Bob Chandler

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• A Rigged Market? It's OK With Me

  By Bob Chandler - June 18, 2013 | Tickers: DECK, HUM, WLP |

  There seems to be plenty of evidence suggesting that some players in the market have a significant advantage when compared to the average investor. While it’s legal, it also implies the market is hardly a level playing field. But this is OK. Individual investors can still profit from this rigged game, and they can even capitalize on big players' advantages.
  
  Are markets rigged?

  Having greater access to information, greater more »

• Beware the Bullishness on Bristol-Myers

  By Bob Chandler - June 15, 2013 | Tickers: BMY, DNDN, MRK

  A new drug in the fight against cancer is certainly an exciting and welcome development. Unfortunately, in many cases, the news often pushes the stock price of the company involved to overly enthusiastic heights. While the optimism about the drug may be fully justified, some investor caution on the stock may be prudent.

  Recent news about Bristol-Myers Squibb's (NYSE: BMY) latest oncology drug candidate might be such a case more »

• Is This Hurting Healthcare Company Priced for a Recovery?

  By Bob Chandler - June 13, 2013 | Tickers: ACT, HSP, MYL

  Nothing interests a value investor more than bad news. Where there's a lack of enthusiasm, there's usually a cheap stock. Hospira (NYSE: HSP), a leading manufacturer of generic specialty injectable drugs and infusion pumps, looked a likely candidate. Since mid-2010, the company has delivered a litany of bad news but instead of a depressed bargain the share's look surprisingly fit.

  A chronic case of unsettling news

  The more »

• The Fed's Bubble: How Long can It Last?

  By Bob Chandler - June 9, 2013 | Tickers: GAS, POR, SH, XLU |

  The Federal Reserve is currently purchasing over $80 billion in bonds per month to keep interest rates at an all time low, this helps inflate other asset prices. The action, called Quantitative Easing, or QE, seems to be working; the stock market’s up about 18% and home prices 10% in the last year. But there is also evidence that these gains are the symptoms of a particularly dangerous bubble more »

• Why a New CEO Is a New Opportunity to Profit

  By Bob Chandler - June 5, 2013 | Tickers: BIG, SWY, THI

  When a new Chief Executive Officer (CEO) takes over, he or she usually wants to start off unencumbered by past management mistakes. The new boss' first moves often set the stage, and just stabilizing the business can look like a significant achievement. It’s worth monitoring these CEO changes since, if the measures are taken effectively, the company’s shares usually react quite positively to any perceived accomplishment.

  One of more »

• The Clash in the Cloud: A Profitable Opportunity?

  By Bob Chandler - June 3, 2013 | Tickers: AMZN, GOOG, MSFT, RAX

  What is the cloud? Cloud computing could be best described as delivering computing, storage, and applications as a service over the Internet. It means that a company basically outsources its computer infrastructure to another party but can still access all its functionality through a smartphone, tablet, or PC. The main benefit of cloud computing is cost savings. These savings, which can be significant, are making the cloud increasingly attractive to more »

• Will the Bakken Deliver on Its Promise?

  By Bob Chandler - May 30, 2013 | Tickers: CLR, HES, KOG, NOG

  The use of hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," has helped the U.S. return to being a top oil and gas producer. As production amounts have soared, the general expectation is that we are now on the way to being an energy powerhouse. But is this realistic? The Bakken shale play will be an excellent test case. It is one of the linchpins for the hopes of U.S. energy dominance more »

• Consider Floating in the Cruise Industry's Troubled Waters

  By Bob Chandler - May 30, 2013 | Tickers: CCL, NCLH, RCL

  Carnival (NYSE: CCL) has again given investors in the cruise industry something to worry about. The company recently reported that 2013 earnings expectations will have to be reduced to $1.45-$1.65 per share, down sharply from earlier guidance of $1.80-$2.10, due to a drop in pricing and a higher than expected number of voyage cancellations.

  This latest piece of bad news seems to have derailed more »

• Will Patience With This Pork Producer Payoff?

  By Bob Chandler - May 28, 2013 | Tickers: HRL, SFD, TSN

  Though its stock is up around 40% from a 2012 low, Smithfield Foods (NYSE: SFD) may have to navigate some near-term headwinds before making another move higher. Smithfield, the world's largest pork processor and hog producer, might be facing a very tough operating environment for at least the next six months. After reporting a 15% net profit decline on a 3% sales increase in its latest quarter, the combination more »

• Can a Turnaround in TiO2 Make Money for You?

  By Bob Chandler - May 20, 2013 | Tickers: DD, KRO, TROX

  It's been a tough last nine months for the titanium dioxide pigment (TiO2) industry. The business has been in a steep and steady decline since early 2012 record results. But with a history of major booms and busts, should investors start preparing for an eventual TiO2 turnaround now?

  What is TiO2?

  TiO2 is a white inorganic pigment used in a wide range of products for its ability to impart more »

• Is This Wireless Provider a Good Speculative Play?

  By Bob Chandler - May 17, 2013 | Tickers: LEAP, S, TDS, USM

  The landscape is changing for wireless providers. These firms are finding that they need new avenues for growth as the number of unallied customers within the industry dwindles. Combining assets has been a popular strategy.

  The recent merger between MetroPCS and T-Mobile USA is a recent example. T-Mobile realized it needed to find a way to increase its user base and available spectrum after a takeover bid by AT&T more »

• Does Icahn's Offer Add up for Dell Shareholders?

  By Bob Chandler - May 17, 2013 | Tickers: DELL, HPQ, LXK |

  Famed investor Carl Icahn and money manager Southeastern Asset Management have joined forces to provide shareholders an alternative to Michael Dell's controversial $24.4 billion bid to take the company he founded, Dell (NASDAQ: DELL), private. Mr. Icahn and Southeastern believe that Dell's $13.65 a share offer, with private equity firm Silver Lake, is an opportunistic effort to buy the company at a bargain price.

  Icahn's more »

• Hospital Stocks Have a Murky Prognosis

  By Bob Chandler - May 13, 2013 | Tickers: CYH, HCA, HMA, THC

  The future for hospital stocks is uncertain. Though the stock price of operators like Health Management Associates (NYSE: HMA), Community Health Systems (NYSE: CYH), HCA Holdings (NYSE: HCA), and Tenet Healthcare (NYSE: THC) have risen anywhere from 75% to more than doubling since their 2012 lows, their recent first quarter results weren't very inspiring.

  The conflict between current pessimistic industry trends and future encouraging possibilities seems to be the more »

• The Underappreciated Risk in Mortgage REITs

  By Bob Chandler - May 9, 2013 | Tickers: AGNC, NLY, HTS

  Many investors have turned to mortgage real estate investment trusts (mREITs) to juice investment income. They seem to have exceptionally attractive dividend yields and are thought to be fairly safe. Some of the most popular are Annaly Capital Management (NYSE: NLY), American Capital Agency (NASDAQ: AGNC), and Hatteras Financial (NYSE: HTS). But shareholders need to remain alert; the same factors that make the dividends so appealing may also be increasing more »

• Is This REIT Stuck Between a Rock and a Hard Place?

  By Bob Chandler - May 7, 2013 | Tickers: BDN, CWH, CLI

  CommonWealth REIT (NYSE: CWH), a real estate investment trust that owns office buildings throughout the United States, is in the midst of a heated battle between an entrenched management and an activist investor group. The group, led by hedge fund Corvex Management and Related Fund Management (Corvex/Related), hopes to better realize the company's intrinsic value by ousting its board and then management.

  Shareholders have a tough choice to more »

• Apple's Product Strategy Dilemma

  By Bob Chandler - May 2, 2013 | Tickers: AAPL, CMGE, TSM

  Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL) is in a tough spot. While Steve Jobs, the company’s founder, could easily be the greatest consumer product innovator the U.S. has ever seen, the legacy of his business strategy is forcing the company to make a decisive move in today’s competitive mobile phone marketplace.

  Apple’s premium product strategy

  Jobs’ vision for Apple was always to create a premier product and charge a more »

• Intel's Evolution to Wireless: First Quarter's Report Card

  By Bob Chandler - April 27, 2013 | Tickers: INTC, NVDA, QCOM

  There is little doubt that computer chip leader Intel (NASDAQ: INTC) needs to evolve. The recent news about PC sales falling 14%, the most in history, only confirms that it will need to gain a meaningful place in the mobile market. To advance toward this goal, progress in four key areas is critical. Here’s how I grade the company’s results for the latest quarter:

  Market acceptance of new more »

• A 'DISH'y Deal With Too Many Moving Parts

  By Bob Chandler - April 22, 2013 | Tickers: CLWR, DISH, S

  Any merger announcement is usually worth checking out. The deal might offer a buying opportunity or a clue to what companies in the industry view as growth venues. Rarely does a merger or acquisition fail to provide either of these benefits, but DISH Network's (NASDAQ: DISH) $25 billion offer for Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) might be one of those exceptions. The number of agenda-driven players involved in this deal more »

• Is eBay Reliant on Sub-Prime Lending?

  By Bob Chandler - April 22, 2013 | Tickers: DFS, EBAY, MA

  Online payment and commerce company eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) has long been a favorite of tech analysts and investors due to its consistent revenue growth and solid profitability.

  The analyst community is especially fond of the company's PayPal business. PayPal enables individuals and businesses to quickly send and receive payments online and through mobile devices. It is becoming a larger piece of eBay's overall profitability, with expectations that it more »

• A DISH'y Deal with Too Many Moving Parts

  By Bob Chandler - April 17, 2013 | Tickers: CLWR, DISH, S

  Any merger announcement is usually worth checking out. The deal might offer a buying opportunity or a clue to what companies in the industry view as growth venues. Rarely does a merger or acquisition fail to provide either of these benefits but the DISH Network's (NASDAQ: DISH) $25 billion offer for Sprint Nextel (NYSE: S) might be one of those exceptions. The number of agenda-driven players involved in this more »

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