Wall St. is Dead -- Here's what to do now

If you've had enough of the herd mentality and shameless greed in the financial services industry, here's some good news...
Wall St. Is DEAD!
(and we're dancing on its grave)
For three reasons detailed below, US investors will fall further behind in 2010. If you can't stomach another setback, here's a profitable alternative to consider...
Dear Fellow Investor,

START NOW


"Bought 3x as much house..."
"I manage a small brokerage account for my parents. Thanks to the appreciation in Marvel, they were able to buy 3x as much house - free and clear - as initially budgeted."
-- Michael M. Windermere, FL
"Made substantial returns..."
"Through Stock Advisor I've discovered companies like Quality Systems, LabCorp, Activision, Garmin, and Marvel, and I've gotten some substantial returns in the process."
-- Lisa S. Phoenix, AZ
Nobody knows for certain that your investments will let you down over the next five to 10 years.
But be warned. If you have money invested with Fidelity, Putnam, American Funds, or any of the other mutual fund wholesalers you see advertised on TV, the odds are stacked against you.
No matter what happens to stock prices from here. Case in point:
The Investment Company Institute identifies 8,000-plus mutual funds as having invested money for US investors in 2008...
You can reasonably expect 78% to 95% to fail to keep pace with the broader market in 2009, according to Yale University's David Swensen.
Yet the conglomerates that peddle these "instruments" accept billions in fees for their dismal performance -- and won't hesitate to stick you with a tax bill on capital gains you might never even see.
No wonder US investors think the game is rigged against them!
And no wonder an astonishing 81% of high-net-worth investors are planning to take money AWAY from their advisors, according to a 2009 Prince and Assoc. survey.
On the whole, the US financial services industry is a racket. And the cumulative damage can be devastating to your long-term wealth (just wait until you see exactly how devastating).
For the past 15 years, a grassroots organization called The Motley Fool has railed against this systemic injustice, while proposing a simple solution...
"Rather than support an industry that runs roughshod over
individual investors -- what if we band together to manage our
own portfolios and take control of our financial destinies?"
The response to this proposition has been nothing short of an investor revolution. And the battlefield just tipped decidedly in our favor. It's time to seize the day.
"The market for financial advice is in turmoil." -- Forbes
In the end, the US financial services industry was pulled down by its own arrogance and greed. "Hank Paulson and pals," as Charlton Heston cried in the 1968 blockbuster Planet of the Apes, "You blew it up!"
What's left now are a few quasi-governmental institutions... an absurd bonus check or two in the mail... and maybe one last mother-of-all Ponzi schemes to unearth.
But the trust is gone. And without it, millions of betrayed US investors (and our hard-earned money) can't be far behind. And good for us, too!
We work too hard to dump our life savings into some corporate black hole in return for mediocre performance, inexplicable fees, arrogance, and scant, impersonal "communications."
Frankly, we deserve better. And here's how I propose we get it...
In the remainder of this letter, I'll reveal three reasons why I believe US investors have been set up to fail ... why the stakes have never been higher... and why the mantra "You can't make money in stocks anymore" is pure hogwash!
I'll support my case with two specific, wealth-building investments you can buy today to start rebuilding your own wealth. Then I'll propose a simple, long-term solution thousands of smart investors are considering.
At which point, the decision to join us is up to you. But please take a moment to read on and discover the first reason why most US investors will fall further behind this year -- and how you can easily avoid it.
Reason #1
Why US investors fail...
"Thinking Inside the Box"
You may be familiar with the Morningstar "style box." The idea behind the simple, nine-box grid was to show whether your money is invested in large-cap, mid-cap, or small-cap stocks.
Plus whether your focus is on growth or value -- or some blend of the two. Then something puzzling happened...
The more the style box was used to classify professional money managers, the more the money managers seemed to bend to its will -- pigeonholing themselves into a particular investment style.
The result has been institutionalized mediocrity on a mass scale. And, as you're about to hear from the most-trusted name in the mutual fund industry, the effect on investor wealth -- your family's wealth -- has been "the crime of the century."
Now, consider the alternative path chosen by renegade investor Peter Lynch. For 13 years at the helm of his Fidelity Magellan Fund, Lynch earned his shareholders a stunning 29.2% per year.
Did you know that returns like that double your money every 2.7 years?
Put another way, $10,000 invested with Lynch in 1977 was worth $279,000 just 13 years later. Even a modest $1,000 investment grows to $27,900 -- even if you never invest another penny.
(Better yet, try this: Take your current savings and multiply that figure by 28 times. You'll see at once what a profound effect returns like that can have on your long-term wealth and well-being.)
So, how'd Lynch do it? By thinking outside the style box. Sometimes he'd stock up on growth, other times he'd focus on value. One year, he'd buy large caps, the next he'd buy small-company stocks.
In short, Lynch was a financial mercenary who refused to be hemmed in by some arbitrary "box." That's how he DOUBLED his Magellan shareholders' money in less than 3 years... then did it over and over again!
Still, you're right to wonder: Can we do it, too? In this market? With similar wealth-building results?
I believe the answer is yes -- if you're willing to make a few small changes to how you think about investing right now. To prove it, let's consider two real-life examples of how breaking free of the style box can make you a fortune.
Getting rich one Peter Lynch "10-bagger" at a time
By January 2000, when America Online "acquired" publishing giant Time Warner, hardly an institution on Wall Street didn't own the stock.
Six years before, it was a different story. In August 1994, a new economy pioneer like AOL, trading at a split-adjusted 46 cents a share, didn't really fit many "style boxes."
Yet, if you'd bought just $1,800 worth of AOL in August 1994, you'd have had 10 times as much in less than five years. By January 2000, your investment would have been worth more than $200,000!
And that's no hypothetical example...
A notorious Wall St. party crasher bought precisely that amount of AOL in August 1994 for a "real money" portfolio and announced it online to anyone who would listen.
"Lucky call", dismissed the Wall St. insiders. "Flash in the pan," cried the financial press.
Yet, within a matter of months, this same as-yet-unknown "wise guy" beat the Wall St. establishment to the punch on online bookseller Amazon... biotech pioneer Amgen... and consumer stock of the decade, Starbucks.
All told, over the course of a full decade, his online, real-money portfolio earned thousands of ordinary investors an astonishing 20% per year -- nearly triple the return of the S&P 500.
Suddenly, Money.com was calling him "among the most widely followed stock market advisors in the world."
You can bet the folks on Wall St. were taking notice, me included.
In March 2002, he declared he would "do it again"...
Within two months, he recommended comic book publisher Marvel -- already up a staggering 1,334%. In February 2003, he recommended game developer Activision Blizzard, followed by Priceline in May 2004...
Investors who took his advice and bought those stocks on those dates are up 546% and 588%, respectively.
Or look at it this way, $10,000 invested in just these three easy-to-follow recommendations is already worth $92,267.
In fact, simply by following this gentleman's lead -- which you could have easily done yourself -- you would have outperformed the S&P 500 by an astonishing 58 percentage points! So who is he?
His name is David Gardner, co-founder of The Motley Fool, the grassroots organization I mentioned earlier. And I'm convinced he's living proof of the fortunes that await us if we can muster the courage to break free of the style box...
So, let me tell you more about him and why I believe he can make you a ton of money. Beginning with a rare opportunity he likens to buying Dell Computer in 1990 (a stock that packed on 25,000% in value in 10 years!).

David and Tom Gardner discuss their
award-winning Motley Fool Stock Advisor on CNN's "Larry King Live."
You might have seen David and Tom Gardner on television recently...
On shows like "Larry King Live," "Dr. Phil," or "Your World with Neil Cavuto"...
They're being asked to share their advice because of their long-standing reputation for helping individual investors thrive in nerve-wracking markets like these...
"Tom Gardner: The man who went a long way toward democratizing this mess we call 'finance'."
-- Neil Cavuto
"Stands out as an ethical oasis in an area that is fast becoming a home to charlatans."
-- The Economist
"The Motley Fool makes investing fun again."
-- Better Investing
David and Tom's expert advice is widely-read by the Motley Fool's community of millions of visitors and 200,000 subscribers...
These subscribers gladly pay thousands of dollars for David and Tom's advice, but you can get it risk free when you join their award-winning Motley Fool Stock Advisor at HALF-OFF through this email.
START NOW!

A top investor's No. 1 stock for your money right now
Would you invest a few dollars in a business that churns out $250 million in free cash flow annually... has $255 million in cash, zero debt... and not so much as a single inventory or accounts receivable cost?
I sure would. But surely this must be a boring, cigar butt business, right? Wrong. What if I told you this company is just ramping up and is consistently growing its generous free cash flow... at nearly 28% per year?
Now I'd have your attention. After all, a company like that would almost surely have tapped into a massive consumer market... and discovered an ultra-lean, low-cost business model to exploit it.
More than likely, a company like that would have revolutionized a massively profitable industry. If this were 1990, we'd almost surely be talking about Dell Computer -- before its stock ran up 25,000%. Turning every $1,000 invested into $251,000.
Yes, the similarities to Dell are striking
Like Dell in the 1990s, this company is the top-rated consumer brand and undisputed leader in its category -- shipping a staggering 2 million units per day nationwide.
Also like Dell in the 1990s, it offers a lower-cost, more dependable AND more convenient level of service than the tired old conventional retail model we lived with for years.
What may surprise you is that this company might actually have an even bigger competitive advantage than Dell had in 1990. (I'm going to get a bit technical here so bear with me...)
You see, for each dollar of fixed assets (essentially plants and equipment that's extremely costly to carry), this business churns out more than $6 in revenues and 54 cents in operating profits. That's huge.
By comparison, the company's closest competitor generates just $2 in revenues on every dollar of its own fixed, non-cash assets, and a measly penny in operating earnings.
In layman's terms... just like Dell did in 1990... this company has found a way to satisfy a consumer appetite while avoiding the onerous plant, equipment, and inventory costs that eat up its competitors' already razor thin margins.
Best of all, this company I want you
to invest in is only getting started...
You got it... just like Dell was "only getting started" in 1990. At last count, 10 million Americans... roughly 10% of all U.S. households... used this company's revolutionary product.
So you're probably wondering... 10% penetration -- is that a lot or is that a little? Good question. In fact, it's both.
According to my colleague, Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner, the unusual investor who told me about this company, this 10% penetration rate is high enough to prove the company's revolutionary business model works.
And at the same time it is small enough to leave the company... and you and me as early investors ... years of upside headroom.
Again, I hate to sound like a broken record, but that sounds a lot like Dell in 1990 -- before the stock made a generation of ordinary investors rich. And we're not done yet...
The company has yet another defining trait that may be its most crucial similarity with Dell in 1990... its visionary leadership controls a hefty ownership stake.
You see, just as Michael Dell was the heart and soul of Dell Computer, this revolutionary company is headed up by a visionary and outspoken founder who started the company back in 1997 and has been at the helm ever since.
And did I mention that he still holds more than $80 million worth of his company's stock? Talk about aligning your interests with your shareholders! When you invest in this company you'll be in good company.
In a moment, I'll tell you more about this amazing opportunity, its unique business model, and massive upside potential. Plus exactly what you need to do today to get your share of the profits.
But first, let's address the second obstacle standing between most US investors and the wealth-building returns they deserve...
Reason #2
Why investors fail...
"Following the herd"
Why anyone would suppose that "following the herd" could make you money in this market is beyond me. But I can tell you why professional investors do it in six words... picking stocks is a lonely business.
It takes hard work, uncommon insight, and courage to find value where others can't see it. Yet, if your goal is to beat the market, and build long-term wealth in the process, that's exactly what you have to do.
It's how Peter Lynch earned investors the market-beating returns we discussed earlier: By feasting on unloved companies like Taco Bell, Pep Boys, even Chrysler... when others on Wall St. wouldn't touch them.
Of course, it's always safer to buy what others buy. Then constantly "rotate" in and out based on the animal spirits of the day -- even if that means racking up wealth-draining transaction costs and risking missing out on the market's best days.
But I probably don't have to tell you that...
It's exactly what happened to your friends and neighbors this year. Some may be so spooked they will stay out of stocks for years -- and in so doing, miss out on the next great bull market and potentially millions in lost profits.
That is why I couldn't hold my tongue any longer -- and why I had to reach out to you today. Listening to these Wall St. lemmings cost you money!
Perhaps you've seen this remarkable chart, created by data from Fidelity Investments. If so, I urge you to take a moment and look at it again...

Source: Fidelity Investments
That chart proves how sitting out just the market's 10 best days can cut your portfolio in half. Again, you already know that. We've seen this very phenomenon in action over the past six months.
We've seen how costly it can be to listen to some so-called expert who would risk our irreplaceable retirement savings trying to time the markets. Because the fact is they can't do it.
If you're not convinced, just listen to what John Bogle, legendary founder of Vanguard and one of the few experts I still respect in this business, has to say about market timing...
"After nearly 50 years in the business, I do not know of anybody who has done it successfully and consistently. I don't even know anybody who knows anybody who has done it successfully and consistently."
And yet, that's exactly what the herd on Wall St. does again and again -- and would have you do. If you're not convinced, switch on CNBC for half an hour and see for yourself.
You can see why I say you deserve a better solution
Now, imagine you had access to an advisor with the independence to shun the group-think on Wall St. and the courage to direct your money to undervalued companies before they hit the "widely held' list.

"Crooks like Bernie Madoff get all the publicity.
But cowboys, charlatans and clowns are far more common,
and do most of the real damage"
-- The Washington Post
Someone you could trust, with the temperament to keep you focused. Even when experienced, so-called "buy and hold" investors -- folks who should know better -- are cracking under the pressure, instructing you to cut and run after it's too late.
Well, now you can. Earlier I told you how Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner is helping investors just like you break free from the style box AND the Wall St. herd -- with winners up 546% (Activision Blizzard), up 1,334% (Marvel), and up 2,419% (AOL).
By now, you've probably guessed that David Gardner and I are colleagues. In fact, we work together here The Motley Fool. Still, I hope you won't write me off as a David Gardner cheerleader -- at least until you've heard how our unlikely alliance came about...
In March 2002, David and his brother, Tom, were about to launch their Motley Fool Stock Advisor investment newsletter. I was working in the industry at the time, so I'd caught wind of Gardner's hot hand.
Of course, I'd also noticed the Gardner brothers' books in the stores and on the bestsellers list. I'd seen them in their silly hats on CNBC, and heard their radio show on NPR. I'd even snuck a peek or two at their personal finance and investing website.
But I assure you: As much as I admired their success at leveling the playing field for individual investors, I had my doubts that this grassroots Motley Fool phenomenon could actually make you money.
You see, I'd spent most of my career supplying broker data and research to high-powered Wall St. money managers -- long enough to conclude that nobody could beat the market without real "inside" information.
I'd seen too many try and fail. And I knew by their fancy suits and the thousands of dollars they forked over for my company's research each month that they must be getting paid handsomely for their mediocre performance.
I certainly wouldn't have dreamed when I met David Gardner in March 2002 that over the next seven years his average stock recommendation... including both winners and losers... would be up 56%!
Or that his brother -- the notoriously buttoned-down value investor Tom Gardner -- would be beating the market by 35 percentage points per pick. Remember, we were in one of the worst bear markets in history.
But here's what made me take a leap of faith and reach out to them: Even in the darkest days, David and Tom Gardner were among the few "advisors" on the scene NOT scaring their readers with dire predictions about the grim future for investors...
They weren't interested in grabbing the spotlight with market calls. They were 100% focused on the long-term prospects for investors like us. And they were making their investors money!
Most important, they never lost sight of the fact that, for hardworking investors like you and me saving for retirement, "the best time to invest in the world's top companies is always RIGHT NOW."
Frankly, I admired their moxie. And the more I dug into their "power to the people" story, the more I knew that these were the guys who could help me recover from the painful bear market.
Turns out I was right. And now that history is repeating itself, I think they can do the same for you.
How David and Tom Gardner's Stock Advisor subscribers
earned 12.6% per year IN A DOWN MARKET!
I'm sure you can remember what it's been like over the past seven years -- how almost nobody made money in stocks. You may even have heard that buy-and-hold investing is dead!
Again, I say hogwash!
Since they launched their Motley Fool Stock Advisor in March 2002, David and Tom Gardner's recommendations... winners and losers combined... are up 12.6% per year annualized.
"I have made a killing on Quality Systems ($100K+). I bought it when Tom first recommended it, and I still love this stock. Without Stock Advisor, I never would've known this stock existed."
-- Mark T., Burr Ridge, IL
The S&P 500, by comparison, has returned an annualized 0.5%.
DID YOU KNOW that if you earn 12.6% per year, your money doubles every six or so years? It's true.
In fact, a $50,000 nest egg grows to more than $971,000 over 25 years -- even if you never add another penny. Now imagine if you were to add more money along the way, which you probably will.
If, for example, you start with just $10,000 today. If you can manage to invest another $1,000 each month -- well, just look at your results...

Right there, you're closing in on a $2 million portfolio! That's the power of compounding -- if you can just beat the market by a few percentage points a year (but it works the other way too, as I hope you'll read on to discover).
And, remember, David and Tom Gardner earned that 12.6% per year over a period where the S&P 500 -- and most investors -- made only 0.5%. Imagine the profits you can expect to pile up in the coming bull market!
So, how can you get fantastic results like this and position yourself to cash in on the coming bull run? Not with rapid fire trades... complex strategies and models... or macroeconomic calls (which too often lead to losses).
Certainly NOT by jumping in and out of the market and following the Wall St. herd -- which I pray you won't do. In my experience, there's only one way you can expect to make serious money in this market. And it's much easier than you may think.
So, let me cut to the chase...
I'd like for you to sample David and Tom Gardner's award-winning stock research for the next 30 days as my personal guest without any risk whatsoever. You can confirm that becoming a member of Motley Fool Stock Advisor really is a profitable alternative to the Wall St. status quo.
For starters, when you're a member of Motley Fool Stock Advisor, your personal advocates, David and Tom Gardner, and their team of expert analysts do the legwork for you.
They pull the filings, screen the management, run the numbers and valuations, and dig into the financials.
Each month, they boil down the entire universe of publicly traded stocks and present you with the TWO top opportunities the market has to offer.
"I'm impressed. Your track record, in a difficult market,
has been great."
-- John K., Cambridge, MA
"You guys have helped me make money from the start! All I ask is that you keep it up!"
-- Mark A., Novi, MA
"Investing has become a very enjoyable hobby for me.
So, thanks! (Investing is one of the very few hobbies that pay
rather than cost.)"
-- Doug M., Wixom, MI
So instead of sorting through a laundry list of "ideas," you get TWO top picks from the co-founders of The Motley Fool -- the ONE stock each has identified above all others as your best opportunity to beat the market over the next 3-5 years.
They do all the work for you. And we're not talking about the same old rehashed "ideas" you get from your broker or typical financial advisor.
Many of the stocks Tom Gardner digs up for you are too obscure. They're not "sexy" enough for sell-side brokers. And while most will find David's picks plenty "sexy" -- they're too cutting-dege or difficult to value using traditional methods.
Moreover, the expertise and hard work involved in digging them up and staying on top of them is frankly more than you can expect from your average retail broker.
As for your typical financial advisor or mutual fund manager. Well, these guys are generally well-intentioned. But they are either trapped by the confines of their "style box," internally conflicted, or too worried about keeping their jobs to stray from the Wall St. herd.
So, what kind of companies can you expect
from David and Tom Gardner each month?
Well, at this point, I have to tell you. I've never met two brothers more different from one another -- or more competitive when it comes to performance.
David Gardner is a masterful growth investor with a legendary track record. He keeps his eyes peeled for those rare companies with a paradigm-shifting product or service. Companies like AOL in 1994 and Amazon in 1997.
Again, David recommended both of those stocks in the years listed above. Those who took his recommendations turned $10,000 investments into $280,000 and $420,000!
David has hit some serious home runs for subscribers of Motley Fool Stock Advisor -- like 1,334% gains in Marvel... 211% gains on GameStop... and 546% in Activision...
Tom Gardner, who also has a remarkable track record, tends to dig into a company's financials a bit more. He tears up the company's books. He burrows deep into the numbers... digging out hidden liabilities... and sometimes, finding hidden assets the companies and Wall Street never seemed to know about.
In short, Tom is a deadly serious, dyed-in-the-wool disciple of value investor Benjamin Graham. So, while David is auditioning the latest game or getting an advance look at the next-generation gadget, Tom spends his evenings reading from his personal collection of the investing masters.
This is a big reason why he's able to uncover such diverse hidden gems as medical records company Quality Systems (up 1,034%), money manager Affiliated Managers Group (up 224%), and SS&C Technologies (up 109%). And, all told, from the time David and Tom Gardner launched Motley Fool Stock Advisor, Tom's picks...
Both winners and losers combined have averaged over
33% gains per pick... David Gardner has done even better...
his picks are up on average 56%!
Is your goal to amass wealth over time?
You won't do better than buying an ownership stake in the world's top companies -- in other words, claiming a share of their future growth.
History supports this. U.S. stocks have returned 9.6% per year since 1926 -- typically doubling your wealth every 7.5 years.
And that's on average, spanning the Great Depression and two world wars.
David and Tom Gardner believe you have the right to expect even more.
That's why they don't advise you to put all your money in "the market." Or hitch your wagon to some benchmark. They won't risk your life savings chasing hot tips, either. Or the latest fad.
The reason is simple: Having studied the markets for years, they've found one way you can realistically hope to build enduring wealth.
And that's by buying the world's best companies at great prices and staying the course through up markets and down. Letting the market -- and the wealth you deserve -- come to you. Period.
Join David and Tom Gardner today and lock in the best deal ever offered on Motley Fool Stock Advisor. Click here now to start.

Listen, I don't know if we'll ever see another Peter Lynch in our lifetimes. But I do know that if you're looking to:
1) Break free from the style box that hems in most professional investors, and 2) steer clear of the herd mentality on Wall St, and 3) overcome the third, most deadly, hurdle I'm about to reveal....
I can't think of a surer way to do it than by getting sizzling growth companies from David Gardner and strong steady performers from Tom.
In other words, having two talented, yet very different and fiercely competitive stock-pickers on your side.
And that's exactly what you get with Motley Fool Stock Advisor.
Just please don't expect a lot of market timing, technical analysis, or complex charts and graphs. David and Tom Gardner refuse to try to time the market. And they invest in companies -- not stock symbols -- for the long term.
We've already discussed one -- the company David Gardner likens to buying Dell in 1990.
Now let me give you a feel for the kind of opportunities Tom Gardner digs up -- with a remarkable company he assures me is following in the footsteps of none other than Intel.
Is this really the NEXT Intel?
We've all heard the slogan "Intel Inside." But did you ever consider how it came about and just how revolutionary it was when you first heard it?
It's a microprocessor, for Pete's sake... a tiny wafer we can't even see, touch, or hear -- yet so powerful we dig deep and pay up for one computer and turn up our nose at another.
Before Intel, nobody dreamed a market leader like Dell would eagerly feature another company's logo front and center on its top-of-the-line computers. But you see how it worked for them!
"Intel Inside" conveyed "speed, quality, reliability, even prestige."
That's the sort of "brand mystique" that makes investors fortunes... and why thousands of otherwise ordinary Intel investors banked their first million long ago.
OK, but can you really make that kind of money today? Don't be too quick to answer. Even if you could earn half or a quarter as much, you'd still be interested, right? Well, read on, because here's your opportunity...
The "new" LOGO top manufacturers display proudly on their products, packaging, and marketing
When Tom Gardner told me to buy this new "Brand-Inside-a-Brand" stock in September 2006 it was trading for about half as much.
But Tom says this stock has just begun its historic run. And he should know -- he's studied this phenomenon closely.
He calls it "customer facing," meaning simply that, like Intel, this company's NAME and LOGO are in the faces of consumers and factor directly into their decision to pay up for top-of-the-line products.
History shows time and again that if you can identify these rare customer champions and get invested ahead of the crowd, you vastly increase your odds of earning life-changing profits.
I've seen Tom Gardner do it many times over the years, with stunning results like...
• Oven maker Middleby in Nov. 2003... up 486%
• Neighborhood restaurant Buffalo Wild Wings in July 2004... up 242%
• CNS Inc., maker of Breathe Right nasal strips, in Sept. 2003... sold for a 235% gain
Tom Gardner also is on record recommending that we buy AOL (up 442%), Bed Bath & Beyond (up 1,000%), and Dell (up over 1,500%)... back in July 1995!
Tom believes this new "Brand-Inside-a-Brand" stock could rack up similar gains. And that's because... Just like Intel...
• This new "Brand-Inside-a-Brand's" cutting-edge technology helps drive a multibillion-dollar industry -- in this case, audio electronics and entertainment media.
• Serious consumers and professionals actively seek out this brand wherever and whenever they listen to music, buy expensive audiovisual equipment, or even go to the movies.
• Its name is synonymous with top-end, premium quality and performance. In fact, it's not only the industry standard... it's the GOLD standard.
But unlike Intel, I have every reason to believe this company almost certainly has its biggest gains ahead.
You see, with its massive $100 BILLION market cap, Intel's early investors are already rich. Their doubles and triples are behind them.
But this NEW "Brand-Inside-a-Brand" company is still a fraction the size of Intel... with its doubles and triples yet to come. Opportunistic investors like us could potentially land a fortune in windfall profits.
And in the spirit of full disclosure, I should tell you: I'm already in! On September 30, 2008, I bought this stock on Tom Gardner's recommendation for my own nephew's college fund. It's up 11% already -- while the market is down 5% -- and I'm not selling.
And why would I? If I'd invested $20,000 in a medical records company called Quality Systems when Tom Gardner told me about it in 2003, I'd have $226,000 today -- while "the market" has gone nowhere.
Ready to get invested, too? I don't blame you. But you need all the details first -- more than I can reveal in this letter out of respect for David and Tom Gardner's paid members. But I think I have a solution you'll appreciate.
I've gathered everything you need to take advantage of this great opportunity in a new special report I just forwarded to my designer, Annie. It's called, "The Brand-Inside-a-Brand -- Cashing in on the NEXT Intel" -- and I want you to have it with my compliments.
Of course, you'll also want my second new report. It's called "Like Buying Dell in 1990 -- Before its 25,000% Run" -- and reveals the name, ticker symbol, and all the details on David Gardner's highest-rated pick, the amazing consumer company he likens to buying Dell Computer BEFORE it shot up 25,000%.
I want you to have both reports FREE! To claim your two free reports and lock in the best deal we've every offered on Motley Fool Stock Advisor, simply click here now to get started.
Or, if you prefer, read on to discover the third -- most dastardly -- reason US investors will fall further behind this year.
Reason #3...
Why most investors fail
"Poorly Aligned Interests -- and COST!"
It's a sad truth that mutual fund managers and many "professional" advisors get paid exclusively on what's called "assets under management." Essentially, the money you and your fellow investors have invested with them.
These folks quickly discover that growing your money in the market is a tough way to boost their assets under management. It's easier to solicit new money into the firm -- even if it means blowing up to an unmanageable size.

It doesn't help, of course, that your typical advisor gets paid whether you outperform the market or not. That's another reason why I cleaned out of my mutual funds. And why I say Motley Fool Stock Advisor is different...
You won't pay David and Tom Gardner thousands a year to hug a benchmark and attract new money. David and Tom Gardner are fully accountable to you and only you.
That's why The Motley Fool tracks David and Tom Gardner's results straight up against the S&P 500. You can see every stock they've EVER recommended in Motley Fool Stock Advisor in every monthly issue or anytime on the members-only website.
And unlike most Wall St. firms, The Motley Fool has no convoluted relationships with investment banks, brokers, or so-called sell-side analysts. It's this simple...
The only reason David or Tom Gardner will ever recommend a company to you in Motley Fool Stock Advisor is because they believe it is YOUR best opportunity to beat the market in the coming 3-5 years.
And because Stock Advisor is 100% funded by membership fees paid by you and your fellow members, it's an economic certainty that if you don't make money, David and Tom won't make money. Period.
And you know what? They wouldn't have it any other way.
What Investors Like You Are Saying About Stock Advisor...
Secure about our future...
"I have been a Stock Advisor subscriber since the beginning. This has been such a good investment for my family. I feed so much more secure about our future (retirement needs and college expenses, which are not too far away)."
-- Dennis I., Glendale, AZ
Managing my own portfolio now
"Stock Advisor is wonderful. Thanks to you guys, I'm managing my own portfolio and I do not lose sleep over it. I'm looking forward to many years of stock info, education, discussion, and buying."
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Retire before I turn 50
"I love the new format. I want to tell you Gardner boys that I appreciate how sensible and accessible your letters and site are. At this pace, you will help me retire before I turn 50. Love it!"
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A must-have advisory
"There are a few must-haves in life. They are (1) air, (2) food and drink, (3) clothing, (4) shelter, and (5) Motley Fool Stock Advisor. Everything else is optional."
-- Phillip R., Anchorage, AK
START NOW!

And then there's the most important question...
Most investors simply don't pay enough attention to costs. And not just the stiff management fees mutual funds and advisors charge you each year. But investment turnover, too. And capital gains taxes and trading commissions.
John Bogle, the father of the modern index fund I mentioned earlier, calls these so-called intermediation costs a "scourge"...
And points out that you don't need huge returns to be crippled by these costs. The real factor is time.
In his book Enough, Bogle shows how -- assuming market returns of 8.5% per year -- you can expect these intermediation costs to eat up to 80% of your rightful profits over the course of your investing career.
You read that right. As Bogle puts it, "80% of what we might have expected to earn has vanished into thin air."
Those are profits you earned. Profits you are counting on and deserve! And given that Bogle founded Vanguard -- the most-respected fund company in the business -- I'm inclined to believe him.
So let's put aside the conflicted advice, herd-mentality, and misguided market-timing. I guess I can live with that, as long as you're making money.
But THIS... the exorbitant cost -- and the disastrous effect it can have on your retirement -- is unacceptable! Especially, now that you have a choice.
Of course, I'm not asking you to fire your advisor or sell all your mutual funds at once. As Vanguard's John Bogle makes clear, intermediation costs like we just discussed do the most damage to our wealth over time. But don't wait too long.
If nothing else, I hope you'll at least consider doing what I've done. And that's simply scaling out of your most-expensive mutual funds (I'm personally down to one) and taking control of some of your investments -- even if that means buying low-cost index funds.
Even better, do what I do and let Motley Fool co-founders David and Tom Gardner help.
Because here's the most important benefit of all...
When you're a member of Motley Fool Stock Advisor, you won't pay a penny more as your portfolio grows. It won't cost you $20,000 a year to manage a million-dollar portfolio or $100,000 a year to manage $5 million.
When your portfolio doubles and then triples (which I expect it will), you still pay a small annual membership fee. You get two great investment ideas per month, delivered right to your home or inbox -- rock-solid businesses, low on debt, stocked with cash -- with deep moats to protect their investors...
As important, you get a full year of David and Tom Gardner's top investment education, expert support and guidance, and timely financial advice.
Here's how you can position yourself for two of the biggest profit opportunities of the next 10 to 15 years...
Just say the word, and I'll rush you both exclusive reports we've discussed today FREE -- giving you full details on David Gardner's highest-rated pick, the amazing company he likens to investing in Dell in 1990.
Plus, everything you need to get invested in "The Next Intel" -- the amazing brand-inside-a-brand company Tom Gardner assures me is walking in the footsteps of Intel.
In return, simply agree to try Motley Fool Stock Advisor at a special low discount price without risk for one year. So why am I putting myself on the line and signing this letter? It's simple...
I just want you to see the caliber of companies David and Tom Gardner are recommending right now. I want you to experience the Motley Fool investor community like I have. And start making some serious money.
To make your decision even easier, I've arranged a special HALF PRICE offer to get you started...
Take 50% off your Stock Advisor membership today
and you still receive all this...
Each month, you get Motley Fool co-founders David and Tom Gardner's TOP stock ideas -- 2 fully vetted picks -- based entirely on the fundamentals and valuation of the businesses.
You also get their full rationale behind each pick -- including a detailed analysis of any risks involved. You'll discover what to buy, how long to hold, and even when to SELL.
And that's just the beginning. Each month you decide to stay on as a member of Motley Fool Stock Advisor, you'll also receive:
 Monthly issues: featuring David and Tom Gardner's top picks of the month; updates on past recommendations; a clear discussion on the most important elements of successful investing in the Fools Tools and Fools School segments; and plenty of competitive jousting in the Dueling Fools column -- two brothers who want to outdo each other in what they do for you!
 Between-issue updates and alerts via email keep you abreast of changes in our advice and keep you squarely on track to build real and lasting wealth! At Stock Advisor, we leave nothing to chance...
 24/7 website access for members only: Read the current newsletter issue as soon as we write it; research back issues; browse the ongoing question & answer section -- any time you want! Plus, access special reports, past picks, and latest performance data in the full catalog of Motley Fool Stock Advisor issues...
 Online discussion boards for members only with access to David and Tom Gardner and their team of Stock Advisor analysts...
I can't overstress this last point, especially in a market environment like this one. I've been told that Motley Fool Stock Advisor is like an investment university. It's certainly an active community of smart investors.
Of course, how you use Stock Advisor is your choice. You can join David and Tom Gardner -- and your fellow members -- online in spirited discussions. Or you can sit back and follow the discussions of the market, your favorite Stock Advisor picks, and those on David and Tom's current watch list.
And if you don't want to wait for your print newsletter to arrive in the mail? No worries. You can get the entire issue, plus all the special reports and commentary day and night on the password-protected website. I visit the website at least once a day. You can join me there right now in less than five minutes!
So let's quickly review what you get when you join without risk today...


Report #1: "Like Buying Dell in 1990 -- BEFORE Its 25,000% Run" (YOURS FREE!) -- Reveals the highest-rated stock from the legendary growth investor who beat Wall St. to the punch on AOL, Amazon, and 1,000%-plus gains on Marvel. Find out why Motley Fool co-founder David Gardner likens this rising consumer giant to "buying Dell in 1990" -- before it earned investors 25,000%. But you have to act soon. It's already on the move!


Report #2: "The New Brand-Inside-a-Brand -- Cashing in on the NEXT Intel" (YOURS FREE!) -- Top manufacturers eagerly display this company's logo on their high-end products, and its cutting-edge technology is driving a multibillion-dollar industry. A mere fraction the size of Intel, this company's doubles and triples are still ahead! Discover why it's Tom Gardner's "one stock to own for the next 10 years" right now in this new FREE report!
Plus, to give you an even better feel for the kind of in-depth research and advice you can accept as a member... I'll also send you three additional FREE REPORTS to get you started building serious wealth:


The Truth About The Obama Stimulus -- 3 High-Tech Stocks Ready to Soar (a $29 value -- YOURS FREE!) -- Inside you'll get all the details of the three companies David and Tom Gardner believe can help you profit from President Obama's historic stimulus package... a high-tech monopoly poised to gobble up millions in stimulus... THE energy company that's primed for super growth in the coming natural gas boom... a rock-solid telecommunications firm whose circuits are found in today's most popular devices.


6 Danger Signs in 15 Minutes (a $29 value -- YOURS FREE!) -- If you're concerned about any stock you own, here's a simple checklist that will help you evaluate it in 15 minutes or less. If you can say "yes" to any of these danger signs, it's time to get out.
Best of all, you don't have to pay a penny for "6 Danger Signs You Can Check in 15 Minutes." Just take us up on this Motley Fool Stock Advisor offer -- at no risk of course -- and we'll send you a copy absolutely FREE.


How to Know When to Sell (a $29 value -- YOURS FREE!) -- Say you've got your eye on a particular stock, but you're not sure if it's the right time to buy it. Or you own a stock that's up -- or down -- significantly, and you're trying to decide if it's time to sell. You'll have a lot better -- and clearer -- understanding of the right answers after you read this report.
You'll know when to take profits, how to balance your portfolio, when to trim the dogs, and when to trade in your lower-performing stocks to pursue greater opportunities. YOURS FREE when you accept my no-risk offer today!
Add it up and your special discounts and FREE gifts (including the valuable prompt-action bonus described below) total more than $300... and you won't even pay $300 to join -- not even half that. And, as you're about to see, you don't risk a single penny.
What Investors Like You Are Saying About Stock Advisor...
"Bought 3x as much house..."
"I manage a small brokerage account for my parents. Dad was changing jobs to a position that required him to buy a house... Thanks to the appreciation in Marvel, they were able to buy 3x as much house -- free and clear -- as initially budgeted."
-- Michael M., Windermere, FL
The secret to a stable financial future
"My future looks tremendously more stable since I created my Stock Advisor 'personal mutual fund.' I buy every recommendation, every month, and the returns have been far beyond what I could have achieved without the help."
-- Randy T., Seattle, WA
Averaging 66% in 3 years
"I rolled over an employee sponsored IRA and invested in Stock Advisor picks and have averaged 66% return in 3 years. Way better than the managers at the employer's mutual funds!!"
-- Mary C., Lima, OH
"Made substantial returns..."
"Through Stock Advisor I've discovered companies like LabCorp, Activision, Garmin, and Marvel, and I've gotten some substantial returns in the process."
-- Lisa S., Phoenix, AZ
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That's right, you don't risk a dime
I volunteered to write this invitation under one condition. Namely, that all the risk is mine. Here's how it'll work... You simply agree to check out everything I've told you today.
If you're not 100% satisfied, you can tell me to send your money back, up to the last day of your first month. And I'll give you a FULL REFUND -- NO QUESTIONS ASKED.
Your new report, "The New Brand-Inside-a-Brand" -- revealing the amazing tech company Tom Gardner compares to the next Intel -- is yours to keep.
As are all the details on the amazing company David Gardner likens to buying Dell in 1990 -- before the stock gained 25,000% in 10 years...
Plus all the content you can access on the Stock Advisor members-only website: all the reports... all the recommendations of the past issues... all the articles full of proven investing lessons -- are ALL YOURS TO KEEP WITH MY COMPLIMENTS.
And if you'd rather not continue receiving the benefits of your Stock Advisor membership at any point after your first month, I'll gladly send you the full dollar value of the remainder of your membership term. No questions asked.
PLUS when you order today, you can knock $100 right off the top
If you go to Fool.com right now, you can subscribe to Motley Fool Stock Advisor for a full year for just $199 -- and that's a bargain when you look at David and Tom Gardner's track record.
But I want you to have an even better deal! Take a look...
As my personal thank you for hearing me out today, I want you to knock $100 right off the top. That's a full 50% savings off the regular membership rate!
You get everything we've discussed today... plus a full year of David and Tom Gardner's award-winning stock research... and your price is just $99 for a whole year. As far as I know, this is the absolute best deal The Motley Fool has ever offered on Motley Fool Stock Advisor.
Though please remember this is a limited-time offer. I can only guarantee you FREE copies of the new reports, "Like Buying Dell in 1990 -- BEFORE its 25,000% Run" and "The New Brand-Inside-a-Brand -- Cashing in on the NEXT Intel" -- plus your 3 additional FREE REPORTS, plus your FREE copy of The Motley Fool Rebound Report (detailed below) -- if you join David and Tom Gardner right now and you join through this email.
Yes, Wall St. is dead. It's time to claim your victory!
Let's be honest, it could be decades before the US financial services industry regains investor trust -- if ever. Frankly, that's for the best.
But if history is any guide, now is NOT the time to give up on your long-term investment strategy, or your dreams. Quite the opposite.
Now, is the time to position yourself to take advantage of the new bull market.
Since 1994, David and Tom Gardner have been helping individual investors like you thump the market, while breaking free from the herd mentality and shameless greed on Wall St.
Earning profits of 588%, 1,034%, and even 1,334% for their Motley Fool Stock Advisor members -- en route to a stunning 12.6% annualized return IN A DOWN MARKET.
So, am I promising they'll make you rich, too? Of course not.
Remember, I'm an investor, just like you. One who is personally following David and Tom Gardner's advice in my own portfolio.
You and I both know that all investments -- including the stocks of the world's best companies -- come with some risk. I wouldn't make that promise even if I were allowed to.
But if you're looking for an alternative to handing over your life savings to some conflicted corporation that can't seem to keep its CEO off 60 Minutes... you have taken a very important first step.
START NOW!
"The Motley Fool stands out as an ethical oasis in an area that is fast becoming a home to charlatans."
--The Economist
"You can find vast amounts of information and help here -- all written in plain English instead of Wall Street jargon." -- Fortune
Your next step is just as easy!
I urge you to click the "START NOW" button right now. There will never be a better time or easier way to position yourself for explosive profits from the next bull market.
So, please don't put this off. I can't wait to see you in The Motley Fool Stock Advisor community!
Sincerely,

Paul Elliott
Senior Investment Writer, The Motley Fool
P.S. Still on the fence? I can respect that. How about I sweeten the pot? Join for one year without risk at your special discount price today, and I'll also rush you a copy of The Motley Fool's latest premium quarterly research report. It's called "The Motley Fool Rebound Report -- 7 Small-Cap Rockets for the New Bull Market." This $69 value is yours FREE when you join today! Click here now to get started.
P.P.S. Interested in a better deal on your new Motley Fool Stock Advisor membership? For a limited time you can lock in an even better rate for 2 years of Stock Advisor. Pay just $169, today and receive everything we discussed today for a full 24 months. Respond right now, and I'll also include an additional stock report, "The Race for the $1,000 Genome" -- revealing a cutting-edge medical technology company that's up 1,347% in the past five years and just getting started. This valuable report is yours FREE when you join David and Tom Gardner today. Click here now!