elipsemaster

Huron Consulting: Getting Too Close to Its Roots

I stand by my criticism. Your article gives us nothing. Had you written this article, minus your bias rant about consulting firms, before the company imploded, then you'd be offering the small investor some value. But instead I just see you as piling on.
Part of doing DCF is examing debt and goodwill. When you find a company that is growing its earning by acquissitions you would probably walk away quickly. Thus you would not need to try to project it's future cash flows.
As a true value invetor you look for a company selling for half it's intrinsic value, or, as Seth Klarman would say, it's margin of safety.
I doubt that any value investor would have ever looked at HURN before. But they'd probably look at it now. Had you approached the company from this point of view, that perhaps this could be a good investment now, a cigar butt, then I believe you'd be offering real insight.
And finally, I can't defend analyst reports. I've never read one.

EZCorp: Profiting from Tough Times

The largest disadvantage I see to this stock is management owns only 2% and seems to be dumping what they have.

Volcom: Small Cap with Excellent Upside

Paul,
Have you done a discounted cash flow analysis?
Is there a margin of safety here?
Thanks.
Doug

Huron Consulting: Getting Too Close to Its Roots

This article strikes me as most articles do on seeking alpha, and for the most part the entire web. Now I don't claim to know if Huron is a good or bad investment. In order to know that I would have to plow through the last four or five years of annual reports, attempt to construct a DCF analysis, and, at least in the case of this company, attempt to speak to some of their clients. But Mr. Tan's article is based purely on his opinions and very little on fact, which I guess is okay. Except I fear there will be people acting on this article. If they are long they may sell. If they hold no position they may short it or buy puts. In any event they may put their money at risk because of this superficial article.
In the end, therefore, I feel I must ask the question what is the point? Is it just to see your words in print.
If you want to help the small investor, do some real in -depth analysis. Tell us why a company is underrvalued based on sound analysis and DCF analysis. Don't give us your opinion: it's worthless.

Huron Consulting Group's Crash: Red Flags Abound

Jason,
What do you mean by accural ratio?
Also are you saying that their cash isn't cash?
Their cash flows through 3/31/09 shows a positive 2,052,000. Are you saying this is not real?
Also their first quarter operating income shows a gain of 21,842,000.
I don't get what you are trying to say.
elipsemaster

Natural Gas Continues to Head Lower

You say it is getting near the bottom of its downtrend. How do you know this?
With the shale plays producing so much gas, the economy sputtering, many of the nat gas drillers over leveraged forcing them to continue drilling even though it makes no sense for them to do so because of debt service, how can you predict the bottom? What's to stop gas from going to 3?
All we know for certain is the trend. And the trend is down.

MLPs Entering 2009: High Yields Carry High Levels of Risk

Avi,
It would be helpful if you were to articulate the risks. To merely say there are risks without any back up ifo is worthless. What is your background? Are you an energy expert?
Give us info. Any idiot can say there are risks.

After Ambac Downgrade: How Will Treasuries Fare?

I own abk, but I'm getting quite concerned. There is a tidal wave of foreclosures coming now through 2010. I don't see how this won't swamp ambak.

Four Energy Bargains

I agree that all the companies you mentioned are great companie and great buys. The question to ask is when do you buy them? Obviously the most important issue is price. Stocks can languish for years, even great ones. I try to use fundamental analysis when picking stocks, but I throw in a little technical analysis when picking a buy point. I put up a chart of the company then add a 20 day moving average and a 50 day moving average. When the 20 crosses the 50 its a time to buy. Otherwise you are buying into a declining trend. Why would you want to do that?
If you had owned wft and sold when the 20 crossed under the 50 you'd have gotten out at around 45 and would be sitting pretty on the sidelines waiting to buy wft back.