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Companies exist to provide a product or service. The best and most profitable companies do so in a way that solves a problem – real or perceived – for consumers. Creating new and simplified ways of doing business, for instance, can create a great investment opportunity. That’s because improving a process means that a company can profit from every transaction, even if it’s to such a small degree. This is the way that credit card companies have become a fantastic investment ...
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Gary Kelly, a director at Lincoln National Corp (LNC), recently bought 7,169 shares. The buy came to a total cost of just over $200,000, and increased the director’s stake by 239 percent. Another director made a 3,000 share buy in November, paying about $10 more per share, and paying just over $112,000. Otherwise, company insiders have been modest sellers of shares over the past three years, including the company CEO and CFO. Overall, insiders own about 0.6 percent of the life ...
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Shares of Carnival Cruise Lines (CCL) have been cut nearly in half over the past year. One trader sees a decline in shares continuing in the coming months. That’s based on the September $12 puts. With 205 days until expiration, 5,672 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 181, for a 31-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $2.14 to make the bearish bet. Shares recently traded for about $11.30, so the option is ...
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Utility companies tend to offer steady returns, but at a cost. Growth is limited, thanks to regulatory concerns. However, some utilities can fare better than others, either because they’re in growing markets, or because they face less regulatory scrutiny. One such area is in waste management, aka, garbage hauling. This service is often provided to municipalities by an oligopoly of companies. These companies are able to earn reasonable returns, particularly for patient investors. The biggest player in the space is Waste Management ...
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Denise Morrison, a director at Visa (V), recently added 455 shares. The buy increased her holdings by 8 percent, and came to a total cost of $84,096. This marks the first insider buy at the company in the past three years. Generally, company executives have been regular sellers of Visa shares as their stock options have vested. A few directors have been modest sellers of shares at times as well. Overall, insiders own about 0.2 percent of shares. The credit card provider ...
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Shares of railroad Union Pacific Corporation (UNP) are down about 20 percent over the past year. One trader sees a rebound, although it may take two years to play out. That’s based on the January 2025 $220 calls. With 696 days until expiration, 4,100 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 192, for a 21-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the calls paid $22.80 to make the bullish bet. Shares recently traded for just over ...
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Stocks and sectors tend to ebb and flow. The unusual economy of the past few years has caused some sectors to get overly bullish, and now with the market pullback over the past year, overly pessimistic. That’s creating some reasonable values for long-term investors, particularly those who are patient waiting for growth trends to play out. That’s especially true with many tech stocks, which got hit hard in last year’s market selloff. In the tech space, chip manufacturers have a bright few  ...
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Ruth Porat, a director at Blackstone (BX), recently bought 336 shares. The buy increased her stake by 1 percent, and came to a total cost just over $32,300. The director was also the most recent buyer of shares with a 20,000 share buy in December, shelling out just over $1.67 million. One company director exercised options since, and one company insider sold some shares earlier this month, but generally insiders haven’t been too active at the company. Overall, company insiders own ...
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