Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, online marketplace giant eBay
With that in mind, let's take a closer look at eBay's business and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.
eBay facts
| Headquarters (founded) | San Jose, Calif. (1995) |
| Market Cap | $53.2 billion |
| Industry | Internet software and services |
| Trailing-12-Month Revenue | $12.4 billion |
| Management | CEO John Donahoe (since 2008) CFO Robert Swan (since 2006) |
| Return on Equity (average, past 3 years) | 17.0% |
| Cash/Debt | $5.9 billion / $2.1 billion |
| Competitors |
Amazon.com Yahoo! |
Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS.
On CAPS, 87% of the 4,165 members who have rated eBay believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward.
A couple of months ago, one of those bulls, fellow Fool Bryan Hinmon (TMF42), offered three simple reasons to look into the stock:
1. War on cash (electronic payment growth) -- PayPal is well positioned
2. [eBay] is the next best alternative to Amazon.com -- for both buyers and sellers
3. [eBay] doesn't compete with the businesses that sell through its platform -- something that will eventually catch up with Amazon
If you want to retire rich, you need to put together the best portfolio you can. Owning exceptional stocks is a surefire way to secure your financial future. Of course, despite a strong four-star rating, eBay may not be your top choice.
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