that will perform, I want it to sell two things: a brand, or easy. Yes, easy, or convenience, is a product. Read more…
Diversification is a must have in any portfolio. But when it comes to our regular, routine, put the food on the table income, so many of us forget what diversification is all about. Many times we see couples that work in the same industry, or even in the same business, or small business owners who have only a few customers or clients. While diversification in your investment portfolio is important, it is even more important in your income statement. Read more…
You really can tell a lot about a company by looking at how it handles issues with its customers. People don’t like to be lied to, nor they don’t like it when you beat around the bush, they just want a solution. Read more…
Tesla Motors has drawn a strong following from gearheads and investors alike, but there are still several problems that need to be overcome. Read more…
It seems as though both businesses, international soccer and international finance, would be on opposite ends of the spectrum. And they are, but that doesn’t mean the underlying fundamentals are really that different. Read more…
Keeping up with our fundamental indicators week (maybe a month, we’ll see 
) I’d like to talk a little bit about analysis known as Growth At a Reasonable Price. This form of analysis was adopted most prominently by Peter Lynch as a great way to find undervalued stock with strong earnings and growth potential. Read more…
Return on Equity is one of the most basic fundamental indicators that investors have to get a very quick glimpse at how well a certain company is performing. Read more…
In times of poor economic performance, it is time to get back to the basics of investing. One of the most important numbers you should be interested in is the net profit margins, I’ll explain why after the jump. Read more…
Collectables as investments are out. The worlds largest gold coin, a highly collectable chunk of gold, sold at auction this week for nothing more than its melt value. This just goes to show that investors could care less about value added. Read more…
Whether you’re willing to accept it or not, life insurance is an investment just like any other, and you should do just as much due dilligence with your insurance provider as you would an investment manager. I’ll do a very simple comparison between the two most prominent life insurance options, whole life insurance and term life insurance. Read more…
Get ready, Washington is about to take another stab at finance. As part of a new push to get more Americans to save for retirement, Congress will take on a bill next month to create government sponsored IRAs. The details are still thin, but if the program works as expected, it looks to be a generally good idea. This is, of course, coming from someone who is usually against this type of behavior from Washington DC. Read more…
The Commodity Futures Trading Commission has approved new futures on the success of new movie releases. The futures, traded online, will be a way to get exposure to new movie releases and ultimately finance new box office hits. Read more…
Any economist knows the term time preference. When it comes to money, finance, banking, and even consumer choice, time preference plays a major role. Consider this scenario: You’re at McDonald’s you can buy a 32oz drink for $1, or go to the nearby gas station and buy one for $.69. Assuming all you have to lose is time, which do you choose? $.31 or 5 minutes of extra time? Read more…
