Gold is the worst investment around. Anyone buying it now is doing so at their own risk, near the end of a bull run that’s apt to end badly. A major clue gold’s time is up: institutions and hedge funds are starting to… Read More

Taking aggressive steps to boost sales can be a wise move. But if you try to do too much too fast, investors can quickly grow concerned if rapid expansion plans are creating too much risk. That was the concern with LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK) in the past year, which borrowed… Read More

I’ve never worked a day on Wall Street. I’ve never worked at Goldman Sachs (NYSE: GS) or a hedge fund, either. I’m not what you call an insider by any means.   But that hasn’t stopped me from being a successful investor. Read More

The S&P 500 is back near where it was a month ago. A surge into November has been met by recent profit-taking as we head into the Thanksgiving holidays. In pullbacks like these, I like to scan the lists of losing stocks to see if any bargains get uncovered. I… Read More

Much has been made of last week’s General Motors (NYSE: GM) IPO. But while everyone has been talking about GM, there is a car company that offers absolutely explosive growth that should be on your radar screen. The high growth segment… Read More

From 700 to 1,200. That’s the stunning move made by the S&P 500 in just 20 months. No one’s expecting that index to tack on another +70% in the next 20 months, but more than a few market watchers are calling for moderate +10% to +15% gains next year. For that to happen, the economy must prove to be on a path to health, with 2011 GDP growth rates exceeding what we’re getting in 2010. Indeed third-quarter GDP has just been upwardly revised from +2.0% to +2.5%. But a… Read More

From 700 to 1,200. That’s the stunning move made by the S&P 500 in just 20 months. No one’s expecting that index to tack on another +70% in the next 20 months, but more than a few market watchers are calling for moderate +10% to +15% gains next year. For that to happen, the economy must prove to be on a path to health, with 2011 GDP growth rates exceeding what we’re getting in 2010. Indeed third-quarter GDP has just been upwardly revised from +2.0% to +2.5%. But a just-released forecast from the National Association for Business Economics should give pause. The survey of economists anticipates GDP growth of +2.6% in 2011, down from +2.7% in 2010. And that just won’t cut it. So many components of the economic picture are reliant on more robust growth to finally become healthy again. Let’s look at what the difference would be between +2.0% to +2.5% growth and +3.5% to +4.0% growth in various parts of the economy. Based on the picture painted from these outcomes, you’ll want to adjust your portfolio accordingly. Read More

In his 1979 letter to shareholders, Warren Buffett offered his belief that “insurance can be a very good business” to own and invest in. His belief continues to this day and Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B) is among the world’s largest insurers in the world, which is due to Buffett’s ability… Read More

Tech stocks are back. A frenzy of M&A activity this summer, robust quarterly results in October and bright outlooks for 2011 have all helped bring fresh interest in this sector, which had been deep in the investor doghouse earlier this year. Yet one of the biggest tech stocks of all… Read More

The secret is out.  As an investment, sin wins. Most companies engage in what we think of as “respectable” businesses like building computers, selling appliances or discovering new cures for diseases. But there are companies that aren’t so squeaky clean. These so-called “sin” stocks… Read More

Throughout September and October, the market bagged impressive gains as strategists started to view the economy as healthy enough to avoid the dreaded “double-dip” recession. More recently, the market has lost a bit of that luster as investors realize that we’re not necessarily set for impressive growth in 2011 either. A just released survey from the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) highlights expectations that the U.S. economy will grow just +2.7% this year and +2.6% in 2011. Their conclusion: “To a large extent, the latest NABE forecast reflects the view that… Read More

Throughout September and October, the market bagged impressive gains as strategists started to view the economy as healthy enough to avoid the dreaded “double-dip” recession. More recently, the market has lost a bit of that luster as investors realize that we’re not necessarily set for impressive growth in 2011 either. A just released survey from the National Association for Business Economics (NABE) highlights expectations that the U.S. economy will grow just +2.7% this year and +2.6% in 2011. Their conclusion: “To a large extent, the latest NABE forecast reflects the view that the economy will struggle against financial headwinds.” And the absence of robust growth means many companies will struggle to boost sales in 2011 and some companies may actually see sales pull back next year. With that in mind, here’s a profile of five companies that are expected to see sales slump next year. AOL (NYSE: AOL) A year ago this week, this former Internet powerhouse came public again, and it has not been the hot stock that some had hoped. In the past four quarters it’s become increasingly… Read More