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It's important to be on guard all year when it comes to computer fraud, but hacking, phishing, and malware problems are especially rampant around the holidays. Crooks are always ready and waiting to take advantage of the smallest mistakes to exploit and steal information. Learn how to protect yourself from some common tactics so you can avoid holiday scams.

Charitable giving rackets
It's the end of the year, which means every reputable charity organization is doing its job by soliciting end-of-tax-year donation at an accelerated level. This means your email inbox is probably being slammed with these on a daily basis, especially if you have donated in the past. While the majority of the emails may be from legitimate charitable organizations, you can be sure a few scams are among them.

Usually, scammers of this nature will claim to be soliciting a donation on behalf of a well-known organization, but when the reader clicks on the link in the email, the user is taken to a pay portal which has nothing to do with the charity. These scammers can elaborately duplicate a web page with names, logos, and other information which will make the site appear legitimate, but check the URL of the link carefully. If there is anything odd about the link address as it appears in your browser, even if the name of the charity is buried somewhere in the URL, don't enter any personal information, and don't click any additional links.

Email phishing
Most people are busier than usual this time of year, and scammers count on it. Watch out for any emails claiming to be from your bank, credit card issuers, mortgage company, or any other trusted financial resource which ask you to click a link to resolve a problem. Banks and other financial institutions generally won't ask for personal information or direct you to an unusual login page if any real problems exist with your account, and usually, you will receive a phone call in which you are directed to log into your account using normal methods or go directly to an affiliated office.

If you make the mistake of clicking on any links within the message and enter personal information, be sure to change all of your passwords and contact the bank to change account numbers when possible. Some phishing scams can be very clever, so think first before you react and start clicking links and entering information.

New viruses in old places
Any sites that build in popularity around the holidays are targets for criminals. Many legitimate websites get hacked throughout the year, but they are especially vulnerable during times of high traffic when the hacks may go undetected. website pop-up ads offering outstanding discounts on popular items may contain links to malware.

Don't click on anything that sounds too good to be true, or better yet, make sure pop-ups are disabled in your browser's settings, and install ad-blocking software. A quick search for "ad blocking software" plus the name of your browser (Internet Explorer, Mozilla Firefox, Google Chrome, Safari, etc.) should reveal several options. Just check those URLs in the search results and make sure you are downloading from a reputable source.

Bogus search engine results
Scammers frequently set up pages designed to show up in popular searches which contain links to spyware, malware, or viruses. Often, these are designed to show up when searching for software such a s a web browser, and the page will look legitimate. In many cases, you can download the actual software being sought, but not without spyware like toolbar add-ons and other information-collecting malware. During the holidays, scammers develop links related to popular gift items, so again, check those URLs and if something sounds too good to be true, you can bet it is.

Hijacked Wi-fi
It might feel like a nice break to stop in the mall food court and use the Wi-Fi to check email, compare prices, or just catch up with friends. However, Wi-Fi in such public and highly trafficked places are usually very unsecure, and not all of your fellow diners may be minding their own business. Use the more-secure 3G or 4G on your phone, or let it wait until you get home.

This article originally appeared on MyBankTracker.com

Until recently, Social Security didn't treat same-sex spouses the same as their opposite-sex counterparts, denying them spousal and survivors' benefits. The Supreme Court's decision to overturn the Defense of Marriage Act opened the door to Social Security benefits for same-sex spouses, but even though the Social Security Administration has started processing payments, there's one catch that could cause problems for many same-sex couples.

In the following video, Dan Caplinger, The Motley Fool's director of investment planning, goes through marriage-equality issues for Social Security and notes how the SSA has started paying benefits to same-sex spouses. But as Dan warns, the SSA is still subject to a rule that says that only couples who live in a state that recognizes their same-sex marriage can receive benefits, leaving those who traveled to another state to get married out of luck if they live in a state that doesn't allow same-sex marriage. Dan points out that the SSA is trying to update the rule, but for now, couples need to be aware of the rule and its implications.

Learn more about Social Security
Social Security is tricky for just about every recipient, especially if you're trying to figure out how to get every penny you're entitled to. Get the information you need to make an informed choice by reading our brand-new free report, "Make Social Security Work Harder For You." Inside, our retirement experts give their insight on making the key decisions that will help ensure a more comfortable retirement for you and your family. Click here to get your copy today.

This week, former Department of Energy Secretary Steven Chu announced that he was joining the board of Inventys Thermal Technologies, a Canadian firm specializing in carbon capture and storage, or CCS. This Thursday, the Environmental Protection Agency removed an important obstacle from CCS development by exempting certain types of underground injections from the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. It sure seems as though CCS' star is rising.

Great hope or false promise?
Many energy experts hold CCS to be the technology that will allow the world to continue developing fossil fuels while reducing their climate change impact. But does CCS really deserve all this adulation?

Southern and General Electric sure seem to think so. Southern is developing what will likely be the world's first large commercial carbon plant, if the project's delays and cost overruns don't derail it. Given how much skin Southern has in the game, it's perhaps no surprise that the company questions the viability of Inventys' technology.

General Electric makes compressors for carbon capture and storage applications and has added carbon capture capacity to its natural gas-fired turbines. The company is one of the partners on a CCS project in Lake Charles, La., which is expected to come online sometime in 2014. GE is also a member of a government-university-business consortium tasked with developing carbon-sequestration projects in China with funding from the DoE.

With growing global urgency to control carbon dioxide emissions, any company that gets CCS right stands to enjoy a windfall. But there's a looming risk that could undermine the entire proposition.

A series of recent studies have linked underground injection of gas and fluids with an increase in the number and intensity of earthquakes in particular regions in the United States. The phenomenon is called "induced seismicity," and it could dramatically undermine CCS' prospects. Watch the following video to learn more about these developments and their implications.

Just a few years ago, both Lowe's and Home Depot were struggling with a weak housing market. It wasn't unusual for each company to report negative same-store sales, and some articles even suggested that the traditional housing market had changed. Others still suggested that the American dream of owning a home was dead.

Just a few years later, Lowe's and Home Depot are benefiting from housing's recovery. Unfortunately, Lowe's needs to improve one number if it hopes to take the crown from Home Depot.

Strong results
If Lowe's were the only company in the home-improvement industry, this quarter's results would be impressive. However, Lowe's not only must compete with Home Depot but also with traditional retailers like Wal-Mart Stores .

Home Depot seems to be at the top of the housing food chain with its focus on professional customers and knowledgeable sales staff to help the casual home-improvement customer. Lowe's seems to be content to focus on the retail customer while Wal-Mart offers roughly twice the stores of Lowe's or Home Depot and has expanded its home-improvement section as well.

If we look at Lowe's revenue growth in the current quarter, the numbers look impressive. With revenue growth of slightly more than 7%, Lowe's matched Home Depot's revenue growth. Wal-Mart is focused heavily on the grocery business, and this slower-growing industry contributed to the company's revenue growth of just 2.4%.

In the same way, Lowe's same-store-sales growth of slightly more than 6% was very close to Home Depot's 7%-plus growth. In similar fashion to each company's revenue growth, Wal-Mart's domestic same-store sales growth lagged Lowe's and Home Depot's severely. As you can see, Lowe's investors have a lot to be excited about.

Strong tailwinds support this growth story
One of the inescapable truths of Lowe's and Home Depot is that their fortunes are tied to the homebuilding industry. Whether it's new homes being built and furnished or existing homes being upgraded and updated, each company benefits from a stronger housing market. Wal-Mart also benefits from an improved housing market but to a lesser extent, as its sales are more diversified.

The good news for all three companies is that multiple homebuilders are reporting strong backlog growth. For instance, Toll Brothers and Lennar both reported backlog unit growth of more than 30%. In addition, Toll Brothers, Lennar, PulteGroup, and KB Home all reported strong pricing gains. With this tailwind supporting the recovery of Lowe's and Home Depot, each company should continue to report strong growth.

The one problem
While Lowe's and Home Depot reported relatively similar revenue and same-store sales growth, their expense management is one key difference. Wal-Mart might report lower revenue growth, but the company is relatively more efficient.

If you look at each company's spending on selling, general, and administrative expenses, you can clearly see where Lowe's can improve. Wal-Mart's huge size and efficient use of resources allowed the company to report SG&A expenses as a percent of revenue of slightly more than 19%. While Home Depot reported its SG&A expenses used 21% of revenue, Lowe's reported SG&A expenses of more than 24%.

Though a few percentage points of SG&A expenses might not seem like a big deal, keep in mind each of these companies reports billions of dollars in sales. If you want to see what a difference a few percentage points of SG&A expense makes to the bottom line, consider the difference in cash flow generated by Lowe's relative to its competition.

The bottom line is, this affects the bottom line
In the last nine months, Home Depot generated $0.08 of core free cash flow (net income + depreciation - capital expenditures) per dollar of revenue. By comparison, Lowe's reported $0.06 of core free cash flow from each dollar of revenue. Wal-Mart's slower revenue growth and focus on the grocery business caused the company to generate just $0.03 of core free cash flow per dollar of revenue.

As you can see, while Lowe's yield of 1.5% looks similar to Home Depot's yield of around 2%, and is less than the 2.5% yield of Wal-Mart, there are differences below the surface. Wal-Mart is expected to grow earnings by around 9% annually in the next few years, compared to earnings growth of around 18% for both Lowe's and Home Depot.

However, if Lowe's continues to carry a higher and higher SG&A expense, the company's free cash flow generation will likely continue to lag Home Depot's. Since both stocks sell for nearly the same forward P/E ratio, it's hard to recommend Lowe's while Home Depot is available to purchase. The company has been improving, but until its SG&A expense percentage drops, Lowe's will continue to finish in second place. 

CVS Caremark leads the list of my top three picks in the consumer-goods sector along with Starbucks and Whole Foods Market . Each of these companies had a solid year and is well positioned for future growth. This article looks at each of these consumer-goods buys in the coming year.

CVS Caremark leads the retail pharmacies
CVS Caremark had an excellent year. Since the beginning of 2013, its share price has climbed from $51 and is now hovering at $68 per share.

In the third quarter, the company reported net revenue increased $1.7 billion, or 5.8%, and $2.2 billion, or 2.4%, in the three and nine months, respectively, ended Sept. 30, compared to the same periods in 2012. However, CVS also noted net revenue was adversely affected by increased generic sales and generic dispensing rates for both the pharmacy services and retail pharmacy segments.

In other words, the company makes less money from these sales than name-brand pharmaceuticals. But CVS has taken steps to meet this challenge with the recently announced joint venture with Cardinal Health. The deal is designed to enhance efficiencies and lower costs in the delivery and sale of generics while providing CVS with a steady income stream during the 10-year term of the strategic alliance.

This move, along with the acquisition of Core Infusion from Apria Healthcare, will ensure future revenue and earnings growth, making the retail pharmacy a good bet for 2014 and beyond.

Starbucks continues to brew
Starbucks' best move in 2013 was the $100 million acquisition of bakery chain La Boulange. Acquiring this line allows the big barrista to offer a wider array of baked goods and sandwiches in order to attract more lunchtime customers. Starbucks expects all of its U.S. stores to carry La Boulange products in the coming year. 

The acquisition is aimed at not only boosting long-term revenue and earnings growth, but competing more effectively with the outfit's main rival, Panera Bread. And this growth strategy is working, as evidenced by Starbucks' most recent earnings announcement.

The company reported fourth-quarter and year-end results at the end of October. In short, total net revenue increased 13% to $3.8 billion along with very robust growth in earnings per share of 37% to $0.63 per share. Most important, the company anticipates revenue climbing by another 10% in 2014, which will fuel earnings.

These are good signs for investors, even if the company's stock trades at a pricey $77 and change. In the final analysis, the company is expanding its brand overseas by penetrating new markets in China, India, and South America.

Whole Foods is wholesome and socially responsible, too
Whole Foods Market is the leader in natural- and organic-foods supermarkets. And the organic market maker also supports sustainable agriculture. In fact, the company is the first "certified organic" grocer in the U.S.

During the fourth quarter of fiscal 2013, its revenue climbed 2% to nearly $3 billion. Whole Foods' management also expects total sales to grow from 11% to 13% for the coming fiscal year. The company is presently trading at about $59 per share, still off the 52-week high of $65.39, and investors should see continued price improvement if the company achieves its sales forecasts by opening new stores in the U.S.

Final foolish thoughts
As always, investors should note that past performance of these companies is not indicative of future results. While these companies had solid revenue and earnings growth in 2103, their share prices have also been boosted by record highs across a number of exchanges. And the question remains as to how much the Federal Reserve's easy-money policy has influenced market behavior.

But the Fed's announcement this week of a $10 billion "tapering" of its asset-buying program with no interest rate changes in the near future actually fueled a market rally. In any event, all of these companies look like solid choices for investors with a long-term view.

In the final analysis, investors should keep it simple by investing in shares of companies they know and understand that offer products and services they use and/or like; and always consult a financial advisor with creds on the Street, so to speak, and a good track record.

Both the Xbox One and PS4 have begun to ship, marking the beginning of the "next-generation" console cycle. The refresh of the console cycle could be seen as the start of a renewed growth phase for the gaming industry. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 will continue to become "obsolete" and outdated in the coming months.

Unique position
GameStop has a unique advantage because it is not tied to any single component of the next-generation console cycle. GameStop is exposed to the successes of new consoles, software titles, and the increased trade-in activity that will result from the transition.

GameStop's buy-sell-trade model makes the firm a "low cost" provider. GameStop's customers have nearly $2 billion of "credits" built up from selling used software and hardware products, according to research conducted by Needham. These credits are bound to be used to buy new products, and (obviously) have to be used at GameStop stores.

More than that, the database of customers' personal inventories (such as what games were recently bought, new or used) allows the company to tailor its promotions more effectively. The company offered customers several promotions, offering more credits for used games during the lead-up to the console launch in order to capture a greater share of launch hardware sales.

Strategicaly, pre-owned games are the most important category for the company and represent the largest portion of gross profit dollars. They represent 45% of the company's gross profit mix while accounting for 28% of the sales mix, according to Gamasutra.

Power of the industry
The power of the gaming industry is underscored by the over $1 billion in sales for Grand Theft Auto V in its first week on the market. Consumers flocked to purchase the game on the PS3 and Xbox 360 consoles, which have become "outdated" just a few weeks later.

According to a study conducted by PWC, the global market for console-related video game sales declined at a 4% compound annual growth rate, or CAGR, from 2008 to 2012 to end up at $24.9 billion. However, the market is expected to grow at a 4.6% CAGR through 2017. The U.S. market is expected to remain the largest region for console sales and it is expected to grow at a 5.5% CAGR through 2017. GameStop's market leading position with 4,425 stores across the U.S. gives investors direct exposure to industry growth.

Projecting the success of individual companies next year might not be as easy. Gamers are likely to switch their game franchise allegiances at console transition, and potentially their hardware allegiances as well.  

Due to the raw amount of new games set to come out over 2014 and 2015, making a call today on who will emerge as "the" winner is too difficult.  It is also entirely possible that there will be no clear winner as the market is big enough for many companies to survive.

On the flip side, shorting the group going into 2014 could be an exceptionally poor move due to huge catalysts coming into play in the first half of 2014.

It is impossible to overstate how important Destiny from Activision  and Titanfall from Electronic Arts   are for driving demand at their respective companies.

New billion dollar franchise for Activision
Activision has teamed up with Halo developer Bungie to create a new franchise game called Destiny, a first-person shooter is set for release in September 2014.  The company's CEO Eric Hirshberg hopes it will be a new multi-billion dollar franchise and become as important as the Call of Duty and Skylanders franchises.

During the company's recent conference call, the company's CEO updated investors on Destiny's hype.

Reception for Destiny at Gamescom was incredible. All told, Destiny has received about 75 awards, including Best of Show, at Gamescom and is on track to achieve the most preorders of any new IP in history.

Electronic Arts' exclusive game 
Electronic Arts is potentially set to release its Titanfall franchise in March 2014.  The game will be "exclusive only for the lifetime of the title on Xbox One, Xbox 360, and Windows PC."

The new franchise is led by former creators of the Call of Duty franchise who can leverage their success and create a new billion dollar franchise.  

Titanfall players fight in online multiplayer-only matches that has some experts labeling the game as the "next great evolution of the twitch-action first-person shooter."

Foolish take
GameStop appears to be the best way for investors to benefit from the strong demand in consoles and games.  Investors don't need to worry about the Battlefield versus Call of Duty debates as the store will happily sell any game on any console to its customers.

On the other hand, the data suggests growth in video games through 2017, so investors could take a cautious approach today by diversifying and investing in both Activision and Electronic Arts and holding for the longer term.  Investors can "hedge" their position in case one company grows at a much faster rate than the other, which is a possibility.  This seems like a prudent approach given that the new consoles are still fresh to the market with major blockbuster title releases still months away, and predicting a clear winner in any time frame is nearly impossible.

Investing in companies with high and sustainable earnings growth can be one of the most effective ways to generate long-term capital appreciation for your portfolio. Chipotle Mexican Grill , SodaStream International   and Michael Kors have delivered substantial growth for investors over time. Even better, these companies have the potential to sustain earnings growth above 20% in the coming five years.

Chipotle Mexican Grill has been one of the most successful growth stories in the restaurant business over the last several years. The fast-casual category is outgrowing traditional fast-food operators as consumers prefer to pay a few extra bucks for superior ingredients and a better experience, and Chipotle is a growth leader in that profitable niche.

The company's "food with integrity" approach to Mexican cuisine is generating mouthwatering results for investors. Chipotle has increased earnings per share at 32.7% annually over the last five years, and Wall Street analysts are forecasting an average earnings growth rate of 21.4% over the next five years. This kind of growth is not easy to produce in the restaurant business, but Chipotle is no average restaurant chain by any means.

Chipotle has only 1,539 restaurants as of the last quarter, still a small player when compared to the more than 34,500 stores owned by fast-food giant McDonald's. International markets are practically untapped; Chipotle has only 14 international locations, and that represents a huge opportunity if the company can replicate at least partially on a global scale the same kind of success it's achieving in the U.S.

SodaStream is trying to change the way we consume sodas via its innovative home beverage carbonation systems. This is no easy task at all considering that the company is competing against much bigger players like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo, but SodaStream has many advantages over traditional soft drink companies.

SodaStream offers a convenient alternative for those who don't want to carry and store many bottles of soda. This is not only about personal comfort; bottles and cans produce considerable environmental damage as well. Just as important, SodaStream offers much lower costs and more flexibility when it comes to flavors and calorie content than traditional soda alternatives.

The company has been truly firing on all cylinders lately, SodaStream has delivered earnings-per-share growth of 55.9% annually over the last five years, and sales have increased at 38.4% per year over that period. Wall Street analysts are on average forecasting a compounded average growth rate above 27% per year in the coming five years.

Investors felt disappointed as the company reported lower-than-expected flavor sales during the last quarter, but management attributed the weakness to vendor inventory reductions as opposed to weak customer demand. The company is still selling plenty of machines and carbonators, so management could have a valid point in terms of demand health.

The stock looks attractively valued considering its long-term growth opportunities, so SodaStream could offer material upside potential from current levels, especially if flavor sales accelerate in the coming quarters.

Fashion can be a fickle and competitive business, but it can also be enormously profitable for well-managed companies positioned on the right side of the trend. Michael Kors operates in the affordable-luxury segment, selling handbags, shoes and accessories through three different channels: retail stores, wholesale, and licensing agreements.

Business has been booming lately for this aspirational brand: Kors has increased sales at an amazing 47.5% annually over the last five years, and earnings per share have grown at an even faster 51.1% per year over the same period. Analysts are on average forecasting an annual earnings growth rate of 25.2% for the company in the next five years, which doesn't sound excessive at all considering recent performance and long-term opportunities.

Even if the current economic environment is being tough on most fashion retailers, Michael Kors remains hotter than ever. The company delivered a blowout earnings report for the third quarter of the year, with revenues growing by 38.9% and earnings per share increasing by 44.9% to $0.71 per share.

The company has only 352 stores and abundant room for expansion, both in the U.S. and in international markets. As long as management continues delivering the right merchandise to is affluent clients, there is no reason for a slowdown in this trendy growth company.

Growth can be enormously valuable for investors in the long term. Leaving short-term fluctuations aside, stock prices tend to reflect the growing value of a business as years go by. Chipotle, SodaStream, and Michael Kors are well positioned to increase earnings per share at more than 20% annually over the coming five years, so the three companies deserve some consideration from investors looking to invest in exciting growth opportunities.

Our countrywide communication skills are about to take yet another step backward. DineEquity's Applebee's restaurants will be installing more than 100,000 tablets in all of its U.S. restaurants early next year. No longer will we have to speak to a human being when ordering dessert or paying our checks. Will digital and food work well together? Clues from Domino's Pizza , Papa John's International , and Yum! Brands' Pizza Hut say yes.

The digital deal
On Dec. 3, DineEquity announced that "every table and multiple bar positions at more than 1,800 Applebee's" will be getting the spill-proof tablets by this time next year. Guest can play games, add to their orders, and pay their checks. This means happier guests (who are likely to come back), higher checks per guest (as they can order extras at the click of a button), and faster table turnaround (as guests pay at the table instead of waiting for a check ,then waiting for the credit card to come back). In short, it's a self-checkout with no line.

Anybody who's worked in the restaurant industry as a waiter or waitress can attest: The way to make money is to turn over tables fast. This is true for the restaurants themselves as well. The quicker the tables can be flipped, the higher the capacity for dollars; this is especially true during peak wait times. Expect to see a bump in same-store sales as a result of the tablets. DineEquity has spent the last two years testing the impact before making the announcement. As a bonus, the waitstaff is able to provide better service since it doesn't have to worry about fetching, running, and picking up checks and payments as often.

It can't come at a better time for DineEquity. While the company is doing well overall, its growth lately has been carried by its IHOP restaurant concept. Last quarter, IHOP same-store sales jumped 3.6% while same-store sales at Applebee's locations fell by 0.4%.

Get the tablet, it's Domino's
The digital age is certainly helping pizza delivery companies lately, so it may work well with Applebee's too. Last quarter, Domino's Pizza reported that sales popped 6.9% to $404 million along with same-store sales climbing by 5%. It was the 79th quarter in a row of same-store sales growth for its international locations.

What's growing Domino's so fiercely? Two words: digital ordering. Forty percent of its sales are now digitally ordered. People love to order food digitally, and it's driving growth. CEO Patrick Doyle says that people spend more when they order on laptops, tablets, and smartphones, and they order more frequently. As a result, "We're effectively competing against smaller players that either don't have digital ordering or certainly don't have the same kind of robust platform that we're operating on."

Ask Papa
For Papa John's, it's the same story. Last quarter, total sales rose 6.4% while same-store sales rose 1.8% domestically and 8.1% internationally. Just like Domino's, Papa John's is seeing an explosion in sales coming from digital. As a company, it has logged more than $5 billion in digital sales. CEO John Schnatter believes the use of digital ordering to be at a "pretty quick pivot point."

Pizza the hut is gonna send out for you
Domino's mentioned Papa John's and Pizza Hut as the two restaurants (not counting itself) that are receiving the vast majority of digital orders. This is expected to increase market share for the three. Yum! Brands CEO David Novak mentioned Pizza Hut is "opening new channels with digital." The more people associate devices and food, the more they'll embrace Applebee's tablets.

Foolish final thoughts
Keep an eye and an ear on DineEquity's press releases and conference calls for any hint on how the tablets are affecting its sales. If it creates a large turnaround for the Applebee's chain, Fools will have the potential opportunity to learn about its success and have a leg up on the crowd. As a bonus, if the tablets spark new life into Applebee's, then there will be opportunity for DineEquity to use them to increase revenue at IHOP as well.

We live in a very dynamic and competitive world, and the retail industry is especially tough lately. Customers have plenty of options to choose from, so companies need to be on the top their game if they are going to grow and thrive in such a challenging environment. Amazon.com , Costco , and CarMax know how to make customers happy and create value for shareholders at the same time.

Amazon is all about the customer
Amazon is well known as a relentless innovator and a remarkably aggressive competitor. However, the company is not focused on innovation or competition per se: Amazon is all about the customer, and it has become one of the most innovative and efficient competitors in the world as a natural consequence of its deep customer focus.

In founder and CEO Jeff Bezos' words: "When [competitors are] in the shower in the morning, they're thinking about how they're going to get ahead of one of their top competitors. Here in the shower, we're thinking about how we are going to invent something on behalf of a customer."

Amazon ranks consistently near the top when it comes to surveys and studies measuring customer satisfaction, not only among online retailers but also in comparison to most other big and popular retail companies.

Amazon's low prices and investments in areas like infrastructure, digital content, and technology are hurting profit margins. On the other hand, the company continues delivering spectacular growth for a business of its size: Net sales increased 24% to $17.09 billion in the third quarter of 2013, compared with $13.81 billion in the same quarter of the previous year.

Investors are aligning with Jeff Bezos and his strategy of putting long-term growth opportunities ahead of short-term profit margins. The stock has delivered amazing gains for investors over time, even if the company lost money on a GAAP basis during the last quarter. 

Low prices and high customer loyalty at Costco
Costco benefits from a remarkably loyal customer base: Renewal rates are consistently above the 85% level, and the last quarter was as strong as ever, with global renewal rates near 87% and big markets like the U.S. and Canada seeing renewal rates above 90%.

The company has a smart and fairly unique business model; Costco makes most of its profits from membership fees as opposed to gains on merchandise sales. This allows the company to sell its products at cost and reward its loyal customers with remarkably low prices. The company also chooses cost efficiencies over product variety when making inventory decisions, another source of pricing advantages for Costco versus the competition.

Even if the company strives to keep costs as low as possible in different areas, management understands the importance of paying a decent salary when it comes to attracting and retaining high-quality employees. According to Bloomberg Buisnessweek, Costco pays its hourly workers an average of $20.89 an hour versus an average wage of $12.67 an hour for full-time Wal-Mart employees.

Lower employee turnover, higher productivity, and better service can make both customers and investors very happy in the long term. Costco has produced substantial gains for shareholders in a tough economic environment for mass merchants.

The way car buying should be
CarMax's slogan "The way car buying should be" says a lot about the company and its differentiated focus on customers. As opposed to the typical high-pressure sales tactics and obscure sales terms used by most competitors, CarMax follows a customer-friendly and transparent approach to the business, which resonates remarkably well among customers.

People in the sales team work on fixed commissions, so they make the same amount of money regardless of which car the customer buys. This means that sales employees can focus their time and energy on finding the best vehicle for each customer instead of pushing those cars that generate higher margins for the company.

CarMax has a no-haggle pricing policy, which makes the negotiation process much simpler and more comfortable. The process is also more transparent than at competing companies. The price of the car the customer is buying does not change depending on factors like vehicle trade-ins, and customers get to see the same information as the sales associate on a computer screen.

This is doing wonders for the company in terms of customer satisfaction: 93% of customers say they would recommend the company to a friend, and that figure has been consistently increasing over the last few years. Not surprisingly, CarMax is gaining market share versus competitors, and the stock has outperformed the S&P 500 index by a wide margin in the last five years.

Bottom line
Renowned asset manager Peter Lynch popularized the phrase "buy what you know" to express that the best investment ideas often come from observations in our day-to-day life as consumers. Companies that can make consumers happy can usually make investors wealthy too; that's why Amazon, Costco, and CarMax are solid long-term holdings to consider.

Netflix recently released a trailer for season two of its original series House of Cards. The trailer release came on the same day as the release of season two of the Netflix/NRK co-production Lillyhammer, which was billed as the first Netflix original. These two releases serve as a reminder that Netflix is entering the second full "season" of its original programming venture, with many more still to come.

Having made history at the Emmy awards with the first-ever win for an Internet-delivered series and with a full slate of new and returning titles on the way, Netflix is poised to continue releasing original content for some time to come. Given its recent deal with Disney to develop four series and a miniseries set within the shared Marvel Studios universe, it seems as though the company's future with original programming is very bright indeed.

The question is, is it enough?

The problem with streaming
While Netflix is the current king of the streaming content world, not everyone is enthused about its success. While the company was able to make some very lucrative deals for content early on, content providers aren't as eager to sign contracts with the streaming giant as they used to be. For every Disney that is providing Netflix with very beneficial deals, there is a Viacom that is removing content from the service entirely. Because Netflix requires these deals to add value to its streaming service, the loss of content from companies such as Viacom and Starz can have a major impact on how valuable the service is to its customers.

Other companies have learned the hard way that streaming content can be a rough business. Intel recently abandoned its long-gestating OnCue Web TV service because it was unable to secure the necessary content deals to fuel it. According to those familiar with the negotiations, Intel is now finalizing a deal with Verizon to sell the service in its entirety.

Increasing competition
If Verizon does go through with the purchase of OnCue, it could signal even more competition for Netflix. Verizon is already partnered with Outerwall's Redbox unit on Redbox Instant, a competing streaming video service that focuses on a smaller number of hit releases than Netflix's much larger movie and TV library. It also has an existing relationship with DIRECTV, potentially giving it more bargaining power than Intel had due to existing relationships with content providers and distributors.

Though it's only speculation at this point since the deal isn't even finalized, it's possible that the OnCue acquisition could be a major move by Verizon to claim a larger share of the streaming market. It could be maintained as a separate service that provides streaming content to online viewers, or it could be integrated into the company's deals with DIRECTV and Redbox Instant to bring more value to all involved.

This could especially be of interest to Outerwall, as it has recently undertaken cost-cutting measures that will eliminate 8.5% of its workforce, and recently saw the departure of the head of its Redbox division. The strengthening of its Redbox Instant partner could bring potential benefits to the service without a significant increase in costs; Verizon and its OnCue components would be doing most of the work.

Regardless of what Verizon chooses to do with OnCue, it has the potential of adding more Netflix competition on top of Amazon's streaming offerings in Amazon Prime and other streaming services such as Hulu and Wal-Mart's Vudu streaming rental service.

Is there enough value?
Even if there is more competition looming on the horizon, Netflix still has a significant amount of market share that will be tough for competitors to overcome. Just because the company is at the top of its market doesn't mean that it's a good value for investors, however. Trading at around $369 per share as of Dec. 13, the company carries a significant premium due to its market-dominating status. That's up from a mere $88 a year ago.

The problem with this is that the company currently reports earnings per share of only $1.20 for the trailing 12 months and carries a PE ratio of 309.14 as of Dec. 13. That's a rather significant premium. When growth is taken into account, the company is left with a PEG ratio of 6.169; this indicates that the price is well outstepping the company's actual growth.

So is it a buy?
I'm a big fan of Netflix. Though its streaming selection could be better, that's not the company's fault; it can only stream content that it has the rights to, after all. I believe that the company has a lot of growth ahead of it through its original programming initiatives, especially if it branches out into producing original films, as has been hinted.

That said, success has inflated the company's stock price to the point that it's not a good buy at the moment. I'd wait for either the price to contract or earnings to increase before taking a position to get the most out of a Netflix investment.

As the annual Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review for some of the nation's largest banks looms, investors' interest turns to talk of dividends -- payouts that cannot occur without the Federal Reserve's say-so since the advent of the financial crisis.

Following the past three stress tests, both JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo have been allowed to raise their payouts. Bank of America , which has maintained a $0.01 dividend since the crisis, hasn't requested a change to its dividend status after having its request rejected by the Fed in 2011.

Fed changes up the rules for 2014
As fellow Fool John Maxfield has said, Bank of America has been shifty on the subject of when it will ask to increase its payout, noting that the bank's CFO Bruce Thompson recently took the emphasis off of exactly when a payout will occur, choosing to put a "stream of predictable, recurring earnings" at the top of the bank's priority list.

Words to live by, but it still left investors in the dark regarding the bank's plans on a dividend increase request. Now, it seems, that question has been answered by the Federal Reserve itself, and the answer seems to be: Don't get your hopes up.

The reason for this increased uncertainty can be traced to changes implemented by the Federal Reserve for this year's CCAR tests. Instead of taking each bank holding company's own assessment for how it would fare during an economic slump, the Fed will now substitute its own numbers.

Historical data wins out
Why the change? Because, it seems, the Fed has found that banks' assets rose during each of the three years, based on historical data. The banks, on the other hand, always estimated that assets would drop during the government's recessionary model.

As the Fed points out, higher levels of assets will require more capital to be held against them -- resulting in lower pro forma capital ratios than would have been produced using the banks' calculations.

The differences could be huge. Using last year's CCAR as a model, the Fed shows that the median bank holding company estimated that assets would shrink by 3.8% using its own numbers, while regulators saw an increase of 2% to 3% during the stress scenario if historical data had been substituted. Similarly, the Fed would have noted loan growth of 1% to 2% using its own methodology, while the median financial institution saw a reduction of 7.8% during the same time frame.

Capital plan approval will be a tougher slog this time around
It's likely that even JPMorgan Chase and Wells Fargo might find themselves providing a lower dividend in light of these changes, even though both banks have been given permission to raise payouts over the past three years.

For Bank of America, the bank's past reluctance to ask for a dividend increase will almost certainly extend to the 2014 stress tests, especially in light of these changes. For another year, at least, B of A investors will likely remain in dividend limbo.

The U.S. military has a reputation as a somewhat secretive organization. But in one respect at least, the Pentagon is one of the most "open" of our government agencies. Every day of the week, rain or shine, the Department of Defense tells U.S. taxpayers what contracts it's issued, to whom, and for how much -- all right out in the open on its website.

So what has the Pentagon been up to this week?

DoD is budgeted to spend about $6.2 billion a week on military hardware, infrastructure projects, and supplies in fiscal 2014. (A further $5.6 billion a week goes to pay the salaries and benefits of U.S. servicemen and servicewomen). This past week, the Pentagon dialed things back a bit from the scale of last week's spending spree, but still managed to go ever so slightly over budget at $6.33 billion.

And what did they get for their (read: "our") money?

"What is it you want, Mary? What do you want? You want the moon?" 
Well, they won't get the moon, exactly. But for $531 million, the Pentagon did manage to hire United Launch Services -- the private space launch duopoly run by Lockheed Martin and Boeing -- to produce a series of launch vehicles for U.S. Air Force and National Reconnaissance Organization satellite launches over the next few years. These funds will pay for two Atlas V rockets, and three Delta IVs.

A ULS Delta IV Heavy lifts off. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

You get a missile. And you get a missile. Every-body gets a missile!
Another win for Boeing came Tuesday, when the U.S. Navy arranged a $70 million contract with Boeing, to have the company supply it, and several allies with 12 new Harpoon anti-ship missiles, plus equipment upgrades for dozens more existing Harpoons already in inventory around the globe. In addition to our Navy, this contract will be shipping missile parts to buyers in Australia, Canada, Egypt, Germany, Japan, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Taiwan, Turkey, and the United Kingdom.

Bombs away -- far away
Missiles are great for hitting faraway targets. But these days, you don't even need missiles to do that anymore. Raytheon has developed a new weapon -- the Joint Stand-Off Weapon, or JSOW -- which is basically a smart bomb, but one with a range that staggers the imagination. Dropped from a sufficiently high altitude, JSOW is capable of gliding as far as 78 miles before finally striking its target -- and that's all unpowered flight, with no rocket boosters required.

On Friday, the U.S. Navy ordered Raytheon to deliver 201 of the bombs for $80 million, doubling the number placed in service through a similar order back in June.

Shoe leather and laces for Das Boot(s)
That same day, the Navy awarded $122 million in funding for General Dynamics' Electric Boat division to make additional purchases of "long-lead-time materials" needed to build three new nuclear-powered fast attack submarines. As yet unnamed, the boats will all be of the Virginia-class, and are designated SSN 793, SSN 794, and SSN 795, respectively. Once constructed, these submarines will push the Navy 40% of the way through construction of its planned "Block IV" production round of Virginia-class subs.

Opportunities on the horizon
So much for the contracts that everyone knows about. Now, let's move on to one contract that may not yet be incorporated into defense contractors' stock prices.

On Thursday, we learned that the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency has notified Congress of plans to upgrade Norway's fleet of four C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft. Assuming Congress approves the deal, the Pentagon will task defense contractors Lockheed Martin, Rolls-Royce, and General Electric with making necessary updates to software and hardware of the aircraft in order to "increase Norway's ability to contribute to future NATO operations and support U.S. national security interests."

It seems reasonable to believe that if upgrades are necessary for Norway's planes, then other countries may soon be needing them, too -- and if that's the case, then this could lead to more contracts, and more money for the defense contractors that implement them. With the C-130 platform being literally the most popular transport aircraft on the planet, with 1,131 planes in service around the globe, this could be a very big opportunity indeed.

Of course, this contract hasn't been officially announced yet, and it isn't common knowledge. Thus, few investors are factoring either it, or the possibility of similar future contracts into their valuations for the principal contractors. Very few people know about it -- except that now, you do.

Lockheed Martin's C-130J. A very formidable delivery truck indeed. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Apple made a big splash recently by recruiting Angela Ahrendts, the CEO of Burberry , to lead Apple's retail operations. This is the highest-profile new hire by Apple, but Ahrendts is only one of a pack of outsiders that Tim Cook has brought into Apple's senior management ranks. It raises the question: Will these outside hires be effective? Academic research and Apple's recent history suggests that the odds are stacked against these newcomers.

Academic studies suggest challenges ahead
A study by Matthew Bidwell of the Wharton School compared outside hires to internally promoted candidates. He found that on average, outside hires were paid substantially more and had better experience and education, but typically performed worse and had had higher exit rates, especially during the first two years on the job.

Another study, co-authored by Nancy Rothard of Wharton, suggests that outside hires, particularly those with extensive experience, often struggle to adapt to the culture of the new company. She concluded that rather than paying a premium for experienced outsiders, companies should invest in training and developing internal candidates.

Jim Collins and Jerry Porras conducted a six-year research project at Stanford, which culminated in the best-selling book Built to Last. Among the successful companies they studied, very few relied on hiring top outside talent. They concluded: "[O]ur research shows why it is extraordinarily difficult to become and remain a highly visionary company by hiring top management directly from outside the organization."

The sad stories of John Browett and Mark Papermaster
Apple's recent track-record with big-time outside hires has several black marks, namely John Browert and Mark Papermaster. Both came with sterling credentials, and neither lasted very long at Apple.

In 2012, Apple hired John Browett away from his post as CEO of Dixons Retail, the U.K. electronics retailer, to become Apple's SVP of retail. Browett has degrees from Cambridge and Wharton. He advised retail clients as a consultant at the prestigious Boston Consulting Group, he served served as CEO of Tesco.com. During his tenure as CEO of Dixons Retail, he received high marks for improving the company's customer service and financial position. Browett lasted only six months at Apple before being fired. According to Browett, it was a problem of cultural mismatch: "I loved working there. The issue is I just didn't fit with the way they ran the business. "

In 2008, Mark Papermaster was hired as Apple's new SVP for devices hardware engineering, with responsibility for both iPod and iPhone hardware. Papermaster has a bachelor's and master's degree in electrical engineering. During his 26-year tenure at IBM, he gained a reputation as one of the leading chip designers in the industry. He was a driving force behind the development of the PowerPC chip. He led two different hardware development groups at IBM. Apparently his knowledge and expertise were important enough that IBM and Apple engaged in a extended legal battle over his non-compete agreement. Despite his impressive experience and technical prowess, Papermaster lasted only 15 months at Apple. His departure was initially blamed on iPhone antenna issues, but later Apple insiders confirmed the cause was broader cultural issues. He couldn't navigate the internal politics. Steve Jobs didn't respect him. He simply didn't fit in at Apple.

Foolish bottom line
Obviously, time will tell if Apple's outside recruiting strategy works. Academic findings and Apple's recent history suggest it might not, but I'm hoping that Apple defies the odds. After all, I'm an Apple shareholder, and I'd like to see these new executives succeed. Ahrendts, in particular, has impeccable credentials. Perhaps this will be the exception to the rule -- either way, I'll be monitoring the situation closely.

Will you take the brown pill or the orange pill? Still waiting for that last Christmas package, side by side.

Follow @TMFZahrim

It's getting a little late to ship presents cross-country in time for the holidays, but it's not impossible quite yet. You'd better get a move on, though. FedEx and United Parcel Service can still make the magic happen, thanks to their incredibly sophisticated shipping networks.

Here are some fun shipping facts to consider as you pencil in that last address label:

• Getting back to that antique vase you're giving Aunt Mildred, UPS will deliver on Christmas Eve if you send an overnight package by Monday, Dec. 23. FedEx can match that, but for real panic shipments in which money is no object, FedEx also offers same-day delivery across all 50 states and 365 days a year (no word on leap days).

• That kind of nationwide coverage takes more than just trucks. Both companies are registered as airlines in their own right; FedEx operates 643 aircraft, while UPS owns or charters 530 planes. Separately, the fleets are about the size of fifth-largest domestic airline, U.S. Airways. Together, they rival Delta 's market-leading 1,280 aircraft.

• The holidays are incredibly busy for both of the global shippers. UPS peaked on Monday, Dec. 16, when it picked up 34 million packages. FedEx peaked a bit earlier, sending out 22 million packages on Dec. 2 -- Cyber Monday really does make a difference!

• FedEx needed 20,000 seasonal workers to fill this sudden (but expected) volume surge. On a typical day outside the holidays, FedEx ships about 10 million packages. UPS is also doubling its normal volume, adding 55,000 temporary workers to handle the crunch. The rest of the year, UPS employs about 322,000 American workers.

• Location, location, location! FedEx is headquartered in Memphis, Tenn., and UPS runs its global shipping hub in Louisville, Ky. These Southern nerve centers are the epitome of efficiency for nationwide shippers, as they sit very close to the shifting geographic center of America's 314 million consumers. Nearly half of UPS' air packages pass through the Louisville Worldport.

It's that time of year again when Wall Street professionals and employees across corporate America anxiously await word on their year-end bonus. For many, Santa will be stuffing their stockings with more green in 2013, but for others their stockings will feel a little bit lighter this year. For others still, they may be surprised to learn that cash isn't part of the bonus equation at all. 

*Source: Johnson Associates 

On Wall Street, whether year-end bonuses are paid in cash depends largely on the employee's level. For instance, senior executives are likely to see a combination of cash and equity, while very senior execs will get mostly equity, such as company stock and options. The lower part of the organization is paid mostly in cash.  

And while Wall Street bonuses are on the rise for the second straight year, they still pale in comparison to the more lucrative pre-recession times of 2007.  Alan Johnson, managing director of Johnson Associates, a compensation consulting firm, isn't at all surprised by the way that 2013 bonuses are shaping up.   

"On Wall Street, the bonuses are reflecting the performances of firms," Johnson told me. "The performances have not come back, so bonuses clearly shouldn't come back. They are in reasonable alignment."  

Johnson also spoke of a trend on Wall Street that involves payout of bonuses not only in equity, and cash, but also with debt, including high-yield bonds and mortgage-backed securities. It is a trend that has already gripped the likes of UBS and Credit Suisse and may become more pervasive among Wall Street firms. 

"It's generally a good idea and well received," Johnson said. "Over time, we will see more of that." He explained that bonds as part of the bonus structure touches on several key themes. For one, it's in alignment with discouraging excessive risk taking; it also provides some diversification for participants and it conserves the equity. "I think debt to some degree will be utilized more. It's a good idea," said Johnson.   

Shop till' you drop
In corporate America, profits more broadly have been on the rise in 2013, climbing to a record 70% of GDP in 2013, according to Forbes. Select employers, however, instead of paying out some of that cash are handing out shopping sprees as a means to reward employees.

In doing so, companies are saving on expenses and potentially rallying morale among the ranks. Companies that use the shopping bonuses as a replacement for higher wages and year-end bonuses are finding the decision to be cost-effective, according to a report in The Wall Street Journal. Millennials are even preferring prize bonuses over cash-based incentives ... as long as they are being compensated well to begin with, the report suggests.  

Year-end bonuses like this offer the excitement of a reality show when one or a select group of employees are chosen to basically shop until they drop, grabbing as much merchandise as they can handle in a few minutes at places like Costco Wholesale, Winn Dixie, and shopping malls, according to the report. The mall visits tend to have a price limit, while the individual store adventures either have a time or price ceiling. 

It's been a bit of trial and error, as last year one lucky employee filled his coffers with approximately $25,000 worth of merchandise, promoting employers to set more stringent limits surrounding time and merchandise quantity on the bonus event. 

Conclusion 
Wall Street CEOs are among those whose stocking stuffers will be a little lighter then they might have hoped. For instance, Goldman Sachs' chief Lloyd Blankfein's 2013 bonus is expected to be flat with 2012's payment. But he won't be getting a lump of coal, either. Last year, his total compensation nearly doubled to $21 million versus 2011 levels, according to The New York Times Dealbook. 

 As for the shopping bonus, while it sounds "fun," Johnson says something less frenetic might be in order so that in the mad dash "nobody gets hurt." 

Let's face it: This time of year, we all accept the fact that extra money goes flying out of our bank accounts for holiday shopping, festive gatherings, and whatever else comes with the holiday season.

Because that money isn't coming back (unless you were on the "very good list" and you're expecting a sizable bonus), the best way to tip the scales in your favor is to use these "end-of-year holidaze" days to plan out your financial future for 2014 and beyond.

A few basic rules to establish before we get started:

• It's never too early to map out your retirement nest egg (considering your retirement finances do not, in fact, cause you to go gray or wear black socks with sandals and shorts -- that happens organically).
• If you've recently started a family or are about to, it's time to factor child care, schooling, and college funds into your planning.
• While a "gift" of a starter savings account or lump sum deposit may be less exciting to unwrap than a set of tube socks, the recipients will be thanking you later.

(More from Manilla.com: A Year's Worth of Money Resolutions)

Retirement? Why now?
"Why not now?" for your retirement planning is the better question.

Just the mere fact that you're using some of your brain bandwidth here to imagine retirement means there's no better time than the present to set things in motion for when it's eventually time to call it a career.

If your employer has a 401(k) plan, which is a retirement savings plan funded by pre-tax salary contributions, let's already assume you are a participant. If not, stop reading right this moment and sign up.

We'll wait.

Existing participants should take this time to review how personal budgets align with contributions to date. If you can comfortably afford to designate more to your 401(k), by all means make that change. Your future self you will thank you.

Necessity vs. luxury
We all take for granted that bills come due every month, whether it's a mortgage, rent, utilities, gym membership, or online subscription.

Granted, you need to make those payments to maintain a roof over your head, and it's probably helpful to keep up the funds for electricity, gas, and garbage removal.

Now, however, is a great time to reevaluate other monthly dues to see what's a "need" versus a "want." Consider trimming infrequently used items that are the latter.

(More from Manilla.com: Need vs. Want: A Roadblock to True Savings)

Are you using that gym membership? Do you need that second credit card with the annoying fees attached? Are you using your various online accounts enough to warrant the same level, or can you save some money by scaling back?

In addition to those items, the end of the year is a terrific time to review fringe utilities such as cable, phone, and mobile phone accounts to see whether you still need all the bells and whistles wedged into each.

Call up local service providers to review recent account usage and see what changes could benefit you financially. However, be vigilant against the dreaded upsell attempts.

Ensure the Insurance
You probably prefer to give as much thought to your insurance policies as you do to those retirement plans, but take this time to give them the once-over.

Do your policies match your current lifestyle? Could you benefit from consolidating polices currently spread across providers?

You're in a safe place here, so go ahead and admit you've been putting off responding to those unprompted calls from your insurance company to review your polices. No time like the present (yes, holiday observers, we went there) to look through the ins and outs with a fine-toothed comb and see what chances could prove beneficial.

Oh, and if you've never had to factor in life insurance, flexible spending accounts, or long-term care plans for loved ones yet and the mere mention flicked a switch on your internal light bulb, now is the time.

(More from Manilla.com: When is the Right Time to Buy Life Insurance?)

Less taxing taxes
Use this time to tidy things up in several areas before the calendar flips. Such a review will help give you a rough estimate of your income tax bill so you won't be in for any shock come April.

Give the ol' once-over to your holdings for any investment losers you should consider selling to offset capital gains. You may also want to sell off any appreciated securities before the year's end.

Income shift
Look over the deductions you put in place for this past year and, with the help of a tax professional, determine if changes need to be made for better tax implications. You might still catch your tax pro before the busy season kicks in. Smart planning for a shift in your tax bracket, assuming you can "crystal ball" such a change for the bulk of 2014, is also done before year's end.

If you think you may be in a lower tax bracket for the coming year and have some say in the timing of upcoming income such as year-end bonuses, capital gains, or self-employment income, you could defer some taxes by holding off receiving those until early next year. Of course, your tax rates could end up being higher in 2014, so make sure to get a professional second opinion before making any drastic alterations.

What better way to wrap up (yes, we went there, too) this timely discussion than factoring in charitable contributions?

Take stock of any donations you make to charities, whether by cash, credit card, appreciated securities such as stocks, or used vehicles.

You can make a deduction on your taxes for the fair market value of such contributions, given you include a letter of acknowledgment from the charity that shows the date, amount, and whether you received any benefit in exchange, such as a thank-you gift.

Your largesse benefits others, especially this time of year, and done right it could benefit you as well.

So, yes, we know watching that holiday cash vanish from your accounts is still painful, but hopefully it's a little less so with these tools.

Jim Staats is a technical support analyst at Manilla.com, the leading, free, and secure service that helps consumers simplify and organize all of their bills and household accounts in one place online or via the 4-plus-star customer-rated mobile apps. He has a bachelor's degree in industrial technology from California Polytechnic State University at San Luis Obispo. Wedged between stints supporting products at firms including Intuit and Sybase, Jim worked as a journalist reporting on real estate, business, technology and other issues for print and online publications.

Today, General Motors is the largest car company in the United States. Its market cap may place second to rival Ford Motor Company , but in terms of sales, the company outpaced all of its peers with more than 9.2 million units sold globally in 2012. Here are four surprising, little-known facts that helped to make the company what it is today. 

It all started with a Buick
In 1908, General Motors was started by William Durant, a man who would go down in history as a serial entrepreneur and who likely contributed to the automobile industry more than anyone else. However, the company's roots can be traced back to 1899, with the founding of Buick Auto-Vim and Power Company. 

Shortly after its founding by David Buick, the company was bought up by James Whiting, who sold the fledgling enterprise to Durant shortly after. In 1908, Durant formed General Motors to act as a holding company for Buick and the string of other car manufacturers he would acquire over the next two years, including Oldsmobile and Cadillac.

General Motors' costliest mistake
In 1910, Durant pressed General Motors to acquire Ford for $8 million. At that time, Ford was a fast-growing enterprise that had built around 18,000 Model Ts in 1909 and would go on to build its one-millionth vehicle by 1915. Because of the fast growth the company was experiencing, as well as the market position it had, Durant believed it to be an invaluable addition to General Motors.

Unfortunately, neither the board of directors at General Motors or its bankers (to whom the company owed significant levels of debt) approved of the idea. As a result, Durant was stripped of his management role at the firm. 

This allowed Durant to go on to co-found Chevrolet, in a deal that would set him up to return to General Motors in 1915 with a controlling stake. However, it forced the company to forever forgo an acquisition of Ford.

If the parties involved could see Ford today, they might have reconsidered. As of 2012, Ford's revenue came in at $134.3 billion, just $18 billion shy of what General Motors earned, while its net income was $5.7 billion, just $523 million short of General Motors'.

Everyone goes through a "phase"
Just like most individuals, companies have a tendency of going through some kind of phase at one point or another. General Motors was no exception. In 1930, General Motors delved a bit into the aviation industry through its acquisition of Fokker Aircraft Corp. of America and Berliner-Joyce Aircraft. The combined division was called the General Aviation Manufacturing Corporation. 

In 1933, the company expanded and rebranded this division by buying North American Aviation and retaining its name. By 1940, the operation opened a number of plants in preparation for World War II and reached peak production of 91,000 units per year. After the war, though, production fell to around 5,000 units and, in 1948, GM divested the company in an IPO. Today, North American Aviation is owned by Boeing.

Talk about a bad reputation!
Back in the late 1930s and 1940s, there was no worse insult in the United States than being accused of aiding the Nazis. However, this was the accusation made numerous times against General Motors both during and after the war. Shortly after the start of the war, Germany nationalized its Adam Opel AG plant and used its manufacturing facilities to provide armaments to the Nazi party.

According to Bradford Snell, a historian whose expertise was the history of General Motors, "General Motors was far more important to the Nazi war machine than Switzerland ... Switzerland was just a repository of looted funds. GM's Opel division was an integral part of the German war effort. The Nazis could have invaded Poland and Russia without Switzerland. They could not have done so without GM." 

Despite writing off its investment in its Opel plant during the war (and collecting a tax benefit of $22.7 million), the company received reparations from the Allies in the amount of $33 million after its German facilities were bombed. This, along with a string of other accounts, fueled the suspicion that General Motors profited from the war by playing both sides of the field. But those allegations didn't stop the company from becoming the giant that it is today.

Foolish takeaway
As a company that has a long and rich history behind it, General Motors has the opportunity to be an interesting investment. The fact that General Motors has survived for over a hundred years stands as a testament to the company's strength.

Owning stock in a company whose products you love can be a rewarding experience, and not just financially. iPhone fans can take pride in owning shares of Apple. Car buffs can feel good about owning stock in a resurgent Ford. Coffee lovers get some extra perk from owning a piece of Starbucks.

It also gives a stockholder a natural interest in his or her investment, and that goes a long way in understanding the business and industry -- and staying ahead of other investors.

For stock investors who love beer, it's a fine time. Compelling investing arguments can be made for at least three brewers right now: Boston Beer , Anheuser-Busch InBev , and Craft Brew Alliance . If you have a beer lover on your Christmas list, consider giving the gift of stock, or at least a recommendation. There's a company out there that suits almost every taste, either as a beer drinker or stock investor. And perhaps both.

The fast-growing East Coast craft pioneer
With a new brewery opening in the U.S. nearly every day, the craft beer market is competitive -- make that super-competitive. But Boston Beer, the maker of Sam Adams, has been growing at a healthy clip nonetheless. In the third quarter, it posted surprising revenue growth of 30% over the prior-year period, which crushed analysts' estimates. It's also seeing a return to growth for its flagship Boston Lager, which further speaks to the health of the brand across the U.S.

Boston Beer appeals to a wide swath of craft drinkers. Relative newbies are drawn to Boston Lager and seasonals like Alpine Spring and White Christmas ale. Hardcore beer snobs enjoy its Small Batch beers and Barrel Room Collection, some of which score a 96 of 100 on RateBeer.com. The brewer also targets non-beer drinkers with its Twisted Tea line of flavored malt beverages, and it now has the most popular brand of ciders in the U.S. with Angry Orchard.

The stock has been on a tear, up 74% over the past 12 months. But with the growth it's been generating, Boston Beer doesn't look overly frothy at 45 times earnings.

A craft brewer rises in the West
If investors are expecting growth from Boston Beer, they're expecting Craft Brew Alliance to erupt. Management has high hopes, saying that the company is out of its developmental phase and into its growth phase. Shipments of its Kona brand grew by more than 25% last quarter over the prior-year period, and its Redhook label grew by 20%. Impressive, indeed. Craft Brew sees these two brands stealing away what it calls the "crossover" drinker from the big American labels and imports like Heineken.

One dim spot for the company has been its Widmer Brothers brand, which had seen shrinking shipments for some time. Not good in a craft-beer industry growing by nearly 15% per year. But company officials feel like they have righted that ship, and the Portland-based Widmer brand held steady last quarter from the prior year. The company is retooling its Widmer offerings to rely less on a poor-performing hefeweizen, and company officials think they can give the brand an identity as a high-end craft beer maker. Widmer's 30th anniversary in 2014 provides a good launching pad.

Craft Brew is not for the faint-hearted investor. At 162 times earnings, there could well be some serious volatility ahead as growth ramps up.

The king of all brewers
A discussion about beer stocks couldn't be complete without mention of the King. More than 1 of every 5 beers poured across the globe is an Anheuser-Busch InBev brew. It's huge. For that reason alone, it turns off a lot of beer drinkers who prefer craft-style beer made in small batches from more adventurous recipes.

But A-B InBev is a well-run company. It knows how to get the most profit out of every pint of beer it produces. It also has a voracious appetite. Consider the brands it has gobbled up over the years: Budweiser, Stella Artois, Beck's, Bass, Hoegaarden, Leffe, and Corona, just to name a handful. It's extending the reach of those brands in markets like China, where beer sales grew 30% between 2007 and 2011.  

That won't be the end of its acquisitions. As long as A-B InBev can continue to create efficiencies in its operations as it expands, it will continue to reward investors.

A-B InBev is also not absent from the craft scene. It produces Shock Top wheat ales that compete with lighter craft fare, and it owns Chicago's Goose Island brewery, whose beers it's taken nationally. Its next acquisition could well be another craft brewer.

The Foolish bottom line
If you have a beer lover on your list -- or if you're one yourself -- consider an investment in one of these three companies.  Depending on your tastes, you have an option that likely suits you and can deliver profit and growth for years to come.

Part of the reason that the Dow Jones Industrials have climbed so far in 2013 is that many of its companies have been aggressive about buying back their shares. Even with stock prices soaring, many of the Dow's components have been flush with cash and eager to return it to shareholders in ways that can boost their stock performance and their per-share earnings. Buybacks fit the bill perfectly for that purpose, but some Dow stocks haven't embraced buybacks as much as others. Among them, Verizon , DuPont , United Technologies , and Nike have spent the least on share repurchases over the past 12 months, according to the most recently reported figures from S&P Capital IQ. Let's look at why these companies have cut back and whether it indicates pessimism about their respective stocks going forward.

For Verizon, figures that show it having spent just $153 million repurchasing its shares are incredibly misleading for a simple reason: the telecom giant made a $130 billion commitment to its Verizon Wireless business by buying out former partner Vodafone's 45% stake in the joint venture. More broadly, though, Verizon has rarely been a major repurchaser of its shares, choosing instead to use dividends to return capital to shareholders. Given the record-setting $49 billion in bonds that Verizon issued to help finance the deal, a lack of buybacks certainly doesn't indicate a lack of confidence in the prospects for its business going forward.

DuPont's $1 billion buyback authorization late last year followed a poor performance in 2012, with sluggish performance in the global economy hurting its core chemicals business. That investment early in the year turned out to be a good one, with the stock having climbed almost 40% over the past year on greater enthusiasm about its future prospects. With DuPont making major strategic moves to refocus on its agricultural seed, pesticide, and herbicide business, the company is likely waiting to see how events like its planned spinoff of its performance chemicals business work out before committing cash to further stock repurchases.

United Technologies has historically used stock buybacks to return capital to shareholders, but the pace of those buys fell to just $1 billion over the past year. The main culprit was the conglomerate's $18.4 billion purchase of aerospace parts-maker Goodrich, which led United Technologies to suspend its repurchase program in late 2011 when the acquisition was announced. The move to reduce its buybacks helped United Tech support its bond rating in light of the large amount of debt the company took on to finance the transaction, but as the Goodrich integration proceeded, the company restored half-sized buybacks in 2013 and has said that it hopes to expand those repurchases in the near future.

For Nike, the $1.43 billion it spent buying back its shares is just a portion of the four-year, $8 billion repurchase program it started in September 2012. Nike has a long history of using share buybacks to reduce its share count and boost per-share earnings, helping to foster its substantial growth. More than anything else, the relatively modest amount of its repurchases reflects Nike's small market capitalization in comparison with its much larger Dow counterparts. With Nike stock having soared 56% in the past year, the athletic-products company has plenty of optimism for its future.

Looking at raw buyback figures can often lead to misleading results. It's always best to look beyond the numbers to establish why a company takes a given tack when it comes to their share repurchases. Often, you'll come to a much different conclusion about whether the stock is a smart buy.