Securities in an Insecure World – A Lecture by Benjamin Graham
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July 1, 2010
Inflation Update
Posted on April 14, 2010 by David Laidlaw The latest release of figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics regarding inflation shows that changes in prices have been quite tame over the recent months and during the past year. During February, the Consumer Price Index (CPI) did not increase at all on a seasonally adjusted basis. Additionally, the CPI only increased 2.1% over the prior year. Looking at the elements that compose the CPI presents a different picture and suggests inflation is not as benign as appears at first blush. Housing is the largest element used in…
April 14, 2010
Market Multiple
Posted on April 14, 2010 by Ben Connard The market has increased about 50% over the last year, causing many talking heads to wonder if the market is over-valued. One simple method of valuation is the current P/E ratio. Is today’s P/E ratio higher or lower than the historical average? Behavioral economist Robert Shiller, perhaps best known for his March 2000 book Irrational Exuberance which correctly predicted the tech bubble, publishes historical P/E ratios. These numbers can provide general insight as to whether the market may be over or under-valued. He tabulates a Cyclically Adjusted Price…
April 14, 2010
Surface Calm
Posted on April 14, 2010 by David Laidlaw The rebound in the equity markets continued during the first quarter of 2010, building on last year’s momentum as the broad indices increased by 4-6% over the period. The only blip resulted from anxiety regarding sovereign debt and the ability of governments to repay their debts. Though by no means settled, it is now assumed that the Europeans, possibly with the International Monetary Fund’s help, will bail out Greece without leading to another round of financial panic. The steadiness of the market’s climb during March has been…
April 14, 2010
Corporate Identity Theft: Laidlaw Group ≠ Laidlaw & Company
Posted on April 14, 2010 by David Laidlaw The growth of the Internet and increased disclosure requirements for businesses and individuals has unleashed a vast amount of information that was previously semi-private into the public domain. Aside from the significant efficiency and transparency gains, this information has been a bonanza for scam artists and fraudsters as the number of potential targets for these criminals has expanded exponentially. Unfortunately, our firm’s corporate identity has been a victim of this trend and our current efforts have not been able stem the abuse. Many years ago there was…
April 14, 2010