Rumors in Financials May be Buying OpportunitiesContributed By: Todd Sullivan Provided By: StraightStocks.comThe rumors are flying rampant and financial stocks are getting hit like crazy. There are some great opportunities out there.Goldman Sachs (GS) on Friday denied a rumor that they could announce billions of dollars in write-downs. “We’ve said there’s no truth to these rumors,†said Ed Canaday, a spokesman for the brokerage. Despite that, shares finished down $10 or 4%. Shares that fetched an all time high earlier in the week at $249, now fetch $229.Perhaps the epitome of the silliness was Deutsche Bank (DB) analyst Mike Mayo. Mayo predicted late Thursday night that the investment banks ...
Interview: Mark Modius on ChinaBy: Prieur du Plessis Provided By: StraightStocks.comIs the Chinese stock market in a bubble, or are the lofty valuations simply a reflection of the country’s superior growth prospects? Who better to ask than Mark Mobius, Franklin Templeton’s roving emerging markets expert.Q: Is it time to take profits in the Chinese stock market? Is the current trend sustainable or is it due for a correction?Mobius: There is no way anyone can predict whether a market is at its peak. No one can predict the market direction and a bear or bull market could start or end at any time. However, the good news is that bear markets are shorter in duration than bull markets and bear markets go down a smal...
On Stockpickr Answers Monday and over the weekend, Jim Cramer responded to a new batch of questions posed by members of the Stockpickr community. Anybody can ask, respond or comment at Stockpickr Answers; the top responders get ranked in our "Top Analysts" section. Here are a few of the questions to which Cramer recently responded:On Friday's Mad Money show, after interviewing the CEO, you commented about the stock. What investment time frame should we infer?You've said to trim half our Apple and Research In Motion but seem to base that statement on a presumption that we've been in them since you first recommended them long ago. Please clarify how you would advise those like me that got into AAPL and RIMM in the la...
Continuing the series of connections between billionaire donors, their companies, and presidential candidates , Barack Obama is presented in this analysis. These are the wealthiest contributors, and the companies they own and/or run, that have supported Obama.Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK-A ) Warren Buffett ~ CEOBOK Financial Corporation ( BOKF ) George Kaiser ~ chairmanExpedia, Inc. ( EXPE ) Barry Diller ~ chairmanFortress Investment Group ( FIG ) Michael Novogratz ~ Franklin Resources ( BEN ) Charles Johnson ~ chairmanGeneral Growth ( GGP ) Matthew Bucksbaum ~ shareholderHome Depot ( HD ) Arthur Blank ~ founderIAC/InterActiveCorp ( IACI ) Barry Diller ~ chairman & CEOLoews Corporation ( LTR ) Joan Tisch ~ major shareho...
Speaking of Dividends: This Barron's column highlights the latest dividend increases, initiations, and cutbacks. This week's issue includes some info on Dominion Resources (D).Top Insider Purchases of the Week: Insider purchases are a lot more predictive than insider selling. Barron's list the top purchases and we take it one step further by telling you who is purchasing. Some interesting activity in stocks like MTG, SNDK, ABK and WB.Barron's Summaries: Each week Barron's has bullish and bearish stories on a variety of stocks. We present the summaries in this portfolio. This week's issue includes a bullish story on Garmin (GRMN) and a bearish take on Delta Petroleum (DPTR).Research Reports: The latest analyst research reports hi...
If you use the assumption that major contributors to presidential candidates expect something in return for the businesses they are connected with, then maybe it is worth looking at the wealthiest contributors and the companies they own and/or run as possible investments, assuming the candidate they support wins.An outstanding article by Forbes covers the major candidates for president and the members of the Forbes 400 that have contributed to their campaigns. I have gone through the list of billionaire contributors to Hillary Clinton for her primary campaign and came up with the President Hillary Clinton Stock Index. All of the following stocks trade either on the New York Stock Exchange or NASDAQ. The list shows the companies, the c...
On Stockpickr Answers Friday and yesterday, Jim Cramer responded to a new batch of questions posed by members of the Stockpickr community. Anybody can ask, respond or comment at Stockpickr Answers; the top responders get ranked in our "Top Analysts" section. Here are a few of the questions to which Cramer recently responded:Do you think Citigroup's dividend is safe?If you had to choose one stock to play the exchange market and the recent volatility, would you buy IntercontinentalExchange, NYSE Euronext or CME Group?With oil at an all time high, the oil-related stocks, refiners and drillers, are obviously getting influenced. Is my understanding correct in that the cost of oil will influence the earnings and the st...
Comparing Valuations: Apple Vs. AmazonBy: Turley MullerProvided By: StraightStocks.comIn performing a valuation study on Amazon.com and Apple Inc. it is evident that both stocks are priced with high expectations for growth and profitability. Both trade at high P/E multiples; that doesn’t automatically signify that the two are overvalued as long as solid justifications for the high multiple can be ascertained. Decomposing the value assumptions (expectations) which are implied by the current share price, an understanding of future performance required to support the share price can be obtained.I evaluated Amazon and Apple and made some comparisons with respect to P/E multiples and DCF model valuation. I concluded that Ap...
On Stockpickr Answers Thursday and yesterday, Jim Cramer responded to a new batch of questions posed by members of the Stockpickr community. Anybody can ask, respond or comment at Stockpickr Answers; the top responders get ranked in our "Top Analysts" section. Here are a few of the questions to which Cramer recently responded:Wabtec: I bought 75 shares at $40, and 125 shares at $35. I had a price target of $48 even before the company raised full-year guidance, yet the price action is less than stellar. Any thoughts?I took my gains in lululemon athletica, but I can't find any new that would indicate why the stock is falling like a lead rock out of the sky. Thoughts?Holy volatile dryshippers, Batman!Bigband Netw...
On Stockpickr Answers Wednesday and yesterday, Jim Cramer responded to a new batch of questions posed by members of the Stockpickr community. Anybody can ask, respond or comment at Stockpickr Answers; the top responders get ranked in our "Top Analysts" section. Here are a few of the questions to which Cramer recently responded:People talk about how Level 3's CFO leaving before earnings was a sign to get out. I am in Superior Offshore International and saw a disclosure last week that its general counsel and its COO both resigned on Oct. 22. Is this reason to bail?I've taken some partial profits in lululemon athletica but wonder if it has come down enough to start buying more shares.What about Intuitive Surgical? I ...
If you missed out on investing Baidu (BIDU), which traded below $70 per share a couple years ago and is now over $360, there are plenty of other Chinese companies worth looking at. Baidu is China's answer to Google (GOOG), and has far outperformed Google. Here is some interesting trivia about China:1. It is the largest country in the world by population, with about one fifth of the world's population residing there.2. It has the second largest GDP by purchasing power parity. 3. It has the fourth largest economy in the world by GDP.4. The poverty rate went from 53% in 1981 to 8% in 2001.5. It is the second largest exporter in the world.6. It is the world's second largest importer of petroleum.7. It is is the third largest imp...
On Stockpickr Answers Tuesday and yesterday, Jim Cramer responded to a new batch of questions posed by members of the Stockpickr community. Anybody can ask, respond or comment at Stockpickr Answers; the top responders get ranked in our "Top Analysts" section. Here are a few of the questions to which Cramer recently responded:I've been doing some homework on Johnson Controls and believe it's a great company. Would you recommend starting a position here for the next 12 to 18 months?I think there's still $2.50 up with maybe $1 down in BEA Systems. Is it a buy again or should we walk away from it now?XTO and Chesapeake Energy have been strong and yet Nabors has been doing terribly. Many of the rigs are idle and rate...
On Stockpickr Answers Monday and over the weekend, Jim Cramer responded to a new batch of questions posed by members of the Stockpickr community. Anybody can ask, respond or comment at Stockpickr Answers; the top responders get ranked in our "Top Analysts" section. Here are a few of the questions to which Cramer recently responded:I got into Bank of America at $50.34. Would you dump it or hang in there?On last week's "Fast Money" show, the crew was talking about crude heading south to the $60s. I know Cramer always says we should have a position in oil, but I'm wondering if it makes sense to be in something like BP, which is also one of the biggest distributers of solar panels. Does it make sense to look fo...
Back in the 1960’s and 1970’s, who would have thought that Vietnam would become a hotbed of capitalism? Many investors are now looking at Vietnam as the next China. Financial activity has increased immensely in Viet Nam over the last few years.For example, the Ho Chi Minh City Stock Exchange and the Tokyo Stock Exchange just announced a partnership which involves sharing of investment and technology information and might lead to cross listings of stocks on both stock exchanges. Nike (NKE) has been manufacturing in Vietnam for over 12 years. On Intel’s (INTC) website, they reported that they have committed $1 billion to build a 500,000 square foot manufacturing plant in Vietnam which should be completed by 2009, a...
