Graham's Defensive Investor Screens: An Intrinsic Approach for Stormy Times

Features
The Dividend Puzzle: The Relationship Between Payout Rates and Growth
Do moderately high dividend payments increase or diminish stock values? The studies are mixed, but a look at the recent performance of stocks in the Dow indicates that firms with yields over 2% may indeed provide better capital appreciation.

Stock Strategies
Don't Fight the Fed: Interest Rates and their Impact on the Stock Market
What is the one thing an investor should monitor in order to gauge the health of the economy and the direction of the stock market? Interest rates. A look at how they affect stock prices.

The First Cut
Magic Formula Stocks
A starting point for investors. This issue's focus is on Joel Greenblatt's "Magic Formula" for picking stocks: high returns on capital, and a low price-to-enterprise valu

Offbeat Offerings
529 College Savings Plan
An investor reference for products that are not your typical offering. This issue's focus is on 529 plans for college savings.

Stock Strategies
How to Set and Revise Realistic Price Targets for Your Stocks
Stocks go where they want to, despite what investors might wish would happen. How to develop a realistic sales-price target--and when it should be revised.

Stock Screens
Graham's Defensive Investor Screens: An Intrinsic Approach for Stormy Times
Benjamin Graham's approach to investing focused on a concept of intrinsic value that would prevent an investor from being misled during extreme market conditions. For those seeking an approach to guide them through today’' stormy markets, the Graham Defensive Investor screens are worth a closer look.

Hot Links
Checking Insurance Company Safety
How can you evaluate the financial health of an insurance company? One approach is to check the financial safety ratings that have been assigned to the company by one of the ratings agencies.

The Best of the AAII Journal
Lightening the Financial Load of Life Insurance Products
Decisions about financial assets come under stress in difficult economic times. A look at four helpful ways of managing life insurance during such periods.

AAII Model Portfolios
Real Estate Holding Distinguishes ETF Model Portfolio From Benchmark
AAII's Model ETF Portfolio is underperforming its benchmark due largely to the same holding that allowed it to beat the benchmark over other time periods--the holding in iShares Cohen & Steers Realty Majors Fund.