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Ryan Gilbert

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  • Dividends, Schmividends

    By Ryan Gilbert - June 18, 2013 | Tickers: CELG, HAL, SBUX

    Almost all retirement investment strategies advocate generating a steady income from dividend payments from well-established, safe stocks. And while it's an effective and secure strategy, dividends don't always cut it. Whether you're looking for growth opportunities or are just trying to bridge your financial gap with capital gains, these investments can help.

    The stocks discussed here are all good growth and value blend investments. For reduced risk more »

  • Better Ratios Don't Always Make for Better Investments

    By Ryan Gilbert - June 12, 2013 | Tickers: GMCR, SBUX

    Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR) has received a lot of positive attention and comparisons to Starbucks (NASDAQ: SBUX) lately.

    Green Mountain Coffee Roasters has a lower Price-Earnings ratio (P/E) than Starbucks, but just marginally (33 for Starbucks vs 29 for Green Mountain). Green Mountain Coffee Roasters just hit $1 billion in revenue in the first quarter (Q1) of 2013, so why shouldn't they have a lot of more »

  • Can Yahoo! or Microsoft Leverage Social Media to De-Throne Google?

    By Ryan Gilbert - June 5, 2013 | Tickers: FB, GOOG, MSFT, YHOO

    Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT) are constantly playing catch-up with Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) in the search for more ad revenue, but the two underdogs may have found an opportunity to expand their reach through the use of social networking. 

    Don't drop the ball, Yahoo!

    Yahoo!'s acquisition of Tumblr has been framed by the media as the worst idea since Geocities, because of Yahoo!'s apparently uncool more »

  • Why the 80/20 Principle Will Do This Company a World of Good

    By Ryan Gilbert - May 28, 2013 | Tickers: FB, JCOM, CRM

    In December last year, I wrote an article detailing j2 Global's (NASDAQ: JCOM) transformation into a fresher and more diverse company. Last year, j2 Global bought into Carbonite and acquired Ziff Davis. This allowed the provider of internet business solutions to diversify its operations into both cloud computing and media publication. The company's stock has risen 33% since I last wrote about it, but does it have room more »

  • Technology Is Spelling the End for GameStop

    By Ryan Gilbert - May 27, 2013 | Tickers: ATVI, EA, GME

    GameStop (NYSE: GME) has been a watering-hole for gamers for many years now. It's a place where people can buy games, consoles, or just socialize with their friends at different game releases or events. Ironically, advances in technology are going to harm the entertainment retailer given that it's current business model relies on the stock-and-sell method of selling video games. 

    Zombie mode

    GameStop has barely held on to more »

  • Cruise Through 2013 With These 3 Tourism Stocks

    By Ryan Gilbert - May 23, 2013 | Tickers: CCL, NCLH, RCL

    The U.S. economy is showing signs of recovery to pre-recession levels, and personal disposable income has skyrocketed since late 2009. Given this, we may be poised for a boom in the tourism industry soon. That's why I’m analyzing the 3 top publicly traded cruise liners to see if any are investment worthy as the summer doldrums approach.

    US Per Capita Disposable Personal Income data by YCharts

    The more »

  • Will These Vitamin Retailers Enhance Your Portfolio's Health?

    By Ryan Gilbert - May 14, 2013 | Tickers: GNC, VITC, VSI

    Over half of all people over 20 in the U.S. use at least 1 dietary supplement. And in a world of protein shakes, vitamins, and herbs, a few companies stand out from the rest. Will the 3 top publicly traded supplement retailers improve the health of our portfolios?

    Vitacost.com, Inc. (NASDAQ: VITC)

    Vitacost.com, Inc. is the smallest of the three companies, pulling in $330.68 million of more »

  • Safety In Tobacco

    By Ryan Gilbert - May 14, 2013 | Tickers: PM, UVV

    With tough legislation and changes in domestic trends, many U.S. tobacco companies are struggling Investing in the best global tobacco companies provides the safest and most profitable way to protect your portfolio against a pullback in our bull market, should the need arise.

    Universal Corporation

    Universal Corporation (NYSE: UVV) is a global and diversified option. The tobacco merchant and processor is a global contender in the tobacco industry. As more »

  • A Company’s Mid-Life Crisis Gone Right

    By Ryan Gilbert - December 21, 2012 | Tickers: CARB, JCOM | Editor's Choice

    J2 Global Communications  (NASDAQ: JCOM) is an international infrastructure company that emerged in 1995 and mainly deals with electronic fax. It’s had great success, but e-fax is becoming obsolete. In order to stay relevant, the company has been making some new investments (and not in red sports cars).

    Over the past few years, JCOM has been delving into the world of virtual phone, email, and most importantly, cloud computing more »

  • Investing in the German Recession

    By Ryan Gilbert - November 30, 2012 | Tickers: BUNT, BUNL

    Germany May Fall Into a Recession

    Recent polls and economic data show that Germany is likely to fall into a recession. It's a tough pill to swallow, considering that Germany is carrying more than its share of weight in the European Union. Now German growth is screeching to a halt, as Europe faces an economic contraction and 11.7% unemployment. 

     

     It’s Not Looking Good…

    The German Economy is more »

  • The Mobile Ad Gold Rush

    By Ryan Gilbert - November 22, 2012 | Tickers: FB, GOOG, K, MM, P

    There’s no doubt that the race for mobile advertising is becoming the next California Gold Rush. Mobile advertising currently represents 1% of the $500 billion advertising industry. And with average forecasts calling for the industry to double domestically by 2015, companies are racing to find the best way to pan for gold.

    Google (NASDAQ: GOOG) is currently the leader in mobile ad revenue, holding 18.4% of the market more »