starbucks --the history of the stock | Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock

A "Grande" Introduction to the Stock Market | Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock | Karen Blumenthal

books:


	• Grande Expectations: A Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock Karen Blumenthal Three Rivers Press, 2008 - 320 pages average customer review:based on 9 reviews view larger image
	for more information click here

highly recommended

Otherwise dry material rendered frappalicious

I seldom go to Starbucks and can rarely stomach lengthy financial analysis, so I never expected to be so consumed by a book that I just happened across and then couldn't put down. As a liberal-arts-type reader, I was as riveted by this utterly charming biography of a stock as I routinely am by a great man's life story. As originally unappetizing to me as the thought of 300 pages detailing a company's year-long stock performance was the sheer pleasure here of following the author's wide-eyed pursuit of answers about why stocks rise and fall. As Ms. Blumenthal chases down a broad swath of individuals to learn all she could about the history and future prospects for Starbucks, I found the questions she put to Howard Schultz and other company execs, to security analysts and fund managers, to small DIY investors, and to many others, were exactly the kind of questions I wanted asked. Assuming you're not already a full-time securities pro, reading this book -- although it won't instantly certify you as a financial guru -- will, for less than the cost of a few macchiatos and frappucinos, make you far wiser about this amazing company and the ways of the market. Concentrating so deeply on one company enables the author to show how stock buybacks, black-box trading operations, analyst reports, and dozens of other abstract concepts actually work in a real-world case history over an extended period. Thus material that would otherwise seem academic and dry becomes far more palatable and understandable. Kudos to Ms. Blumenthal for wonderful reporting and making stock-tracking acutely interesting and intelligible.

for more information click here

starbucks --the history of the stock

I thought this was a good book about the history of the starbucks stock. The author kept the pace smooth and easy to navigate throughout.

A "Grande" Introduction to the Stock Market

While this book is subtitled "A Year in the Life of Starbucks' Stock," it serves as an introduction to the stock market for general readers--you don't have to be a coffee lover or Starbucks' stock owner to enjoy the ride. That's not to say that Starbucks fans won't enjoy it, though, as Blumenthal provides a fun look back at the rise of the Seattle coffee giant.

"Grande Expectations" is by far one of the most easily accessible books on the stock market ever written. As such, seasoned investors may be let down--but for the casual investor, I give this a five-star rating.

for more information click here

Steve Forbes Loved It and You Will, Too.

Steve Forbes reviewed this book and loved it, and I think it appeals equally to people who understand the market well, and those who don't. Blumenthal details all the information you wish you had, but don't have time to gather, when investing in a stock. Mostly, though, it's a fascinating, fun read, and that's the reason to pick it up!

Inside Look at How Starbucks and the Stock Market Works

Have you ever watched a particular stock go up and down in value in the market and had trouble understanding the rational behind why it moved as it did? In Grande Expectations Blumenthal, a former long time writer for the Wall Street Journal, examines the historically "hot" stock of Starbucks. In it, she examines varying players in the buying and selling of a stock and spends time with each of them to understand why they choose to buy, sell, or hold Starbucks stock. The company had their Initial Public Offering of stock in 1992 and since that time has rocketed in growth.

One clever stylistic portion of the book is the text on the first page of each chapter is tapered in the form of a coffee cup. The chapters are divided by months and Blumenthal examines different things which affected the stock price. One example is an examination of how a price increase in coffee or the introduction of seasonal products affect sales and consequently the stock price. The book is not only a chronological account of the stock's price over the year of 2005 but also delves into the roles of analysts, mutual funds, hedge funds, investment clubs, individuals and varying other investors.

She attends the shareholder company meeting, which is put on as an entertaining spectacle and huge pep rally for shareholders. Additionally, she speaks with CEO Howard Shultz and a number of other executives to understand company strategy and why they do what they do. She also talks with local Starbucks owners and learns about the company's purpose in sometimes having multiple stores within close proximity such as directly across the street.

The stock market prices stocks based on expectations and potential for growth. It rewards companies which consistently produce strong growth and punishes companies when numbers slip even slightly from what its high expectations are. This can be seen in high growth companies who report solid earnings and yet the stock price takes a hit. The market has come to expect extraordinary results and prices the stock as such so when results are simply good and not extraordinary the stock price can fall.

It would have been nice to have seen the stock followed during 2006 so more recent history could have been followed but having a record of the stock's actions during 2005 was also educational. At times the technique of using months as chapter breaks did not seem to work from a literary standpoint. To some degree, we revisited the same characters whether individual investors, analysts, or investment clubs but I would like to have maintained the same cast and visited with them more frequently during the year to better grasp their thinking on actions with the stock. At the same time, the book tried to dig down to understand the various elements involved in why a stock price moves. The book felt like a journalistic style of interview, background, and research which provided a good end product but perhaps could have excelled more if it focused either on the story of how the individuals interacted with the stock or more strictly on the various components of why the stock moves.

Regardless of the aforementioned suggestions, the book provides a great historical and relatively current look at what is becoming a classic company recognized worldwide as well as insight into why a stock price moves as it does. Whether you're a coffee lover, stock market buff, or financial nerd, this book provides good reading material and lessons along the way.

for more information click here

Karen Blumenthal, like most people, is mystified by the stock market. Just why is it, she wonders, that seemingly good news can send a stock plummeting and bad news can send it skyrocketing again?

In Grande Expectations, she shows how money is made and lost by following one of America?s hottest growth stocks, Starbucks, through a year of rapid store openings, fancy new drinks, and clever promotions, revealing how the many players?big and small investors, company management, analysts, and the media?propel its shares up and down.

Blumenthal pulls back the curtain on the stock market to expose its quirks and inner workings, from the power of a penny of earnings and the unexpected impact of a stock split to the image-enhancing effects of a brand of bottled water. With a fly-on-the-wall, character-driven narrative, Grande Expectations not only makes investing interesting but also will help you make smarter and savvier investing choices by:

?Understanding how big pension and mutual fund managers decide whether to buy more Starbucks?or dump it

?Seeing the unique ways that analysts and other finance professionals assess an investment?dissecting not only the numbers but also the company?s management, demographics, and global opportunities

?Learning how Starbucks executives manage our expectations and keep excitement percolating about the business?and the stock

?Watching how a stock is traded and how that might affect your buying or selling

?Gleaning how multibillion-dollar private hedge funds make money on infinitesimal changes in a stock?s price

?Entering the dark, strange world of the short sellers

?Realizing how different people can make absolutely opposite bets and all still come out ahead

You?ll come away with new insights into how the stock market really works?the power of expectations, stock buybacks, and profits?and explore Starbucks? phenomenal growth and whether it is sustainable. By unraveling the market?s mysteries, Grande Expectations shows how investing can be both profitable and understandable. Get ready for the ride of your life?and a lifetime of fruitful stock market success.

From the Hardcover edition.

for more information click here

reviews: page 1, 2

hot