Caped suits and fresh fruits colored in the week that was.
Marvel Man, Marvel Man, does whatever a marvel can
Like one of its superheroes seemingly overpowered by an archnemesis, you just knew that Marvel
For instance, you may already know that the company's Fantastic Four comic book series will be coming to the big screen this summer, but are you aware that an animated cartoon series is ready to come out next year, or that Marvel stands to make $80 million in toy sales this year as a result of the film's theatrical run?
Yes, the same company that has birthed the big-screen incarnation of Spider-Man, X-Men, and the Hulk still has even more goodies -- and baddies -- in the pipeline. Though it is expecting earnings to come in flat this year with the $1.10 per share showing it mustered in 2004, it has Spider-Man 3 coming out in 2007 and is in development deals with more of its characters, including Captain America, Thor, and Silver Surfer.
The stock, singled out a couple of years ago in our Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has done well, but I am reminded of the advice that Ben Parker doled out to his nephew with the Spidey sense: "With great power comes great responsibility." Marvel has to make sure that it allocates its characters into enriching deals. It has lost that battle sometimes -- think Elektra, Blade: Trinity, and even The Hulk -- but it has always found a way to dust itself off and rise above.
Warren Buffett loves to write what people love to read
It was the time of year when Berkshire Hathaway
He claims he struck out, though a more fitting baseball analogy would have been that he took a walk -- or perhaps struck out looking -- because not taking a swing when he feels that valuations have gotten ahead of themselves is not much of a crime these days. Berkshire's portfolio of subsidiaries and investments -- eclectic only on the surface -- works. His returns have lagged behind the market over the past two years, but it has trounced the competition over the decades. Buffett called his results "lackluster," but when you get down to it, lacking luster isn't really much of an insult.
Before you know it, even Grimace is going to be redrawn into a slimmer purple body
These are lean times at McDonald's
With star athletes on hand -- as well as the always creepy Ronald McDonald clown -- the company launched its healthier menu line. Although Mickey D's always tends to do things with a big splash (and I should point out that the sizzle you hear after the splash is now the result of healthier frying oils), it's just been copying whatever Wendy's
There may be a lesson in there -- perhaps even a moral one -- but I'm not willing to stand up before the class to teach it.
Want to read more about the stories that rocked the week that was?
Until next week, I remain,
Longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz doesn't own any of the companies mentioned in this story, although he wonders whether he has superpowers that he just hasn't gotten around to discovering yet. The Fool has a disclosure policy. Rick is also part of the Rule Breakers newsletter research team, seeking out tomorrow's ultimate growth stocks a day early.