E*TRADE Commercial Captures the Essence of Trading

I do not endorse any one broker, but this eTrade commercial really got to the essense of what trading for one’s own account is all about. This E*TRADE advertisement caused the following emotional and intellectual reactions in me:

1. I felt guilty about investing in Pharma companies who rely more on marketing than curing diseases.
2. I felt good about the power all self directed investors have at our fingertips.
3. I Laughed my butt off.
4. I thought about adding E*TRADE FINANCIAL (ETFC – $3.72) to the list I created today of investment banks to buy on the next pullback. I just thought about it and I wouldn’t include E*TRADE in that same list, though I do think they are nice speculation on a buyout or return to grace after all the dust settles in the sub-prime mortgage debacle. After all, First Call analyst estimates have them earning $0.37 a share by 2010 that would imply a cheap 13 times earnings – not a bad deal if there are no more surprises in their mortgage portfolio.



Disclosure: I own E*TRADE but bought it on December 31, 2007 as part of a tax selling rebound baskest. I do not plan to buy any now as I just haven’t done enough homework on the company. (No I didn’t write about it at the time because it was part of a complex hedged trade. Besides, dear reader, you didn’t miss anything as the basket so far has performed only in line with the market.) I do not use E*TRADE as a broker.

Thanks to Gaspard De Dreuzy from Paris for sending me the link.

Specific Disclaimer: ETFC is a speculative stock.

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