Diversified Consumer Services

• Zombie Apocalypse or Epic Buying Opportunity?

  By Liz Hoffmann - July 20, 2012 | Tickers: AMZN, GIS, GRPN, KRFT, PG |

  We've all heard the hype about an impending Zombie Apocalypse.  You know, the day when some random nuclear event awakens, animates, and emboldens zombies everywhere. Hungry zombies will roam the countryside in throngs, seeking out that broken-down bus of hapless tourists.  The tourists will be stuck in the middle of the woods, it will be either dawn or twilight, and every single one of them will be immobilized with more »

• Buffalo Wild Wings Doesn't Taste THAT Good

  By Tim Brugger - March 28, 2012 | Tickers: BJRI, EAT, BWLD, PNRA, TXRH

  By most measures Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) had yet another stellar quarter, rounding out what was the fourth straight year of revenue growth. It’s no wonder than several analysts have set their sights on Buffalo Wild Wings as an under-valued growth stock -- some have even slapped a price target as high as $110 a share, while others have set 12-month targets in the $100 a share range.

  Sounds more »

• Home Depot: Great Quarter But Does Upside Remain?

  By Tim Brugger - February 21, 2012 | Tickers: HD, LOW

  Home Depot’s (NYSE: HD) earnings announcement was nothing if not spectacular. Yeah, they beat analyst expectations but even more importantly the company obliterated sales, margins and earnings vs. Q4 of 2010. The result was pre-market trading ended with a 3% jump in share price. And then something interesting happened on the way to the party, investors grabbed their 1.5% or 2% and got out. Hmm.

  HD remains in more »

• The Week that Was: Heinz, GM and Comcast

  By Tim Brugger - February 20, 2012 | Tickers: CVC, CPB, CMCSA, F, GIS, GM, HNZ, TWC

  If nothing else, President’s Day gives investors a bit more time to digest last week's stock price moves and get lined up for the week to come. Opportunities arose that included undervalued stocks -- and they remain so even after solid run-ups last week. One however jumped to a point investors would be wise to grab some profits.

  As mentioned in last week's article, Friday was a busy more »

• GM Earnings Solid, But are they a Buy in 2012?

  By Tim Brugger - February 16, 2012 | Tickers: F, GM, HMC, TM

  If you took the GM (NYSE: GM) plunge pre-earnings announcement the risk you assumed is paying off to the tune of a 6%+ pop. GM shares were ridiculously cheap before the announcement (and still are), but the company had more outstanding questions than Ford (NYSE: F), Honda (NYSE: HMC) and the ridiculously overpriced Toyota (NYSE: TM). As a result many investors stayed away until they got some confirmation things were more »

• Avon’s Cheap, and for Good Reason

  By Tim Brugger - February 14, 2012 | Tickers: AVP, RDEN, NUS, EL

  Though some things have changed, too many others have stayed the same since the first write-up of Avon (NYSE: AVP) in the middle of December. At that time Avon was trading at $16.81 a share and provided shareholders with a nice 5.5% yield. The company was undervalued, had recently announced that CEO Andrea Jung was getting kicked upstairs to the boardroom and there were some gains to be more »

• Can These Players Knock Out Netflix?

  By Tim Brugger - February 7, 2012 | Tickers: CSTR, NFLX, VZ

  The announcement that Verizon (NYSE: VZ) and Redbox kiosk owner Coinstar (NASDAQ: CSTR) have teamed up to provide consumers with video content, in direct competition with Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) wasn’t necessarily a surprise. As mentioned in an article a couple of weeks ago there had been scuttlebutt the companies were discussing a partnership of some sort.

  And of course they’re not alone in exploring the online and streaming more »

• Hasbro is an Absolute Steal Right Now

  By Tim Brugger - February 6, 2012 | Tickers: HAS, MAT

  If you like value, and who doesn’t, Hasbro (NASDAQ: HAS) looks like a gift from above right now. The drop in share prices after earnings were announced has put Hasbro on sale, and this is one deal well worth looking into.

  The Numbers

  The cause of investor’s consternation this morning was the drop in Q4 earnings compared to 2010. The slim 0.06% slide comes from a couple more »

• Can Zipcar Become Profitable?

  By Shawn Robinson - December 27, 2011 | Tickers: CSTR, HTZ, ZIP

  Zipcar (NASDAQ: ZIP) operates a car sharing business in 16 major cities and over 250 college campuses that is growing rapidly. The service is popular among college students and those living in dense metropolitan areas as it offers a convenient way of accessing a vehicle without the hassle of ownership. Even with 65% annual growth in members over the last five years, consistent profitability has been elusive for the 11 more »

• Are You on Netflix's Naughty or Nice List?

  By Elizabeth Magill - December 21, 2011 | Tickers: AMZN, CSTR, DISH, LGF, NFLX, SNE, DIS

  On Monday, I received an email from Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) thanking me for being a DVD subscriber. But the email was more than just words -- I was being offered a free holiday bonus DVD rental. With two quick clicks, I had the flick "Margin Call" on its way to my mailbox.
  
  But there's been some rumblings out on the net that not everyone received their holiday bonus. Streaming-only customers more »

• Home For The Holidays

  By Elise Ralph - December 20, 2011 | Tickers: APOL, BPI, DV

  Winter break is here and it's time for college kids to head home with laundry, dreams of mom's cooking and hot chocolate by the fire with friends. Oh wait! That was what winter break was like several decades ago when I was in school. Wow, have times changed because few students today have the luxury of such an idyllic break.

  Today's college student is much more likely more »

• Did Barron’s Make the Right Call on Coinstar?

  By Justin Carley - December 20, 2011 | Tickers: CSTR

  There are not too many publications that move markets, but Barron’s is one of them.  When they recommend a stock, you generally see it pop in early trading on Monday.  I am generally skeptical of their recommendations, mostly because they use fundamental analysis as a tool for yearly forecasts.  Valuation will be the key driver to stock returns over a decade, but will have little impact over a one-year time frame.  I wish they would emphasis that more.  Each week I want to give my thoughts on one of their recommendations.  This week it is Coinstar (NASDAQ: CSTR).

• Dear Mr. Hastings

  By Kelley Ryan - December 19, 2011 | Tickers: AMZN, CSTR, NFLX

  Dear Mr. Hastings,

  I am impressed with the way you have managed to convince everyone that Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX) is a wilting flower. Last January I lamented the fact that Netflix shares were out of my price point. And, as is often the case, I convinced myself that I didn’t want what I couldn’t have. I loved reading articles that specified the ways in which the shares were more »

• Verizon's Chance for Movie Streaming Gold

  By Andrew Dillard - December 13, 2011 | Tickers: CSTR, NFLX, VZ

  Across the internet, there have been multiple rumors that communication giant Verizon (NYSE: VZ) is making a push to get into the video streaming business.  Rumors have circulated around a possible acquisition of Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX), a current video streaming giant, or Redbox (NASDAQ: CSTR), a kiosk DVD rental machine.  Both companies have pros and cons, one more than the other.  Here is why I believe Redbox is the better more »

• Banks Will Benefit From This Domino Effect

  By Tim Brugger - December 9, 2011 | Tickers: BAC, JPM, WFC

  I understand it’s not in vogue to look at the bright side of things, particularly after the last three years of economic turmoil. But then I’ve never been fashion conscious, so I don’t intend to start now. The news coming out of Europe this morning, overall at least, brought a ray of sunshine to the markets. And it shouldn’t come as a surprise that stocks reacted more »

• Redbox: Soon to be New Player in the DVD Movie Streaming Wars

  By Elizabeth Magill - December 9, 2011 | Tickers: AMZN, CSTR, DISH, MCD, NFLX, VZ, WMT, WAG

  Netflix, Hulu, Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN), Blockbuster, and Dish Network (NASDAQ: DISH) are just a few of the big names that stream media to you via the internet to your TV, Blu-ray player, Roku, Apple TV, computer, or iPad. Starting spring of next year, there might just be another to add to that list: Redbox.
  
  We're all familiar with Redbox. They're the shiny red kiosks located in grocery stores more »

• Price The Market Part 7

  By Glen Bradford - December 8, 2011 | Tickers: BAC, IGT, JCI, KSS, BID, IPG

  Hi, my name is Glen Bradford. I am taking the time to price the S&P500 because I believe it to be worth my time.

• And So It Begins

  By Glen Bradford - December 6, 2011 | Tickers: ANF, AMZN, APOL, AN, AZO, BBBY, MEG

  I am presently deciding to undertake the task of pricing the S&P500 every quarter. This is round 1, batch one. The goal is to do all 500 S&P500 companies once per quarter.

• Price The Market Part 3

  By Glen Bradford - December 6, 2011 | Tickers: AAMRQ.PK, CBS, COH, CMCSA, DHI, DRI, DV

  I felt like pricing the entire S&P500 one morning a few weeks ago. This is my attempt to do something that other people would consider impossible because I find it very possible. 

• Price The Market Part 2

  By Glen Bradford - December 6, 2011 | Tickers: BBY, BIG, CVC, KMX, CCL, HRB, INTU, PFF, NFLX

  I decided to price the entire S&P500 because I woke up around 15 days ago and decided that life was what you make it. This is me making it.