Do not take the seeds and throw away the melon. - Traditional Chinese Proverb A few decades ago, Coca-Cola, one of the most profitable companies in the history of the world from a return on equity standpoint, decided that instead of repurchasing its own shares or increasing the dividend, it would diversify into other operations that it knew nothing about and in which it had no strategic or competitive advantage. This resulted in the soft drink company buying a movie studio, farming shrimp, … [Read more...]
Within 12 Hours, We Declare War on the Letterman Jacket Industry
February 19, 2010 By 2 Comments
Last night, the shareholders of Mount Olympus Awards, LLC had a 4 or 5 hour scheduled meeting in a local office and solidified our plans for the business, which I discussed a few days ago (see Wholesale Chenille Letters, Patches, and Varsity Jacket Business Launching). The end decision was we are going much farther than we originally anticipated after doing a DuPont Return on Equity analysis. Far from being just ruthless on pricing, like I promised, we are about to drop a nuclear bomb on the … [Read more...]
Common Characteristics of Value Investing Stocks
December 23, 2009 By Leave a Comment
There are several common characteristics that often present themselves in stocks that are thought to be attractive to those who follow a value investing strategy. These have been written about extensively by famous value investing firms such as Tweedy, Browne & Company, and even Benjamin Graham himself. By understanding the traits that frequently manifest themselves with successful value stocks, one can better learn to spot them. The Most Common Traits Found In Value Investing … [Read more...]
I'm a private investor, author, and business philosopher who started with nothing and was essentially retired by my early twenties thanks to my first Internet startup. I went to school on a music scholarship and spend my days doing what I want and growing Kennon Green Enterprises, LLC, the family holding company. 
