Jan
30
January 30, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Motorcycle manufacturing titan Harley-Davidson (NYSE:HOG) nearly went bankrupt in the early 1980s when deteriorating product quality and competition from less expensive imports flattened operating results. A successful management buyout in 1981, an initial public offering in 1986 and a wildly successful campaign to market to baby boomers sent the company’s stock soaring high for a few decades thereafter. But Harley-Davidson finds itself skidding once again, thanks to some nasty near-term trends.
Jan
28
Posted on 28-01-2009
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by ryan
January 28, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
A global recession means consumers are reeling from job losses, falling personal asset levels and overall uncertainty regarding their finances. The mathematically challenged continue to hit the slot machines hoping to win back their losses, but most consumers are cutting back on this disposable income spending making on-balance casino traffic decline substantially.
Read the rest of this entry »
Read the rest of this entry »
Jan
28
Posted on 28-01-2009
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by ryan
January 28, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Southwest Airlines (NYSE:LUV) celebrated its 36th year of profitability when it announced full-year results late last week. This is no small feat given the number of competitors that have entered the airline industry over the past three and one-half decades, and it is even more impressive considering the many rivals that have either had to reorganize or liquidate their operations through bankruptcy proceedings. But is it enough to consider Southwest a worthy investment candidate?
Jan
27
January 27, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ) traditionally has been considered the healthcare bellwether, with a diversified geographic mix and a revenue stream that helped the company set industry trends and resist difficult economic times. As of late, mighty Johnson & Johnson has found itself a victim of patent expirations and overall struggles in its pharmaceutical division. In stark contrast, Abbott Laboratories (NYSE:ABT) faces no such issues in its drug portfolio. Further, it experiences strong growth in all of its business segments across the globe. (Learn to evaluate pharmaceutical companies in Measuring the Medicine Makers.)
Jan
26
January 26, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Several years ago, diversified technology giant IBM (NYSE:IBM) embarked on a strategy to shift its business mix to faster-growing, higher-profit operations. This strategy has been paying off in spades and is a primary reason that Big Blue has remained relatively immune to plummeting global growth trends. But the million-dollar question is, how long can investors expect this to continue?
Jan
26
Posted on 26-01-2009
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by ryan
January 26, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Fourth-quarter and full-year results released January 21 by eBay (Nasdaq:EBAY) continued to demonstrate that the company has top-line issues in its namesake online marketplace. Management attributed most of the weakness to “an almost unprecedented external environment”, though certain investors are concerned eBay is losing its edge in the core business. However, the online auction house, as a whole, remains astoundingly profitable with many appealing business units.
Jan
26
January 26, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
It is taking more effort to find them these days, but there have been a handful of firms to report solid results this earnings season. Somewhat surprisingly, they include a mix of industries that are not necessarily known as being recession-resistant. Not surprisingly, these are large firms with diversified product mixes that operate on a global scale.
Jan
23
January 23, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Copyrights on musical compositions or novels typically last 50 to 70 years after the creator’s death. It’s a shame that this doesn’t apply to drug firms, because Forest Labs (NYSE:FRX) is facing the unpleasant prospect of patent expiration for its two biggest-selling drugs – after which generic drugs can begin stealing market share and revenue.
Jan
22
January 22, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
March 28 will mark the one-year anniversary of Altria’s (NYSE:MO) spin-off of its overseas businesses into Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM). The move has yet to pay off for investors as the PMI shares are down about 18% from the spin-off date, though this is far superior to the market’s overall plunge of more than 30% over the same time frame.
Jan
21
January 21, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Milwaukee-based Johnson Controls (NYSE:JCI) is a leading automotive parts supplier, with a power solutions segment that is the largest producer of lead-acid automotive batteries. Not surprisingly, JCI is currently caught up in the global economic downturn, which has provided a shaking blow to the auto industry. In recent years, Johnson Controls has looked to diversify into businesses that help buildings operate more efficiently. This diversification could help the company offset the struggles in the auto category and survive the current recession – but will it be enough?
Jan
20
Posted on 20-01-2009
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by ryan
January 20, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
When it comes to investing in bank stocks, a general rule of thumb is to buy when trading falls below book value and to sell when trading exceeds two times book value. Unfortunately, the current uncertainty within the credit market has made the process of determining book value an exercise in fuzzy math. The plummeting value in mortgage assets and doubtfulness surrounding commercial loans are adversely affecting bank balance sheets these days. (The P/B ratio can be an easy way to determine a company’s value, but it isn’t magic! Learn more at Value By The Book.)
Jan
19
January 19, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
For only the second time in the last two decades, computer chip titan Intel (Nasdaq:INTC) reported fourth quarter sales results that fell below those of the previous quarter. The single other time this occurred for Intel was in 2000 during the bursting of the dotcom bubble. Although the reasons for the current downturn are different, the company has plenty of financial firepower to muscle through plummeting demand trends.
Jan
16
January 16, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Few necessities are more basic than food. And that is why grocery stores have become the paradigm defensive industry in today’s uneven market environment. Or have they?
Jan
13
January 13, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
WD-40′s (Nasdaq:WDFC) flagship product is its namesake lubricant (or water displacer, if you want to get technical) that consumers spray for a variety of reasons to prevent rust, lubricate doors and other creaky items and remove moisture. The beauty of WD-40 is that it is an ambiguous product that works well, which is perhaps why it has little direct competition. The lubricant also doesn’t cost much to produce, and neither do the company’s other cleaning products, which is always a bonus for investors.
Jan
12
January 12, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
In similar fashion to retailers, fast food operators have resorted to price slashing in an effort to stem slowing consumer traffic. Old style, drive-in hamburger company Sonic (Nasdaq:SONC) recently rolled out a value menu that offers junior burgers, small fries and ice cream cones. Sonic’s discount menu coincides with its earnings, which likely will remain stalled for the foreseeable future. At current share prices, Sonic is arguably a value from an investment standpoint.
Jan
12
Posted on 12-01-2009
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by ryan
January 12, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Do consumers increasingly turn to alcoholic spirits to drown their sorrows during times of economic downturn? Although last month’s results from Jack Daniel’s owner Brown-Forman (NYSE:BF.B) lent credence to the argument, the earnings results from wine, beer and liquor purveyor Constellation Brands (NYSE:STZ) have kept any definitive conclusions on ice for the time being. Overall, however, Constellation Brands is brewing up solid operating trends in its businesses.
Jan
09
January 09, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Consistent, boring operating results are traits that buy-and-hold investors seek when identifying appealing stocks. Of course, that’s as long as growth is in a positive direction, and it’s something investors in specialty retailer Bed Bath & Beyond (Nasdaq:BBBY) had become accustomed to in years past. Unfortunately, it looks like growth has gone down the drain at this well-respected retailer for a couple of key reasons. The jury is still out on whether Bed Bath can return to its heyday.
Jan
08
January 08, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
There are certainly more glamorous commercial endeavors than processing payments between merchants and consumers, but few represent more appealing business models. The market for electronic credit and debit card transactions from the likes of Visa (NYSE:V), MasterCard (NYSE:MA) and many large banks is growing gangbusters on a global scale and requires minimal ongoing capital expenditure once initial high-volume networks have been established.
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