How should investors assess risk in the stocks that they buy or sell? While the concept of risk is hard to factor in stock analysis and valuation, one of the most popular indicators is a statistical measure called beta. Analysts use it often when they want to determine a stock’s risk profile. However, while beta does…

Shares of The Kroger Company (KR) rose nearly 6% during after-hours trading on Friday after Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc. (BRK.A) disclosed that it purchased about 19 million shares worth over a half billion dollars – representing about 2.3% of outstanding shares. While the billionaire investor hasn’t offered any commentary, his successful track record is…

Drug distributor stocks capped off a volatile trading session Friday by finishing mostly unchanged after The Wall Street Journal reported that 21 states had rejected a proposed $18 billion settlement deal offered by three leading drug wholesalers for their alleged roles in contributing to the nation’s opioid crisis. The group of state attorneys general who…

What Is Floor Planning? Floor planning is a form of retailer financing for large ticket items displayed on showroom floors or lots. Specialty lenders, traditional banks, and finance arms of manufacturers provide the short-term loans to retailers to purchase items and they are then repaid as the items are sold. Automobile dealerships utilize floor plan…

Dow component Walmart Inc. (WMT) is trading lower by around 1% in Tuesday’s pre-market after reporting in-line fourth quarter 2019 revenues and missing earnings per share (EPS) estimates by a small margin. Quarterly revenues rose just 2.1% year over year, continuing a string of steady but slow growth. The stock bounced off a deeper low…

The former Viacom and CBS completed their merger of equals on Dec. 14, forming the new ViacomCBS Inc. (MORE). It’s an odd coupling, given the same companies split up in January 2006, but it makes sense after considering the poor performance of both equities in recent years. However, despite Wall Street marketing hype, investors are…

Blue-chip stocks are shares of large, established, and financially stable companies that have been around for a long time. The term “blue chip” comes from the game of poker, where a blue chip holds the highest value. On Wall Street, a blue-chip stock is usually a highly valued and well-known company with characteristics that benefit…

Bills of exchange are used in commerce, particularly international tradeby businesses and banks in countries as far-flung and diverse as the U.S., Morocco, and Australia. Think of a bill of exchange as an invoice presented in exchange for goods or services. In international trade, the exporter, or seller, presents a bill of exchange to the…

Oil companies are more concerned with their public images than ever before, especially pertaining to the environmental impact of their operations. Under pressure from the U.S. Department of Energy, the Office of Fossil Energy, consumers, activists, and shareholders, many oil companies have invested in renewable energies or altered their procedures to “stay green.” The oil…