Stock Secrets

What Is the Internal Rate of Return (IRR)? The internal rate of return (IRR) is the discount rate providing a net value of zero for a future series of cash flows. Both the IRR and net present value (NPV) are used when selecting investments based on their returns. Excel has three functions for calculating the

Breaking into the securities industry is extremely difficult. Success takes years of study and hard work, followed by a few more years of “paying your dues.” So what happens if you reach the pinnacle only to realize you’ve been climbing the wrong mountain? Financial professionals who aren’t happy in their chosen fields are not doomed to

Fabless chip makers are companies that produce semiconductors for use in various types of electronics, such as digital cameras, smartphones, and the new technologically sophisticated “smart” cars. The term “fabless” means that the company designs and sells the hardware and semiconductor chips but does not manufacture the silicon wafers, or chips, used in its products;

Janet Louise Yellen is an American economist and educator. As a member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet, Yellen is the first woman to head the U.S. Treasury Department and the Federal Reserve. She is the first person in history to head both of those groups and the White House Council of Economic Advisors. Yellen is

Despite their infamous reputation and presumed involvement in the financial crisis of 2007-2008, there are several different arguments in favor of allowing market participants to trade and own mortgage-backed securities (MBS). At its basic level, an MBS is any investment solution that uses commercial or residential mortgage or a pool of mortgages as the underlying

The utilities sector encompasses all companies whose core business involves producing, generating, or distributing basic utilities: gas, electricity, and water. The average debt-to-equity ratio, or D/E ratio, for the utilities sector in the second quarter of 2022 was 0.12. In the fourth quarter of 2018, it reached .15, which was enough for Moody’s Investors Service

The U.K. is the highest net exporter of financial services and London, with its convenient time zone, use of English and feather-light regulations, is the world’s financial capital. Various cities, including Venice and Amsterdam, have held and lost the title throughout history.  Brexit and the possible loss of passporting rights of firms in Britain have

Your credit report provides a snapshot for prospective lenders, landlords, and employers of how you handle credit. For any mortgage, car loan, personal loan, or credit card you have had, your credit report lists such details as the creditor’s name, your payment history, account balance, and, in the case of credit cards and other revolving

Market Weight vs. Equal Weight S&P 500 ETFs: An Overview Think of the S&P 500 like a pie chart: with a market weight ETF, the pie is broken up into slices based on market cap. With an equal-weight ETF, all the slices are the same size, regardless of the size of the company or sector.

The substantial divorce rate in America—50% of marriages end in divorce—has engineered the creation of various types of spousal support through which one ex-spouse is required to pay the other. In most cases, the higher-earning spouse is required to pay the lower earner a certain amount, although there are exceptions to this. The tax rules

In this article GXO NVMI NVMI-IL SNX GOOGL Follow your favorite stocksCREATE FREE ACCOUNT The logo of Alphabet Inc’s Google outside the company’s office in Beijing, China, August 8, 2018. Thomas Peter | Reuters With an ugly September in the rear-view mirror, it’s tempting for investors to make impulsive decisions. The three major indexes ended

What Is Supply-Side Economics? Supply-side economics is better known to some as “Reaganomics,” or the “trickle-down” policy espoused by 40th U.S. President Ronald Reagan. President Reagan and his Republican contemporaries popularized the controversial idea that greater tax cuts for wealthy investors and entrepreneurs provide them with incentives to save and invest, and produce economic benefits

The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) produces the Consumer Price Index (CPI). It is the most widely watched and used measure of the U.S. inflation rate. It is also used to determine the real gross domestic product (GDP). From an investor’s perspective, the CPI, as a proxy for inflation, is a critical measure that can be used to estimate the