Browse by ▼
Login

Internet and Catalog Retail

  • Got Some Time and a Strong Stomach? Try J.C. Penney on for Size

    By Tim Brugger - May 16, 2012 | Tickers: JCP, M, SKS, SHLD

    Though not a contrarian by nature –oversold but solid companies selling at a discount are generally much more attractive – J.C. Penney (NYSE: JCP) offers investors with gumption an intriguing storyline. It’ll require some faith and patience, but all is not as dour as it appears. Of course shareholders are most certainly fuming that anyone could suggest such a thing with the stock beaten down as it is – and more »

  • Groupon Investors’ Selective Memory Warranted

    By Tim Brugger - May 15, 2012 | Tickers: AMZN, GOOG, GRPN

    To think it was only a month and a half ago – give or take – when the most recent “accounting irregularities” rocked the collective world of Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) shareholders. After what can only be called a stellar Q1, Groupon’s earlier woes seem to be long forgotten. And why not? Management was clueless, they got called on the SEC financial carpet, and it’s safe to say all should be more »

  • Best Buy, Now? It’s Just Crazy Enough to Work

    By Tim Brugger - May 14, 2012 | Tickers: AMZN, BBY, TGT, WMT

    Already mired in the middle of what’s been a difficult time for the once high-flying electronics retailer, Best Buy’s (NYSE: BBY) recent scandal(s) have many analysts and investors concerned with the company’s focus. How are they supposed to manage the company in the soap opera like atmosphere? Not to mention rebound from what has dragged the likes of both Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) and Target (NYSE: TGTmore »)

  • Nordstrom: Sales Increase Only Part of the Solution

    By Tim Brugger - May 13, 2012 | Tickers: M, JWN, ROST, TJX

    While most things retail are still basking in the glow of one of the best consumer confidence reports in years, Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) is taking a relative whooping. “But net income was up in the recently announced first quarter, and direct sales have shot through the roof,” proponents argue. And they’d be right, but boosting sales is only part of the equation – the other is managing expenses. And here more »

  • Resumes Not the Only Problem With Yahoo

    By Tim Brugger - May 8, 2012 | Tickers: AOL, GOOG, NWS, YHOO

    It’s only been five months, but what an impact new CEO Scott Thompson has had on what was already a company striving to find its way. What's really unfortunate for Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) shareholders and potential investors is there were more than enough concerns before the recent PR problems surfaced. Though difficult to pin the slide in stock price and investor confidence on one thing - the failed sale more »

  • Amazon gets Slugged by Walmart

    By Richard Birecki - May 4, 2012 | Tickers: AMZN, EBAY, WMT

    The thing that I love about Jeff Bezos, is how aggressively he continues to push the limits. He's like a high limit poker player who continually bets for value when he believes he's ahead, knowing that in the end the statistics will work themselves out even if he takes a couple of bad beats.

    Push your edge to the limit:

    1) Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN) makes a profit of more »

  • The Barnes & Noble Deal: Microsoft Scores Another Win-Win

    By Tim Brugger - April 30, 2012 | Tickers: AMZN, BKS, CPSI, GOOG, MSFT

    A lot has happened since the Barnes & Noble article written the first week in January. Certainly today’s announcement of a partnership with Microsoft to crank up the Nook business is getting all the headlines – as well it should. But that’s not the whole picture for the once beleagured book store.

    The huge gains for Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS) shareholders comes on the heels of what now seems an more »

  • A Call to Amazon Investors Everywhere: Whatever Happened to Earnings?

    By Tim Brugger - April 27, 2012 | Tickers: AMZN, GOOG, NFLX

    There's little doubt this article is going to ruffle a few feathers, but try and understand. It's nothing personal, simply a rhetorical question if you will – whatever happened to earnings? Now, Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN) doesn’t quite have the fanatical shareholder community of say, an Apple – but it’s getting pretty darn close. The earning’s call on the 26th appears to have left investors hyper-ventilating more »

  • Wal-Mart's in Hot Water – Again. But Will it Matter?

    By Tim Brugger - April 24, 2012 | Tickers: TGT, WMT

    For Wal-Mart investors the recent bribery scandal is yet another in a long line of hiccups surrounding the $202 billion retail behemoth. Avoiding medical costs by divvying up hours to maintain p/t status, not paying employees overtime wages, or any number of other potentially debilitating snafus over the years has fueled an almost manic dislike/distrust of all things Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT). You don’t have to go far more »

  • The Week That Was: Alcoa, Microsoft, AOL and Nokia

    By Tim Brugger - April 16, 2012 | Tickers: AA, AOL, MSFT, NOK

    As bad as last week was – the 5-day stretch ended up being the worst so far in 2012 – imagine what it would have been if not for Alcoa? After announcing extremely impressive earnings the leader in all things aluminum almost single-handedly propped up the market – almost.

    As investors shifted their gaze toward Spain–Greece is SO last month – and the continued debt problems plaguing the region, shareholders figured enough already more »

  • The Week that Was: Groupon, Ford, GM and Target

    By Tim Brugger - April 9, 2012 | Tickers: F, GM, GRPN, TGT

    The reaction to the job numbers announced on Friday has continued the market’s recent slump. But before investors become too concerned, it's worth noting that the price movements we’ve seen the last few trading days in particular is to be expected. Recoveries take time to gain traction – which of course is necessary for a sustained return to a growing market. Not there yet of course, but many more »

  • The Strength in Retail Goes Beyond the Weather

    By Tim Brugger - April 5, 2012 | Tickers: GPS, M, TGT, WMT

    The good news just keeps on coming for retailers. While pundits and analysts continue to give the kudos for a string of positive results to unseasonably warm weather, an extra day in month (February), and an early Easter shopping season there’s more going on here than these seemingly singular occurrences.

    Coming off what was a strong February almost across the board, several of the big boys announced March same more »

  • Bye, Bye Best Buy?

    By Tim Brugger - March 29, 2012 | Tickers: AAN, BBY, RSH, TGT, WMT

    That nice 10% gain Best Buy (NYSE: BBY) shareholders have enjoyed so far this year? Yeah, that was gone in one, fell swoop this morning. After reporting what were ultimately viewed as disturbing Q4 results, Best Buy really shocked investors with announcing plans to essentially revamp their business model. It’s going to get interesting in the months ahead, folks.

    Behind the Numbers

    As odd as it may sound, the more »

  • The Week that Was: FedEx, eBay, Amazon and Brookfield Infrastructure

    By Tim Brugger - March 26, 2012 | Tickers: AMZN, BIP, EBAY, FDX, UPS

    Though the week ended on a down note – the market itself didn’t perform well, and then there was that teeny little trading glitch on Friday that blew up Apple stock trading for a while – fundamentally little has changed. Opportunities remain across multiple industries and there are also a couple of over-bought stocks that bear a serious looking into.

    FedEx

    Not exactly an afterthought lingering in the shadow of industry more »

  • FedEx: An Even Better Buy Now

    By Tim Brugger - March 22, 2012 | Tickers: FDX, UPS

    In case you missed this morning’s announcement, FedEx (NYSE: FDX) shared what by all accounts was a stellar quarter.

    A Recap

    • The company more than doubled fiscal Q3 earnings vs. the year ago period – earning a staggering $1.65 a share compared to $0.73 last year.
    • Now a portion of that – about $0.10 a share - came from a one-time item. But even excluding that, nearly doubling bottom-line more »

  • eBay? Sure. But there’s no Explaining Amazon

    By Tim Brugger - March 22, 2012 | Tickers: AMZN, EBAY

    In spite of the recent announcement regarding existing home sales and continued sky high oil prices, most economic indicators are trending positive – and they have been for some time. It was December of last year when consumer spending and confidence – particularly during the holiday shopping season – started gaining some traction. Not surprisingly this was great news for retail companies, including Amazon.

    Online sales set new records seemingly daily and investors more »

  • All Retail Signs Point to Yes

    By Tim Brugger - March 13, 2012 | Tickers: RSH, TGT, WMT

    There’s a lot to like about the recently released retail sales numbers for February – and that’s not always the case once you to take the time to really break down the numbers. It wasn’t but a few months ago the headlines read “Retail Sales Figures Exceed Expectations” only to find year-end auto sales were behind virtually all the good news. Once those were removed? Not nearly as more »

  • Wal-Mart Strategies Spot On, Target Remains a Value

    By Tim Brugger - February 21, 2012 | Tickers: TGT, WMT

    It was mid-December and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT) was trading around $59 a share when the company announced their intention to make individual music downloads a part of their online strategy. After what was a strong Holiday online and in-store shopping season – regardless of what analysts have reported -- this was a clear indication Wal-Mart was making a push to grow this key area. And with relatively flat domestic growth, the emphasis more »

  • Constant Contact Quickly Becoming Masters of “The Game”

    By Tim Brugger - February 3, 2012 | Tickers: CTCT, IACI

    It’s not difficult to see that Constant Contact (NASDAQ: CTCT) is growing. Assets, revenues and net income have all improved each of the last several years. The company has also grown in knowing how to work the system, as evidenced by this morning’s earnings announcement.

    First, The News

    The Q4 numbers, as expected, handily outpaced last year’s results as did year-over-year financials. Net income improved to $0 more »

  • The Good News: AOL Beats Forecasts! And Now For The Bad News…

    By Tim Brugger - February 1, 2012 | Tickers: AOL, GOOG, YHOO

    AOL’s $0.23 a share in earnings this past quarter beat analyst estimates handily. The prognosticators were guesstimating $0.16 a share in earnings, and a drop in revenues of about 5%. Turns out AOL (NYSE: AOL) only saw a quarter-over-quarter decline of 3%.

    Also on the positive side of the fence were advertising revenues. As AOL watchers well know, management is clearly shifting the focus from internet services more »

  • Page 1 of 3