‘We’ll just shake our heads’

By Geert De Lombaerde Posted on January 6, 2010 at 9:57 am

Todd Wenning at The Motley Fool laments the time about 10 months ago when he missed the bottom in Tractor Supply shares.

Sometimes, good companies can get away before we have a chance to buy them at the right price. That’s just a part of investing. Always keep in mind, though, that good companies aren’t always a “buy” — the stock price has to be right, too.

Don’t look for another meaningful in Tractor Supply (Ticker: TSCO) soon, though: At its current price, it’s just $1 below analysts’ average target price.

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Tags: Motley Fool, retail, stock valuation, Todd Wenning, Tractor Supply Co.  

Raising the red flag of debt on Cracker Barrel

By Geert De Lombaerde Posted on December 14, 2009 at 9:47 am

Colleen Paulson at Motley Fool thinks CEO Mike Woodhouse and his team have little wiggle room with a debt load more than four times the company’s equity.

Especially in these economic times, it’s important for companies to limit debt to reasonable levels. Companies that rely on consumers, such as Cracker Barrel and Cedar Fair, are at particular risk when the market falls as fickle personal tastes combined with empty wallets can spell doom, especially when lots of debt is involved.

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Tags: Cracker Barrel Old Country Store Inc., debt, Motley Fool, restaurants, retail  

Tractor Supply’s short-sighted sellers

By Geert De Lombaerde Posted on October 27, 2009 at 11:20 am

Motley Fool’s Rob Plaza says those dumping Tractor Supply following its Q3 report last week are jumping off “one of the only growth stories in retail.” Tractor Supply shares (Ticker: TSCO) have gained 28 percent this year.

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Tags: Motley Fool, retail, stock valuation, Tractor Supply Co.