Last week’s answer

Born in 1946 and based in Orlando, Fla., I’m a $1.1 billion multinational party animal that’s known to burp. I’m a premier direct seller of food storage, preparation and serving items, as well. I also offer people (mainly women) the opportunity to earn money. In 2000 I bought BeautiControl, a direct seller of beauty and skin care products. More than a million of my independent sales consultants serve customers in more than 100 nations. I also offer my wares in some stores, on TV and online. Most of my sales happen in Europe and Asia, and I’m moving into Latin America. Who am I? (Answer: Tupperware)

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One-time charges

What are these “one-time charges against earnings” that I see in companies’ earnings reports? Â Rodman E. Taber, via e-mail

They’re meant to reflect extraordinary costs a company is bearing that it usually doesn’t bear (for example, for closing plants, downsizing, writing off bad investments, etc.). They’re meant to be removed from the company’s earnings (in other words, their amount is added back), ostensibly to more accurately reflect the firm’s operating performance.

Imagine that Amalgamated Chorus Girls Inc. (ticker: KICKS) earns $10 million in a quarter, but also lays off many employees, incurring significant severance payment costs. If these costs amounted to $1 million and were labeled one-time charges, then the company would be suggesting that its business really earned $11 million in the quarter.

The amazing thing about these ubiquitous one-time charges is that with many companies, they occur regularly. (Perhaps “one-time” means once per quarter!) When this is the case, such costs should probably not be excluded from earnings.

After what percentage gain should I sell a stock? Â Luis, Miami

Don’t think in terms of percentages  instead consider whether the company is still executing well. Many people bail out after a certain gain, perhaps 10 percent or 30 percent. But it’s often more profitable to hang onto the stock for years or decades, as long as you retain faith in it. Why would you have wanted to sell Microsoft shares in 1990, after even a 100 percent gain? It would have kept doubling your money for many years.

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