Archives for March 2013

March 2013 - Page 5 of 20 - Money Morning - Only the News You Can Profit From

Nike Hits 52-Week High - Analyst Blog

Following the better-than-expected bottom-line results for third quarter fiscal 2013, the shares of global sport equipment and apparel retailer, Nike Inc. (NKE), soared to a new 52-week high of $60.25 on Friday, Mar 22. This Zacks Rank #3 (Hold) company closed trade at $59.53 on Mar 22, representing a solid return of 11.1% from the […]

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Tech ETFs Slide on Oracle Earnings Miss - ETF News And Commentary

California-based tech giant Oracle (ORCL) was in focus after it reported disappointing third quarter revenues and earnings driven by weak sales of new software licenses and cloud software subscription. Close on the heels of this news, ORCL was pushed down by about 9.7% in a single trading session, the biggest drop since Dec 2011. Unsurprisingly this […]

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As Cyprus Struggles, Now Is the Time to Buy Gold

I'll bet a few Cypriot bank account holders are paying much closer attention to gold now.

Since the announcement that Cyprus was looking to confiscate up to 10% of bank deposits, gold has risen by up to $24/ounce on safe haven demand.

After all, gold is real wealth, and it's the only asset that's not simultaneously someone else's liability.

Central bankers, even in the West, know this too. As former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan once said:

"Gold is the canary in the coal mine. It signals problems with respect to currency markets. Central banks should pay attention to it."

I just hope the irony of that message — and its messenger — aren't lost on you.

As for Cyprus, this ongoing crisis has it all. Along with gold, there's debt, energy, intrigue and a long storied history…

Buy, Sell or Hold: Can Xerox Survive in a Paperless World?

Xerox (NYSE: XRX) may have been an iconic part of 20th century Americana but these days it's still in the process of trying to find its way into the 21st century.

In a suddenly more paperless society, the company that revolutionized how businesses operate with its superior copiers and printers is struggling to stay relevant.

For now Xerox is surviving, but it is often very difficult for old, large, stodgy companies to evolve.

Like Eastman Kodak, companies not nimble enough are forced to ride off into the sunset. Yet other companies have managed to re-invent themselves, as IBM (NYSE: IBM) did when it transitioned from hardware to business outsourcing services.

Xerox, to its credit, is trying to adapt.

Its iconic copier business only accounts for 42% of Xerox's revenue — and the percentage is dropping.

In fact, 52% of Xerox's revenue now comes from a myriad of different outsourcing services. These include information technology outsourcing, business process outsourcing, and document outsourcing. According to Xerox, these services should account for two-thirds of its revenue by 2017.

But is this enough of a change to justify the company's share price? With the company hovering near 52-week highs, here's the breakdown of where Xerox stands today.

Protect Your Retirement with This Stock Market Crash "Insurance"

We buy insurance on our houses, our cars and even on our artwork and jewelry.

But that's not the case with our retirement savings – the money we spend our working lifetimes to amass – the money that will be our sole means of support once we stop working.

With our 401(k)s, IRAs and other socked-away savings, we're content to "let it ride."

That's a reckless and ulcer-inducing investing strategy.

And, as we'll show you in a minute, it's even riskier than most of us realize.

The thing is, it doesn't have to be that way. Investing is not the same as gambling. That's certainly not how the pros on Wall Street do it. They "insure" their savings, using special "hedging" plays that provide real insurance against a stock market sell-off.

Why shouldn't you do the same?

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Progressive Corp: A Strong Buy - Analyst Blog

On Mar 20, Zacks Investment Research upgraded Progressive Corp. (PGR) to a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Why the Upgrade? Estimates of Progressive have remained steady following strong fourth-quarter results and a special dividend payout on the back of consistent improvement in operating leverage. A strong balance sheet and favorable financial strength rating also augur […]

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Stocks to Buy Now, or Just Another Fad?

After being one of the hot stocks to buy a few years ago, Lululemon Athletica (Nasdaq: LULU) has hit a rough patch.

The company this week had to recall yoga pants made with fabric known as Luon because it was overly transparent – meaning Lululemon customers were walking around with see-through pants.

The products make up about 17% of all "bottoms' sold by the company. According to The New York Times, the recall is expected to account for about $60 million in lost sales.

Lululemon investors saw the stock take a 10% hit this week after the pants debacle.

And now, with some of its most popular products off shelves, the company has opened up the window for another "trendy" fitness chain to play to pantsless consumers.

That's one of the dangers of investing in a fad stock – it's not going to be popular forever.

And even though Lululemon's shares have soared more than 340% in five years – beating returns of both Apple and Google – its success isn't based on solid company fundamentals, but on trends and investor hype.

Here are a couple other "fad" stocks that might not be able to deliver for investors on consumer enthusiasm alone.

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Is London Manipulating Gold and Silver Prices?

As we've explained before, manipulation of gold and silver prices is happening right here in the United States.

Our Global Resources Specialist Peter Krauth interviewed silver market analyst Ted Butler last year, who explained how big financial institutions were using high-frequency trading to depress silver prices.

And earlier this month, Money Morning Chief Investment Strategist Keith Fitz-Gerald detailed how these same big firms were toying with retail investors in the gold market.

Now, in the wake of the Libor scandal in London, which involved the rigging of interest rates by certain banks, it looks like prices in other markets such as gold and silver could be being rigged in a similar fashion.