iShares Core S&P 500
Latest iShares Core S&P 500 News and Updates
Company & Industry Overviews Take-Two Interactive Software Banks on Diverse Portfolio for Revenue Growth
Take-Two Interactive Software (TTWO) has seen its revenues increase from $825 million in fiscal 2012 to ~$1.4 billion in fiscal 2016.Company & Industry Overviews How Disruptive Innovation Is Changing Latin America
Changing demographics in Latin America are driving innovations. Young people, which account for 25% of the total population, are more likely to accept innovation.Company & Industry Overviews Municipal Bonds Are the Ballast to Equity Risk
Historically, investment-grade and high-yield municipal bonds (MUB) have a very low correlation with most other asset classes.Company & Industry Overviews Why Municipal Bonds Are Immune to Market Volatility
Generally, municipal bonds (SUB) are immune to market volatility, thus providing considerable support to a portfolio.Company & Industry Overviews How to Navigate Uneven Economic Growth
A number of factors have contributed to the slowdown, including soft overseas growth and a sharp drop in capital spending by energy and mining companies.Company & Industry Overviews How Inflation Expectations Affect Gold Prices
In the 1990s and 2000s, when gold prices tracked inflation, although the correlation seems to be a bit weak compared to the 1970s and 1980s.Company & Industry Overviews Why Gold Has Performed Better When Interest Rates Are Lower
J.P. Morgan’s analysis states that gold has outperformed equities, bonds, and a broad commodities index in a low interest rate environment.Company & Industry Overviews How Rising Real Yields Could Affect Equities
Since the start of 2015, the S&P 500 and real yields have had a high negative correlation. Falling real yields have encouraged investors to take more risk in search of higher returns.Fund Managers Active Fund Management: Will It Make Passive Attractive?
In recent years, the performance of various mutual funds and hedge funds followed by an active fund management strategy haven’t been so impressive.Company & Industry Overviews Why Predicting Gold Returns Is a Dubious Exercise
Generally, gold is viewed as a hedge against rapid inflation and lower interest rates. That makes it hard to value gold as there are no cash flows or earnings associated with it.Company & Industry Overviews Company Overview: An Introduction to Intuitive Surgical
Intuitive Surgical is a pioneer of minimally invasive robotic surgery. It develops and manufactures da Vinci surgical systems and related instruments.Company & Industry Overviews How Business Models Affect SLB’s or WFT’s Performances
In the OFS industry, Schlumberger has clearly been dominant while Weatherford International is now considered one of the weaker names.Macroeconomic Analysis Why Your Portfolio Needs More Carry
Since 2009, equities have staged a comeback. Between 2010 and 2015, the S&P 500 index has risen 10.3% on a CAGR basis. Most of the comeback is due to multiple expansion.Company & Industry Overviews Chipotle is Spending Big on Its Marketing and Promotional Programs
In addition to its marketing and promotional efforts, Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) launched a food safety website on February 8, 2016, which outlines the company’s enhanced food safety procedures.Miscellaneous Saudi Arabia Is Depleting Its Foreign Exchange Reserves
It’s been more than a year since Saudi Arabia has had a new king, and what an eventful year for the country under his leadership!Macroeconomic Analysis What Can You Expect from Markets in 2016?
While I don’t have a crystal ball, here are three things I believe all investors need to know about returns in 2016.Earnings Report Low Theatrical Revenues Pull Down Warner Bros. Revenue
Time Warner’s (TWX) Warner Bros. had revenues of $13 billion in fiscal 2015, up by 4% year-over-year. However, Warner Bros. had a 13% year-over-year decrease in revenues in fiscal 4Q15.Earnings Report Chipotle Same-Store Sales Growth Was -14.6%: Blame It on the Food
Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) recorded overall same-store sales growth of -14.6% for 4Q15. It was -16% in November and -30% in December, according to the company.Company & Industry Overviews How Is Nvidia’s Capital Structure Compared to Its Rivals’?
Nvidia’s free cash flow to net income ratio indicates that it has a strong capital structure to withstand headwinds and bear significant capital expenditure.Macroeconomic Analysis Dogs of the Dow: A Classic Investment Strategy
The Dogs of the Dow strategy involves ranking the 30 stocks comprising the Dow Jones Industrial Average index on the basis of their dividend yields and selecting the top ten.Company & Industry Overviews Hurdles in Kraft Heinz’s Growth: Weaknesses and Threats
Frequent recalls not only affect the consumer satisfaction and brand image of Kraft Heinz’s products but also increases the cost factor.Company & Industry Overviews Kraft Heinz Implements Zero-Based Budgeting to Reduce Costs
3G Capital applied a ZBB approach, which starts from zero-base and analyzes every functional area for cost, to Heinz, after it acquired the firm in 2013.Company & Industry Overviews What’s on the Table with Kraft Heinz? Getting to Know the Company’s Product Offerings
Kraft Heinz operates more than 200 brands in nearly 200 countries. Its eight iconic brands contribute more than $1 billion in sales apiece to total revenue.Company & Industry Overviews American Express Is Focusing on Its Global Commercial Services
American Express’s Global Commercial Services’ total revenues net of interest expense fell by 9% to $817 million in 3Q15, forming 10% of its total revenues.Company & Industry Overviews Analyzing Tiffany’s Key Strategic Objectives
Tiffany’s key strategic objectives for growth include expanding marketing communications, opening stores in key markets, and enhancing in-store experience.Company & Industry Overviews Evaluating Signet Jeweler’s Marketing Strategies and Initiatives
Signet Jewelers’ well-known, exclusive brands aim to influence consumers in their buying decisions. Sterling Jewelers thus provides 32% branded assortments.Company & Industry Overviews Why Signet Jewelers Prioritizes E-Commerce as a Growth Driver
Signet acknowledges the value of e-commerce growth and its ability to maximize in-store experiences. Signet has thus integrated its website with its stores.Company & Industry Overviews A Snapshot of Signet Jewelers’ Divisions and Product Offerings
Signet Jewelers operates under three divisions: the Sterling Jewelers division, the Zale division, and the UK Jewelry division.Company & Industry Overviews Analyzing Hershey’s Segments and Product Offerings
In its international business, Hershey is mainly focusing in emerging markets of Mexico, Brazil, India, and China.Company & Industry Overviews Reynolds American’s Largest Operating Segment: R. J. Reynolds Tobacco
R. J. Reynolds is Reynolds American’s largest operating segment. Its brands include the two best-selling cigarettes in the US, Camel and Pall Mall.Earnings Report Overseas Markets and Nike: Obstacles on the Leading Footwear Company’s Revenue Racetrack?
In fiscal 2015, Nike derived ~55% of its sales from overseas markets—18.7% from Western Europe, 12.7% from Emerging Markets, and 10% from Greater China.Macroeconomic Analysis Momentum Stocks Don’t Have a High Beta
The healthcare sector, especially the biotech stocks, have garnered momentum over the last few years, as strong earnings growth has excited investors.Macroeconomic Analysis Alliance for Open Media: Netflix, Google, and Amazon Team Up
The Alliance for Open Media aims to develop video formats that have no royalty costs. The nature of the business makes royalty payments significant for companies like Apple and Google.Company & Industry Overviews Hulu: Change of Business Strategy
Hulu is planning to launch an ad-free service priced at $12–$14 per month later this year. Hulu is also looking at programmatic ad buying to better monetize its content.Company & Industry Overviews Estée Lauder’s Gains in the Hair Care Business
Estée Lauder’s Aveda brand manufactures innovative plant-based hair care products. This helps to attract customers and adds to Estée Lauder’s brand value.Earnings Report The Must-Know Business Trends Affecting Netflix
Netflix is grabbing eyeballs with its original content and taking advantage of an audience prone to hyper-consumption or binge viewing.Earnings Report Netflix Is Slaying the Competition with Pricing
Netflix pricing is the lowest among all video streaming service players. Its basic plan of $7.99 is propelling the company’s streaming membership growth in the United States.Earnings Report U.S. Steel Sees 2Q15 Steel Shipments, Capacity Use Falter
Fewer 2Q15 shipments from U.S. Steel are attributable to its high exposure to the energy sector. The company’s steel product shipments fell steeply in 2Q15.Company & Industry Overviews Disney’s Franchise-Focused Growth Strategy
Disney uses a franchise-focused growth strategy that enables it to monetize its intellectual properties across its segments for a long time.Macroeconomic Analysis Economic Growth: Why Is It Important?
Economic growth can be considered among the most crucial indicators that are released. It indicates the growth in economic output.Company & Industry Overviews Colgate-Palmolive Is a Leading Fast-Moving Consumer Goods Firm
Colgate-Palmolive is a multinational consumer staples (XLP) firm, focused on the production, distribution, and provision of household products.Company & Industry Overviews What Are the Drivers Affecting Procter & Gamble’s Profitability?
Last August, P&G announced it was working on exit options for ~100 brands to improve sales and profitability. All of the brands contributing little to growth will be disposed of.Company & Industry Overviews Procter & Gamble Leads the Market in Baby, Feminine, Family Care
The company’s Baby, Feminine and Family Care segment is the second-largest grossing segment at Procter & Gamble.Company & Industry Overviews Are Parents Driving Energy Drink Sales in the US?
As shocking as it may sound, a higher proportion of US households with children are consuming more energy drinks—compared to those without children.Earnings Report Why Store Expansion is a Critical Driver for Lululemon Athletica
Despite having negative comps in 1H15, Lululemon’s revenue growth for its physical stores was positive at 9.7% year-over-year in fiscal 2015.Company & Industry Overviews Procter & Gamble’s Downy: World’s Fastest-Growing Brand
According to Kantar World Panel’s Brand Footprint 2015 report, Procter & Gamble’s (PG) fabric softener Downy was the fastest-growing brand in 2014.Miscellaneous New Charter’s Footprint: Better Position to Reach Customers
New Charter is the proposed merged entity. The company will include networks of some of the largest cable operators in the US.Company & Industry Overviews The Walt Disney Company Discusses Acquisitions and Strategy
At a May 13 MoffettNathanson event, Walt Disney’s (DIS) senior vice president of investor relations, Lowell Singer, discussed the company’s acquisitions.Company & Industry Overviews Disney Monetizes Frozen in Multiple Segments in 2Q15
An integrated business model helps Walt Disney (DIS) utilize value created by its intellectual properties such as Frozen across its different segments.Earnings Report Nordstrom Announces Plan for 6 Canadian Stores
In March, Nordstrom announced the opening of its second international location in Canada. Nordstrom plans to open six Canadian stores through 2017.