In response to rising debt woes in Europe and the United States, wary investors are taking steps to preserve capital, boost income and protect themselves from inflation. A great way to accomplish these goals is to hold consumer-staple stocks, which provide the daily necessities people use such as toothpaste… Read More

In light of the uncertain economy, a wide range of insiders have sought to sell company stock, fearing we may eventually have a repeat performance of 2008 when the economy and the stock market headed south. Yet a few bullish insiders are… Read More

The starting gun has sounded in the consumer staples category. Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn’s widely reported bid to acquire Clorox (NYSE: CLX) has led investors to focus on the broader sector, looking for other companies that may be in play. On occasion, a deal for one company… Read More

Waiting until the last minute, the politicians that run the United States of America are finally on the cusp of a major government overhaul — a move that was badly needed in light of its eye-popping budget deficits. Yet while the move to finally trim budget deficits should be applauded,… Read More

On July 13, I told you about the simple strategy that’s never lost money. Put simply, the longer you hold an investment, the better your chances of making a… Read More

Growing up, I spent most of the summer at the neighborhood tennis and swim club. July 4th was a special day and featured the club’s summer tennis tournament, a cookout and fresh watermelon giveaway. There were also pool games. For me, the highlight of the day was what I called… Read More

Michael Dell is surely heaving a sigh of relief. His efforts to revamp his namesake computer company had received little respect on Wall Street, but since last Labor Day, analysts are finally warming up to the stock. Shares have risen more than 30%, and some analysts speak bullishly about… Read More

Imagine showing up to a party and find you’re the only one in the room. This is the lonely feeling many companies experience when they complete their initial public offering (IPO). These companies spend a great amount of energy preparing for their debut,… Read More

In most cases, a stock with a high dividend yield is of great appeal to income investors. However, a stock with an above-average dividend payout could also mean investors have knocked the share… Read More

After surging for nearly two years, the stock market appears to have reached a plateau. Every time the S&P 500 makes a move to surpass its two-year high of 1,370, it falters anew. Whether it can finally breach that mark and move up another 20% or 30% will be decided… Read More