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Mark Lin

asiavalue

Mark is a private value investor and is the author of CheapskateInvesting.com website which uses a systematic quantitative screening approach to filter the global stock markets for cheap cigar-butts and wide-moat compounders.

Recent Articles by Mark Lin

Mar 5, 2014 by Mark Lin

Gain Exposure to the Growing Art Market With This Stock

If you have ever wished to make money from art, you aren’t restricted to either being an artist or bidding for art at an auction. Sotheby’s represents one of the few, if not the only, publicly-traded investment opportunities in the art market.

Mar 4, 2014 by Mark Lin

One Retailer Doesn’t Fear Online Competition

Faced with online competition, retailers should build their online presence to complement their current distribution channels. In addition, they also need to go back to basics and work on differentiating their products. HSN has adopted both strategies in its battle against online competition.

Mar 3, 2014 by Mark Lin

Why This Fitness Club Operator has the Best Growth Prospects Among Its Peers

Staying healthy involves both having a proper diet and exercising regularly. Apart from organic and natural food retailers, health club operators are strong beneficiaries of the health & wellness trends. Among the listed companies, Life Time Fitness stands out as the best proxy for industry growth.

Mar 3, 2014 by Mark Lin

You Will Sleep Well With These Stocks in Your Portfolio

The same companies that produce the mattresses that investors sleep on can help them sleep well in other ways. Leading mattress manufacturers and retailers exhibit stable demand and are good additions to investors’ portfolios.

Feb 27, 2014 by Mark Lin

How This Consumer Products Company Survives Competition and Changing Consumer Preferences

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger. This seems to be a fitting description for consumer products companies like Hillshire Brands which have survived the onslaught of private-label competition.

Feb 27, 2014 by Mark Lin

Why This Off-Price Retailer Stands Out From Its Peers

Competing on price alone is a race to the bottom, since only the retailer with the lowest prices will be left standing at the end. Burlington is an example of a retailer with a differentiated business model that gives it an edge over its peers.

Feb 27, 2014 by Mark Lin

One Retailer Thrives by Selling the Right Things in the Right Places

Great minds think alike, which is why specialty value retailer Five Below has adopted certain aspects of Costco’s and Wal-Mart’s business models to much success.

Feb 27, 2014 by Mark Lin

Why This Fast-Casual Restaurant Isn’t Worried About the Shrinking Middle Class

As the middle class shrinks due to the widening rich-poor divide, consumers are increasingly conscious of their dining choices. They want the food to be reasonably cheap yet aligned with their health priorities, a gap being filled by fast-casual restaurants.

Feb 26, 2014 by Mark Lin

The Winners and Losers of the Rich-Poor Divide

The widening income gap means that middle-market retailers won’t make the cut. They are too expensive for the budget-conscious consumer, but not high-brow enough for the ultra-affluent.

Feb 26, 2014 by Mark Lin

This Isn’t Your Average Casual-Dining Restaurant

Casual-dining chains are the restaurant industry’s equivalent of middle-market department stores, where their offerings are typically undifferentiated in terms of both product offerings and price attractiveness. Denny’s, which call itself ‘America's Diner,’ is an exception among its casual-dining peers.

Feb 23, 2014 by Mark Lin

Why the Late Mover Will Win in the E-Cigarettes Battle

Lorillard was the first among the Big Three tobacco giants to enter the e-cigarette market, and it is now the market leader. However, that doesn’t automatically make this company the best choice for investors who look to capitalize on the future potential of e-cigarettes.

Feb 22, 2014 by Mark Lin

Does This Motorsports Leader Still Have Gas Left in Its Tank?

Most growth stocks see their share prices falter because they can’t live up to the expectations embedded in their stock prices. Instead, value-priced companies like International Speedway which have high levels of recurring revenues and growing dividends have better chances of surprising on the upside since expectations are low.

Feb 22, 2014 by Mark Lin

3 Death-Care Stocks to Capitalize on the Only Certainty in Life

If you are looking for stocks of companies which have stable and consistent demand for their products and services, death-care companies and tax-service providers are the best choices.

Feb 21, 2014 by Mark Lin

3 Growth Stocks You Should Keep Your Eyes On

Growth stocks are sometimes found in the least likely industries. While organic food is already a well-known trend, consumer staples like eyewear and donuts are also equally good hunting grounds.

Feb 21, 2014 by Mark Lin

This Hospitality Stock Should Stay in Your Portfolio

Good companies in cyclical industries reduce their asset intensity, increase their share of recurring revenue, and diversify to reduce their risks. That is exactly what hospitality company Wyndham has done.

Feb 20, 2014 by Mark Lin

Why These Leisure Facility Operators Are Misunderstood Investments

Misunderstood companies and industries often offer the best investment opportunities. These include ski resort companies and theme-park operators, which are perceived as unattractive due to their high capital intensity and economic sensitivity.

Feb 19, 2014 by Mark Lin

How This Specialty Retailer Contains the Competition

Successful retailing is all about the products you sell and the people who sell your products. The Container Store is a role model for such merchandising and human resource management strategies.

Feb 18, 2014 by Mark Lin

Columbus McKinnon Corp. Hoists Itself Above Its Competitors

Most machinery companies have to compete with each other on pricing and cost efficiency, because they are just one of many companies producing the same undifferentiated equipment. However, there are exceptions like Columbus McKinnon which has managed to differentiate itself from its competitors on the basis on non-price factors.

Feb 18, 2014 by Mark Lin

Why The Brink's Company Is a Secure Investment

Many companies have seen their once profitable business brutally disrupted by low-cost competitors. However, security logistics companies are largely immune to such threats, because of their mission-critical nature.

Feb 18, 2014 by Mark Lin

How This Retailer Minimizes Fashion Risk

Some fashion retailers have been foolhardy enough to try to stay ahead of the fashion curve, while others are simply too slow to react. Express' focus on being a fast second follower makes the most sense.

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