Stock-market experts we are not. So we definitely can't figure out why Sears Holdings Corp.'s stock is consistently rising.

Sears had a less-than-great holiday season and is closing about 120 stores. Analysts expect more closings, we haven't read anything anywhere that gives us hope of the retailer turning things around and competing with Walmart or any other formidable discounters.

Nonetheless, the stock keeps rising, close to 50% so far this year, because Chairman Edward Lampert is buying shares, and now reportedly owns 59% of them. An interesting Wall Street Journal article also points out that Goldman Sachs clients who invested in Lampert's fund a few years ago have a vested interest in Sears' health because many of them will end up cashing out this year.

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