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Tim Brugger

  • 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 »

  • Dechiphering the Retail Industry

    By Tim Brugger - May 16, 2012 | Tickers: JWN, SKS, TGT, HD, WMT

    It’s no secret investing is hardly an exact science. Whether you’re new to the markets or run billions of dollars as a fund or portfolio manager – this ain’t easy. If there was ever an example of just how whacked the world of investing can be, the host of data on all things retail is it.

    A quick look at the headlines is about enough to make the 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 »

  • Analyst Rating Will Hurt Nokia in the Short Term

    By Tim Brugger - May 14, 2012 | Tickers: AAPL, GOOG, MSFT, NOK

    It may turn out to be a couple (more) difficult days as Nokia kicks off the week’s trading. The stock is sure to see additional pressure as investors absorb the latest guesstimates from long-time Nokia (NYSE: NOK) analyst Andy Perkins – rated in the middle of the pack by StarMine for his earnings estimates – now that he’s jumped off the Lumia 900 wagon train. Mr. Perkins recently had this 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 »

  • The Week That Was: Mastercard, Walgreen’s, Barnes & Noble and Microsoft

    By Tim Brugger - May 8, 2012 | Tickers: BKS, CVS, MSFT, V, WAG

    As if there wasn’t enough information for investors to mull over from last week, today’s results from the European elections have gotten the week off to a tenuous beginning. Apparently investors are blaming it on the French (yeah, what’d you expect?) and their new Socialist leader, with a rousing boo and hiss directed Greece’s way too. Nothing new there either so it shouln't take the more »

  • LinkedIn: Heed the Woes of Netflix

    By Tim Brugger - May 4, 2012 | Tickers: GOOG, LNKD, MWW, NFLX

    If you happened to catch previous articles on LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD) it’s likely you were one of the many that lined up to lament the outlandish notion that LinkedIn was woefully overvalued. At a bazillion times both past and future earnings, not to mention a market cap of over $12 billion for a company that will generate a total of $880 to $900 million in revenues in 2012 - it more »

  • News of Nokia’s Demise Greatly Exaggerated

    By Tim Brugger - May 3, 2012 | Tickers: MSFT, NOK

    The precipitous drop in Nokia’s (NYSE: NOK) share price in the past month – to the tune of 30% - in and of itself is enough to make shareholders cringe. That the drop came on the heels of a series of bad news, poor press and downgrades didn't help matters.

    There have even been rumblings by some that the future of Nokia as a viable entity is in question – one more »

  • Profiting on Mastercard’s Results

    By Tim Brugger - May 2, 2012 | Tickers: DFS, MA, V

    So much for announcing a great quarter. By virtually every measure that counts Mastercard (NYSE: MA) posted fantastic results earlier. Earnings, revenues and card usage were all significantly higher. The result has been a sell-off. It’s likely the slightly disappointing job numbers are to blame for much of the day’s decline, but this too shall pass.

    For investors the question is this - does the easing in share price more »

  • Chesapeake’s Token Response: Aubrey No Longer Chairman

    By Tim Brugger - May 2, 2012 | Tickers: CHK, XEC, LINE

    If today’s announcement signifies anything it’s the Board of Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) remains firmly entrenched in a state of mediocrity. Investors however – several of which responded to the previous article detailing the recent irregularities by CEO Aubrey McClendon – are likely to be pleased.

    In spite of what could turn out to be SEC violations at the worst – or questionable financial dealings at best – shareholders seem to be more »

  • Don’t Be Fooled: Walgreen Still Not a Buy

    By Tim Brugger - May 2, 2012 | Tickers: CVS, ESRX, MHS, WAG

    The article on Walgreen Company (NYSE: WAG) toward the end of last year was a less than ringing endorsement for what appeared to be an undervalued option in the pharmacy/retail sector. At the time the alternatives – including industry leader CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS) and Medco Health Solutions (NYSE: MHS) – appeared to be expensive in comparison.

    And now with CVS’ recent earnings announcement the disparity is likely to get even more »

  • Sears: A Sentimental Favorite

    By Tim Brugger - May 1, 2012 | Tickers: M, SHLD, TGT, WMT

    If any additional proof was necessary the once high-flying retail industry leader Sears (NASDAQ: SHLD) was a fan favorite, today’s your day. As the stock hovers around $64 a share and change – a nearly 20% pop for the day – one is left to wonder why. The surface reasoning is pretty clear – according to CFO Rob Schriesheim Q1 should handily beat analyst expectations in a number of areas, and now 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 »

  • The Week That Was: Ford, GM, Honda, Chesapeake Energy and Wal-Mart

    By Tim Brugger - April 30, 2012 | Tickers: CHK, F, GM, HMC, WMT

    Even as investors rummage through the earnings data from last week – let alone a couple of less-than-flattering stories about corporate snafus – others are bracing themselves for a week of economic data that is sure to impact the markets and keep folks buzzing.

    On tap in the next several days are a slew of key reports, ending with Friday’s employment results that’ll put a capper on what is sure 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 »

  • Getting Chesapeake Back on Track is Easy: Say Goodbye to Aubrey

    By Tim Brugger - April 27, 2012 | Tickers: CHK, XEC, LINE

    As if Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK) didn’t already have enough problems – one of the softest natural gas markets in a decade, an overwhelming amount of debt, and plans to sell assets and issue yet more debt in an attempt to get a handle on the company’s finances are but a few. The article posted a couple months ago – in case you missed it – goes into all the sordid more »

  • Decisions, Decisions: Ford, Honda or GM

    By Tim Brugger - April 27, 2012 | Tickers: F, GM, HMC

    Let’s assume for a moment you – like many – feel pretty good about the prospects for automakers for the balance of this year, and even into next. And why not, there’s a lot to like. Setting Europe in general and Spain in particular aside for a moment, most domestic indicators point to a great year for car sales. Consumer confidence is improving right along with spending, the employment situation more »

  • Exxon After the Sell-Off, There are Still Better Options

    By Tim Brugger - April 26, 2012 | Tickers: CVX, COP, XOM, RDS-A

    Seems odd to beat down a stock after earning $9.5 billion in a quarter, but that’s the world we live in. Oil is king, and ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM) has a permanent place on the throne. Even after the recent “disappointing” earnings release Exxon remains the clear leader in the industry. But does that make the $403 billion behemoth – particularly after the recent sell-off – a buy? Let's be more »

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