Oh, the perils of our digital age: A few weeks ago, some users of two of Showtime’s websites noticed that their computers and phones had slowed to a crawl. Some devices had become non-responsive.  It took a while to connect the dots, but the cause was found (and corrected). The issue? A rogue string of code had invaded these people’s computers and was secretly running super-heavy calculations in the background.  —Sponsored Link— As Bitcoin Explodes Watch Out For This $0.09 ‘Super-Bitcoin’ You’ve heard about Bitcoin reaching record level prices… But chances are you didn’t hear… Read More

Oh, the perils of our digital age: A few weeks ago, some users of two of Showtime’s websites noticed that their computers and phones had slowed to a crawl. Some devices had become non-responsive.  It took a while to connect the dots, but the cause was found (and corrected). The issue? A rogue string of code had invaded these people’s computers and was secretly running super-heavy calculations in the background.  —Sponsored Link— As Bitcoin Explodes Watch Out For This $0.09 ‘Super-Bitcoin’ You’ve heard about Bitcoin reaching record level prices… But chances are you didn’t hear about this “penny cryptocurrency”… Even though it was a rare occurrence, it jumped a mouthwatering 2,871%… in 24 hours! And there are dozens of these “Super-Bitcoins” hitting the market, all the time… Go here now to find out the “Dirty Truth” about Bitcoin. Somebody was mining for cryptocurrencies. On other people’s computers. Without their knowledge. And, of course, without sharing the proceeds.  Why go to all this trouble? Because mining for cyber currencies is, just like any other type of mining, a resource-intensive endeavor. The major difference, in this case, is visual. There’s no huge hole… Read More

OK. I know I’ve been on a bit of a thematic rant about investing ahead of tax reform. I’ve also touched on the current administration’s national infrastructure spending aspirations. I think it’s worth staying on the tax reform path. However, it’s also time to look at the infrastructure theme again. I’ve found a way to follow both developments with one stock, AND get paid quite well in the process. Investment giant Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) has always been one of my go-to stocks for growth and income. Historically, both have been outstanding. The stock has moved a stunning… Read More

OK. I know I’ve been on a bit of a thematic rant about investing ahead of tax reform. I’ve also touched on the current administration’s national infrastructure spending aspirations. I think it’s worth staying on the tax reform path. However, it’s also time to look at the infrastructure theme again. I’ve found a way to follow both developments with one stock, AND get paid quite well in the process. Investment giant Blackstone Group (NYSE: BX) has always been one of my go-to stocks for growth and income. Historically, both have been outstanding. The stock has moved a stunning 54.5% in the last 12 months. Throw in the dividend and investors collected a blockbuster 65%.  #-ad_banner-#After a run that strong, and what some pundits view as a toppy broader market, conventional wisdom might tell one to avoid owning this stock. I disagree.   With a consolidated market cap of $41.3 billion, Blackstone stands out as one of the world’s premiere investment managers focusing on what’s known as the alternative space (i.e. NOT purely stocks and bonds). The firm operates four business segments: private equity, real estate, hedge fund solutions, and credit. Helmed by founder Steve Schwartzman, the company is poised… Read More

A funny thing happens when the market keeps surging higher: It gets harder and harder to pick good stocks.  Outsiders think the higher the market goes, the easier it is to make money. The truth is, the higher the market goes the harder it is to find growth stocks as an individual investor. Everything looks overvalued, and it’s hard to determine what stocks will continue higher and which ones will fizzle out.  From experience, I have found that looking at historic and/or projected earnings per share (EPS) growth is one way to discover growth stocks that will continue to gain… Read More

A funny thing happens when the market keeps surging higher: It gets harder and harder to pick good stocks.  Outsiders think the higher the market goes, the easier it is to make money. The truth is, the higher the market goes the harder it is to find growth stocks as an individual investor. Everything looks overvalued, and it’s hard to determine what stocks will continue higher and which ones will fizzle out.  From experience, I have found that looking at historic and/or projected earnings per share (EPS) growth is one way to discover growth stocks that will continue to gain value through any market situation. It’s this type of stock that investors should seek to buy and hold.  The following five stocks with a history of EPS growth, as well as expected growth ahead, look poised to continue with their winning ways. #-ad_banner-#​1. Concept Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CORT) This pharmaceutical company is the very definition of a growth stock.  Shares have rocketed over 170% in the last year alone. What makes these gains truly astounding is that the industry as a whole advanced just 2% over the same time. Typically, this type of hyper-appreciation would throw up a few red… Read More

There’s lots of talk about how companies are exploiting the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). Truth be told, they’ve barely scratched the surface.  That’s because the technology of connecting billions of sensor-laden consumer products, as well as industrial machines and equipment, to the internet remain in the very early stages of development. But the technology is growing more massive every year. According to McKinsey Global Institute, the IoT will generate up to $11 trillion in economic benefit by 2025. Of course, those numbers include profits to device-makers, efficiencies, new businesses, and savings to consumers from more efficient products. But it’s… Read More

There’s lots of talk about how companies are exploiting the so-called Internet of Things (IoT). Truth be told, they’ve barely scratched the surface.  That’s because the technology of connecting billions of sensor-laden consumer products, as well as industrial machines and equipment, to the internet remain in the very early stages of development. But the technology is growing more massive every year. According to McKinsey Global Institute, the IoT will generate up to $11 trillion in economic benefit by 2025. Of course, those numbers include profits to device-makers, efficiencies, new businesses, and savings to consumers from more efficient products. But it’s still a trend investors ignore at their own financial peril.  #-ad_banner-#Further adding credence to the McKinsey data, another forecast from market research company IHS Markit makes a bolder prediction. IHS Markit claims that more than 75 billion smart devices will be in use by 2025. That’s a 400% increase over the roughly 15 billion devices in use today. Now, to put this number in perspective, chip manufacturers must build microchips at a rate that is six times greater than has ever been produced since microchips were first developed in 1958 by Texas Instruments (Nasdaq: TXN).  And it’s… Read More

I couldn’t believe we were hassling over 1/8 of an inch.   It was the fall of 2010 and I was helping my parents build a new addition to their house. I was assisting their contractor with the foundation, and when we measured everything out before we poured the footers and stem walls we were less than 1/8 of an inch off.  —Sponsored Link— Step 1: Buy These 5 ETFs Now… TQQQ, FAS, UPRO, plus two additional ETFs revealed in this FREE REPORT. Step 2: Follow the simple strategy inside this free trading guide and Step 3:… Read More

I couldn’t believe we were hassling over 1/8 of an inch.   It was the fall of 2010 and I was helping my parents build a new addition to their house. I was assisting their contractor with the foundation, and when we measured everything out before we poured the footers and stem walls we were less than 1/8 of an inch off.  —Sponsored Link— Step 1: Buy These 5 ETFs Now… TQQQ, FAS, UPRO, plus two additional ETFs revealed in this FREE REPORT. Step 2: Follow the simple strategy inside this free trading guide and Step 3: Collect as much as $16,978.31 in a week. Full list of ETF’s and strategy that has generated over $9.9 Million in cash payouts steadily now for 10 years. Revealed here… I thought that was pretty good. I mean, who would notice? Plus, it would be covered up in any event… But the contractor wouldn’t let it go. He wouldn’t be satisfied until we were perfect.    #-ad_banner-#What he taught me that day, I’ve carried over into my financial career.    You see, as you know the foundation is the most important part of any house. And… Read More

When it comes to money, every now and then the U.S. government gets caught in the act of doing something terribly right. The creation of the Roth IRA in 1997 is a great example.  As the Trump administration rolls out its tax plan, the proposed rollback of the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20%, a major component of the plan, might also enter the tax-reform hall of fame. Sure, large multi-national companies  will benefit from the reduction, but these companies also have the luxury of tax benefits in many different countries. For example, in 2016 Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) had… Read More

When it comes to money, every now and then the U.S. government gets caught in the act of doing something terribly right. The creation of the Roth IRA in 1997 is a great example.  As the Trump administration rolls out its tax plan, the proposed rollback of the corporate tax rate from 35% to 20%, a major component of the plan, might also enter the tax-reform hall of fame. Sure, large multi-national companies  will benefit from the reduction, but these companies also have the luxury of tax benefits in many different countries. For example, in 2016 Microsoft (Nasdaq: MSFT) had a domestic loss of $300 million and foreign income of $20.1 billion. The company’s net tax liability was $3.3 billion, or an effective rate of around 16.5%. Small- and micro-cap companies, on the other hand, do much of their business domestically. A 43% cut in the corporate tax rate would be a huge boon to these companies and their stocks alike. However, due to the sometimes esoteric nature of the space, one of the best ways to gain exposure is taking the fund route.  #-ad_banner-#One of the most experienced small-cap funds out there is the Royce Value Trust (NYSE: RVT),… Read More

The further pending legalization of medical marijuana has stirred up an investor feeding frenzy. Like sharks smelling blood, investors have gone crazy over the upside potential of legal pot. And for good reason — early investors in the space are likely to earn handsome returns. Hundreds of companies have sprouted up to exploit the excitement surrounding the coming regulatory changes. However, most of these innovative new players are only suitable for risk-loving speculators. While substantial profits may be earned in the short term, many of these small-caps are one-trick ponies with questionable long-term prospects. Fortunately, there is a solution for… Read More

The further pending legalization of medical marijuana has stirred up an investor feeding frenzy. Like sharks smelling blood, investors have gone crazy over the upside potential of legal pot. And for good reason — early investors in the space are likely to earn handsome returns. Hundreds of companies have sprouted up to exploit the excitement surrounding the coming regulatory changes. However, most of these innovative new players are only suitable for risk-loving speculators. While substantial profits may be earned in the short term, many of these small-caps are one-trick ponies with questionable long-term prospects. Fortunately, there is a solution for cannabis investors who prefer relative security and a long-term outlook. Several large, established firms are actively adding legal medical marijuana-based products to their pharmaceutical lines. The Safest Stock In The Cannabis Space Believe it or not, the plant form of cannabis is not approved by the FDA for pharmaceutical use. This came as a surprise to me as I firmly thought that cannabis was approved as a pharmaceutical ingredient, given all the positive press hype. #-ad_banner-#The FDA has only approved the synthetic form of cannabis in three medications. These medications are Marinol, Syndros, and Cesamet. Marinol and Syndros are… Read More

If the post-recession markets had to be defined by one theme, it would be the emergence of activist investors.  Shareholder activism, defined by buying control of a company with the goal of making a major change in order to enhance its value, has been around since the first traders in the Dutch East India Company. But we’ve rarely seen so much activity and oversight lately. Activist campaigns have surged from 104 in 2000 to 758 in 2016 according to Activist Insight’s annual review. Nearly half (40%) of S&P 500 companies saw activist investor campaigns in the… Read More

If the post-recession markets had to be defined by one theme, it would be the emergence of activist investors.  Shareholder activism, defined by buying control of a company with the goal of making a major change in order to enhance its value, has been around since the first traders in the Dutch East India Company. But we’ve rarely seen so much activity and oversight lately. Activist campaigns have surged from 104 in 2000 to 758 in 2016 according to Activist Insight’s annual review. Nearly half (40%) of S&P 500 companies saw activist investor campaigns in the seven years through 2015. Assets under activist management have grown nearly 20% annually for more than a decade, topping $123 billion last year. Activists have been attracted by the mountain of balance sheet cash companies hold, and the historically cheap cost of debt. That availability of money lends itself to poor checkbook control by management and an attractive source of cash return to the billionaire activists that can buy seats on a board to control it. #-ad_banner-#Oversight by large investors has helped protect shareholder rights and led to some impressive gains. A portfolio of activist targets… Read More

By the end of the 20th century, General Electric (NYSE: GE) represented the epitome of bloated, mega-cap conglomerated largesse. Helmed by management hotshot Jack Welch, GE dabbled in everything from its traditional industrial manufacturing businesses, which included heavy capital goods like locomotives and jet engines, to household appliances and media property ownership (NBC). But its crown jewel was its finance arm, GE Capital, which was used to help customers finance the jet engines and the locomotives. But after the turn of the millennium, GE wasn’t so lucky. The bear market that began with the bursting of the tech bubble mauled… Read More

By the end of the 20th century, General Electric (NYSE: GE) represented the epitome of bloated, mega-cap conglomerated largesse. Helmed by management hotshot Jack Welch, GE dabbled in everything from its traditional industrial manufacturing businesses, which included heavy capital goods like locomotives and jet engines, to household appliances and media property ownership (NBC). But its crown jewel was its finance arm, GE Capital, which was used to help customers finance the jet engines and the locomotives. But after the turn of the millennium, GE wasn’t so lucky. The bear market that began with the bursting of the tech bubble mauled the company’s stock price, sending it down a full 56%. Prices recovered somewhat only to be hammered down by the 2008 Financial Crisis and resulting credit freeze, which threatened the very existence of the company. While the stock is up 195% from those 2009 market lows, it’s been a long road back and the price has more or less moved sideways for the last three years. But that may be about to change. Jeff Immelt, the CEO that guided the company through the dangers of 2008, recently retired, handing the reins over to John Flannery. Prior to his… Read More

Cryptocurrency investing is quickly shifting from a hacker novelty to mainstream practice. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum have become so popular that major money management firms and central banks are taking this technology very seriously.  Investors have earned near-unbelievable returns from the leading cryptocurrency names over the last 24 months. Insane volatility combined with massive future potential has attracted both short-term traders and long-term investors to the fray.  Beyond simply creating a medium of exchange, the technological innovation at the heart of these currencies, known as the blockchain, is revolutionizing how business is conducted. Dozens of major banks and money… Read More

Cryptocurrency investing is quickly shifting from a hacker novelty to mainstream practice. Cryptocurrencies like bitcoin and ethereum have become so popular that major money management firms and central banks are taking this technology very seriously.  Investors have earned near-unbelievable returns from the leading cryptocurrency names over the last 24 months. Insane volatility combined with massive future potential has attracted both short-term traders and long-term investors to the fray.  Beyond simply creating a medium of exchange, the technological innovation at the heart of these currencies, known as the blockchain, is revolutionizing how business is conducted. Dozens of major banks and money management firms have pending projects in this space, including industry-leading names like Citi, Credit Suisse, UBS, and MetLife.  What has me most excited is the fact that everyday investors can easily get involved with this world-changing technology. In fact, one of the world’s most popular cryptocurrencies is currently trading at just $0.18, allowing widespread participation regardless of your account size.  #-ad_banner-#If you think it’s too late to participate in what could be the most profitable market of all time, you are dead wrong. The industry is still in its infancy despite the explosive growth over the last year. Read More