What’s Better: Dividends, Stock Buybacks, or Debt Reduction?

There are several ways in which companies can enhance “shareholder value”. Chief among them are dividends, stock buybacks, and debt reduction. Read More

Airline Stock Metrics for Investors

There are several metrics unique to the Air Transport industry that may be utilized to evaluate airline stocks. Some of these, including Load Factor and Gross Equipment per share, can be found on the Value Line page.

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The VIX and What it Tells Investors About Market Volatility

The VIX, commonly known as the “fear index”, is a widely used indicator of market sentiment and volatility. Given the increasingly turbulent market and macroeconomic landscape as of late, investors would be prudent to have a working knowledge of the VIX and how it is used.

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The Blurb and Footnotes for Utilities

Every stock we cover has a business description and footnotes. There are some differences between those for utility stocks and nonutility issues.

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What to Know When Investing in Retail Stocks

As is the case with the stock market, in general, there is no magic formula for investing in the retail sector. But, for those looking to get exposure to the industry, knowing and understanding how the retail business works can help boost returns or, at the very least, help minimize damage to a portfolio.

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The Effect of Natural Gas Prices on Utilities

One might think that natural gas prices have no effect on utilities because gas prices are normally passed on to customers. This is an incorrect assumption.

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Corporate Governance Basics

A growing body of evidence suggests that companies with sound corporate governance policies show higher profitability and investment returns than those firms with weaker systems in place. Spending a little time to evaluate these issues may prove beneficial to your portfolio.

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An Introduction To Technical Analysis

Technical analysis has long been in opposition of fundamental analysis.  However, markets can be inefficient over the short term, and having a general knowledge of basic technical indicators can give investors some direction and a potential edge when financial markets seem to be irrational, and fundamental techniques appear not to work.

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Proven and Probable Reserves – A Primer

Most companies involved in extractive industries have to report information on their minerals holdings. While these details are not the sole key to valuing oil and gas or mining companies, they constitute an important element of value.

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Dollar Value Averaging: A Mechanical Method to Achieve Your Investment Target

Most investors run afoul of the markets by letting their emotions dictate their buying and selling decisions. The popular Dollar Cost Averaging method helps automate the process, but there’s a lesser-known, but usually more rewarding method with a similar sounding name. It’s called Dollar Value Averaging and it helps investors to buy more when prices are low and sell more when prices are high. Compounded over time, this system gains an ever-growing edge over Cost Averaging while taking on less market risk.

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