Markets

Is DIRECTV's Cash Machine Shutting Down? Fri, 12/11/2010 - 23:13 by Seth Jayson Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls. Comments Read more	Home Run Stocks You Don't Want to Sell Fri, 12/11/2010 - 23:10 by Jim Royal Do you have difficulties knowing when to sell a stock? It's probably the single hardest thing for an investor to do well. Sure, finding great companies with undervalued stocks is tough, but selling them is even tougher. You'll never achieve the 20- and 30-baggers of the next decade if you unload a great business at the wrong time. Comments Read more	Low Rates Are Killing These Stocks Fri, 12/11/2010 - 22:33 by Dan Caplinger Low interest rates aren't just bad for savers. They also put entire industries at risk. That may sound counterintuitive, especially given that one of the primary justifications for the Fed's low interest rate policy has been to encourage businesses to borrow and spend. Comments Read more
This Week's 5 Smartest Stock Moves Fri, 12/11/2010 - 22:29 by Rick Aristotle ... If you're feeling good about the market, you're not alone. Take my hand as we go over some of this week's more uplifting headlines. Comments Read more	Does This Mean Lincare Holdings Will Bomb Next Quarter? Fri, 12/11/2010 - 22:26 by Seth Jayson There's no foolproof way to know the future for Lincare Holdings (Nasdaq: LNCR) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result. Rest assured: Even if you're not monitoring these metrics, short-sellers are. Comments Read more	This Week's 5 Dumbest Stock Moves Fri, 12/11/2010 - 22:23 by Rick Aristotle ... Stupidity is contagious. It gets us all from time to time. Even respectable companies can catch it. As I do every week, let's take a look at five dumb financial events this week that may make your head spin. Comments Read more
This Just In: Upgrades and Downgrades Fri, 12/11/2010 - 22:20 by Rich Smith At The Motley Fool, we poke plenty of fun at Wall Street analysts and their endless cycle of upgrades, downgrades, and "initiating coverage at neutral." So you might think we'd be the last people to give virtual ink to such "news." And we would be -- if that were all we were doing. Comments Read more	Are Elan's Margins Missing the Grade? Fri, 12/11/2010 - 22:18 by Seth Jayson Margins matter. The more Elan (NYSE: ELN) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why I check on my holdings' margins at least once a quarter. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, comparisons to sector peers and competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Elan's competitive position could be. Comments Read more	Are Shorts Watching This Number at Hercules Offshore? Fri, 12/11/2010 - 22:08 by Seth Jayson There's no foolproof way to know the future for Hercules Offshore (Nasdaq: HERO) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result. Rest assured: Even if you're not monitoring these metrics, short-sellers are. Comments Read more
Is Transocean Earning Enough for You? Fri, 12/11/2010 - 21:59 by Seth Jayson Margins matter. The more Transocean (NYSE: RIG) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market.That's why I check on my holdings' margins at least once a quarter. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, comparisons to sector peers and competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Transocean's competitive position could be. Comments Read more	Do You Trust the Earnings at Broadcom? Fri, 12/11/2010 - 21:57 by Seth Jayson Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls. Comments Read more	Marginal Performance at Qualcomm Fri, 12/11/2010 - 21:54 by Seth Jayson Margins matter. The more Qualcomm (Nasdaq: QCOM) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why I check on my holdings' margins at least once a quarter. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, comparisons to sector peers and competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Qualcomm's competitive position could be. Comments Read more