I love FreshDirect - especially their carrot cupcakes, but I'm not really too crazy about the stuff I got at Target, especially this comforter I got. So, since I don't have a mattress topper yet, I'm thinking of using it as one once I get my hands on a better comforter. I would really be careful about all the hype about Target being the next Walmart too. You have to live up to the hype - and whilst this comforter was ok, it wasn't that much better than what you can get at competitors such as Amazon. In fact, I found some 1000+ thread count stuff at Amazon for much less than anywhere else, so once my cash flow scenario gets better, I'll basically jump at that opportunity. Anyone in the market for $100+ stocks should really consider Amazon. I subscribed and saved and will be stimulating their economy for some time to come. In all my years shopping at Amazon, I've only had two orders where I've had to complain - and this is good considering I'm so difficult to please. I'm going to look for buying opportunities if it falls into double digit pricing territory again for whatever reason.
By being too legit to quit, I've effectively stopped my cash flow voluntarily over the short term, but I am not going to lower my standards! Over the past few days, I've been focused on other sources to generate some income stream over the next quarter. By being employed, you basically hand over your cash flow management to your employer. By now being jobless, I've got to take over my own cash flow management. So I now have to look at my trading and ask: how am I going to be a cash flow control freak here and generate income over the next quarter?
My new cash flow strategy is three-tiered:
1. researching stocks and other investments (stop smirking!)
2. starting a new consulting business
3. lining up some higher quality job interviews in my industry
I don't know what my next step will really be, but if you have to try too hard with anything like I did with my previous job, it was never meant to be even though it lasted over nine years. I want to take it easy until Chinese New Year to give myself some rest since I basically haven't stopped working since age 17.
As far as investing goes, I want to be Lady Blah Blah with a stock I found whilst I was doing my own homework, which I really like to do.
The balance sheet is VLOV, Inc. (VLOV.OB) and it is not, I repeat, not one I'm going to buy, but by looking at it, a few thoughts occurred to me:
First, a balance sheet needs to be alive - meaning, a company has to be transparent enough to be filing SEC reports. This balance sheet really struck me and it's possible it's because it's being traded OTC, but it could really happen anywhere. There's a risk with companies that are late or do not file SEC reports - especially in penny stocks (like my recent EATR buy, but I have a goal with that play and that is to trade a news announcement with it, so I'm going to stick with that plan). Even though VLOV looks like it's got a fantastic balance sheet, this could potentially be a red flag if you don't look at the date that the company last filed a financial report.
Secondly, you've got to have net income available to common shareholders in order for a stock to be worth a buy - so why not look at Net Income Available to Common Shareholders as a % of revenue whilst I'm doing my analysis?
Finally, if a company is cooking their books, what would their balance sheet look like? I guess I have more questions than answers there, but if you put that question out there, you'll start finding the answers very soon. All things have to line up, but if it's too perfect, does it mean something? For instance, why is this stock being traded so thinly if it's such a good buy? Volume divided by shares outstanding is pretty low there, isn't it, Professor?
Anyway, my report card today:
+0.48% on the SBA
-0.31% on the Roth IRA
I'm ignoring what Bernanke said. I put in a top secret buy on a top secret consumer cyclical stock that is trading near its 52WL. I've got that 1 million NFP job creation number to look forward to. By addressing job creation head on in his speech, President Obama must have his ducks all lined up already. Even though I'm semi-Republican, you can tell that he has that type of personality that's sort of like he won't reveal anything until it's a done deal. I think job creation is going to pick up more quickly than expected, so let's see if we'll get some Pop Secret there. I'll make the announcement shortly so you can try to arbitrage me and give me some trading plaisir as well as help me with some liquidity...
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