Once again, your devoted reporter was not only first on the scene, but high-tailed it back to her computer keyboard so that her loyal readers would, as per usual, be among the first to know. Indeed, it was revealed from within the very City Limits of Salt Lake that InvestEd 2010 will travel clear cross-country to the Eastern Seaboard, settling in Baltimore, Maryland August 6-8, 2010.

Your sun-and-fun-loving reporter is quick to point out that it is never too early to turn one's thoughts toward next year's summer vacation, all the while enjoying the lingering dog days of this year's high season. In fact, your reporter remains duly impressed that InvestEd organizers are already one step ahead, having cordoned off a block of first-rate rooms at the Sheraton Inner Harbor Hotel for the mere pittance of $119/night plus the King's ransom, for either a single or a double room.

In a most mysterious turn of events, your reporter, upon locating the InvestEd 2010 Announcement Page, came across this most cryptic of messages: "Be sure to click on the crab for some regional instructions!" She vows to go courageously before you to investigate the matter . . .

Onto this week's headlines . . .

Live From InvestEd!
InvestEd Attendees Star in Radio-Blog

Speaking of InvestEd, fond memories of the 2009 Investor Conference linger. A recurring theme at the gathering was the back-to-basics approach investors are turning to in order to navigate the turbulent waters of the current stock market.

Broadcasting live from the Conference's 2009 headquarters, moderators Ellis Traub, Bob Adams and Saul Seinberg interviewed passersby in order to convey a true sampling of the investor climate to listeners from around the country. Perhaps most notably, this reporter declares, were the comments from an investor identified only as Julie: "InvestEd is a good shot in the arm," she said. "I found myself starting to waffle . . . I come to this event every year to get refocused, redirected."

Lest you fear you missed the proverbial boat, allow your omniscient reporter to point out that the audio of this most revealing of sessions is readily available. You need only go to: www.blogtalkradio.com/Ellis-Traub to hear it for yourself.

QUALITY TOPS THE LIST
"Roster" is Premium Stock Tool

Talk of staying the course by continuing to fearlessly invest in good quality, reasonably-priced stocks abounded in Salt Lake City earlier this month. Yet, as the saying goes, it is easier said than done.

Enter the ICLUBcentral masterpiece: The Complete Roster of Quality Companies. The Roster is a monthly compilation of stocks that are not only top-rated, but the perfect complement to your stock analysis software (Toolkit 6 comes immediately to your savvy reporter's mind).

ICLUBcentral scours a database of 7,000 companies to find only those stocks that meet the rigorous and demanding standards of quality: companies that have consistent, strong historical EPS growth and consistent pre-tax profit margins.

The Complete Roster of Quality Companies is provided each week to StockCentral subscribers. You can access it in the Stock Screener (one of the pre-defined screens) or in Take Stock (look for the link on the left side of the page). If you own Toolkit 6 and use StockCentral as your data subscription, the Roster is delivered each week directly to the program in the special "Complete Roster" portfolio. Click on the Index header to sort the companies by highest quality, and then double-click to open a company in Toolkit to perform a stock study.

DOES IT COME DOWN TO CUSTOMER SERVICE?
SC Members Compare Home Depot, Lowe's Experiences

"I own this stock, bought it at a little over 23 (Dec. '07) and it is on top of my 'consider sale' list," SC Member Jack Hills writes on the Lowe's Forum. "I have a Lowe's and a Home Depot about a mile from my home and I hate to say it, but I'd rather shop Home Depot."

Fellow Lowe's shareholder and SC Member Nick A. DiVirgilio agrees. "I have owned Lowe's since 9/2004 with an average cost basis of $26.45. I initially was attracted to Lowe's as a competitor to HD . . . Lowe's seemed to have more upside potential in 2004. However, when it comes to purchases, I always find the better deals at HD than LOW."

Nick pointed out a number of additional services in which HD reigns supreme:

• HD is branching out into the service area more than LOW. It's called HD Home Services.
  
• HD also offers a wider variety of Home Services than LOW. HD does solar panels, for example. LOW does not.
• Also, it took years before LOW offered a truck rental option. HD always had a truck you could rent as far as I can remember.

Despite the fact that HD wins out over Lowe's in the customer service category, both investors note Lowe's superior stock performance. "Looking at price charts, HD has had a better YTD return than LOW. However, using 1 yr, 3 yr charts, LOW has had a better return than HD.

I am still holding my position in LOW until I find something better."

What's your take on the matter? In the end, is it customer service and product availability or a company's balance sheet that matters most in a stock's long-term performance? Be sure to drop in on the Lowe's Forum, where you can voice your opinion, download an SSG, and glean additional insights and information on both companies.

TODAY'S ENTIRELY RELEVANT QUOTATION