Apr
27
April 27, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Say what you will about sin stocks, but from an investment standpoint they have a number of appealing qualities. Cigarette companies focused on overseas sales, such as Philip Morris International (NYSE:PM), are a potentially addictive option for investors seeking income and stable business models in any economic environment.
Apr
23
April 23, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Industrial conglomerate United Technologies (NYSE:UTX) reported first-quarter results Tuesday, April 21, 2009 that indicated global economic trends are stabilizing. Peers continue to report mixed results and earnings season is still in its early stages, but the news from United Tech was encouraging, as is its investment outlook over the longer haul.
Apr
23
Posted on 23-04-2009
April 23, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Global beverage titan Coca Cola (NYSE:KO) reported first-quarter earnings on Tuesday that were in line with analyst estimates. However, the company’s earnings were nothing special due to overseas businesses struggling on currency fluctuations. The bigger news of the quarter was reported by Coke’s archrival Pepsi (NYSE:PEP), which is looking to alter its business model for the better. On initial inspection however, Coke’s model still looks superior, and this was demonstrated in the most recent quarter.
Apr
22
April 22, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Sales of big-ticket items such as boats, cars, and houses usually suffer when the economy heads south. The same goes for off-road vehicles; even though these vehicles have some work-like applications, they serve as a luxury item for the average consumer. Polaris (NYSE:PII) is a leading manufacturer of off-road and all-terrain-vehicles (ATV), and though it motored through 2008 mostly unscathed in a down economy, 2009 is proving to be much more of an uphill battle.
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Apr
22
April 22, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
So far this earnings season, major healthcare companies are reporting anemic top-line trends as a strong U.S. dollar deflates international sales trends. Profit trends are holding up so far, but certain players are likely to hold up better should global economic growth continue to be uncertain. Baxter International (NYSE:BAX) is one of those players, and recent results indicate it could be a healthy addition to most investor portfolios.
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Apr
21
April 21, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
On Thursday, banking behemoth JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) announced first-quarter results that weren’t as dire as analysts were predicting. Investors are still determining if this was a sign of better days to come or they should continue to prepare for the worst. At current share price levels, the odds may be on the former.
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Apr
21
April 21, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
On April 20, technology titan IBM (NYSE:IBM) officially missed out on an opportunity to acquire Sun Microsystems (Nasdaq:JAVA) and its coveted Java language. It also happened to release earnings on the same day and demonstrated it has plenty of ammunition for future acquisitions, which has been a major component of its global growth strategy and is a key reason why investors should keep an eye on Big Blue.
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Apr
16
April 16, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Investors have come to expect consistent, steady growth from healthcare giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE:JNJ), and there are a couple of key reasons to explain why J&J hasn’t delivered as of late. One of the reasons is beyond the company’s control, and the reason within management’s control will take some time to improve upon.
Apr
13
April 13, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
WD-40 Company (Nasdaq:WDFC) boasts of selling consumer products in more than 160 countries worldwide. Unfortunately, overseas sales are a key reason its top and bottom line fell to the double digits during its second quarter. Management also tempered its full-year outlook, but WD-40′s business model could still grease the wheels of investor portfolios.
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Apr
10
Posted on 10-04-2009
Filed Under (Uncategorized) by ryan
April 10, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
A difficult global economic environment has caused merger and acquisition activity to grind to a halt for most industries. Healthcare activity remains unsurprisingly strong, while the payment-processing industry has become an unlikely area of activity. Recent results from Global Payments (NYSE:GPN) illustrate why these businesses have long-term appeal and are proving surprisingly stable over the shorter haul.
Apr
10
April 10, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Last week, investors sent for-profit educational provider Apollo Group (Nasdaq:APOL) to the principal’s office over short-term concerns about its profit outlook. In addition, investors were concerned about the company’s ability to maintain its enrollment base and to stay current on tuition bills during the current economic downturn. However, Apollo continues to experience robust growth due to the tough jobs market; its long-term prospects appear strong, too.
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Apr
10
April 10, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Shares of Bed Bath & Beyond (Nasdaq:BBBY) jumped considerably after the company released results last week that were better than analyst expectations. Although this came as welcome news to shareholders, at current levels, they may want to consider taking some chips off the table to invest in competing retailers.
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Apr
02
April 02, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Save for McDonald’s (NYSE:MCD) and a select few other players, the fast food industry has proved itself to be far from recession-proof. Case in point: Oklahoma City-based Sonic (Nasdaq:SONC) is currently paying the price for overconfidence in its future and overall stale results at company-owned restaurants.
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Apr
02
April 02, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Shares of Dr Pepper Snapple (NYSE:DPS) jumped considerably after a favorable earnings report in late March. Even with the run-up, the shares still trade at about 10x earnings, which looks like a good deal considering the company owns a number of leading soft-drink and other beverage brands in North America. However, these aren’t the only factors to consider.
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Apr
01
April 01, 2009 | by Ryan C. Fuhrmann
Upscale jeweler Tiffany & Co. (NYSE:TIF) reported poor fourth-quarter results last week, demonstrating that frugality trumps flashiness in the current economic downturn. However, Tiffany shares are cheap and there is a good chance the firm will regain its sparkle.
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