I was reading an article the other day that said women don't invest as much as men. They are often better at managing money, but they more often than not, fail to amass any significant investments. It's with that in mind that I've come up with Ticker Talk, a monthly write up about companies or securities traded on the stock market. Instead of saving up to own that new Balenciaga, why not save up and own of a piece of its parent company, PPR, instead? You may think, "I'm only 20-something, there's plenty of time for that later," but there's really not. You will have a greater return (a.k.a. make more money) if you save from 20-30 and let it grow until retirement, as opposed to 30-40 until retirement. Who doesn't want more money? If reading this column gets just one person to start an IRA (Individual Retirement Account) or take an interest in finance, I've met my goal. So check it out and let me know what you think in the comments!!

Photo by ThinkRetail

I've been digging into the origins and owners of some of my favorite stores and lo and behold one of my favorite brands, Club Monaco, is owned by the Ralph Lauren Company. Club Monaco was a Canadian company, purchased by Ralph Lauren in 1999. I don't own many Ralph Lauren or Polo items, but we all know I love Club Monaco! 

Ralph Lauren started out in 1967 with a simple collection of men's ties and today, in addition to Club Monaco, the Ralph Lauren company owns and operates: Ralph Lauren Purple Label, Ralph Lauren Men’s Black Label, Lauren for Men, Ralph by Ralph Lauren, Ralph Lauren Women’s Collection, Ralph Lauren Women’s Black Label, Ralph Lauren Blue Label, Lauren by Ralph Lauren, Pink Pony, RRL, Ralph Lauren Denim & Supply, Polo Jeans Co., Golf, Rugby, Ralph Lauren Childrenswear, Ralph Lauren Watches and Fine Jewelry, Ralph Lauren Fragrance, Ralph Lauren Home, Lauren Home, Ralph Lauren Paint, American Living (recently discontinued), and Chaps. Whew, there's quite a bit of Ralph out there in the retail world! 

Ralph Lauren continues to lead the company as chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer. The Ralph Lauren company operates nearly 700 locations under those various brands, including "shops within shops" like those at Saks and Neiman Marcus. Like many other brands today, Ralph Lauren has sought to regain control of various licenses the company has issued over the years in an attempt to streamline it's brands as well as designs.

The Ralph Lauren umbrella produces home furnishings and housewares, apparel, footwear, fragrances, glasses, and more under the numerous brands it operates. In June of 1997 the company went public with an IPO (Initial Public Offering) priced at $26. Over the years it has steadily climbed and as of today shares traded at $166.06. Patient investors have been aptly rewarded as the company continues to grow. The Ralph Lauren company has been consistently paying dividends on their investments since 2003. 

Throughout the month of December the Lauren family sold quite a bit of it's holding in the stock (over $22 million on December 21st alone) leading investors to question what to expect from the stocks performance in the year to come. The company has a positive outlook for 2013, and is seeking to continue garnering exposure in China and Asia while decreasing distribution into the European market. It will be very interesting to see how their strategy pays off.

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