Invest or Pay Down Debt The Fool column on using gifts for debt or stocks
A couple asks whether to use a 7000 cash gift to cut auto debt at 6.5 percent or invest in stocks. If stock gains exceed the loan rate after taxes, investing can beat paying down the loan, especially with a long-term horizon. Also explains bull and bear market terms and long-term stock returns around 11 percent annually.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Davenport
Iowa
Kelly Buchanan
San Francisco
Motley Fool readers warned on irrevocable education bonds
An investor recalls funding an irrevocable 1990s education trust for a grandchild in 1995 and then facing a 30 percent drop. The Fool advises against locking money in long term bonds and favors stocks or S&P 500 index funds, suggesting most managed funds underperform the market.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Stan Ehrlich
Layton
Utah
Lipper Analytical Services
Stual
Name That Company
A historical puzzle hints at a large privately held Iowa born grain elevator business from 1865 that grew into a global concern with about 80 000 employees in over 1 000 locations. It claims to be the nation s largest grain exporter and a major cattle processor with more than 40 business lines and brands such as Honeysuckle Whit and Sunny Fresh.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Iowa
The Foolish Four Dow Dividend Approach Overview
A summary of the Dow Dividend Approach from The Motley Fool outlines starting with the 30 Dow components, selecting the top 10 by dividend yield, and holding for at least a year. It notes historically strong returns, with variations reaching up to 24 percent over 25 years, and promotes monitoring long-term performance.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Dow
Sears
Walt Disney
General Electric
Exxon
Boeing
Coca-Cola
Lee
Kodak and Aluminum Co. of America
Philip Morris
Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co
Dow systems and Foolish Four beat the Dow in value stock bets
The piece reviews value based Dow strategies including the dogs of the Dow, Dow Five, and Foolish Four variants. It highlights Lee’s Trouncing the Dow method with a 28.7 percent average annual return from 1978 to 1997 and notes current positions and recent trades. It cites sources from Motley Fool analyses and Value Line data.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
O'Higgins
Washington Post
Ann Coleman
The
Motley Fool
S&p
Lee
Dow Buys
Steelcase Inc. profile: grand rapids to global leader
Last week's trivia reveals Steelcase Inc. born 1912 in Grand Rapids Michigan as Metal Office Furniture Co. The firm patented the suspension cabinet in 1934, collaborated with Frank Lloyd Wright on Johnson Wax building furniture, produced for ships in World War II, launched Turnstone in 1993, went public this year, and reports about 57 percent revenue growth in five years becoming the world’s top office furniture maker.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Grand Rapids
Mich
The
Metal Office Furniture Co
Frank Lloyd Wright
Johnson Wax
Steelcase Inc
What Is This Thing Called The Motley Fool
The Motley Fool presents itself as a blunt truth teller on investing, using a humorous voice to guide readers toward smarter financial decisions. It frames itself as a modern Shakespearean fool offering candid insights to help readers grow wealth.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Motley Fool
Understanding Spot and Futures Oil Prices Amid The Exxon Mobil Merger
The article explains spot prices are for immediate oil delivery while futures lock in prices for future delivery. It notes spot crude at 12-year lows around 12.14 per barrel with futures for next December near 14.23, showing a potential profit window for producers including OPEC members.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Exxon
Mobil
New York Mercantile Exchange
OPEC
L L Bean Faces Slump as Yen Squeeze Hits Japan Stores
L L Bean tackles falling demand as Japan sales suffer with a weaker yen while Lands End ousts top execs amid declining profits. Rival catalog firms Macy's Banana Republic and others intensify competition as 8000 catalogs are mailed this year. Six to eight new stores planned 2001 from Baltimore to Boston to diversify beyond holiday sales.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
L.L. Bean
Japan
Gorman
Lands’ End Inc
Macy’s
Banana Republic
Biull Dean
W.A. Dean & Associates
San Francisco
Bean
Liebmann
Baltimore
Boston
Morton's targets the elite with tailored service and big spenders
Morton's Restaurant Group draws high rollers with dark wood interiors, celebrity ties, and a computer driven guest profile. Frank Sinatra tapes set a luxe mood as GM Raki Mehra recalls personal touches for demanding diners. Investors see little competition in fine dining while profits rise, aided by strong Morton’s earnings despite a cautious economic outlook.
MENTIONED IN THIS ARTICLE
Morton’s Restaurant Group
Bertolini
Ruth
Also Mentioned on This Page
Mets
the Motley Fool
Dist
Universal Press Syndicate
O'Shaughnessy
Aorifolio
Weh
J.P. Morgan & Co
JPM
Chevron Corp
CHV
Philip Morris Cos., Inc
General Motors Corp
Minnesota Mining & Manufacturing Co
MMM
Caterpillar, Inc
CAT
E.L du Pont de Nemours & Co
Eastman Kodak Co
International Paper Co
Exxon Corp
KON
Foolish Four
Smith Barney
Evansville
Ind
Fool
Fool.com
P.O. Box
Alexandria
Selena
Freeport
Fran Philip
Mademiselle
InStyle
Wendy Liebmann
WSL Strategic Retail
New York
Larry Schulsinger
Management Ventures Inc
Cambridge
Mass
L.L
Maine
U.S. Postal Service
L. Bean
Corman
Morton
Raki Mehra
Morton’s
Mehra
Allan Hickok
Piper Jaffray
Applebees
Denny’s
U.S. Agriculture Department
Neil Smith
Chicago
Smith
This is just the beginning! Our collection holds over 300 years of history, including rare newspapers, obituaries, marriage records, birth records, and so much more—most of which you won’t find anywhere else!