Louis' Blog Archive
Retail Stock Proves the Doubters Wrong AGAIN
September 7, 2019
Summer and back-to-school are, traditionally, prime time for retailers. Not so this year – with the notable exception of Lululemon Athletica (LULU). When researchers at Refinitiv polled industry analysts for their Q2 Retail Earnings Report, the respondents were “cautious” about results, and Refinitiv noted that so far, forward guidance is trending negative overall. In contrast, when Lululemon released its second-quarter results on Thursday evening, the company beat Wall Street expectations on comparable sales, net revenue AND earnings per share.
The Tech World Just “Struck Oil” – Here’s How to Invest
September 6, 2019
“Data is the new oil.” If data is the new oil, then who is Big Data’s version of an oilfield services company like Core Laboratories (CLB)? It’s worth knowing – because in one boomtime, CLB stock went from $5 to $60 per share in just five years.
Why I’m Still Bullish on this Market
September 5, 2019
After a bumpy start to September, the stock market is rocking and rolling now. In fact, today, the Dow soared more than 400 points on the news that the U.S. and China are tapping the brakes on their trade spat, as both sides agreed to continue negotiating in October.
While Investors Panic, a Buying Window Quietly Opens Up
September 3, 2019
The market experienced another dramatic dip today, so I thought I’d take a few minutes and let you know why I think this is happening and what will happen next. There’s plenty of trials and tribulations going on overseas, so I sure am glad to have been “buying American” already. (Generally speaking, my portfolios have had a heavy weighting in U.S. stocks for quite some time.) Let’s take a quick look at the latest developments in Europe and Asia, because they have a particular impact on the stock market here – although it’s quite different than you might be thinking.
Weekly Upgrades and Downgrades
September 3, 2019
During these busy times, it pays to stay on top of the latest profit opportunities. And today’s blog post should be a great place to start. After taking a close look at the latest data on institutional buying pressure and each company’s fundamental health, I decided to revise my Portfolio Grader recommendations for 53 big blue chips. Chances are that you have at least one of these stocks in your portfolio, so you may want to give this list a skim and act accordingly.
Home Depot vs. D.R. Horton: What’s the Best Housing Play Now?
August 31, 2019
According to the financial media talking heads, the sky is falling because key interest rates are falling. But that’s just not the case. Yes, rates have continued to collapse around the world, as China devalued its currency and the pound and euro are weak ahead of the October Brexit. So, money is still sloshing around and finding its way to the U.S. The truth of the matter is that we remain in a very positive environment for stocks right now, as the U.S. remains the oasis around the world.
Huge Private Company Invests Big in the “Internet of Things”
August 30, 2019
Here’s a fun fact for your Friday: Did you know that Scandinavia – famous for its socialist leanings – is actually home to one of the largest privately held companies in the world? It’s a massive global conglomerate with 423 stores across 52 countries in North America, Asia and Australia, in addition to Europe. And in 2018, it brought in roughly $45 billion in revenues. If you guessed that I’m talking about IKEA – you’d be right. IKEA is such a major player worldwide that, even though we can’t buy shares, it’s still worth paying attention when the company invests heavily in a particular market. And that’s exactly what it’s doing now.
The Walt Disney Company Is Not a Very Magical Investment Right Now
August 29, 2019
The Walt Disney Company (DIS) has lost a little magic this past month after its earnings report for the third-quarter fiscal year 2019 was a major flop. On August 6, the company announced earnings per share of $1.35 that fell far below the expected $1.75 – a 22.9% earnings miss. It was also a 27.8% year-over-year decline from the $1.87 per share earned a year ago.
The New Highs You Never Heard About
August 27, 2019
The fear-mongering media had quite a few factors to scare investors with last Friday: the U.S.-China trade war, President Trump’s latest tweets, and the plummeting S&P 500. Underneath the big selloff, would you ever guess that plenty of stocks made new highs that very same day?
Weekly Upgrades and Downgrades
August 26, 2019
During these busy times, it pays to stay on top of the latest profit opportunities. And today’s blog post should be a great place to start. After taking a close look at the latest data on institutional buying pressure and each company’s fundamental health, I decided to revise my Portfolio Grader recommendations for 66 big blue chips. Chances are that you have at least one of these stocks in your portfolio, so you may want to give this list a skim and act accordingly.