A healthy cushion of cash is always valued by large, stable companies. Many companies make good use of that cash by buying back their own stock. Just a few weeks into earnings season, we’ve already seen a hefty slate of new stock buyback announcements. Read More

Not long ago, I took my Game-Changing Stocks readers on a journey to the non-descript offices of an obscure Department of Defense agency that funds research into areas most people never imagine.   Occasionally, this cadre of uber-geniuses comes up with a real winner. Take the Internet, for… Read More

Food has a reputation as a product that is not only recession-resistant, but certifiably recession-proof. No matter the state of the economy or point we are in the business cycle, people have to eat. Of the traditional grocery chains, Kroger (NYSE: KR) is the largest player,… Read More

Bull markets can be broken into several phases. At first, investors seek out large stable companies, tentatively stepping into stocks while still a bit unsure if the rally will last. As a rally builds, investors start to migrate into the tried-and-true growth stocks, such as major Nasdaq technology stocks. Only… Read More

In simpler times, Purdue Pharma might not have had these troubles. But these aren’t simple times. The company makes the popular and addictive painkiller OxyContin, and not surprisingly, it’s a target for thieves and high-tech counterfeiters, both of which can intrude at vulnerable points in the supply… Read More

After posting a very rapid and strong upward move, stocks tend to do one of two things: either surge even higher, or fall victim to profit-taking. They rarely stay put. That’s why it’s profitable to continually pore over recent strong gainers and assess which stocks have further… Read More

The drug industry is staring at a $30 billion hole. That’s the annual sales volume of major drugs that are set to lose patent protection in the next 18 months. Pfizer’s (NYSE: PFE) cholesterol reducer Lipitor, Bristol-Myers Squibb’s (NYSE: BMY) blood-clot preventer Plavix, Merck’s (NYSE: MRK) asthma medication Singulair, and Abbott’s… Read More

If you think the “lost decade” of stock returns seen in the United States since 2000 is bad, you probably haven’t been paying attention to Japan.   Japan’s stock market officially peaked on December 29, 1989, and has yet to recover more than 20 years later. But many… Read More

In a bid to stay relevant (and stay afloat), major free news publications are starting to tighten the noose, putting their content behind a paid firewall. It worked for News Corp’s (NYSE: NWS) Wall Street Journal, because that publication can be considered as a necessary asset for the business community, and thus can easily be expensed by many readers. The rest of the pack may not be so lucky, as we’ll soon find out with The New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT). Rumors circulate that the “Old Gray Lady” will soon announce a $20 per month… Read More

In a bid to stay relevant (and stay afloat), major free news publications are starting to tighten the noose, putting their content behind a paid firewall. It worked for News Corp’s (NYSE: NWS) Wall Street Journal, because that publication can be considered as a necessary asset for the business community, and thus can easily be expensed by many readers. The rest of the pack may not be so lucky, as we’ll soon find out with The New York Times Co. (NYSE: NYT). Rumors circulate that the “Old Gray Lady” will soon announce a $20 per month subscription plan for regular visitors to nytimes.com that also want to be able to read the paper on the Kindle and the iPad. (All signs point to a March launch). Standalone web-only access through a browser is rumored to be priced at $10. That’s $120 a year. The price may be appealing to die-hard readers like myself, but surely unappealing to many that appreciate the Times’ impressive website, but would likely balk at such a cost. This leads to my major concern about The New York Times — and its stock. Shares have rallied in recent… Read More

By most measures, the U.S. economy is in a steady recovery mode. The national unemployment rate fell to 9.4% in December and many cyclical industries, including airlines, industrial manufacturing and even automobiles are reporting improving operating trends. Home foreclosure rates continue to drop, as do credit card… Read More