Judging by the number of companies that have lined up to pull off an initial public offering (IPO) in coming weeks and months, we may be looking at a banner year. If the performance of IPOs that made their debut since the year began is any guide, investor interest is likely to be quite strong. That’s because virtually every company that has come public in 2011 is already trading up (except for Netherlands-based Tornier (Nasdaq: TRNX) which is off just 2%). In fact, the biggest… Read More

Judging by the number of companies that have lined up to pull off an initial public offering (IPO) in coming weeks and months, we may be looking at a banner year. If the performance of IPOs that made their debut since the year began is any guide, investor interest is likely to be quite strong. That’s because virtually every company that has come public in 2011 is already trading up (except for Netherlands-based Tornier (Nasdaq: TRNX) which is off just 2%). In fact, the biggest IPO of the year has just gone public. Hospital chain HCA (NYSE: HCA), which is going public for the third time, sold $3.79 billion worth of stock today. The fact that enough investors were corralled for the deal is a sure sign of investor appetite for new issues. [My colleague Andy Obermueller profiled HCA just last week. Read his article here.] It always pays to look over the list of recent IPOs. First, you may find companies that have only moved up slowly since their debut, even as analysts are… Read More

Throughout my career, I’ve developed what I see as a habit (others may see it as a quirk) of gravitating toward genuinely un-sexy stocks while the herd seems to be chasing the sexy ones of a particular moment. As the tech boom began to strut its stuff in the mid… Read More

He may be an American-investing icon, but Warren Buffett still owns a few foreign stocks. Why? The funny thing about a disciplined value-investing approach is that it works all over the world — not just in the United States. The bullish kicker for Buffett is how these stocks not only… Read More

I think it’s the most boring business I’ve ever researched. That’s what you want if you’re looking for a stock to hold no matter what. It pays dividends like clockwork. They’ve increased for 39 years straight — that goes back to when Nixon was in office. That… Read More

Careful readers of my articles will note a clear trend: I always want to buy the best companies, but I want them at bargain prices. That means watching and waiting and identifying positive potential catalysts when everyone else is running away. And right now, I can’t think of any $100… Read More

Throughout the past few years, I’ve been focusing on the remarkable turnaround at Ford Motor Co. (NYSE: F). Management’s rejuvenation efforts will be talked about in business schools for decades to come. Yet, as shares marched from below $2 in early 2009… Read More

The last time this happened in this sector was 14 years ago, in 1997. Back then, Warren Buffett had investments in this sector during the phenomenon (and made millions from it). Meanwhile, investors watched the prevailing prices in the sector soar from $4.25 an ounce to above… Read More

Almost everyone knows Harvard University is one of the premier names in the world of college academia. What most of the world may not realize, however, is that the geniuses managing its $27.6 billion endowment have become the envy of other Wall Street… Read More

It’s been one of the most overlooked aspects of earnings season… I’m not talking about the market’s strong gains or the recent robust employment growth. I’m talking about stock buyback announcements. I’ve counted more than 30 companies that have announced plans to buy back at least $1 billion… Read More

For better or for worse, many successful investments revolve around products or services that aren’t necessarily good for consumers. The best examples include products that aren’t very healthy: cigarettes, soda and junk food come to mind, as do gambling, pawn shops and credit cards. For individuals who… Read More