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Alexander MacLennan

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  • This Airline Stock Doesn't Want To Be An Airline Stock

    By Alexander MacLennan - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: ALK, DAL, LUV

    Airlines go bankrupt.

    Airlines destroy investor cash.

    Never invest in an airline.

    It seems almost everyone learned this market logic at some point in their investing experience, often as one of the first rules of investing. For many, airline stocks have become synonymous with high risk short term investing designed to appease our inner gambler. But a recent announcement by Delta Air Lines (NYSE: DAL) is shaking up the traditional more »

  • Top Tesla Myths

    By Alexander MacLennan - May 10, 2013 | Tickers: F, NSANY.PK, TSLA

    With a company as different as Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA), there are bound to be many myths and misconceptions about it. Adding to this that Tesla’s line of business has become a political football and we have a company that is too often defined by the falsehoods surrounding it. Here we will try to dispel two of the most common myths about Tesla and its products.

    Myth #1: Tesla more »

  • Double Digit Yields From An Airline?

    By Alexander MacLennan - May 9, 2013 | Tickers: AC.A, AC.B, CHRVF, CHR.B

    All price units are in Canadian Dollars (CAD) unless otherwise specified.

    Where do we normally find double digit yields? Leveraged mortgage REITs, junk bonds, and C rated preferred stock are all part of this level of yield. But there is an airline that also pays a dividend of around 16 percent. Here we will take a look as to whether this dividend is sustainable, whether the company is sustainable, and more »

  • Top Tesla Myths Part Two

    By Alexander MacLennan - May 7, 2013 | Tickers: BAMXF, TSLA, TM

    When Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) began to bring electric cars to a larger segment of the population, there were many misconceptions about the company and EVs in general. In a previous article I discussed some of the most common myths that follow Tesla and its products but I found that one article was simply not enough to explain the truth behind Tesla in depth. In this article we will take more »

  • From 80 Percent To Zero: Is RBS The Next AIG?

    By Alexander MacLennan - May 6, 2013 | Tickers: AIG, AIG-, RBS, RBS

    Followers of the markets over the past few years know the name American International Group (NYSE: AIG) all too well. For its investors, AIG was a painful blow to their portfolios and for taxpayers it showed how the largest financial institutions can demand public funds with the threat of destroying the economy otherwise. Fortunately for every taxpayer, AIG has been able to repay its government loans and even give the more »

  • A Tour Of Countries: United Kingdom

    By Alexander MacLennan - May 6, 2013 | Tickers: ICAGY, IAG, VOD, VOD

    In the global investing world we live in, it is important to look at opportunities worldwide when seeking the best returns. Here, we will take a look at some of the investments the United Kingdom has to offer. By no means is this a complete analysis of the entire nation, that would be a series of articles in itself. Instead it is a starting point for those who are interested more »

  • New Owners of U.K. Banks and Automakers

    By Alexander MacLennan - May 6, 2013 | Tickers: LYG, RBS, TTM

    In the United States, American banks have managed to repay their debts and emerge from partial government ownership. But the situation across the pond isn’t the same. Some U.K. based banks are still partially in government hands rendering their futures less certain than their foreign counterparts. However, the banks aren’t the only ones under new ownership. Two of the most famous British automakers are now owned by more »

  • A Tour Of Countries: China

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 29, 2013 | Tickers: BIDU, CEA, ZNH | Editor's Choice

    Investors looking to move beyond U.S. borders are often attracted to emerging markets for an increased potential for growth. It is rare that a discussion of emerging markets comes up without anyone mentioning China. And there is a good reason for this. Growth in China has often topped double digits and still greatly exceeds the growth in most developed markets. But with the potential for growth comes risk. China more »

  • The Next Netflix-esque Short Squeeze?

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 27, 2013 | Tickers: NFLX, TSLA, VLKAY | Editor's Choice

    Shares of Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) were up nearly 25% on April 23 after the growing company reported better than expected earnings. This is not the first time Netflix shares have surged after positive results. Shares gained over 42% on Jan. 24 after the company reported a surprise profit. What did these two gains have in common other than a basis in tangible news? Short sellers of the stock got burned more »

  • Tesla at $50, Where to Next?

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 24, 2013 | Tickers: GM, TSLA, TM

    Just a few weeks ago, shares of Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) were having a tough time breaking through the psychologically-created resistance around the $40 per share level. But since then a flurry of good news has come out for Tesla with hints at more in the future. As a result, shares are up over 37% over the last month as buyers enter the market for this Silicon Valley automaker. As more »

  • A Tale of Two Genworths

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 23, 2013 | Tickers: GNW, MIC, GMICF

    A search for the company by the name of Genworth will turn up two different results in most financial searches. The one with a greater U.S. presence being Genworth Financial (NYSE: GNW) and the one with a greater Canadian presence being Genworth MI Canada (NASDAQOTH: GMICF) (TSX: MIC). Despite sharing a similar name, these two stocks have very different characteristics when it comes to how they fit in an more »

  • Can Tesla Help Sell Other EVs?

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 22, 2013 | Tickers: GM, NSANY.PK, TSLA

    It seems like a rather bizarre idea that one company’s product would increase sales of its rivals while being a well-received product itself. But thing is that Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) could be increasing sales of other electric vehicles simply by releasing its own Roadster and Model S. Unfortunately, we have no concrete evidence of how Tesla’s vehicles have affected other EV sales since no official polls have more »

  • A Tour of Countries: Greece

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 22, 2013 | Tickers: DRYS, NBG, NBG-A

    In a quest to more fully understand the global investment market we now live in, I am writing a series of articles with each one highlighting investment opportunities and considerations in various countries. Here, we will look at Greece. When most people think of Greece they think of the debt crisis and continued economic recession. While it is pretty clear that Greece is not earning big returns for investors now more »

  • Welcome To The Peanut Gallery

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 19, 2013 | Tickers: DAL, LUV, SAVE

    Remember the last time you took a flight in coach and enjoyed comfortable seats, plenty of legroom, and a genuinely pleasant experience overall? A lot of readers will be left wondering how anyone could enjoy this experience today with coach seats the way they are. If you’re one of those people, bad news; it’s about to get even worse.

    Make way for big spenders

    It used to be more »

  • Penny Dividends

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 19, 2013 | Tickers: BAC, C, LUV

    Most people today would think nothing of finding a penny on a sidewalk. Many would not even be bothered to pick it up--after all, it’s just a penny. But some very large corporations today expect their investors to care about the penny they show them every quarter. I am, of course, referring to the tiny dividends paid out by some companies in an effort to attract dividend-only investors and more »

  • The Newest Gadgets Are Now On Wheels

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 18, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, GOOG, TSLA

    When we think of technology, we tend to think about small electronics like computers, smartphones, and the other little gadgets that populate our everyday lives. As computing power has improved, we have seen the penetration of “smart” technology into applications where it never appeared before. The arrival of new technology is now entering the automobile world and has the potential to revolutionize the market with features never before seen in more »

  • I Was Wrong About American Airlines

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 18, 2013 | Tickers: AAMRQ.PK, DAL, UAL, LCC

    Back in August of last year, I laid out the case against buying the stock of bankrupt American Airlines (NASDAQOTH: AAMRQ.PK) as part of a larger analysis of the airline industry. Since then, American’s shares have surged in value as the airline beat the odds and managed to extract a sliver of shareholder value from the bankruptcy. However, the story of American Airlines' recovery of shareholder value is as more »

  • "Then We're A Real Car Company"

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 18, 2013 | Tickers: BAMXF, TSLA, TM

    Fans of Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA) may remember the title of this article from Automobile’s article 2013 Automobile of the Year: Tesla Model S. Said by Tesla CEO Elon Musk, this phrase was said in context of ramping up production and successfully delivering Model S sedans to customers. The entire quote from the article was, "There have been car company start-ups before. The real challenge is to ramp up more »

  • Penny Dividends

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 17, 2013 | Tickers: BAC, C, LUV

    Most people today would think nothing of finding a penny on a sidewalk. Many would not even be bothered to pick it up, after all, it’s just a penny. But some very large corporations today expect their investors to care about the penny they show them every quarter. I am, of course, referring to the tiny dividends paid out by some companies in an effort to attract dividend-only investors more »

  • Welcome To The Peanut Gallery

    By Alexander MacLennan - April 17, 2013 | Tickers: DAL, LUV, SAVE

    Remember the last time you took a flight in coach and enjoyed comfortable seats, plenty of legroom, and a genuinely pleasant experience overall? A lot of readers will be left wondering how anyone could enjoy this experience today with coach seats the way they are. If you’re one of those people, bad news; it’s about to get even worse.

    Make way for big spenders

    It used to be more »

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