Matson125

Hello All, To all the Canadians on the board, I was looking for the cheapest way to sell puts with a discount brokerage. I am currently with Scotia Itrade (formerly Etrade Canada) and I pay 9.99 + 1.25 per contract. Does anyone on the board use a brokerage that can beat that? Cheers Michael

Thanks for the heads up!

Not sure if this has been posted previously but attached is a link on a video from Bloomberg about WEB. At the 5:02 mark the reporter asks about candidates to replace Buffett and if these names have changed recently in the past year... He says no... and the video was posted in August 09, I wonder if the last change was the Net Jets CEO being replaced... just thinking out loud... http://valuehuntr.com/ Cheers Michael

There is a write-up on the valueinvestorsclub.com website about this company. You can access it by getting a guest pass. Cheers Michael

Personally I think it's long over due. The Leafs seem to think they have a monopoly on NHL hockey, which eventually will prove to be incorrect and against the law. Balsille has been working for years working up to this, and I think he has caught the NHL off gaurd. Cheers Michael

DB, what made you think that SHLD would become an investment vehicle like BRK? Sorry if that sounds challenging--not my intention--but I am truly curious because Martin Whitman of Third Avenue suggested the same thing here: http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/04_47/b3909001_mz001.htm. "There is no question he will turn Kmart into an investment vehicle like Warren Buffett's," says legendary value investor Martin Whitman. He runs Third Avenue Management LLC, which teamed up with Lampert when Kmart was in bankruptcy court and now owns a 4.6% stake in the retailer. "That's what I am valuing into the stock." That article is from 2004 and SHLD has not diverged from its role as a retailer. When EL gained control the BOD filed with the SEC that it gave EL the ability to invest surplus cash as he sees fit, just like the BOD gave WEB that ability when the BRK as we know it today was established and more recently the BOD has given Sardar this ability. At one point he enaged in total return swaps when for a period of time made money on. From what I can see in the 8-k that was filed there was no mention of these swaps. We will have to wait for the full 10Q before we know for sure. and, btw: when sears closes underperforming stores, what have they been doing with do the the property afterwards? you'd think they would sell them & realize a big chunk of change, given the much balley-hooed underlying real estate values. i've clearly missed something as someone who only sporadically keeps an eye on shld. Thats a great point Link. At the annual meeting EL it was mentioned that the one field that SHLD is hiring is in real estate. When I went on the corp. site the following populated, which will answer your question. https://sjobs.brassring.com/EN/ASP/TG/cim_jobdetail.asp?SID=^WSO9McAVyJ5tncVEfKGq9z3VTyCRK/FMl9Ktiv/6Oj1iBA6pLopT7tNutxNuqvMxmcS7KkQo37ZK_C_R__L_F_QcV/epZmoeynRUtyMALnm33TN_slp_rhc_CyS_slp_rhc_0=&jobId=663470&type=search&JobReqLang=1&recordstart=1&JobSiteId=185&JobSiteInfo=663470_185&GQId=0 https://sjobs.brassring.com/EN/ASP/TG/cim_jobdetail.asp?SID=^WSO9McAVyJ5tncVEfKGq9z3VTyCRK/FMl9Ktiv/6Oj1iBA6pLopT7tNutxNuqvMxmcS7KkQo37ZK_C_R__L_F_QcV/epZmoeynRUtyMALnm33TN_slp_rhc_CyS_slp_rhc_0=&jobId=674328&type=search&JobReqLang=1&recordstart=1&JobSiteId=185&JobSiteInfo=674328_185&GQId=0 However, I would like to see how this is eventually executed. Cheers Michael

Thanks Oldye the "Washed out" tag worked on Google News. As for the Barrons article and other articles when it comes to EL, they make mention of his bad bets on Citi and so forth, however in doing so they quote the fund having AUM of 15 billion. When you take a look at the 13-F there are about 7-8 billion worth of stock including Sears, which means there is another 7 billion which is potentially hedged aganist missteps like C. I recall in a Businessweek article an analyst named Daniel Pike who worked for EL a few years ago said he, just like most of the other value investors on this board is obsessed with protecting his downside which leads me to believe that extra 7 billion is working overtime. LOL. Lastly as a shareholder of SHLD I wasn't very comforted when I seen that EL has not taken advatage of some of the volitility and purchased anything (common stocks or debt of other corps) via SHLD. Any thoughts from other board members? Cheers Michael

For the canadians on the board, you've probaly all seen the Dr. Ho infomercials. Dr. Ho is 1 of the 17. Cheers Michael

http://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/109694/000118143109036112/xslF345X03/rrd248885.xml Looks like they sold 8 million shares. Cheers Michael

Article in Reuters about how WEB took a look at General Growth. He said he reviewed General Growth Properties Inc's finances but took a pass, noting that the now bankrupt mall owner has $27 billion of debt, and "today, their properties in my view wouldn't bring $27 billion." http://www.reuters.com/article/newsOne/idUSTRE5422NI20090504?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0 Cheers Michael

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ZoomerMedia-Limited-Agrees-to-ccn-15525407.html?.v=1 Cheers Michael

I read a great post from Joe Koster's blog, which gives us all an idea on what John Templeton seen going forward in 2005. http://valueinvestingworld.blogspot.com/ Cheers Michael

WEB loaded up on WFC in Q4 08 the range was 37.53-28.65 with the low of the Q being 22.53. Even at todays prices I find it hard to argue that you'll be ahead 3-5 years from now. Cheers Michael

A new green home from Clayton. "Estimated costs for electricity and heating total only about $1 per day when the home is sited in an area like Omaha." http://www.cnbc.com/id/30620035 Cheers Michael

Personally I like Cuban and how is seems to be "one of the guys" maybe it's an act who knows. The timing on all this is suspect. Cuban opens sharesleuth.com, where he openly shorts stocks that he feels are frauds. Then after some success he was in the early stages of opening a website which focuses on the TARP money and how it's being spent, obviously looking for way it would be "mis-spent". Talk about throwing stones when you live in a glass house! Cheers Michael

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20090519.RSTENNER19ART1845/TPStory/Business Cheers Michael

I would be very interested in them as well. Also if anyone has access to his performance figures that would be a great help. In articles about Eddie, depending on the source the returns are 20-30% net to partners. That is a big difference in my mind, although both number are outstanding. Thanks Michael

Warren and Charlie are bullish on 2 banks WFC and USB. It seems that every time Warren speaks about banks he mentions USB and WFC as his two favourites. When he provides exmaple or dives into detail he alwats mentions WFC and thier advantages (cost of capital being the lowest, great management, being #1 in deposits, their lending practices being very healthy etc.) He doesn't seem to mention USB and gives specific exmaples about them,like he does with Wells. Besides lending money in a responsible manner, which I feel would be the one of the largest factors he would invest in USB, has anyone been able to pinpoint any competitive advantage that USB has that Warren and Charlie would be so bullish on them? Cheers Michael

If so any comments or links? Cheers Michael

Thanks I noticed it too, I modified the title.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/24454708 Cheers

Looks like LUK has the same idea, just maybe not GM dealerhsips spefically. 2008 10K PG. 23 Garcadia The Company has entered into a joint venture agreement with Garff Enterprises, Inc. ("Garff") pursuant to which the joint venture has acquired various automobile dealerships in various subsidiary companies ("Garcadia"). The joint venture agreement specifies that the Company and Garff shall have equal board representation and equal votes on all matters affecting Garcadia, and that all cash flows from the joint venture will be allocated 65% to the Company and 35% to Garff, which reflects that the Company made a larger equity investment. Garcadia's strategy is to acquire automobile dealerships in secondary market locations meeting its specified return criteria. As of December 31, 2008, Garcadia owned 15 dealerships comprised of domestic and foreign automobile makers. The Company has received cash distributions of fees and earnings aggregating $6,500,000, $4,900,000 and $1,000,000 for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. In addition, the Company owns the land for certain dealerships and leases it to the dealerships for rent aggregating $3,800,000, $1,800,000 and $700,000 for the years ended December 31, 2008, 2007 and 2006, respectively. At December 31, 2008, the Company's investment in Garcadia (excluding the land) was classified as an investment in associated company with a carrying value of $72,100,000.

Below is a a link about TD and Ed Clark http://www.bankinvestmentconsultant.com/news/TD-Branching-2661219-1.html He seems to have a good handle on the situaton at hand and is looking to expand in the U.S. amid the turmoil.

If anyone wants to short any shares of Sears it costs you 38% per year to short their shares. Take a look at the video http://online.wsj.com/video/heard-on-the-street-no-shorting-sears-stock/E27FE361-0439-4FA4-BC7C-96B199259521.html I am a Canadian and own shares in a margin account with Etrade, is there anyway for me to take advantage of this? Have my holdings converted out of street name? Thanks