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

Companies in the high-technology industry must innovate constantly in order to stay competitive. Right now, a predictable turn of events is unfolding: an industry pioneer has posted very impressive growth. Heavy competition ensued, crimping growth and profit margins, forcing the company to refocus its game plan to remain on the leading edge. And now that things are turning around, it spells real opportunity for investors. This is precisely what’s happening with Cree Research (Nasdaq: CREE). Cree grew hordes of fans when sales of its light-emitting diode (LED) lighting products began… Read More

Companies in the high-technology industry must innovate constantly in order to stay competitive. Right now, a predictable turn of events is unfolding: an industry pioneer has posted very impressive growth. Heavy competition ensued, crimping growth and profit margins, forcing the company to refocus its game plan to remain on the leading edge. And now that things are turning around, it spells real opportunity for investors. This is precisely what’s happening with Cree Research (Nasdaq: CREE). Cree grew hordes of fans when sales of its light-emitting diode (LED) lighting products began to surge in mid 2007. But growth and profit in recent quarters has slumped and the company is now saddled with many detractors. The good news is clear catalysts are in place to win back the hearts of currently dubious investors. An impressive stretch of sales growth has come to an end Cree has poured massive sums into research and development (R&D) efforts to establish a leading position in LED lighting, which is more energy-efficient than standard forms of lighting. These lights used to be too dim for many industrial applications, but with… Read More

If you’re an investor who likes fat dividends during tough times (and who doesn’t), then you should own pharmaceutical stocks. Drug companies have traditionally been a safe haven during economic downturns. In fact, the S&P Pharmaceuticals Index lost only 3% of its value during… Read More

Contrary to what the financial media machine may imply, starting out with a sizeable brokerage account balance and constantly trading it isn’t the only way to turn a few bucks into a small fortune. Some of today’s biggest personal portfolios started out very small, yet haven’t bought or sold a… Read More

On July 13, I told you about the simple strategy that’s never lost money. Put simply, the longer you hold an investment, the better your chances of making a… Read More

Many investors tend to ignore stock buyback announcements. Seemingly massive share repurchase programs become a lot less impressive when you realize they are mostly attempting to offset generous stock option grants for insiders by reducing growth in the share count. Adding insult, some… Read More