TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (AMTD) Profit Declines Despite Higher Trading Volumes
Excerpt from the InvestorGuide.com Stock of the Day on 10/27/2009

Many investors traded more actively as the market improved and underwent the biggest rally in U.S. stocks since the 1930s. In fact, TD Ameritrade Holding Corp. (AMTD: Charts, News, Offers), the Omaha, Nebraska-based online brokerage firm, said that its trading-based business was strong with average trades per day up 35 percent, and its trading-based revenue jumped almost 38 percent. These numbers were helped by its $748.6 million purchase of options-trading specialist, Thinkorswim Group Inc., earlier this year. The acquisition enabled it to deliver record trading and revenue numbers. Despite the fact, TD Ameritrade profit for the quarter ended September 30 fell 8.8% at $156.7 million or 26 cents a share, beating analysts' estimate of 23 cents a share, but down from $172 million or 29 cents a share from a year earlier. What is wrong with this picture? Why does TD Ameritrade profit continue to fall despite higher trading volumes? More >

Jealousy Clouds Judgment When it Comes to Goldman
Excerpt from the InvestorGuide.com Stock of the Day on 10/16/2009

You always want to be in the middle. If you fall back too far, failure looms large but if you outperform the pack, you become the poster boy for greed. Just ask Goldman. Lloyd Blankfein's firm has become the favorite whipping boy of the populist media. Yesterday, the bank reported a profit of $3.19 billion for the quarter (those are almost oil company numbers). The bonus compensation pool for the year will be north of $20 billion, the highest ever. Most of the media coverage has expressed anger and outrage. But the true emotion in play here is jealousy and everybody is just trying their best to masquerade it. More >