http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/10/18/heading-south-saves-regions-financial.aspx

Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
October 18, 2007

So far this earnings season, results from the nation’s largest banks aren’t coming in pretty, but only the biggest bank in the land appears to be really struggling. Trends among smaller, regional players seem mixed, depending on their degrees of exposure to the troubled housing market.

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http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/10/12/dueling-fools-johnson-johnson-bull-rebuttal.aspx

Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
October 12, 2007

There’s little doubt that companies in the Dow Jones Industrial average appear to defy logic, despite market capitalizations in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) is such a firm. My contention is that negative short-term news and a flagging stock price have resulted in low enough expectations to allow for a compelling risk/reward trade-off for Fools looking for large-cap health-care exposure.

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http://www.fool.com/investing/dividends-income/2007/10/12/dueling-fools-johnson-amp-johnson-bull.aspx

Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
October 12, 2007

I frequently check out the 30 companies in the Dow Jones Industrial Average for investment opportunities. In my mind, there’s no better way to quickly screen for an industry leader with impressive cash flow generation and a favorable operating outlook. And as a contrarian investor, I’m always on the lookout for negative short-term news that will help me pick up a stock on the cheap.

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http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/10/02/clean-bill-of-health-at-jabil.aspx

Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
October 2, 2007

So far this year, investors have little to show for sticking with Jabil Circuit (NYSE: JBL), even despite a recent return to profitability for the electronic manufacturing service (EMS) provider. In its defense, only a couple of peers are doing better than Jabil, and the entire industry is of dubious long-term appeal. But does Jabil stand out as a diamond in the rough?

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http://www.fool.com/investing/value/2007/10/02/fool-on-the-street-lowes-plan-for-improvement.aspx

Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
October 2, 2007

Last week at its annual analyst and investor conference, Lowe’s (NYSE: LOW) presented its important updates. Housing woes and other challenges are pummeling near-term trends at the home-improvement giant. However, the company doesn’t expect these pressures to knock it down for the count, and it has a long-term plan to expand its status as the eighth-largest retailer in the United States.

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http://www.fool.com/investing/small-cap/2007/10/02/fool-on-the-street-mueller-water-handles-the-pres.aspx

Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
October 2, 2007

Recently, Mueller Water Products (NYSE: MWA) (NYSE: MWA-B) presented at the Bank of America 37th Annual Investment Conference, giving investors a taste of recent developments and its long-term plans for growth. Despite near-term challenges related to the residential construction market, Mueller appears well-positioned to benefit from water infrastructure, which is in dire need of investment in many parts of the globe.

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http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2007/10/01/nike-american-indians-and-joba-the-heat.aspx

Ryan Fuhrmann, CFA
October 1, 2007

Last week, athletic footwear and apparel giant Nike (NYSE: NKE) announced its first shoe targeted toward a particular ethnicity by unveiling the “Nike Air Native N7″ for American Indians. I found the development interesting on a number of fronts, and I have the ideal spokesperson for the new brand.

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