The average Internet user’s attention span is shorter than that of a goldfish.#-ad_banner-#​ It’s been estimated that Internet users have an attention span of eight seconds — one second less than a goldfish’s attention span. That makes speed in transmitting content across the Internet to desktops, tablets and smartphones more important than ever. That’s one of the biggest reasons researchers and scientists are racing toward the commercialization of a super-material with the ability to transmit data across the Internet 100 times faster than fiber optic cable. But that’s not its only extraordinary characteristic. This little-known substance is also… Read More

The average Internet user’s attention span is shorter than that of a goldfish.#-ad_banner-#​ It’s been estimated that Internet users have an attention span of eight seconds — one second less than a goldfish’s attention span. That makes speed in transmitting content across the Internet to desktops, tablets and smartphones more important than ever. That’s one of the biggest reasons researchers and scientists are racing toward the commercialization of a super-material with the ability to transmit data across the Internet 100 times faster than fiber optic cable. But that’s not its only extraordinary characteristic. This little-known substance is also 200 times stronger and six times lighter than steel, and close to being transparent. Those are just a few reasons why it is quickly gaining a reputation as a “miracle substance” with the potential to revolutionize multiple industries. I predict that within five years, this crystalline form of carbon — a one-atom-thick layer of graphite — will be on its way to being the vital building block in modern technology. And it could make early investors rich in the process. What exactly is this miracle substance? Graphene. And it’s not just the Internet it has the potential to revolutionize. Its… Read More

Getting in shape is no longer just a New Year’s resolution.#-ad_banner-# In its annual Topline Report, the Physical Activity Council, a coalition of sports-related trade groups, found that more than 60% of Americans frequently engaged in fitness sports in 2012. That growing interest in health and fitness has led to a huge surge in the number of people joining fitness clubs. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, health club and gym memberships jumped to 51 million in 2012, up from 41 million in 2005. And looking forward, with Americans increasingly fighting back against… Read More

Getting in shape is no longer just a New Year’s resolution.#-ad_banner-# In its annual Topline Report, the Physical Activity Council, a coalition of sports-related trade groups, found that more than 60% of Americans frequently engaged in fitness sports in 2012. That growing interest in health and fitness has led to a huge surge in the number of people joining fitness clubs. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, health club and gym memberships jumped to 51 million in 2012, up from 41 million in 2005. And looking forward, with Americans increasingly fighting back against obesity and diabetes, and with baby boomers focused on staying in shape as they retire, the $21 billion domestic health and fitness industry is growing quickly. That’s one of the reasons I’m bullish on an industry-leading fitness club company. With 106 locations and more than 800,000 members, it’s already a juggernaut. But with plans to double its expansion rate in the next two years, it’s in a great position to capitalize on America’s growing interest in health and fitness. That has shares up nearly 300% in the past five years. Life Time Fitness (NYSE: LTM) is a $1.9… Read More

The S&P 500 Index’s 28% return this year has come as a big surprise to even the most bullish investors.#-ad_banner-#​ But in spite of ongoing weakness in the global economy, there’s a very good reason the index is on pace for one of its best performances in the past 35 years. Individual investors scared away from the market during the financial crisis of 2008 are back. Inflows into domestic mutual funds are expected to top $450 billion in 2013, more than the last four years combined and the biggest annual inflow since 2000. Bond funds are also seeing… Read More

The S&P 500 Index’s 28% return this year has come as a big surprise to even the most bullish investors.#-ad_banner-#​ But in spite of ongoing weakness in the global economy, there’s a very good reason the index is on pace for one of its best performances in the past 35 years. Individual investors scared away from the market during the financial crisis of 2008 are back. Inflows into domestic mutual funds are expected to top $450 billion in 2013, more than the last four years combined and the biggest annual inflow since 2000. Bond funds are also seeing big movement, with $31 billion in outflows through October, also the most since 2000’s $50 billion. It’s clear that with the S&P 500 trading at an all-time high and the Federal Reserve losing its battle against higher interest rates, investors are shifting into a more active approach to stay ahead of the curve. That’s why I’m bullish on an industry-leading brokerage firm that benefits from higher trading volumes and flows in and out of mutual funds and other securities. Not only does this well-known company offer strong operating leverage against higher trading volumes and the financial services industry, it’s also… Read More

My 62-year-old aunt called me in a panic a couple of months ago. “I’m worried about the market crashing because of the government shutdown.”#-ad_banner-#​ Sensing she was just looking for a little reassurance, I proceeded to tell her that I viewed any short-term weakness as a great chance to buy. I explained that not only is the trend still higher in the short run but that in the long run, stocks spend a lot more time going up than down. She conceded that made a lot of sense. But she still wanted to proceed with… Read More

My 62-year-old aunt called me in a panic a couple of months ago. “I’m worried about the market crashing because of the government shutdown.”#-ad_banner-#​ Sensing she was just looking for a little reassurance, I proceeded to tell her that I viewed any short-term weakness as a great chance to buy. I explained that not only is the trend still higher in the short run but that in the long run, stocks spend a lot more time going up than down. She conceded that made a lot of sense. But she still wanted to proceed with caution, adding that the only stock she wanted to buy was leading domestic drugstore company CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS). Although she didn’t realize it, my aunt was making a big statement about blue chips. They make investors feel safe. They’re less volatile than smaller companies. And with the S&P 500 Index trading at an all-time high, blue chips are in demand from investors looking to curb equity risk. That’s why I want to share one of my favorite blue chips. Walgreen Co. (NYSE: WAG) is a virtual blueprint of what to look for in a great blue chip. So far,… Read More

One of the boldest energy predictions of the past 10 years is about to become reality. According to the International Energy Agency, the U.S. will eclipse Russia and Saudi Arabia and become the world’s top oil producer by 2015. And looking forward, that trend is going to accelerate, with the agency saying that booming production has the U.S. on track for energy independence in 20 years.#-ad_banner-# But while that bullish trend will give energy companies a big boost, it’s also going to have a huge effect on local and regional economies. High-production states such as North Dakota, South Dakota and… Read More

One of the boldest energy predictions of the past 10 years is about to become reality. According to the International Energy Agency, the U.S. will eclipse Russia and Saudi Arabia and become the world’s top oil producer by 2015. And looking forward, that trend is going to accelerate, with the agency saying that booming production has the U.S. on track for energy independence in 20 years.#-ad_banner-# But while that bullish trend will give energy companies a big boost, it’s also going to have a huge effect on local and regional economies. High-production states such as North Dakota, South Dakota and Nebraska already enjoy the lowest levels of unemployment in the country. And as energy companies continue to add tens of thousands of new employees, those strong local and regional economies will fuel record demand for temporary housing, permanent housing and commercial real estate. That’s why I’m bullish on a little-known group of real estate investment trusts (REITs) that are exclusively focused on strong regional economies in position to profit from the North American shale boom. Not only do these REITs have the ability to produce big gains, but they also carry some of the industry’s biggest yields that are more… Read More

Diabetes is no longer solely an American epidemic.#-ad_banner-# The Journal of the American Medical Association just released a study that shows 11.6% of Chinese adults have the debilitating disease, surpassing America’s 11.3%. With a population topping 1 billion, China is now home to more than 100 million people suffering from diabetes — a third of the global diabetes population. And with emerging markets gaining more access to middle-class amenities such as high-fat food, the trend is accelerating. The International Diabetes Federation projects that more than 550 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes by 2030, up from 371 million diabetes… Read More

Diabetes is no longer solely an American epidemic.#-ad_banner-# The Journal of the American Medical Association just released a study that shows 11.6% of Chinese adults have the debilitating disease, surpassing America’s 11.3%. With a population topping 1 billion, China is now home to more than 100 million people suffering from diabetes — a third of the global diabetes population. And with emerging markets gaining more access to middle-class amenities such as high-fat food, the trend is accelerating. The International Diabetes Federation projects that more than 550 million people will be diagnosed with diabetes by 2030, up from 371 million diabetes patients in 2012. That’s a huge opportunity for the global leader in diabetes medication and treatments. Not only is this market leader home to five of the top 10 selling diabetes medications in the world, it’s also developing a deep pipeline of next-generation diabetes drugs and is protected by a huge competitive moat. That has driven an outsize gain of 58% in the past two years: Novo Nordisk A/S (NYSE: NVO) is the undisputed global leader in the diabetes market. The company’s impressive product portfolio is home to five of the world’s 10 best-selling diabetes medications. That has… Read More

$142 million for a Francis Bacon triptych. $120 million for a pastel by Edvard Munch. $106 million for an oil painting by Picasso. After a slow 2012, the fine-art market is back. Stock market gains worldwide and growing wealth in Asia have lifted prices to new all-time highs. That includes the recent $142 million for the Francis Bacon triptych, eclipsing last year’s record $120 million for Munch’s “The Scream.”#-ad_banner-# The fine-art market is trading just like the stock market. Buyers are stepping out and lifting the bid. That’s putting a lot of cash into the pockets of investors with rare… Read More

$142 million for a Francis Bacon triptych. $120 million for a pastel by Edvard Munch. $106 million for an oil painting by Picasso. After a slow 2012, the fine-art market is back. Stock market gains worldwide and growing wealth in Asia have lifted prices to new all-time highs. That includes the recent $142 million for the Francis Bacon triptych, eclipsing last year’s record $120 million for Munch’s “The Scream.”#-ad_banner-# The fine-art market is trading just like the stock market. Buyers are stepping out and lifting the bid. That’s putting a lot of cash into the pockets of investors with rare collections. But art connoisseurs aren’t the only ones cashing in. I want to tell you about a global leader in the auctioneer business that is also cashing in on these nine-figure masterpieces. Not only does the company generate big commissions from conducting auctions for the world’s rarest art and wealthiest individuals, it enjoys a duopoly with just one competitor, is protected by high barriers to entrance, is highly leveraged against growth in Asia and also pays a quarterly dividend. That has fueled an outsize gain of 80% in the past two years. Take a look below. Sotheby’s (NYSE:… Read More

When I was a kid, I went to a Catholic grade school. And because our school was affiliated with a church, I volunteered to be an altar boy.#-ad_banner-# On the surface, it was a great way to make myself look good. I knew my parents would be happy. But in reality, it was just a good excuse to get out of class. I knew that every week, whether it was sunny, rainy, warm or cold, there were going to be a couple of funeral processions that would need altar boys to help celebrate Mass. Even though being an altar boy… Read More

When I was a kid, I went to a Catholic grade school. And because our school was affiliated with a church, I volunteered to be an altar boy.#-ad_banner-# On the surface, it was a great way to make myself look good. I knew my parents would be happy. But in reality, it was just a good excuse to get out of class. I knew that every week, whether it was sunny, rainy, warm or cold, there were going to be a couple of funeral processions that would need altar boys to help celebrate Mass. Even though being an altar boy at a funeral doesn’t sound like much fun, it was an early lesson about the nature of demand — mortality wasn’t just predictable, it was undeniable. But looking forward, that undeniable trend is accelerating. With more than 10,000 baby boomers retiring every day, the National Funeral Directors Association projects the U.S. death rate will increase from 8 deaths per 10,000 people to 10 by 2045.   That is setting the stage for a wave of demand for “death care” products and services. And there is one company ready to cash in. This little-known market leader is one of the largest… Read More

Manhattan is the most exclusive real estate market in the world. The tiny, 34-square-mile island is home to Wall Street, the global headquarters of the United Nations and some of the most powerful and influential companies in the world. That exclusivity has driven big gains for one of Manhattan’s most prized properties. Since going public in the spring of 2010, Madison Square Garden (NYSE: MSG) is up a market-crushing 198%. #-ad_banner-#But if you missed out on that impressive run, don’t worry. The most exclusive real estate market in the world is setting the stage for another big winner. Read More

Manhattan is the most exclusive real estate market in the world. The tiny, 34-square-mile island is home to Wall Street, the global headquarters of the United Nations and some of the most powerful and influential companies in the world. That exclusivity has driven big gains for one of Manhattan’s most prized properties. Since going public in the spring of 2010, Madison Square Garden (NYSE: MSG) is up a market-crushing 198%. #-ad_banner-#But if you missed out on that impressive run, don’t worry. The most exclusive real estate market in the world is setting the stage for another big winner. Clocking in at $1.3 billion, this company’s recent IPO was the second-largest ever for a U.S. REIT (real-estate investment trust). It controls more than 8 million square feet of some of the most desirable commercial real estate in the world. And it also pays investors to own shares with a solid dividend yield that is higher than the benchmark 10-year Treasury. Empire State Realty Trust (NYSE: ESRT) went public in early October. The REIT owns 12 office properties and six retail properties. The trust’s prized asset is the iconic Empire State Building, which is the second-tallest building in New York… Read More

Buying a house is a terrible way to profit from the recovery in the housing market. Houses are illiquid assets. They carry high transaction costs. And they are loaded with expenses such as insurance, maintenance and taxes. When you think about it, a house looks a lot like an “anti-dividend”: Investors pay a lot of money to own them. There’s a better way to cash in on the recovery in housing. This leading homebuilder provides incredible leverage against the ongoing recovery in housing without the burdens of buying a house. And with shares recently dipping 28% while earnings… Read More

Buying a house is a terrible way to profit from the recovery in the housing market. Houses are illiquid assets. They carry high transaction costs. And they are loaded with expenses such as insurance, maintenance and taxes. When you think about it, a house looks a lot like an “anti-dividend”: Investors pay a lot of money to own them. There’s a better way to cash in on the recovery in housing. This leading homebuilder provides incredible leverage against the ongoing recovery in housing without the burdens of buying a house. And with shares recently dipping 28% while earnings estimates continue to surge, this is a rare chance to buy on a pullback. Take a look at the recent pullback in the chart below. With a market cap of $1.5 billion, KB Homes (NYSE: KBH) is one of the largest homebuilders in the United States. Shares had been rallying big on the recovery in housing before this spring’s spike in interest rates triggered a wave of profit-taking that sent KB falling 28% from its recent all-time high.#-ad_banner-# That’s creating an opportunity to buy one of the best housing stocks at a relative discount. And KB has plenty… Read More