UPS, the world's largest package carrier, recently delivered lackluster earnings, shedding 6% of its stock value after it cut its second-quarter profit outlook due to high fuel costs and a weak U.S. economy.

In 2006, The Cheesecake Factory (CAKE) was just another restaurant stock that had risen to unsustainable levels. In fact, I recommended selling the stock short because I had seen too many fad restaurant chains come and go. Ok, I was wrong. But I'm still not ready to dig-in yet.

Many of my friends have had lasik surgery and swear by it. Am I ready to go under the laser? I'm not so sure. But one thing I am ready to do, is buy LCA-Vision, Inc. (LCAV) the leading maker of laser technology that corrects nearsightedness, farsightedness and astigmatism.

There are so many great moments in advertising. One of my favorites of all time is the 1970s ad for Heinz Ketchup (HNZ). The simple image of a bottle reluctantly releasing its goods, resonates to this day. Just like the Heinz commercial, investors are waiting with anticipation with regard to the stock market.

Find a penny, pick it up. All day long you'll have good luck. Or so the saying goes… but does a penny really have any value today? With high commodity prices, investors might be able to make a nickel by smelting the penny and reselling the copper! Otherwise, a penny just doesn't buy you much today with inflation rising. And that is exactly why more shoppers are hitting the discount chains more and more!

Shares of graphics chip maker NVIDIA Corp. (NVDA) are down nearly 20% this month as shares hover not far from their 52-week low. This makes the world's leader in visual computing technologies a great buy compared to industry competitors.

Anyone who pays any sort of attention to the stock market could see this one coming a mile away. The earnings report by FedEx Corp (FDX) was another disappointment in a long line of earnings season lackluster results. You knew–just knew–that the company would disappoint the Street. Thankfully, the shares weren't beaten up too bad, taking a pretty modest 2% hit in the day's trading.

I've been wrestling with a conundrum regarding stock prices these days. Specifically, the relationship between oil prices, economic growth and stock prices are now so tightly wound together, lower stock values seem unavoidable.

One of the best things about a general stock market decline is that shares of solid, well-run companies are often valued as though they have no prospects of going anywhere. The fast-money, impatient crowd, often misses the boat and won't touch these stocks with a 10' pole.

Often times, shares of companies that no one knows about turn out to be terrific investments. In my search for the unloved, I like to focus on un-sexy businesses that operate in an industry which has been beaten down and for a company that has a competent management team with a strategic plan.

After Tiger's momentous U.S. Open win, I thought now would be a good time to take a look at one stock that will dominant the telecasts. No, not Titleist or Callaway Golf. Today, I'm talking about Nike (NKE), the shoe company that has transformed itself into the most prominent equipment and apparel company for athletes across the globe.

It sure would be nice if investing in the stock market was as simple as fishing. Unfortunately, it's not. The increase in the noise has made it difficult to catch any success. Take Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI) for example

This Father's Day, Julia, my oldest, and I are going fishing. Having recently turned five, she is now old enough to be able to cast her own line. In thinking about fishing, I am struck by the similarities to investing. For the anglers, we throw out the line, and wait for a bite.

If you are long on oil, commodities, or precious metals, your portfolio has enjoyed huge gains so far in 2008. If you are long on stocks, you are losing money across the board. However, there are still opportunities that investors can exploit. Here are a few stocks that will help you beat the market for the rest of the year.

When it comes to investing, I'm afraid I'm a bit of a sadist. On days when the market falls in value and pain is at its greatest, my endorphins kick in and a smile crosses my face. Why? Simply put, out of pain comes gain. Here's how to capitalize on last week's stock market carnage.

Too many investors follow a hot mutual fund manager only to be disappointed. Then, they jump ship when things don't work out and run to the next hot manager. Not a sound strategy in my book. I recommend following a manager with a long-term track record. Here's one who meets all of my criteria.

Just when I thought GM was running on empty, it appears that the Barron's bounce is alive and well. In an otherwise lousy day in the stock market, shares of General Motors (GM) bucked the trend and rose 2% after the automaker was the subject of the weekend article, "Buy GM."

Luxury-home builder Toll Brothers (TOL) yesterday reported a second-quarter loss of 59 cents a share, but shares rallied 3% in early trading as analysts were expecting a loss of 96 cents a share according to Reuters Estimates. Revenue exceeded analysts' expectations of $807.2 million, coming in at $818.8 million. I suspect the rise in the shares was a knee-jerk reaction to a very small piece of good news. Here's why.

While the talking heads may tell you that the market is selling off because of more bad news from the credit crunch, the real reason for the decline is directly correlated to likelihood of a Barack Obama Presidency. Here's what investors need to do now to prepare their portfolios.