During uncertain economic times, true value becomes the consumer’s guiding mantra. Getting your money’s worth on whatever it’s spent on is the definition of true value in this sense. Whether it’s a great meal at a discount, a good deal on a luxury car or going on a first-class vacation at a fraction of the expected price, true value for one’s discretionary income has become a driving force in consumer culture.  Evidence of the consumer seeking his money’s worth is made clear in the success of discount coupon… Read More

During uncertain economic times, true value becomes the consumer’s guiding mantra. Getting your money’s worth on whatever it’s spent on is the definition of true value in this sense. Whether it’s a great meal at a discount, a good deal on a luxury car or going on a first-class vacation at a fraction of the expected price, true value for one’s discretionary income has become a driving force in consumer culture.  Evidence of the consumer seeking his money’s worth is made clear in the success of discount coupon websites like Groupon (Nasdaq: GRPN) and Living Social as well as the proliferation of peer-to-peer deal/auction businesses like eBay (Nasdaq: EBAY). But nowhere is the pursuit of true value followed as strongly as in the leisure/travel business. Limited resources and uncertain economic times force consumers to seek out the most bang for their buck as possible.  And I think I smell an opportunity for investors in this space… The growth in the cruise line business is proof of this search for true value. Once reserved strictly for the wealthy, cruising has become the go-to vacation choice for the masses.  Not… Read More

As the market moved steadily higher throughout the fourth quarter of 2011 and the first quarter of 2012, insider buying slowed to a crawl and eventually ground to a halt. That’s just how… Read More

If you’re a fan of investment genius Warren Buffett or a shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B), then by now you’ve certainly heard his investment management company started accumulating stakes in General Motors (NYSE: GM) and Viacom (Nasdaq: VIAB) last quarter. And it makes sense. One is an old-school auto manufacturer getting back on its feet, while the other owns some of TV viewers’ favorite cable channels. Both businesses are easy to understand and both are based on relatively reliable business models. These qualities are right up… Read More

If you’re a fan of investment genius Warren Buffett or a shareholder of Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK-B), then by now you’ve certainly heard his investment management company started accumulating stakes in General Motors (NYSE: GM) and Viacom (Nasdaq: VIAB) last quarter. And it makes sense. One is an old-school auto manufacturer getting back on its feet, while the other owns some of TV viewers’ favorite cable channels. Both businesses are easy to understand and both are based on relatively reliable business models. These qualities are right up Buffett’s alley, even though one or both of the two new illustrious members of his investment team — Todd Combs or Ted Weschler — likely made the picks. Yet, for investors looking to glean a stock pick, GM and Viacom may not be the best Berkshire coat-tails to ride — they’re just the highest-profile names being added to the $75 billion equity portfolio. Your best Buffett-based picks may actually be a trio of companies whose stakes he increased during the first quarter of the year. Here’s a closer look at them…… Read More

Trading is in my blood. I vividly remember, as an elementary school student, trading baseball cards with my classmates. My trading interest blossomed as I learned how to buy low and sell high via various part-time business endeavors. These businesses included selling produce I got for free from my grandparent’s… Read More

Here at StreetAuthority, we often talk about “catalyst investing.” Simply put, it’s not enough to find stocks that are inexpensive — hundreds of stocks can bubble up on various value screens. This often leads to the question “Why now?” After all, will this stock… Read More

We often talk about the prowess of the big-time money managers on Wall Street, but we often neglect to talk about their mistakes. After all, if it’s worth learning from the successes of these guys so that we can… Read More

Back in January, I highlighted that state and local governments were starting to turn to legalizing gambling to shore up their tax bases. Since then, the activity has only increased. Massachusetts recently held a forum to hear arguments on why it should develop casinos, and Maryland set up a… Read More

It’s so important to learn from the nation’s top investors. You don’t need to tell that to the thousands that flock to Omaha, Nebraska once a year to glean fresh wisdom from Warren Buffett. Many others follow the actions of George Soros, Carl Icahn or others. These top investors have… Read More

What on Earth is Steven A. Cohen thinking? He’s authorized traders at his investment firm, SAC Capital, to quickly build a large position in Accretive Health (NYSE: AH). Roughly a week ago, SAC announced that it had already bought so many shares that it… 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