Stock Analysis

Barron's Is Wrong On Medtronic

Barron’s Is Wrong On Medtronic

Barron’s its article on Medtronic is wrong! Here are some arguments the Barron’s article made that require my rebuttal.

Microsoft Debt Issuance Makes Zero Economic Sense

Microsoft Debt Issuance Makes Zero Economic Sense

Microsoft will use the sales proceeds to repay short-term debt. If it was any other company I’d ignore this headline as a daily noise as this kind of things happens all the time.

Investing in Range-Bound Markets

Here is my article on range-bound markets in NAPFA magazine: Investing in Range-Bound Markets by Vitaliy N. Katsenelson (published in ...

See You In Omaha

See You In Omaha and More Random than Usual Thoughts

It’s time for the annual trip to Omaha. For many, it’s a worshipful pilgrimage, as they hang on every word coming out of the Oracle’s mouth as the Gospel of Eternal Truth.

A Few thoughts on the Burlington acquisition

A Few thoughts on the Burlington acquisition

I get a feeling that Buffett has been canonized into a value investor saint  – investors and the media worship the ground he walks on and the air he breathes.

Speaking Travel and See you in Omaha

Speaking, Travel and See you in Omaha

I’ll be giving a talk about Active Value Investing to the Bermuda CFA Society on February 11th.  On the way to Bermuda my wife and I will spend three days in NYC. 

Even Capitalist Pigs Should Love Bank Regulation

Even Capitalist Pigs Should Love Bank Regulation

I am a Capitalist Pig, and proud of it, thus you would not expect me to support government interference and more strenuous regulation of financial institutions – after all, capitalism (free markets) and tight regulation don't mix well.

Chinese Quest for Shortcut to Greatness

Chinese Quest for Shortcut to Greatness

The Chinese economy must be getting out of control, because the Chinese government is doing the unthinkable: It is desperately trying to put the brakes on the economy.

The case for Pfizer

The case for Pfizer

I understand why investors don’t want to own Pfizer (PFE); there is little excitement in the stock.

Welcome to Another Lost Decade

Welcome to Another Lost Decade

The stock market’s performance over the next decade will be very similar to the one since 2000: the WSJ appropriately named it “the lost decade.”

Barron's: Economic Steroids Are Toxic, Too

Barron’s: Economic Steroids Are Toxic, Too

The global economy is like a marathon runner who ran too hard and hurt himself. This runner has been injected with some industrial-quality steroids

China vs. the World

China vs. the World

Investors have a healthy distrust, and rightly so, of governments running banks in the US and UK, but for a very strange reason are comfortable with the Chinese government wheeling and dealing with Chinese banks. 

Q&A with FT:Investing in Range-Bound Markets

Q&A with FT:Investing in Range-Bound Markets

In the bull market that preceded the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the ensuing financial crisis, equity valuations reached some very frothy levels.

Dubai's Shot to the Moon

Dubai’s Shot to the Moon

Dubai’s plan to diversify away from petrochemicals made sense. Maybe it is even destined to become the Las Vegas of the Middle East, the Mecca of business travel and luxury.

Our Steroidally Challenged Economy

Our Steroidally Challenged Economy

The global economy reminds me of a marathon runner who runs too hard and hurts himself. But now he has another race to run. So he’s injected with some serious, industrial-quality steroids, and away he goes.

IMS Health is being stolen

IMS Health is being stolen

It was announced Thursday that IMS Health was to be stolen from its shareholders for $4 billion or about $22 share; a private equity firm will buy them out.

Will Japan drive our interest rates higher?

Will Japan drive our interest rates higher?

In investing, it's important to think unconventionally and creatively while at the same time considering risks - no matter how remote or unmanageable they are.

Q&A with Barron's

Q&A with Barron’s

I was in interviewed in September 21 issue of Barron's.

Is American Express (and financial stocks) still cheap?

Is American Express (and financial stocks) still cheap?

There are very few financial companies that one can actually analyze and thus value -- American Express (AXP) is one of them, and I believe it's a great proxy for other financial stocks.

September – the worst month for stocks

September – the worst month for stocks

September 1st is a very strange day for me.  In Russia the school year across the whole country started on September 1st.  I vividly remember myself as a child on that day throughout my childhood.

Healthcare Game

Healthcare Game

In his healthcare proposal President Obama is using a tactic described in behavioral finance as anchoring.