Apple’s Currency Index Turns A New Page In Apple’s Financial Results

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on January 30, 2016. Click here to read the entire piece.) Apple (AAPL) reported Q1 2016 earnings that disappointed the market. The negative reaction was consistent with the Apple earnings trading model. This time around, I took particular interest in Apple’s accounting … Read more

The New Trade on KB Home: Switch to iShares US Home Construction

(This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on May 30, 2016. Click here to read the entire piece.) KB Home (KBH) last reported earnings on March 23, 2016 for its Q1 2016 results. Perhaps in anticipation of poor results, traders sold the stock ahead of the report and sent … Read more

T2108 Update (May 26, 2016) – Bargain Shoppers In the Aisle of Late May

(T2108 measures the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages [DMAs]. It helps to identify extremes in market sentiment that are likely to reverse. To learn more about it, see my T2108 Resource Page. You can follow real-time T2108 commentary on twitter using the #T2108 hashtag. T2108-related trades and other trades are … Read more

Meritage Homes Offers Strong Guidance “Too Late”

At the 9th Annual J.P. Morgan Homebuilding & Building Products Conference on May 17, 2016, Meritage Homes (MTH) released good news on guidance for the second quarter and fiscal year 2016 (link updated 8/23). MTH expects notable year-over-year gains for FY2016 across all its top metrics except home closing gross margins: Home orders: +4-6% Home … Read more

T2108 Update (April 27, 2016) – The Market’s Underlying Strength Continues to Expand Despite Tech’s Struggles

(T2108 measures the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages [DMAs]. It helps to identify extremes in market sentiment that are likely to reverse. To learn more about it, see my T2108 Resource Page. You can follow real-time T2108 commentary on twitter using the #T2108 hashtag. T2108-related trades and other trades are … Read more

Betting On Apple Earnings As the Stock Struggles to Hold Support

Apple (AAPL) reports earnings after market hours today (April 26, 2016). At the time of writing, the stock is barely holding onto support at its 50-day moving average (DMA) almost two weeks after a disastrous breach of 200DMA support. Source: FreeStckCharts.com The current sell-off sets up a great opportunity to play post-earnings upside. April is … Read more

LGI Homes Breaks Out on March Closings Report

LGI Homes (LGIH) has been trapped underneath its 200-day moving average (DMA) for the entire year of 2016. Earnings reports and closing reports could not re-ignite last year’s enthusiasm in the stock. Finally, the report on March closings did the trick. In response to the March closing report, LGIH soared 12.7% on almost three times … Read more

Rio Tinto Admits Severity of Commodities Collapse By Slashing Dividend

It finally happened. Rio Tinto (RIO), a major producer of commodities like iron ore, has started to back off its generous dividend payout policy. In its latest earnings statement, RIO announced its total dividend for 2015 will come to 215 U.S. cents per share, the same as it paid out in 2014. Over the past … Read more

ConocoPhillips: A Cautionary Tale from the Oil Patch

ConocoPhillips (COP) announced Q4 and full year 2015 financial results on the morning of February 4, 2016. The news included a capitulation to the on-going deterioration of business conditions in the oil patch: COP slashed its dividend by two-thirds: “ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) today announced it is taking actions to maintain its strong balance sheet in … Read more

Tri Pointe Group Puts Its Balance Sheet On the Line

In its Q3 2015 earnings report, TRI Pointe Group, Inc. (TPH) reported $97.0M in cash and cash equivalents. Thanks to real estate inventories, total assets come to $3.1B. Source: TRI Pointe Group, Inc. On January 27, 2016, TPH decided to put that balance sheet on the line by authorizing a buyback of $100M that is … Read more