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How Zynga Generates Revenues

Steven Johnson — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:42:26 +0000

The last company I want to discuss in this series is the one with the most direct-to-consumer model of business. Zynga’s business model specifically surrounds directly engaging consumers with their line of social gaming products, but then creates income for investors through both a microtransaction model, and an advertising stream. The end result is a [...]

Colorado Federal Savings Bank Offering 0.80% APY on 6 Month CDs

Skip Stamous — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 13:14:38 +0000

Colorado Federal Savings Bank is offering 0.80% APY on 6 month CDs. The rate can be availed on a minimum deposit of $5,000. The same rate is being paid by Virtual Bank. To earn this rate, you will have to make a deposit of at least $10,000. The next best rate for 6 month CDs [...]

Doomsday Scenarios Systemic Risk of Investing

Steven Johnson — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:38:00 +0000

Systemic risk has a bad reputation in the marketplace. As an investor, it represents all of the aspects of your portfolio that are beyond your control (ie. Cannot be hedged or diversified out of existence), and therefore represents the risk of your portfolio. However, I find that it is generally over-generalized as a pervasive force. [...]

Where Does Linkedin’s Value Come From

Steven Johnson — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 16:37:59 +0000

The first major social media company to go public this year was LinkedIn. This offering was a major event in the stock market, because it created a reference point against which other social media companies to could be valued. Specifically, people are always interested in trying to figure out how to properly estimate the value [...]

Department of Commerce Federal Credit Union Offering 2.80% APY on CDs for 60 to 84 Months

Skip Stamous — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:34:45 +0000

At the Department of Commerce Federal Credit Union, savers from Washington DC can earn 2.80% APY on CDs for the term between 60 and 84 months. For this, they will have to make a deposit of $500. The same minimum deposit amount will bring in 2.50% APY on CDs for the term between 48 and [...]

Being Paid to Receive a Dividend, Covered Call

Steven Johnson — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:05:44 +0000

This post is going to describe for you one of my favourite equity positions, the covered call. A well executed covered call position can be a cash-flow generating machine that increases the yield of a position by a complete handful of percentage points. Here’s how it works. When an investor sells a call contract, they [...]

KeySource Commercial Bank Paying 1.15% APY on 12 Month CDs

Skip Stamous — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:05:43 +0000

Keysource Commercial Bank is paying 1.15% APY on CDs for the 12 month term. The rate can be availed on a minimum deposit of $5,000. 1.15% APY is the top rate being offered on CDs for 12 months. Another bank, Doral Bank Direct, is paying the rate on a deposit of $1,000 (minimum).

How an Online Business Creates Value for an Investor

Steven Johnson — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 17:24:57 +0000

A fascinating new trend from the last three years has been the emergence of social media. Having created value through serving advertisements on a scale comparable to Google (sort of), companies like Facebook have created all sorts of amazing business opportunities for aggressive investors and entrepreneurs to cash in on. Over the course of 2011, [...]

1.25% APY on Statement Savings Account at First Bank

Skip Stamous — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:38:12 +0000

First Bank is paying the best savings rates to those living in central and south New Jersey. Its statement savings account is offering 1.25% APY on a minimum deposit of $100. A minimum balance of $100 should be maintained in your account every month. If not, you will have to pay a fee of $7.

An Alternative to Options Strangles

Steven Johnson — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:30:01 +0000

In the last post I outlined all the theoretical benefits of a position known as an ‘Options Strangle’. Don’t get me wrong, this is an excellent position to enter, but only under very specific circumstances. From the perspective of costs and rewards, it’s extremely effective in the way that it dilutes down the costs of [...]

SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union Offering 1.35% APY on 60 Month CDs

Skip Stamous — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:30:00 +0000

At SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union, a minimum deposit of $500 will earn 1.35% APY on 60 month CDs. The credit union is paying other rates too on the same minimum deposit amount. You can get 0.85% APY on CDs for 36 months, 0.55% APY for 24 months, 0.30% APY for 6 months and 0.35% APY [...]

Categories of Bonds

Sara Ulitzer — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:29:58 +0000

Table of Contents Chapter 1: What are Bond Investments Chapter 2: Categories of Bonds Chapter 3: Understanding Bond Terminology Chapter 4: Who Should Buy Bonds Chapter 5: How to Buy and Sell Bonds Chapter 6: Factors to Consider Before Buying Bonds Navigate This Page Chapter 2: Categories of Bonds - Corporate Bonds - Government Bonds [...]

Western Heritage Bank Paying 1.65% APY on 12 Month CDs

Skip Stamous — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 13:29:57 +0000

Western Heritage Bank is paying 1.65% APY on CDs for 12 months. The rate can be availed on a deposit amount of $1,000 at least. With the same minimum deposit amount, savers can get 2.00% APY on 36 month CDs, 2.50% APY on 48 month CDs and 2.75% APY on 60 month CDs. Two other [...]

CHACO Credit Union Offering 2.15% APY on 60 Month CDs

Skip Stamous — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 13:00:05 +0000

CHACO Credit Union has long term certificates of deposit that can be availed on a minimum deposit of $1,000. With the deposit amount, it is offering 2.15% APY on CDs for the 60 month term. Savers can earn 2.02% APY on CDs for the term between 37 and 59 months. This rate is better than [...]

Equity Dilution’s Impact on Value

Steven Johnson — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 20:02:14 +0000

Keeping in mind the theme of value investing, I’d like to dedicate the next two posts to the discussion of equity dilution, and how its impacts can be worked into a value-based portfolio. For our purposes, equity dilution is going to refer to situations in which the values of an investor’s equity holdings become less [...]