The Week’s Top Stories at VIN

When investors purchase their initial position in a stock, it is usually after their most rigorous research. Once a stock is in their portfolio, some investors relax on the research for subsequent purchases. Each and every time you purchase a stock, you should run it through the same process as if you were buying it for the first time.

Colgate-Palmolive Company (Colgate) is a consumer products company, whose products are marketed throughout the world. Colgate’s Oral Care products include toothpaste, toothbrushes, oral rinses, dental floss and pharmaceutical products. Linked here is a detailed stock analysis and commentary.

Since cars are big-ticket items, a drop in spending has manifested itself with utmost clarity in the auto retail space. US motor vehicle sales were down some 18% in June year over year. As a result, many car retailers have been punished in the market.

Some are once again questioning Warren Buffett’s current investments, but Whitney Tilson comes continues to defend him.

I guess if you read as many annual reports as Saj and I have in the past few months you get hungry for some excitement! So to quench this desire, I decided to skip directly to the note disclosure on goodwill and intangibles! The interesting part between these items ended up residing with the disclosure on intangibles.

Nokia is an international dividend achiever. From the end of 1999 up until September 2008 this dividend stock has delivered an annual average total return of 5.00 % to its shareholders. Nokia’s share price has not recovered yet form its all time highs in the early 2000. The stock has lost over 45% of its value so far in 2008.

Walter J Schloss answers questions at the Ben Graham Center for Value Investing February 12, 2008.

The DIV-Net’s Investing Carnival #13 with posts on dividends, value investing, stock analysis, general market commentary and real estate

Archer Daniels Midland is a dividend aristocrat as well as a component of the S&P 500 index. It has been increasing its dividends for the past 33 consecutive years. From the end of 1999 up until September 2008 this dividend stock has delivered an annual average total return of 6.50 % to its shareholders. The stock has lost over half its value so far in 2008.

Summary of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy coverage including a link to the official Lehman Brothers’ press release.

Todd Sullivan comments on Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis’ decision to takeover Merrill Lynch.