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John Maxfield

TMFMaxfield

I write about banks, trying my best to balance the good and the bad.

Recent Articles by John Maxfield

Dec 8, 2013 by John Maxfield

Will Cracker Barrel Fans Reject Its New Menu?

Has the Southern cooking chain gone rogue? Why Cracker Barrel is offering a new line of menu items and what the move means for the chain's business.

Dec 7, 2013 by John Maxfield

The 10 Best-Performing Billionaires in 2013

Given that the S&P 500 is up more than 23% this year, many investors are feeling great about their portfolios. But some are nevertheless better off than others. We tease out the 10 billionaires who saw their wealth increase by the largest amount in 2013.

Dec 7, 2013 by John Maxfield

Warren Buffett's Secrets Uncovered by New Study

A new paper by a pair of hedge fund analysts and an NYU finance professor uncovers the factors underlying Warren Buffett's remarkable success and explains how individual investors can profit from the knowledge.

Dec 7, 2013 by John Maxfield

The Budding Wal-Mart Empire You Never Knew Existed

If you think Wal-Mart is done stretching its tentacles throughout every city and town in America, then I have bad news for you: It’s just getting started.

Dec 6, 2013 by John Maxfield

Sell! Warns Goldman Sachs About Annaly Capital Management and American Capital Agency

What's worse than being ignored by Wall Street analysts if you’re a publicly traded company. When those analysts recommend selling your shares, of course!

Dec 6, 2013 by John Maxfield

The Most Hated Man on Wall Street

Two years ago, Jamie Dimon was on top of the world, standing up for the banking industry and railing against "anti-American" regulations. Today, he's the financial industry's biggest pariah, after JPMorgan Chase's actions led to a doubling down by regulators on the Volker Rule.

Dec 6, 2013 by John Maxfield

See Apple's Foreign Cash Dilemma in 2 Charts

Everybody knows that Apple has a lot of cash. The more important questions concern where it's holding that cash and what impact that will have on shareholders going forward.

Dec 6, 2013 by John Maxfield

Should Investors Be Concerned About Wal-Mart’s Dividend?

Even though Wal-Mart has hit a rough patch of late, there's little reason to conclude that its dividend is under threat.

Dec 5, 2013 by John Maxfield

How Citigroup (and Other Banks) Commit Suicide

Want to know how banks like Citigroup and Bank of America destroy shareholder value? They chase short-term revenue growth at the expense of credit risk.

Dec 4, 2013 by John Maxfield

5 Passive and Profitable ETFs for Your Portfolio

Want to learn how to become an exceptional investor? It's easy, anchor your equity portfolio to any or all of these five exchange-traded funds.

Dec 4, 2013 by John Maxfield

A Word of Warning About the Housing Recovery

While new home sales surged in October, that doesn't mean that you should rush out and buy shares of homebuilders like D.R. Horton or PutleGroup.

Dec 4, 2013 by John Maxfield

1 Stock Tip You Can Take to the Bank

Do yourself a favor: Never buy stock in a second-rate lender.

Dec 4, 2013 by John Maxfield

The 1 Thing That Saved BB&T in 2013

This year has been a tough year for banks. In BB&T's case, had it not been a stellar year for its insurance subsidiaries, it would have experienced a marked drop in earnings before taxes.

Dec 3, 2013 by John Maxfield

1 Thing Investors Are Missing About KeyCorp

There's a common misconception among investors that the end of quantitative easing will be a great thing for banks. But for reasons explained by executives at Ohio-based KeyCorp, it may not be the panacea that some have been hoping for.

Dec 1, 2013 by John Maxfield

Changing How We Think About Investing

How most people think about investing is all wrong. And it's hurting their returns.

Dec 1, 2013 by John Maxfield

1 Reason Fifth Third Bancorp Could Outperform in 2014

This year was tough for banks, and 2014 could be worse. The good news for shareholders of Ohio-based Fifth Third Financial is that it may have an ace up its sleeve.

Nov 30, 2013 by John Maxfield

The Only Thing Between You and 1,000% Returns

You may be surprised to learn that there's only one thing that's holding you back from quadruple-digit returns in your portfolio.

Nov 30, 2013 by John Maxfield

How to Invest Opportunistically

Want to learn how to beat the market? You first need to learn how to stop it from beating you.

Nov 29, 2013 by John Maxfield

What Really Drives Bank Stocks

So, you think you know how to pick great bank stocks? Well, let's just say you may be surprised to find out what really matters when it comes to determining the best performers.

Nov 27, 2013 by John Maxfield

3 Reasons to Sell E*TRADE Financial

It's hard to deny that E*TRADE Financial is extravagantly overpriced. But does that mean it's time to sell?

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