The starting gun has sounded in the consumer staples category. Billionaire activist investor Carl Icahn’s widely reported bid to acquire Clorox (NYSE: CLX) has led investors to focus on the broader sector, looking for other companies that may be in play. On occasion, a deal for one company… Read More

Back in February, I explained how corporate spinoffs (when a company separates, or “spins off” a division into a separate company) have solid track records of beating the market. I’m usually on the lookout for investment opportunities that pay off within 12 to 18 months, but two… Read More

If there is ever a position to be in, then this is it. I like to imagine what it would be like. The phone rings and my assistant tells me another CEO is on the phone. He gets right to the point. He wants… Read More

Waiting until the last minute, the politicians that run the United States of America are finally on the cusp of a major government overhaul — a move that was badly needed in light of its eye-popping budget deficits. Yet while the move to finally trim budget deficits should be applauded,… Read More

Before the global economic downturn of 2008, a clear investing theme had emerged. Rising incomes across the world were leading to richer diets and triggering a boom for all kinds of stocks that helped farmers be more productive. This emerging trend helped enrich shareholders of Mosaic (NYSE: MOS), the world’s… Read More

I think it’s the most important tool an investor can use. In my Stock of the Month advisory, it has certainly helped me out. Eighteen of my 20 closed trades are winners. I wouldn’t be anywhere near that mark without this tool. And the… Read More

With the economy showing new signs of weakness, profit forecasts are coming into question, especially for companies that are counting on consumer spending. But toy maker Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) laid down a path in 2008 and 2009 that should set the stage for robust results in 2012 and… Read More

Young companies with wide-open growth potential are my favorite type of investment. In a perfect world, these companies would be able to generate enough of their own profits to expand, be it in the form of new stores, factories or an increased sales force to reach new clients. Read More

I sure wish I’d bought shares of specialty coffee maker Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc. (Nasdaq: GMCR) when the company went public back in September 1993. In those 18 years, the stock rose an astounding 18,250%. So even if I’d only bought $2,500 worth… Read More

Though it’s only halfway over, 2011 is shaping up to be a forgettable year for many solar stocks. A slowdown in orders from Germany and Italy, which collectively account for half of current global demand, has led to price wars and declining forecasts. Yet for one company,… Read More