firboy4

A Masochistic Market Sells Goldman Sachs' Great Quarter

I agree with the author. I totally believe that GS, for better of for worse, is a great stock to own or just trade for a quick profit. However they make their numbers, fairly or not, they do make 'em. I bought it, sold it, made some money today, because, as the author pointed out, the analysts focused on the one sort of negative comment in a sea of positives.

Goldman Sachs Earnings Are Mind-Boggling

Great article! I love Goldman Sachs and just bought some yesterday, and sold it today. I might do it again if there's another irrational drop in its price. They report what I consider to be very good earnings, and the stock drops? Amazing! I SOOOO couldn't believe it, that I rushed in and bought some, and glad I did. These guys are wizards!

Six Stocks to Keep You, and Your Portfolio Healthy

Did I find this article interesting? For some reason I was not asked. Anyway, I did read it all, and came away with no more knowledge than before I read it. And as one commenter commented (on the first day of Christmas?) it's what's in the pipeline that matters along with solid facts about when a drug is coming off of patent. That's what I'd like to know about all of these companies' drugs.

Bought Calls in Sirius Sattelite

I agree about the spelling idea, as it gives me more confidence in the author. I wonder how much he really knows! I've owned SIRI for a while now, sold 25% of it, and might buy back more if it dips again. Yeah, we all hope the merger will come through, but God knows when, and God ain't tellin'!!! So, any speculation has now pretty much become ridiculous.

Walmart: Sales So Far Look Very Encouraging

Yeah, that's right! And the only thing that seemed informative in this article is when it compared WalMart to Target. I shopped at Walmart today, and Target didn't even enter my mind as an alternative, though I do like the atmosphere in Target better. Personally, I wouldn't buy stock in either one of them, having been in retail for 15 years, and know how to increase sales. Increased sales DO NOT mean increased profit. It usually helps, but there's a law of diminishing returns at work, when you reduce the wrong items too much to get those sales.

I think all retailers are scared as hell this year and all are sacrificing profit to get those sales, so that they don't get stuck with inventory.

Surprise: McDonald's Coffee is Giving Starbuck's Some Unwanted Competition

I believe that a lot of Starbucks coffee drinkers will be quite tempted to try out McDonalds coffee and find it satisfactory enough to spend more money there, thus making Starbucks lose market share. I only say this because there are times when I have just read some bad economic news or had to spend more on gas or something else. And I try to make up in little ways to regain that money spent. And that would be by at least trying a cheaper similar item, not only, but including coffee products.

Now I would assume that Starbucks biggest item is a simple cup of coffee, and since McDonalds now has a similar item, I'll bet that there will be lots of people who can't really tell much difference, or enough to warrant paying more for a better cup, when the one at McDonalds is at least almost as good.

Though I don't go out of my way to drink either Starbucks or McDonalds coffee, I will say that I used to work for a gourmet coffee roaster, and found that people's tastes in coffees are so varied, that sometimes I wonder if you just put the right environment or packaging on some Folgers it would sell just as well, and people would think it's just the best coffee they've ever had!

I have no faith in Starbucks anymore at a stock to own. Not only are they going to open way too many stores this year, but they are also going to have more competition from Dunkin' Donuts who, from what I hear, are going all out to open their operations connected to tons of convenience stores. And people DO like their coffee too!

Wachovia: Confidence in Growth of Earnings Bodes Well

I thought this was an interesting article, however I came away from it thinking that I had not really read anything.

Why I'm Now Ready to Run With Crocs

This article has nothing to do with Cramer! But I do agree that before we buy any stock that Cramer suggests we should do our own studying of it. What I do is to create a portfolio of Cramer's suggestions, dating it, and pricing it to see how it does.

As far as this article goes, I just read that CROX short % of float is 18.8%, quite high, so I tend to distrust any article on it. However, this one seems level headed and not so much hype.

China Internet IPO: ChinaEdu Corp.

Most interesting!

Did I Just See a Dead Cat Bounce?

I agree, and I like the way this guy writes.

Is Subprime Near a Bottom?

ZZZZZZZZZZ

Large Banks: The Worst Is Yet To Come

Not much of a list.