Will Higher Speeds Rectify Netflix?

Internet service providers seem to be doing all they can to provide their consumers some of the fastest internet download speeds, according to Netflix, Inc. (NASDAQ:NFLX). Customers reportedly experienced fewer interruptions when downloading content from the likes of Netflix due to increased speeds, which commenced in November 2013. The company stated that most of its…

Avoid This “Hideously Expensive” Market

Source: Wikimedia Dear Diary, The Dow plunged 51 points yesterday. Gold surged $37.10 – or 3.1% – to settle at $1,232 an ounce. The US stock market is “hideously expensive,” says value investor James Montier at Boston-based investment firm GMO. He’s not wrong about that. But we have a feeling it’s going to be even more…

Two Clean Energy Speculations For 2014: Wrap-Up

I included two “Clean Energy Speculations” along with my annual model portfolio of ten clean energy stocks this year.  It’s been a tough year for clean energy stocks in general, with my industry benchmark (Powershares Wilderhill Clean Energy ETF (PBW)) down about 15% since I initiated the portfolios on December 27th 2013. Despite this, both the main…

Thoughts On Investment, IS-LM & Effective Demand

Investment is an essential component of economic growth. Investment supports a healthy inflation rate by providing new money into the economy. What determines investment? Through the IS-LM model, we can understand interest rates and investment. The IS curve has its own model before it is incorporated into the IS-LM model. In that IS model, investment…

ECB: Europe Can’t Bend

Tomorrow we learn of the participation of the second opportunity to borrow funds from the ECB under the Targeted Long-Term Repo facility. Recall that this year’s access was limited to 7% of a bank’s loan book (loans to households and businesses excluding mortgages). Next year’s access is somewhat linked to growth of that loan book.  The…

Costco Q1 Earnings Beat On Comps Growth, Revenues Rise

Costco Wholesale Corporation (COST – Analyst Report) commenced fiscal 2015 on a strong note, delivering better-than-expected first-quarter results. The company posted earnings of $1.12 per share that surpassed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.09 and rose 16.7% from 96 cents reported in the prior-year period. Impressive comparable-store sales (comps) performance aided bottom-line growth. Let’s Unveil Further The warehouse…