One of the pitfalls of being a global brand name is that investors may think of a company as a one-trick pony that captured lightning in a bottle. They may think a company has leveraged its brand to a point where one can find its product in the most remote… Read More

On April 26, the Dow hit a 52-week high of 11,258.01. It lost -11.0% through June 2 and has since... Read More

On April 26, the Dow hit a 52-week high of 11,258.01. It lost -11.0% through June 2 and has since clawed back some ground but remains -8.5% below its late-April high point. We lived through some big... Read More

After plunging steadily in recent weeks, share prices in the oil and gas exploration appear to have finally found a floor. Some stocks such as Halliburton (NYSE: HAL) and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB) sharply rose on Wednesday after falling close to their 52-week lows, while other stocks such as Diamond Offshore… Read More

Company executives may not know much about the stock market. But they know plenty about their own business. That’s why many investors track their every move. When these insiders notify the Securities and Exchange Commission that they have just bought company stock, investors sit up and take notice, because… Read More

On May 6th, a group of heavyweight private equity firms began to circle the wagons. The aim: the largest private equity buyout since the financial crisis began in 2007, a deal estimated to be worth nearly $15 billion. Discussions continued for… Read More

It’s rough out there. The market had another wild ride Wednesday, with the Dow Jones Industrial Average posting nice gains in the 50- to 60-point range for most of the day before falling off in late-day trading to close down 69 points, below the psychologically important 10,000 mark. Read More

Among the biggest winners in Thursday’s early trading are NetApp (Nasdaq: NTAP), VeriFone (NYSE: PAY), and China Security & Surveillance (NYSE: CSR). Top Percentage Gainers — Thursday, May 27, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Gain 52-Week High 52-Week Low NetApp (Nasdaq: NTAP) $38.53 +18.8% $38.25… Read More

Among the biggest losers in Thursday’s early trading are Monsanto (NYSE: MON), Rambus (Nasdaq: RMBS) and Education Management (Nasdaq: EDMC). Top Percentage Losers — Thursday, May 27, 2010 Company Name (Ticker) Intra-Day Price Intra-Day % Loss 52-Week High 52-Week Low Monsanto (NYSE: MON) $48.24 -8.2% $87.40 $48.25 Rambus… Read More

To say the market has been “moody” as of late would be an understatement. From its low in March 2009, the S&P 500 gained +80% before reaching its peak more than a year later. And now, in about a month, it’s dropped -13% — that includes the… Read More

America is getting fatter. The Journal of the American Medical Association released a report earlier this year that showed the obesity rates in men and women had increased from around 27% in 1999 to as high as 34% today. That’s more than 130 million Americans. What better company to take… Read More