One of the most cyclical sectors of the market, not surprisingly, is the Consumer Discretionary sector. This is because such a big portion of the sector is made up of highly individualized businesses that cater to a wide variety of consumer tastes. Apparel, footwear, electronics, restaurants, and so on – the disparity between many of […]
Read MoreIn investing, there’s a natural tendency to be drawn to familiar names, an emotional comfort zone that comes from thinking about putting your hard-earned dollars into a company to which you feel you have a connection. It’s one of the reason well-known fundamental investors like Peter Lynch are known for suggesting idioms like “invest in […]
Read MoreOver the last month, the entire market seems to have been holding its breath, waiting for some kind of catalyst to pin the market’s next wave of momentum on. Are indications that the weakening global economy is rippling into the health of the U.S. economy correct, or is an increasingly accommodative Federal Reserve going to […]
Read MoreOne of the classic benchmarks of the economy’s health and strength is the housing market. Stocks of retail companies like Home Depot (HD) and Lowe’s (LOW) often serve as proxies of to guide the market’s perception of the housing market, but it also isn’t uncommon to see experts and analysts referring to homebuilders like D.R. […]
Read MoreOne of the things about stocks in the Consumer Discretionary sector that is interesting is how widely disparate they are. The general perception of most stocks in the sector is that they are highly cyclical, sensitive to inflationary pressures that make them more risky when the economy is in trouble. One industry in the sector […]
Read MoreMarket news for the last while has seemed to be almost completely focused on the trade war between the U.S. and China – to the point that investors seem to be getting what some might call “trade fatigue” – which could be a point where even if or when a deal is made, the broad […]
Read MoreA few months ago, I wrote about the merger between pharmacy kingpin CVS Health Corporation (CVS) and healthcare insurer Aetna Inc. I decided to try to determine if the deal, which closed shortly after I wrote about it, offered a compelling reason to buy the stock at its price at the time, which at the […]
Read MoreAs the market continues to recover from its lows in late December, I’m seeing more and more reports and opinions that while economic growth in the United States may begin to slow (and based on some measurements, that might already be starting to happen), it isn’t expected to actually reverse and begin contracting for as […]
Read MoreShares of General Electric Co. (GE) skyrocketed during Monday’s session toward their highest level in four months. Investors poured money into shares of the conglomerate on news that it plans to sell another area of its business as part of the company’s ongoing spin-off strategy. Monday’s sale marks yet another move in General Electric’s plan […]
Read MoreShutterfly, Inc. manufactures and retails personalized products and services primarily in the United States, Canada, and the European Community. The company operates through Consumer and Shutterfly Business Solutions segments. It offers a range of personalized photo-based products and services that enable consumers to upload, edit, enhance, organize, find, share, create, print, and preserve their memories. […]
Read MoreHedge funds bought the dip at the end of last year, loading up on these five big tech stocks.
Read MoreFossil Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops, markets, and distributes consumer fashion accessories. The company’s principal products include a line of men’s and women’s fashion watches and jewelry, handbags, small leather goods, belts, and sunglasses. It offers its products under its proprietary brands, such as FOSSIL, MICHELE, MISFIT, RELIC, SKAGEN, and ZODIAC, as […]
Read MoreGroupon, Inc. operates online local commerce marketplaces that connect merchants to consumers by offering goods and services at a discount in North America and internationally. The company provides deals in various categories, including events and activities, beauty and spa, health and fitness, food and drink, home and garden, and automotive; and deals on various product […]
Read MoreConsumer Discretionary stocks are interesting in any market conditions because so many of them are subject to cycles that don’t necessarily coincide with normal economic cycles. One of the sub-industries within the sector that I think fit this description is tax services. That is because, moving into the latter stages of winter towards spring, one […]
Read MoreThe Consumer Discretionary sector cuts a wide swath across the economic landscape of the United States. It’s easy to think about the sector as the place you’ll find retail stocks, but the truth is that there are a lot of other businesses within the sector that are much more than just the department stores and […]
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