With the economy showing new signs of weakness, profit forecasts are coming into question, especially for companies that are counting on consumer spending. But toy maker Hasbro (NYSE: HAS) laid down a path in 2008 and 2009 that should set the stage for robust results in 2012 and… Read More

If you’re an investor who likes fat dividends during tough times (and who doesn’t), then you should own pharmaceutical stocks. Drug companies have traditionally been a safe haven during economic downturns. In fact, the S&P Pharmaceuticals Index lost only 3% of its value during… Read More

Contrary to what the financial media machine may imply, starting out with a sizeable brokerage account balance and constantly trading it isn’t the only way to turn a few bucks into a small fortune. Some of today’s biggest personal portfolios started out very small, yet haven’t bought or sold a… Read More

On July 13, I told you about the simple strategy that’s never lost money. Put simply, the longer you hold an investment, the better your chances of making a… Read More

Retirees are usually much more concerned with income than growth, but this doesn’t mean they should avoid investing in stocks. In fact, most financial advisors encourage retirees to have at least some stocks in their investment portfolios, not only to help offset inflation… Read More

Growing up, I spent most of the summer at the neighborhood tennis and swim club. July 4th was a special day and featured the club’s summer tennis tournament, a cookout and fresh watermelon giveaway. There were also pool games. For me, the highlight of the day was what I called… Read More

In most cases, a stock with a high dividend yield is of great appeal to income investors. However, a stock with an above-average dividend payout could also mean investors have knocked the share… Read More

When one thinks of legendary investors, Peter Lynch stands out as arguably the most successful mutual-fund manager of all time. His track record as manager of Fidelity’s Magellan (Nasdaq: FMAGX) fund is extraordinary. Lynch took control of the Magellan fund in 1977 and grew it into the world’s largest… Read More

Experienced income investors know one of the surest ways to build wealth is to buy stocks that regularly increase dividends. This is because dividend growth can turn even low-yielding stocks into big income producers over time. For example, consider the… Read More

Yield-starved investors are wondering where they can capture high yields when a savings account pays 0.5%. A certificate of deposit (CD)? A 1-year CD pays 1.2%, according to BankRate.com. That doesn’t even keep up with… Read More