Trading Tips Blog

While the market has had a strong start to the year, stocks are turning down again. That’s not a problem for investors who focus on value. That includes companies with strong brands, as well as on companies that can offer steady and growing dividend payouts. These companies may not always be big winners, but they tend to hold their own in down markets. And that can lead to winning performance over time. That’s particularly true for companies that can pass on higher ...
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R.A. Walker, a director at ConocoPhillips (COP), recently added 6,000 shares. The buy increased the director’s holdings by 27 percent, and came to a total cost of $627,000. The same director was the last buyer of shares back in August 2021, with an initial stake of 22,500 shares, which cost just over $1.24 million. Otherwise, company directors and executives alike have largely been steady sellers of the stock, mostly on the exercise of stock options. Overall, insiders own a scant 0.14 ...
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Shares of Home Depot (HD) slid nearly 7 percent on Tuesday following the company’s latest earnings report and outlook. One trader sees shares trending lower in the coming months. That’s based on the April $270 puts. With 57 days until expiration, 5,766 contracts traded compared to a prior open interest of 131, for a 44-fold rise in volume on the trade. The buyer of the puts paid $4.58 to make the bearish bet. Shares slid to about $296 following the earnings report, ...
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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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