Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 31, 2007
Back in January, I tagged Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC) as the best financial stock for 2007. Well, here we are at the end of May and the shares are about flat from where they started the year. However, a recent presentation at the annual Lehman Brothers (NYSE: LEH) Financial Services Conference renewed my confidence that Wells Fargo is a rock-solid financial institution with a number of qualities that set it apart from the competition.
http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/05/31/dueling-fools-eli-lilly-bull.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 31, 2007
Few titans in the pharmaceutical industry can boast of near-term stability in their existing drug sales and favorable prospects in the drug pipeline. Thanks to a couple of recent developments and a focus on research & development (R&D), pharma giant Eli Lilly (NYSE: LLY) is one such firm, and a worthy contender for health-care exposure in Foolish portfolios.
http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/05/31/dueling-fools-eli-lilly-bull-rebuttal.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 31, 2007
Brian Lawler, my Dueling Fool counterpart, pointed out a number of valid concerns that are likely to drive Eli Lilly‘s (NYSE: LLY) share price going forward. However, I will argue that they are in fact, as Brian said earlier, ”just part of the cost of doing business as a big pharma” firm, and inherent in the industry. And despite the risk, investing in the space can still be worth it.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/31/walking-tall-at-payless.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 31, 2007
Footwear retailer Payless Shoesource (NYSE: PSS) just hit a new 52-week high after easily walking over analyst earnings estimates for its first quarter. A recently announced acquisition of shoe rival Stride Rite (NYSE: SRR) is making future trends more difficult to determine, but Payless is solidifying its reputation for taking all of the right steps.
http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/05/31/heinz-catch-up.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 31, 2007
It took some effort, but the ketchup appears to be flowing freely these days at Motley Fool Income Investor pick Heinz (NYSE: HNZ). The easy money may have been made, but the company is quickly developing a reputation for predictable operational improvements.
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/31/a-taxing-april-for-jackson-hewitt.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 31, 2007
Jackson Hewitt (NYSE: JTX) experienced some turbulence closing out its fiscal year, but it still has plenty of room to open its tax-preparation stores throughout the country. It’s also a king of cash, with plenty of related ways to benefit shareholders. But is that enough to outweigh near-term concerns?
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/30/borders-group-still-regrouping.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 30, 2007
Apparently, the performance at book retailer Borders Group (NYSE: BGP) will have to go down to go up, because 2007 is turning out to be a more challenging transition year than investors had anticipated.
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 30, 2007
Motley Fool Income Investor recommendation Heinz (NYSE: HNZ) has been red-hot since early 2006, thanks to an activist shareholder and strategy to get growth moving in a positive direction. Judging by the stock price, the restructuring plan has been successful so far, but Heinz has more work to do to convince investors that bottom-line earnings will move consistently upward. Tomorrow’s fourth-quarter and full-year results will shed further light. Â
http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/05/24/chronic-healthiness-at-medtronic.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 24, 2007
Medical-equipment firm Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) isn’t growing as fast as it once was, but Tuesday’s fourth-quarter earnings report still managed to beat Wall Street’s expectations. That clearly impressed more myopic-minded investors, but there are reasons for Fools with longer-term outlooks to take the company’s pulse as well.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/24/reason-to-boast-at-the-buckle.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 24, 2007
Apparel retailer Buckle (NYSE: BKE) has even more to boast about after reporting first-quarter results that were strong across the board. The company isn’t the type to brag about itself, but investors are increasingly applauding the favorable trends.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/23/foolish-forecast-buckle-clicks-along.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 23, 2007
Mall-based retailer The Buckle (NYSE: BKE) prefers a lower profile and primarily sticks to business by releasing monthly sales trends and quarterly earnings. However, it certainly has plenty to boast about, as strong operating results have led the way to even more impressive share price gains over the past couple of years. Tomorrow, investors will learn how The Buckle began fiscal 2007, as it’s set to release first-quarter results.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/23/the-gamestops-here.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 23, 2007
How does a company top its “best first quarter ever?” For starters, it increases forward earnings guidance. That’s just what electronics retailer and Stock Advisor pick GameStop (NYSE: GME) has done as it capitalizes on the latest upswing in the cyclical video game market.
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/23/dicks-knows-how-to-compete.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 23, 2007
Competition in the retail market for sporting goods is intense, with both big-box retailers and regional chains hawking athletic equipment and apparel. This morning, Dick’s Sporting Goods (NYSE: DKS) proved again that it is serious about growing rapidly and profitability, despite the opposition.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/22/the-bottom-of-the-cracker-barrel.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 22, 2007
CBRL Group (Nasdaq: CBRL), the holding company for Cracker Barrel Old Country Stores, just reported third-quarter sales that fell below expectations, and it’s hard to see what will get the firm heading in the right direction, especially compared with its sizzling competition in the restaurant industry. Â
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/21/lowes-growth-woes.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 21, 2007
This morning’s results from home-improvement giant Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW) proved to investors that Home Depot (NYSE: HD) isn’t the only one seeing challenging sales and earnings trends. The thousand-dollar question on Fools’ minds is, when might conditions improve?
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/21/the-saks-are-packed.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 21, 2007
Recent same-store sales trends at upscale department-store retailer Saks (NYSE: SKS) suggest that shoppers are filling their shopping bags as quickly as they can. Financial trends are a bit murkier, but that’s only because Saks has fancy ambitions, though it’s no snob yet.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/18/jc-penney-is-a-shopping-fool.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 18, 2007
On Thursday, department store retailer J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP) posted another quarter of respectable sales and impressive earnings gains. Better yet, Penney’s could just be getting warmed up: It recently announced ambitious long-term goals.
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/18/growing-kohls-coast-to-coast.aspxRyan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 18, 2007
Kohl’s (NYSE: KSS) status as one of the fastest-growing retailers remains intact, as it posted impressive quarterly results Thursday night after the market closed. For the time being, there is little indication it plans to slow its breakneck expansion pace, but at current levels, does the stock qualify as an undervalued growth candidate?
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/18/nordstrom-is-the-snobbiest-of-them-all.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 18, 2007
The move to higher-end, more fashionable merchandise is currently sweeping across the retail industry. And while the softer side at certain department-store chains may be feigning snobbier ambitions, Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) is no wolf in sheep’s clothing. But does this mean the retailer’s stock can continue to best the competition going forward?
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/16/wal-marts-reputation-precedes-it.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 16, 2007
Retail behemoth Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) defied logic for yet another quarter, posting mid-single-digit sales and earnings improvements. It’s funny how a company with close to $350 billion in annual sales keeps chugging along with such little respect reflected in its stock price.
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/15/haunting-results-at-home-depot.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 15, 2007
Home Depot‘s (NYSE: HD) color for its corporate logo happens to be the color most associated with Halloween. That’s fitting, since underinvestment in its store base is coming back to haunt the company, now that it has challenging industry conditions to deal with, too. October will probably come and go before investors begin to see any improvements, but in investing, patience can pay off.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/15/coming-to-your-highway-digital-billboards.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 15, 2007
Ever wondered who owns and operates the advertising billboards plastered across American highways? There are three key players that control most of the industry. And after years of modest organic sales gains, digital billboards could inject the space with big-time growth opportunities.
http://www.fool.com/investing/international/2007/05/14/play-it-safe-with-aig.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 14, 2007
In the insurance industry, American International Group (NYSE: AIG) has “a diverse portfolio of business and [a] global footprint.” In fact, it is probably the most diversified insurance firm out there, which can be a very appealing investment advantage for Fools looking for exposure to the space.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/14/sara-lee-seeks-the-right-recipe.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 14, 2007
Food, beverage, and household products firm Sara Lee (NYSE: SLE) appears to have gotten its sales trends in order since it began a “bold and ambitious multi-year plan” back in February 2005. But, overall, the company very much remains a work in progress. Does that spell opportunity for value-minded Fools?
http://www.fool.com/investing/small-cap/2007/05/14/dueling-fools-chipotle-bull-rebuttal.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 14, 2007
I must commend my Fool Duel counterpart Matt Koppenheffer for his conservative stance on the investment appeal of Chipotle (NYSE: CMG) (NYSE: CMG-B)Â at its current levels. I mean, we both just made it back from Omaha, after a weekend of hearing Messrs. Buffett and Munger stress margin of safety when evaluating investments. It probably pays to take a breather after Chipotle’s recent run to a 52-week high. But don’t unlace your sneakers just yet.
http://www.fool.com/investing/small-cap/2007/05/14/dueling-fools-chipotle-bull.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 14, 2007
Investing in growing restaurant concepts can sometimes be a recipe for portfolio heartburn. But if you can stomach occasionally lofty valuations, the payoff could also be delicious.
http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/05/09/mercury-spins-its-wheels.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 9, 2007
Auto insurer Mercury General (NYSE: MCY) continues to spin its wheels outside its core California market. Overall growth may be hard to come by going forward, but getting paid to wait for conditions to improve may not be a bad thing.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/09/marsh-mclennans-glacial-pace.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 9, 2007
Insurance broker and financial-consulting firm Marsh & McLennan (NYSE: MMC) still seems to be in the early stages of resolving previous damage control matters. Sales trends still aren’t where they need to be, but a couple of upcoming moves could finally help growth rebound.
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/08/cvscaremark-tie-the-knot.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 8, 2007
CVS/Caremark (NYSE: CVS) was a combined entity a full 10 days during the first quarter. While it’s too early to see if CVS blazed a new health-care trail by combining a drugstore chain with giant pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) Caremark, there are still interesting tidbits to pass along from recently reported results.
http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/05/07/the-dust-settles-at-officemax.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 7, 2007
Now that office supply retailer OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX) has had a couple of days to dust itself off after a disappointing earnings report, it’s time to see if the stock has added investment appeal.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/04/getty-images-gets-creative.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 4, 2007
In just a little more than a decade, Getty Images (NYSE: GYI) has pieced together an attractive and profitable business of selling still and moving images. Investors, imagining continued juicy stock gains, had increasingly hopped on the bandwagon — but then, last December, most of them decided to abruptly sell their shares.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/04/how-to-cruise-royal-caribbean.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 4, 2007
If the ocean was as turbulent as Royal Caribbean‘s (NYSE: RCL) stock chart over the past decade, passenger seasickness would ruin most cruising vacations. As it turns out, Royal knows how to navigate rough seas, and investors can use frequent share price volatility to their advantage.
http://www.fool.com/investing/small-cap/2007/05/04/has-scotts-dug-itself-a-hole.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 4, 2007
Small-cap lawn and garden company Scotts Miracle-Gro (NYSE: SMG) takes care of its shareholders with share buybacks and annual sprinkles of dividends, and recently showered them with a hefty one-time cash dividend and Dutch tender auction for even more shares. The added debt is significant, but Scotts could easily outgrow any leverage worries.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/03/sweet-and-sour-at-yum-brands.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 3, 2007
It’s scary to think how much higher Yum! Brands‘ (NYSE: YUM) stock would be if domestic restaurant performance could come close to matching the impressive results being posted at the international stores.Â
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/03/all-roads-lead-to-navteq.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 3, 2007
A recent article covering Sunday’s oil tanker explosion in San Francisco highlighted the troubles of using online mapping software to plan trips. What happens when a route suddenly ceases to exist because of road damage or, worse, a collapsed bridge?
http://www.fool.com/investing/small-cap/2007/05/02/buffalo-wild-wings-en-fuego.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 2, 2007
Buffalo Wild Wings (Nasdaq: BWLD), operator of bar-and-grill gathering spots that specialize in spicy buffalo wings, just hit an all-time stock high after releasing impressive first-quarter results. As stretched as the share-price multiple is becoming, B-dub’s could continue to reward investors.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/02/back-to-cheesy-gaming-at-cec.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 2, 2007
CEC Entertainment (NYSE: CEC), owner of the venerable Chuck E. Cheese children’s restaurants, appears to be back in business after putting a stock-option investigation officially behind it. But after today’s earnings release, the market isn’t so sure of its prospects.
http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/05/01/back-to-basics-at-national-city.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 1, 2007
Recent results at Cleveland-based bank National City (NYSE: NCC) have included many moving parts because of a couple of recent acquisitions and a key divestiture. National City, an Income Investor recommendation, will be able to return its focus to key businesses soon, but will this be enough for Fools to consider placing some chips on the table?
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/01/whats-build-a-bear-made-of.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 1, 2007
Depending on how you look at it, a multitude of new product and concept ideas could bring specialty retailer Build-A-Bear (NYSE: BBW) new sources of revenue and brand awareness. However, these initiatives cost money, and they could be distracting management from improving sales in its existing store base, which needs help.
http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/05/01/unattractive-beauty-at-avon.aspx
Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
May 1, 2007
Beauty product direct seller Avon Products‘ (NYSE: AVP) multiyear makeover appears to be gathering steam. But after a strong share price run, should investors still consider putting the moves on the stock?
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