During the past decade, investing in housing, the stock market, or gold has been an eye opener for U.S. consumers. The value of houses soared and then crashed. Gold slumped and then surged ahead. Oil prices rose to unimaginable peaks and then fell by more than -75%. All the while,… Read More

The initial public offering (IPO) market is now in lockdown. Frozen. Shuttered. Throw away the key. With all the turmoil roiling the markets, more than 30 companies have had to step away from the IPO starting line in the last six weeks. Even if the market turned up sharply right away, it would take some time for bankers to prime the pump to get these deals back on the docket. And if the market remains a bit nerve-wracking, these still-private companies may stay that way for… Read More

The initial public offering (IPO) market is now in lockdown. Frozen. Shuttered. Throw away the key. With all the turmoil roiling the markets, more than 30 companies have had to step away from the IPO starting line in the last six weeks. Even if the market turned up sharply right away, it would take some time for bankers to prime the pump to get these deals back on the docket. And if the market remains a bit nerve-wracking, these still-private companies may stay that way for an extended time. Bankers Lament The IPO shutdown comes as a real disappointment for investment banks, as these deals, with their 7% commissions, generate boatloads of profits.  That’s often how these banks justify carrying teams of research analysts, who otherwise would not pull their weight in an era when many clients trade through electronic networks for almost nothing. In the past, these active clients would send large trades at five cents a share — known as “the nickel business” — to firms in exchange for analyst research and a cut of promising IPOs. Read More

The entertainment industry is always trying to attract people’s attention in order to get a piece of their discretionary income. For investors, that’s a great thing, especially if it’s income consumers want to spend because it involves their kids. For the… Read More

Among the biggest winners in Tuesday’s early trading are Korn/Ferry (NYSE: KFY), Jazz Pharma (Nasdaq: JAZZ) and Carmike Cinemas (Nasdaq: CKEC). Top Percentage Gainers — Tuesday, June 15, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Gain 52-Week High 52-Week Low Carmike Cinemas (Nasdaq: CKEC) $8.12 +16.7%… Read More

I doubt you’ve ever heard of Rockhopper Exploration. Rockhopper is a small U.K.-based oil company. But what’s unique about its business is that the company is a major player in the drilling around the Falkland Islands. You likely remember the Falkland Islands as the… Read More

Today I’d like to introduce you to my friend Mike. Mike is a real person and that is, in fact, his real name. He and I met in college and have been close friends since. He’s extremely intelligent, a partner in a major law firm, and he has, to my… Read More

When the stock market is on the upswing, private companies get in line to sell their shares and become members of the new crop of initial public offerings (IPOs). Bankers like to know that investors are in a buying mood when taking these companies… Read More

There are some companies that work in distasteful industries. Companies like payday lenders, mortuaries and waste management services just aren’t the sexy companies people get excited about. Some even get on a soapbox and proclaim these businesses to be unethical and immoral. But the simple fact is that investors can… Read More

During the past two years, only one non-financial services stock has lost more than $50 billion in value. This one-time highflyer made mistake after mistake, and has seen market capitalization drop in value from $77 billion to $27 billion. I’m talking… Read More

You can’t blame investors for bagging profits on big winners. Many investors that bought into Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) back when shares traded for the price of a Big Mac have been exiting the stock recently as it looked like the fast gains had been made. But for those focused on the long-term, the recent -20% drop in the stock creates an opportunity to jump in before shares post their next round of gains. Much ink has been spilled about Ford’s impressive management team led by CEO Alan Mullaly. They… Read More

You can’t blame investors for bagging profits on big winners. Many investors that bought into Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F) back when shares traded for the price of a Big Mac have been exiting the stock recently as it looked like the fast gains had been made. But for those focused on the long-term, the recent -20% drop in the stock creates an opportunity to jump in before shares post their next round of gains. Much ink has been spilled about Ford’s impressive management team led by CEO Alan Mullaly. They had exquisite timing in 2008, leveraging every asset the company had to raise cash, right before the economy contracted. Had they not done so, Ford would likely have needed to declare bankruptcy along with its beleaguered peers in Detroit. Even more remarkably, Ford didn’t skimp on product development spending even when money was tight, and is now bearing the fruits of that gutsy move. To be sure, Ford’s car and truck plans are the keys to this stock. As investors saw the strong promise of its new Focus, Fiesta and… Read More