A Better Way to Manage Overhead Bin Space On Airlines

(Adapted from the original post at The Thought Blog at Ahan Analytics, LLC) The stock for U.S. Airways (LCC) is flying high, currently trading at four and half year highs. This performance is much better than the Amex airline index (XAL) which remains over 20% below highs set in 2010. Source for charts: FreeStockCharts.com Clearly, … Read more

T2108 Update – March 16, 2012 (A Successful Change In Strategy)

(T2108 measures the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages [DMAs]. 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 posted on twitter using the #120trade hashtag) T2108 Status: 63% VIX Status: 14.5% … Read more

T2108 Update – March 8, 2012 (Bullish comeback)

(T2108 measures the percentage of stocks trading above their respective 40-day moving averages [DMAs]. 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 posted on twitter using the #120trade hashtag) T2108 Status: 65% (up from 57%) … Read more

From Efficiency and Job Destruction to Innovation and Job Creation at Hertz

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on December 13, 2011. Click here to read the entire piece.) In a healthy economy, job creation often accompanies job destruction. Resources freed in one economic activity get redirected to new sources of economic growth. This can happen when consumers take the … Read more

AMR’s Bankruptcy Turns the Cost Spotlight on Southwest

On December 5, Southwest Airlines (LUV) CEO Gary Kelly distributed a memo to employees describing the cost challenge ahead for the company (for example, see Bloomberg article “Southwest Fights ‘Cost Enemy’ After AMR Bankruptcy Filing“). With American Airlines (AMR) declaring bankruptcy as a way to cut its costs, Southwest became the last major carrier yet … Read more

For AMR, Parent of American Airlines, Bankruptcy is Contagious

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha on November 30, 2011. Click here to read the entire piece.) “Now we have the potential to overcome the last hurdle between us and lasting success, by achieving a competitive cost and capital structure.” – Tim Horton, Chairman, CEO, and President of … Read more

The AMR Bankruptcy Trade Has Run Its Course For Now

This is an excerpt from an article I originally published on Seeking Alpha. Click here to read the entire piece.) This morning (October 12), I sold my shares in AMR Corporation (AMR), owner of American Airlines. As I explained October 4, AMR was a trade on bankruptcy panic where sellers dump shares first and ask … Read more

Chart Review: Opportunities in Bankruptcy Panics In Eastman Kodak and AMR

Now that the stock market is in bear market territory and the ECRI has pronounced the U.S. (and indeed the world) is at the edge of another recession, we should expect to see a rapid increase in rumors of company bankruptcies. Many times, the stock market’s instant reaction to sell first and ask questions later … Read more

Movers of Household Goods Feel the Pressure

Several months ago, I had the opportunity to “talk shop” with a truck driver who specializes household moves. I will call him “Bob.” When Bob discovered that I write a blog dealing with trading and investing in financial markets, he asked me for my forecast for the economy. I did not have anything good to … Read more