John Kerans

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  • John Hancock Patriot Dividend Fund: Am I Missing Something?
    Robert --

    This behavior is common for a CEF. It drives away those investors who demand capital gains .. as well as those investors who give preservation of capital a higher priority than income.

    Result? Opportunity for you to buy something undervalued, and get reliable income, forever.

    Jakester --

    The management fee is deducted before Robert receives his dividends. If he's happy with a 6.7 yield, any criticism of the management fee is not relevant.

    John Kerans

    Sep 17 00:23 am |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Einhorn vs. Lehman: Lehman Will Lose
    Re: candor and media relations and Lehman Brothers ..

    About 20 years ago, while in charge of media relations for clients of a big ad agency, I got acquainted with Herb Schmertz, boss of PR for Mobil Oil.

    Here was his advice to the public companies of the world:

    "To be believed in the good times, you must be candid in the bad."

    Some of the smartest CEOs in the world believe they can stonewall reporters and get away with it.

    That stonewall approach tends to make a bad situation worse.

    For more on Schmertz, you can still find his book: "Goodbye to the Low Profile."

    John Kerans
    Lecturer in Advertising
    Fontbonne University
    St. Louis, USA
    Jun 06 00:28 am |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • How Murdoch Cheated on the WSJ Independence Pact
    Nonsense -- Bill O'Reilly is not conservative enough.

    JK --
    Apr 24 21:44 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • 8 Stocks to Benefit from the Coming Uptrend in Housing
    NRF .. Northstar Realty Finance .. does not belong in this roundup.

    It is confined to commercial real estate, and has no subprime or residential exposure.

    In that area, commercial real estate, however, it is worth a look.

    John K --
    Apr 19 18:48 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Warner Music's Touchy-Feely Plea? Please, Be Real.
    Michael --

    You and Ethan Kaplan have something in common: you've both drifted away from the issue that underlies the debate.

    The issue is, what is our standard for protecting intellectual property?

    The chair that supports you, the computer you use, the software that sends your post to Seeking Alpha .. all these exist because of the protections afforded intellectual property.

    Whereas Mr. Kaplan's pursuit of some government subsidy may seem clumsy to you .. and to me .. the big issue is, how do we protect intellectual property?

    Better to advance the debate .. than rant about Mr. Kaplan's shortcomings.

    No doubt you recall argumentum ad hominem -- attack the man -- from law school.

    Don't fall into that trap. Tell us how to compensate artists for their work, and lay aside the personal attacks.

    John Kerans
    Lecturer, Marketing
    Fontbonne University
    St. Louis USA
    Apr 15 23:58 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Converted Organics: Greed, Fear and Greater Fools
    Hey Phillip --

    COIN must be evaluated for what it is: a development-stage company with a clever business model, a company that has figured out how to make money on garbage.

    Thus, for now, before its garbage processing plants are up-n-running, normal metrics do not apply.

    Consider this: COIN gets tip fees and municipal tax breaks and low feedstock costs on the front end .. and organic fertilizer (w/no toxic runoff) and carbon credits for sale on the back end.

    And, following purchase of a California outfit a few weeks ago, COIN has an apparent lock on the patents that turn organic waste into fertilizer in a week or two.

    That's a simple view of the business model, but it indicates good potential for revenue.

    Yes, the stock price has benefited from speculation, but many investors .. including gurus like Dennis Gartman .. have concluded that the business model -- as outlined above -- merits consideration.

    So, take a look at the story that lies behind the price run-up; there may be more meat on the bone than you give COIN credit for.

    I happened on COIN last year, and went long at $3.81, expecting a modest return in a year, maybe two. But there seems to be a growing recognition that this company has much greater potential than I first imagined.

    John Kerans
    St. Louis USA
    Mar 07 12:48 pm |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article
  • Clearing Confusion About Nova Biosource Fuels
    Hey Jim --

    Wow! That's a thorough report. Have been tracking NBF for six months, and think it's time to buy--so appreciate your backgrounder.

    Seems to me that the point-of-difference .. the competitive advantage .. is the feedstock issue.

    Diesel production .. the NBF way .. has no effect on food supply, and thus sidesteps the ethanol v. food debate entirely, which bodes well for favorable treatment from the federal government.

    Is it possible that NBF might also garner "tip fees' from garbage haulers who would otherwise dump into landfills?

    And is there a carbon credit or emission reduction factor mixed in here somewhere that could supplement the revenue stream?

    It would be good to know.

    Thanks again. I am ready to go long.

    John Kerans
    Lecturer, Marketing
    Fontbonne University
    St. Louis, Mo USA



    Mar 06 00:43 am |Rating: 0 0 |Link to Comment |View article

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