6 Common Misconceptions About Dividends
You've almost certainly heard these commonly held beliefs about dividends. Find out why they're wrong.
Buying Into Corporate Research & Development (R&D)
Investors take note: companies that cut research and development are in danger of saving today but losing big tomorrow.
When Insiders Buy, Should Investors Join Them?
Insider tracking can inform your investment strategy, but it requires research and a level head. Find out what to look for.
Sorting Out Cult Stocks
Is that crazy product going to be the next big thing? Learn how to evaluate these companies here.
Securities Lending: Cause Of The Next Financial Crisis?
Securities lending can pose risks to investor's portfolios and the entire financial system.
Governance Pays
Learn about how the way a company keeps its management in check can affect the bottom line.
Fee-Based Brokerage: Will They Work For You?
Learn the pros and cons of this type of investing and whether it will work for you.
Speed Read SEC Filings For Hot Stock Picks
SEC forms can be a real headache. Find out how to make your research more efficient - and more effective.
Don't Go Broke Buying Bankrupt Stocks
Don't be tricked by bankrupt companies' low stock prices; they're low for a reason.
Company Survival: Cash Conversion Cycle Is Key
Find out how to use this figure to analyze a firm's financial condition.
What Are A Stock's "Fundamentals"?
The investing world loves to talk about fundamentals, but what do you know what it means?
Do "Widow And Orphan" Stocks Still Exist?
Is there such a thing as a safe stock providing high dividend income? It may be time to redefine the terms "widows" and "orphans."
Can Earnings Guidance Accurately Predict The Future?
Explore the controversies surrounding companies commenting on their forward-looking expectations.
Taking Stock Of Discounted Cash Flow
Learn how and why investors are using cash flow-based analysis to make judgments about company performance.
Rules For Post-Recession Investing
Market volatility causes investors to lose confidence, yet history shows that market exposure is the path to returns.
Finding Undiscovered Stocks
Wall Street tends to focus on large cap stocks, leaving other stocks under-followed and undervalued.
Cyclical Versus Non-Cyclical Stocks
Investing during an economic downturn simply means changing your focus. Discover the benefits of defensive stocks.
Activist Investors: A Good Or Bad Thing?
When a large stakeholder is dissatisfied with a company's management, it may take matters into its own hands.
Instead Of Stocks, Trade A CFD
The benefits of these securities abound, but high leverage also magnifies potential losses.
Old Stock Certificates: Lost Treasure Or Wallpaper?
What if you've discovered some old shares in bearer form? Follow our tips and find out what they're worth.
Earn More Profit With Less Trading
Avoiding overtrading can save your money and your sanity. Find out how to slow your turnover and build your profits.
Variable Prepaid Forward Contract: Scam Or Safety Net?
Top executives can benefit from this kind of contract, but is it at the expense of the shareholders?
Predicting Investment Losses
How much you stand to lose on an investment and how long those losses will last can be gauged ahead of time.
The 5 Biggest Stock Market Myths
Stocks that go down must come up, right? Wrong. We bust this and four other common market misconceptions.
Corporate Kleptocracy At RJR Nabisco
The excess of the '80s brought about reckless spending and indulgent management. This is a story of both.
Why The Dow Matters
Although the DJIA only includes 30 stocks, it can tell you a lot about the market as a whole.
5 Reasons To Avoid Index Funds
Indexes are a hands-off way for investors to access the markets, but in some cases, nothing beats active investing.
Learn The Lingo Of Private Equity Investing
Because of the non-public nature of private equity, it can be difficult to the learn the lingo. We break it down here.
Evaluating Executive Compensation
Find out how to determine whether a CEO is being overpaid.
Pick Stocks Like Peter Lynch
Learn the basic tenets that helped this famous investor earn his fortune.
Wham Bam Micro-Cap Scam
Do you know how to distinguish a real opportunity from a fraudulent one?
Investing In Health Insurance Companies
Health insurance companies work a little differently than most companies. Here's what you need to know as an investor.
Understanding Oil Industry Terminology
The drillers are just one aspect of the oil & gas industry, and by knowing some details of their role, you'll be better suited to make investment decisions.
Warren Buffett's Bear Market Maneuvers
This esteemed investor rarely changes his long-term investing strategy, no matter what the market does.
4 Tips For Buying Stocks In A Recession
Bear markets can terrify even seasoned investors. Learn how to invest safely.
5 Ways To Double Your Investment
From risky maneuvers to slow-and-steady strategies, we look at five methods to double your money.
What Would Full Disclosure Mean For The Market?
In the wake accounting scandals, more people are calling for full disclosure. But what would that even help?
8 Reasons M&A Deals Fall Through
Mergers and acquisitions can mean big success. But what about all the deals that fall through?
Evaluating Green Equity Investments
Whether you want funds or stocks, find out how to evaluate planet-friendly portfolio picks.
Top 4 Most Scandalous Insider Trading Debacles
Here we look at some of the landmark incidents of insider trading.
Your Employer's Stock: Should You Buy In?
Many retirement plans include the offer to purchase company stock. Doing so has its advantages, but there are drawbacks too.
Dividend Facts You May Not Know
Discover the issues that complicate these payouts for investors.
Top 10 Green Industries
Put a little green in your wallet by investing in these growing areas.
Industries That Thrive On Recession
Find out where to turn when looking to invest in a tumultuous market.
Portfolio Management Pays Off In A Tough Market
A clear rebalancing strategy is a critical component of portfolio management, particularly in tough economic times.
Nasty Shareholder Activist Battles And Why They Happened
Shareholder activists can have a big impact on a company's operations. These battles turned ugly as management lost control.
Build A Dividend Portfolio That Grows With You
Balance risk and return to produce adequate income despite inflation.
Short Selling: Making The Ban
Short selling has been around as long as the stock market, and it hasn't always been looked on favorably.
Parched For Profits? Try Beverage Stocks
For diversification and profit potential, add a different kind of "liquidity" to your portfolio.
Playing It Safe In Foreign Stock Markets
Find out some of the lower-risk ways to invest in foreign markets.
Socially Responsible Stocks: Do Good Deeds Punish Profits?
Socially responsible investing doesn't mean accepting lower returns. Find out why squeaky-clean stocks shine as investments.
The Art Of Selling A Losing Position
Knowing whether to sell or to hold is tough. And no rule fits all. Find out what to consider.
Reverse Mergers: The Pros And Cons
Reverse mergers can provide excellent opportunities for companies and investors, but there are still some downsides and risks.
Turnaround Stocks: U-Turn To High Returns
Find out which catalysts can turn struggling stocks around to create a tidy profit.
Investing In Medical Equipment Companies
Learn the basics about medical equipment companies, and how investing in these companies can benefit growth and value investors alike.
Cheap Stocks Or Value Traps?
The value of stocks that trade at less than cash per share can be deceiving.
Stock Ratings: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Stock ratings are both loved and reviled. Find out why they deserve equal measures of both.
Dividend Yield For The Downturn
High-dividend stocks make excellent bear market investments, but the payouts aren't a sure thing.
Needle In A Haystack: Investing Message Boards
Message boards provide a great opportunity to read insightful information and opinions, but watch out for "trolls".
Riding The Bear Into A Bull Market
How can you get back into the market to avoid missing market recovery gains? Find out here.
Enron's Collapse: The Fall Of A Wall Street Darling
Enron is a classic example of greed gone wrong - and how investors were led astray.
Don't Dump On The Dogs
Just because a stock is in a slump doesn't mean it's time to sell. Some value managers make a living by investing in "dogs."
The ABCs Of Stock Indexes
Indexes can track market trends, but they're not always reliable. Can you trust them?
Patents Are Assets, So Learn How To Value Them
Innovation is the key to staying on top. Find out how companies protect their ideas and how to figure out how much they're worth.
Stocks On Drugs: What It Takes To Get High
These three drugs were the winners of their day. Find out what winning pharmaceuticals have in common.
An Overview Of Corporate Bankruptcy
If a company files for bankruptcy, stockholders have the most to lose. Find out why.
Deja Vu: 5 "New" Rules For Safe Investing
Does the credit crisis mean it's time to try a new approach to investing? Not so fast ...
Protect Yourself From Market Loss
There are several simple strategies you can use to protect yourself from downside risk.
Investing In The Healthcare Sector
Perform a thorough checkup to uncover a medical stock with a clean bill of health.
Stocks Then And Now: The 1950s And 1970s
The "good old days" of investing were actually fraught with limited opportunities and methods.
Evaluating Grocery Store Stocks
Retail grocers are no longer a homogeneous group selling products in the same manner. Find out how to evaluate these companies.
How and Why Do Companies Pay Dividends?
Explore arguments for and against company dividend policy, and learn how companies determine how much to pay out.
Debt Reckoning
Learn about debt ratios and how to use them to assess a company's financial health. You could save a lot of money!
Parents And Spinoffs: When To Buy And When To Sell
Spinoffs can create great investing opportunities, but there's a time to stick around and a time to jump ship.
How Now, Dow? What Moves The DJIA?
Find out how this index tracks market movements - and where it falls short.
Banking Profits In Bull And Bear Markets
Both parts of the market cycle present major opportunities for savvy investors.
Financial Media 4-1-1 For Investors
Cut through the information clutter and decipher the useful news from the useless.
Competitive Advantage Counts
What's the best indicator of a company's future success? Its ability to succeed when others fail.
Tips For Investors In Volatile Markets
Find out what to look out for when trading during market instability.
The Lowdown On Penny Stocks
Think penny stocks will make you rich? If you don't understand the risks, you could end up penniless.
The Wonderful World Of Mergers
While acquisitions can be hostile, these varied mergers are always friendly.
The Ups And Downs Of Investing In Cyclical Stocks
This strategy can be profitable but only if you know when to dump these stocks.
4 History-Making Wall Street Crooks
Find out how these Wall Street high-rollers landed themselves in hot water.
Choose A Fund With A Winning Manager
We break down the key components of analyzing a fund manager's performance so you can find a winner.
Steady Growth Stocks Win The Race
Take a page from the tortoise and the hare fable by investing in these constant growth stocks.
Market Bottom: Are We There Yet?
No one rings a bell when the bear market's over, but that doesn't mean there's no way to predict a bottom.
The Stop-Loss Order - Make Sure You Use It
It's a simple but powerful tool to help you implement your stock-investment strategy. Find out how.
4 Steps To Picking A Stock
Narrow down the universe of stocks to find the ones that best suit your needs.
The Short And Distort: Stock Manipulation In A Bear Market
High-quality stock reports needn't be confused with stock manipulators' dramatic claims.
Handicap The Market, Rack Up Gains
Investing on Wall Street and gambling on The Strip are not as different as they may seem.
Warren Buffett's Best Buys
The Oracle of Omaha's "Rip van Winkle" approach has served him well. Read on to learn more.
The Characteristics Of A Successful Company
There are many factors that contribute to a profitable business. Find out what they are here.
Power Up Your Portfolio With Video Game Stocks
Level up your winnings by investing in this fast-paced, highly skilled industry.
Take Control With Investing Absolutes
Uncover the three things most good stocks have in common: performance, profitability and value.
The Evolution Of Sinful Investing
Like beauty, whether something is sinful often depends whom you ask.
Short Squeeze The Last Drop Of Profit From Market Moves
This advanced strategy can be risky - but also very rewarding - for those who master it.
Don't Let Stock Prices Fool You
Find out why a stock with a six-figure share price can still be a good value.
Capitalizing On Seasonal Effects
We show you how to take advantage of periodic trends in the equity markets.
Making Sense Of Market Anomalies
Stocks sometimes thwart the efficient market theory by showing some very unusual patterns.
Questioning The Virtue Of A Short Sale
This controversial strategy is blamed for making and breaking markets. Read on to learn more.
3 Secrets Of Successful Companies
Make smart investments by spotting up-and-coming success stories early.
Pretty In Pink Sheets
Being early to a party may not be hip, but being early on a rising stock certainly is.
Short Selling Risk Can Be Similar To Buying Long
If more people understood short selling, it would invoke less fear, which could lead to a more balanced market.
Tales From Wall Street's Crypt
Wall Street continues to attract fresh hordes of ghoulish people committing the same old crimes.
Timber Investments Cut Down Portfolio Risk
Timber's low correlation to other asset classes can enhance your portfolio's growth.
Chasing Down Biotech Zombie Stocks
Find out whether you have "living dead" stocks lurking in your portfolio.
Evaluating Country Risk For International Investing
Investing overseas begins with a determination of the risk of the country's investment climate.
This Is Your Brain On Stocks
Find out how the human mind can hurt investors' portfolios.
A Guide To Spotting A Reverse Merger
This corporate action can be profitable for investors who know what to look for.
For Companies, Staying Private A Matter Of Choice
Find out what firms have to gain by eschewing the windfall from a flashy IPO.
An Introduction To Canadian Income Trusts
Yields in excess of 10% aren't rare, but these unique investments need to be chosen very carefully.
A Checklist For Successful Medical Technology Investment
Find an investment that will give your portfolio a shot in the arm.
SEC Filings: Forms You Need to Know
The forms companies are required to file provide a clear view of their histories and progress.
Bank Failure: Will Your Assets Be Protected?
The SIPC and FDIC insure against personal financial ruin when banks or brokerages go belly up.
History Of The Toronto Stock Exchange
Find out how the third-largest stock exchange in North America came to be.
Socially Responsible Investing Vs. Sin Stocks
Can your principles make you richer or poorer? Find out if it pays pick your portfolio based on ethics.
Finding Short Candidates With Technical Analysis
Learn how to distinguish tops and bottoms in the equity market when short selling.
Terrorism's Effects On Wall Street
Terrorist activity tends to have a negative impact on the markets. Find out how to take cover.
Looking For Profit In Privately Held Companies
Private companies offer unique opportunities for those with the knowledge and resources to take advantage.
Strike Gold With Junior Mining
Learn what to watch out for to ensure your "sure thing" isn't another Bre-X.
Why Public Companies Go Private
Privatization can give management more time to make money for investors, but at what cost?
Create Your Own U.S. Equity Portfolio
Find out how to structure your portfolio so you can maximize returns.
For Higher Stock Returns, Vote Republican Or Democrat?
The president's political party is correlated to market performance. Find out which party tends to outperform.
Could Your Company Be A Target For Activist Investors?
Find out why certain companies are targeted by these investors.
World's Wackiest Stock Indicators
Can butter production help you predict the market's next move? Find out here.
Pages From The Bad CEO Playbook
Excess compensation, golden parachutes, tunneling and IPO spinning make these bad executives even worse.
Megatrends For Maximum Profits
Predicting how the world will evolve can help you build a portfolio that can roll with the punches.
Think Like A Stock-Market High Roller
We provide six tips for improving your mindset and becoming a more profitable investor.
Stocks Are No.1
Historically, stocks provide the highest returns - but only under certain conditions.
Five Quick Research Tips For Busy Investors
Turn frustrating hours into profit-turning minutes by managing your investing time properly.
DCF Valuation: The Stock Market Sanity Check
Calculate whether the market is paying too much for a particular stock.
Corporate Takeover Defense: A Shareholder's Perspective
Find out the strategies corporations use to protect themselves from unwanted acquisitions.
Unpredictable Event Or Bad Investment?
When investments head south, your 20/20 hindsight can show you who's at fault.
GICS Vs. ICB: Competing Systems For Classifying Stocks
Global Industry Classification Standards and the Industrial Classification Benchmark separate stocks into sectors.
Full-Service Brokerage Or DIY?
Determine what you are getting for your fees and commissions and how to get your money's worth.
SPACs Raise Corporate Capital
These public shell companies hold many advantages over private equity. Find out more here.
Manage My Own Investments? Are You Kidding?
Investors need not rely on professional advisors, but going it alone isn't easy.
Spotlight On The Solar Industry
Before you buy into the hype, learn how the industry works and how to spot the winners.
Einstein's Stock Tips: Gravity and Growth
Can applying the theory of relativity help you pick a stock? Find out more here.
Five Tricks Companies Use During Earnings Season
Don't get fooled by these releases full of company ruses.
Analyzing Auto Stocks
Find out what to consider before taking a ride with stocks from this industry.
Why Warren Buffett Envies You
The Oracle of Omaha can move over - there's a new investor in town.
Taking The Sting Out Of Investment Loss
Get a hold of yourself! Take losses in stride and learn to invest dispassionately.
Which Is Better: Dominance Or Innovation?
Find out how to assess and evaluate both these values in the market and your portfolio.
How Much Influence Does The Fed Have?
Find out how current financial policies may affect your portfolio's future returns.
Sinking Your Teeth Into Restaurant Stocks
Don't put your money on the table before getting a taste for analyzing this sector.
The Art Of Cutting Your Losses
Find out how to keep your capital losses small and let your winners run.
Conglomerates: Risky Proposition?
Investing in a corporate giant may not be as safe as you think.
Investment Services Stump Investors
What you're getting isn't easy to determine. Find out how to get your money's worth.
The Basics Of The Bid-Ask Spread
Understanding the real forces that move stock prices is part of being a good trader.
How Your Vote Can Change Corporate Policy
Shareholders are getting a bigger say in how companies are run. Find out how you can be heard.
Bouncing Back From A Portfolio Hit
If your portfolio has been knocked out, we'll show you how to come back fighting.
Sympathy Sell-Off: An Investor's Guide
Find out how to tell whether your stock is a bargain or a bank breaker.
Top 9 Questions Investors Should Ask Management
Find out how to get the answers you want without getting the company line.
Battered Stocks That Bounce Back
Companies with falling revenues can be profitable, but choose them with care.
Value Traps: Bargain Hunters Beware!
Find out how to avoid getting sucked in by a deceiving bargain stock.
Evaluating The Board Of Directors
Corporate structure can tell you a lot about a company's potential. Learn more here.
Survival Tips For A Stormy Market
Learn which stocks to watch and which to avoid when the Dow starts to sink.
Analyzing An Acquisition Announcement
These deals can make or break investors' returns. Find out how to tell the difference.
Footnotes: Early Warning Signs For Investors
These documents hold very important information, but reading them takes skill.
Offset Risk Without Investing Abroad
With a little know-how, you can keep risk from topling your portfolio of domestic equities.
Stimulate Your Skills With Simulated Trading
Think you can beat the Street? We'll show you how to test your abilities without losing your shirt.
An Investor's Checklist To Financial Footnotes
Footnotes to the financial statements contain very important information, but reading them takes skill.
Wrap Accounts: A Gift Of Advice?
Fee-based accounts were banned in 2007, but a on a practical level, this service remains the same for investors.
Due Diligence In 10 Easy Steps
Got a hot stock tip? Follow up on it with these tips to avoid getting burned.
Analyzing Operating Margins
Find out how to put this important component of equity analysis to work for you.
Benefit From Borrowed Securities
Find out what your broker is doing with your securities when you invest on margin.
Mitigate Your Equity Risk
If you think holding a few different stocks is enough, you may be in for an unpleasant surprise.
Measure Your Portfolio's Performance
Learn three ratios that will help you evaluate your investment returns.
Tips For Avoiding Excessive Trading
Learn to trade smart instead of gambling with your money.
Small Caps Boast Big Advantages
Find out why little companies have the greatest potential for growth.
Think Like Warren Buffett
They don't call him "The Oracle" for nothing. Learn how Buffett comes up with his winning picks.
Peer Comparison Uncovers Undervalued Stocks
Learn how to put one of the top equity analysis tools to work for you.
Short Sales For Market Downturns
This strategy can help in market downturns, but it's not for inexperienced traders.
Breaking Down The Fed Model
Learn what pundits mean when they say that stocks are undervalued according to the Fed model.
Can Good News Be A Signal To Sell?
Sometimes, positive anouncements can mean bad news for a stock. Find out why.
Get The Most Out Of An Investor Conference
Read between the lines to get a sense of where a company is really headed.
Profit With Investment Policy Statements
Defining how investments are managed and monitored can help investors meet their goals.
Revenue Projections Show Profit Potential
Examining how a company makes money can offer clues to its earnings potential.
Assess Shareholder Wealth With EPS
Find out if management is doing its job of ceating profit for investors.
Read This Before You Sell
There are five tell-tale signs that show when to walk away from an investment.
Digging For Profitable Delistings
Deregistration can provide opportunities for savvy investors. We'll show you how to cash in.
Delving Into Insider Investments
Keeping tabs on company executives can provide clues about where a stock is headed.
Investigating The Stock Premium Puzzle
The Three-Factor Model tries to demystify the baffling small-cap and value return premiums.
Build A Model Portfolio With Style Investing
This sophisticated approach will add flair to your returns.
The Biofuels Debate Heats Up
Interest in these new energy sources is growing. Should you buy in?
The Biggest Stock Scams Of All Time
Where there is money, there are swindlers. Protect yourself by learning how investors have been betrayed in the past.
Mechanical Investing Not A Golden Key
Direct paths to wealth are getting narrower, fewer and may be locked up tight.
The Ins and Outs Of In-Process R&D Expenses
Are these charge-offs fair accounting or earnings manipulation? Learn more here.
The Birth Of Stock Exchanges
Learn how British coffeehouses helped give rise to the juggernaut that is the NYSE.
A Close-Up On Gross Ups
Learn about this hidden perk and why it's often bad news for investors.
Fight The Good Dollar-Cost Averaging Fight
Stop sitting on the fence and learn both sides of this hot debate.
Enhance Your Portfolio With Active Equity
This strategy provides the potential for larger returns while using less capital.
Four Big Investor Errors
These simple lessons can cut your losses.
Unearth Profits In Oil Exploration And Production
Drill down into financial statements to tap into the right companies and let returns flow.
Insider Selling Isn't Always A Bad Sign
Predated trades at regular intervals can instill confidence, not fear, for investors.
Is Your Stock Headed South?
Don't let your portfolio go with it! Find out which signs to watch out for.
The Pros And Cons Of Institutional Ownership
These big players can both create and destroy value for shareholders.
Is Your Portfolio Beating Its Benchmark?
Compare portfolio manager performance using the information ratio.
Eight Items That Impact Daily Trades
Find out which factors can help you squeeze more profit out of each position.
Reinvesting Capital Gains In Leveraged Portfolios
Don't get forced into action. Learn how to plan properly to avoid making rash decisions.
The Buy-Side Of The M&A Process
With almost $2 trillion in sales yearly, find out how these mergers and acquisitions take place.
When A Dispute With Your Broker Calls For Arbitration
Do you have a claim you'd like to file? We'll take you through this process step by step.
Make Ex-Dividends Work For You
Find out how to keep your dividends out of the tax man's hands.
The All-Equities Portfolio Fallacy
Find out whether this bull-market end-times advice is wise or witless.
Top 5 Reasons For A Stock Slide
Prices seldom drop without cause. Find out what might make your stock hit the skids.
Reining In CEO Rewards
Could bloated CEO compensation be to blame for the widening gap between the rich and the ultra-rich?
How The Big Boys Buy
Learn what those in-the-know look for when acquiring a company.
Spot Hotshot Penny Stocks
Don't flip a coin to find your next investment.
Small Cap Research Can Have Big Impact
Don't rely on Wall Street analysts for information on these stocks.
Mergers Put Money In Shareholders' Pockets
Learn the five ways mergers and acquisitions can increase a company's value.
Pay Attention To The Proxy Statement
Don't overlook this overview of a company's well-being.
Riding The Momentum Investing Wave
Buy high and sell higher. Find out if you could surf these risky waters.
Trademarks Of A Takeover Target
These tips can lead you to little companies with big prospects.
How To Avoid Common Investing Problems
Learn to overcome eight hurdles that can keep you from realizing the best returns.
Choosing The Winners In The Click-And-Mortar Game
E-tailing has changed the way consumers do nearly everything. Do you know how to pick the best retailer?
Is That Airline Ready For Lift-Off?
Break through the clouds to see if these stocks will rocket higher, or crash and burn.
Oil And Gas Industry Primer
Before jumping into this hot sector, learn how these companies make their money.
Analyst Forecasts Spell Disaster For Some Stocks
The type of stock that analysts cover can heavily influence their predictions.
Analyzing Retail Stocks
Hit the mall and shop for future investments.
The One-Time Expense Warning
These income statement red flags may not spell a company's downfall. Learn why here.
To Sell Or Not To Sell
Learn some tips on how to exit a position to the best of your advantage.
Guard Your Portfolio With Defensive Stocks
Find out how these securities can protect you from a market bust.
Dividends Still Look Good After All These Years
Find out how this "first love" still holds its bloom as it ages.
Selecting A Second-Tier Company
Find out why an industry's "little guys" can be big winners.
IPO Lock-Ups Stop Insider Selling
Ownership plays a key role when companies go public. Find out how.
How To Evaluate A Micro-Cap Company
Learn how to think big by investing smaller stocks.
Barking Up The Dogs Of The Dow Tree
Are these investments show dogs or just mangy mutts?
Choose Your Own Asset Allocation Adventure
There are many strategies to help balance your portfolio. Here are a few to get you started.
When To Short A Stock
Learn how to make money off failing shares.
Digging Into Book Value
This calculation will serve up your portion of the shareholder pie.
Playing The Sleuth In A Scandal Stock
Learn the legwork involved in finding out whether your investment can weather a storm.
How Investors Can Screen For Stock Ideas
Find out how to pick your own investments like a pro.
Removing The Barriers To Successful Investing
Learn how to stop using emotion and bad habits to make your stock picks.
Digging In To 13D Disclosures
This document can provide important clues about a company and its stock.
Pinpoint Takeovers First
Use these seven steps to discover a takeover before the rest of the market catches on.
Choosing Between Dollar-Cost And Value Averaging
Learn a low-risk strategy to avoid getting tangled up in market timing.
Spotting Sharks Among Penny Stocks
To protect yourself from an attack, don't swim in this ocean.
Analyze Cash Flow The Easy Way
Find out how a company spends its money and whether there will be any left over for investors.
Where Top Down Meets Bottoms Up
Find the investing "sweet spot" by combining these two styles.
Use Breakup Value To Find Undervalued Companies
Find out a company's worth if it were sold in pieces - it may be more than you think.
Analyzing A Bank's Financial Statements
Break down the walls around researching financial instutions' financials.
Earnings Cyclicality Exposes Profitable Trends
Learn to explore a company's past profits to find today's opportunities.
Operating Leverage Captures Relationships
Find out how fixed and variable costs interact to shed new light on old companies.
The Global Electronic Stock Market
The way trading is conducted is changing rapidly as exchanges turn toward automation.
Find Investment Quality In The Income Statement
Use these key attributes to uncover top-level investments.
The Importance Of Segment Data
Key financials often fail to provide insight into large cap companies.
Measuring The Medicine Makers
Learn how to find a healthy pharmaceutical investment in a market full of weak drugs.
Analyze Investments Quickly With Ratios
Make an informed decision about your investments with these easy equations.
Overcoming Compounding's Dark Side
Understanding how money is made and lost over time can help you improve your returns.
Trade Takeover Stocks With Merger Arbitrage
This high-risk strategy attempts to profit from price discrepancies that arise during acquisitions.
Taking Advantage Of Corporate Decline
A bankrupt company can provide great opportunities for savvy investors.
A Top-Down Approach To Investing
Use a global view to determine which stocks belong in your portfolio.
Mad Money ... Mad Market?
Jim Cramer's spirited recommendations are a case study in irrational market behavior.
Strategies For Quarterly Earnings Season
Breeze through consenus estimates like the biggest Street forecasters.
Surprising Earnings Results
Consensus estimates can send stocks spiraling - but are they representing reality?
Cashing In On Corporate Restructuring
Companies use M&As and spinoffs to boost profits - learn how you can do the same.
Earnings Forecasts: A Primer
Learn how this key metric is calculated and how it is used to judge market performance.
A Primer On Preferred Stocks
Offering both income and relative security, these uncommon shares may work for you.
Equity Premiums: Looking Back And Looking Ahead
If stocks become less profitable in the future, you may have to change your investment strategy.
Using DCF In Biotech Valuation
Valuing firms in this sector can seem like a black art, but there is a systematic way to pin a price on potential.
Pin Down Stock Price With Real Options
How can you assign a value to what a company may do with its business in the future? We explain how it works.
Sell Growth Stocks The IBD Way
Savvy investing is all about learning some smart rules and sticking to them. We give you the rundown.
A Breakdown Of Stock Buybacks
Find out what these company programs achieve and what it means for stockholders.
Finding Profit In Troubled Stocks
Find out the difference between a company capable of surviving a share-price beating and one that cannot.
Spotting Cash Cows
We show you why some of these companies stand apart from the herd.
Beta: Gauging Price Fluctuations
Learn how to properly use this measure that can help you meet your criteria for risk.
Venturing Into Early-Stage Growth Stocks
Picking these potential winners is all about sizing up risk. We show you how.
Getting To Know Stock Screeners
Finding good stocks can be like finding a needle in a haystack. But these invaluable tools can help.
Learning From Others' Mistakes
No investor is flawless. Here are some common investing fallacies and a step-by-step guide on how to avoid them.
Understanding Rights Issues
Not sure what to do if a company invites you to buy more shares at discount? Here are some of your options.
Understanding Pro-Forma Earnings
These figures can either shed light on a company's performance or skew it. Find out why.
Introduction To Convertible Preferred Shares
These securities offer an answer for investors who want the profit potential of stocks but not the risk.
Putting Management Under The Microscope
We tell you where to find the telltale signs of corporate misdeeds.
Introduction To Multi-Discipline Accounts
You get multiple managers, affordable diversification, customization and consolidated reporting all under one roof.
Keeping An Eye On The Activities Of Insiders And Institutions
These transactions reveal much about a stock. We go over what to consider and where to find it.
Measuring Company Efficiency
We look at a retailer's inventory turnaround times, its receivables as well as its collection period.
Introduction to Small Caps
Find out about the pros and cons of small-cap stocks and whether they ought to be in your portfolio.
Is Your Dividend at Risk?
We go over several telling factors that can help you answer this question and avoid losses.
Short Interest: What It Tells Us
Find out how this figure can be a real eye-opener on market sentiment of a given stock.
Achieving Better Returns In Your Portfolio
We look at three risk factors that best explain the bulk of equity performance.
What Is Warren Buffett's Investing Style?
We take a close look at the main principles the 'Oracle of Omaha' uses in assessing a company.
Spotting Profitability With ROCE
This straightforward ratio measures whether a company is efficient, money-making or neither.
Investing Beyond Your Borders
Investing abroad poses risks, but can also help you diversify. Discover ways to invest in foreign stocks.
Beta: Know The Risk
Beta says something about price risk, but how much does it say about fundamental risk factors?
Lifting the Lid On CEO Compensation
Make sure you assess whether a CEO has a stake in doing a good job for you, the shareholder.
Five Investing Pitfalls To Avoid, According to Investor's Business Daily 
Common sense or common folly? Discover some approaches to circumventing typical stumbling blocks on the road to profitable investing.
Doing More With Less: The Sales-Per-Employee Ratio
If used properly, this ratio can give you insight into a company's productivity and financial health.
Understanding Order Execution
Find out the various ways in which a broker can fill an order, which can affect costs.
Uncovering Hidden Debt
Understand how financing through operating leases, synthetic leases, and securitizations affects companies' image of performance.
Great Expectations: Forecasting Sales Growth
Predicting sales growth can be something of a black art - unless you ask the right questions.
The Two Sides of Dual-Class Shares
Find out how dual-class shares can affect a company's performance.
Appreciating Depreciation
Companies make choices and assumptions in calculating depreciation, and you need to know how these affect the bottom line.
In Position
Check out this overview of how to determine and analyze a company's financial position.
It's In Your Interest
Discover the theoretical relationship between interest rates and stock prices.
Getting The Real Earnings
EPS helps investors analyze earnings in relation to changes in new-share capital.
The Bottom Line On Margins
Take a deeper look at a company's profitability with the help of profit-margin ratios.
Digging Into The Dividend Discount Model
The DDM is one of the most foundational of financial theories, but it's only as good as its assumptions.
Getting To Know Business Models
Do you know how your companies really make their money? Learn to assess the systems by which businesses generate their revenue.
EV Gets Into Gear
Learn how enterprise value can help investors compare companies with different capital structures.
Don't Get Burned By The Burn Rate
How well do your companies manage money? Learn to analyze how fast they burn it.
Retirement Plan Tax Forms You May Need to File - Part 1
Read this if you've taken early distributions or owe excess-contribution or excess-accumulation penalties.
Z Marks The End
Investors need to know how to detect signs of looming bankruptcy. The Z-score can help.
ROA On The Way
Do you rely too heavily on ROE? Consider using return on assets for a more complete picture.
Can You Count On Goodwill?
We go over how to determine whether a measure of this important but hard-to-price intangible asset is justified.
Evaluating Retained Earnings: What Gets Kept Counts
A company's retained earnings matter. Be investment-savvy and learn how to analyze this often overlooked information.
Operating Cash Flow: Better Than Net Income?
Differences between accrual accounting and cash flows show why net income is easier to manipulate.
Why There Are Few Sell Ratings On Wall Street
We outline reasons that may show why enforcing more sell ratings isn't guaranteed to increase Wall Street's objectivity.
Show and Tell: The Importance of Transparency
Clear and honest financial statements not only reflect value, they also help ensure it.
The "True" Cost of Stock Options
Perhaps the real cost of employee stock options is already accounted for in the expense of buyback programs.
Value By The Book
The P/B ratio can be an easy way to determine a company's value, but it isn't magic!
Relative Valuation: Don't Get Trapped
This method of valuing a company can make a company look like a bargain when it is not.
The Importance Of Dividends
Seven words that are music to investors' ears? "The dividend check is in the mail."
Institutional Investors And Fundamentals: What's The Link?
Big-money sponsorship might make a company look good, but it's not always a reliable gauge of stock quality.
Defining Illegal Insider Trading
The better you understand why insider trading can be criminal, the better you'll understand how the market works.
Keep Your Eyes On The ROE
Can return on equity help you distinguish the lean, mean profit machines from the inefficient clunkers?
Handcuffs And Smoking Guns: The Criminal Elements Of Wall Street
From godfathers to perps, familiarize yourself with the "criminal elements" creeping around Wall Street.
How To Evaluate The Quality Of EPS
Companies can manipulate their numbers, so you need to learn how to determine the accuracy of EPS.
Free Cash Flow: Free, But Not Always Easy
Free cash flow is a great gauge of corporate health, but it's not immune to accounting trickery.
Get Tough On Management Puff
Company managers are often skilled at fooling investors. Be critical and don't believe the hype.
Is Growth Always A Good Thing?
Getting big quickly looks good, but companies can get into trouble when they do it too fast. Find out how to spot this trouble.
What Are Corporate Actions?
Be a savvy investor - learn how corporate actions affect you as a shareholder.
How To Evaluate Pension Risk By Analyzing Annual Costs
Learn how to assess whether a company's pension plan is posing more risks than what the footnotes indicate.
Core Earnings Measure Up
This metric is an attempt to counteract creative accounting, but it poses its own set of challenges.
What Is The Impact Of Research On Stock Prices?
The answer to this question is directly related to the importance of information in the marketplace.
Cash-22: Is It Bad To Have Too Much Of A Good Thing?
It's something companies love to have. But if they are not using it there could be problems.
Working Capital Works
A company's efficiency, financial strength and cash flow health shows in its management of working capital.
Investors Need A Good WACC
Weighted average cost of capital is hard to calculate, but a solid way to measure investment quality.
Wall Street Post Spitzer
Mr. Spitzer's efforts have increased investor awareness, but how effective will this $1.4 billion settlement really be?
Analyzing Pension Risk
Determine the risk to a company's EPS and financial condition resulting from an underfunded defined-benefit pension plan.
Spot Quality With ROIC
Return on invested capital is a great way to measure the true value produced by a company.
A Case Study: Earnings Manipulation And The Role Of The Media
Here we explore why the media focuses on certain earnings manipulation cases in post-Enron Wall Street.
What Kind Of Research Do Investors Want?
Check out what Investopedia readers think about the role of equity research in the market.
Use The Price-To-Sales Ratios To Value Stocks
Take a look at how this effective ratio can be influenced by certain critical factors.
The Changing Role Of Equity Research
Let's take an interactive look at equity research.
All About EVA
Looking for a formula to determine whether a company is creating wealth? Time to learn all about Economic Value Added.
Target Prices Vs Ratings
Revealing more about a stock, a target price provides investors with what they need to make sound decisions.
Reg AC: What Does It Mean To Investors?
In 2003, the SEC issued a new regulation meant to hold analysts more accountable for their reports. Find out what it means.
Fee-Based Research: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Providing information on stocks that would otherwise not be available, fee-based research plays an important but complicated role in the market.
Impairment Charges: The Good, The Bad and The Ugly
Impairment charge is a term for writing off worthless goodwill, but you need to know what it means and what its potential impact is on EPS.
Earnings: Quality Means Everything
It's quantity that generates all the hype, but there are more meaningful factors that gauge true performance.
Zooming in on Net Operating Income
What long-run profitability measure can a smart investor count on? NOI may be the answer.
The Controversy Over Option Expensing
Read up on the debate over whether or not to expense options.
The Controversy Over Option Compensations
Learn the good, the bad and the ugly sides of this type of payout.
Panic Selling - Capitulation Or Crash?
Find out what it means when investors are selling off their stocks for safer investments.
Disclosures: The Good, The Bad, And The Ugly
A disclosure is meant to reveal the nature of the relationship between analyst and subject company. Find out more here.
Cooking The Books 101
To spot the signs of earnings manipulation, you need to know the different ways companies can inflate their figures.
Inventory Valuation For Investors: FIFO And LIFO
We go over these methods of calculating this component of the balance sheet, and how the choice affects the bottom line.
CAGR: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
Learn not only what compound annual growth rate is but also what its benefits, limitations and dangers are.
Lady Godiva Accounting Principles
Find out how and why these rules can help companies "come clean" in post-Enron Wall Street.
Off-Balance-Sheet Entities: The Good, The Bad And The Ugly
This article defines some typical off-balance-sheet items and discusses when they are justified and when they are misleading.
What Is A Small Cap?
If you don't realize how "big" small-cap stocks can be, you'll miss some good investment opportunities.
Accounting Rules Could Roil The Markets
FAS 142 is an accounting rule that changes the way companies treat goodwill. Be aware of the impact it has on reported earnings to avoid making bad investment decisions.
Types Of EPS
The math may be simple, but to make informed investment decisions, investors need to understand the many varieties of EPS and what each represents.
The Importance Of A Profit/Loss Plan
This strategy helps you to recognize your mistakes by allowing you to separate your emotions from investing.
The Murky Waters Of The IPO Market
Thinking of investing here? We give you five tips to remember.
Move Over P/E, Make Way For The PEG
Has the P/E ratio lost its luster? The PEG ratio has many advantages over its well-known counterpart.
