This is a timely short. THL Credit Inc. (TCRD) closed on Tuesday at $6.80, about 80% of its second-quarter reported net asset value of $8.49, compared to the high of 81% so far in 2019. This uptick in valuation is opposite of the stock’s quality.

While 80% might seem cheap when compared to quality business development companies like Ares Capital Corp. (ARCC) or Main Street Capital Corp. (MAIN), given its questionable credit history, pending credit issues as well as shaky dividend coverage, THL Credit doesn't even come close. Relative to companies in similar situations, the stock is on the expensive

I revere Benjamin Graham.

Graham (1884-1976) was a pioneer of value investing, a professor at Columbia, a hedge fund manager, an author and a mentor to famed investor Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio).

Once a year in this column, I try to guess what stocks Ben Graham might pick if he were alive today.

Up to now, I’ve written 15 columns with picks intended to emulate Graham. The average 12-month total return has been 21.5%, versus 11.4% for the Standard & Poor’s 500 Index over the same periods.

Twelve of the 15 columns have beaten the index, and

According to the GuruFocus All-In-One Screener, the following stocks have high dividend yields but performed poorly over the past 12 months.

Tile Shop Holdings Inc.’s (TTS) dividend yield is 2.48% with a payout ratio of 1.54%. Over the past 52 weeks, the stock price has fallen 59.6%. The stock is trading with a price-earnings ratio of 57.5 and a price-sales ratio of 1.2.

The company manufactures natural stone tiles and related accessories in retail locations across the United States. It has a market cap of $422.51

When I started my investment firm almost 18 years ago, I arranged for an 800 number that contained the word Graham.

The phone number is no more. But I continue to pay homage to Benjamin Graham in a variety of ways, as do countless other value investors.

Graham, who lived from 1884 to 1976, was an investment manager, professor (counting [url=http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=Warren+Buffett]Warren Buffett[/url] ([url=http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=Warren+Buffett]Trades[/url], [url=http://www.gurufocus.com/holdings.php?GuruName=Warren+Buffett]Portfolio[/url]) among his students) and author of seminal works on value investing such as “The Intelligent Investor” and (with David Dodd) “Security Analysis.”

Once a year, I try to select some stocks that I think Graham

Many investors are partial to stocks selling under $10.

Any finance professor will tell you that the absolute price of a stock doesn’t matter, as it’s an artifact of how many shares a company chooses to issue. Yet many traders feel that stocks below $10 have a certain roguish charm, and provide more “action” than higher-priced stocks.

Here are five stocks selling under $10 a share that interest me now.

Advanced Semiconductor

Advanced Semiconductor Engineering Inc. (ASX) is based in Taiwan and traded on the New York Stock Exchange. Despite its name, the company doesn’t make semiconductors. It makes

Chief executives at some major energy companies are buying their own stock.

Lee Tillman of Marathon Oil Corp. (MRO) and John Hess of Hess Corp. (HES) recently snapped up $748,566 and $3,997,800 respectively of their own shares.

Does this mean it’s time to buy energy stocks? On the whole, I suspect it is still a few months too early.

The price of oil has probably already hit bottom, but for many companies there are several quarters of feeble earnings ahead. I don’t think investors are prepared for those bad profit figures.

The probable reentry of Iran to world oil markets

According to GuruFocus list of 3-year lows, Ultra Petroleum Corp, BlackRock Kelso Capital Corporation, THL Credit Inc, Hercules Offshore Inc, and Geeknet Inc. have all reached their 3-year lows.

Ultra Petroleum Corp (UPL) Reached $13.14

The prices of Ultra Petroleum Corp (UPL) shares have declined to $13.14, which is 59.0% off the 3-year high of $31.43.

Ultra Petroleum Corp was originally incorporated on November 14, 1979, under the laws of the Province of British Columbia, Canada. The company has a market cap of $2.01 billion; its shares were traded at around $13.14 with a P/E ratio of 5.40