Thom Calandra: Difference between revisions
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"We provide investors with unique and syndicated content relating to our client companies, including press releases, articles, research reports, and analyst reports, on an ongoing basis, free of charge. And while our content is free, we do require that investors “opt-in” to receive our “Daily Updates” by providing us with an email address. As a result, we have developed a large and increasing audience of 100% opt-in investors and it is access to these investors which benefit our clients."<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.babybulls.com/?page_id=29 |
"We provide investors with unique and syndicated content relating to our client companies, including press releases, articles, research reports, and analyst reports, on an ongoing basis, free of charge. And while our content is free, we do require that investors “opt-in” to receive our “Daily Updates” by providing us with an email address. As a result, we have developed a large and increasing audience of 100% opt-in investors and it is access to these investors which benefit our clients." <ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.babybulls.com/?page_id=29 |
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== Torrey Hills Capital == |
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Calandra joined Torrey Hills Capital in May 2011.<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.torreyhillscapital.com/team.html |
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Job responsibilites are described as ... "liaison with senior management to develop comprehensive evaluations and analysis of client companies as well as coordinate and attend property site visits." <ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.torreyhillscapital.com/team.html |
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Amoung other services, Torrey Hills offers the 100% owned "Baby Bulls" site to potential clients. |
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"Internet exposure through www.babybulls.com, a 100% owned Website which distributes meaningful client information to a 100% opt-in investor base."<ref> {{cite web|url=http://www.torreyhillscapital.com/team.html |
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==References== |
==References== |
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* [http://www.stockwatch.com ] |
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* [http://www.babybulls.com ] |
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* [http://www.torreyhillscapital.com ] |
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Revision as of 23:28, 22 February 2012
Thom Calandra was the founding editor and chief columnist for CBS MarketWatch.com until his resignation in 2004.
Background and personal life
Calandra was a commentator on investing topics for almost 25 years, and was the San Francisco Examiner's daily investing columnist. He also appeared on the CBS Evening News, CBS Radio Network, and the CBS MarketWatch Weekend television show. Calandra was also a London-based columnist for Bloomberg News and was the financial editor of USAToday.com. [1] The TJFR Group named Calandra one of the top 100 financial journalists in the United States. [2]
Calandra was editor of the 2002 book How America Made a Fortune and Lost Its Shirt. He was an investor in Bambi Francisco’s Vator.tv. He is the author of a self-published novel, Pablo By Numbers. [3]
Calandra holds a Master's degree in English from the University of Arizona and a Bachelor's degree of Arts from City University of New York at Brooklyn College. He lives with his wife and two children in Tiburon, California.[citation needed]
SEC complaint
In January 2004, Calandra resigned from Marketwatch after an internal probe into his trading activities that followed an SEC request for data on personal stock trades and e-mail messages.[4] A year later, the SEC accused him of "scalping": selling stocks shortly after his investment newsletter's positive recommendations of the stocks caused their prices to rise, without disclosing the sales. In 2005, Calandra settled the charges, without admitting or denying the allegations.
The SEC said that "[...] Calandra made over $400,000 in illegal profits through a practice known as "scalping" — buying shares of thinly-traded, small-cap companies, writing highly favorable newsletter profiles recommending the companies to his newsletter subscribers, and then selling the majority of his shares when the increased demand generated by his favorable columns drove up the stock price."[5]
The SEC said that from March to December 2003, Calandra made over $400,000 through buying shares of 23 different small-cap stocks while writing favorable newsletter profiles recommending the stocks, and then selling the his shares after the stocks rose after his columns were published. The SEC also accused Calandra of failing to disclose that he was compensated from a stock promoter affiliated with two companies that he profiled.
"In addition to his scalping transactions, Calandra received undisclosed consideration in the form of substantially-discounted stock from two companies that he profiled in TCR (The Calandra Report), Goldmarca and IMC Ventures. Calandra purchased discounted shares in Goldmarca and IMC Ventures from a Canadian stock promoter that Calandra knew was associated with both companies. On October 28, 2003, Calandra purchased 155,000 shares of Goldmarca at $0.23 per share, a 39% discount from the market price of $0.38 per share. Similarly, he purchased 70,000 shares of IMC Ventures on the same day, at the discounted price of $0.37 per share, a 59% discount off of the company's market price of $0.91 per share.
Calandra then provided the companies with positive publicity in TCR. He wrote on multiple occasions about both Goldmarca and IMC Ventures, but never disclosed his receipt of discounted shares to his readers.
Calandra sold the majority of his shares of Goldmarca and IMC Ventures immediately after touting the companies in TCR, making total profits of $52,022.75 and $61,496, respectively." [6] [7]
The SEC said in a statement that Calandra "betrayed his readers' trust" by using his newsletter to engage in trading profits. "Calandra's readers were entitled to know about his trading activity, so that they could evaluate the credibility and impartiality of Calandra's investment advice for themselves," SEC District Administrator Helane Morrison said in a statement.[8]
Stockhouse
Stockhouse assets were sold in November 2008 and on the 18th of November 2008 Stockhouse took on Thom Calandra for its website and paid subscription service "Ticker Trax". [9]
In his inaugural issue of Ticker Trax, Mr. Calandra began: "We shall talk about money, art, food, literature, swimming, friends and family. We will, I hope over the course of a year's approximately 30 or more issues, have spawned and nurtured a select family of garage-loft investors who can rely upon me and each other for a hand to hold, a property to market, an ear to listen."[10]
Ticker Trax was marketed to the public as follows ...
"For only $399 you will receive over 30 issues giving you access to unique research about new investment opportunities that have potential to make you 10x, 100x, or even 1000 times your investment in this newsletter.
Featured Columnist
Thom Calandra during the past 25 years has helped investors negotiate a quagmire of choices. Thom co-founded and was the editorial spirit of CBS MarketWatch, MarketWatch.com and FT MarketWatch in Europe." [11]
Baby Bulls
Thom Calandra is a key component of "Baby Bulls" [12]
"Baby Bulls" describes itself as ...
"•We are a financial investor and public relations firm formed in 2001 and headquartered in Del Mar, California.
•We are comprised of three professionals, each with experience and expertise in investor relations, market support, and awareness activities." [13]
Baby Bulls markets itself to public companies as having a "Public Focus"
"We provide investors with unique and syndicated content relating to our client companies, including press releases, articles, research reports, and analyst reports, on an ongoing basis, free of charge. And while our content is free, we do require that investors “opt-in” to receive our “Daily Updates” by providing us with an email address. As a result, we have developed a large and increasing audience of 100% opt-in investors and it is access to these investors which benefit our clients." [14]
Torrey Hills Capital
Calandra joined Torrey Hills Capital in May 2011.[15]
Job responsibilites are described as ... "liaison with senior management to develop comprehensive evaluations and analysis of client companies as well as coordinate and attend property site visits." [16]
Amoung other services, Torrey Hills offers the 100% owned "Baby Bulls" site to potential clients. "Internet exposure through www.babybulls.com, a 100% owned Website which distributes meaningful client information to a 100% opt-in investor base."[17]
References
- ^ MarketWatch.com's chief commentator quits, Michael Liedtke, Associated Press, January 22, 2004
- ^ CBS Marketwatch. "Executives".
- ^ Calandra's homepage
- ^ "Calandra Settles Fraud Charges," Marketwatch.com, Jan 10, 2005
- ^ SEC (January 10, 2005). "Thom Calandra, Litigation Release No. 19028".
- ^ SEC (January 10, 2005). "Thom Calandra, Litigation Release No. 19028".
- ^ Business Journalism (January 30, 2004). "Commentator Calandra Resigns Amid SEC Trading Probe".
{{cite web}}:|author=has generic name (help) - ^ "Calandra Settles Fraud Charges," Marketwatch.com
- ^ Stockwatch (June 6, 2010). "Invictus Financial left with nothing".
- ^ Stockwatch (June 6, 2010). "Invictus Financial left with nothing".
- ^ Stockhouse (2010). "Taking it to the streets".
- ^ Baby Bulls (2010). "Our Team".
- ^ Baby Bulls (2010). "Who We Are".
- ^ Baby Bulls (2010). "Our Services".
- ^ Torrey Hills Capital (2007–2011). "Our Team".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ Torrey Hills Capital (2007–2011). "Our Team".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link) - ^ Torrey Hills Capital (2007–2011). "Services".
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: date format (link)