Over the past several weeks, many of us have been working from home in response to the "social distancing" necessitated by the coronavirus. Nonetheless, we still have opportunities to get outside and enjoy Mother Nature. And now, with the 50th anniversary of Earth Day being celebrated on April 22, it's important to appreciate the need to protect our environment. Of course, you can do so in many ways -- including the way you invest.

Some investors are supporting the environment through "sustainable" investing, which is often called ESG (environmental, social and corporate governance) investing.

In general, it refers to investments in businesses whose products and services are considered favorable to the physical environment (such as companies that produce renewable energy or that act to reduce their own carbon footprints) or the social environment (such as firms that follow ethical business practices or pursue important societal goals, such as inclusion and pay equity). ESG investing may also screen out investments in companies that produce products some people find objectionable.

ESG investing has become popular in recent years, and not just with individuals; major institutional investors now pursue sustainability because they think it's profitable -- and plenty of facts bear that out. A growing body of academic research has found a positive relationship between corporate financial performance -- that is, a company's profitability -- and ESG criteria.

So, although you might initially be attracted to sustainable investments because they align with your personal values, or because you want to hold companies to higher standards of corporate citizenship, it turns out that you can do well by doing good. Keep in mind, though, that sustainability, like any other criteria, can't guarantee success or prevent losses.

In any case, be aware that sustainable investing approaches can vary significantly, so you need to determine how a particular sustainable investment, or class of investments, can align with your values and fit into your overall portfolio. Specifically, how will a sustainable investment meet your needs for diversification?

For example, if you desire total control over how your money is invested, you might want to invest in a basket of individual stocks from the companies you wish to support. But if you want to achieve greater diversification, plus receive the benefits of professional management, you might want to invest in sustainable mutual funds.

Be aware, though, that even though they may not market themselves as "sustainable," many more mutual funds do incorporate sustainability criteria into their investment processes. You also might consider exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which own a variety of investments, similar to regular mutual funds, but trade like stocks. ETFs often track particular indexes, so an ETF with a sustainable focus might track an index including companies that have been screened for social responsibility.

Make sure you understand the fundamentals of any sustainable investment you're considering, as well as whether it can help you work toward your long-term goals. But by "going green" with some of your investments, you can help keep the spirit of Earth Day alive every day of the year.

This article was written by local Edward Jones financial advisor Dave Mason.

Read the rest here:
Earth Day: Time to 'go green' with investments? - Norman Transcript

Are you looking for startups to invest in?

Thats great if you are. Just remember that like investments in the stock market, theyre not a sure thing, especially during this unique period of coronavirus-related volatility.

Dr. Zachary Cohle, Assistant Teaching Professor of Economics at Quinnipiac University, spoke to InvestorPlace about equity crowdfunding. Specifically, Dr. Cohle spoke to how the coronavirus could impact equity crowdfunding.

Due to the shutdowns related to Covid-19, the ability for firms to raise capital will be significantly weakened, says Dr. Cohle. For those who were once looking to invest, the Covid-19 virus may prevent investment in two ways. First, the uncertainty of ones own income in the coming months will make people less likely to tie up money in long-term investments. Second, the uncertainty of businesses during the next few months will make the expected payoff from any investment decrease.

That said, if you understand the risks involved, you might want to consider the equity crowdfunding platform StartEngine.

StartEngine was founded in June 2015 after the Securities and Exchange Commission enacted Title II of the JOBS Act. However, it was the enactment of Title III, which allowed companies to make securities offerings to non-accredited investors, that really got things rolling.

In almost four years since, StartEngine has become one of the countrys leading equity crowdfunding platforms, raising more than $125 million from more than 200,000 investors.

Currently, it has 88 investment opportunities on its platform. Here are what I believe are some of the best startups to invest in on StartEngine.

Amount Raised: $707,220Amount Raised Per Investor: N/APrice Per Share: $60Minimum Investment: $60

Long before the U.K. craft brewer invaded the U.S. market in 2017, the duo of founders, James Watt and Martin Dickie, were busy raising funds for their business through equity crowdfunding. In 2010, the duo completed its first of many Equity for Punks equity raises, selling 639,400 pounds worth of BrewDog shares. Since then, the craft brewer has convinced more than 120,000 investors to invest in its dreams of global domination.

BrewDog USA launched its first beer in America in June 2017. Its 42-acre site in Ohio has a 100,000 square-foot brewery, a taproom and restaurant, the DogHouse craft beer hotel, and the Overworks sour facility.

The current brewery has an annual capacity for 426,000 barrels of beer with the ability to build a second brewhouse to accommodate more growth.

BrewDog USAs first equity crowdfunding raise was in 2016. Its Equity for Punks USA raised more than $7 million or an average of approximately $875 per investor. Its second in 2018 raised more than $2.2 million or $355 per investor.

Currently, it is looking to raise up to $39 million, which will be used to fund a West Coast expansion, build BrewDog outposts in smaller towns across America, and opening the American arm of BrewDog Distilling, producing gin, vodka, and whiskey.

If BrewDog USA raises all $39 million, the UK parent, BrewDog plc, would own 88.2% of its stock with equity crowd funders owning the rest. BrewDog USAs most recent revenues, according to its Form 1A Regulation Offering Statement, are $12.4 million with EBITDA of $503,030. It has total assets of $47.5 million and zero long-term debt.

2019 was a successful year for BrewDog USA as it increased its production by 46% to 53,000 barrels.

Apart from Punk IPA [the companys flagship beer], which is flat, everything else is growing like crazy, so its continuing to drive distribution on those day-in, day-out beers, along with offering up our Limiteds and our Amplifieds and the nitros and the AFs [alcohol-free], so theres fun and excitement on the side, said Adam Lambert, the companys chief revenue officer.

Through the first half of 2019, BrewDog USAs Ohio business (56% of its sales) grew by 90%. The Mid-Atlantic (25% of sales) grew by a whopping 182%. Overall, it sells 60% of its beer through the off-premise retail channel and the remainder through bars, restaurants, and corporate taprooms and bars. Off-premise sales grew by 127% through the first six months of 2019, while on-premise grew by 97%.

The company currently operates a taproom at its Columbus brewery, two other taprooms in the Columbus area, and two additional locations in Cincinnati and Indianapolis. It plans to open a sixth location in Pittsburgh later in 2020.

As part of its expansion plans, it intends to put rentable apartments above each of its taprooms. Called Kennels, its another way the company is looking to engage its customer base.

Everything is about creating this incredible beer-themed experience where you can come stay above one of our bars and have a gorgeous space with incredible room amenities, said special projects manager Keith Bennet. Theyve got some of the best beer from around the world in them.

The biggest downside? The coronavirus could topple it.

The founders sent an email to shareholders in March that suggested the coronavirus is going to severely hurt its business on both sides of the pond.

As Covid-19 reaps unforeseen havoc on our world, our number one priority must be the safety of our loved ones. As for BrewDog, I am writing to tell you that things over the next few months are going to be very, very difficult for us, co-founder James Watt stated.

Covid-19 has already had a colossal impact on our business and we have lost almost 70% of our revenue overnight. We have two main priorities at the moment. Number one: survive. Number two: preserve as many of the 2,000 jobs we have created at BrewDog as possible.

Although this is a stark reminder of what a difficult time it is for businesses of all sizes, I believe that BrewDog USA will come out of this stronger than ever due to its unique brand and fundraising activities.

And one more thing: Unlike publicly traded stocks, equity crowdfunding investments come with perks. As perks go, what could be better than beer?

ModVans

Amount Raised: $692,015Amount Raised Per Person: $373Price Per Share: $5.95Minimum Investment: $101.15

Why do I like it? Millennials will love the companys CV1 campervan. Plus, it already has $3.7 million in sales.

Flower Turbines

Amount Raised: $183,660 Amount Raised Per Person: $759Price Per Share: $30Minimum Investment: $30

Why do I like it? I live in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which is right on the Atlantic Ocean. Its a very windy place. Flower Turbines product is a much better renewable energy solution than solar. It is the future of renewable energy. The biggest concern? It currently has only a few customers and no sales history. It is what you would consider an actual startup.

These are but a few of the investments worth exploring on StartEngine, but theyre all very good options to get you started on your journey in the equity crowdfunding space.

Will Ashworth has written about investments full-time since 2008. Publications where hes appeared include InvestorPlace, The Motley Fool Canada, Investopedia, Kiplinger, and several others in both the U.S. and Canada. He particularly enjoys creating model portfolios that stand the test of time. He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia. At the time of this writing Will Ashworth did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Go here to see the original:
These Are Some of the Best Startups to Invest In on StartEngine - Investorplace.com

Generation X Most Comfortable with Stocks News Release, Bankrate.com

NEW YORK Millennials continue to lag behind their elders when it comes to investing in the stock market, according to a new Bankrate.com (NYSE: RATE) report. Just 33% of millennials say that they own stock, compared to 51% of Gen Xers (ages 36-51) and 48% of Baby Boomers (ages 52-70). Whats interesting is that older millennials are leading the charge when it comes to investing; 44% of those ages 26-35 say they invest, compared to only 18% of those ages 18-25.

Older millennials seem to be getting the message that the stock market allows for major financial gains if you start early, said Jill Cornfield, Bankrate.coms retirement analyst. Although theres always some risk involved, building a portfolio at an early age allows for compound interest to grow and produce ample savings over time, Cornfield added.

Overall, the general population is still shying away from investing in the stock market. More than half of the respondents (54%) say they do not invest. The top reason cited for staying out of the stock market is not having enough money (48%), followed by not knowing enough about stocks to invest (25%). Other deterrents include, stocks are too risky (11%), not trusting stock brokers or advisors (7%) and fear of high fees(1%).

Income and education are clear indicators when it comes to stock market participation. 73% of individuals with an income of $75K or more invest in the market compared to only 9% of people who earn under $30K per year. Similarly, those who have college education say they invest in the market more than people with a high school education or less, 61% vs. 29%, respectively.

Princeton Survey Research Associates International obtained telephone interviews with a nationally representative sample of 1,000 adults living in the continental United States.

Interviews were conducted by landline (500) and cell phone (500, including 255 without a landline phone) in English and Spanish by Princeton Data Source. Statistical results are weighted to correct known demographic discrepancies. The margin of sampling error for the complete set of weighted data is plus or minus 4.0 percentage points.

The Southern Maryland Chronicle is a local, small business entrusted to provide factual, unbiased reporting to the Southern Maryland Community.While we look to local businesses for advertising, we hope to keep that cost as low as possible in order to attract even the smallest of local businesses and help them get out to the public. We must also be able to pay employees(part-time and full-time), along with equipment, and website related things. We never want to make the Chronicle a pay-wall style news site.

To that end, we are looking to the community to offer donations. Whether its a one-time donation or you set up a reoccurring monthly donation. It is all appreciated. All donations at this time will be going to furthering the Chronicle through hiring individuals that have the same goals of providing fair, and unbiased news to the community. For now, donations will be going to a business PayPal account I have set-up for the Southern Maryland Chronicle, KDC Designs. All business transactions currently occur within this PayPal account. If you have any questions regarding this you can email me at [emailprotected]

Thank you for all of your support and I hope to continue bringing Southern Maryland the best news possible for a very long time. David M. Higgins II

See the original post:
Only 1 in 3 Millennials are Investing in the Stock Market - The Southern Maryland Chronicle

In the past two months, big stocks have been walloped, but small stocks have been beaten up worse.

Large stocks (measured by the Standard & Poors 500 Index) are down about 17% from their high on Feb. 19, taking dividends into account. Small stocks (measured by the Russell 2000 Index) have fallen about 26%.

Its no secret that small stocks are more volatile than their big brethren. But sometimes, volatility can be a buyers friend. For bargain hunters, I think there are some undiscovered gems among the small companies. Here are four that appeal to me.

On the day the market hit its high, Americas Car-Mart Inc. (CRMT) traded for $126. As of April 10, it was about $64.

Selling used cars to folks with bad credit is the companys main activity. It prices its car loans to anticipate an above-average default rate, and the strategy has worked up to now. Car-Mart stayed profitable in each of the past 15 years, even during the Great Recession of 2007-2009.

Can it weather the recession that most economists think is about to hit? Im not sure it will keep its profit streak alive, but I do think it will survive and live to fight another day.

The South Car-Marts core territory hasnt been hit as hard by the coronavirus as New York and Washington states.

If the recession gets bad, and the bear market of February and early March resumes, people may shy away from investing. Thats why Diamond Hill Investment Group Inc. (DHIL) sells for only six times recent earnings.

Thats quite a low multiple for the Columbus, Ohio, firm, which has fetched an average of close to 15 times earnings over the past 10 years. Over that decade, the firm has grown its revenue almost 10% a year. Growth has slowed lately, as investing in index funds has become popular.

Diamond Hill runs some 13 mutual funds, as well as other accounts. It is debt free, a valuable attribute in troubled times. Two insiders, CEO Heather Brilliant and director James Laird Jr., have added to their shareholdings recently.

Johnson Outdoors Inc. (JOUT), based in Racine, Wisconsin, makes a wide variety of outdoor recreation equipment. Its Humminbird sonar equipment helps fishermen find fish. Its quiet Minn-Kota battery-powered fishing motors help the fishermen to sneak up on them. And its GPS equipment helps the fishermen get home again.

The company also makes camping equipment, scuba diving equipment, kayaks, canoes and other outdoor recreation gear. It has grown its book value (corporate net worth per share) at an 11% annual pace for the past five years.

Tow trucks and car-carrier trucks are the staple products at Miller Industries Inc. (MLR), which has its headquarters in Ooltewah, Tennessee. Like Americas Car-Mart, it has turned a profit in each of the past 15 years, even recession-wracked 2008.

Over the past decade, Miller Industries has grown its revenue at more than 12% a year and earnings at more than 15% a year. The stock has sold for an average of 14 times earnings in the past 10 years; its multiple today is only eight.

Since the beginning of 2000, Ive written 22 columns devoted to small-stock recommendations. The average 12-month return on my picks has been 14.3%. That compares well to 6.3% for the S&P 500 Index and 8.5% for the Russell 2000. Figures are total returns including dividends.

Of the 22 sets of recommendations, 17 were profitable. Fourteen beat the S&P 500, and the same number beat the Russell 2000.

Bear in mind that my column recommendations are hypothetical: They dont reflect actual trades, trading costs or taxes. These results shouldnt be confused with the performance of portfolios I manage for clients. Also, past performance doesnt predict future results.

My picks from a year ago declined about 7% from April 15, 2019, through April 9, 2020, beating the Russell 2000 but not the S&P 500. The Russell fell just over 20% in that time, while the S&P lost only about 2%.

The only stock I plumped for a year ago that did well was PetMed Express Inc. (PETS), up about 37%. But I lost 38% on Marine Mac Inc. and 20% on Home Bancorp Inc. (HBCP). Two other picks had smaller losses.

Caution: I wouldnt run out and buy a full position in these stocks, even though I like them. If you agree with my recommendations, I suggest buying one-third of your ultimate position now, another third in June and the final helping in August. I think the markets will be rough this year.

Disclosure: I own shares in Americas Car-Mart personally and for most of my clients. I own Miller Industries personally and in a hedge fund I manage.

John Dorfman is chairman of Dorfman Value Investments in Newton Upper Falls, Massachusetts, and a syndicated columnist. He can be reached at jdorfman@dorfmanvalue.com.

Link:
On Investments: If you're a bargain hunter, consider these undiscovered gems - Omaha World-Herald

Have $1,000 lying around that you want to turn into more? Maybe you've just received your stimulus check from the U.S. Treasury, and you know that recessions tend to be fantastic times to buy stocks for the long term. Well, you're right. Invest your $1,000 in these three stocks right now and you could reap rewards over time.

Spotify (NYSE:SPOT) is the world's largest music and audio streaming company, with a presence in 79 markets (soon to be 80 with the launch in South Korea). As of the end of last year, the company had 271 million monthly active users (MAUs), including 124 million paying premium subscribers. Those figures grew 31% and 29%, respectively, last year.

What's special about Spotify is how much it dominates its industry despite having certain characteristics of a commodity-based business. In other words, every music streaming service basically has all the same songs. So why is Spotifyso much more popular than every other service?

Image source: Getty Images.

The answer: Spotify's product is superior to every competing service out there. How is that possible? Spotify's only business is music and audio streaming. That allows it to have an intense focus that its larger tech competitors (Apple's Apple Music, Amazon.com's Amazon Music, Alphabet's YouTube Music, and others) can't match. For example, Spotify spent $615 million on research and development (R&D) for audio streaming alone last year. The company has 2,094 employees in its R&D operation: 48% of its entire workforce. No other company has that kind of focus on this one market.

Spotify has a huge subscriber base already, but there will be over 3 billion smartphone users in markets that Spotify either operates in now or will soon enter, and they're all potential users for the service one day. That implies the company has only penetrated 9% of its market in terms of MAUs and only 4% in terms of subscribers. The runway ahead is very long, and Spotify's bargaining power and margin potential will only increase as it grows larger.

Lyft (NASDAQ:LYFT) is one of the two scale players in the U.S. ride-hailing business. The business grew revenue 68% to $3.6 billion last year and has been rapidly approaching break-even adjusted EBITDA.

The company has a long runway ahead to grow, because ridesharing represented just 1% of total vehicle miles traveled in the U.S. in 2016, according to management consultancy McKinsey. But in more deeply penetrated areas, ride-hailing's share is far greater. For example, it accounts for 13% of vehicle miles traveled in San Francisco, 8% in Boston, 3% in Chicago and Los Angeles, and 2% in Seattle. Ridesharing should only grow over time due to its lower cost and greater simplicity versus car ownership, especially in urban areas. It should also benefit from a tailwind as millennials and younger generations who are more tech savvy become an increasing proportion of the population.

Lyft is still cash-flow negative, but it's investing several hundred million dollars on newer and still-unprofitable growth initiatives like bikes and scooter rentals and autonomous technology. Considering the size of those investments and how close Lyft was to break-even cash flow last year, it's fair to conclude the core ride-hailing business is already nicely free-cash-flow positive.

The company's long-term profit margins should be attractive, too. On the ride level, each additional ride has about 50% profit margin. But management thinks that could be closer to 70% long term. Either way, more of the company's revenue should drop to the bottom line as the business grows larger.

Lyft is going through a difficult period today because so many are housebound. But it should clearly survive. And by the time we get to the other side of this COVID-19 downturn, the stock should be far higher than it is today.

Vail Resorts (NYSE:MTN)operates 17 ski resorts in North America and Australia. The company owns large and popular resorts like Whistler-Blackcomb in British Columbia, Vail Mountain and Breckenridge in Colorado, and Park City in Utah, among many others.

Including reinvested dividends, the company made investors over seven times their money in the 10 years prior to the stock's pre-COVID-19 peak in February. The company has demonstrated impressive pricing power with its season ski passes over the years, including the Epic Pass program, which grants avid skiers access to any of the company's resorts for one price.

But the stock has fallen 35% from its February high because the company was forced to close all of its North American ski resorts, retail stores, and lodging properties due to the outbreak. Vail Resorts has responded by cutting spending significantly, including furloughing workers, reducing salaries, deferring capital projects, and suspending the quarterly dividend for the next two quarters.

Vail's primary ski business should begin to recover next winter as we increasingly get COVID-19 under control. And once we have an effective vaccine -- likely 12 to 18 months from now -- nothing will hold back skiers from hitting Vail's slopes. In fact, investors should expect the unleashing of so much pent-up demand that Vail could see a massive recovery.

Excerpt from:
Where to Invest $1,000 Right Now - The Motley Fool

The Intellivision Amico is a new family-focused gaming console launching this year, and now you have a chance to invest in it. Intellivision is positioning the device as something between a console and a smartphone. Its a way for families to get together to play games on a TV without having to worry about the complications of modern hardware. Or, at least, that is the pitch. And Intellivision will gladly accept your help funding that business model through the Fig crowd-investment platform.

You can also preorder the system through Fig, but this campaign is primarily about opening up Amico to investors. Intellvision boss Tommy Tallarico explained why the company turned to Fig.

Based on the overwhelming volume of investment requests for Intellivision Entertainment, we have decided to offer investors who share our vision to bring families and friends together an opportunity to join us on our exciting journey, said Tallarico. Figs community publishing platform for indie video game developers and Republics mission to feature a diverse portfolio of cutting-edge startups with a majority coming from underserved founders were important selling points for us.

Intellivision is planning to release Amico for $250, and then the company will sell downloadable games for $3-to-$10 after that. It also comes with two controllers that look almost like the touchwheel iPods.

If that all sounds different than the Nintendos and PlayStations, thats by design. Intellivision wants to have its own platform where games are simple enough for anyone to play. Of course, that may mean some games end up looking cheap.

But the Amico isnt for me. I have a PC and three consoles connected to my TV. So maybe the company is onto something I dont quite comprehend. And maybe some investors on Fig will jive with that vision.

Continue reading here:
You can invest in the Intellivision Amico through Fig - VentureBeat

DANE COUNTY (WKOW) -- Dane County has invested more than $1.8 million in services supporting people experiencing homelessness since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic in Wisconsin.

According to Dane County Executive Joe Parisi, efforts include reserving hotel rooms to help create proper social distancing, supportive services, and food services.

Limiting the spread of the coronavirus is our top priority, and these efforts have helped us flatten the curve in our community. A huge thank you goes out to our staff and community partners who have worked to carry out these efforts. Parisi said.

Dane County has partnered with the City of Madison and local service agencies on these efforts.

Back in March, Parisi said Dane County had partnered with several hotels in the Madison area to secure 72 hotel rooms.

Currently, over 300 people have been relocated to more than 180 hotel rooms. Roughly $395,000 has been spent on the hotel rooms.

The hotel rooms are being used for families and those considered at high-risk to contract the COVID-19.

To date, Dane County has also allocated $545,000 in supportive services and $262,000 in meals.

Most recently, Dane County finalized a $252,000 agreement to provide lodging for individuals experiencing homelessness who are symptomatic and in need of space to isolate while they recover. $250,000 will help fund on-site nurse support.

Dane County has also invested $16,860 since March 23 for handwashing stations and portable toilets throughout Madison.

Follow this link:
Dane Co. has invested more than $1.8 million in homeless services since start of COVID-19 - WKOW

The Peace Tower on Parliament Hill in Ottawa is seen, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, on Saturday, April 18, 2020.

Justin Tang/The Canadian Press

The federal government is following the lead of other countries and tightening scrutiny of foreign takeovers of Canadian firms whose values have plummeted due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The goal, according to the Saturday policy statement is to "ensure that in-bound investment does not introduce new risks to Canadas economy or national security, including the health and safety of Canadians.

Rules already in place to vet foreign direct investment from state-owned enterprises, or state-connected entities, will now apply to all investments, no matter their value said the weekend policy statement. The government will also pay close attention to investments of any value, controlling or non-controlling in businesses involved in public health or the supply of critical goods and services.

Story continues below advertisement

According to the statement, the broader lens Ottawa is applying to state-linked entities is because the pandemic amplifies the concern that they may be motivated by non-commercial imperatives that could harm Canadas economic or national security interests.

The new policy will stay in place until the economy recovers from the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The change follows in the footsteps of countries like Australia, Germany, Spain and France that have taken steps to limit or further scrutinize takeovers from foreign investors. A month into the pandemic, innovation and legal experts say Canadas move comes late and that it shouldnt just be limited to the pandemics time-frame as COVID-19 has laid bare the countrys vulnerabilities when it is too reliant on international players for critical goods.

What will Canadas Pandexit strategy look like? How officials are deciding when to lift coronavirus lockdowns

Will it be a quick or lengthy economic rebound? Charting the possible shape of a challenging recovery

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Minister Navdeep Bains was not available for an interview Saturday.

In a statement, he said the enhanced scrutiny is needed to put a buffer between economically weakened companies and opportunistic investors."

Mr. Bains office did not say whether it has already identified foreign entities trying to take advantage of the lower valuations of many companies, but the Canadian Chamber of Commerce said it was not aware of any opportunistic buying so far. Still the chambers senior director of international policy, Mark Agnew, said the pandemic has shown the country needs to protect key sectors.

Naive thinking will leave us ill prepared for future pandemics, Mr. Agnew said in a statement

Story continues below advertisement

He cautioned that the domestic economy still needs foreign capital and the move by Ottawa could have a chilling effect. The chamber also called on Ottawa to more widely publicize the changes, which were announced on a federal government website and flagged to some journalists.

Boarded up clothing stores are seen on Robson Street, in Vancouver, on Thursday, April 16, 2020.

DARRYL DYCK/The Canadian Press

The federal government should be clear about which sectors will be subject to the broader scrutiny, Mr. Agnew said.

Paul Boothe, a retired professor and former associate deputy minister at Industry Canada, said the policy statement puts companies "on notice that the government will be taking a closer look at some transactions.

Attracting foreign investment has been a big focus of the Liberal government since is was first elected in 2015. To push its agenda Ottawa established Invest Canada in 2018. Saturdays policy marks a departure from the federal governments previous stance.

The new policy was panned by Jim Balsillie, chairman of the Council of Canadian Innovators, who said its not adequately thought through and falls short on several measures.

Jim Balsillie speaks at The Globe and Mail's Canada Future Forward Summit, June 26, 2019, in Toronto.

Glenn Lowson/The Globe and Mail

It confuses foreign direct investment with foreign portfolio investment, its short term applicability ignores the sustained capacity a sovereign country requires, and its narrow scope ignores the breadth of strategic assets required to protect Canadians interests," Mr. Balsillie said.

Story continues below advertisement

"Whoever developed this policy needs to talk to innovation policy experts who understand how strategic technologies are developed, commercialized and move across borders.

Natalie Raffoul, an Ottawa patent lawyer with Brion Raffoul LLP, said the pandemic has revealed the vulnerability in becoming too dependent on international sources for critical goods. To prevent a repeat, she said more focus needs to be put on developing and protecting Canadian-made patents and other intellectual property so there is more domestic control over supply chains not just for health and safety, but for the countrys overall prosperity and security.

Its great to see the government doing this, but I hope that its not just a COVID-19 specific measure and that theyre going to be now long-term looking at scrutinizing foreign direct investment, Ms. Raffoul said. She stressed the distinction between foreign direct investment, which leads to foreign control, and foreign portfolio investment, which gives Canadian companies access to cash without forfeiting control.

Saturdays statement comes a day after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced $1.2 billion in help for startups and small businesses. Given that companies, weakened by the pandemic-sparked economic crisis, are already desperate for cash, Ms. Raffoul said Ottawa is late implementing the new measures.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau speaks during his daily press conference on the COVID-19 pandemic, in front of his residence at Rideau Cottage on Saturday, April 18, 2020.

Justin Tang/The Canadian Press

We waited now a month, she said, so hopefully these programs can now move quickly to ensure that our innovative companies are going to be protected so we dont lose the ground that we already have.

The heightened scrutiny of foreign takeovers during the pandemic is also missing protections for patents, according to Jim Hinton, a Kitchener-Waterloo-based intellectual property lawyer with Own Innovation. Cash-strapped companies can boost their coffers by selling their patents or save money by letting patents lapse, which risks Canada losing even more of its domestically-made intellectual property and doing so at a discount, he said.

Story continues below advertisement

The tide has gone out and we are now shown that we dont have the innovation capacity that you need to weather both economic and health storms," he said.

Know what is happening in the halls of power with the days top political headlines and commentary as selected by Globe editors (subscribers only). Sign up today.

See the original post here:
Canada tightens foreign investment scrutiny, citing economic impact of COVID-19 - The Globe and Mail

TLDR: The QuickBooks 2020 Essentials Bundle: Beginner to Bookkeeper training offers full accounting training for novice and expert QuickBooks users alike.

Basic accounting seldom turns out to be quite so basic. If youre handling the books for a tiny operation, then maybe all you need is a pen and a few simple balance sheets. But it doesnt require much growth, either in volume or staffing or vendors, before you have to start considering exactly how youre tracking revenue, expenses, invoices, bills and more.

And if your business grows, when do you begin stepping up to automated processing or payroll services or inventory management features? And does your current accounting method mesh with those extra services?

A lot of questions, for sure. Thankfully, QuickBooks by Intuit has been handling the needs of small to medium-sized businesses since the days personal computers first became a thing. Today, you can still learn all the tricks to using this warhorse app for all your companys accounting services with The QuickBooks 2020 Essentials Bundle: Beginner to Bookkeeper ($30, 90 percent off from TNW Deals).

With this bundle, you get over 13 hours of in-depth training in a pair of QuickBooks most popular 2020 editions: QuickBooks Pro 2020 and QuickBooks Online 2020.

In just a few hours, the QuickBooks Pro 2020 course can take a QuickBooks novice and get them performing like a confident bookkeeper. The training is hugely beginner-friendly, examining all the basic dashboards and operations for navigating the program. Then once youve got the controls down, your training segues into all the steps needed to get all of a business financials safely accounted for and monitored via QuickBooks Pro. From set-up through payroll and payroll tax processing to invoicing bill payments and purchase orders, students learn all they need to whip a companys books into perfect shape.

Meanwhile, if you do your accounting via the cloud-based QuickBooks Online, youre dealing with a very different program than the traditional QuickBooks desktop software. So the QuickBooks Online 2020 course is geared to those users, including dozens of lessons to offer a firm grounding in using the Online version as neatly and efficiently. Like the previous course, this one also starts at the beginning, giving users a fully-rounded experience from the fundamentals up through expert-level tricks that utilize all of QuickBooks best advanced features.

And with both programs, youll learn how to compile insightful financial reports to track the economic health of your business at a glance.

Each course is a $150 value, but with this limited time offer, you can get both for only $30.

Prices are subject to change.

Read next: Our future is in the cloud and this AWS Cloud Bootcamp can get you ready for it.

Read our daily coverage on how the tech industry is responding to the coronavirus and subscribe to our weekly newsletter Coronavirus in Context.

For tips and tricks on working remotely, check out our Growth Quarters articles here or follow us on Twitter.

See the original post here:

QuickBooks is still the gold standard for small business accounting. Learn how it's done now. - The Next Web

Dara Khosrowshahi, CEO of Uber, speaking at the 2019 WEF in Davos, Switzerland on Jan. 23rd, 2019.

Adam Galica | CNBC

Uber shares rose as much as 7% in extended trading on Thursday after the company said that it was withdrawing guidance given during its Q4 earnings call and warned that it expects an impairment charge because of declines in investments.

The company's ride-sharing and delivery businesses have been affected by the coronavirus pandemic and lockdowns, but Uber has given little guidance on the expected effects. CEO Dara Khosrowshahi said on a call with analysts March 19 that booking declines in Seattle had reached 60% to 70% on an annualized basis.

Investors may be cheered by the relatively small effect of programs that Uber rolled out to help drivers during the pandemic. The company said it expects that program to reduce GAAP net income by an estimated $17 to $22 million in Q1 and an estimated $60 to $80 million in Q2.

Uber also said it would take a one-time charge between $1.9 billion and $2.2 billion on the value of equity investments, affecting GAAP net loss by that amount. As of the end of last year, Uber hadhad stakes in Didi, Grab, Zomato, and its Yandex.Taxi joint venture, according to its annual report.

Last year, Uber reported$8.51 billion net loss, primarily because of stock-based compensation.

WATCH: Uber, Lyft rideshare businesses drop by 50% due to coronavirus: Report

Here is the original post:
Uber shares pop after the company scraps guidance and forecasts investment writedown - CNBC