Category

Stocks

Silver Coins

Buying Silver Coins: All You Need to Know

By , Money Morning - • Print | Email

Investors have been buying silver coins at a lightning-fast pace this year. The U.S. Mint even sold out of 2013-dated American Silver Eagles in early January.

January Silver Eagle sales hit a record 7,498,000. After suspending sales Jan. 17, the U.S. Mint has allowed investors to resume buying silver coins, but with limits on how many coins dealers can order.

The good news: You can still cash in on buying silver coins. But before you buy, you need to know the best deals out there – and the ones to avoid.

That's why Money Morning Executive Editor William Patalon III explained everything you need to know about buying silver coins in this accompanying video.

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Tech Investing

The Profit Potential from 3D Printing is Massive

By , Defense + Tech Specialist, Money Morning • @Robinson_STI - • Print | Email

When I first started writing about 3D printing, most investors viewed it as a futuristic "gee-whiz" concept – and had no idea it was actually a "here-and-now" technology they could make money on.

And the mainstream news media didn't seem to know that this 3D technology even existed.

Today, as you know, many of the 3D stocks (including some that I've identified) have soared … and then fallen back to earth. Some pundits claim this was nothing but hype – or another tech bubble that now has burst.

Still others are writing this off as little more than a novelty niche.

Don't make that mistake.

With 3D printing, we're in the earliest stages of what's destined to become an entire new industry.

And, as I'm going to show you today, the profit potential is massive.

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Income

7 Dividend Stocks with 50 Years of Increasing Payouts

By , Money Morning - • Print | Email

As Money Morning Executive Editor Steve Christ told us this week, finding solid dividend stocks in different sectors is a key to finding financial freedom, thanks to compounding.

"This compounding effect arises when your dividend yield is added to the principal. From that moment on, the interest begins to earn interest on itself," explained Christ. "Over the long haul, that process can add up to a small fortune – even with very modest investments. All it takes is time."

How do you find theses reliable dividend payers?

For starters, consider dividend stocks that have a history of raising their payout. Dividend.com recently compiled a list of stocks that have hiked their dividends for at least 25 years.

To take it a step further, we compared that list to Standard & Poor's "Dividend Aristocrats" – large-cap, blue-chip companies that have increased dividends for at least 20 consecutive years.

Some of the "Aristocrats" have hiked their payouts for much longer than that, like these seven, which have done so for at least 50 years:

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Washington

You Only Wish You Could Live Like a Congressional Fat Cat

By , Money Morning - • Print | Email

Spoiled by congressional perks most Americans could only dream of, Washington lawmakers have utterly lost any sense they may have had of the true value of money.

With annual salaries more than triple that of the average American worker, short work weeks and an array of benefits that would make most CEOs jealous, it's no wonder members of Congress can't manage the nation's budget.

That's why the nation is more than $16.5 trillion in debt and needs to borrow 46 cents out of every dollar it is spending this year.

And it's a big reason why Congress can never seem to figure out how to solve any of America's most pressing fiscal problems.

Congress hasn't even passed a budget in four years, even though it is required by law to do so every year.

You won't believe how well these folks live – and every dime that pays for this lavish lifestyle comes straight out of the pockets of taxpayers.

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Your Money

This Time-Tested Strategy Could Be Your Winning Lottery Ticket

By , Executive Editor, Money Morning - • Print | Email

Every time I talk to my nephew Sam, I realize youth really is wasted on the young.

Fresh out of college, what my brother's son knows about the real world couldn't fill a thimble.

At age 22, he just doesn't know what he doesn't know yet. He's brash, idealistic, a bit hardheaded, and ends up making a lot of rookie mistakes – especially when it comes to the stock market.

Like most novice investors, he'd much rather chase the latest big momentum stock than actually work to build true wealth over time.

When I try to nudge him toward a portfolio of solid dividend-paying stocks, all he really wants to talk about are the "hot stocks," or what I call "the flavors of the month."

Even after he got absolutely roasted last year buying Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) shares, he still couldn't wait to load up on Facebook (Nasdaq:FB) when it debuted.

And since Facebook's astronomical P/E ratio couldn't stop him, I figured I probably couldn't either.

I just hope that after a while, some of these hard lessons will finally begin to sink in.

Trend Watch

Stocks to Buy Now: These Three Retailers Are Prime Takeover Targets

By , Money Morning - • Print | Email

The wave of deal-making on Wall Street hasn't extended to retail yet. But that's about to change.

That's because retailers make for great M&A candidates – which also makes for some stocks to buy now ahead of this takeover trend.

Takeovers provide chances for companies to cross-sell products and negotiate better with landlords and suppliers. Plus, retailers face low regulatory barriers to deals.

That's why major retailers are among a list of 71 companies Morningstar says are some of the most likely takeover targets this year.

"We think 2013 will bring an uptick of deal activity," said R.J. Hottovy, director of global consumer equity research for Morningstar. "There's no shortage of companies with available capital on their balance sheets and high operating margins, fewer organic growth opportunities and candidates with attractive valuations."

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Top News

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason Is Out; Does Stock Have a Chance?

By , Contributing Writer, Money Morning - • Print | Email

Groupon CEO Andrew Mason was ousted by the company after a horrible earnings report and steep drive in stock price.

The Groupon stock price tumbled 26% in after-hours trading Wednesday following the release of a dismal fourth-quarter earnings report, and then plunged another 24% today (Thursday).

It was announced Thursday after market close that Eric Lefkofsky and Vice Chairman Ted Leonsis have been appointed to the newly created Office of the Chief Executive, effective immediately, replacing Andrew Mason. Lefkofsky and Leonsis will serve in this role on an interim basis.

"On behalf of the entire Groupon Board, I want to thank Andrew for his leadership, his creativity and his deep loyalty to Groupon. As a founder, Andrew helped invent the daily deals space, leading Groupon to become one of the fastest growing companies in history," said Lefkofsky.

The Board will start a search for a new Chief Executive.

The mounting misery at Groupon had left many questioning Mason's fate before the announcement. 

Last year, the company's board mulled replacing him. The latest results and lackluster outlook sealed the deal for Mason at the Chicago-based company.

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Energy Investing

Stocks to Buy: Will Solar Shine This Year?

By , Money Morning - • Print | Email

Since legendary investor Warren Buffett took a liking to solar this year, investors have been wondering if it's time to revisit this beleaguered industry when looking for stocks to buy in 2013.

The solar sector has endured a beatdown for about two years, with massive oversupply of solar panels and unfavorable publicity combining to keep solar stocks down.

But two recent purchases by MidAmerican Energy Holdings Co., a subsidiary of Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (NYSE: BRK.A, BRK.B), have brightened the solar stocks outlook.

MidAmerican announced a $2 billion to $2.5 billion deal to buy two California solar power projects from SunPower Corp. (Nasdaq: SPWR). MidAmerican also agreed in January to invest in what will be the world's largest solar photovoltaic operation, which is partly owned by First Solar Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR).

Many solar stocks and solar ETFs, including Market Vectors Solar Energy (NYSE: KWT) and Claymore/MAC Global Solar Index (NYSE: TAN), have soared on the MidAmerican news. They're both up about 17% this year.

Does this mean investors should follow Buffett into solar stocks? Here's a look at the sector.

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It's as Light as a Handful of Feathers, but 200 Times Stronger than Steel

By , Money Morning - • Print | Email

It's called graphene, and it's known as a "miracle material" that will change the world.

In fact, our technology specialist Michael A. Robinson says it's the "biggest breakthrough in materials science in quite some time."

Robinson said this material is rocking the science world as researchers around the globe scramble to develop graphene-based products. The possibilities of how graphene could be used are endless – and the discoveries these scientists have already made are astonishing.

In fact, Robinson put together this video explaining exactly why graphene is such a big deal.

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The Eurozone

The Eurozone Hangs On By a Whisker

By , Money Morning - • Print | Email

Four days after the Italian elections only one thing is clear: A majority of Italian voters have rejected austerity.

The problem is their victory came up short by the slimmest of margins.

0.36%. That's the difference between a firm new government that could move Italy out of the Eurozone and the constitutional logjam Italian voters woke up to the next day.

As it is, they could roll the dice on a new election, but that could also make matters worse.

Since Italy's a big country with a chunky economy, that's likely bad news for us all.

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