Fundamentals

  1. Yield Investing: Dividend, Earnings And FCF

    There are numerous ways to value investments, and many investors prefer a specific valuation method. Yield investing is one way to value a stock by comparing the current price to various factors. Yield by definition means to give way to or produce. There are many ways to measure yield - three common ...
  2. How To Value An Insurance Company

    In the insurance space, accurate predictions of metrics such as ROE are important, and paying a low P/B can help put the odds in investors' favor.
  3. Introduction To STRIPS

    STRIPS provide an alternative form of bond for fixed-income investors who need definite cash flows at specific times. Read the article to find out how.
  4. Equity Valuation: The Comparables Approach

    The main purpose of equity valuation is to estimate a value for a firm or security. There are three primary equity valuation models: the discounted cash flow (DCF), cost and comparable approaches. The comparable model is a relative valuation approach and is explained in more detail below.
  5. Understanding Leverage Ratios

    Large amounts of debt can cause businesses to become less competitive and, in some cases, lead to default. To lower their risk, investors use a variety of leverage ratios - including the debt, debt-to-equity and interest coverage ratios - to identify firms with unhealthy debt levels.
  6. Understanding Profit Metrics: Gross, Operating and Net Profits

    Rather than relying solely on net profit figures to evaluate a company's performance, seasoned investors will often look at gross profit and operating profit as well.
  7. Weighted Average Cost Of Capital (WACC)

    Weighted average cost of capital may be hard to calculate, but it's a solid way to measure investment quality
  8. Guide to Pairs Trading

    Pairs traders wait for weakness in the correlation, and then go long on the under-performer while simultaneously going short on the over-performer, closing the positions as the relationship returns to its statistical norm.
  9. What Type Of Trader Are You?

    There are different ways stock traders attempt to profit from market movements. Which of the strategies do you use?
  10. Mergers And Acquisitions: Understanding Takeovers

    In the dramatic world of M&As, battleground terms meld with bizarre metaphors to form the language of the game.
  11. Interpreting A Company's IPO Prospectus Report

    Learn to decipher the secret language of the IPO prospectus report - it can tell you a lot about a company's future.
  12. Consumer Spending As A Market Indicator

    What people buy and where they shop can provide valuable information about the economy.
  13. Depreciation: Straight-Line Vs. Double-Declining Methods

    Appreciate the different methods used to describe how book value is "used up".
  14. Build A Baby Berkshire

    Get a piece of Warren Buffett's profit by using Form 13F to coattail his picks.
  15. Differences Between Forward P/E And Trailing P/E

    The most common types of price to earnings ratios are forward P/E and trailing P/E. Find out how they differ and the advantages and drawbacks of each.
  16. The Basics Of A Financial Analysis Report

    Running financial analysis on a company or industry is a key skill every investor must learn and understand how to undertake without which an ineffective financial report and investment recommendation ensues.
  17. How To Use Price-To-Sales Ratios To Value Stocks

    Take a look at how this effective ratio can be influenced by certain critical factors.
  18. Beware False Signals From The P/E Ratio

    The P/E ratio is a simple tool for evaluating a company, but no one ratio can tell the whole story.
  19. Great Company Or Growing Industry?

    Look at the big picture when choosing a company - what you see may really be a stage in its industry's growth.
  20. Everything Investors Need To Know About Earnings

    We go over the concepts behind the excitement over the most important figure in the stock market.
  21. Finding Undiscovered Stocks

    Wall Street tends to focus on large cap stocks, leaving other stocks under-followed and undervalued.
  22. Tips For Controlling Investment Losses

    A profit/loss plan helps investors recognize mistakes and invest logically, rather than emotionally.
  23. How To Find P/E And PEG Ratios

    If these numbers have you in the dark, these easy calculations should help light the way.
  24. How To Make A Winning Long-Term Stock Pick

    Discover the key elements of a good long-term investment and how to find them.
  25. 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.
  26. Goodwill

    Goodwill is more than just benevolence - it also refers to an accounting term frequently used in M&A. Learn more about it here.
  27. Writing Down Goodwill

    Goodwill represents an acquisition amount over and above what the purchased firm’s net assets are deemed to be valued at on the balance sheet.
  28. Required Rate Of Return

    Learn more about this method used in inequity valuation and corporate finance.
  29. Do Your Investments Have Short-Term Health?

    If a company is strong enough to survive tough times, it is more likely to provide long-term value.
  30. Spotting Profitability With ROCE

    This straightforward ratio measures whether a company is efficient, money-making or neither.
  31. Finding Solid Buy-And-Hold Stocks

    Find out how to look at the big picture - even when the market's short-term outlook is less than rosy.
  32. Analyze Cash Flow The Easy Way

    Find out how to analyze the way a company spends its money to determine whether there will be any money left for investors.
  33. Analyzing Retail Stocks

    To analyze retail stocks, investors need to be aware of the most common metrics used. Find out what they are.
  34. Digging Into Book Value

    This calculation will serve up your portion of the shareholder pie.
  35. Economic Value Added - EVA

    Learn about this metric that measures a company's financial performance based on its residual wealth.
  36. Diluted EPS

    Find out how and why this performance metric is so valuable in analyzing stock.
  37. Using Enterprise Value To Compare Companies

    Learn how enterprise value can help investors compare companies with different capital structures.
  38. Securitizing Your Health With ACOs

    ACOs have the components required to securitize. Can your health become an instrument that can be traded?
  39. 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.
  40. Analyzing A Bank's Financial Statements

    A careful review of a bank's financial statements can help you identify key factors in a potential investment.
  41. Analyze Investments Quickly With Ratios

    Make informed decisions about your investments with these easy equations.
  42. Useful Balance Sheet Metrics

    These metrics can help you better understand the information found on balance sheets.
  43. Understanding Pro-Forma Earnings

    These figures can either shed light on a company's performance or skew it. Find out why.
  44. Analyzing Operating Margins

    Find out how to put this important component of equity analysis to work for you.
  45. Capital Asset Pricing Model - CAPM

    CAPM is a model that describes the relationship between risk and expected return.
  46. Evaluating A Statement Of Cash Flows

    The metrics for the Statement of Cash Flows is best viewed over time.
  47. 3 Industry-Impacting Innovations On The Horizon

    Here are some industry-impacting innovations that could potentially belong in the famed Carousel of Progress.
  48. The Importance Of Other Comprehensive Income

    Understanding and analyzing OCI greatly improves financial analysis, especially for financial companies.
  49. Can Good News Be A Signal To Sell?

    Sometimes positive announcements can mean bad news for a stock. Find out why.
  50. How To Evaluate A Micro-Cap Company

    Learn how to think big by investing in smaller stocks.
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