Archive
Dear reader, There is a type of investment that's riskier than the S&P 500, and has performed worse on average than the stock market. It also regularly requires investors to use debt to buy it – amplifying its risk. Yet most Americans have more money locked up in this asset than they do in stocks. […]
- MCD
Dear reader, In the early 18th century, the ruler of Japan was in trouble... all due to the price of rice. In feudal Japan, rice was the most important source of food for farmers. Due to its value, it was paid to local nobles known as "daimyo" as a tax. As these lords then paid […]
- CME
Dear reader, In the world of investing, two of the most important – and scarce – resources are information and time. Information, of course, allows you to make informed investment decisions. Having more data than the next guy gives you an informational advantage. It's hard to get an informational advantage, though... especially as an individual […]
- ADP
Dear reader, As cliché as it may sound, change is important for long-term corporate performance... Japanese video-game giant Nintendo (NTDOY) began its life as a playing-card company in 1889. After a successful 75-year run, the company began experimenting with new business lines. The card business was declining, so the company took what it learned from […]
- DIS
- IBM
- NTDOY
- PUGOY
Dear reader, In 1988, conglomerate RJR Nabisco was languishing at a low stock price of $40 per share after the recent merger of cigarette maker R.J. Reynolds Tobacco and cracker company Nabisco Brands. After growing management perks and buying back stock, CEO F. Ross Johnson was looking for a new play to buoy his company's […]
- MDLZ
Dear reader, Most investors are familiar with Benjamin Graham... The "father of value investing" wrote the legendary 1949 tome, The Intelligent Investor, and introduced the concept of "Mr. Market." In Graham's book, Mr. Market is your capricious business partner who owns half of your imaginary company. Some days, Mr. Market will come to you with […]
Dear reader, In my e-letter earlier this month, I talked about how major market events tend to leave investors gun-shy. We saw homebuilding and U.S. auto valuations remain particularly low following the housing crisis and the auto industry bailout. This was a great opportunity for the few investors who braved entering these tattered markets early […]
- VNOM
- XOM
Dear reader, Few can argue that World War II was the pivotal event of the 20th century. The deadly conflict thrust the U.S. into superpower status and has shaped foreign policy to this day. However, it's also worth understanding the impact of World War II on the American workforce. After December 7, 1941, the course […]
- SERV
Dear reader, I don't like buzzwords. As an investor, they signal for me that it's time to look elsewhere for ideas. It's like the old expression about knowing it's time to sell your gold if even your cab driver is talking about buying it... when everyone is focused on something, it has likely hit its […]
- AMT
- T
- VZ
Dear reader, The filmmaking industry is a fickle, uncertain business. Casablanca, a film expected to flop, went on to become a sleeper hit and a boon for the nascent Warner Brothers. It helped fuel Warner Brothers to become the premier studio it is today. However, Gone with the Wind – the highest-grossing film of all […]
- DIS
- TTWO