As an investment banker for 36 years now, I’ve observed a significant number of world events during my career. I’ve always found myself wondering each time whether it’s signaled some new “world-order.” Usually, they didn’t, e.g., the 1987 stock market crash and various Recessions. But sometimes they did, such as the Berlin wall coming down, the rise of the internet in the 1990s and 9/11. Here...

This CARES Act update sends two messages: If you have applied for any of the SBA stimulus programs, you aren’t crazy, and you aren’t alone. Odds are that you haven’t received the $10,000 grant that was promised in 3 business days -- and your application to the Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) has not been accepted, much less processed. So, what happened? First, banks did not initially accept...

  The CARES Act now offers much needed financial assistance to business owners, but it can be a confusing process to navigate. Below are summaries of the most important SBA programs, steps to follow, and the forms and other company documentation needed to successfully apply. Eligible recipients include U.S. businesses that: Have been affected by COVID-19 Supply to customers or businesses...

Just as numerous industries suffered in the great recession, so did surface and underground mining, and, consequently, mining equipment. But that was then, and this is now. The industry has reclaimed territory, and investors are taking notice. That being said, while the winds of fortune may be blowing again, hard facts are always preferable over a weather vane. Here are some numbers on growth...

No, we’re not talking about developing drugs for orphans. But for 25 million Americans, according to the NIH, an “Orphan Drug” (one that serves fewer than 200k users and includes diseases such as cystic fibrosis, Lou Gehrig's disease, and Tourette's syndrome, among others) can spell the difference between misery (or worse) and getting through the day. How are traditional vs. orphan drugs...

Okay, I know. Most people think of “dirty” coal or the Coal Miner’s Daughter. Understandably so, if those types of coal constitute greater than 95% of all the world’s known coal reserves. Did you know that Blue Gem Coal (and some valuable minerals derived from it) is used to make clean solar panels, cell phones, and other critical technologies and commodities used around the world by consumers...

It might be surprising to many investors to learn how large and how quickly the solar power market is growing.  In 2017, 30% of all new U.S. electric generating capacity came from solar, ranking 2nd only to natural gas.In 2010, only 4% came from solar. And what may be even more surprising is that the U.S. solar installed capacity is expected...