Ockham Research Staff @ October 31, 2008 # One Comment
Chesapeake Energy’s (CHK) stock price has been hammered over the past few months due to the bursting of the energy and commodities bubble. Also, some investors have voiced concern over CHK’s high debt level. However, we see this sell-off as a great buying opportunity for patient investors. CHK has hedged itself to offer some protection against the recent slide in natural gas prices and has assets significant enough (including rights in the Marcellus Shale field in Appalachia) to give it a book value in excess of its current market value. To Ockham, these considerations make CHK a stock worthy of the attention of long-term investors.
More on: Chesapeake Energy Will Not Stay this Cheap
Ockham Research Staff @ October 30, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Do you own a smart phone? If you don’t, do you think you might in the future? Well almost anyone would answer yes. Most investors do not know one of the companies reponsible for the boom in mobile connectivity. Here’s the best part…they are Greatly Undervalued before reporting earnings next week.
More on: Skyworks Booms with Wireless Connectivity
Ockham Research Staff @ October 29, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Apple reported excellent numbers last week and the market is responding positively. Ockham Research rates Apple as Greatly Undervalued and we think that earnings momentum and sales momentum are just to hard to ignore.
More on: Apple Makes This Look Easy
Ockham Research Staff @ October 28, 2008 # No Comment Yet
With a new report on Consumer Confidence today showing the third worst one month decline in that statistic’s history, most people would have thought that the market was going to tank. Well, not so fast, the Dow cruised to its second best day in history. Turns out there is a precedent here, read on to learn about it.
More on: Consumer Sentiment Hits New Low… Finally!
Ockham Research Staff @ October 28, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Rent-A-Center reported a pretty weak quarter and even weaker guidance for the upcoming quarters. Well, that carried over to competitor Aaron Rents which we think makes it an opportunity. Aaron’s has not seen the same fundamental weakness that RCII has and we believe they are poised to benefit from consumers hoping to save a few bucks.
More on: Overlooking the Potential in Aaron Rents?
Ockham Research Staff @ October 28, 2008 # One Comment
Wall Street research departments at the largest firms are still struggling with two very big issues: pricing and format. Companies like TheFlyOnTheWall.com and others are far to fast and nimble for the big firms to keep up, and its causing all sorts of problems (and lawsuits). In the end, Wall Street research is going to need an overhaul, which might include a complete structural overhaul to accomodate lower costs while increasing utility and speed. At least, that is what Ockham’s Razor would dictate.
More on: FlyTape: Wall Street Tries to Catch The Fly on the Wall
Ockham Research Staff @ October 27, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Please take note, Ockham Research has updated and improved our Enterprising Investor’s Guide newsletter and now give more information to our readers. The market commentary you are used to receiving with Valuation, Sentiment and Asset Allocation analysis, will be on the left hand side with the corresponding charts as well. However, we have now added, […]
More on: The Enterprising Investors Guide 10-27-08
Ockham Research Staff @ October 24, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Comcast is a company that we think is simply too cheap to ignore. They company has shown great financial strength and is improving their internet services. There is no telling when the market will reverse course, but when it does Comcast will almost certainly get a nice bounce. Keep in mind, CMCSA reports earnings next week.
More on: Comcast is Just Too Cheap
Ockham Research Staff @ October 23, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Why is it so hard for the United States to proactively deal with looming problems? We face serious funding problems for Social Security as well as municipal retirement plans. Medicare is a ticking time bomb. We have ignored for years our growing dependence on foreign (often hostile) oil producers. Yet, the Herculean efforts of the government over the past few months to rescue us from the blunders of the past have pushed such matters so far off the front page that one doubts we will hear about any of them for years. Sadly, we probably won’t hear of them until they blow up in our face once again.
More on: Why Can’t We Be Proactive?
Ockham Research Staff @ October 22, 2008 # No Comment Yet
Consumers everywhere are pinching penny’s in this difficult economic environment and McDonald’s is one of the benefitiaries of this trend. We highlight in this post why MCD may be a great hedge against further deterioration of the economy.
More on: McDonald’s Riding High By Pricing Low