In the wake of the latest market correction I would recommend investors revisit Exxon Mobile (XOM) and Chevron (CVX), if they have given the slightest thought of buying either company. Both major oil producers are in stable industries with very deep entrenched businesses around the globe. Energy is needed by everyone in every country and these companies have the capital and network to provide what is demanded. I particularly like XOM & CVX right now
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In last week’s blog post on personal finances I focused on the need to understand your monthly budget in terms of variable and fixed costs. The distinction is very important because most people looking to tune-up their budget can make significant improvement in a short amount of time, if they define and focus on their variable costs. Where can you trim some fat? In many cases it might not mean totally eliminating certain goods or
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American Tower (AMT) announced on Thursday that is has agreed to merge with American Tower REIT, Inc. and hopes to have the REIT designation applied to all company shares by January 1st of 2012. A shareholder meeting will occur on November 29th of this year to vote on the plan. As stated previously, I expect the conversion to attract new investors to AMT primarily based on dividend distribution. A large group of investors are in
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Where do we stand today in relation to where we’ll stand tomorrow. Investors and non-investors alike seek the answer to this question. For investors, forecasting can help unlock the answer to what tomorrow holds. In his recently released book, The Next Boom: What You Absolutely, Positively Have to Know About the World Between Now and 2025 by Jack Plunkett, a broad stroke depiction of where we’re headed as a world is provided. Thought he author
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A number of reasons exist as to why investors flock to stocks that pay a regular dividend. For investors with an inclination toward dividend stocks, the all-mighty dividend payout ratio exists to provide a reference point regarding historical financial performance verses historical dividend distribution (payout) information. The ratio is expressed as a percent and considers dividends paid out per share divided by earnings per share ($Dividends Per Share/$Earnings Per Share). It’s always important to at
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In my last post I noted how we are projected to experience a downturn in the +65 old population from around 2012-2018. During this period baby boomers will begin to increasingly move into the +65 group while their parents pass away. This is a major demographic shift and an important fact for investors to be aware of. The main area of concern/opportunity I see in light of the data presented pertains to health care real
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Isn’t the population of +65 old persons in the U.S. supposed to gradually increase until the 2030’s? It’s the coming of the baby boom generation into the senior class and we know the weight this generation can through around in terms of sheer numbers. I recently did some research regarding the population trends of the +65 crowd in the U.S. I had previously been under the assumption that the group was in a state of
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You must have savings if you are to invest and therefore, you must have some constraint over your spending. For most people, it is much easier to spend than to save. Since the previous statement is true, many people preach about the need for personal budgeting. Budgeting is a powerful tool not only for managing one’s spending habits, but also in planning and projecting one’s future. Many sites and software programs are available to provide
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A lot of talk has been made about LED lighting in the last 3 years. The potential of LED lights is clear to see in terms of energy consumption and heat displacement, but the price points of new LED lights can make even the biggest environmentalist cringe. With advancements in LED technology and increases in production, LED’s are soon to be a mainstream lighting source. At current prices an LED equivalent 60 watt bulb costs
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In the last year or two you may have heard the term “rare earth elements” thrown around. Rare earth elements include a number of elements most have never heard of like, Neodymium, Praseodymium and Europium, to name a few. These elements are vital in the construction of products, such as electric motors, hard drives, cell phones, cameras, batteries, fluorescent lights… Today around 97% of all Rare Earth Elements are controlled by China. This puts other
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