Shopping for Stocks (January 01, 2007)
BetterInvesting educators, academics and other experts share their perspectives on how to interpret P/E ratios.

From Pokemon to Pots and Pans (December 01, 2006)
I'll never forget the first time I met Pokemon. It was 1996, and I was in Melbourne when an Australian friend pointed to a store window filled with fuzzy yellow stuffed animals. "That thing's all the rage here," he said. "It comes from Japan, and every kid in this city has one."

Small-Cap Stocks (December 01, 2006)
Although sometimes difficult to evaluate, high-quality small-cap companies can play an important role in a high-growth portfolio.

Mining Mutual Funds for Small-Cap Ideas (December 01, 2006)
When you invest in a mutual fund, of course you own a basket of stocks. And it's important to know what's in the basket and the quality of holdings. But you're also investing in a manager. A mutual fund can have a wonderful collection of stocks, but if the manager buys and sells them at the wrong times or otherwise doesn't practice sound portfolio oversight, you'll be a dissatisfied customer.

Novartis: Three Companies in One (December 01, 2006)
The U.S. pharmaceutical industry has been going through a rough patch over the last seven years. Well-known companies such as Pfizer, Merck and Schering-Plough have seen their stocks decline. The reason for this: compression in the price-earnings ratio.

Big Possibilities for Nanotech (December 01, 2006)
Nanotechnology will be at the forefront of innovation and progress in information technology, communication, health care, energy technology and consumer lifestyles for the next 50 years.

Alpha Mail (December 01, 2006)
Columnist Thomas D. Saler reviews SeekingAlpha.com, an online stock research site offering access to opinion and analysis in the form of articles appearing in blogs, newsletters and other sources.

Sales Points (November 01, 2006)
When you evaluate a stock you're considering for your portfolio, the sheer amount of data available can make the task seem daunting. One place to start if you're using fundamental analysis -- which means looking at a company's overall financial situation to assess its prospects for future success -- is to examine the company's income from sales.

A Critical View of Analysts (November 01, 2006)
I often liken stock analysts to movie critics, because neither group has much influence on my decision to purchase a stock or to watch a movie. While a few critics and analysts have garnered my respect based on past performance, most don't share my slant on life. Their evaluations are geared toward making an impact in the short term rather than providing long-term educational value.

Research Available at Discount Brokerages (November 01, 2006)
It's ironic that research might be a major reason for choosing one discount broker over another. After all, the discount industry evolved to fill a niche among investors willing to do their own homework in exchange for sharply lower commissions than those available through full-service outfits.

Using Annual Reports and Proxy Statements (October 01, 2006)
It's probably not too early to begin thinking about the annual report season and with it the accompanying proxy statement.

The Southwest Airlines of Europe (October 01, 2006)
Contributor Nic Van Broekhoven highlights Ryanair Holdings, a profitable, low-cost air carrier based in Ireland.

The BetterInvesting Dividend Growth Screen (September 01, 2006)
Contributor Philip J. Keating lists companies most recently meeting his screen for earnings growth, dividends and related measures.

Hospital Stocks in Guarded Condition (September 01, 2006)
Torrents of money pour through American hospitals, but these streams are sometimes too turbulent to channel significant profits. Hospital costs account for roughly $600 billion of the nation's $1.7 trillion total annual health-care expenses. Financial activity associated with ambulatory and rehabilitation facilities pushes the "institutional" side of the medical ledger higher. About 20 percent of these vast amounts reside within for-profit hospital and health-care firms.

Beyond the Glossy Paper (June 01, 2006)
Annual reports may be less useful sources of information on companies than in the past, writes Chicago Tribune reporter Jo Napolitano; online resources can help fill in the gaps.

The Bottom Line and Between the Lines (June 01, 2006)
Understanding Annual Reports.

Seeking a Payoff for Patience (May 01, 2006)
A Screen for Large Companies.

What's Important in an Annual Report (May 01, 2006)
Running a Faster Paper Chase.

Morningstar's Stewardship Ranking (April 01, 2006)
Foreign Companies With High Rankings

Is Google Uncoachable? (April 01, 2006)
As pointed out by analyst Henry Blodget, Google has an extraordinarily high ability to ignore financial markets. As a result, investors can't rely on financial markets to protect them if Google fails to live up to its awesome potential.

Weighing International Investments (April 01, 2006)
Irish journalist John Friel provides an international perspective to differences in accounting standards between the United States and Europe.

Undervalued Scorecard (April 01, 2006)
A Check on Recent Results

Global Searches (April 01, 2006)
Thomas Saler reviews websites for researching international stocks.

Tortoise and the Hare (February 01, 2006)
BetterInvesting compares the performance of its Stocks to Study with that of the Dow Jones industrial average.

The AT&T-SBC Merger, Part 2 (December 01, 2005)
In the second part of this series, Matt Willms discusses the mechanics of the spin-off of Lucent Technologies and NCR from AT&T.

NASD's Reality Checks (December 01, 2005)
The following is a speech made by Mary L. Schapiro, vice chairman of NASD, at this year's BetterInvesting National Convention in Atlanta.

Screening for Small- and Mid-Cap Stocks (September 01, 2005)
Small- and mid-cap stocks can be exciting investments. They can offer relatively high sales and earnings growth rates, partly because the law of large numbers hasn't caught up with them yet. It's also thrilling to discover a high-quality company that the rest of the investment community hasn't caught up with yet.

M&M Theory: Debt Pays -- Except When There's Too Much of It (August 09, 2005)
How much corporate debt is too much debt? This topic recently has been discussed at length by members of the BetterInvesting community. Here's an edited analysis of the topic by Annette Poulsen, chair of banking and finance at the University of Georgia's Terry College of Business. She was formerly acting chief economist at the Securities and Exchange Commission. Her complete discussion can be found here.

A Downpour of Data (August 01, 2005)
BetterInvesting Magazine compares some of the independent stock research available to long-term investors.

Most Active List -- Expanded Edition (June 01, 2005)
If you follow the Most Active List, you might wonder what's bubbling under the top 10.

By the Letter (June 01, 2005)
This month BetterInvesting Magazine is pleased to present our Annual Report Section.

Managing for a Higher Cause (June 01, 2005)
This passage from a 1998 book written by the then-chairman of Nucor Corporation is a heartening example of the management of a company being aligned with investors' best interests.

The One-Minute Growth Screen (June 01, 2005)
A Filter for High-Growth Companies

Changes in Creating the S&P 500 (October 31, 2004)
Standard & Poor's will be altering the way it calculates its indexes next year. Will the stocks in your portfolio be affected?

Follow a Leader (March 31, 2004)
Discovering International Stocks With Artisan International

Clean Up Your Eudora Message Headers (December 31, 2003)
Douglas Gerlach passes along more online research sites and tips.

Comparative Analysis of a Stock (September 01, 2002)
As a follow-up to last month's article, Kaush Meisheri shows how a company can be compared with competitors in its industry.

The Quick Analysis Revisited (August 01, 2002)
Here's an update to Kaush Meisheri's highly popular One-Page Quick Analysis.

A Recipe for Stock Study (March 03, 2002)
Ensuring a Consistent Process

Putting Company Reports (and Online SSG Data) To Work (January 28, 2002)
"Breath-taking. Simply staggering." That's how many describe their experience when they see the tools in action. Eager to put that SSG data to work? Check out this guided tour.

Facing that Tough Sell Decision (December 31, 2001)
Consider hidden costs when deciding to sell a security, says Ken Janke.

A One-Page Quick Analysis of a Stock (January 23, 1998)
Here is a series of yes/no questions developed by Kaush Meisheri that could be used as a "Pre-SSG" analysis.

The Natural Gas Industry (March 19, 1995)