BlackGold iPad Edition

Posted on May 22, 2012 | Computerized Investing

Track a variety of commodities on your iPad.

Shareholder Letter Revelations: Can You Trust the Leadership?

Posted on May 22, 2012 | Investing

Judging a firm’s leaders is an important step in analyzing a stock for investment. But it’s a murky area that offers no solid statistics to review. And most investors don’t get the chance to actually meet a company’s CEO and other officers in order to get a feel for how the firm is run.

The one window into a CEO’s perspective and goals is the shareholder letter contained in the annual report. But upon reading one, you might find that you can’t understand what the CEO is trying to say. Often, shareholder letters are riddled with jargon and glossy prose that convey no information. Six of the most popular CEO letter clichés…

Life Insurance and Estate Gifting

Posted on May 21, 2012 | AAII Journal

Potential changes in the tax law next year make it a smart estate-planning strategy to give as a large of a gift now as possible.

Spreadsheet Corner

Posted on May 21, 2012 | Computerized Investing

Computerized Investing’s Spreadsheet Corner introduces a new spreadsheet every quarter that helps you utilize the power of Excel when making investment decisions. The spreadsheets covers a wide range of functions, calculations and investment methodologies.

5/19/2012 Weekly updates and SSG files are available to download

Posted on May 19, 2012 | Stock Investor Pro

Weekly updates for Stock Investor Pro and SSG files as of 5/19/2012 are available to download.

CI Weekly Features: May 19, 2012

Posted on May 19, 2012 | Computerized Investing

Spreadsheet Corner
Computerized Investing’s Spreadsheet Corner introduces a new spreadsheet every quarter that helps you utilize the power of Excel when making investment decisions. The spreadsheets covers a wide range of functions, calculations and investment methodologies.

BlackGold iPad Edition
Track a variety of commodities on your iPad.

Stock Screening With Walter Schloss
Many individual investors may not be familiar with the investment guru that Warren Buffett calls a “super investor.” Walter J. Schloss studied under Ben Graham in 1935 and started his own fund in 1955. Schloss’ son joined the fund in 1973 and subsequently renamed it Walter & Edwin Schloss Associates.

Gadget Corner – Satechi ST-69BTS Audio Cube Bluetooth Speaker

Exceptional audio quality in a compact, wireless package.

Sitelight – Personal Capital

Personal Capital provides individuals with money management and analytical services.

This Week’s Question

Have you tried the Windows 8 Consumer Preview?
A) Yes
B) No

Dividend Investing alert for the week ending 5/18/2012

Posted on May 18, 2012 | Dividend Investing

Dividend Investing alert for the week ending 5/18/2012 updated.

Stock Superstars alert for the week ending 5/18/2012

Posted on May 18, 2012 | Stock Superstars Report

Stock Superstars alert for the week ending 5/18/2012 updated.

GADGET CORNER – Griffin Stylus + Pen + Laser Pointer

Posted on May 18, 2012 | Computerized Investing

Griffin Stylus + Pen + Laser Pointer – Write, tap and point with this all-in-one tool.

AAII Investor Update: Is Facebook an Investment or a Trade?

Posted on May 18, 2012 | Investor Update

Should you buy Facebook (FB) or avoid it? The answer depends on whether you are looking to speculate or invest.

Benjamin Graham defined speculation in his classic book “The Intelligent Investor” as primarily “anticipating and profiting from market fluctuations.” Conversely, he defined investing as “acquiring and holding suitable securities at suitable prices.” Notice the final two words used to describe investing: “suitable prices.” When it comes to investing, valuation matters—always.

AAII Sentiment Survey: Bullish Sentiment Near a Two-Year Low

Posted on May 17, 2012 | Sentiment Survey

This week’s AAII Sentiment Survey results – May 17, 2012:

Bullish: 23.6%, down 1.8 percentage points
Neutral: 30.4%, down 2.1 percentage points
Bearish: 46.0%, up 3.9 percentage points

Historical Averages:

Bullish: 39%
Neutral: 31%
Bearish: 30%

Clueless: What Graduates Need to Know About Making Financial Decisions

Posted on May 17, 2012 | AAII Journal

Today’s college graduates are usually enthusiastic and well-trained in their discipline.But they are often clueless about financial matters.

Unfortunately, the fallback position is typically to do nothing. But these early-year “non-decisions” can have a detrimental effect on their financial well being throughout their working lives, and especially in retirement. If only they had known how important it is to make good decisions in these early-year financial matters!

CI DOWNLOAD OF THE WEEK

Posted on May 16, 2012 | Computerized Investing

Stock Rover – Stock Rover is an online equity research platform designed for individual investors, by individual investors (who are also software engineers).

Valuing Young Growth Companies

Posted on May 16, 2012 | AAII Journal

In May 2011, LinkedIn (LNKD), a social media company that allows individuals to create professional and business networks, went public to great fanfare, with the stock price doubling on the offering date.

While Linkedin reported only $20 million in operating income on revenues of $243 million in 2010, the market capitalization of the firm was $10 billion on the date of the initial public offering (IPO). The reaction from investors and analysts fell along predictable lines. Value investors and fundamentalists argued that the market capitalization was absurd, pointing to the sky-high price-earnings ratio (in excess of 1,000). In reaction, investors who were bullish about the company countered that traditional valuation metrics and approaches don’t work for young growth companies.

Upcoming Chapter Meeting: AAII Eastern Michigan

Posted on May 16, 2012 | Local Chapters

Date: Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Topic: Quarterly Market Update: How Economic and Financial Changes Will Drive Your Investment Choices
Speaker: Daniel Thornton, Regional Planning Consultant, Fidelity Investments

Daniel Thornton of Fidelity Investments will discuss the recent changes in our economy that affect the domestic and international equity markets. He will also discuss those factors that influence the bond market and interest rate changes.

Check out all AAII local chapters »

AAII WEEKLY FEATURES 5/15/2012

Posted on May 15, 2012 | Weekly Features

This week’s AAII Weekly Features has been updated.

View this week’s “Top AAII Articles” , “Featured Stock Screen ” and “Member Question”.

The April 2012 passing company lists and performance data is now available on-line.

Posted on May 15, 2012 | Stock Screens

Posted: May 15, 2012 09:00:00 CST
YTD Return of Top Performers: Piotroski: High F-Score 40.6% — Graham-Enterprising Investor 30.3%

Investments That Concern Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA)

Posted on May 15, 2012 | AAII Journal

The Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) recently announced its 2012 regulatory and examination priorities. The regulator listed several types of investments with heightened conduct and suitability issues. Among those investments were…

Upcoming Chapter Meeting: AAII Philadelphia

Posted on May 15, 2012 | Local Chapters

Date: Tuesday, May 22, 2012
Topic: How to Use Stock Options 101
Speaker: Joseph Burgoyne, Director, Institutional and Retail Marketing, The Options Industry Council

Options, conservatively used, can act as insurance policies on your stocks or as a means of generating “artificial dividends” from them. Joe Burgoyne, director at The Options Industry Council, will introduce attendees to stock options. This presentation will cover what options are and how they work and will discuss ways to use them in bullish, bearish and sideways markets. Burgoyne will cover lots of actionable material and do it in a way that is understandable for all.