Weekly Wreck

Tesla's Elon Musk - Yet another Example of why to Play Nice with Investors

May 08, 2018
With the price of oil on the rise, major auto companies like Ford essentially dropping out of the auto market you would think that the world would be Tesla’s [TSLA] oyster. Despite all these opportunities to begin the hard work of making the short sellers pay and pay dearly Elon Musk appare... Read More

Ford - A One Trick Pony?

April 30, 2018
You would think with a number of directors who have been on the Board since the 80s and 90s Ford [F] would be a firm with some institutional memory. You would think that they would remember what happened the last time gasoline prices rose before phasing out almost all US car sales. Unfortunately... Read More

Wells Fargo - Take Two - Still More Bad News for Shareholders

April 24, 2018
As we've said before we don't think Wells Fargo’s Board [WFC] is pursuing the smartest of strategies when it comes to putting the many issues it faces into the "closed" pile. That being said, in our opinion the latest $1,000,000,000 (actually two fines of half a billion each) fine is much ... Read More

The Writing on the Wall - Don't Count on Social Security?

April 16, 2018
With the return of trillion-dollar deficits, the question becomes what are the consequences? Probably not much in the short term, possibly an overheated economy from spending, but higher interest rates (another outcome) will probably fix that. Certainly, the will to cut costs on either the left o... Read More

Facebook - Could a Better Board Improve Shareholder Return?

April 10, 2018
As the tide of public perception turns against big tech, Facebook [FB] stands out as one of the most vulnerable firms. Being dependent on essentially selling the personal information, the likes and activities of its users Facebook has always occupied a somewhat precarious position in the tech eco... Read More

Amazon - Beginning of the End Game?

April 02, 2018
Many CEOs forget that their companies are successful only because the laws and regulations as enforced enable them to be so. Often small tweaks in how a regulation is enforced or the dusting off by a prosecutor of some long forgotten law will put the very existence of what had been a successful a... Read More

Mattel - Are Bad Toys the Problem?

March 26, 2018
With the Toys R Us liquidation sales started across the nation it’s tempting to blame the brands end on bad management and a hostile sales environment. But what if the real problem is with the toys? Manufactures like Mattel, Inc. [MAT] have for decades been pushing toys that make noises and... Read More

Wells Fargo - Just Can't Keep Their Heads Down

March 19, 2018
"With all due respect, I'm against dumb." - Senator Neely Kennedy (Rep.) at the October 3rd Wells Fargo Testimony (grilling) before Congress. You would think that after being berated by members of Congress, being banned from growing by the Federal Reserve and still waiting for the results of ong... Read More

Alphabet - Risky Investment?

March 13, 2018
With its dual-class voting structure and subsequent control of the company by a few insiders in management Alphabet [GOOGL] has always been a questionable company from a governance standpoint. This, the lack of a dividend and the many expensive and questionable "other bets" probably explain why t... Read More

Fluor Corporation - soon to be the first casualty of the trade war?

March 05, 2018
With the newly imposed tariffs on steel and aluminum imports into the US and the resulting price increases and trade disruptions, it’s hard to guess which company will feel the worst effects first. One likely candidate is construction and engineering giant Fluor Corporation [FLR]. With a on... Read More

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