Here’s what I’m trying to avoid: Predicting the direction of the markets because of my deep understanding of US-China trade dynamics. Every time I read an article that asserts “China trade deal more likely because of Bolton firing” or something like that, I throw up in my mouth a little bit. The market is way […]
A version of this article was originally published on November 8, 2018, but we have gotten a huge number of questions and the Motley Fool is again aggressively promoting this same basic pitch, so we’re re-posting and updating this solution for you (along with a bonus at the end). The latest variation of the ad […]
Today I’ve got a few portfolio moves to share with you that go against the Wall Street mantra (“sell your losers, let your winners run”)… last night I sold my position in Kweichow Moutai in China — this is a fantastic company, mostly because they have insanely high profit margins on their signature Moutai liquor… […]
Time for another trip up north, to view the latest teaser pitch from the Motley Fool Canada for a recent IPO that they think might be the next opportunity to get Shopify-like returns. And they at least come by the Shopify (SHOP) reference honestly — Iain Butler and the folks at Motley Fool Stock Advisor […]
Another week of fussing about macro issues that we can neither control nor predict, what fun! The Federal Reserve did exactly what the market demanded in cutting rates, but the market was still mad because they failed to promise that they would give us each a pony. President Trump seemed angered by the lack of […]
This ad, yet another one that focuses on the potential for 5G cellular data networks to rewrite the investing world, comes in from the growth-happy folks at Motley Fool Rule Breakers… the ad letter that I saw was from Rex Moore, one of their analysts, and this is the section that caught my attention: “One […]
I did miss a few things while I was on vacation, and one of them was the briefly-teased “First official marijuana recommendation” from Motley Fool co-founder Tom Gardner… and that intrigued me enough to go back and dig into the ad from early July, even though the ad is no longer active and the service […]
Indulge me for a moment, dear reader — I’m going to wander around thinking about valuation and about short selling, then get into talking about a current situation that closely mirrors some of the long/short pairs trades I’ve done in the past year or so. Then we’ll talk some about gold, since that seems to […]
Here’s your assigned reading for the week: Go check out Stop the financial pornography! from Nick Maggiulli. A good reminder of how manipulated we all can be by attention-getting investment and economic news that doesn’t really have any relevance. Don’t worry, it’s short. So… what’s up this week? Leading the news for me, outside of […]
I’m a little sad not to be in Omaha this weekend for the Berkshire meeting, but I’ll be watching some of the Q&A tomorrow to see how Warren and Charlie are looking and try to get some little nuggets of wisdom from them. The biggest news lately from Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B) is that they’re at […]
A happy Friday to all of you out there in Gumshoeland… I’ve got a bunch of little stories to cover, starting with a chain of thoughts about some of the overvalued “cloud” stocks that have generated a little news in recent days, and then I’ll provide a few updates on other stocks, and a couple […]
Happy Friday! Let’s start you out with my favorite article that I read this past week: Michael Batnick’s Twenty Craziest Investing Facts Ever. Go read it whenever you’re convinced that you know what is going to happen over the next few weeks… or even the next few years. So… what’s going on in the portfolio […]
Heydy ho, investing friends! I finally wrap up my Annual Review this week by covering the final three names… and I’ve also got a bunch of other updates to share with you, along with one add-on buy and one brand-new holding for the Real Money Portfolio… enjoy! We’ll start with the completion of the annual […]
The “Trade War” is getting real, and the higher prices imposed by governments in China and the US. Tariffs are just import taxes, paid eventually by the customer, so they raise prices… which, our economist friends will tell us, suppresses demand… and since the higher price is going to a tax, not to a company, […]
Thanks so much to the new folks who’ve joined us as Irregulars this week — we’re midway through our annual charitable membership drive, and it’s looking pretty good… I’m hoping we can get our totals up to last year’s numbers, and we’re almost halfway there with a donation pile of close to $6,000 now. That’s […]
If you’re wondering whether it’s interest rates or just “worry about overvaluation or growth” that’s making the stock market go crazy this week, or whether it’s the trade war or political upheaval or something else, well, join the club. There’s some indication that traders are in fear of the “slowdown” that could be caused by […]
This past week or so has been a “holy crap” one for those who are overexposed to momentum stocks — you know the ones, they’re the stocks I keep buying in small chunks but that are very expensive and a little frightening, the ones in my portfolio that I put in that category would be […]
Welcome to another Friday of earthly delights! We’ve had some new folks join our numbers in the past few months, so I thought I’d catch you up on the Real Money Portfolio and what it represents… and why I write about it for you. After that, I’ll catch you up on my thinking on a […]
Lots to discuss this week, mostly because several Real Money Portfolio companies reported earnings… and because I added money to two positions this week, and brought a new company into the portfolio. Enjoy! Shopify (SHOP) had reasonable earnings when they came out, but “reasonable” isn’t enough for a high-growth momentum stock that’s trading at almost […]
Here’s the teaser pitch from Lombardi’s Moe Zulfiqar that caught my eye as he shouts out the headline, “A 1,000% Windfall from the New King of Online Retail“… Here’s some more from the first part of the ad, which is sniffing around in an attempt to dig up new subscribers to Lombardi’s Micro-Cap Tech Reporter […]
CoreSite (COR) announced their latest dividend increase this week, which I’ve been anticipating — would they continue to be a rapid dividend growth REIT and keep investors excited, or will the slowing of the dividend growth continue to make me more cautious about the valuation of this highflier? Well, it turns out that the dividend […]
We’ve seen a long stream of earnings reports and other worthwhile bits of data on Real Money Portfolio stocks since I last wrote to you, including some that actually included some interesting news, so prepare for a lot of quick updates…. Medical Properties Trust (MPW) reported another quarter of ho-hum… pretty much met the forecasts, […]
The ides of February are dismal and dreary here in the wet and grey Pioneer Valley of Massachusetts, but we remain hopeful of the sunshine to come. What do I have to share with you, dear Irregulars, as we seek a little brightness to end the week? Well, I do have a few buys to […]
And our Annual Review proceeds apace… on a day when the market is showing signs of actually having a meaningful correction, thanks to Friday jitters and inflation worries and rising interest rates… so cross your fingers for better prices in the week to come (I did buy a couple positions this week, but as I […]
Happy New Year, Gumshoe friends! We’re back after a lovely break of sub-zero wintry activities, and it’s time to dust off the Thinkolator, fill up that gas tank (saving a wee bit for the snowblower on this fine and blizzard-y Massachusetts day), and see what “secret” stocks we can ID for you. The one that […]
Today I’ll start by stating the obvious: One of the great problems with being an investor is that you can’t know for sure beforehand what’s a dip and a buying opportunity, and what’s the beginning of a long-term decline or a crash. That’s what sticks in my craw about mechanical stop-loss trading, because it doesn’t […]
So… what’s going on this week? The world watched Congress actually pass something last night, on the 30th anniversary of the 1987 stock market crash (they passed their spending framework bill for 2018, which is importantly mostly because it sets the stage for tax reform legislation to proceed in the coming months), so that made […]
When the market is doing well, holding hedges like cash and gold is going to hurt your portfolio performance when you measure against the S&P 500 or other common benchmarks. That’s the case for me right now, and has been for the recent past — though it hasn’t been enough to bring me below the […]
The latest ad for The Casey Report caught my eye this week, partly because I thought they might be following in teasing eCobalt (ECSI)… but it turns out that’s not the case, this pitch from E.B. Tucker about the next cobalt bull market being driven by lithium-ion battery demand is all about two other cobalt […]
This article was originally published on January 12, 2017. I have updated my disclosures and the Irregulars Quick Take, and added some comments and number updates to update my thoughts on the stock, but many of the quotes are from the earlier version of the ad and not everything has been updated. The company being […]
Things will be a little quiet here at Stock Gumshoe for the next week or so — I’m off to do my big fundraising ride for Dana-Farber tomorrow, and will then be taking several days off to recuperate next week and spend time with family… I’ll be back with the Friday File next week, but […]
First, let’s get the week’s changes to my Real Money Portfolio out of the way… and after that, I’ve got a few other updates on stocks that I follow for you, dear Irregulars. We’ve got a new stock in the portfolio…. As of tomorrow, I will have a position in NVIDIA (NVDA). This is a […]
Lots of news on companies in my Real Money Portfolio this week, so I’ll try to keep it fairly brief and share my updated thoughts on a bunch of them. Here goes! Shopify (SHOP), the e-commerce service provider that has been so aggressively pushed by the Motley Fool over the past year, released another fantastic […]
We’ve seen some real shift in the dollar, interest rates, and gold over the past week or so, driven, it seems, mostly by the geopolitical risk that is headlined by Syria — I don’t have any idea how that will resolve itself, but under President Trump and his ability (and seeming inclination) to create “black […]
Today I thought I’d first share a few notes I made from the presentation that Pat Dorsey made made at the MIT Sloan Investment Conference I attended a couple weeks ago, since that’s the presentation that really had the most resonance for individual investors (and led to a few ideas that might be worth considering), […]
have an example of a crazy return in my portfolio this week, and it’s getting close to the time that I have to make a decision about it. My remaining position in Shopify (SHOP) April Call Options, on which I’ve already taken a profit in excess of my initial investment, was glowing on my spreadsheet […]
Today I’ve gotten bogged down in a couple articles that haven’t yet reached fruition, but I also have some good news — the redoubtable Lynn, who keeps so many things running smoothly here at Stock Gumshoe despite my best efforts to gum up the works, has gotten our initial 2017 Spreadsheet up for your consideration. […]
I’ve got a hodgepodge of ideas and small news items for you this week, plus a few transactions in my Real Money Portfolio that I’ve mostly noted for the Irregulars in quick notes earlier in the week. The market is expensive, but there’s no reason for a long-term investor to sell just because it’s expensive […]
Just a brief note here to let you know that I’ve sold a little over half of my Shopify (SHOP) options position. I was pondering whether to hold on to this speculative position in the April $60 SHOP calls last month, since the one clear remaining catalyst before option expiration would be their quarterly report […]
Today I continue my annual navel-gazing for you, as I look at each position in my portfolio — though this year, as I mentioned in our kickoff last week, I’m changing the way I describe, report and follow these stocks for you, largely so that I can be clearer about my preferences and opinions and […]
I may have to add a little dose of guessing to the Thinkolator results on this one, but we’ve had a few folks asking “who beat Amazon?” of late, thanks to this latest Motley Fool ad, so I’m going to give it a try. The ad is for the Motley Fool’s flagship Stock Advisor service, […]
Today we point the compass toward Santa Claus and head up a few miles to cross the border into Canada, where we find the latest teaser pitch coming in from Motley Fool Canada for their Stock Advisor Canada newsletter… the ad comes from Iain Butler, the Chief Investment Adviser for the Canadian version of the […]
Comments
Trade Note: Some stop loss news today… I stopped out of my small position in Lightspeed POS (LSPD.TO, LGHEF), which...
Travis, What are you thinking about Shopify? With their announcement of building delivery centers they are entering ...
Does indeed sound like Shopify (SHOP)....
As author Mr. Gumshoe himself says, in his last paragraph of the Article, and in his February 7, 2019 1:15 pm post comme...
I applaud Citron for coming out with their promise to donate $200k to charity if $SHOP trades for more than $200/per sha...
No, that's usually been Shopify -- ...
Still Shopify (SHOP), which they've been similarly touting for quite a while. I covered that pitch most recently here:...
The stock being 'pushed' is Shopify (NYSE:SHOP)....
It is still Shopify (SHOP), and the ads continue....
Shopify?...
The Fool's Billion $ stock is definitely Shopify (SHOP)....
Late to this one, behind in my email. Thought I would add in four other stocks that are supposedly Tom Gardner's top ho...
That's almost certainly the Fool's pitch for Shopify that we've seen a few times -- I ...
Hi Jeff... they've touted two, their ...
That’s probably Shopify, they’ve teased it similarly several times — covered SHOP most recently here: https://www....
But most anyone who pays some attention to the market would have noticed the rise of Shopify, NVDA, etc independently o...
I don't like Motley Fool's hype, but I've found that all of its "Best Buys Now" which I've bought and held for a long ti...
They're pushing their Partnership Portfolio again today, giving folks another chance to get in for $1999. The first tim...
So witch is it organigram which is $4.39 or Shopify AT $150.09 ???...
What do folks think about the Shopify MJ play? There was a reference to it in the Boehner promo video, but haven't seen...
The Fool is pitching this stock for a long time. Tom Gardner even called it his No one suggestion period! They are up qu...
Agree with you, Travis. Shopify is a well-run company with bright prospects, irrespective of the marijuana business. Sin...
Once again I think the Thinkolator is spot on! I don't own any SHOP, but I saw your recommended IIPR had a nice gain ye...
It’s SHOPIFY, teasing again. Just taking advantage of new MJ boom to pitch this Time. And they are right, best stock ...
sounds like Shopify, but I hardly see SHOP as tiny (13bill market cap) or a Start-up (been listed for 3yrs +)... Maybe ...
Dear Reader, Have you ever noticed that everyone wants investors like you to think using options is hard? The truth is...
Thanks, Travis. Sure do hope you're right about Shopify. I'm a great fan, despite a small holding. But at times like thi...
Good point. I disagreed with him on that one (he argued that they were inflating numbers through aggressive affiliate ma...
Andrew called for a short on SHOP a little more than a year ago, with some nasty allegations. Nothing really came from i...
They've teased several stocks in that way over the past few years -- most often Shopify (SHOP), but also Match.com (MTCH...
Haven't looked at it closely in the past few days, but I don't think Facebook will have much impact, if any, on Shopify....
Hi Travis and friends, Cintron Research was at it again .... (SHOP) ... Apparently he connects SHOP to FB and it seem...
Wheaton is explained fairly well by jimmy but what a lot of people don’t realise that is especially this last round co...
Shopify just got a big bump up as they have been awarded the contract by the Ontario government to market online cannabi...
Travis, any comments on the SHOP Marijuana news? http://www.businessinsider.com/weed-shopify-set-to-become-major-play...
No no refg shopfly made themselves the future amazon PayPal facebook and everything will flow threw them...
I've discussed this a few times, most recently in updating my thoughts on my SHOP holdings... all recent SHOP comments s...
I have subscribed to SIA for about 4 years now. I also subscribe to a couple of other Stansberry publications. I very mu...
How does Shopify, a SaaS company, get away with not posting Churn?...
I posted ...
I held a good number of Shopify shares and when they climbed to € (Euro) 102, I sold all of them. I operate an online ...
As a shopify store owner, I'm telling you... it's the real deal. Not just in terms of selling products that come from Ch...
Long $SHOP His main criticism is they use affiliate marketing to gain customers? That's just standard practice for s...
Here's the short attack report from Citron, FYI: http://www.citronresearch.com/citron-exposes-the-dark-side-of-shopify/ ...
Its interesting that as the ad for the next Amazon still runs an article appears on the fool.ca titled "Why now may be t...
I bought Shopify a few months ago - saw this same pitch ands worked out what it was - just a small position but when I ...
actually, I think highly of the Motley Fool approach. They emphasize long term growth and always take pains to point ou...
FYI, interesting new article from Bloomberg on SHOP this week: ...
This one was way too easy :) Come on Fool. Having used Shopify as a developer, I think the platform is still very und...
Haven't seem a pitch about a $3 stock from the Fool recently, but David Gardner and other Foolies have pretty consistent...
As of this post SHOP is at $90. Seems like I got to the party way too late... Would you recommend still investing at thi...
I expect you're referring to the ads from Motley Fool about a "next Amazon" from Canada... and that's exactly what the a...
I knew about Shopify a few months ago and bought some shares. They have increased by 34% and have risen sharply in the l...