J. B. Wulff

Holman Jenkins's Errors, Part 1

Nicely done. I continue to believe that the biggest culprits in this mess are the rating agencies. They worked with the creators and annointed the securities with triple A ratings. Early in 2007 they began to discover their error and changed the ratings. The "Bear" took the first big hit and we all know what followed. When will this group get hit with lawsuits based on the losses suffered by those who trusted their ratings?

The Blue Chip Myth

Who remembers the old "one decision" stocks? The market is ever the conundrum. It is always the same. It is always different. It runs in cycles and only the sure footed survive, some far better than others. There will always be Blue Chips. Only the names will change. Steam locomotives for the railroads were done in by diesels from GM. And the beat goes on...

Year to Date Performance of Dow 30 Members

Long term investments in JNJ and XOM among others are especially rewarding when the dividend is considered. Currently my JNJ is yielding 8% and XOM is 6.5%. They are both in dividend reinvesting plans so my holdings are growing at that rate. What's not to like?

Crushed Unnecessarily - Cramer's Lightning Round (9/2/08)

FCX is probably the most unappreciated stock on the NYSE. It has consistently delivered a nice dividend, often bought back its own shares, and its recent merger was a great deal for all. It has worked down its debt and maintained a good working relationship with Indonesia where its biggest mine is located. How far its price will fall during the current adjustment in commodities is hard to tell. The prudent investor knows he will not catch either the bottom or the top. Watch this one closely.