The Amphenol Machine Rolls On

Long-time readers know that I have a real soft spot for companies that make the "guts" of the equipment we use in our daily lives but don't often think about all that much. The connectors, interconnect systems, sensors, and cables made by Amphenol (NYSE:APH) certainly qualify; pretty much anything that uses electrical power uses connectors at some point.

Amphenol is among the market leaders in this nearly $50 billion industry, but the company has also been building its capabilities in other markets like coaxial cables and specialty cables, as well as sensors. Importantly, Amphenol doesn't try to be all things to all customers, and the company generally tries to focus on higher-margin, more complex product categories. Combined with ongoing M&A and very consistent high-end execution, Amphenol has been able to roughly double the industry growth rate while producing double-digit returns on invested capital. All of that makes it an excellent company, but alas, the valuation is no bargain now insofar as I can see.

Continue here:
The Amphenol Machine Rolls On

Investopedia: The Amazon Smartphone Rumor Just Won't Die

Clearly Amazon (Nasdaq:AMZN) has ambitions that go beyond being the leading e-commerce platform. Not only has the company gotten in the cloud services game, but the company's Kindle has shown itself to be a legitimate tablet competitor to Apple (Nasdaq:AAPL) and Samsung. Now it seems that buzz is building again that the company is about to launch its own smartphone.

Please continue here:
http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2012/The-Amazon-Smartphone-Rumor-Just-Wont-Die-AMZN-AAPL-GOOG-MSFT0710.aspx

Is Cheap Chinese Labor Over?

Bookshelves groan under the weight of materials written about how China has changed the global economy. Skeptics blame China for a "hollowing out" of American industry that has seen companies choose to relocate manufacturing China to take advantage of cheaper labor. Others point to the fact that lower labor costs in China have allowed Americans to prosper from cheaper Chinese imports and essentially live better by getting more for their money. 

Regardless of your view of China's role in our economy, the reality is that the situation is always changing. With wages and standards on the rise in China, can American companies still exploit the leverage present in lower wage costs? (For more, see 


You can read the full column here: 
http://stocks.investopedia.com/stock-analysis/2010/Is-Cheap-Chinese-Labor-Over-AAPL-DELL-WMT-ABB-SIE-CAT-PG0625.aspx