Summarized qualitatively, the case for Cisco stock (CSCO) is this:  Cisco makes the guts of information technology infrastructure, routers, switches and other products associated with IT networks.  Their closest competitor, Juniper Networks (JNPR), is comparatively tiny, with a market capitalization a bit over 1/9th that of Cisco’s ($13.6 billion to $125.9 billion).  The ratio...
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Mark Hurd’s hastily announced departure from Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) for conduct-related infractions may provide a buying opportunity for investors looking for a good entrée point for this Dow component. The news has initially sent shock waves about the stock with the price falling to close at $41.85 on August 6 when Hurd’s resignation was announced, losing...
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Writing in September 2009, I argued that investors should consider ING cumulative preferred shares. I did not at the time recommend ING’s common shares, then trading in the $14-$16 range.  Now that they are trading around $8 ($8.46 at U.S. market close on June 16), depressed by the European sovereign debt crisis, I think...
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Let me start by saying that in terms of its products, I am an Apple (AAPL) hugger.  I have a MacBook Pro and iPhone.  I can still remember the excitement in the early 80’s when a high school friend got an Apple II.  I was amazed when I ordered my first iPod from the...
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The best turnaround investing opportunities can occur when a number of factors suggest the prospect of increased value.  For that reason, it’s my opinion that investors should consider the case for Sprint Nextel. First, sentiment is growing that while Sprint’s network is not yet on par with U.S. quality leader Verizon (VZ), it is...
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Back in November, when gold was red hot, I warned investors against making big bets on gold or gold-related assets in the 4th quarter of 2009.  I was on target here.  During the week of that writing (November 16-20), gold was trading in the $1,130-$1,150/oz. range.  It hit a peak of $1217.40 on December...
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One of the most important swing states in American politics is Ohio.  It’s been almost half a century—when John F. Kennedy was elected in 1960—since anyone became President of the United States without winning the vote in the Buckeye State. 1  In the 2008 election, Ohio cast 20 electoral votes, the seventh highest number of...
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Back in 1987, I was working retail for a company that was then a major foreign exchange and precious metals dealer.  A non-descript man entered the office with his family.  The man, who was wearing a flannel shirt one might use for garden work, asked me what our price to buy gold was.  I...
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Life is full of second chances, sometimes even in investing. In that connection, ING’s (ING) cumulative preferred shares plunged with the shares of the broader financial services community when the financial crisis reached its depths. ING’s 6.2 % perpetual debt securities issued in 2003 with a $25 a share denomination (ISP) reached a low...
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Do you believe that Asian economies like China and India will lead the economic recovery, and you’re looking for a way to make money from that? Take a look at Diana Shipping (DSX). At current prices, Diana is about significant upside and limited downside. The shipping industry, which is characterized by incredible volatility, is...
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