Business Tips Guides

Anytime someone makes you a lot of money, you tend to become a fan. And so I am a fan of Jim Rogers. I believe this man makes a lot of sense when he talks economics. I learned this by reading his earlier books about driving around the world. He admits to being a lousy trader. But he is great at looking at the big picture and investing according.

He made me money with an earlier book, Hot Commodities, which I had for four years before I invested in commodities. If I had invested when I first read the book, I would be retired 2 or 3 times over. Even though commodities have taken a huge tumble lately the bull market is not over yet and they will make me more money.

But this book is about the money that can be made in China. If you watched the 2008 Olympics you saw a new China. The reports from China are amazing. The growth, the production, the consumption, and everything about China is not just super-sized, it’s gigantic-sized. With three stock exchanges, close to double digit GDP growth every year, and the largest financial reserves, there is plenty of opportunity here.

My takeaway is that if you are looking for places to invest, then get this book. It explains why China is growing and why it will continue to grow. This book also breaks down all the sectors of the economy. Everything from travel to agriculture to the Chinese space program is discusses and dissected in easy to understand language. Dozens of companies are also listed with brief descriptions of each. The descriptions are good because you get a sense of what if happening in China, but for the average American investor most of these companies cannot be invested in.

But even if you only focus on Chinese companies listed on NYSE and NASDAQ or get into the Chinese Market ETF (FXI) you can still make a nice long term gain. The author stresses that investing in China is a long term process with ups and many downs along the way. He does not recommend any company in the book, he only mentions them to give the reader a broad understanding.

If you want to know what’s going on in China and profit from it, from a man who knows how to make money, this book is a great place to start. It opened my eyes to China when I first read it and am patiently waiting for an opportunity to invest in the largest bull market of our lifetime. The author compares China to the Wild West of America. Lots of money to be made, but you have to be careful.

By looking at the trends in the US market and what is going on around the world, it makes sense to reason that investments for the next few decades will probably get a higher return in places like China than in the US. Even if you don’t agree with me on this point, you will probably agree that diversifying by investing in China is not a bad idea. And if you believe that then this book will help.

Ameen Kamadia is an editor at The Trading Tipster.com. For more book reviews of
stock investment books, free trading education and for our free
stock picks please visit http://www.thetradingtipster.com

The first public face, outside of the original Charm Shoppes store, of Charming Shoppes was the Fashion Bug stores which opened in the 1960’s. Considered pioneers of computerized inventory management and sales, Fashion Bug stores were wildly popular and expanded quickly all the way through the 1990’s.

In 2000 Charming Shoppes purchased Catherine’s Stores Corporation in an effort to firmly plant themselves into the plus size women’s clothing market. They followed this quickly with the purchase of Lane Bryant in 2001, adding the plus size powerhouse to its already successful Fashion Bug and Catherine’s dynasty. It quickly followed the Lane Bryant acquisition with the launch of Pettite Sophisticate, a store catering to smaller size women.

If we take a look at the company’s financial performance based on their stock price, we see that in 1993 they split their stock, and immediately afterwards saw a sharp decrease in stock price over the next three years (adjusted for split price). That brings us to 1996, a year when the Charming Shoppes successfully remade itself as a socially responsible company by helping women and children in need, focusing on women’s’ health issues, and brining attention to family and financial issues that women face. This program was championed by then CEO Dorrit J. Bern, and marked an immediate, sharp rise in stock price that lasted through the year.

Charming Shoppes stock price continued to fluctuate up and down over the next several years, but moved generally in an upward trend. It was seemingly unaffected by the acquisition of Catherine’s and Lane Bryant, and was in a holding pattern through much of the late 1990’s and early 2000’s.

In 2003 we see a sharp rise in the stock price that has continued through h2007 before seeing any decline whatsoever. This can be directly tied to the opening of the Lane Bryant website to internet sales, a move that brought an incredibly lucrative new revenue stream in for the Charming Shoppes Corporation. Sales have declined in 2008, one can assume in part due to the prevailing economic conditions in the country.

Compared to previous years, sales for the Charming Shoppes Corporation are down $265 million over the first two quarters. That’s 20% of their total sales. Not something to take lightly. Taken as separates, Lane Bryant is down $47 million, Fashion Bug is down $69 million, and Catherine’s is down $24 million. It’s possible that they’ll make up the difference in the second two quarters of the year, but historically they have had very few strong 3rd and 4th quarters.

What does this mean for the plus size fashion industry? Not much, but the Lane Bryant sales figures are a good indicator that there is quite a bit less demand for plus size clothes so far this year. One can assume this is due in part to less disposable income due to the slowing economy and gas prices since none of the other large fashion houses has seen a comparable rise in sales.

Allen is a freelance writer who follows fashion topics at many different levels. Look for more information on plus size designer clothes, plus size designer fashion tips and designer plus size shorts here.

Last month, citing the need to exercise greater control over national mineral resources, Ecuador suspended exploration and revoked a series of mining concessions. Late this week, Venezuela banned open-pit mining, and halted all activity in the vast Imataca reserve, which includes the town of El Dorado in the remote south-eastern part of the country.

Equity and debt prices for internationally listed companies mining in large parts of Latin America have deteriorated sharply in recent weeks. What does the future hold?

Before assessing where prices, ratings and insurance costs are headed, it is critical to address the ideological gap: while foreign companies already invested in Latin America are claiming, expressly or implicitly, that left-wing governments are reneging on lawful contracts, the Latin protagonists of new legislation are making the case that existing laws are outdated, and bear no relevance to the fundamentals being cited by international companies, to either boost share prices or to reflect the value of securitized assets.

For example, the Ecuador mining condominium structures were conceptualized, historically, in an extremely restrictive context, to encourage small-scale placer-based exploitation of gold and silver; though a plain reading of the law has resulted in condominium concessions passing into the hands of foreign listed companies, such transfers are without foundation if the correct historical interpretation of the law is applied. Government royalties reflected in condominium-type mining properties are not legitimate for larger, mechanized operations undertaken with modern technologies.

Risk Insurance syndicates who have provided Latin American mining coverage over the previous decade are now in a quandary of their own making. Quite overwhelmingly, the pricing of risk on equity and securitization was predicated on the notion that the value of foreign capital, and fiscal realism, would far outweigh transitions in government. Quote Platform has always maintained that such risk was under-priced, and for good reason.

The pricing of political risk entails a thorough understanding of the law of the land, and the sustainability of such law within the framework of an evolving economic and political reality. Risk cannot be priced on populist notions, however persuasive.

Ever since the early 1990s, it was apparent that developments in Latin American mining laws (with few exceptions) were lagging the new emerging reality. In effect, laws which are inherently crying for change must attract a higher-than-usual risk premium.

Quote Platform must point out that the decline in share prices of Latin American-based mining companies does not represent the truth on the ground at all. At this juncture, the very concept of an equity valuation in countries like Ecuador, Venezuela, Bolivia and Nicaragua is undergoing substantive change.

The problem of pricing of Latin American corporate debt and equity has, without doubt, been aggravated by the widely-respected rating agencies who have blundered badly in utilizing two flawed statistical formulations for their assessments: (a) GDP growth data to determine that a vibrant business climate is either already in place or just around the corner and (b) the quantum of mining revenues to assume that future governments in the region will be hesitant to upset foreign investors.

Today, informed sources inside those agencies acknowledge that GDP growth numbers should not have been confused with poverty statistics. And as far as mining revenues are concerned, Latin American governments are realizing that foreign capital, if available, must be employed to prove up national mining reserves in the first instance, not to exploit existing concessions with proven surface mining opportunities.

In this regard, it cannot be over-emphasized that end-user pricing only enters the risk equation if there is a product to sell; we are dealing now with a situation where many of the international companies may have to spend money on identifying reserves, not on exploiting them, if they are to sign equitable agreements in Latin America through the course of 2008 and 2009.

Rakesh Saxena is a pricing and risk analysis specialist in insurance and derivative products and has extensive deal making in the emerging economies. He can be reached at derivatives@shaw.ca. Home URL: http://www.quoteplatform.com

Using a wholesale optical laboratory is becoming more popular among independent opticians. Choosing the right manufacturer is important for both the health and success of an independent optician’s practice.

Learning about how other opticians select their wholesale laboratories and understanding which questions to ask can greatly help an optician decide which manufacturer is best for their practice.

The increasing popularity of using a wholesale optical laboratory as a source for both frame and contact lenses is demonstrated by a 2004 survey report on the 2020mag website. Of the 221 vision care facilities polled by the survey, 82% stated that they purchased products or services from a wholesale lab.

One possible reason for this dramatic interest is that such labs offer a wide variety of services in addition to their eye care products. These services include educational programs, technical support, online ordering and remote tracing.

One important consideration in choosing a wholesaler is the quality of the lenses which they produce. There are several points to keep in mind when investigating the quality of a lens.

One important issue is whether or not the lab is capable of manufacturing the most up-to-date technologies. For example, can the manufacturer produce silicon hydro gel contact lenses which provide comfort while allowing six times more oxygen to reach the eye than previous contact lens designs?

Another important consideration is the quality of the anti-reflective coated lenses offered. Anti-reflective coating makes use of a series of metal oxide layers to increase the lens’s ability to improve vision, reduce eyestrain and enhance an individual’s cosmetic appearance. Indeed, the 2004 survey stated that 76% of the eye care professionals polled stated that the quality of the anti-reflective coating brand was either an extremely or a very important consideration in choosing a lab.

Another significant issue determining the quality of a lens is the techniques used to manufacture and inspect the lens. The way in which a frame is drilled and mounted during the manufacturing process not only impacts the quality, but also the time and expense of production.

The nature of the remote tracer (a device which is able to outline the inner border of a frame as well as to describe the size and shape of the lens) may also be an important consideration for many independent opticians. Indeed, 81% of those polled by the 2020mag survey stated that they have in fact sent frame tracing data over the Web.

The Internet is also becoming a popular method for ordering eye care products from wholesale manufacturers. While the 2004 survey found that 65% of eye care professionals have ordered products over the phone, and that 58% of eye care professionals have ordered products via fax, many labs have found that the interest in ordering products over the Internet is rapidly growing.

Wholesale optical laboratories are able to yield several potential benefits to independent opticians. They are able to provide quality products at affordable prices as well as offering valuable services including product support and education of emerging technologies.

Independent vision care providers need an trustworthy contact lens manufacturer to offer advanced, quality lenses to their customers. For a wholesale optical lab to partner with you, eye care professionals should visit National Optical Co. online at http://www.nationalopticalco.com/.

Recruitment is one important ingredient in creating a successful business. It is better to have committed and responsible individuals to include in a particular group. It is will be easy to finish a goal. In any meeting or business appointments that you facilitate, you have to recruit new people that can help you in giving references like flyers and information sheets. These tools are effective ways in recruiting the right individuals for their specific specialization or expertise. It also involves self-sacrifice to recognize the participation of your new members and your own involvement.

Make a connection on how you can have information to know if you have similarities, like the same neighborhood or same school, which you attended. A personal connectivity between you and the person in that relative aspect of recruiting makes you the person much better. You must at least give an idea of the history of the company or group your recruit wants to join. It is very important for that individual to know what he feels in regards to his recruitment.

Give the exact issues you want to point out to the person. It is better to tell them what you need from them, if they can contribute their support and loyalty to you. They will have to understand their tasks and know what you are expecting from them. It could be helpful to advice them to give their commitment to you. You need to make them feel that you are willing to entrust a task or and you are willing to help them in accomplishing the work even without much supervision. Encourage your recruits to inform you in advance if they cannot do the tasks or the possibility of doing it because of pressures or other concerning matters.

In recruiting, there must be a certain agreement that needs to be established. You must lay down the conditions and issues regarding their work. Tell them the steps and instructions they need to follow. In this way, they will be able to execute accurately the work that is assigned to them.

Be sure that the persons you are recruiting are screened correctly. You must know their capabilities and skills. It is an advantage that you have at least an insight to the whole personality of the person. Many instances have happened that recruits tend to make false information regarding their application. Make sure you have that deep knowledge on their personalities and performance in their previous companies or groups where they belonged.

Develop a message that you are endorsing benefits like pensions, housing, retirement plans and health benefits. They should know that you are promoting human rights and equality to employees. Show them that their future will be better and they need not worry about their security concerning their positions as new members.

You should be aware that you must distribute tasks and involve them to responsibilities where they can learn and grow as a person. As a leader, you must understand that you need to involve them in various activities and let them help you address the information you want to point out to others. Do not be self-centered and share your ideas and inputs. This may give them the impression that you also want them to progress.

To make sure that you get the right persons that you want, you can use two methods in recruiting. First is the principle of wholesale recruitment. In this method, you gather a number of persons who are interested in joining your particular group, individuals who are aspiring to get a position and being a member. The idea of this method is to get a wider view on those applicants. This strategy lets you give the information to many people. If possible, use only few people to gather and get the names of the aspiring to be members.

On the other hand, retail recruitment involves the direct contact with the person. This is the main procedure you do in this method. The idea of identifying someone who is interested by directly addressing to the person the issues and concern they want to know. Choose the person that is most qualified and dedicated to really joining the group. You can talk to the person on the phone for confirmation and information why they want to get into your group. Gathering the best information on who you want to get is the very important thing in signing up your recruit. You can work harmoniously and finish any task with full trust and loyalty to one another.

Daegan Smith is an Expert Internet Network Marketer. “Learn How To
Make $10,717 In Less Than a Week While Quickly And Easily EXPLODING
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mailto:netmlmsuccess@aweber.com

Financial statement users hope that historical performance reflected on income statements might provide some meaningful grounds for predicting a company’s future performance. In the case of well established businesses operating in stable environments this would be a reasonable expectation. It’s too bad that in the real world there are so few businesses like this. Nonetheless, hope (or wishful thinking) springs eternal. For this reason generally accepted accounting principles (GAAP) rule makers allow management to distinguish between ordinary versus extraordinary gains and losses reported on income statements. The idea behind separating the extraordinary from ordinary results is that such a separation will give statement users a more realistic picture of operating results going forward.

There are two criteria for reporting extraordinary losses or gains. The events driving the gains and losses must be unusual and non-recurring. Actually almost always the concern is with extraordinary losses rather than gains. This is because managers are usually quite content to consider almost all gains as ordinary and most losses as extraordinary.

Some Extraordinary Recent Examples

The following examples of extraordinary losses are cited in “Intermediate Accounting” (Kieso, Weygandt, and Warfield;Wiley Press):

Losses incurred by timber companies due to the eruption of Mount St Helens were deemed to be extraordinary. However, GAAP rule makers deemed losses from the 9/11/01 attack on the World Trade Center not to be extraordinary. How the former event could be considered unusual and nonrecurring while the latter was not is very hard to understand.

The authors comment that GAAP rule makers were reluctant to characterize the losses stemming from 9/11 as extraordinary because they feared managers would allocate losses not related to the attack. Of course the same thing could have happened in the case of the Mount St. Helens eruption as well.

Corporate Restructurings: Unusual or Non-Re-occurring but Not Both

From the above example you might infer that it would be hard for management to show any gains or losses separate from those deemed to be ordinary. Think again. GAAP allows management to show separately the results of events that are unusual or non-re-occurring but not both. As you can imagine this opens the door to all kinds of mischievous allocations and disclosures.

The most mischievous separate disclosures involve what are euphemistically called “Corporate Restructurings”. Like most euphemisms this term puts a sanitary gloss on some really ugly messes. Restructurings usually involve plant closings and relocations, widespread employee layoffs and other unpleasantness. But more to the point they also usually involve big losses And of course corporations are always restructuring. So it is very common to see a corporation’s income statement have a separate line labeled “Restructuring Charge”. And usually to the immediate right is a very large bracketed number.

Example. Having experienced declining market share and profits Mizer Pharmaceuticals lays off 30% of its staff, closes research facilities, relocates manufacturing facilities to Somalia and doubles the salary of the CEO. Losses are in the 100s of millions. Instead of showing the losses as ordinary they are classified as a Restructuring Charge. A more accurate label for these “Restructuring Charges” might be something like “Losses due to Mismanagement”.

Is Anyone Fooled?

Probably not. Nonetheless allowing income statements to include large losses labeled as restructuring charges cannot enhance financial statement user’s confidence in the quality of the accounting information they are getting.

Michael Sack Elmaleh is a Certified Public Accountant and Certified Valuation Analyst. His book,”Financial Accounting: A Mercifully Brief Introduction”, has received wide critical acclaim. He has nearly 30 years of accounting and 10 years of teaching experience.

http://understand-accounting.net