This week, we looked at three stocks in position to profit — in an under-the-radar way — from the coming shift in U.S. demographics and the developed world. These three companies sell to the needs of the… Read More

Many people would call my favorite food choice boring and predictable. However, I consider myself a connoisseur of the lowly hamburger.  I have had burgers all over North America from down-and-dirty burger shacks to the finest restaurants such as Daniel Boulud’s DBGB Kitchen &… Read More

Ever since I was a child, I have been fascinated by advertising, marketing and brand logos.  I distinctly remember often enjoying TV commercials and magazine ads more than the actual shows and articles. This near-obsession with brand logos and marketing has been beneficial to my businesses and… Read More

When it comes to the stock market, bigger isn’t always better.#-ad_banner-# Everyone heard the phrase “too big to fail” during the most recent financial crisis. The phrase referred to financial institutions that are so large and interconnected that they have become critical cogs in the economy. The idea is that if a “too big to fail” institution were to falter, it could bring down the entire financial system. Therefore, the government needs to step in to help prop up the failing… Read More

When it comes to the stock market, bigger isn’t always better.#-ad_banner-# Everyone heard the phrase “too big to fail” during the most recent financial crisis. The phrase referred to financial institutions that are so large and interconnected that they have become critical cogs in the economy. The idea is that if a “too big to fail” institution were to falter, it could bring down the entire financial system. Therefore, the government needs to step in to help prop up the failing company to prevent systemwide damage.  Large banks are being pressured by multiple sources to decrease their size. For example, Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke has called “too big to fail” banks a moral hazard, and Mervyn King, the former governor of the Bank of England, has suggested large banks be cut down to size. Former Fed Chairman Alan Greenspan has said that large banking institutions should be broken up by regulators because taxation and fees aren’t sufficient to control their influence and… Read More

Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) jumped to over $34 last week, marking the first time since its IPO that the stock has traded that high. This came after a one-day climb of nearly 30%. A great one-day move, right? But let’s put it in perspective: Since its May 2012 IPO, FB is still down more than 3%.#-ad_banner-# The social network blew through both earnings and… Read More

Facebook (Nasdaq: FB) jumped to over $34 last week, marking the first time since its IPO that the stock has traded that high. This came after a one-day climb of nearly 30%. A great one-day move, right? But let’s put it in perspective: Since its May 2012 IPO, FB is still down more than 3%.#-ad_banner-# The social network blew through both earnings and revenue expectations. Second-quarter earnings per share came in at 19 cents, compared with the consensus forecast of 14 cents and the 12 cents a share posted during the second quarter last year. In reality, all of Facebook’s numbers were up big-time: Total monthly active users were up to 1.15 billion, up 20% year over year; mobile monthly active users were up to 819 million, up 51%; and daily active users were up to 699 million, up 27%. The real gem? Mobile… Read More

More than 10,000 Americans reach the age of 65 every day and move the demographic needle further to a change in spending power, preferences and political clout. In five years, over 50% of the U.S. population will be over the age of 50. But you’ve already heard this story, right? The demographic boom is just building up steam, and for years, investors have been rushing to find every retirement housing and health care stock under the sun. Wall Street has been… Read More

More than 10,000 Americans reach the age of 65 every day and move the demographic needle further to a change in spending power, preferences and political clout. In five years, over 50% of the U.S. population will be over the age of 50. But you’ve already heard this story, right? The demographic boom is just building up steam, and for years, investors have been rushing to find every retirement housing and health care stock under the sun. Wall Street has been talking up the coming change for quite a while, and the usual suspects all trade at pricey levels. Senior Housing Properties (NYSE: SNH) trades at almost 34 times trailing earnings and has missed earnings expectations in 11 of the past 12 quarters. The SPDR S&P Pharmaceuticals Fund (NYSE: XPH) trades for an expensive 19 times trailing earnings, a premium of almost 20% on the rest of the… Read More

Just a few days ago, prosecutors in New York issued indictments in what is being described as the biggest computer hacking scheme in U.S. history. Paul Fishman, the U.S. attorney for New Jersey, was quoted by Bloomberg describing a “worldwide scheme that targeted major corporate networks, stole more than 160… Read More

The old saying that death and taxes are the only certainties in life should include a third certainty.  Eventually, every one of us is going to pay bank fees.  No matter how careful you are with your finances or how much effort you… Read More

In search of a second income after graduating from college, I started a small real estate publication that worked with local real estate agents to help promote their home listings.  By broad standards, my venture could be labeled… Read More

I love most aquatic sports. From fishing and kayaking to powerboating and waterskiing, if it’s warm out, I want to be near or on the water. I grew up near several major rivers where I often fished and boated as a youngster. Although these rivers were hundreds of yards wide, they were usually shallow. They were constantly becoming silted in from runoff, debris and assorted other factors. The same thing occurred in local reservoirs, where the water got continuously shallower as mud and silt piled up against the dam. If you have ever stepped… Read More

I love most aquatic sports. From fishing and kayaking to powerboating and waterskiing, if it’s warm out, I want to be near or on the water. I grew up near several major rivers where I often fished and boated as a youngster. Although these rivers were hundreds of yards wide, they were usually shallow. They were constantly becoming silted in from runoff, debris and assorted other factors. The same thing occurred in local reservoirs, where the water got continuously shallower as mud and silt piled up against the dam. If you have ever stepped into this muddy, silt-filled mess when boating or fishing, then you know it’s pretty disgusting. Not only is the silting of rivers and reservoirs a real issue for recreational users of waterways, but it can impede crucial transportation and navigation routes.  It’s a problem begging for a solution — and in a twist of fate, I discovered a company that provides one. Several weeks ago, when researching the Gold Trust ETF (NYSE: GLD), I inadvertently added an extra “D” to the GLD… Read More