The Weeks Top Stories at VIN

Only well-capitalized, conservative, and consistent (sorry, even Goldman doesn’t count) are worth owning in that sector. Here are my three favorites, and the first analysis.

Sorting Fundamentals and Expectations

Four retail stocks you wished you owned today – but it’s not too late…

Picking companies to bet on to weather the growing financial crisis in the United States, noted value investor Whitney Tilson appeared on CNBC last week and named just three: McDonald’s, Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway, and Canadian financial services conglomerate Fairfax Financial Holdings.

Ackman’s entire letter to Moody’s

Swiss Re shares surged in on Wednesday morning after the world’s largest reinsurance group said Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway group had taken a 3 per cent stake as part of a broader business deal.

An SEC filing late Friday

Biglari issues a letter just before the Steak n Shake earnings conference call on January 24th accusing the leaders of Steak n Shake of destroying shareholder value. This fight is just starting to heat up.

But actions speak louder than words. And Buffett’s recent actions provide four key takeaways for investors:

Time to dig into AmeriCredit

“We don’t have a better crystal ball as to when mortgage problems will be behind them,” Bill Nygren, portfolio manager for the Oakmark Fund, which has extensive holdings in the bank told MarketWatch Thursday. “But when it does, we think that investors will realize the franchise value far exceeds the current stock value.”

Excerpt:” In a fresh effort to halt a long decline, Sears Holdings Corp. Chairman Edward S. Lampert plans to reorganize the 121-year-old retailer into several businesses with broad authority to shape their own future.”

As in most subjects relating to money management, there’s a wide diversity of opinion on portfolio concentration versus diversification. Few, of course, would argue for the extremes: owning only one or two stocks invites potential disaster (ask those whose entire retirement portfolio consisted of Lucent or Enron stock), while owning hundreds makes it very difficult to outperform the market.

Lampert’s move will finally unlock the brand value..

One picture sums up the current state of affairs. (even investors have a sense of humor)

Rumours of a bail-out for bond insurers gave the Dow Jones a late boost yesterday. But before investors get too excited, they should consider one thing: where’s the money going to come from?

George Soros said that a recession in both the United States and Britain “will be very difficult to avoid”. He was speaking on the fringes of the World Economic Forum summit in Davos, Switzerland, where many of the world’s top politicians and businessmen are meeting.

Barron’s Roundtable members Meryl Witmer, Fred Hickey, Art Samberg and Mario Gabelli share their stock picks for 2008.

Posted about two and a half weeks ago, but the thesis remains true. The three companies, K-Swiss, Sears Holding and Overstock.com are all illogiclly being pushed down well below liquidation value for Sears, below 1/3 of sales for Overstock and almost to 5x fcf for K-Swiss.