Burning the Midnight Oil - December 27, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Next time you're working late on a project and missing a few hours of sleep, there's something you might want to consider adding to your environment. It can't hurt, and it might mean fewer cups of coffee will have to get you through the night..." Possible Triple-Digit Gains by Mid-February - December 26, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...As of late, Columbia Laboratories (CBRX: NASDAQ) wrapped up its enrollment in a 669-patient Phase 3 study to evaluate Prochieve 8% for the prevention of recurrent preterm birth. The trial is expected to conclude this month and results are due out mid-February 2007. Any positive news could draw a lot of investor attention to the stock..." The Real Future for Corn - December 22, 2006
by Christopher Hancock "...The Financial Times reported yesterday that Beijing ordered a halt to all future corn-based ethanol projects. The Times cited “food security” as the chief factor. Not to be glib, but I would love to presume the Chinese based this move after reading the fearless prediction made here last week..." A Critical Health Care Trend Going Into 2007 - December 21, 2006
by Craig Walters "...A new poll conducted by the Kaiser Family Foundation shows that 65% of Americans strongly favor having the federal government negotiate prescription drug prices for Medicare. An additional 20% are somewhat in favor of this change..." A New Way to Fight Computer Viruses - December 20, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...What's new here is the idea of linking these "honey pots" through a kind of secondary network. When they pick up a virus, the honey pot programs would work together to quickly identify the unique elements of a new virus..." Pursuing a Dream - December 19, 2006
by James Boric "...The application process involved filling out about 25 pages of questionnaires...writing a 15-page autobiography...getting a psychological examination...passing a background check...seeing several doctors...answering questions in front of a panel of 15 Catholics (laypeople, priests, nuns, etc.)...asking for letters of recommendation...meeting with the cardinal...and collecting more forms than you ever thought existed..." High-Tech Stocks Meet Low-Tech Analysis - December 18, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...According to a semiconductor market forecast compiled by Gartner Inc., semiconductor revenue should be reaching $257.7 billion by the end of this year. This is an almost 10% increase from $235.3 billion in semiconductor revenue that we saw in 2005, when the market only grew 7%..." Why the Sun Will Never Set on the Chinese Empire - December 15, 2006
by Christopher Hancock "...Producing enough livestock to feed that part of the world will require massive amounts of corn. And that may be a problem for China. Coastal lands once used for cultivation have been sacrificed to accommodate China's industrial machine. But there may be an even bigger problem. An extensive drought sweeping across borthern China wreaks havoc for corn and soybean crop yields..." The Reality of Risk - December 14, 2006
by Craig Walters "...This industry lives and dies on FDA approvals… There’s no getting around it. Even when you believe the odds of obtaining the FDA’s green light are greater than the probability that the leaves on the trees will bloom come spring, you’re still never 100% sure… Anything can happen. It’s a world of tempered expectations..." Mexico's Number One Chicken Producer - December 13, 2006
by James Boric "...Like Brazil, South Africa and Thailand, Mexico is still very much a developing country. Its per capita GDP is a mere $10,000 -- one-fourth of the GDP here in the States. But in the last quarter alone, Mexico's GDP rose 4.6%, compared with a rise of just 2.2% in the U.S.. And Mexico's economy is predicted to grow at a 3-5% clip over the next 20 years..." A Poultry Powerhouse in the Making - December 12, 2006
by James Boric "...Worldwide, 30% of all meat produced is poultry. Since the late 1990s, chicken consumption has increased in every country from Saudi Arabia to Australia to Brazil. And the total global chicken population is up over 244% since 1960 -- more than sheep, cows, goats and pigs..." Better Treatments Could Mean Big Profits - December 11, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...As you can see, there are plenty of reasons to be excited about this company. One more is its incredible revenue growth. In 2004, NxStage brought in a little bit less than $2 million in revenue. The company tripled its revenue to $6 million in 2005, and has brought in $13.5 million in the first three quarters of 2006..." Coco Chanel & The Almighty Dollar - December 8, 2006
by Christopher Hancock "...But the debt-ridden American consumers keep spending the money they've yet to earn, all in the name of fashion...keeping up with the proverbial Joneses, if you will. But as Coco Chanel once said, 'Fashion is what goes out of fashion'..." A 25% Gain in Only Five Trading Days - December 7, 2006
by Craig Walters "...But The Sleuth is very important, too. In fact, it's just as important as each and every newsletter issue I write. It's the only chance apart from end-of-week reviews that I can communicate with my SCSR and SCI readers between issues. It's also a chance to contact those readers who only read The Sleuth, so I like to present compelling ideas suitable for a very large audience..." The Next Taser - December 6, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...HSV Technologies Inc. is an early-stage San Diego company. It has prototyped an immobilization device (read: stun gun). It shoots two ultraviolet laser beams at a target. Passing through the air, these beams ionize the air, thereby creating a momentary electrical circuit between the electric source and the target..." Leveraged Buyout Rumors - December 5, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...We can see why a company like Microsoft would be so interested in eventually buying an Internet company in India on its way to becoming a 'world leader among internet search engines...' After all, India is expected to see a 160% jump in Internet users, according to TheInquirer.net..." Online Retail's Backdoor Play - December 4, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...It's called Cyber Monday. Here's the story: On the Monday after Thanksgiving, everyone is back at work in front of his or her computer. But instead of working, they're buying presents they couldn't get at the Friday doorbusters..." Buy Your Stake in Globalization for 90 Cents on the Dollar - December 1, 2006
by Christopher Hancock "...The point is this: Shipping is, and will remain, irreplaceable on the world stage. We can't live without it. It won't be replaced. It's been around for centuries. Until we reach a stage of technological innovation in which the major staples of trade -- things like coal, oil, cars, the finished products that fill Wal-Mart stores..." A Speculative "Buy" for the Close of 2006 - November 30, 2006
by Craig Walters "...OK, Mobility is losing some major revenue sources and strategic alliances, but is this really a bad company? MOBE has a market value of $107 million, and 19.2% of that value is cash it has on the balance sheet. It also has zero debt, making the balance sheet look pretty spotless. And right now, the company has only about $1.1 million in employee stock options..." Peak Oil? Maybe, and Maybe Not - November 29, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Peak Oil is the concept that we will soon reach a level of production (if this has not already happened) that is the highest the world will ever see. Thereafter, production levels will fall -- despite discoveries of new fields and technological advances -- at the same time as demand is rapidly increasing, thanks to the industrialization of India and China..." Why You Must Remember November 27, 2006 Forever - November 28, 2006
by James Boric "...Yesterday, Wal-Mart announced it formed an alliance with Bharti Enterprises Ltd. (a leading Indian telecommunications company) to open hundreds of stores in India over the next several years...This is a massive story -- although it didn't make the headline of any mainstream news source that I saw..." These Penny Stocks Should Grow Like Wildfire - November 27, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...It doesn't take many smart penny stock plays to make a lot of money, either. If you bought shares of Wal-Mart in the early 1970s, you would have paid only about 5 cents a share. Adding up the regular dividends, stock splits and rampant growth over the years, this one investment would easily make up for two or three decades of strikeouts..." Transparently, This is a Solid Investment - November 22, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...The technical name of the material is aluminum oxynitride. However, they've come up with the catchy name ALON™. (I expect we will soon see licensing of commercial applications into private companies. If a small public company obtains the rights and is well managed, we'll be looking to invest.)..." This Stock is Set to Pop by January 1 - November 21, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...It's spend-it-or-lose-it time for millions of Americans who set aside funds for flex spending accounts. Any funds left in that account on December 31 will disappear faster than booze at an office holiday party..." Profit Potential From This "Broken" Business - November 20, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...As a general rule, many investors stay away from broken businesses. Companies with big problems don't see the attention demanded by the high-flying firms with soaring profits. After all, who wants to put their money behind a company with falling earnings and poor margins that's barely breaking even every year?..." Buy This Company for 20 Cents on the Dollar - November 17, 2006
by Christopher Hancock "...As an investor, it's time to protect your assets so they can grow well. Successful investing will require a combination of patience, realistic expectations; and most importantly, buying shares of businesses at the right prices..." The Fate of Small-Cap Defense Stocks - November 16, 2006
by Craig Walters "...In March 2006, the Department of Defense published details of the defense budget President Bush took to Congress. It projected a U.S. defense budget for 2007 about $28.8 billion less than the one for this year. It also estimated that we would not see defense spending on par with 2005 levels for at least the next three years..." The Automatic Automobile - November 15, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...This is going to start impacting your driving experience sooner than you think, and is but one of a series of changes that will lead us to a totally transformed system of transportation in the next 10 to 15 years. In an ongoing experiment, George List and his team have been able to link as many as 200 cars traveling in close proximity to each other into a kind of electronic grid..." A Market Full of Poor-Soul Investors - November 14, 2006
by James Boric "...I cringed when he uttered those words. Warren Buffett, John Templeton and every other billionaire investor alive today would be appalled! But this priest is like 99% of all investors in America. They don't get excited about stocks until the market is making new all-time highs..." The Money's in the Scuttlebutt - November 13, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Last week, I attended the Value Investing Congress in New York, where some of the greatest investors of our time spoke on a few of their best strategies and stock ideas. And today, I'm going to share with you one market strategy you may sometimes attempt to use yourself, and how it can help you construct your portfolio..." Buy the Business, Not the Stock - November 10, 2006
by Christopher Hancock "...If there be any among us who wish to believe the Federal Reserve’s recent pause signaled something greater, something almost provident, a beacon if you will, an unmistakable signal calling for blue skies ahead, those persons should be the ones who pause. Those persons should think again..." Don't Be Tricked by This Cheap-Looking Video Game Stock - November 9, 2006
by Craig Walters "...That day, though, it was more of a video game burial ground than anything else. At least one model of every video game ever produced was up for auction or for immediate sale at a fixed price. Their conditions ranged from a few pristine models to mostly those that had seen heavy use. Bidders were encouraged to bring their own extension cords to test that the games did indeed function..." Fantastic Voyage -- The Documentary - November 8, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Way back in the 20th century, a movie called Fantastic Voyage created quite a stir. It envisioned a future in which miniaturized vehicles would travel inside the human body. While we can't miniaturize people in that way, thanks to nanotechnology the vehicles are at hand. Through teleoperation and telepresence, people may soon be able to virtually experience such a voyage. Meanwhile, it has tremendous therapeutic applications..." Buy Into These Companies Before Google Does - November 7, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...Months after a May-June market meltdown to 9,000, Bombay's Sensex Index recently nailed a new lifetime high above 13,000, surging past the 12,671.11 high of May 11, 2006. Now that the rally has sustained itself, I'm looking for heavy buy interest in small- and mid-cap names, especially those associated with e-commerce..." A Behind-the-Scenes Firm That's Helping 34 Fortune 100 Companies Increase Profits - November 6, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...In fact, this $248 million company has delivered more than 23,000 of its software systems worldwide, and its customers include 34 Fortune 100 companies. And what if I told you this stock is completely overlooked by Wall Street, even though more and more orders for its products keep piling up?..." Why Wall Street Isn't Following the Best Stocks - November 2, 2006
by Craig Walters "...The buy side guys are the managers who are pulling triggers on large share positions each and every day. Traditionally, the buy side has its own analysts, but the workload is usually too great for them to cover all of the stocks they need to, so fund managers utilize sell-side analysts to come up with additional, fresh investment ideas..." Web 3.0 - November 1, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Consequently, I'm impressed when groups are not only talking about doing something revolutionary, but actively prototyping it. That's why I am excited to share with you the "Liquid Information" project of Dr. Frode Hegland at University College London..." Is This "Boring" Stock a Deal or a Dud? - October 30, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Today, I'm writing to you about cement and gravel -- in my opinion, one of the easiest businesses to understand. And while there are few mysteries in this business, there are bigger economic factors in play. I came across this one concrete company when I was scanning the market for undervalued small-caps in beaten down sectors..." The Investment Strategy of Legends - October 26, 2006
by James Boric "...Price bought companies with expanding profit margins, quarter-over-quarter sales increases and a history of accelerated earnings growth (both year over year and quarter over quarter). If a company met these requirements, he wasn't so concerned if it happened to have a high P/E ratio or not. The theory was simple..." I Hope You Can't Hear Me Now - October 25, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Not that the others are good (though I've been pretty happy with newcomer Helios, Earthlink's entry -- despite having to spend half an hour persuading them to replace a phone with a new one). Let's face it: Cellular telephones are a 21st century "convenience" that resembles, in attitude, a collection of feudal empires..." Bet on This Upstart in a $12 Billion Industry - October 24, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...Movie box office receipts have dropped about $500 million in a year. CD sales are in a downtrend across the country. And television networks are struggling to attract viewers with so-so lineups. But thanks to a little "divine intervention," one segment of the entertainment industry is booming -- Christian entertainment..." Your System for Beating the Market - October 23, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...It worked for the stockbrokers who used it to bring in hundreds of millions of dollars in client assets. It worked for their clients, too, who were making an average 17.7% per year following this system. And on top of being profitable, it had the extra-added bonus of being extremely easy to follow..." Conflict Diamonds and the Resource Curse - October 20, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...His Excellency, Festus Gontebanye Mogae, is the president of one of the world’s most remarkable developing nations -- Botswana. And when he walked into the conference center of the Institute of International Economics in Washington D.C, a room packed with economists, diplomats and journalists fell into a hushed silence..." The Only 6 Companies You Should Consider Investing in Right Now - October 19, 2006
by James Boric "...There are 5,586 small-cap stocks that trade on a major exchange right now. But you should only consider investing in six of them. Two days ago, I ran my favorite screen looking for solid small-cap companies worth owning right now. Year-to-date months, the companies I have recommended from this (and a similar) list are up an average of 21% so far..." Klotho Barada Niktu! - October 18, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...When a defect (defined as any cellular structure or function that differs from young adult levels) is found, that cell will be reengineered to its ideal molecular structure. Incredible as this sounds, my friends in nanotechnology tell me that this wizardry will start emerging from laboratories in about 20 years..." Relative Strength in the Dow - October 17, 2006
by Mark Bail "...This same concept of relative strength can also be applied to individual stocks within a particular sector or industry. When you have targeted a few areas of the market to invest or trade in, it's usually wise to focus your attention -- and your capital -- on the issues within the sectors that have performed the best..." The Oil Gamble That Could Lift Your Portfolio - October 16, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...That company is Newpark Resources (NR: NYSE). Newpark provides drilling fluids, technical services and disposal of exploration and production (E&P) waste to drilling sites in the U.S. Gulf Coast, West Texas, the Rocky Mountains, Canada, Mexico and areas of Europe and North Africa surrounding the Mediterranean Sea..." Make 27.3% From This Unique International Strategy - October 13, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...The Heritage Foundation’s Index of Economic Freedom is always interesting. And 2006’s index is no different. Countries where you’d never imagine investing (Singapore, Iceland and Estonia) are in the top 10. And countries we typically view as 'free' (Canada) are not in the top 10..." Could This Stock Rise 700% in the Next Year? - October 12, 2006
by James Boric "...Back in May 2005, company insiders at ViroPharma (VPHM:NASDAQ) bought 233,500 shares of their own stock. They were obviously banking that their novel drug, Vanocin (which treated acne and various skin conditions) would be accepted by the FDA. It was. And the stock rose from $3 to $24! Now another biopharmaceutical company may be on the verge of similar profits..." The Wild Up - October 11, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Apart from what may be done to restore America to a place where the Constitution is again hallowed -- where law obeys the Constitution and men obey both -- there is always the clarion cry of a new frontier. Let's call this the 'Wild Up'..." How a Small Drug Company Could Save You $26.2 Billion in Three Weeks - October 10, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...Just this past July, when investors got word that Adeza Biomedical (ADZA: NASDAQ) received priority review status, the stock spiked 13.3% in three hours...and that was just from a press release! If the stock did that when it was granted priority review status, imagine what it will do when its drug, Gestiva, is approved..." Fast Gains From Two Picks - October 9, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Because of all of this, one small-cap fast food chain caught my eye: CKE Restaurants Inc. (CKR: NYSE). Depending on where you live, you might know this company by a different name. CKE operates Carl's Jr. restaurants out West and Hardee's restaurants predominantly in the Southeast..." Betting on Post-Castro Cuba - October 6, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...In mid-2006, the fund was 97% invested in companies that will do well even if the U.S. does not lift the trade embargo. But there are a number of speculative investments you can make, in case the U.S. resumes trade with Cuba. Herzfeld himself is hoping for a post-Fidel Castro boom that will bring about tremendous growth in the region..." Copper Could Still Soar - October 5, 2006
by James Boric "...As I said when I first mentioned these companies, they are extremely risky. In fact, I said they were a 10 on the risk scale (1 being risk free and 10 being the most risky). Both NTO and TGB rise and fall with the underlying price of copper. And since I first published my issue on copper, the reddish base metal is down 10 cents (or 3%)..." Of Bumblebees, Greek Fire and “Wrong-Handed” Organisms - October 4, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...It seems to me that the progress of science and technology is more like a river than a machine. In rivers, while the water often flows swift and sure on occasion, quiet pools can form off to the side, remaining relatively undisturbed for long periods of time. Sometimes knowledge is lost. For example, the Greeks had a weapon by which they could shoot green fire at the ships of city-states with which they were at war. That technology vanished with the fall of the ancient Grecian civilization..." Another Volatility Measure - October 3, 2006
by Mark Bail "...For the rest of you Sleuthers, the volatility measurement I wanted to bring to your attention is the Chicago Board Options Exchange NASDAQ Volatility Index, or VXN. The VXN was introduced by the CBOE in January 2001..." Profit Potential In This Beaten-Down Tech Company - October 2, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...It wasn't long ago that credit cards were placed in a bulky mechanism used to press a carbon copy of the cardholder's information onto a receipt. Cha-chunk! Purchase complete... A copy of this was then mailed to the card issuer to record the transaction..." The High Price of Sleep: Opportunities for an Investor - September 29, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...I passed by a rather curious looking object at the Vancouver airport and stopped to take a look. It looked like a fancy airplane seat covered with a huge futuristic helmet. I was told that it's the "sleep pod." For $14, a jetlagged or tired traveler can take a nap in these sleep pods..." A Company With a Solution to a Problem Deadlier Than AIDS - September 28, 2006
by James Boric "...PW Eagle is a manufacturing company. It makes and distributes PVC pipe and fittings used for potable water and sewage transmission, turf and agricultural irrigation, water wells, fiber optic lines, electronic and telephone lines and commercial and industrial plumbing..." Toys That Simulate People - September 27, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...A doll called Amazing Amanda is causing quite a stir in the toy industry. It does such a good job of synthesizing human behavior that children are treating it as if the doll
were alive. Amazing Amanda can "listen, speak and show emotion." Its reliance on a combination of technologies for speech-recognition, radio frequency tags and scanners, and facial robotics is causing quite a stir..." Where the Smart Money is Heading... - September 26, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...From the time Pfizer patented Viagra in 1996 to the time it won FDA approval, the stock soared 500% in three years... When Generex was granted fast track approval for a flu vaccine, shares rallied 400%... And when the FDA just granted fast track approval for a pre-term birth treatment, the stock rallied more than 13% in a day...proving that positive endorsements from major health institutions have significant impact on stock movement..." Liquidity of Large Stocks - September 25, 2006
by Satya Dev Pradhuman "...The illiquidity of smaller stocks is the most credible argument against the existence of a small-cap premium and perhaps the one most difficult to dismiss... [It's true,] small companies can be extremely illiquid. Active small-cap investments are therefore unlikely to replicate simple benchmark or historical results..." Invest in the Government’s Best-Kept Real Estate Secret - September 22, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Residents of a posh Tampa Bay, Fla., community thought they lived in a quiet, well-managed property...until February 2006. That’s when they found out they don’t actually own part of the land in their residential development. Worse still, they owed taxes on the land..." The Last Time This Stock Was So Cheap It Rose 284% - September 21, 2006
by James Boric "...Since July 24, 2000, the S&P 500 has averaged a negative 0.75% compounded annual return, the NASDAQ has shed 11% a year and the red-hot Russell 2000 has averaged a 7.32% gain. Hussman beat all of these indexes handily. He also soundly pummeled his peers over the same time frame..." Synthetic Teleportation - September 20, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Key to this is an emergent technology called 'nano-dust' -- atomic-sized objects that can be programmed to bind to each other and move. Right now, that's just a laboratory speculation, but there are no laws of physics or engineering that will prevent it from being realized within the next two decades..." Sleuth Readers Speak on Volatility - September 19, 2006
by Mark Bail "...In each article, I’ve tried to discuss issues I thought would be of value to you. However, I do not presume to know exactly what’s on your mind. But if you take the time to shoot us an e-mail, I figure that what you’re writing about is probably important to a number of other Sleuthers as well. So, for those of you who have e-mailed us, thanks for writing in..." Large Is Good? - September 18, 2006
by Satya Dev Pradhuman "...One of the more popular arguments against the existence of a small-cap size premium regards the dominance of the large-cap franchise. It is argued that small companies are inferior to large companies and therefore make poor investments. Among the factors cited for large companies being sound investments are recent technological advances such as just-in-time inventory and e-commerce..." “Clock Building, Not Time Telling” - September 15, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...But what if this person had the ability to make a clock that would tell the time long after he/she is gone? That is a greater skill. And that’s what makes a difference in business. The person who can tell the time simply by looking at the sky has a skill. But the person who can build clocks and sell them has a great business..." How to Make 50% Profits With 33% Less Risk Every Year - September 14, 2006
by James Boric "...This is the safest way to make money. It’s safer than bonds, safer than stocks and far safer than speculating in options or futures. If you invested only in this vehicle, you would be better off than 90% of your neighbors, co-workers and poker buddies. Personally, I swear by it. It is one of the best ways to safely grow wealthy -- no matter what happens to the stock market..." Quantum Biology - September 13, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...To appreciate how absurd this is, consider one simple fact: Physics is the "master science" describing how the universe works. Other sciences, such as chemistry and biology, have no meaning whatsoever except on a foundation of physics. For example, no organism can defy physics’ law of entropy..." How to Profit from Controversy - September 12, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...When the word “controversy” is raised among gaming circles, this controversial company’s name can’t be too far behind. It’s still months away from releasing the next installment of the most controversial and intense releases to legions of fans, but already the anticipation is mounting, and the parental groups are lining up to protest, indirectly promoting the latest game..." The Price of Speculation - September 11, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Whenever you add a speculative play to your portfolio, it’s important to be honest about its potential. Any stock could fall to zero, but many of those speculative picks with the tempting “make-it-or-break-it” stories are the ones that could most likely break not only new 52-week lows, but also your spirit..." Small Caps Outperform Large: Fact or Fiction? - September 7, 2006
by Satya Dev Pradhuman "...Historically, small stocks have generated an excess return, or size premium, over large stocks, which is in keeping with the excess risk that typically accompanies smaller firms. The size premium represents a market risk premium. Assets are priced according to their underlying risks. Small caps are expected to provide a higher rate of return than large caps, to compensate for their higher risk..." Your Tax Dollars, Actually at Work - September 6, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...I’ll admit it: I have a bias that Federal money is wasted money. When I look at the cost of getting something done through a Federal program, or even a Federally-contracted “piggy trough” big contractor project, and compare it to what a well-managed young company can do, I’m often left speechless..." The Meaning of August - September 5, 2006
by Mark Bail "...But today I decided to take a break from volatility and look at the market from a seasonal perspective...So with the major averages having recovered nicely in August after suffering through a difficult May-through-July period, I began to wonder what, if any, clues we might be able to draw from this late-summer rebound as we look toward the end of the year..." Shipping Dividends - September 4, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Eagle holds a competitive advantage over other bulk shipping fleets because its ships are relatively brand new, according to a company filing. And newer ships means less dry-docking fees and maintenance -- thus increasing the company’s profits..." Why Are Some Countries Richer Than Others? - September 1, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...In 1820, the average income of a person in Europe and the average income of a person on the African continent were about the same. As of 1800, the life expectancy in Western Europe and Japan was the same, about 40 years. Just two centuries ago, the huge gap between the rich and the poor that we see today did not exist..." How to Profit As the Small-Cap Bubble Bursts - August 31, 2006
by James Boric "...I wasn't terrified because I had to speak in front of 200 people (although public speaking is never a relaxing chore). Rather, at that time, the market was beaten to a pulp. The United States was still in the wake of 9/11 and the tech blowout. And the last thing the audience wanted to hear was some guy making a bullish case for why they should buy small-cap stocks right now..." The Ultimate Tourist Experience - August 30, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Space Adventures Ltd., the company that successfully sent the first private astronauts into orbit, now has a bigger service in mind. If you’re rich and have visited the most exotic locales of Earth, you can now go into space..." The Fast Food Sacrifice? - August 28, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...What you eat and drink can greatly affect your budget. You've probably seen the Latte Calculator: If you forgo one $5 latte every workday and invest the $25 at 10% for 10 years, you're sitting on almost $23,000. Not bad for a measly cup of coffee. (You can do your own math too and factor in other frivolous expenses.)..." Do You Have a Sane Portfolio? - August 25, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...John Dorfman is the president of Boston-based Thunderstorm Capital and a columnist for Bloomberg. Seven years ago, Dorfman devised what he calls the 'Sane Portfolio.' And in six out of those seven years, his Sane Portfolio has beaten the S&P 500..." Insider Buying in the Auto Industry: 3 Companies to Keep an Eye On - August 24, 2006
by James Boric "...As you can see, there is a very clear relationship between insider buying and the 'price' of the overall market. Namely, when stocks are cheap, the insiders load up (a la 2001 and 2002). And when the market is expensive, insiders sell more than they buy..." Scientific Evidence for Reincarnation? - August 23, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...The advantage of scientific data is that they can be tested and verified by others. One of the most interesting subjects at the junction point of spirituality and religion is reincarnation. Many people consider it nonsense based upon their religious or scientific perspective, and I respect their right to this point of view..." Trading the VIX - August 22, 2006
by Mark Bail "...But keep in mind that the VIX’s 30-day timeframe is continually updated. That updating does tend to mitigate the short-term nature of the VIX’s value, and enables you to consider volatility in a longer timeframe if you have a conviction regarding the long-term direction of volatility..." Riding the 600 - August 21, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...A column published last week on Forbes.com reported Thompson analysts expecting stocks in the Standard and Poor's Small-Cap 600 Index to return an average of 19% in 2006 and 16% in 2007. That tops predictions of 15% and 10%, respectively, for it's big brother -- the S&P 500..." The Easiest Way to Speculate Currencies - August 18, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...In fact, you can even get hedge fund-type returns without ever owning a hedge fund. Just look at Rydex’s Absolute Return Strategies Fund (RYMQX). This alternative investment product seeks capital appreciation in line with hedge fund returns..." Heads I Win, Tails I Don’t Lose Too Much - August 17, 2006
by James Boric "...Mohnish Pabrai may not be a name you have heard of before. But if you have dreams of extraordinary stock market returns, I suggest you get to know him. Pabrai runs his own hedge fund, Pabrai Investment Funds. Since 1999, he has averaged a 30% return on his investments..." Remember This Article - August 16, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Sixteen healthy young men were placed into one of four groups. Each group was randomly assigned to take 100 milligrams, 300 mg or 1,000 mg of the drug -- except for the fourth group, which was given a placebo. In an interesting experimental twist, over time each volunteer participated in all of the experimental groups, thereby producing their own control scores..." Capitalize on This Shoe Craze - August 15, 2006
by Ian Cooper "...That’s when I saw the next big investing opportunity sitting in front of me and I, too, found myself overjoyed with the opportunity. 'Like, oh my gawd,' I screamed...in my head. 'This is the latest in funky footwear fashion that everyone’s been talking about'..." Rich Man, Poor Man - August 14, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...However, sacrifice could very well be the new tune everyone is forced to sing as higher gas prices continue to take their toll. As the rest of this year unfolds, you will see revised earnings and slower sales at plenty of familiar retail and restaurant chains as the middle class is forced to curb spending..." An Unlikely Player in the Global Commodities Boom - August 11, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...As sarcastic as that statement is meant to sound, there is truth in it. Chances are, your gourmet coffee comes from Rwanda. Now, I’m not suggesting you invest in Rwanda, but I’m pointing out the economic possibilities in post-war countries. So read on..." Copper is the Perfect Investment - August 10, 2006
by James Boric "...Thanks to significant demand worldwide, this base metal has outpaced all of its higher-profile precious peers by a significant margin over the last five years. Spot copper prices are up 393% from their lows in 2001. Meanwhile, gold is up only 151%, silver is up 188%, platinum is up 202% and palladium is up 122%..." Musings on Androids and Immortality - August 9, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...While I consider that definition to be superficial (Who judges, and how thorough is the test?), the very fact that we're able to build something that starts to resemble a human being in 2005 gives me confidence that, by the year 2025 at latest, companions such as 'Grandma' will be real and probably mass manufactured..." Recent Moves in the VIX - August 8, 2006
by Mark Bail "...Now, I haven’t heard many of Wall Street’s purveyors of news and commentary wax eloquently on the subject of volatility lately. But that doesn’t mean we shouldn’t be mindful of it. We should. In fact, since the talk about volatility has died down, the VIX has told quite a story..." The Riskiest Gold Play - August 7, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Gold traded for a mere $266 an ounce five years ago (It’s trading for about $645 an ounce these days). Silver is way up too, moving from about $4 an ounce five years ago to $12 an ounce now. And crude oil continues to hover near record prices as I write..." Where in the World Should You Invest? - August 4, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...EXIM Bank, or Export-Import Bank of the United States, is an export credit agency. That means EXIM helps finance U.S. goods and services to international markets. And that makes the executives at the bank some of the most knowledgeable people when it comes to international trade..." The Next Big Story in Gold? - August 3, 2006
by James Boric "...You won’t read about this story in the Wall Street Journal, IBD or any other mainstream news outlet. But this is, without a doubt, the biggest story in the gold world today -- that no one knows a thing about..." Solar Tower of Power - August 2, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...I have recently written of the small -- nanotechnology -- that’s enabling solar power to become effective. It does so by allowing solar cells to be sprayed on like paint, inexpensively. Also, unlike conventional solar cells, the nano-solar cells will capture invisible infrared rays, enabling efficiencies in converting sunlight to electricity of up to 30%..." The Slowdown is Just Beginning - July 31, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Existing home sales were written off as if 'beating the number' really had any bearing on the housing bubble at all. And because the mindset is that home values can never really go down, many people (especially realtors and anyone trying to sell a home) are saying that prices have 'leveled off' and that the market is 'returning to normal.'..." Hot Commodities and a Cool Head - July 28, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Sean is bullish on literally every commodity out there. We are in a commodity supercycle, just like the one soon after World War II. You see, right after World War II, Europe and Japan were flattened. They needed to rebuild. And they went shopping for every commodity that ever existed. The result: Prices went up. The same thing is happening now with China and India..." Russell 2000 Set to Rise 30%...Is It Possible? - July 27, 2006
by James Boric "...I almost choked on my coffee when I heard those words come from Steve Sjuggerud’s mouth yesterday at the Agora Wealth Symposium here in beautiful Vancouver, British Columbia. Surely, I heard him wrong. 'There’s no way the Russell 2000 is going up 30%,' I thought to myself. That’s absurd'..." The Very Personal Personal Computer - July 26, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Apple's iMac G5 is a new type of computer. The entire computer is in the flat-screen monitor box...including CPU, memory, CD/DVD drive and a wireless Internet connection. Yes, the computer still requires a mouse and keyboard, but those are wireless and detached. So this 'desktop' computer can be carried and used just like a laptop, except it has no operating battery...yet..." The Concept of Relative Strength - July 25, 2006
by Mark Bail "...So, most people do have a bias to buying -- as opposed to shorting -- when trading or investing. I’m not completely sure why that is. It could be rooted in the fact that, despite frequent ups and downs, over time our economy does continue to expand..." Silently Beating the Blue Chips - July 24, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Clean water is one of the most important public health issues affecting the world today. It’s something most Americans don’t notice, because for our entire lives, clean water has been delivered directly to our homes and dirty water has been pumped out..." Four Tiny Stocks With Tenbagger Potential - July 21, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...'Why don’t we start a secret blood pact with the devil to become rich and powerful, and eventually take over the world?!' said an investment geek to his friend. And that’s how InvestorGeeks.com was born. Earlier this month, Investor Geeks carried an interesting article titled 'Hunting for Tenbaggers' by co-founder Chris Welch..." Are You Prepared? - July 20, 2006
by James Boric "...Stocks rise and stocks fall. That's the way the market works, always has and always will. Yet it's shocking to me how often people are surprised when their stocks fall. It's even more shocking that people are surprised by bad returns when the major economic, financial and political warning signals are going off for all to see and hear -- as they are today..." Space Habitation Takes a Step Closer - July 19, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Bigelow Aerospace of Las Vegas is making a bet against which the gaming tables in the same city pale into insignificance. It aims to offer tourist accommodations in orbit. Using a Dnepr booster from ISC Kosmotras, the company has just launched its Genesis 1 module..." Avoid This Retail Play - July 17, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Not many public companies have gotten into the action, and some of the ones in business have been struggling. But there is one tiny furniture chain that has done well recently, while other companies have hit rough waters..." All Liquidity Leads to Japan - July 14, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...A continuous supply of fresh water (money) flows into the bowl from a huge tap controlled by the world's central bankers. The bowl will lean whichever way the investors tilt it. If investors were bullish on America, they would tilt the bowl towards the U.S. and money will flow into American stocks and assets..." Make Sure You Aren't the Fool in This Market - July 13, 2006
by James Boric "...When company insiders (CEOs, CFOs, major shareholders, directors, etc.) are bullish enough to spend millions of their own dollars to buy stock on the open market, it means they think stocks are cheap and worth owning..."
The Future of Fabric - July 12, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Soon, nanotech will add the capability to resist not just liquid stains, but also dirt -- including dust, shed bodily tissues (a surprisingly large source of dirt) and bodily oils. Then, at least in theory, you won't need to wash your clothes at all: Just shake them out..." The VIX: What It All Means - July 11, 2006
by Mark Bail "...The two primary emotions that drive market traders and investors are fear and greed. And that’s exactly what the VIX reading conveys. The VIX is an excellent measure of the current level of fear and greed – or, to be a bit more accurate, fear and complacency -- in the market. In fact, the VIX is often referred to as the 'fear gauge'..." New Coverage: Will Power Glass Succeed? - July 10, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...The process of converting sunlight into electrical energy is called photovoltaics (PV). PV is a rapidly growing and improving technology. According to our featured company’s research though the Solar Energy Industries Association, the global PV market has averaged 25% growth annually over the last 10 years..." The Only Country You Need to be Invested in for the Next 5 Years - July 7, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Simply put, carry trade is a transaction where you borrow money for cheap (Japan) and invest in another country where the yields are higher (U.S., Iceland). You make the difference in interest rates..." Taking the Market’s Temperature - July 6, 2006
by Mark Bail "...I think we’re at a very interesting juncture in the market right now. We had a bullish first third of the year, with all of the major indexes scoring solid gains. That was followed by a severe sell-off that began in early May and lasted throughout nearly all of June. That sell-off wiped out most, and in some cases all, of the hard won profits earned in 2006’s first four months..." Musings on Freedom, Transportation and the Automatic Automobile - July 5, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...I find some irony in this whenever I’m trapped in the creep -- a twice-daily phenomenon often wrongly called, “rush hour.” (It’s longer than an hour and nobody’s rushing.) The creep is a direct result of the huge favoritism of building roads over passenger trains in this country..."
The Water Crisis - July 3, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...So as many cities dipped into their emergency water reserves last week when local water facilities were forced to give way to rising floodwaters, it became painfully clear how even during a great storm, water (or at least clean drinking water) can be scarce..." A Business So Profitable, It Makes the Government Suspicious - June 30, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...British banks have recently been so profitable that the U.K treasury actually commissioned an inquiry into this extraordinary profitability. England’s HSBC Bank (HBC) for example, had a net profit margin of 31.85%. Compare that to J.P Morgan’s 15.53% net profit margin..." A Major Buying Opportunity - June 29, 2006
by James Boric "...Last year at this time, an ounce of gold traded in the $420-440 range. As I write this Sleuth, the shiny metal is at $583 -- 32% higher. Yet many gold stocks are trading at the same level (or lower) than they were two or three years ago..." The Future of Food - June 28, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Recent research has established that organic produce is healthier to eat. The produce is stressed by exposure to environmental influences from which its factory-farmed cousins are sheltered. This leads it to create defensive chemicals that also protect people from illnesses..." Market Risk vs. Investment Risk - June 27, 2006
by Chris Mayer "...For the true investor, market prices are just that -- market prices. They are not well-reasoned appraisals of business value. They are the product of opinion and emotion and can be way off base. They are there to be taken advantage of or ignored, as the case may be..." Not a Drop to Drink - June 26, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...No, this wasn’t a conversation about petroleum, ethanol, biodiesel or even Coca-Cola. Instead, he talked about water. And not the kind of polluted (mostly salty) water that covers most of the planet, but clean drinking water -- a commodity that is becoming increasingly scarce across the globe..." What’s In a Stock’s Name? 33% More Gains - June 23, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...This psychologist team did a study of initial public offerings on two major American stock exchanges. Their results show that people are more likely to purchase newly offered stocks that have easily pronounced names. This effect also applied to how easy it was to remember a stock’s symbol..." Why This $9 Stock Should Trade for at Least $14 - June 22, 2006
by James Boric "...This past month, John gave an intriguing 40-minute presentation at the second-ever Value Investing Congress, held in Los Angeles. The title of his speech was Tiny Companies, Big Value. It was about three small-cap companies that have been kicked to the curb by Wall Street but harbor some deep, unrealized value that could make investors a nice profit..." Dangerous Nanoparticles? - June 21, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Already, nanoparticles are finding their way into mainstream products. Bowling balls are coated with them to create an ultra-slippery surface. Soon, we'll have countertops and bathroom surfaces that are specially coated so that bacteria die upon contact. Paints are being suffused with nanoparticles such that minor scratches self-repair..." The VIX - June 20, 2006
by Mark Bail "...Let’s begin by considering what the VIX measures and how it’s constructed. Once you understand that, you will have a better idea of why you’ve been hearing so much talk about this measurement and the implications you can draw from it..." Avoiding Some Ethanol IPOs - June 19, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...The word 'ethanol' can stir up an investor’s emotions these days. It’s a veritable rock star on Wall Street, and plenty of new acts are lining up hoping to capitalize on the craze. But is ethanol the new sound of a more energy-conscious century? Or is it merely a passing fad, with handfuls of IPO’s looking to grab the easy money while it still exists?..." How the Age Wave Will Doom American Stocks and How You Can Profit From It - June 16, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...In the next 20 years, so-called “baby boomer” stocks will make you no money. Boomers might be spending more on health care, travel or real estate. But that doesn’t necessarily mean those stocks will make you money. In fact, they will lose you money..." Speculative Darlings - June 15, 2006
by James Boric "...During the final stages of a bull market, speculative stocks often gain the most. Investors get used to everything rising -- a lot. They forget about 'petty' things like earnings and put their money in the hottest lottery tickets...I mean...stocks..." One Small Touch for Man, One Giant Touch for Machine - June 14, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Computer scientists concur that there are basically two long-term obstacles to having robots replace people for most repetitive tasks: vision and touch. (Cost is a short-term obstacle. Like every technological advance, mass production and economies of scale will, over time, drive the amortized cost of robots down to a level cheaper than human wages.)..." Ethanol Redux - June 12, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...I first began writing to you about ethanol’s potential back in mid-March. And I listed three companies that were set to benefit as ethanol fuels and blends became more prevalent (and all the attention ethanol has been getting from politicians and the media didn’t hurt, either)..." Why the Best Mutual Fund Manager in the World Is Loading up on a $9 Stock Everyone Is Sure Will Go to Zero - June 8, 2006
by James Boric "...Robert L. Rodriguez has a history of making the right move at the right time. As the chief investment officer of the FPA Capital Fund, he has made his shareholders 15 times their money since 1990, avoided most of the tech meltdown of 2000 and was among the first to get in on the energy boom..." Who’s Watching the Watchers? - June 7, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...I have good news: One professor has concocted a solution. Dr. Vincent Tao teaches engineering at Toronto's York University. His system will allow people to sit at their computers and use the Internet to look at real-time images anywhere in the world..." So What’s All This Buzz About Volatility? - June 6, 2006
by Mark Bail "...But if you’re new to investing -- or just unfamiliar with some of the market jargon frequently spouted by the financial media -- you may think that’s something you ought to know about. Well, should you? And more importantly, will becoming familiar with the concept of volatility help you improve your investment results?..." Summer Bargains and Biofuel Updates - June 5, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...After a relatively mild spring, the heat was back for a while here in the Mid-Atlantic. We’ve already had a couple of days where the temperature climbed into the 90s, but things have settled back down a little and I have a feeling that the dog days of summer are yet to come. The same is probably true for the market..." Travel Notes from Indonesia - June 2, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...The thick, spicy smell of Indonesia’s clove-based Kretek cigarettes is everywhere. Street peddlers sell Kreteks at traffic stops like hot dogs at a baseball game. Children as young as 15 smoke on street corners. And it seems like every wall in Jakarta is plastered with Kretek advertisements..." Do You Have the Cajones to Own This Stock? - June 1, 2006
by James Boric "...The prevailing consensus is that business will continue to get worse for most newspaper companies, not better. Yet one of the smartest value investors in the country, John Rogers Jr. of Ariel Capital, is making a large bet that everyone is wrong..." There’s Gold in Them ‘Thar Genes! - May 31, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...It has been generally accepted that humans diverged along with chimps from a common ancestor millions of years ago. Each started along a path that led to today’s genomes, or species. Far less accepted (or acceptable) is a recent discovery that after the divergence, our common ancestors mated again..." Exposed: Warren Buffett’s Entire Portfolio and How You Can Replicate It - May 26, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...You see, the form 13-F discloses all of Berkshire Hathaway’s stock positions as of March 31. Who wouldn’t want to take a peek at Warren Buffett’s portfolio?! In an article titled 'The 38 Stocks in the Buffett Portfolio,' Morningstar.com published the details of form 13-F..." Headed to the Cemetery - May 25, 2006
by James Boric "...John’s favorite idea was to invest in the dying newspaper industry -- an industry that even Warren Buffett recently said was “heading into the cemetery.” Specifically, he likes Lee Enterprises (LEE:NYSE) and Journal Register (JRC:NYSE) -- two small-cap newspaper publishers with hundreds of local papers that have hundreds of thousands of local readers..." Are You Reading What You Think You're Reading? - May 24, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Essentially, as you will see when trying this yourself, your brain can hold one interpretation of the pattern but not multiple ones. It will switch from one to the other. The research indicates that our brains must, in effect, change channels between competing brainwaves to understand different parts of the same image. The next focus of the research will be on faces..." What Can We Expect Next? - May 23, 2006
by Mark Bail "...The charts tell me that stocks are oversold and due for a bounce. That’s not wishful thinking on my part. I’m not a bull or a bear -- just a trader and a technician. From what I see, it appears that the recent avalanche of selling has occurred so quickly that it would not surprise me to see stocks attempt to rally..." Cancer Treatment for about $1.30 a Share - May 22, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Genasense is a drug given to cancer patients to assist chemotherapy. It is an anti-sense treatment, which consists of chemically modified strands of DNA that bind to mRNA. This inhibits the production of a protein -- in this case, Bcl-2, a protein that is found in many kinds of cancer cells that can “block” chemotherapy from killing them..." Don’t Confuse Brains with a Bull Market - May 19, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...That’s what the stock market does to you if you don’t understand how psychology affects investments. Overconfidence causes people to overestimate their knowledge, underestimate risks and exaggerate their ability to control events..." Three Tests for Great Investing - May 18, 2006
by James Boric "...There are three tests you can put any stock through before you invest in it. 99% won’t pass at least one of these tests. Those are the ones not worth investing in -- or at the very least, they are better left for someone else. But on occasion, you’ll find a company or two that does pass all three tests. Those are the ones you should consider owning in your portfolio..." Artificial Creations Can be Very Valuable - May 17, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Judgment is involved, but clearly machines display sound judgment, at least in limited domains. Computers have been programmed to perform medical diagnosis better than 90% of physicians. You’d do better 'hiring' such a program than selecting a doctor at random from the yellow pages..." A Diversified Energy Structure, Part II - May 15, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...And Syntroleum has a stake in Nigerian oil as well. The company recently acquired two locations in Nigeria with discovered oil and gas reserves, and also claims to be in the process of buying more. Drilling of the first well will happen sometime around September..." Lessons from History -- What Not to Buy - May 12, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...In the article, Siegel used AOL as an example to show that internet stocks weren’t worth what investors were paying for them. He argued that even though AOL’s market cap ranked within the top ten U.S. companies, its sales ranked a pathetic 415th. Siegel also pointed out that AOL’s P/E ratio was 700 when the average P/E of the stock market had only been 17 over the last 45 years..." Why Buffett Wishes He Could Invest Like You - May 11, 2006
by James Boric "...To illustrate his point, Buffett told the 24,000+ people who made the trek to the Quest Center this weekend that he would have put 100% of his assets in South Korea a year or two ago when incredible companies (many small-caps) were selling for three or four times earnings. But because Berkshire is a massive $112 billion company, he couldn’t take advantage of the opportunity..." Building Better Brains - May 10, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...While I found this interesting and informative, it got me thinking. Many of us do little to strengthen our own brains. This is surprising considering the fact that the brain is arguably the most important organ in the entire body. It governs the decisions we make and just about everything of consequence in our lives..." Buy and Hold or Sell in May? - May 9, 2006
by Mark Bail "...It gets even better. I said earlier that, from 1970-2005, the S&P 500 gained an average of 1.3% from May to October -- not exactly a killing when you consider all the time your money is at risk. However, in the twenty years the index entered May with a profit, on average the S&P 500 picked up an additional 3.4% over the next six months -- two and-a-half times better than the average return for the entire thirty-six-year study period..." A Diversified Energy Structure - May 8, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...If the United States converted just 5% of its estimated recoverable coal reserves to liquid fuel, one company estimates this change would be equal to the 29 billion barrels of proven oil reserves in the U.S., thereby almost doubling America’s oil supplies without drilling another well or building a new refinery..." Stock Markets and Beauty Contests - May 5, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Keynes likened stock markets to the beauty contests of his day. During the early 1900s, the London newspaper would print 100 photos of beautiful women. You had to write in with the six women you liked the most. Everyone that picked the most popular woman could win a prize..." The Long Perspective on Energy - May 3, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...In places not so blessed -- including most of North America -- all a hydrogen economy will do is shift the burning of fuels such as coal to remote regions. While such 'out of sight, out of mind' burning has the potential to reduce noxious fumes in urban areas, ultimately it's no solution to dwindling supplies and global warming..." Veggie Cars and Energy Speculation - May 1, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Nine grand is how much it would probably cost you to buy a used Volkswagen Jetta TDI with about 150,000 miles on it. Then for a mere $2,000 you could equip the diesel burning engine with a contraption that allows you to fill up a separate tank (stored in your trunk, by the way) with used vegetable oil..." What if We Run Out of Fools? - April 28, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...According to Anand, this is a classic 'greater fool' situation. Investing in an overheated market is foolish. All investors are hoping for is that there are greater fools out there that will buy the same overpriced stocks that they sell..." Can You Outperform a Group of 7th Graders? - April 27, 2006
by James Boric "...In 1991, the long time Magellan Fund manager received a package in the mail from Joan Morrissey’s seventh grade social studies class at St. Agnes School in Arlington, Mass. It was a scrapbook filled with a model portfolio the kids put together as part of a class assignment on investing. And it was complete with company descriptions, pictures of the products and reasons to own each stock..." Pharmaceuticals and Farming Get Cozy - April 26, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...As the technological tidal wave rushes forward, one of the more interesting developments we can expect is the synthesis and merging of formerly unrelated fields. For example, the Food and Drug Administration was originally conceived to regulate two entirely different industries: food and drugs..." Is the Past Prologue? - April 25, 2006
by Mark Bail "...So, with nearly four months of the year behind us, I wanted to get a bead on what was likely to transpire throughout the rest of 2006. In other words, does this positive start to the year portend a solid year overall for equities? Or do bullish beginnings frequently melt away in the heat of the summer and turn to fool’s gold by year’s end?..." Before the Biodiesel Boom - April 24, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...And like ethanol, you don’t need crude to make biodiesel. Animal fats or soybean oil and even waste food oils (think of the vats of this stuff cooking those fast-food French fries) are used to make the fuel. Biodiesel advocates will tell you that advancements in the process will allow biodiesel facilities to use almost any fat or oil to make the fuel within five years (now, most use soybeans)..." The Tried and True Triumph Over the Bold and New - April 21, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...To illustrate the growth trap, Siegel uses an example. Imagine that you can time travel and are capable of hindsight to make your investment decisions. Now go back to the year 1950 and pick a stock that you will want to hold till today. You have to choose between IBM and Standard Oil of New Jersey (now ExxonMobil)..." A $1.40 Stock the Insiders Love - April 20, 2006
by James Boric "...Fundamentally, the tiny $68 million medical device company in question looks worse than Joan Rivers sans makeup. It has lost money in each of its last five quarters. Sales are down 33% compared with last year And in the last two years, its stock price has fallen from over $6 to as low as $1.02..." Finally, the Death Ray? - April 19, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...But now, reports Popular Science, military planners at the Pentagon have concluded that these weapons do indeed have potential even if they're not yet serviceable as an anti-ballistic missile (ABM) type of deterrent..." Ethanol Questions Answered, Again! - April 17, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Here’s EAA’s take: Ethanol is unfairly criticized, like when all the energy attributed to grow a bushel of corn and process it is counted. The report calls ethanol a co-product of corn, and that means that the corn should only be charged with the energy that was used to turn it into ethanol..." The U.S. Dollar Goes to Mexico - April 14, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...I handed the woman a $20 bill. 'That’s too large. I don’t have that much change, I have to ask someone else,' she said. Then she took the crisp $20 bill that my Bank of America ATM in Baltimore had spat out just a few days earlier. The woman held the bill up to the sun light and squinting, she inspected it suspiciously..." Repent Now! Avoid These 7 Deadly Sins - April 13, 2006
by James Boric "...A month later, the company comes out with some breaking news. Its “sure-fire” cancer drug is no longer sure fire. Unexpectedly, it didn’t make it through the first phase of the FDA trials. To your horror, the stock immediately plunges and doesn’t stop until your $10,000 investment is worth a mere $500 (hardly enough to buy a scooter, let alone a new Beamer)..." The Domestication of Viruses - April 12, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Newscientist.com reports that these viruses have been genetically modified to behave in a way that produces a working battery anode (the negatively charged part of the battery). The viruses have molecules on their outer body that chelate (Greek for "hook") to electrically conductive materials such as gold..." Strike Up the Bands - April 11, 2006
by Mark Bail "...Knowledge of volatility allows you to better assess the risk and reward in a trade or investment. For example, if a stock is bouncing back and forth between its upper and lower Bollinger Bands, you can gauge how large a move to expect. Similarly, knowledge of volatility can assist you in gauging the risk of a move against you in a stock or ETF you already own..." A Monday Mailbag Full of Ethanol - April 10, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...I’ve been spending a lot of time reading e-mails about ethanol the past couple of weeks. I’ve heard from ethanol advocates, the anti-ethanol/biofuels crowd and some very inquisitive (and maybe brilliant) skeptics. And let me just say now that I appreciate the incredible response to the ethanol series..." How to Be the Perfect Copycat - April 7, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Let’s face it, we all want to know what stocks other people own, and it’s tempting to go out and buy a stock because somebody we know just did. It gives us reassurance in a frenzied, complicated investment world. It’s easier to think, 'If the stock is good for my uncle/neighbor/friend, then its good for me too, right?'..." Small-Caps That the All-Time Greats Would Be Proud to Own - April 6, 2006
by James Boric "...Great fund managers never do care. They buy great businesses at great prices no matter what the market does. They know that over time, owning fundamentally sound and growing companies gives them the best chance to achieve above-average returns. And the key phrase in that last sentence is 'over time.'..." Emotional Prosthetics - April 5, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Many people whom others find boring are utterly clueless. They can literally go their whole lives wondering why others shut them out. This is especially true for those suffering from autism, a condition that renders one unable to discern ordinary cues of emotional response. Now, MIT Technology Review reports that technology is racing to help people with this social disorder. A new device has been developed that is, in effect, an emotion detector..." Small-Caps Could Solve the Ethanol Dilemma - April 3, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Today, I’m going to look at some of the obstacles the ethanol market faces -- and will need to address -- in order to become a more viable source of energy in the coming years. And I’ll tell you what to look for in what will inevitably be a long line of small-cap ethanol companies that you’ll be looking at in the months and years to come..." Grande Profits From Small-Cap Companies - March 31, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...So what’s common to all the above? They are all products or companies that make products that require brewing. And trust me, brewing is a great business. After some quick number crunching and sorting through several stocks, I have come to the rather idiosyncratic conclusion that anything that requires brewing could be worth investing in..." Can You Outpace the Market Threefold? - March 30, 2006
by James Boric "...In his 155-page sure-to-be-a-classic, the Gotham Capital founder unveiled his “magic formula” that consistently beats the market. According to Greenblatt, if you’d simply invested in a basket of about 30 stocks with the highest combined earnings yield and return on invested capital (yes, that’s his entire magic formula), you would have averaged a 30.8% return between 1988-2004..." A Scenario for Pandemic - March 29, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...As I’ve warned readers of Emerging Capital Report, the consensus view among epidemiologists and the World Health Organization is that a pandemic similar to the bird flu of 1918 will hit humanity. The question is not one of if, but when..." A Tool for These Volatile Times - March 28, 2006
by Mark Bail "...It’s been awhile since I’ve written about the tools of the trade I use to locate the best -- and worst -- places to invest in equities. So, let’s open the toolbox and see what might aid your efforts to search for profits in the market mines, shall we?..." Small Cap Revenge and One Spicy Stock That Could Fly - March 27, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...Don’t believe it. Not only do I have it on good authority that these 'predictions' some people are making about the market are foolish, I’ve also found a little restaurant chain that is experiencing some explosive growth. This small-cap stock could see huge gains in 2006, while some big casual dining chains continue to struggle... more on this in a minute..." Freedom of Speech -- Tribal Style - March 24, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Emerging market investors look at a complex set of parameters before deciding which countries to invest in. Factors like GDP composition, exchange rate stability and monetary policy are all certainly important. But often, emerging market investors overlook one important factor that can make or break a country. Here is how I learned how this factor contributed to growth and freedom in one African nation..." What Super Investor Seth Klarman Is Buying - March 23, 2006
by Chris Mayer "...But I'm not an Establishment thinker, either. They have rocks in their heads, or perhaps bats and biting lizards. But it is not brains, at least not the kind that think their own thoughts. They are hired hands. Wall Street's job is to sell you paper. Whatever happens to the value of that paper after the sale is none of its concern. It is why I cannot work there, no matter how many fine cigars or bottles of expensive brandy or fancy invitations I receive..." Recycling: Past, Present and Future - March 22, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...As the number of people on this planet grows and many approach First World standards of living -- as will happen in decades ahead with China and India -- our consumption of natural resources will grow exponentially. Next to energy, the most pressing of these resources are the raw materials used to make products we consume and throw away..." New Laws and Tax Breaks Could Energize These Small-Cap Alternative Energy Outfits -
March 20, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...The Wall Street Journal featured ethanol on the front cover last week. Here at home, The Baltimore Sun touted ethanol as an 'emerging energy star.' Even our president called in an interview earlier this year for the U.S. 'to not only advance that technology of deriving fuel from corn, but also deriving fuel from waste materials'..." Investing Ahead of $90 Trillion -- An Interview with an Emerging Markets Expert - March 17, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Horacio Marquez is one of the most brilliant investment advisors I’ve ever met. He is the editor of Money Map Advantage, an investment newsletter. He is also an Oxford Club investment panelist. Apart from that, Horacio is a partner in an exclusive hedge fund dealing in Chinese equities, fixed income and derivatives..." The Sage of Baltimore - March 16, 2006
by James Boric "...At a time when most investors were either afraid of the market or were investing only in "safe" stocks like railroads and auto manufacturers, Price was buying small, unknown growth companies for pennies on the dollar -- and making a fortune..." Amazing Foams - March 15, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Foams are remarkable compounds. A tiny amount of chemical, mixed with air and usually water through violent agitation, produces a huge volume of bubbles. The result is mostly air, yet depending on the chemical it can have remarkable properties..." Short-Side Utilities Choices for When They Shut Down the Power - March 14, 2006
by Mark Bail "...However, given the way the average has traded, there looks to be more downside ahead for this sector. So, if you don’t know how to attempt to profit from the potential weakness in this sector, let me give you some different trading or investment approaches to consider..." Why An October 28, 2006 Announcement Could Triple This Tiny Biotech Company’s Stock - March 13, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...This $235 million company has a treatment in the works that could make chemotherapy twice as effective in the quest for killing deadly cancer cells. Its treatment is in stage 3 clinical trials, and the FDA granted the company fast track status to bring this application to market since no other treatment like it exists..." Wall Street's Maniac Investor - March 10, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...He is Jim Cramer, journalist-turned-broker-turned-hedge fund manager-turned TV star. Cramer hosts CNBC’s TV show Mad Money. A whopping half-million viewers tune in to watch him yell out his stock analysis at callers..." A Simple Strategy to Improve Your Portfolio No Matter What the Market Does - March 9, 2006
by James Boric "...I bet this has happened to you at least once in your life. You find a small-cap stock you absolutely love. You do all your homework on the company to make sure you know what you’re getting into. And when everything checks out, you place a buy order with your broker. Boom, you’re in..." I Heal the Body Electric - March 8, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Tiller points out that the emerging paradigm -- supported by vast amounts of experimental data -- is one of a system in which living energy fields interact. This gets really interesting and practical when you consider that some companies have developed appliances to enhance the body's own healing powers..." Booming Small-Cap Semiconductors and Three Professional Growth Picks - March 6, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...The big news late last week was that semiconductor leader Intel cut its revenue forecast, citing weaker demand and a loss of market share to its main competition, Advanced Micro Devices. Intel’s stock fell 3% after the news..." It's Time to Sell India - March 3, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...I told my friend nearly two years ago to invest in Indian stocks. Back then, he told me I was crazy to suggest such 'risky' investments. Today, with all the media hype about India, my friend is finally buying into the story..." China's Government Hulk Smashes This Small-Cap Contender - March 2, 2006
by James Boric "...'Addison,' I said. 'I know you are busy, but you have to check this out. I may have found the best company on the market that no one knows about.' Having just finished about five radio interviews in a row, Addison looked up and gave me the 'make it quick' look. So I dove right in..." Seeing Through a Membrane, Clearly - March 1, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Membranes are boring, right? Wrong -- membranes do all kinds of amazing work, separating the things we want from the things we don't. This ranges from reverse osmosis, which makes salty seawater drinkable, to some really exciting new nanotechnology. One of them could even save your life..." I Just Want to Say One Word to You - February 28, 2006
by Mark Bail "...I guess the market hasn’t been listening. I say, "down," and stocks go up. Doesn’t anybody listen? The answer is no. And that’s why I believe so strongly in technical analysis. You see, it doesn’t matter what I think -- because the market is always right..." Your Secret Connection to the Insiders - February 27, 2006
by James Boric "...Imagine if every time you bought a stock, you knew exactly what the company’s CEO, CFO, board of directors and even its legal team thought about its future. Maybe the CEO would pull you aside and say, 'Listen, next quarter is going to be a big one. We just landed a multi-million dollar contract with a brand new client. When Wall Street finds out about it, our stock will double.'..." How I Discovered This Unknown Investment with 550% Profit Potential - February 24, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...In a world where the continent of Africa is only associated with bloody civil wars and crippling poverty, I stumbled upon this hidden investment gem. I met with Lesang Magang, managing director of Phakalane Golf Estate, while I was on an investment tour of Botswana. In case you didn’t know, Botswana is a tiny, diamond-rich country in southern Africa..." A $95 Million Company to Pay Close Attention To - February 23, 2006
by James Boric "...Occasionally, I find some interesting companies that are just a bit too risky to recommend as 'buys' in my newsletter, Penny Stock Fortunes. But they are also too good not to tell someone about..." A Renaissance for Solar Power - February 22, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...Historically, the major problem with solar power has been something engineers call "energy density." Essentially, this means that the amount of sunlight striking a given area hasn't been intense enough or steadily reliable enough to power energy-intense activities such as industrial processes, vehicles or modern homes loaded with electrical conveniences..." The Truth About Diamonds - February 17, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Whether I understand it or not, West’s music video was quite interesting. It portrayed diamond politics -- a rare thing in a world where oil seems to be the only 'politicized' commodity. The song starts with a haunting echo -- 'Diamonds are forever...forever...'" India: A Country of Contradictions - February 16, 2006
by James Boric "...For the last 10 days, Greg Grillot, Karim Kahemtulla and I trekked all over India. We visited Delhi, Agra, Bangalore and Mumbai (also known as Bombay) -- in search of investment ideas, business contacts and real, on-the-ground insights into this emerging superpower..." New Advances in the Cancer Wars - February 15, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...The range of treatments that's been tried against cancer over the years has been staggering. Several decades ago, cocky scientists proclaimed that a 'war on cancer' would soon bring an end to this scourge of humanity..." Take a Walk on the Short Side - February 14, 2006
by Mark Bail "...If 2006 turns out to be a down year for equities, it will be more of a challenge to extract money from the market. So the question becomes: how do you actually make money in a rocky market environment?..." Protect Yourself from the Real Estate Recession - February 13, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...The debt-dealers are getting desperate. And you could cash in while the housing market starts to cash out..." Why You Should Buy Small-Cap Gold Stocks - February 10, 2006
by Sala Kannan "...Here is a simple to way find out where the next bull market is going to be: Ask professional money managers where they are putting their own money. And that’s what I’ve been asking every fund manager I’ve met here in Africa..." Pansies, Wusses and Shortsighted Investors, Listen Up! - February 9, 2006
by James Boric "...You’ve gotta be tough to be a small-cap investor. Pansies, wusses and shortsighted people should not even consider investing in companies with market caps south of $1.5 billion..." Long-Term Profits vs. Short-Term Gains - February 8, 2006
by Greg Guenthner "...In this issue, I’ll be writing about a small-cap pharmaceutical company that proved it could run with the big boys -- and about how it doubled in value in one year and spent the rest of the 1990s as the most successful biotech company..." Coming Wonders in Transportation - February 7, 2006
by Jonathan Kolber "...This technology is still becoming more widely deployed, and I predict a massive new push for its adoption if airport procedures continue to make flying an ordeal. Nevertheless, maglev train technology will not surpass airplanes for speed of long-distance travel..." | 
