Hello Everybody, In year 6 of a bull market, it has become clear that performance chasing is very much in vogue.  We’ve taken a number of calls from individuals who’ve been thrilled at their ability to profit in positions by holding them for a few days or weeks.  In addition, performance tracking on a monthly...Read More

While most people were recovering from a gluttonous Thanksgiving, the energy markets were extremely active last Friday.  The price of U.S. crude oil fell 10.2% in the day, while energy stocks were massacred.  The primary reason for the decline was OPEC’s decision to keep production steady, despite calls from many of its constituents to cut...Read More

On behalf of our Chief Investment Officer Tim Travis… Hello Everybody, In today’s WSJ, there is an interesting article about the largest U.S. pension plan’s decision to exit their hedge fund portion of the portfolio.  The rationale behind the decision is that the hedge funds have underperformed the overall market and the costs are higher...Read More

Coca-Cola (KO) came out with really impressive earnings today as higher prices and volume resulted in strong growth.  Coca-Cola’s leadership has been exceptional in a very difficult economic environment and their beverages business has really been eating Pepsi’s lunch.  No company matches Coca-Cola when it comes to an international presence and their are still attractive...Read More

In what can only be described as grand theft, Argentine President Christina Kirchner is proposing to steal 51% of the country’s largest oil producer YPF.  This is a company that prior to this action was majority owned by Spain’s Repsol YPF (REPYY, REP.MC), and it is a clear warning shot to investors seeking opportunities in the...Read More

Radical changes in the regulatory landscape in addition to enormously expensive costs pertaining to dealing with problem mortgages, have elevated banks’ cost structures over the last several years.  Revenues have been flat due to lackluster economic growth particularly in the banks’ bread and butter areas of real estate and commercial lending.  To confront these issues...Read More

When most people think of Warren Buffett’s investment philosophy they think of his large positions in iconic companies such as Coca Cola, Burlington Northern, Geico, Wells Fargo, etc.  These investments are core positions where he was able to allocate huge sums of money with the understanding that the franchise values would continue to grow over...Read More

As we’ve stated before Chinese infrastructure spending has likely gone too far, too fast, and has provided a tremendous boost to many commodity businesses.  The most susceptible to a slowdown in China are mining companies that have created the materials for the heavy-industry infrastructure.  When you combine the inflated prices that this demand has caused...Read More

This article shortly and succinctly outlines the problems that some of these European countries are having in establishing a competitive economy.  Ridiculous labor laws that stifle business are devastating particularly in such a globalized economic environment where lower labor costs can allow a competitor to “eat the lunch” of the higher cost business.  These types...Read More

Chesapeake Energy (CHK) is blessed with wonderful assets and a management team that has regularly been leading innovators in the energy space as far as predicting trends and technological developments.  The problem with the company is that they are run like an aggressive “wildcat” firm as opposed to multi-billion dollar behemoth.  Balance sheet issues such...Read More