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Brian Hill

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  • More Risks for Regal to Reckon With

    By Brian Hill - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: CKEC, CNK, IMAX, RGC

    With nearly 7,000 screens and more than 500 theater locations, Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) is the nation’s largest developer and operator of multi-screen theaters. 

    In its recently filed 10-K, they present a variety of risks the company faces, including the growing competition from video-on-demand and other home entertainment platforms,  which I analyzed in my previous post “Regarding the Risks of Being Regal”.

    But wait … there are even more »

  • More Risks That Brunswick Could Toss a Gutter Ball

    By Brian Hill - May 3, 2013 | Tickers: BC, ELY

    Whether you feel like owning your own boat, getting in better shape, going bowling or even shooting some pool, Brunswick (NYSE: BC) is ready to accommodate you. 

    This company’s presence in the recreational products industry dates back to 1845, and 168 years later it has achieved leadership status in each of its market segments. In an earlier post, I discussed risk factors that the company deals with on an more »

  • Risks That Could Bowl Over Brunswick

    By Brian Hill - May 3, 2013 | Tickers: BC, TIF, TWX

    Brunswick’s (NYSE: BC) product offerings are so diversified that even if you purchased all your recreational products exclusively from them, you could lead an active, fun life. We might primarily identify Brunswick with its well-known brands in bowling and billiards products and services, including the operation of 95 bowling centers -- and that segment of its business did earn net sales of $322 million in 2012. Its billiards business dates more »

  • Regarding the Risks of Being Regal

    By Brian Hill - April 23, 2013 | Tickers: NFLX, RGC, TWX

    “You Ought to be in Pictures” was a popular song in the 1930’s and 40’s about the excitement and glamour of being on the performing side of the film business. Oddly, there doesn’t seem to be a complementary romantic song about investing in the film business, probably because angel investors have from time to time lost pots of money backing films that flopped. Fortunately, more risk averse more »

  • 3 Risks That Could Dog This Pet-Care Retailer

    By Brian Hill - April 12, 2013 | Tickers: PETM, TGT, WMT

    Even PetSmart's (NASDAQ: PETM) brand name is clever. You can look at it as a Mart for Pets, or a Smart place to shop for your Pets.  But a company this successful still faces risks. Let’s see what it discussed in its March 2013 10-K filing.

    About the Company

    PetSmart, headquartered in Phoenix, Ariz., is the industry-leading specialty retailer of pet products and services, operating 1,278 retail more »

  • What Risks are PetSmart’s Pet Peeves?

    By Brian Hill - April 8, 2013 | Tickers: PETM, TGT, WMT

    PetSmart, Inc. (NASDAQ: PETM), headquartered in Phoenix, Arizona, is the industry leading specialty retailer of pet products and services, operating 1,278 retail stores in the U.S., Puerto Rico and Canada as of the end of 2012. Its chief rival, privately held Petco Animal Supplies, Inc. has more than 1,000 stores in the United States.

    PetSmart’s winning formula is to provide an unbeatable combination of product selection more »

  • Are There Risks That Could Hammer Home Depot’s Earnings?

    By Brian Hill - March 29, 2013 | Tickers: HD, KBH, LOW, LL

    Home Depot (NYSE: HD) is a remarkable example of a company that's able to adapt to considerable turbulence in its market due to the ups and downs, and more downs, in the housing market -- and keep growing. Let’s visit Home Depot’s 10-K filed in 2012 and see what risks are of particular concern to the company.

    Economic trends

    “Sustained uncertainty regarding current economic conditions and other factors more »

  • Easter Basket Investment Strategy

    By Brian Hill - March 27, 2013 | Tickers: BRK-A, KRFT, HSY

    One of the joys of the Easter season is the tradition of giving colorful Easter baskets filled with delicious candy. As with all gift selections, you need to have a strategy in place to make sure you make choices that will delight the family members you are presenting them to. You can’t blame the Easter bunny if your baskets meet with an unenthusiastic response -- he’s not like your more »

  • Are There Risks that Could Keep Winnebago From Enjoying a Smooth Ride?

    By Brian Hill - March 18, 2013 | Tickers: BRK-A, F, THO, WGO

    Winnebago Industries, Inc. (NYSE: WGO) has long been one of the premier brands in the recreational vehicle -- RV -- market. Now, I’ll admit to having preconceived notions about the whole RV culture. I imagined a dreary trailer park experience where your neighbors Bubba Ray and Doreen are parked two feet away, play country western music from the 1980’s, and keep inviting you over for “brewskis” and grilled hot dogs more »

  • Do “The Walking Dead” Lose Any Sleep Over These Risks?

    By Brian Hill - March 5, 2013 | Tickers: AMCX, NFLX, STRZA

    Though its most popular program is “The Walking Dead,” AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX) is from a financial standpoint very healthy indeed. On February 26, the company released its full year 2012 results and among the highlights were a nearly 14% year-over-year increase in net revenues and a more than 11% increase in operating income.

    But even companies with robust results like that face risk factors -- those pesky threats from the more »

  • High-Flying Cuisine, Awesome Beer and the Occasional Zombie

    By Brian Hill - October 19, 2012 | Tickers: AMCX, AAMRQ.PK, SAM, DISH

    America is all about freedom of choice. The free enterprise system has enabled us to have nearly limitless choices in what we purchase, and companies constantly strive to improve the products and services they offer us. Today we learn about an airline that seeks to make dining with them a memorable experience (for the right reasons -- flavor and variety -- not for indigestion and heartburn), a renowned beer maker that seeks more »

  • Ways to Cope with Pre-Election Stress

    By Brian Hill - October 5, 2012 | Tickers: AAN, HAIN, PHM, YUM | Editor's Choice

    In the United States, the Presidential election never seems to end. Right after the ballots are counted, or in some cases not counted, the whole thing starts all over again with new faces declaring their candidacy and begging us to send them campaign donations. It can be hard to stomach all the nastiness of the election cycle. Not only do we have acrimonious exchanges between the candidates, but now between more »

  • Is Recession Still on the Menu?

    By Brian Hill - September 6, 2012 | Tickers: DRI, DPZ, DNKN, LUB, RUTH

    The restaurant industry is definitely sending us mixed signals regarding what direction the economy is going. The National Restaurant Association -- the leading trade association for the restaurant industry -- publishes a monthly survey of restaurant operators called the Restaurant Performance Index (RPI). The July results revealed some good signs. Operators reported positive same store sales for the 14th month in a row. On the other hand only 22 percent of restaurant more »

  • Giving Investors a Sporting Chance

    By Brian Hill - September 2, 2012 | Tickers: CVC, DKS, FL, PEP, ALL

    No doubt America is a sports-obsessed country. We can't get enough of our favorite teams, players, or sports we play ourselves. And companies certainly know how to mine profits from this obsession. For example we can sing about our favorite team (while consuming a popular soft drink), choose our favorite all-time football players (and buy insurance), or watch football 24/7 (if we subscribe to cable TV).

    Rocking the more »

  • A Small Sampling of Good Corporate Deeds

    By Brian Hill - August 28, 2012 | Tickers: CMS, FE, NSRGY, RFP

    Just as when a company misplaces its moral compass it deserves to be chastised in the media, companies that go out of their way to help consumers, the community or the environment deserve recognition for their efforts and high praise. In my view, over the long run these good corporate eggs far outnumber the rotten ones. It's just we don't always hear about them. So let's visit more »

  • Back to School with Technology Tools

    By Brian Hill - August 13, 2012 | Tickers: LF, MHFI, ROL, SPWR

    It may or may not take an entire village to raise a child, but in today's world it can definitely boost a child's mental development and learning capacity -- and enthusiasm for learning -- to have the latest and greatest educational technology tools available.

    A Leap in Sales

    Every parent faces the challenge of getting kids engaged in learning early on in their lives. LeapFrog Enterprises, Inc. (NYSE: LF) is more »

  • Thrill Rides, James Bond, and "The Big Easy"

    By Brian Hill - August 3, 2012 | Tickers: ATVI, ELY, CMCSA, SIX, SNE

    The modern American consumer is blessed to have more entertainment and recreation choices than there are hours in the day available to enjoy them. For the companies providing products and services to help us have fun, the challenge is to keep coming up with "the next big thing."

    An Exciting Ride to Higher Profits

    Six Flags, Inc. (NYSE: SIX) has become the world's largest regional theme park company -- with more »

  • The Economy Got You Down? Get Out of Town

    By Brian Hill - July 31, 2012 | Tickers: CHH, MAR, UAL, LCC

    So, the U.S. economy had a teeny, tiny growth rate of 1.5 percent in the second quarter. The Conference Board's Kathy Bostjancic summed up the economy's performance this way: "U.S. economic growth has slowed to a crawl." She went on to cite "the anemic pace of consumption and investment," "weak exports," and "negative headwinds from Europe."

    Other than those few minor issues, apparently all is more »

  • An Alternative to Alternative Energy Companies -- Companies that Save Energy

    By Brian Hill - July 20, 2012 | Tickers: UTX, VZ, VOD

    Investors seeking ways to participate in the movement toward commercializing alternative energy sources have serious risks to consider such as: Will the technology work? Is it commercially feasible now? Will it ever be?

    Investors can certainly profit from companies that increase our energy supply through innovative new sources of energy, but another way to approach this sector is to seek out companies that reduce demand, those that provide products or more »