Glenn Busch

Covered Call Trades on ConocoPhillips and Eli Lilly in our Enhanced Dividend Income Portfolio

by Glenn Busch February 6, 2012
Thumbnail image for Covered Call Trades on ConocoPhillips and Eli Lilly in our Enhanced Dividend Income Portfolio

The end of 2011 provided a lot of opportunities to sell covered calls against our oil and energy positions. We already sold one covered call against our ConocoPhillips (COP) position that expired worthless in November of 2011 and in January of this year we had another one.

[Read the full article...]

RealD a Real Downer for Regal Entertainment Group

by Glenn Busch January 12, 2012
Thumbnail image for RealD a Real Downer for Regal Entertainment Group

Regal Entertainment Group (RGC) owns 1,222,780 shares of RealD (RLD), maker of digital 3D cinema systems. At one point, Regal’s holdings were worth $42.8 million. Now? Not so much. Shares in RealD are trading around $8.78, a 74% decline from its highs set back in May of 2011. Regal Entertainment Group’s stake in RealD is now worth around $10.7 million.

[Read the full article...]

Value Investing and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year

by Glenn Busch January 11, 2012
Thumbnail image for Value Investing and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Year

Last year, 2011, was not the best year for a variety of value investing strategies. Jae Jun at the Old School Value Blog released his 2011 performance numbers for a handful of value investing styles and screens and it wasn’t pretty.

[Read the full article...]

The DNA Sequencing Revolution

by Glenn Busch January 10, 2012
Thumbnail image for The DNA Sequencing Revolution

The industrial revolution was sparked by the declining cost of engines and their increasing efficiency. Soon other businesses other than mining operations, like textile manufacturing, were transformed by the application of cheap and efficient power. The same thing is happening today with our data revolution.
Cheaper and faster data is and will have profound effects on businesses other than computing, like healthcare.

[Read the full article...]

Asking the Right Questions

by Glenn Busch January 10, 2012
Thumbnail image for Asking the Right Questions

One common error of investors is to make things too complicated. One embodiment of this is the complex financial models found in analysts’ spreadsheets. Without a grasp of the right questions and a good dollop of wisdom, these can often obfuscate as much as enlighten. There is a reason Buffett does not even use a calculator when valuing a company.

[Read the full article...]

Amazon vs. the Retailers

by Glenn Busch January 6, 2012
Thumbnail image for Amazon vs. the Retailers

I hate shopping. I just want to get what I want and get out of there. I don’t want to waste my time driving, parking, wandering the store, and then having to go to another store if I can’t find what I want. I love shopping on the internet. I’m always near a computer and if I need something with just a few clicks of the mouse it is on its way. The best part is usually the things I want are cheaper online. The shipping costs may change the cost structure but I’m glad to pay the shipping costs because it keeps me away from stores and frees up my time to do something else. I’m not the only one.

[Read the full article...]