Traditionally, many income securities have come from the energy sector. Large integrated oil companies, for instance, have long been a staple of many income portfolios. A big reason for that was a business model that benefited investors: Steady demand for their product (oil) resulted in steady cash flows. Of course, the steady rise in oil prices between 2001 and 2008 didn’t hurt either. But much has changed in the past few years, as major economic trends have collided and driven oil prices lower. The emergence and economic viability of alternative energy is one such factor. The other major trend that… Read More

Traditionally, many income securities have come from the energy sector. Large integrated oil companies, for instance, have long been a staple of many income portfolios. A big reason for that was a business model that benefited investors: Steady demand for their product (oil) resulted in steady cash flows. Of course, the steady rise in oil prices between 2001 and 2008 didn’t hurt either. But much has changed in the past few years, as major economic trends have collided and driven oil prices lower. The emergence and economic viability of alternative energy is one such factor. The other major trend that has impacted the price of oil is the advances in hydraulic fracturing — what most of us know as “fracking.” This new technology that has unleashed huge oil and gas reserves hidden in the U.S. shale basins has resulted in massive growth in oil production.  —Sponsored Link— Millionaire Releases His Personal Stock Checklist For 26 years, a scientist from Delaware has carefully analyzed the potential of an unusual stock pattern, and has secretly developed a formula to identify it. On just the best trades alone thus far in 2017, this pattern has delivered 31 triple… Read More

Once upon a time, tech stocks were hot. They eventually crashed back to earth, only to rise again and lead this bull market.  The survivors of the dot-com era clearly did something right, and Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) is a great example.  While shares trade much lower than the March 2000 high of $82, the stock has come a long way from the October 2002 low of $8.12. During that comeback, the company has made itself stronger, has become essential for making the internet work the way it does, and has become a powerful income stock in the process.  #-ad_banner-#It’s… Read More

Once upon a time, tech stocks were hot. They eventually crashed back to earth, only to rise again and lead this bull market.  The survivors of the dot-com era clearly did something right, and Cisco Systems (Nasdaq: CSCO) is a great example.  While shares trade much lower than the March 2000 high of $82, the stock has come a long way from the October 2002 low of $8.12. During that comeback, the company has made itself stronger, has become essential for making the internet work the way it does, and has become a powerful income stock in the process.  #-ad_banner-#It’s probably hard to find an investor who hasn’t heard about Cisco — and yet, many people don’t know what, exactly, Cisco does. I think there are a couple reasons for that gap. One is the highly technical nature of Cisco’s business. The other is the wide variety of products and services Cisco makes. But all of its products, all of its services, all of the changes Cisco went through over the years, they all have something in common: They all connect people.  And because the world is becoming even more interconnected, Cisco’s work is never finished. The company builds products… Read More