When there’s a recession or when the economy is sluggish like now, consumers look for ways to save their hard-earned money anyway they can. They can do so… Read More

Newcomers to the world of investing have much to consider: How much volatility they can handle, what asset mix to use, what securities to select, or how to keep tabs on their portfolio. Many times, though, the first thing on their mind is “Do… Read More

As a financial professional, I ask a lot of people for their views on the stock market, economy and where they think we’re headed. Not surprisingly, no one says we’re on the cusp of another big… Read More

Late last year, I wrote about  one of the best “behind-the-scenes” stocks around — metal packaging maker  Crown Holdings Inc. (NYSE: CCK). I love companies like Crown because they “fly under the radar,” quietly going about the business of providing vital products and services to big-name firms, while avoiding the… Read More

Considering real estate was at the epicenter of the 2008 financial crisis and continues to hold back the economy, it’s ironic the sector has been one of the best investments of the past few years. I’m referring specifically to the commercial real estate market, which delivered overall… Read More

Shareholders in leading blues-chip companies such as General Electric Co. (NYSE: GE), Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) and HJ Heinz (NYSE: HNZ) are fortunate. Stocks like these can be great investments. But ideally, investors could have made more money if they had invested in them way before they became established… Read More

When it comes to fast-food stocks, one is head-and-shoulders above the rest. Certainly, nobody can touch it in terms of revenue, which, at $27.4 billion a year, is more than twice that of the closest competitor. The company’s net profit margin of 20% is… Read More

If I told you about a stock that’s delivered gains of nearly 20% to investors for the past five years, then I imagine you’d be a little skeptical. After all, the past five years have been some of the most tumultuous years in recent memory. And even if it weren’t,… Read More

  It is a good thing for long-term investors when the market only looks at things a quarter or two at a time. This short-sightedness causes lots of day-to-day volatility, but it can also create some attractive bargains. Lately, for example, the market has… Read More

The second quarter of 2012 has been a bummer so far, especially when you think back to what was a great first quarter in which the S&P 500 rose more than 12%. But I’m not discouraged. While the recovery may be proceeding at an excruciatingly slow pace, I still think… Read More