The multistate Mega Millions lottery jackpot stands at a world record high of $540 million for tonight’s drawing. Mathematicians will say you have a better chance of being struck by lightning 100 times than of hitting the jackpot. But spending $1 to fantasize about what you would do with the winnings can be a cheap … Continued
So often we take for granted our good fortune. Working with colleagues and clients at Sigma is truly my good fortune. It has also been my good fortune to have known Bob and Shari Bilkie for almost twenty years. Not only do they take their commitment to Sigma seriously, but that commitment carries through to … Continued
Apple’s (AAPL) stock traded at a new high of $621.45 on 3/27. This stock price puts the market capitalization (total shares outstanding times the price of the shares) of AAPL at a staggering $575 billion. It’s the largest company in the S&P 500 index, and according to this Wall Street Journal article, about one third of all US … Continued
On the plane ride home from my recent spring training baseball trip, and while discussing the prospective presidential candidacy of Republican contender Mitt Romney, my baseball loving, left-leaning travel companion noted wryly, “I am concerned about his compassion.” As he said it, I recalled that just a few weeks earlier, another friend who is also … Continued
Full disclosure disclaimer: This blog may seem self-serving, but it is the objective of our blogs to try to impart to our readers useful information pertaining to investing and this fits the bill. The February-March 2012 issue of Worth magazine carried an article titled “The Search for Great Advice”. The byline read, “When picking a … Continued
Jailed for selling an annuity! The number of times I have seen annuities inappropriately used in investment portfolios for clients who subsequently hire me is mind boggling. This is not to say that all annuities are poor investment vehicles, nor that all who sell them are criminals, but there has been a fair amount of … Continued
What do you get when you trap four middle-aged, baseball-loving friends (three liberals/progressives – a real estate lawyer from Michigan, a general practice lawyer from Washington DC, and a pediatrician from Chicago, and one conservative – that would be me, an investment advisor from Michigan) in a car for a several hours, traipsing across Florida … Continued
Every year, about this time, I am asked about my thoughts on the Tigers going into the new season. I typically say they are going to win the World Series because I am the ultimate optimist and I have Tiger blood running through my veins! Well this year is a little different because I now … Continued
The upside of foreclosure; an unintended temporary stimulus to the economy? An article in this weekend’s Barron’s magazine highlighted several interesting foreclosure statistics. At the end of 2011 nearly 1.9 million homes had some sort of foreclosure filing activity. In addition to the sheer number of foreclosures, legal issues with regard to robo-signing have slowed the … Continued
While I follow several economic and financial related publications, this week John Mauldin’s e-letter, titled ‘Unconsidered Consequences’, contemplated intriguing and timely observations regarding the proposed debt resolution issue facing the Greek government and the role of the European Central Bank (ECB). Below are a couple excerpts that caught my eye. “As noted above, ECB financing, … Continued
A recent article released by the Associated Press has led to some interesting discussions among Sigma colleagues and clients. The article, which can be referenced here, was a Q&A done with David Stockman, a former Michigan congressman, Director of the Office of Management and Budget under President Reagan, and successful private equity investor discussing his … Continued
That is a decision that each individual needs to consider and it is not the purpose of this blog to make that decision for you. Perhaps an analogy might be helpful. Modern commercial aviation has been described as seemingly endless periods of utter boredom, punctuated by moments of total panic. It is easy to believe … Continued
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