Monthly Archives: March 2012

While the stock of Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) has the same value it had ten years ago, the company has doubled sales and increased earnings per share 116% over  the same time period. Perhaps more importantly, they have increased their … Continue reading →

Posted on March 30, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

There are several long-term cross currents in the current U.S. stock market environment. On the negative side, measures of volume and participation of “smart-money” have been woefully lacking since the October 2011 bottom, and really since the March 2009 bottom. In his weekly … Continue reading →

Posted on March 28, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

No indicator works all the time in predicting stock market corrections. But some work better than others, and this obscure indicator from Yong Pan at http://www.cobrasmarketview.com has a high percentage success rate. The indicator is the Percentage Price Oscillator (PPO) of the … Continue reading →

Posted on March 27, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

Chart Industries (GTLS) currently trades tightly over its 20 ema (daily exponential moving average) as it digests its recent three-week up move and sets up for another possible leg higher. As a leading supplier of cryogenic distribution and storage equipment, the company … Continue reading →

Posted on March 26, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

A bear market may be some distance off. Probably the most important element supporting a sustainable rally in the U.S. stock market is the availability of credit. When credit is getting cheaper, it becomes easier and cheaper to apply leverage for the … Continue reading →

Posted on March 23, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

Visa Inc., the well-known provider of global payment solutions, provides credit and debit programs for financial institutions. The company itself does not assume the credit risk of individual users of its services; rather it takes a fee on each transaction. Accordingly, the … Continue reading →

Posted on March 22, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

VF Corp (VFC), a major global supplier of branded fashion, manufactures jeanswear, outdoor apparel, sportswear, athletic apparel, and occupational apparel. Generally regarded as a well-managed enterprise, the company generates margins higher than many of its competitors and a 21% return … Continue reading →

Posted on March 21, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

Becton Dickinson (BDX) is a major global medical technology company that provides devices, instruments, and reagents used by healthcare institutions. The company consistently grows earnings year after year and has a long history of regular dividend hikes. The stock currently yields 2.3%. … Continue reading →

Posted on March 20, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

Up 5% in nine trading days, the S&P500 index sits over its upper Bollinger band, typically a risky place to add shares and generally a good set-up for a sharp pull-back. The relative strength index also sits in overbought territory. Tomorrow is … Continue reading →

Posted on March 19, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment

Flotek (FTK) provides oilfield chemicals, logistics, and downhole drilling and production equipment to the oil and gas industry. The key growth driver is their technology, primarily chemicals and equipment, for removing oil and gas from shale rock. The company ran into financial trouble … Continue reading →

Posted on March 19, 2012 by jstradingnotes | Leave a comment