In Life And Investing Always Remember 'Cheap Is Expensive'

Matt Thalman - INO.com Contributor - ETFs


I recently overheard a conversation of two gentlemen discussing a home remodeling project. The younger of the two was explaining how he was preparing to paint a few rooms in his home. His wife was picking out colors and he was soon going to purchase the paint and begin his project. The older of the two men listened intently and besides jokingly saying 'have fun with that project,' gave only one piece of advice, 'buy the more expensive paint.'

This comment seemed to catch the younger man off guard and he responded to the advice with, 'but the more expensive paint is nearly double what the lower priced paint is, is it really worth the extra money?' That question was answered with a simple, 'just trust me, it is in the long run.'

If you have ever painted a room you know exactly what both men in this situation are thinking. The younger guy is confused because it's just paint, I am just trying to add some color to my walls and do I really need to spend the extra money. While the older, wiser, guy is trying to save the other from a headache, time and money due to possibly having to repaint the room again down the road.

I mean seriously, it's just paint, right? Continue reading "In Life And Investing Always Remember 'Cheap Is Expensive'"

This High-End Retailer Is Beating The Odds

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


If you've payed any attention to the markets so far this year, it comes as no surprise that we're teetering on the edge of a major bearish reversal after many years in a bull market. The broader indexes are all down for the year and volatility is on the rise. With all the negative action going on right now, a stock that's on its way up stands out.

Stocks that outperform when the major averages are under performing deserve a closer examination. In order to appreciate amidst the storm of bearish momentum, these companies are generally doing something very right.

One company is undergoing a radical transformation and it's stock price is already beginning to show it. Despite all the negative macroeconomic news, this high-end retailer is belting out upside earnings surprises and growing sales both domestically and internationally – including China. Continue reading "This High-End Retailer Is Beating The Odds"

Can Google Overcome Apple As The Most Valuable Company In The World?

Welcome to the first day of trading in February. If it is anything like January, it's going to be quite a month.

After the close today, Alphabet, Inc. (NASDAQ:GOOG) will announce its earnings. If it is a blowout and Google surges $25, it will then become the most valuable company in the world - not bad for a company that was founded on September 4, 1998 and has only been around for 17 years. It took Apple, Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) which was founded April 1, 1976, almost 40 years to become the world’s most valuable company.

Today, Google flashed a buy signal putting both the monthly and weekly Trade Triangles in unison. That indicates there are good odds that Google will beat its earnings estimates after the close. There are no guarantees, but the odds would favor being long Google before the close.

Let's take a look at the rest of the markets which are not having such a good time of it. The dramatic rally on the last day of trading in January was more a function of short covering than anything else. Most stocks and indices are in a longer-term bearish trend based on MarketClub's Trade Triangle technology. Continue reading "Can Google Overcome Apple As The Most Valuable Company In The World?"

This 'Hated' Stock Might Be The Right Fit For Your Portfolio

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


There's a popular myth on Wall Street about short sellers being the smartest guys in the room. After all, stocks, in general, do tend to appreciate over time, but picking stocks that fall requires a bit more homework and skill. But short activity in a stock isn't always a good thing.

When enough short sellers team up on a stock and it happens to post better than expected results, they either bail out at the first opportunity or run the risk of getting caught in a short squeeze. If the stock appreciates too much too fast, they'll get called out of their positions creating an event that turns into massive buying on an already hot stock that can cause a quick spike in value.

For one stock, a slew of bad news seemed like the ideal playground for initiating a short position. Continue reading "This 'Hated' Stock Might Be The Right Fit For Your Portfolio"

An Unlikely Hero For Your Portfolio

Daniel Cross - INO.com Contributor - Equities


The markets have been anything but predictable just a few weeks into 2016 and investors are wondering if we're on the verge of a major bearish reversal or it's a temporary correction. Oil seems to go lower and lower despite with no sign of stopping anytime soon while the economy is still reeling from the loss of Chinese demand and the impact of the first Federal Reserve rate hike. For investors, there's no better time to start getting defensive.

When uncertainty reigns in financial markets, certain sectors become safe havens. Companies that offer products that are used regardless of the state of the economy like healthcare and consumer staples tend to outperform during these times. These types of stocks generally carry a dividend yield as well which helps protect investors from downside movements.

The consumer staples sector is particularly attractive in the very beginning of a possible bear market because it's historically provided relatively high returns with low volatility. While most investors think of this sector as “boring” filled with plain vanilla stocks and companies, it's actually one of the highest returning sectors in the market regardless of economic direction.

Annualized returns by sector from 1962 to 2015 revealed that consumer staples generated gains of 12.9% – trailing just slightly behind healthcare. From a volatility standpoint, consumer staples had the second lowest with utilities being the least volatile. Continue reading "An Unlikely Hero For Your Portfolio"