Wall Street Unplugged - What's Really Moving These Markets

Welcome back to another episode of Wall Street Unplugged. This week I bring back CEO and Chief Investment Officer of U.S. Global Investors - Frank Holmes. On the show, Frank introduces listeners to yet another ETF he plans on launching at the end of this month. The timing couldn't of been better... Especially when you consider, as we'll talk about, the recent rebalancing of the GDXJ - a very popular junior mining Exchange Traded Fund that has recently caused a seismic shock through out the mining sector. Just like Frank's first ETF (NYSE: JETS), which was introduced two years ago and covers the airliner industry, this fund is being launched in the middle of an out-of-favor down cycle... Leaving the public a chance to invest in a basket of stocks with very limited down-side risk. Tune in as Frank breaks down US Global's latest venture... and how his smart data, "moneyball" approach can be an industry game-changer. Good Investing, Frank Curzio

Welcome back to another episode of Frankly Speaking!

Everyone’s talking about Bitcoin. For good reason too… If you’d bought $1,000 of Bitcoin just 7 years ago, you’d be worth $35 million right now.   I’ve received hundreds of emails on the topic. “How high can it go?… Is this gold’s replacement?… Should I buy Bitcoin or another cryptocurrency?” Bitcoin has been around less than a decade – leaving your average investor, gold-bugs, and even government regulators with the same question… “What’s really moving Bitcoin?” So on today’s show, we’re taking a look under the hood of this intriguing, yet highly speculative digital currency… I introduce Wall Street Unplugged listeners to CNBC contributor and Bitcoin expert, Edward Karr. From the basics of Bitcoin to its complexities, like the blockchain, mathematical law, and the biggest risk for investors going forward – Ed covers everything you need to know. More specifically, he explains why demand is now stronger than ever… and why recent volumes are proving to be a massive hedge against potential macroeconomic events. If you’re interested in this megatrend, don’t miss Ed’s unbiased and informative take.

Welcome back to another episode of Frankly Speaking. If you’re interested in buying some video game stocks but don’t understand the differences between the U.S-based big three; Activision Blizzard (ATVI), Electronic Arts (EA), and Take-Two Interactive (TTWO)... Today’s show is right up your alley. In comparison to movies, TV studios, and other corners of the entertainment industry, no other sector has seen this much success in recent quarters. In fact, video game stocks have been in an all-out frenzy...  Revenues are growing… share prices are reaching new all-time highs almost every week… and the combined market-cap of these companies now reach over $80 billion. Over the last two years alone, shares of Take-Two have nearly tripled, Activision has more than doubled, and EA is up over 80%.  Unlike, let’s say, just five years ago… Video game companies no longer have to wait till Christmas time to make their profits. Those days are over. Today, digital revenues now come from an array of sources like in-game advertising, downloadable map-packs, full-game downloads, subscriptions… along with the consumer's ability to purchase virtual cars, clothes, and guns with real dollars - pushing company valuations even higher. Let’s not forget to mention their impact on the world of mobile gaming... Now although I wouldn’t be going all-in at these levels, on today’s show, I jump into the nitty-gritty. And give away my favorite bet out of the three. Switching gears, I turn my focus to a sector that is showing no signs of slowing down. It’s sort of like the video game industry with only more potential. Like four times the potential.  I’m calling out what some investors in this sector are failing to do: Looking at the bottom-line numbers and fundamentals… NOT only the stock price. (Yes, some are expensive) Investing in future growth catalysts… NOT only in momentum (cough, cough, Nvidia). The truth is, there are still several companies out there climbing at only 15x forward earnings… in a sector that’s still very much in its infancy. Special thanks to George, Sheryl, and Jerry for all the questions. Keep them coming at Frank@CurzioResearch.com Good Investing, Frank Curzio

Longtime friend, Andrew Horowitz, and I were talking on the phone the other day…   Apart from catching up as close friends, we dove into some interesting talks about today's economy…   I mean, how could we not?   Oil and financials are rolling over, wage growth & home-sales are weakening, auto sales are down, commercial real-estate… yikes.   And, on the other hand, you have only a select group of stocks (FANG) that’s really pushing this market… all while the “investor fear gauge” known as the VIX is sitting below 10.   Basically, we're seeing correlations we've never seen before... intertwined with market highs that have never been reached.   Andrew is calling today's market "terribly euphoric."   And although I love proving him wrong, with that statement, I couldn't agree more.   So on this week’s episode, as two guys sitting at a bar over some beers would do - we're taking this conversation in every direction.   No agenda..   No bullish or bearish anything…   Instead, we're taking a step back. And looking at the market as a whole - analyzing the recent “hard” economic data, earnings, politics, bitcoin, and even fishing.   Conversations like this is what my podcast is all about.   Just click here to listen…   As always, thanks for tuning in and good investing,   Frank Curzio

“There’s only about one-hundred thousand of them…” he said. At the time, I was standing in the middle of what’s known as the largest building in the world - Boeing’s airplane-assembly facility in Everett, Washington. I was extremely interested in these planes, to say the least... The demand for Boeing’s new and revolutionary-efficient 737 is off the charts. It’s the company’s fastest selling jetliner in its 100 plus years of existence. The most recent model sells for just north of $119.2 million. And I was standing directly under the wing of one. In my 20 plus year career of investing, visiting different sites and projects all around the world, nothing was more intriguing to me than this one. Dan Schull, the Sales Director at Boeing, and probably one of the most important figures in the $6 trillion aerospace and defense industry, was personally guiding me (along with a small group of investors) on a private tour of the world-class property. Now at this point in the story, most would assume I am about to dive into why Boeing might be a top-notch investment.  After-all, the aerospace industry is in a supreme bull-market as we speak…  But that’s not why I’m here. What caught my attention… and what today’s show is all about is that “100,000” number. It was music to my ears when Dan mentioned it. That’s the number of parts it takes to build each one of Boeing’s next-generation 737 MAX aircrafts.  You see, those 100,000 parts yield over 100 different publicly-traded companies.  Companies I personally like to call “Nuts & Bolts” stocks.  It’s something my Curzio Venture Opportunities subscribers are all too familiar with. In fact, in recent months I provided subscribers with two recommendations surrounding what I saw firsthand, on that single day. But this is still a strategy common investors constantly overlook.  And it’s simply where the better opportunities are. Opportunities that have a much higher ceiling than their contracting partners that EVERYONE already knows about - companies like Apple, Microsoft, or Boeing. The strategy I unfold today focuses on the companies that actually leech onto these household names. As the larger companies (like Boeing) gain popularity on the street, pushing the stock price higher, these behind-the-scenes “nuts & bolts” companies take part in the ride up as well.  And because of their small size, share prices can often explode in a matter of 24 months.  When industry leaders produce their widely known products, (Apple iPhones, Boeing 737 airplanes, Amazon’s Alexa) they don’t actually make all the parts that go into them. Instead, they outsource the majority of the pieces, often coming from smaller companies. But unlike these smaller companies, industry giants rarely ever see massive short-term gains, even in bull-markets… And rarely ever get bought out either. Because, well, they’re industry leaders. The “nuts & bolts” companies are where the real margins are. And to top it off, these opportunities fly completely under-the-radar in mainstream media - giving us the advantage. Good Investing,  Frank Curzio Special thanks to James, Evan, and Ryan.  Keep the questions coming at frank@curzioresearch with “Frankly Speaking” in the email subject line. Other topics talked about: Should we really be waiting for a market pullback?... Why it’s time to sell your FANG stocks… and one car-rental company that could pop 20% within 6 months from now.

Welcome back to another episode of Wall Street Unplugged.   This week I’m again joined by the one and only market veteran – Richard Suttmeier.   Rich has been analyzing stocks for over 40 years, is a weekly contributor for Forbes and TheStreet.com, and is the founder and CEO of Global Market Consultants.   As my frequent listeners know, Rich is probably the biggest permabear I invite on the show.   Our opinions almost always contradict...   Yet for this reason, he is an asset for all my investment theses… Why?   Rich has a knack for uncovering data no else seems to mention. He calls it "the balance sheet of the U.S. economy," otherwise known as the FDIC Banking Profile.   And although he uses this overlooked data to contest nearly everything I put on the table...  It always helps to hear the otherside.   If you own a stock, or a have any interest in a certain sector... you don't want to talk to the hundreds of people that love it. Instead, you want to hear from that one guy who hates it.   And Rich is that guy.   On today's show he brings the heat - focusing on the downside risks of oil, semiconductors, utilities, housing markets, and his favorite, the financial industry.   If you have bets on any of these sectors, let Rich challenge your perspective. It won't hurt.   Then, for today's Educational Segment [43:13], I’m breaking down a stock that the whole world’s in love with right now.   It’s a global tech “darling” and is part of a select group of stocks that essentially drives the entire market, also known as FANG.   But trading at 23 times earnings, after coming off four straight quarters of positive earnings estimates, I make the case for why it’s time to cash in… and take profits any off the table. Recent momentum has carried on just too far.   Good Investing,   Frank Curzio

Happy Memorial Day Weekend! Welcome back to another episode of Frankly Speaking. Today I’m packing my bags and heading to middle state, Nevada. A brand-new mining company is coming together… coming from a management team Wall Street Unplugged listeners are all too familiar with. There’s no IPO yet… Not even a symbol… And fortunately, before word spreads any further, I’ve been invited to check out this developing project. This weekend. Firsthand. It’s an opportunity I couldn’t pass up. And from the looks of it right now, this could potentially be one of the best mining companies I’ll ever recommend. Moving on, I then cover a company that is now on the street’s center stage - Best Buy (BBY). Last week, the electronic retailer posted better-than-expected earnings results from top to bottom.  This includes a reported 60 cents Earnings Per Share versus last year’s 44 cents per share. Digital sales grew more than 22%... And more important, comparable same-store sales rose 1.6% overall versus an expected decline. The stock jumped nearly 20% this week from the news… and is seemingly beginning to show signs of having the right formula to go up against Amazon. Who’s saying big box retailers are dead? Tune in to hear out my entry point strategy. Special Thanks to Micha, Ron, and Don for all the questions. Keep em’ coming at Frank@CurzioResearch.com  Good Investing, Frank Curzio

“You see, this is where a lot of investors get confused...” As today’s first-time guest explains… “The goal in trading isn’t to be right” he says. The goal of investing lies far beyond that… Well, not really. It’s actually pretty simple. All us investors are here for one thing and one thing only - Money. And oddly enough, as most successful investors know, you don’t necessarily have to be right in order to make money.  In some instances, betting against your own will, in trades you don’t even believe in, can give you returns beyond belief. Literally. Which leads me to today’s market...  Currently we’re standing in a relentless, but confusing, bull market. Stocks are expensive and continue to push to record highs… Trump’s pro-growth initiatives are flatlining… and potential bubbles are beginning to steer investors south. Is there still money to be made here? Enter today’s guest, Jared Dillian. Jared is the editor of the Daily Dirtnap, and author of the 10th Man newsletter. Before Jared started writing in 2008, he worked for the Wall Street giant Lehman Brothers - first as an index arbitrage trader and then as head of the ETF trading desk. Jared's "macro" investment methodologies brings Wall Street Unplugged listeners a whole new perspective.  Rather than stressing too much on the technicals or fundamentals, Jared mainly focuses on two things: Sentiment & Psychology. In other words, Jared’s known as a behavioral economics expert. “I’m skeptical of everything I read and hear.” And quite frankly, there’s no reason we shouldn’t be either. The fact is, 90% of investors make poor and irrational investment decisions. Market sentiment often swings aggressively… and unfocused, under-the-radar opportunities are left on the table. It’s one of the perks of investing with a contrarian mentality. All thanks to the combination of irrational investment decisions and conventional economics, bear or bull market, these hidden opportunities appear constantly. And on today’s show, Jared shares a few of them...  Tune in as he gives listeners his ideas around Bitcoin, the next potential bubble, and his favorite sector going forward for the year 2017. More important, Jared explains to listeners one of the most underpriced investments to make right now. And the timing of this couldn’t be better. Then, for today’s Educational Segment, I’ll be breaking down a batch of stocks that go by the name of the “Dividend Aristocrats.” These are elite dividend paying S&P 500 companies who have managed to increase their annual dividend for the past 25 years consecutively. Some might sound familiar, while others, you’ve never heard of. The only problem is - nearly all of them have prices that have run up tremendously. And choosing one to invest in is a lot harder than it looks. Join me as I reveal my #1 buy and hold long-term stock from this exclusive list of companies. Good Investing, Frank Curzio

Welcome back to another episode of Frankly Speaking. This week's breakdown is starting with Alibaba (BABA). Originally, the Chinese e-commerce company received loads of skepticism in regards to their deliverability and figures. Basically, analysts didn't believe the financials. But that was two years ago... Recently, the stock has been delivering some solid numbers that you can't ignore. The company is seeing its highest growth in revenues since their IPO... mobile use is stretching past 500 million monthly users... and not mention, Chinese e-commerce is skyrocketing. This company is no longer a momentum play. And to start off today's stream of Q&A's, I explain why. Switching gears, I then turn my focus to General Electric (GE). I completely understand the concerns for the short-term investors... The stock has sold off a bit... Deutsche Bank recently placed a sell rating on the stock... and cash concerns continue to push analysts away. But as I explain, there are still plenty of over-looked, long-term catalysts. Other topics talked about: BlackBird Energy's (BBI.V) recent drilling troubles, and just a little more politics. No personal hard feelings here. My concerns have very much to do with the financial markets. Special thanks to Larry, Howard, Faye, John, and Derek for all the questions. Keep em' coming at Frank@curzioresearch.com Good Investing, Frank Curzio