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CNNMoney published their “Dumbest Moments in Business” gallery . There are some great statements in the list but here are 11 of my favorites(?) for 2011:

1. Regarding the debt ceiling debacle:

“Stupid.” “Like a banana republic.”

2. MF Global:

But just where is that $1.2 billion?

“I simply do not know where the money is,” said Jon Corzine, the CEO of bankrupt MF Global, when he appeared to testify to a Congressional committee in December.

3. For the free $100 of Blackberry apps in response to terrible service:

As the New York Times pointed out, if customers opted for the $20 version of an app called DriveSafe.ly — instead of the $80 enterprise version — and then bought every other app on BlackBerry’s list, that would add up to only $76.

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Company name BKF Capital Group, Inc.
Stock ticker BKFG
Live stock price [stckqut]BKFG[/stckqut]
Confident Investor Rating Poor

The following company description is from Google Finance: http://www.google.com/finance?q=bkfg

BKF Capital Group, Inc. (BKF) operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, BKF Management Co., Inc. (BMC) and its subsidiaries. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had no operations. The Company is focused on a merger, acquisition, business combination or other arrangement by and between the Company and a viable operating entity. The Company, through BKF GP Inc., acts as the managing general partner of several private investment partnerships, which are in the process of being liquidated and dissolved. The Company operated in the investment advisory and asset management business entirely through Asset Management, Inc. (BAM), which was an investment adviser with. BAM specialized in managing equity portfolios for institutional investors through its equity and alternative investment strategies.

Confident Investor comments: At this price and at this time, I do not think that a Confident Investor can confidently invest in this stock. It is not possible to confidently invest in a company that is not currently profitable.

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Company name Peabody Energy Corporation
Stock ticker BTU
Live stock price [stckqut]BTU[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Good
MANAGEMENT EXECUTION
Employee productivity Fair
Sales growth Good
EPS growth Good
P/E growth Poor
EBIT growth Poor
ANALYSIS
Confident Investor Rating Fair
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $6.11
Target stock price (averages with growth) $9.18
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $14.84
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $21.55

The following company description is from Google Finance: http://www.google.com/finance?q=btu

Peabody Energy Corporation is a coal company. The Company owns majority interests in 28 coal mining operations located in the United States and Australia. In addition to mining operations, it markets, brokers and trades coal. It operates in four segments: its three mining segments and Trading and Brokerage segment. The three mining segments are Western U.S. Mining, Midwestern U.S. Mining and Australian Mining. Its fifth segment, Corporate and Other, includes mining and export/transportation joint ventures, energy-related commercial activities, as well as the management of its coal reserve and real estate holdings. The principal business of its U.S. Mining segments is the mining, preparation and sale of thermal (steam) coal, sold primarily to electric utilities. Through the Trading and Brokerage segment, the Company brokers coal sales of other coal producers both as principal and agent, and trade coal, freight and freight-related contracts.

Confident Investor comments: At this time, I think that a Confident Investor can cautiously invest in this stock as long as the price is correct (which it currently is not). Most of the fundamentals of this company are good but there are some concerns.

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Company name Acacia Research Corporation
Stock ticker ACTG
Live stock price [stckqut]ACTG[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Fair
MANAGEMENT EXECUTION
Employee productivity Good
Sales growth Good
EPS growth Poor
P/E growth Poor
EBIT growth Poor
ANALYSIS
Confident Investor Rating Poor
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $0
Target stock price (averages with growth) $0.13
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $0.51
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $19

The following company description is from Google Finance: http://www.google.com/finance?q=actg

Acacia Research Corporation, through its operating subsidiaries, acquires, develops, licenses and enforces patented technologies. Its operating subsidiaries assist patent owners with the prosecution and development of their patent portfolios, the protection of their patented inventions from unauthorized use, the generation of licensing revenue from users of their patented technologies. In November 2011, it announced that a subsidiary had acquired rights to semiconductor memory and process patents from a technology company. In November 2011, it announced that a subsidiary has acquired six portfolios relating to cellular technology, mobile handsets, wireless local area networks, video processing, Internet Protocol Television technology, and location based services technology. In December 2011, the Company announced that a subsidiary acquired patents for inhaler drug delivery technology from a major medical company.

Confident Investor comments: At this price and at this time, I do not think that a Confident Investor can confidently invest in this stock. This is the kind of company that I invariably will get emails about that I don’t understand how great this company is. They will be right – there is a lot to not like about this company. I consider this to be a relatively risky investment but for those of you that like a risky investment, I will not stop you. In addition to not liking the fundamentals, I also don’t like the business that this company is in.

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Company name Amphenol Corporation
Stock ticker APH
Live stock price [stckqut]APH[/stckqut]
P/E compared to competitors Fair
MANAGEMENT EXECUTION
Employee productivity Poor
Sales growth Good
EPS growth Good
P/E growth Poor
EBIT growth Good
ANALYSIS
Confident Investor Rating Fair
Target stock price (TWCA growth scenario) $50.25
Target stock price (averages with growth) $70.32
Target stock price (averages with no growth) $60.04
Target stock price (manual assumptions) $49.65

The following company description is from Google Finance: http://www.google.com/finance?q=aph

Amphenol Corporation (Amphenol) is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of electrical, electronic and fiber optic connectors, interconnect systems, and coaxial and high-speed specialty cable. It operates in two business segments: Interconnect Products and Assemblies, and Cable Products. It designs and manufactures connectors and interconnect systems, which are used primarily to conduct electrical and optical signals for a range of electronic applications. It has developed a range of connector and interconnect products for information technology and communications equipment applications, including the converging voice, video and data communications markets. It offers a range of interconnect products for factory automation and motion control systems, machine tools, instrumentation and medical systems and mass transportation applications. Amphenol�s brand names include Amphenol, Times Fiber, Tuchel, Socapex, Sine, Spectra-Strip, Pyle-National, Matrix and Kai Jack.

Confident Investor comments: At this time, I think that a Confident Investor can cautiously invest in this stock as long as the price is correct. Most of the fundamentals of this company are good but there are some concerns.