Something To Ponder

(Facebook.com)

Choose Your Weapon - Subaru Edition

(Facebook.com)

Something To Ponder

You Are a Direct Reflection of the People You Spend the Most Time With

Deliberately choosing the people around you is how you can sculpt yourself.

The challenge with this is knowing when to walk away.

(CavemanCircus.com)

This Is Troubling News

People Are Borrowing Record Amounts To Buy A Damn Car

Americans owe more than $1 trillion in car loans, and we’re borrowing record-setting amounts to buy a car. That’s according to a new report from Experian Automotive, which tracks car loans across the U.S.

The reason, reports CNBC, is a combination of higher prices for new cars and relatively low rates for auto loans. The average amount borrowed grew to above $27,000 last quarter, a first.
Here’s more from CNBC:

“It’s not surprising buyers are borrowing more,” said Melinda Zabritski, Experian’s senior director of automotive credit. “If you look at the most popular segments, they are full-size pickups and SUVs. It’s hard to find one of those models new and fully loaded for under $30,000.”
According to Experian, the average auto loan in fourth quarter 2013 was $27,430—an increase of $739 compared with the same period of 2012. The average used car loan was $345 higher, coming in at $17,974.

What’s concerning is that, even though prices are at record highs, Americans are also accepting longer terms. Experian found that a record 20 percent of all new car loans in the last quarter came with 72 month terms. (There are plenty of reasons why this could be an issue.)

(Jalopnik.com)

A Tough Decision Was Made - Nordstrom Edition

FAMILY MATTERS

Poor little rich family. The Nordstroms got some bad news when a special committee to the board rejected a plan to take their namesake retailer private in a bid worth roughly $8B. The board committee was having none of the $50 per share offer which came in below the latest closing price.

Unlike the families of backwoods Appalachia, the Nordstroms didn’t have much of a choice but to keep it in the family. The first family of depressing department stores left as much as $550M on the rich mahogany table as the buyer group led by Leonard Green & Partners planned to snatch up approximately 21% of their current stake.

If nothing else, the Nordstroms can be LinkedIn endorsed for stubbornness as this isn’t the first time Bruce and Anne have tried to cash in on their grandfather’s life work. An attempt in October went about as well as you’d expect for a debt-laden victim of Amazon’s proverbial smallpox blankets.

Water Cooler Talking Point: “You know whats worse than selling a stock at $50 per share? Selling at $3 per share. Who better to know to get out while the getting’s good than the family whose name is on the door?”

(BroBible.com)