Joshua M Brown

Founders: How We Invented Chipotle

My admiration for Chipotle knows no bounds (see here). I mean the company, not the stock, as I don’t really get into those types of discussions here. But my god, Chipotle the startup, Chipotle the brand, Chipotle the experience – everything about what these guys have done is so amazing, so American. Anyway, head over…

Will the Top-Callers Get Clowned Again?

The S&P 500 finished the first month of the year with a 3.2% loss. By this time last year – the first trading day of February – the S&P 500 had declined by 6% in the first month of 2014 and the top-callers were out in force. Except the market bottomed that day and recovered the entirety…

Q4 Earnings Season Tracks Above Average

Savita Subramanian notes that, overall, Q4 2014 earnings reports are tracking better than average, despite the massive headwinds of FX volatility and energy-related investment stalling. With the conclusion of Week 3—the biggest week of 4Q earnings season—226 companies representing 63% of S&P 500 earnings have reported. Bottom-up EPS jumped $0.51 to $30.06, now tracking above…

This Week on TRB

The sun sets over San Diego this week, Coronado Island’s naval base in the distance.   These were the most read posts on the site this week, in case you missed them: 

Consumer vs CapEx

This morning’s Q4 GDP report was a headline miss (2.6% versus an expected reading of 3.2%), mostly explained by the inability of strong consumer spending to overcome investment malaise. Bank of America Merrill Lynch’s economists break it down thusly: Consumer comeback, slower investment Consumer spending surged 4.3% qoq saar, which was the largest increase since 1Q…