ajhough

The Importance of Accounting (SEC Does Something Useful!)

MtoM accounting was considered almost twenty years ago and discarded; however, today it has reared its ugly head and destroyed much of the financial markets. Accounting changes have been used to correct a problem that accounting never made. Of course we have a problem but M to M accounting is making our problems worse, not better. Of course, we need oversight, long absent in our financial markets. Of course, we probably will get too much of the latter and it will be like closing the gate after the horses are gone.

It's Too Late for Tax Cuts, Now's the Time To Increase Government Spending

We have gone through a long period of less regulation and more tax cuts and larger debts and now we are faced with the results. Phil Gramaph has had his way along with Wendy and Enron. It is too late to sell and nothing to buy.

Why I Sold Lowe's Short

The Lowes here is still doing a really good business. But our banks are also still loaning money, financing various activities, and growing deposits. They are not involved in swaps, and CDO's, but banking. Houses are still being sold and bought. However, noone is going to a SPA in California.

Mark-to-Market vs. Mark-to-History

At one time, one could not remove certain assets from ones balance sheet at all, ie. "free will" and carried real estate on the balance sheet at the purchase price (no mark to market there). However, the mark to market rule on long term assets makes not sense. Discount the cash flow and one can fine a more "rational" value to an asset. We used the dividend discount model for years to evaluate the value of stocks. In addition, the naked shorts and the discarding of the up-tick rule is just greed by the uncontrolled markets. This whole thing simply smells of greed and disregarding of the real investors.

Dividend Aristocrats Survived September

I own a good number of stocks in the list and have held my own quite well during September. However, the economy must be allowed to grow.

Wachovia Deal: A Home Run for Citi

Usually I prefer to own stock in companies that have been bought but I have own C for many years and have a certainty that it will survive this disaster. I also own WFC, JPM, and BAC and they will survive, I believe. Some have recently increased in share price.

Citi Gets a Good Deal; Ken Lewis Overpaid

I don't think the writers even understand basic finance. We are in a really deep financial stress which without government help will not get better. Get ready to watch the blood in the streets....

Halliburton at a Discount - Despite Continuously Meeting Expectations

I bought HAL at a much lower price and continue to hold it. It is contracting as the does the market. We will be drilling for many years and HAL will be a very busy company.

How Are 2007's Top Five Dow Stocks Performing This Year?

As I monthly seek to find assets that have value, I have lost money on almost every purchase made this year. Although the multiples are small, the dividends are pretty healthy, the stocks continue to seek a new evaluation, even lower. Unfortunately, we probably will have this for four more years...(remember "four more years!")

Friday's Employment Report: A Sobering Dose of Reality

Fairy tales were formerly used to teach children. However, today we have been subjected to fairy tales on a daily basis. The crooks have charge of the institutions and will remain in power since they exercise power.

Friday's Employment Report: A Sobering Dose of Reality

Fairy tales used to be written to inform children. Now we are experiencing fairy tales on a daily basis. The crooks runs the institution and we will keep them in there because they have power.

Wells Fargo: The Good, the (Not Too) Bad and the Ugly

I have owned Wells Fargo for many years and have realized a long term unrealized net gain plus the dividends. It apparently is a well managed bank with less than average risks at this time. I have added at one time or another and would be willing to add at a lower price.

A Dividend-Focused Equity Portfolio Maintains Real Purchasing Power

This research was done twenty years ago and the results were the same. Holding dividend paying stocks were compounded at a much higher rate than "growth" portfolios. Bond investors have lost value over the past fifty, one hundred or more years. Inflation will eat up a bond portfolio, regardless who is doing the "managing."

Rally Strategy - Cramer's Mad Money (8/5/08)

I agree one should keep cash in order to buy good companies at a better price; however, guessing what the markets will do by selling winners and retaining losers is not a good plan for investing for the long term. What Jim Cramer wants us to do is to become traders, not investors.

Wall Street Breakfast: Must-Know News

The market is going down but I don't know when and how much. One can buy pretty good 'blue chip" stocks with PE's below the historical market average. However, most will hold on to cash to see what the market will look like in the next years.