Investing

A Master Investor's Best Ideas Now Wed, 17/11/2010 - 12:12 by Tom Gardner One of our primary investment advantages at The Motley Fool is our ability to learn about and to learn directly from the most brilliant investors in the world. It's a leading reason why David and I are thrashing the market in our Stock Advisor service. There simply is no community in the world where more investors are helping each other beat the market. Comments Read more	Does Armstrong World Industries Miss the Grade? Wed, 17/11/2010 - 12:08 by Seth Jayson Margins matter. The more Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI) 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 Armstrong World Industries' competitive position could be. Comments Read more	Is Las Vegas Sands Making You Any Cash? Wed, 17/11/2010 - 12:06 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
Anthera Seeks to Tap Heart Attack Market by Blocking Inflammation Wed, 17/11/2010 - 12:04 by Luke Timmerman Big Pharma giants are gathering in Chicago this week to wine and dine doctors at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions, hoping docs will keep prescribing their multi-billion-dollar heart drugs. Not many little biotechs can compete in this league, but Hayward, CA-based Anthera Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: ANTH) is hoping to lay some groundwork for a new drug that could give Big Pharma another way to generate billions from treating heart attacks. Comments Read more	Is This Cash Machine Running on Empty? Wed, 17/11/2010 - 12:01 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	Microsoft Kinects the Dots Wed, 17/11/2010 - 11:50 by Rick Aristotle ... It's never easy to hit a moving target, but there appear to be a million gamers moving around as the result of the early success of Microsoft's (Nasdaq: MSFT)Kinect. Comments Read more
Is a Revenue Miss Coming for FTI Consulting? Wed, 17/11/2010 - 11:48 by Seth Jayson There's no foolproof way to know the future for FTI Consulting (NYSE: FCN) 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 Agnico-Eagle Mines' Cash Flow Just for Show? Wed, 17/11/2010 - 11:46 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	Are Shorts Watching Progress Software? Wed, 17/11/2010 - 11:40 by Seth Jayson There's no foolproof way to know the future for Progress Software (Nasdaq: PRGS) 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
Does Morningstar Measure Up? Wed, 17/11/2010 - 11:38 by Seth Jayson Margins matter. The more Morningstar (Nasdaq: MORN) 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 Morningstar's competitive position could be. Comments Read more	Get Ready for the Bounce Tue, 16/11/2010 - 01:26 by Rich Smith "Don't catch a falling knife," as the old saw commands. (Pardon my mixing a cutlery metaphor.) The idea of buying a former superstar stock at a discount price certainly has its attractions, but you've got to make sure you catch the haft -- not the blade. That's where Motley Fool CAPS comes in. Comments Read more	5 Superball Stocks Tue, 16/11/2010 - 01:20 by Rich Smith In my recurring Fool column, "Get Ready for the Bounce," we search for future winners in a pile of 52-week losers. But do we really need to sit around for a whole year, waiting for a fallen stock to bounce back? Comments Read more