bear_mkt's Comments RSS Syndication from SeekingAlpha.com http://seekingalpha.comuser/155941/comments http://seekingalpha.com/article/176985-metlife-somewhat-risky-despite-an-attractive-price?source=feed#comment-795613 795613 Tue, 08 Dec 2009 02:46:26 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/174830-shrewd-investors-are-buying-a-p-s-unique-bonds?source=feed#comment-773752 773752
GAP was highlighted as one of 3 stocks to sell on Smart Money, citing a BMO Capital analyst who dismissed the merger stories in the German press as "comments...likely made 'to keep A&P’s stock price at the current, lofty levels' and that considering a merger is far easier than finding a buyer."

GAP's fundamentals are weak. How weak? Let's put it this way. I'm long GAJ, but I do my shopping at Shop-Rite. Beautiful stores with no customers is not a winning business model.

I like GAJ, but they are speculative at best.

Just my opinion]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 14:20:01 -0500
GAP was highlighted as one of 3 stocks to sell on Smart Money, citing a BMO Capital analyst who dismissed the merger stories in the German press as "comments...likely made 'to keep A&P’s stock price at the current, lofty levels' and that considering a merger is far easier than finding a buyer."

GAP's fundamentals are weak. How weak? Let's put it this way. I'm long GAJ, but I do my shopping at Shop-Rite. Beautiful stores with no customers is not a winning business model.

I like GAJ, but they are speculative at best.

Just my opinion]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/174830-shrewd-investors-are-buying-a-p-s-unique-bonds?source=feed#comment-773639 773639
I would disagree that these are "appropriate" investments for most investors for long and short term holdings. The GAJ bonds are rated junk, Caa1/CCC. If you search around, you can find better credits.

With all the emphasis take-over rumors and scenarios and quick profits, and the omission of any explicit reference to credit quality, I'd have to rate this article as a "puff piece." Caveat emptor.

A&P operates in a tough competitive environment. IMHO, GAP and GAJ have been rising on take-over rumors, not on sound fundamentals. Just my opinion.]]> Mon, 23 Nov 2009 13:16:45 -0500
I would disagree that these are "appropriate" investments for most investors for long and short term holdings. The GAJ bonds are rated junk, Caa1/CCC. If you search around, you can find better credits.

With all the emphasis take-over rumors and scenarios and quick profits, and the omission of any explicit reference to credit quality, I'd have to rate this article as a "puff piece." Caveat emptor.

A&P operates in a tough competitive environment. IMHO, GAP and GAJ have been rising on take-over rumors, not on sound fundamentals. Just my opinion.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/161567-the-nine-best-natural-gas-oil-pipelines-for-income-and-capital-gains?source=feed#comment-678641 678641
I constantly read on the message boards how high and wonderful partnership yields are. I rarely see any mention of the added tax burden. For the Average Honest Joe the added cost of tax preparation (federal and multi-state paperwork) can eat into that high yield.

Of course you could gamble and not pay tax on the teeny-weenie dividend allocated to each state. However, in a computerized era, it's easy for the states to spear fish in the barrel and collect some decent penalties from non-filers.

Investment sentiment: long on tax accountants.]]> Wed, 16 Sep 2009 02:13:26 -0400
I constantly read on the message boards how high and wonderful partnership yields are. I rarely see any mention of the added tax burden. For the Average Honest Joe the added cost of tax preparation (federal and multi-state paperwork) can eat into that high yield.

Of course you could gamble and not pay tax on the teeny-weenie dividend allocated to each state. However, in a computerized era, it's easy for the states to spear fish in the barrel and collect some decent penalties from non-filers.

Investment sentiment: long on tax accountants.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/159813-greenlight-capital-cautious-over-q2?source=feed#comment-662785 662785 Sat, 05 Sep 2009 00:20:52 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/160048-ung-trading-101?source=feed#comment-662745 662745
The rule about maximum position limits is good for the average investor, too. I read a book on the "secrets of Warren Buffet and George Soros." It advised making huge bets on perceived "winners" as the road to untold wealth. I suspect the real-world outcome of that advice is 1 or 2 more Soros/Buffets in the world and a large number of retirees visiting the local soup kitchen. But that's just my opinion.]]> Fri, 04 Sep 2009 23:18:30 -0400
The rule about maximum position limits is good for the average investor, too. I read a book on the "secrets of Warren Buffet and George Soros." It advised making huge bets on perceived "winners" as the road to untold wealth. I suspect the real-world outcome of that advice is 1 or 2 more Soros/Buffets in the world and a large number of retirees visiting the local soup kitchen. But that's just my opinion.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/159401-paragon-shipping-financial-gauge-analysis-for-june-2009-quarter?source=feed#comment-657742 657742 Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:22:14 -0400 http://seekingalpha.com/article/124346-a-p-s-fruitcake-strategy?source=feed#comment-414918 414918
-The WEO slogan was not "We Owe You" - it was "Where Economy Originates"

Some of the A&P's issues through the 70's were due to (1) its operating under an antitrust decree which prohibited it getting the lowest prices due to its size and (2) A&P being controlled by a foundation which bled it for dividends.

Things improved under the Germans, but please give the British credit. James Wood and his team did the turnaround, with a little help from an over-funded employee pension account.

After Wood left, senior management was a revolving door. (A&P was once described as having "more entrances and exits than a Broadway play.")

In the more recent past, A&P paid out a huge dividend after the sale of its Canadian operatiions instead of retaining it in the business.

As for their current operations, I can't comment. The stores are clean and nicely designed, but I don't shop in stores where the lighting over the produce is so bad I can't see what I'm buying.

I'm at Shop-Rite for price, an independent for quality produce, and Trader Joe's for great prices on great items. Just my opinion.
]]> Thu, 05 Mar 2009 16:52:12 -0500
-The WEO slogan was not "We Owe You" - it was "Where Economy Originates"

Some of the A&P's issues through the 70's were due to (1) its operating under an antitrust decree which prohibited it getting the lowest prices due to its size and (2) A&P being controlled by a foundation which bled it for dividends.

Things improved under the Germans, but please give the British credit. James Wood and his team did the turnaround, with a little help from an over-funded employee pension account.

After Wood left, senior management was a revolving door. (A&P was once described as having "more entrances and exits than a Broadway play.")

In the more recent past, A&P paid out a huge dividend after the sale of its Canadian operatiions instead of retaining it in the business.

As for their current operations, I can't comment. The stores are clean and nicely designed, but I don't shop in stores where the lighting over the produce is so bad I can't see what I'm buying.

I'm at Shop-Rite for price, an independent for quality produce, and Trader Joe's for great prices on great items. Just my opinion.
]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/112029-10-key-asset-etfs-2008-review?source=feed#comment-340181 340181 Mon, 29 Dec 2008 03:18:49 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/111953-newspapers-any-options-beyond-cutting-selling-or-closing?source=feed#comment-336348 336348
I read Tri-Ciy News everytime I go to the Shore. It's got bright and irreverent content and good "get you mad" investigative reporting. It's at its best at focusing on Asbury when the City is doing stupid things like suddenly installing weird parking meters in mid-Summer or wanting to tear down historic buildings to turn funky Asbury into a bland Sunbelt-type suburb.

While it is annoying that I can't read Tr-City on the internet, I sure do look for it when I head to the beach. I do read the ads, too, so I guess their business model is working.

I couldn't see TriCity's local-ad based free-paper model working for larger papers with big overhead for plant and equipment and the need to cover national and local stories and sports. Especially where national retailers like WalMart or Sears can move their ads out of the papers and onto their websites. High fixed costs, rigid union work rules, expensive newsprint and declining revenues from display ads or classifieds don't work.

I guess the other viable business model is out of the magazine area. The Economist charges relatively high subscription rates, discounts less than the competition and has a smaller staff than comparable publications. Don't know that it would work for daily newspapers, except the Wall Street Journal.

]]> Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:26:31 -0500
I read Tri-Ciy News everytime I go to the Shore. It's got bright and irreverent content and good "get you mad" investigative reporting. It's at its best at focusing on Asbury when the City is doing stupid things like suddenly installing weird parking meters in mid-Summer or wanting to tear down historic buildings to turn funky Asbury into a bland Sunbelt-type suburb.

While it is annoying that I can't read Tr-City on the internet, I sure do look for it when I head to the beach. I do read the ads, too, so I guess their business model is working.

I couldn't see TriCity's local-ad based free-paper model working for larger papers with big overhead for plant and equipment and the need to cover national and local stories and sports. Especially where national retailers like WalMart or Sears can move their ads out of the papers and onto their websites. High fixed costs, rigid union work rules, expensive newsprint and declining revenues from display ads or classifieds don't work.

I guess the other viable business model is out of the magazine area. The Economist charges relatively high subscription rates, discounts less than the competition and has a smaller staff than comparable publications. Don't know that it would work for daily newspapers, except the Wall Street Journal.

]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/108474-bank-stocks-still-showing-geographic-disparities?source=feed#comment-317987 317987 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 05:17:10 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/101365-the-complete-list-of-commodity-etfs-and-etns?source=feed#comment-317981 317981 Mon, 01 Dec 2008 04:53:55 -0500 http://seekingalpha.com/article/102403-dispelling-the-gloom-examining-a-few-healthy-companies?source=feed#comment-293203 293203
BIG is also a play on a change of administration. A post-election stimulus plan could benefit BIG. Also, there's a large short position in BIG. A change in the White House could mean that the laws against naked short selling may finally be enforced by the SEC.

Agco is another wall-flower. It never gets as much publicity as the more US-oriented Deere. A lot of AG's operations are overseas, which I like. That adds growth potential and international currency diversification (and some considerable risk in this market) to a portfolio. ]]> Wed, 29 Oct 2008 03:03:39 -0400
BIG is also a play on a change of administration. A post-election stimulus plan could benefit BIG. Also, there's a large short position in BIG. A change in the White House could mean that the laws against naked short selling may finally be enforced by the SEC.

Agco is another wall-flower. It never gets as much publicity as the more US-oriented Deere. A lot of AG's operations are overseas, which I like. That adds growth potential and international currency diversification (and some considerable risk in this market) to a portfolio. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/92358-total-returns-by-country-since-march-2003?source=feed#comment-238048 238048
What's being compared to what here? If the "MSCI World Index Local Currency" index is up 68%, how come the 22 listed components are up far more than 68% on a "total return" basis? Isn't this perhaps a story on currency inflation?

Fill in the gap in the logic here, I am not a mind reader. ]]> Sun, 24 Aug 2008 21:58:47 -0400
What's being compared to what here? If the "MSCI World Index Local Currency" index is up 68%, how come the 22 listed components are up far more than 68% on a "total return" basis? Isn't this perhaps a story on currency inflation?

Fill in the gap in the logic here, I am not a mind reader. ]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/86128-agco-combines-may-be-the-story-in-2008?source=feed#comment-215149 215149
Nobody should buy anything based on a Seeking Alpha post (or a Barrons, Cramer, WSJ, Forbes, Merrill, Goldman or other report/ recommendation) or a gushy press release from corporate management, without doing his/her own due diligence. However, all these sources are good places to pick up ideas to research. Just my opinion.]]> Sat, 26 Jul 2008 14:00:46 -0400
Nobody should buy anything based on a Seeking Alpha post (or a Barrons, Cramer, WSJ, Forbes, Merrill, Goldman or other report/ recommendation) or a gushy press release from corporate management, without doing his/her own due diligence. However, all these sources are good places to pick up ideas to research. Just my opinion.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/86128-agco-combines-may-be-the-story-in-2008?source=feed#comment-211437 211437
I like AG for a several reasons. AG's got good international diversification. AG's more of a pure play on farm equipment. I see a lot of DE logos on construction equipment around here. Construction will be weak for a while. Advantage, AG.

Even with recent price swings, grain prices will likely remain above prior years level, giving farmers plenty of incentives, and cash, to buy equipment. IMHO, AG's a good place to be in the farm sector. As with any ag-stock, the ride will be bumpy.]]> Tue, 22 Jul 2008 10:04:12 -0400
I like AG for a several reasons. AG's got good international diversification. AG's more of a pure play on farm equipment. I see a lot of DE logos on construction equipment around here. Construction will be weak for a while. Advantage, AG.

Even with recent price swings, grain prices will likely remain above prior years level, giving farmers plenty of incentives, and cash, to buy equipment. IMHO, AG's a good place to be in the farm sector. As with any ag-stock, the ride will be bumpy.]]> http://seekingalpha.com/article/64802-which-of-the-6-agriculture-etfs-is-best?source=feed#comment-119077 119077 Tue, 26 Feb 2008 03:05:56 -0500