Sunday, August 31, 2014

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In Right Now

The annual Value Investor Conference is one of the premier events surrounding Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-B  ) annual meeting in Omaha. The Motley Fool's Joe Magyer, Michael Olsen, and Rex Moore were in attendance and talked to several value investors.

In today's video, Joe chats with Wedgewood Partners' David Rolfe about why Berkshire is set up to function so well once Buffett is no longer at the helm.

What about the stock?
Thanks to the savvy of investing legend Warren Buffett, Berkshire Hathaway's book value per share has grown a mind-blowing 586,817% over the past 48 years. But with Buffett aging and Berkshire rapidly evolving, is this insurance conglomerate still a buy today? In The Motley Fool's premium report on the company, Berkshire expert Joe Magyer provides investors with key reasons to buy as well as important risks to watch out for. Click here now for instant access to Joe's take on Berkshire!

5 Best Shipping Stocks To Own For 2015: Want Want China Holdings Ltd (WWNTF)

Want Want China Holdings Limited is an investment holding company. The principal activities of the Company and its subsidiaries are the manufacturing, distribution and sale of rice crackers, dairy products and beverages, snack foods and other products. The Company segments include manufacturing and sale of Rice crackers, including sugar coated crackers, savoury crackers and fried crackers; dairy products and beverages, including flavored milk, yogurt drinks, ready-to-drink coffee, juice drinks, carbonated drinks, herbal tea and milk powder; snack foods, including candies, popsicles and jellies, ball cakes and beans and nuts, and other products, mainly including wine and other food products. Its operations are located in the People�� Republic of China, with the rest located in Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore and Japan. As of December 31, 2011, its subsidiaries included Want Want Holdings Ltd., Long Wave Foods Limited, Want-Want Foods Limited and others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

    HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks swung between small gains and losses early Thursday after hitting a seven-month high in the previous session, with the Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) down less than 0.1%. Most mainland Chinese property developers outperformed the markets, with Guangzhou R&F Properties Co. (HK:2777) (GZUHF) rallying 3.4%, after the company reported a 44% month-on-month jump in sales for June. Shimao Property Holdings Ltd. (HK:0813) (SIOPF) climbed 2.6%, and China Resources Land Ltd. (HK:1109) (CRBJF) rose 1.7%. However, several retailers were weak, as Want Want China Holdings Ltd. (HK:0151) (WWNTF) , the country's top food and beverage maker, declined 2%. Hong Kong-based cosmetics brand Sa Sa International Holdings (HK:0178) (SAXJF) fell 1.6%, with a decline in Chinese June non-manufacturing data helping weigh on some retailers. Over on the Chinese mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index (CN:SHCOMP) retreated 0.4%, pulling back from its highest close in two weeks.

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In Right Now: WEX Inc (WEX)

WEX Inc., formerly Wright Express Corporation, incorporated on June 18, 1999, is a provider of corporate card payment solutions. The Company operates in two segments: Fleet Payment Solutions and Other Payment Solutions. The Fleet Payment Solutions segment provides customers with fleet vehicle payment processing services specifically designed for the needs of commercial and government fleets. The Other Payment Solutions segment provides customers with payment processing solutions for their corporate purchasing and transaction monitoring needs through the Company's payment products. The Company's United States operations include WEX Inc., and the Company's wholly owned subsidiaries Fleet One, WEX Bank, rapid! PayCard, and Pacific Pride. On October 4, 2012, the Company acquired Fleet One. On August 30, 2012, the Company acquired a 51 % controlling interest in UNIK S.A. On May 11, 2012, the Company acquired CorporatePay Limited.

The Company's virtual card is used for transactions where no card is presented, including, for example, transactions conducted over the telephone, by mail, by fax or on the Internet. The Company's virtual card also can be used for transactions that require pre-authorization, such as hotel reservations. The rapid! PayCard product, a pre-paid payroll card, provides a paycard benefit and ePayroll program designed for employers choosing to convert to electronic delivery of payroll in the United States, replacing paper employee payroll checks. The Company also has several other product offerings, including corporate purchase cards and pre-paid and gift cards.

Fleet Payment Solutions

The Company's closed-loop fuel networks afford the Company access to a higher level of fleet-specific information and control than is widely available on open-loop networks. This allows the Company to improve and refine the information reporting the Company provides to its fleet customers and strategic relationships. The Company offers a differentiated set of products ! and services, including security and purchases controls, to allow its customers and the customers of its strategic relationships to better manage their vehicle fleets. The Company provides customized analysis and reporting on the efficiency of fleet vehicles and the purchasing behavior of fleet vehicle drivers. The Company's software facilitates the collection of information and affords the Company a high level of control and flexibility in allowing fleets to restrict purchases and receive automated alerts.

Other Payment Solutions

The Company's virtual products offer corporate customers enhanced security and control for payment needs. The Company's strategic relationships include three of the United States based online travel agencies. The Company's operations in the United Kingdom provide corporate prepaid solutions to the travel industry. In addition, the Company offers virtual products in the insurance/warranty and healthcare markets in the United States. The Company offers paycard products in the United States and Brazil. These products include payroll cards which are used to replace paper payroll checks.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on WEX (NYSE: WEX  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    WEX (NYSE: WEX  ) reported earnings on May 1. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), WEX met expectations on revenues and beat slightly on earnings per share.

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In Right Now: National Health Investors Inc. (NHI)

National Health Investors, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), invests in health care properties, primarily in the long-term care industry in the United States. As of December 31, 2008, it had investments in real estate assets and mortgage notes receivable investments in 123 health care facilities consisting of 83 long-term care facilities, 1 acute care hospital, 4 medical office buildings, 14 assisted living facilities, 4 retirement centers, and 17 residential projects for the developmentally disabled in 17 states. The company has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and would not be subject to federal income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its shareholders. National Health Investors, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is based in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Long-term care and senior housing real estate investment trust National Health Investors (NHI) raised its quarterly dividend 6.2% to 77 cents per share, payable on May 9 to shareholders of record as of Mar. 31. NHI stock has the second-highest yield on this week’s list of dividend stocks increasing payouts.
    NHI Dividend Yield: 4.88%

  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    National Health Investors Inc.(NHI) signed an agreement to acquire 25 independent-living facilities from Holiday Retirement Corp. affiliates for $491 million. The health-care focused real-estate investment trust also unveiled plans to offer 4.5 million shares of its stock to help fund the pending deal.

  • [By Jonas Elmerraji]

     

     

    After performing pretty poorly in the last year, $2 billion healthcare property owner National Health Investors (NHI) has gone from laggard to leader in 2014. Since the start of the year, NHI has moved more than 11% higher, stomping the S&P 500's performance by comparison. And now, NHI looks well positioned for another leg up...

     

    NHI is forming a "rounding bottom" pattern, a basic classic setup that looks exactly like it sounds: it's identified by a curved support level below shares and a horizontal resistance level to the top side. That rounded support line indicates a gradual shift in control from sellers to buyers -- and resistance at $63 is the price level to watch from here.

     

    Why all the significance at $63? It all comes down to buyers and sellers. Price patterns are a good quick way to identify what's going on in the price action, but they're not the reason a stock is tradable. Instead, the "why" comes down to basic supply and demand for NHI's stock.

     

    The $63 resistance level is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a spot where sellers have previously been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above $63 so significant -- the move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level.

     

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In Right Now: Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores Inc (SHOS)

Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores, Inc. (SHO), incorporated on April 23, 2012, is a retailer primarily focused on selling home appliances, hardware, tools and lawn and garden equipment. As of April 28, 2012, the Company and its dealers and franchisees operated 1,238 stores across all 50 states and Puerto Rico, Guam and Bermuda. The Company also provides its customers with a range of services, including home delivery and installation and product protection agreements. SHO operates in two segments: the Sears Hometown and Hardware segment and the Sears Outlet segment.

Sears Hometown

Sears Hometown and Hardware segment�� stores are designed to provide its customers with in-store and online access to a range selection of brands of home appliances, tools, lawn and garden equipment, sporting goods, consumer electronics and household goods, depending on the particular store. Its Sears Outlet stores are designed to provide its customers with in-store and online access to purchase new, one-of-a-kind, out-of-carton, discontinued, obsolete, used, reconditioned, overstocked and scratched and dented products, collectively, outlet-value products, including home appliances, lawn and garden equipment, apparel, mattresses, televisions, sporting goods and tools.

As of April 28, 2012, the Sears Hometown and Hardware segment consisted of 944 Sears Hometown Stores, 96 Sears Hardware Stores and 76 Sears Home Appliance Showrooms. The 944 Sears Hometown Stores are primarily independently owned stores, predominantly located in smaller communities and offering appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, and hardware. Hometown Stores carry y Sears brand products, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard, as well as other brands. 96 Sears Hardware Stores are hardware stores that carry Craftsman brand tools and lawn and garden equipment, DieHard brand batteries and other national brands and other home improvement products. 93 of these locations also offer a selection of Kenm! ore and other national brands of home appliances.

Sears Hometown and Hardware business operates through three formats: Sears Hometown Stores (Hometown Stores), Sears Hardware Stores (Hardware Stores), and Sears Home Appliance Showrooms (Home Appliance Showrooms). Hometown Stores offer products and services across a range of merchandise categories, including home appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, sporting goods, tools and household goods. Most of its Hometown Stores carry Sears brand products, such as Kenmore, Craftsman, and DieHard, as well as other national brands. Its Hardware Stores offer products and services across a range of merchandise categories and sales are primarily driven by tools, lawn and garden equipment, home appliances, and other home improvement products. In addition, these stores offer blade sharpening, key cutting and screen repair, as well as products typically found in local hardware stores, such as fasteners, electrical supplies and plumbing supplies. These stores carry Craftsman brand tools and lawn and garden equipment, DieHard brand batteries and a range of national brands and other home improvement products. Its Home Appliance Showrooms offer home appliances and related services in stores primarily located in strip malls and lifestyle centers of metropolitan areas. Home Appliance Showroom sales are primarily driven by big-ticket cooking, laundry and refrigeration home appliances, as well as, in certain stores, mattresses. These stores carry Kenmore and other national brands of home appliances. As of April 28, 2012, out of 76 Home Appliance Showrooms in 19 states, 44 of these stores are owned and operated by franchisees, 30 stores are owned and operated by the Company and two are owned and operated by independent dealers.

Sears Outlet

As of April 28, 2012, the Sears Outlet segment consisted of 122 Sears Outlet Stores. The Company�� Sears Outlet stores provide in-store and online access to purchase outlet-value ! products ! across a range of merchandise categories, including home appliances, consumer electronics, lawn and garden equipment, apparel, sporting goods, tools, and household goods.

The Company competes with Sears Holdings, The Home Depot, Best Buy, Lowe�� and Tractor Supply, Ace Hardware, True Value, HH Gregg and US Appliances.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James Brumley]

    Two years later, the company spun off its Hometown and Outlet stores by issuing shares of Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores (SHOS) to SHLD stock owners … charging them for the right to receive what they technically already owned.

  • [By Chris Isidore]

    Selling the Canadian stores would raise much-needed cash. The company recently spun off its Lands' End unit that it paid $1.9 billion for in 2002. Two years ago it sold a line of specialty stores, Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores (SHOS).

  • [By Michael Lewis]

    Sears Hometown and Outlet Stores� (NASDAQ: SHOS  ) , the recent spinoff of�Sears Holdings� (NASDAQ: SHLD  ) �and one of my top picks for a retail play,�delivered a softer-than-expected earnings report that has sent the stock down more than 18 points in five days of trading. I believe the short-term discount gives investors a little bit more time to pick up this outstanding operation at a price materially below its intrinsic value. With the recent earnings release in mind, here is what you need to know about Sears Hometown and Outlets.

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In Right Now: Chesapeake Gold Corp (CHPGF.PK)

Chesapeake Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focusing on the discovery and development of gold-silver deposits in North and Central America. The Company�� primary asset is the Metates gold-silver project (Metates) located in Durango State, Mexico. The Company also has a portfolio of exploration properties in Mexico comprising 57,067 hectares in the states of Durango, Sinaloa, Oaxaca and Veracruz. The Escorpion property is located 85 kilometers by paved road southeast of Guatemala City. The Metates property is the undeveloped disseminated gold and silver deposits in Mexico. The property is consists of 14 mineral concessions totaling 14,727 hectares. Talapoosa property is a low-sulphidation gold/silver property in the Walker Lane gold trend of western Nevada, approximately 45 kilometers east of Reno. The property consists of 535 unpatented lode mining claims and seven additional fee land sections which cover 10,780 hectares. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Hebba Investments]

    Therefore the situation is still very bullish for investors in physical gold and the gold ETFs (GLD, CEF, and PHYS). Investors interested in leveraging this situation into higher potential profits may also consider buying gold miners such as Randgold (GOLD), Goldcorp (GG), Yamana Gold (AUY), and any of the other gold miners. Finally, those willing to shoulder much larger risks may consider some of the exploration and micro-cap companies that offer significant profits at a high risk such as Chesapeake Gold (CHPGF.PK), Pretium Resources (PVG), Western Copper (WRN), or any other of the junior exploration companies. Though investors should keep in mind that gold mining companies and explorers do not always rise with a rising gold price - do your research before you invest in the miners.

Best Warren Buffett Companies To Invest In Right Now: Curis Inc.(CRIS)

Curis, Inc., a drug discovery and development company, focuses on the research and development of cancer therapeutics. The company, under collaboration with Genentech, Inc., is conducting a pivotal Phase II clinical trial on its lead molecule, GDC-0449 in advanced basal cell carcinoma patients, as well as various Phase II clinical trials in first-line metastatic colorectal cancer and advanced ovarian cancer patients. It is also evaluating CUDC-101, a small molecule that is in a Phase I clinical testing and is designed to target histone deacetylase, epidermal growth factor receptor, and epidermal growth factor receptor 2. In addition, Curis has a development candidate, Debio 0932, which is a Heat Shock Protein 90 or Hsp90 inhibitor. The company holds a license agreement with Debiopharm related to its Hsp90 technologies. Further, it involves in preclinical testing for the development of candidates from its targeted cancer programs. The company was founded in 2000 and is base d in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Curis (NASDAQ: CRIS) dipped 18.97% to $3.16 in the pre-market session after the company reported Q3 financial results and provided CUDC-427 development update.

Saturday, August 30, 2014

Top 5 Specialty Retail Companies To Own For 2015

Top 5 Specialty Retail Companies To Own For 2015: Barnes & Noble Inc (BKS)

Barnes & Noble, Inc. (Barnes & Noble), incorporated on November 19, 1986, is a bookseller. The Company is a content, commerce and technology company that provides customers access to books, magazines, newspapers and other content across its multi-channel distribution platform. As of April 27, 2013, it operated 1,361 bookstores in 50 states, 686 bookstores on college campuses, and operates one of the Web eCommerce sites, and develops digital content products and software. Barnes & Noble operates in three segments: B&N Retail, B&N College and NOOK. The Company's principal business is the sale of trade books (generally hardcover and paperback consumer titles), mass market paperbacks (such as mystery, romance, science fiction and other popular fiction), children's books, eBooks and other digital content, NOOK and related accessories, bargain books, magazines, gifts, cafe products and services, educational toys & games, music and movies direct to customers through its books tores or on barnesandnoble.com.

Of the Company's 1,361 bookstores, 675 operate primarily under the Barnes & Noble Booksellers trade name. Barnes & Noble College Booksellers, LLC (B&N College), a wholly owned subsidiary of Barnes & Noble, operates 686 college bookstores at colleges and universities across the United States. Barnes & Noble Retail (B&N Retail) operates the 675 retail bookstores. Retail also includes the Company's eCommerce site and Sterling Publishing Co., Inc. (Sterling or Sterling Publishing), a leader in general trade book publishing.

B&N Retail

This segment includes 675 bookstores as of April 27, 2013, primarily under the Barnes & Noble Booksellers trade name. These stores generally offer a dedicated NOOK area, a comprehensive trade book title base, a cafe, and departments dedicated to Juveni! le, Toys & Games, DVDs, Music, Gift, Magazine and Bargain products. The stores also offer a calendar of ongoing events, incl uding author appearances and children's activities. The B&! N Retail segment also includes the Company's eCommerce website, barnesandnoble.com, and its publishing operation, Sterling Publishing. Barnes & Noble stores range in size from 3,000 to 60,000 square feet depending upon market size, with an overall average store size of 26,000 square feet. During the fiscal year ended April 27, 2013 (fiscal), the Company reduced the Barnes & Noble store base by 0.3 million square feet, bringing the total square footage to 17.7 million square feet. The Company's B&N Retail segment purchases physical books on a regular basis from over 800 publishers and over 50 wholesalers or distributors. As of April 27, 2013, Barnes & Noble had stores in 162 of the total 210 Designated Market Area markets.

Sterling Publishing is a publisher of non-fiction trade titles. It is a range of non-fiction and illustrated books and kits across a range of imprints, in categories, such as health and wellness, music and culture, food and wine, crafts and photo graphy, puzzles and games, history and current affairs, as well as a children's books.

B&N College

B&N College sells new and used textbooks in campus bookstores and online. As of April 27, 2013, B&N College operated 686 stores nationwide. The Company's customer base, which is mainly consisted of students and faculty, can purchase various items from their campus stores, including textbooks and course-related materials, emblematic apparel and gifts, trade books, computer products, NOOK products and related accessories, school and dorm supplies, convenience and cafe items.

As of April 27, 2013, B&N College operates 651 traditional college bookstores and 35 academic superstores, which are generally larger in size, offer cafes and provide a sense of community that engages the surrounding campus and local comm! unities i! n college activities and culture. The traditional bookstores range in size from 500 to 48,000 square feet. The academic su perstores range in size from 8,000 to 75,000 square feet. B&! N College! 's three customer constituencies are students, faculty members and campus administrators.

NOOK

This segment includes the Company's digital business, which includes the Company's eBookstore, digital newsstand and sales of NOOK devices and accessories to third party distribution partners, as well as to B&N Retail and B&N College. Barnes & Noble's NOOK digital bookstore and Reading Apps provide customers the ability to purchase and read their digital content and access to their Lifetime Library on a range of digital platforms, including Windows 8 PCs and tablets, iPad, iPhone , Android smartphones and tablets, PC and Mac. Barnes & Noble has implemented features on its digital platform to ensure that customers can access their NOOK content from almost all of today's most popular devices.

The Company competes with Target, Books-A-Million, Waldenbooks, Amazon.com, Apple, Wal-Mart and Costco.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    Paul Sakuma/AP There were plenty of winners and losers this week, with a few potential mergers coming undone and a maker of electronic learning toys getting schooled. Here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders. Trex (TREX) -- Winner It's summer, and apparently a lot of homeowners decided to invest in sprucing up their outdoor living space. Trex posted strong quarterly results on Monday. The leading maker of weather-resistant wood-alternative decking saw its sales climb 23 percent, and adjusted pre-tax earnings soared 62 percent. There was some weakness earlier this earnings season out of other home improvement specialists, so it's a welcome surprise to see Trex holding up so well. The good news doesn't end there. Trex is eyeing accelerating growth, calling for revenue to cli! mb a bett! er than expected 27 percent in the current quarter. Mergers -- Loser In any week there seems to be a couple of acquisitions or mergers, but sometimes Cupid isn't feeling up to the arrow-slinging task. A couple of big potential buyouts came undone this week when Rupert Murdoch pulled his offer to buy out Time Warner (TWX), and Sprint (S) nixed plans to snap up T-Mobile (TMUS). The deals fell apart for different reasons. Murdoch just didn't have an interest in chasing Time Warner's stock higher in a hostile buyout bid. Sprint realized that regulators weren't going to be happy unless there were four major independent wireless carriers out there. Instant Gratification -- Winner Amazon.com (AMZN) announced on Wednesday that it was expanding its same-day delivery service to six more cities. Prime shoppers in Baltimore, Dallas, Indianapolis, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, DC, metro areas will now be able to place an order on the website by noon and pay $5.99 to have it delivered that same day. Naturally the selection is limited to items that Amazon stocks locally, but the one knock on Amazon about having to wait a day or two at least for shipme

  • [By Mark Lin]

    What implications does this have for Amazon and peers such as Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS  ) and Scholastic Corporation (NASDAQ: SCHL  ) ?

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-specialty-retail-companies-to-own-for-2015.html

Friday, August 29, 2014

Best Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now

Everyone is familiar with�the Tupperware brand from�consumer products stock Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) and you are probably familiar with the brands�of mid cap stock Jarden Corp (NYSE: JAH) along with small cap stocks Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT); but what about the stocks themselves? Chances are, their brands or products are right under your nose at home and you probably don�� know anything about the mid cap or small cap stock behind them.

What You Need to Know About JAH, LBY & LCUT

Here is what investors should know about these three overlooked consumer stocks:

Jarden Corp. With a diverse portfolio of innovative products, over 120 iconic market-leading brands and a global presence, mid cap Jarden Corp operates in three primary business segments: Branded Consumables, Consumer Solutions and Outdoor Solutions. Jarden Corp�� brands include�many�that are�over 100 years old including Coleman庐, Rawlings庐, Ball庐, Bicycle庐, Diamond庐, Worth庐, Pflueger庐, and Madshus庐, as well as other recognized brands such as Mr. Coffee庐, First Alert庐, Oster庐, Sunbeam庐 and�Shakespeare庐. Just yesterday, Jarden Corp announced the acquisition of privately held Yankee Candle Co Inc, the largest scented candle company in the United States,�for $1.75 billion after private equity owner Madison Dearborn Partners LLC failed to sell it for a higher price earlier this year (they wanted $2 billion for it). Analysts say the deal will boost Jarden Corp�� branded consumables division while investors gave the deal a vote of confidence as share rose more than 10%. Otherwise and back in July, Jarden Corp�� reported a�5% revenue rise�to $1.76 billion�and a net income fall of 8% to $76.4 million due to one time charges. On Tuesday, Jarden Corp rose 10.43% to $47.43 (JAH has a 52 week trading range of $31.94 to $49.28 a share) for a market cap of $5.34 billion plus the stock is up 41.3% since the start of the year, up 47.2% over the past year and up 177.2% over the past five years.

5 Best European Stocks To Invest In 2015: Mattress Firm Holding Corp (MFRM)

Mattress Firm Holding Corp. (Mattress Firm), incorporated on January 5, 2007, is a specialty retailer of mattresses and related products and accessories in the United States. The Company conducts its operations through its indirect, wholly owned subsidiary, Mattress Holding Corp. and its subsidiaries. As of August 2, 2011, the Company and its franchisees operated 620 and 107 stores, respectively, primarily under the Mattress Firm name, in 60 markets across 25 states. The Company focuses on the national brands, but also offers its customers its Hampton and Rhodes private label mattresses. The Company has introduced its YuMe brand. On October 15, 2010, the Company acquired Peak Management, LLC. On December 1, 2010, the Company acquired Maggie's Enterprises, Inc. In May 2012, Mattress Firm announced the completion of its acquisition of regional bedding company, Mattress Giant Holding Corp. Effective September 9, 2013, Mattress Firm Holding Corp, a unit of JW Childs Associates LP, acquired Olejo Inc, a provider of ecommerce retail services.

The Company�� stores carry national mattress brands, with a range of styles, sizes, price points and features. The Company provides its customers with their choice of traditional mattresses, including Sealy and Simmons, as well as specialty mattresses, such as Tempur-Pedic. In addition to its mattress selection, the Company offers a range of bedding-related products and accessories.

Conventional Mattresses

Conventional mattresses, such as those of Sealy (including Sealy Posturepedic and Stearns and Foster) and Simmons (including Simmons Beautyrest), utilize steel-coil innersprings. During the fiscal year ended February 1, 2011, the conventional mattresses represented approximately 75% of bedding industry sales in the United States and approximately 60% of the Company�� total sales. In addition to these national brands, the Company also offers its Hampton and Rhodes private label mattresses.

Specialty Mattresses

Specialty mattresses, such as those manufactured by Tempur-Pedic and select comfort, utilize materials other than steel-coil innersprings to provide comfort and support. In fiscal 2010, the specialty mattresses represented approximately 30% of the Company�� total sales. The Company is expanding its assortments in the categories, including viscoelastic foam mattresses and yume sleep system. Viscoelastic foam, also referred to as memory foam or polyurethane foam, features a temperature sensitive foam core that reduces pressure points and tossing and turning by contouring to one's body. The Company has introduced a sleep system made of foam produced from coconut oil, utilizing a technology that uses ambient air to heat and cool the mattress surface.

Furniture and Accessories

During fiscal 2010, the Company was in the process of introducing new headboards and footboards, which complement its current bedding products. All of the Company�� stores carry an assortment of bedding-related accessories, including bed frames, mattress pads and pillows. In fiscal 2010, bedding-related products and accessories represented approximately 7% of the Company�� total sales from Company-operated stores.

The Company competes with Mattress Giant, American Mattress, Haverty's, Rooms-To-Go, Macy's, Sears, JC Penney, Walmart, Costco and Original Mattress.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Leo Fasciocco]

    Mattress Firm Holding (MFRM) offers both traditional and specialty mattresses, bedding accessories, and related products. MFRM also offers bed frames, pillows, tempurpedic pillows, headboards, and memory foam mattresses.

  • [By John Kell]

    Mattress Firm Holding Corp.(MFRM) tempered expectations for 2013, as the company said results were hurt by poor winter weather and lower margins tied to efforts to drive sales and traffic during the final quarter of the year. Shares slumped 9.9% to $37.17 premarket.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Tomorrow, Mattress Firm (NASDAQ: MFRM  ) will release its latest quarterly results. As the consumer segment of the economy has picked up steam over the past several years, discretionary spending on things like mattresses is finally starting to grow, and Mattress Firm has managed to capitalize on that trend.

Best Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Geely Automobile Holdings Ltd (GELYF.PK)

Geely Automobile Holdings Limited is an investment holding company. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the research, production, marketing and sales of sedans and related automobile components in the People�� Republic of China (PRC). The Company operates in two segments: automobiles and related parts and components segment, engaged in the manufacture and sale of automobiles, automobile parts and related automobile components, and gearboxes segment, engaged in the manufacture and sale of gearboxes. The Company�� subsidiaries include Centurion Industries Limited, Value Century Group Limited, Geely International Limited, Zhejiang Fulin Guorun Automobile Parts & Components Co., Ltd., Linkstate Overseas Limited, Luckview Group Limited and Luck Empire Investment Limited, among others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Elliott Gue]

    This so-called One Ford initiative involved the US$2.3 billion sale of Jaguar and Land Rover to Tata Motors (TTM) and the US$1.6 billion divestment of Volvo to Geely Automobile Holdings (GELYF.PK). After selling the majority of its stake in Mazda Motor Corp (MZDAY.PK) and discontinuing Mercury, Ford Motor Company's portfolio consists of its eponymous mass-market brand and the higher-end Lincoln.

Best Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: William Hill PLC (WMH)

William Hill PLC is a United Kingdom-based gambling company. The Company�� business is to provide its customers with a range of sports betting and gaming opportunities. It is a bookmaker providing fixed odds sports betting. It also offers gaming opportunities. The Company�� segments include Retail distribution channel, which includes activity undertaken in LBOs, including gaming machines; Online segment, which includes activity undertaken online, including an online sportsbook, online casino, online poker sites and other gaming products; Telephone segment, which includes its telephone betting services; US segment, comprises all activity undertaken in the United States; Other activities include on-course betting and greyhound stadia operations. In April 2013, it acquired the remaining 29% stake in William Hill Online from its joint venture partner Playtech Ltd. Effective September 2, 2013, William Hill PLC acquired Miapuesta.es, a provider of gaming and sports betting services. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Inyoung Hwang]

    Royal Bank of Scotland Group Plc sank 3.3 percent after reporting results and naming the head of its U.K. consumer unit as chief executive officer. William Hill Plc (WMH) dropped the most in four years after the bookmaker posted earnings that missed analysts��projections. International Consolidated Airlines Group SA (IAG) rose to a five-year high as the parent of British Airways reported an operating profit in the second quarter.

Best Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Analogic Corp (ALOG)

Analogic Corporation (Analogic), incorporated in November 27, 1967, is a technology company that designs and manufactures advanced medical imaging and security systems and subsystems sold to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and end users primarily in the healthcare and airport security markets. Analogic operate primarily three segments: Medical Imaging, Ultrasound, and Security Technology. Medical Imaging, which primarily includes systems and subsystems for computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) medical imaging equipment, Selenium-based detectors for screening and diagnostic applications in mammography. Ultrasound, which designs, manufactures, and distributes ultrasound systems and transducers primarily in the urology, surgery, robotic assisted surgery, anesthesia, and general imaging markets. Security Technology, which includes advanced threat detecting CT systems. In March 2013, it completed the acquisition of Ultrasonix Medical Corporation. In September 2013, the Company announced that it has acquired the remaining ownership stake in PocketSonics, Inc.

Medical Imaging

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company�� medical imaging segment, which accounted for approximately 59% of its net revenue, which consists primarily of electronic systems and subsystems for medical imaging, sold globally to OEM producers of CT, MRI, and digital mammography systems. Products under this consist of: X-Ray Detectors, which converts the x-ray energy in a CT machine to useful analog signals for processing in the DAS.

DAS, which are used to process the signals created by the detectors and feed them as a digital stream to a reconstruction computer to create high resolution images. The DAS is designed with many multi-channel circuit boards that process the analog signals from the detectors and convert them into digital signals through an array of analog to digital.

converters. DMS, which the brains of the CT sys! tem and consists of both the detector array and the DAS in one package. This system provides its OEM customers a level of integration that allows for lower cost and faster time to market. Integrated Gantries, which is a component of the CT system (detectors, DAS, x-ray tube and power supplies), are mounted on a rotating ring assembly called a gantry. It provides integrated gantries to its OEM customers as another level of integration.

For OEM producers of MRI equipment, it also supplies two key components: gradient amplifiers and radio frequency, or RF, amplifiers. It has developed a range of amplifier solutions for its customers ranging from low-magnetic-field systems (< 0.3 Tesla) to ultra high-field systems (> 7.0 Tesla) used in academic research hospitals.

Gradient Amplifier, which is a power systems used to drive a set of coils located inside the MRI system and around the patient. The coils energize the atomic structure of patients��anatomy in order to develop tissue and structure images. Gradient amplifiers must be specifically designed for different MRI field strengths ranging from 0.3 Tesla to >7.0 Tesla. RF Amplifiers, which is a power systems used to control another set of the coils within the MRI system that are used to read-back the signals from the anatomy generated by the gradient coils. These signals are then processed in a reconstruction computer to create images. The RF amplifiers must have a high signal-to-noise ratio to produce the cleanest images.

The Company�� digital mammography products consist primarily of digital mammography selenium-based x-ray detector plates, sold directly to OEM customers for screening and diagnostic applications in mammography. These x-ray detector plates are used by OEMs in mammography systems to convert x-ray signals into high resolution two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) images of breast tissue to aid in the detection of breast cancer. Its detector plates for mammography applications are sold to! medical ! OEMs for use in products worldwide. Its mammography product portfolio consists of: LMAM, which is its large area detector plate, based on selenium technology, is used primarily for European markets and was recently introduced in the United States market. This detector plate is also compatible with systems that can perform tomosynthesis, which creates 3-D images through a series of exposures to more accurately detect lesions in the breast. SMAM, which is its small area detector plate uses the same selenium-based technology as the LMAM detector and is manufactured primarily for the Asian markets. Within its medical imaging segment, it also designs and manufactures precision motion control systems, which it supplies to OEM customers for use in computer-controlled automation systems primarily in the semiconductor and medical markets.

Ultrasound

The Company�� ultrasound segment designs and manufactures procedure-driven ultrasound systems and transducers, principally under the B-K Medical brand. These products are primarily for end-user markets in urology and surgery and accounted for approximately 29% of its net revenue in fiscal year 2012. Its ultrasound systems use acoustic waves to generate real-time images of the body�� internal anatomy that are used for interventional and medical diagnostic procedures. These ultrasound systems are also used for guiding robotic assisted surgical procedures and for guiding prostate cancer treatment employing a procedure called brachytherapy. It also manufactures and sells advanced ultrasound probes and transducers to medical OEMs.

Security Technology

Utilizing the Company�� CT technology, its Security Technology segment designs and manufactures airport security systems and subsystems primarily for checked bag applications and accounted for approximately 12% of its net revenue in fiscal year 2012. These systems generate 3-D images of objects contained within baggage and provide threat analysis of materials conta! ined with! in the bags. The Company sells the checked baggage systems through L-3 Communications Corporation (L-3): eXaminer XLB (High Speed), eXaminer 3DX (Medium Speed) and eXaminer SX (Reduced Size).

The Company competes with General Electric Corporation (GE) and Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Philips), Hitachi Medical Corporation, Fujifilm, Morpho Detection and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap security stocks Analogic Corporation (NASDAQ: ALOG), OSI Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: OSIS) and View Systems Inc (OTCBB: VSYM) all aid Big Brother to keep us safe with security inspection systems intended for airports and other public�places rather than equipment to just spy on us. Moreover, the security inspection systems market is global and massive as its not just about detecting potential hijackers at airports as such systems can be used to fight or prevent crime. With that thought in mind, here is a look at three small cap security inspection system stocks:

  • [By Wallace Witkowski]

    Shares of Analogic Corp. (ALOG) �fell 12% to $85 on light volume after the electronics-component maker reported fiscal second-quarter earnings of $1.17 a share on revenue of $141.4 million and forecast flat revenue for the year because of headwinds. Analysts expected $1.20 a share on revenue of $151.7 million, along with a 7% revenue growth for the year.

Best Mid Cap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Tata Motors Ltd(TTM)

Tata Motors Limited, an automobile company, engages in the manufacture and sale of commercial and passenger vehicles primarily in India. The company offers cars, utility vehicles, trucks, buses and coaches, and defense vehicles, as well as develops electric and hybrid vehicles for personal and public transportation. It also involves in distributing and marketing cars; and financing the vehicles sold by the company. In addition, the company engages in the provision of engineering and automotive solutions, as well as machine tools and factory automation solutions; construction equipment manufacturing; automotive vehicle components manufacturing and supply chain activities; tooling and plastic and electronic components for automotive and computer applications; and automotive retailing and service operations. It offers its products and services through its dealership, sales, services, and spare parts network. The company also markets its commercial and passenger vehicles in Eu rope, Africa, the Middle East, South East Asia, South Asia, and South America. The company was formerly known as Tata Engineering and Locomotive Company Limited and changed its name to Tata Motors Limited in July 2003. Tata Motors Limited was founded in 1945 and is based in Mumbai, India.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By David Kerr]

    Using the conventional P/E method, if we subtract the $39 billion in cash that Oracle has from the $155 billion market cap, we see that the company�� operations can be purchased for $116 billion. Because Oracle has a net income of $11 billion (TTM), the company is actually trading at a P/E of 10.54 as opposed to the current 14.46. Oracle also has an estimated Forward P/E (1 year) of 10.65.

  • [By John Rosevear]

    Ever since India's Tata Motors (NYSE: TTM  ) bought Jaguar and Land Rover from Ford (NYSE: F  ) in 2008, one big question has been asked: Would Tata be willing (and able) to make the big investments needed to make Jaguar a competitive global luxury brand?

  • [By CFA Institute Contributors]

    Tata Motors (TTM)

    Damodaran doesn't use standard regression betas. Instead, he uses an average of all the betas in a given industry. In this case, the law of large numbers is on the analyst's side. The standard error in a regression beta is typically too large to make any individual beta meaningful. In the case of Tata Motors, using an average of 111 publicly traded companies in the auto industry reduces the standard error of the beta by 90%, he said.

  • [By Trey Thoelcke]

    The rise of VW could hit GM particularly hard, both in terms of reputation and in earnings. GM said it was looking to introduce four new Chevrolet models in China next year, as well as to expand its low-cost Baojun brand. Chinese buyers could already be looking elsewhere though, given the rise of VW and of Tata Motors Ltd. (NYSE: TTM), which sells cars under the Jaguar and Range Rover brands. Sales of Tata vehicles have risen sharply in the past year, and the company is set to begin producing cars in China.

Thursday, August 28, 2014

Hot High Dividend Stocks For 2014

Normally, like most brokers and analysts, iStock uses these pages for the bullish side of the tape but today, we are venturing over to the dark side. iStock is going to break out the trusty screener and see if we can't identify some companies that are in danger of cutting their dividends.

The first thing we want to find are companies paying abnormally high dividend yields. Anything over 5% is unusual, so let's see how many publicly traded companies offer investors a yield greater than 5% at the moment.

The answer��is 541. Of course, they aren't all in trouble of cutting payments.

Next, we'll focus companies that analysts believe will experience declining sales and profits. We are left with 71 companies with projected shrinking top-lines. Of those, 53 should see the bottom-line shrivel, too.

5 Best Freight Stocks To Invest In 2015: Andatee China Marine Fuel Services Corporation(AMCF)

Andatee China Marine Fuel Services Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, storage, distribution, and wholesale purchase, and sale of blended marine fuel oil for cargo and fishing vessels primarily in Tianjin City, and Liaoning, Shandong, and Zhejiang Provinces in the People?s Republic of China. It sells its products through distributors, as well as to retail customers. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Dalian, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Andatee China Marine Fuel Services (AMCF) is engaged in the production, storage, distribution and wholesale purchases and sales of blended marine fuel oil for cargo and fishing vessels. This stock closed up 4.1% to $1.27 in Thursday's trading session.

    Thursday's Range: $1.22-$1.32

    52-Week Range: $0.45-$2.75

    Thursday's Volume: 150,000

    Three-Month Average Volume: 193,369

    From a technical perspective, AMCF spiked sharply higher here with lighter-than-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of AMCF within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if AMCF manages to take out Thursday's high of $1.32 to its 50-day moving average of $1.39 with high volume.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in AMCF as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $1.15 or at $1.09 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 193,369 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then AMCF will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.80 to $1.98. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give AMCF a chance to re-test its 52-week high at $2.75.

  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Another under-$10 energy player that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Andatee China Marine Fuel Services (AMCF), which is engaged in the production, storage, distribution and wholesale purchases and sales of blended marine fuel oil for cargo and fishing vessels. This stock has been in play with the bulls so far in 2013, with shares up big by 180%.

    If you take a look at the chart for Andatee China Marine Fuel Services, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong over the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of 98 cents per share to its recent high of $1.69 a share. During that move, shares of AMCF have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move is now starting to push shares of AMCF within range of triggering a big breakout trade above a key downtrend line.

    Market players should now look for long-biased trades in AMCF if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.69 to $1.80 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 215,352 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then AMCF will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.98 to just above $2.20 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give AMCF a chance to tag its 52-week high at $2.75 a share.

    Traders can look to buy AMCF off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right around some key near-term support levels at $1.29 or at $1.15 a share. One can also buy AMCF off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Andatee China Marine Fuel Services (NASDAQ: AMCF) shares surged 70.29% to $2.98 after the company reported Q2 results.

    Monster Beverage (NASDAQ: MNST) shares climbed 30.97% to $93.84. Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) and Monster Beverage announced a long-term strategic partnership. As part of the deal, Coca-Cola will buy a 16.7% equity stake in Monster.

Hot High Dividend Stocks For 2014: DIRECTV(DTV)

DIRECTV provides digital television entertainment in the United States and Latin America. The company provides direct-to-home (DTH) digital television services, as well as multi-channel video programming distribution services in the United States. It offers various channels of digital-quality video entertainment and CD-quality audio programming directly to subscribers' homes or businesses, as well as video-on-demand services; and approximately 160 national high-definition television channels and 4 3D channels. The company also provides premium professional and collegiate sports programming, such as the NFL SUNDAY TICKET package, which allows subscribers to view the NFL games. In addition, it offers DTH digital television services in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. The company provides its local and international programming under the DIRECTV and SKY brand names. As of December 31, 2010, it served approximately 19.2 million subscribers in the United States; and 8.9 million subscribers in Latin America. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in El Segundo, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James O'Toole]

    AT&T announced last month that it hopes to buy America's biggest satellite television provider, DirecTV (DTV), in a deal worth almost $50 billion. Comcast (CMCSA), meanwhile, is trying to acquire Time Warner Cable (TWC), a $45 billion deal that would create the country's dominant provider of television channels and Internet connections.

  • [By Christopher Freeburn]

    Service disruptions on DirecTV’s (DTV) website temporarily interfered with subscribers’ ability to stream National Football League (NFL) games online for the last two Sundays.

  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    DIRECTV (NASDAQ: DTV  ) seemed like a shoo-in to win the Hulu sweepstakes. The country's largest satellite television provider doesn't have much of an online presence, and snapping up Hulu and potentially making it exclusive to DIRECTV subscribers could've really helped justify the pay-TV provider's hefty monthly rates.

Hot High Dividend Stocks For 2014: Daily Mail and General Trust PLC (DMGT)

Daily Mail and General Trust PLC (DMGT) is a United kingdom-based multi-media and information company. The Company�� business activities are split into seven operating segments: RMS, business information, events, Euromoney, national media, local media and radio. Its dmg information is a business information division, providing business to business (B2B) information to the property, financial, energy and educational recruitment markets. As of October 2, 2011, dmg events, its business-to-business (B2B) exhibition and conferences division, operated 27 exhibitions and two conference businesses. Euromoney Institutional Investor PLC is a B2B media group. Associated Newspapers is its newspaper division. In September 2012, it sold its remaining 50% interest in DMG Radio Australia to Illyria. In July 2013, Daily Mail and General Trust PLC announced that Rothermere Continuation Limited has a holding 89.2% of interest of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Inyoung Hwang]

    Daily Mail & General Trust Plc (DMGT) climbed 2.4 percent to 861 pence. The company said contribution from national newspapers to the group�� revenue dropped to 36 percent this year from 43 percent in 2012 and will fall further. The publisher of Britain�� second-biggest U.K. daily newspaper forecast full-year revenue will be 1.8 billion pounds, matching analysts�� estimates.

Hot High Dividend Stocks For 2014: Steelcase Inc.(SCS)

Steelcase Inc. designs, manufactures, and distributes furniture systems and seating products, user-centered technologies, and interior architectural products primarily in North America, Europe, and Asia. Its furniture systems portfolio consists of panel-based and freestanding furniture systems; and complementary products, such as storage, tables, and ergonomic worktools. The company also provides seating products, including ergonomic chairs; seating for collaborative or casual settings; and specialty seating for specific markets comprising healthcare and education. In addition, its interior architectural products include full and partial height walls and doors. Further, the company offers workplace strategy consulting, lease origination, and furniture and asset management services. Additionally, it designs, manufactures, and sells visual communication products, such as static and interactive electronic whiteboards to primary and secondary education markets, as well as manu factures and sells steel and ceramic surfaces to third-party fabricators for use in the manufacture of static whiteboards. It also designs and sells surface materials comprising textiles, wall coverings, shades, screens, and surface imagings primarily to architects and designers for use in business, residential, healthcare, and hospitality applications. It sells its products to corporate, government, healthcare, education, and retail customers through the Steelcase, Turnstone, Details, and Nurture brands; and Coalesse and Designtex brands. The company markets its products and services through a network of independent and company-owned dealers, as well as directly to end-use customers. The company was founded in 1912 and is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Shares of Steelcase (NYSE: SCS) got a boost, shooting up 11.21 percent to $16.36 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings. Steelcase reported its Q4 earnings of $0.18 per share, beating analysts' estimates by $0.01 per share. Raymond James upgraded the stock from Outperform to Strong Buy and lifted the price target from $17.50 to $19.00.

  • [By John Kell var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(func]

    Steelcase Inc.(SCS) swung to a fiscal fourth-quarter profit amid growth in the company’s Americas business. The year-earlier period included big asset write-downs and restructuring-related charges. Shares climbed 9.5% to $15.96 premarket.

  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    Seth Wenig/APCEO Nick Woodman holds a GoPro camera in his mouth as he celebrates his GoPro's IPO. There were plenty of winners and losers this week, as the leading premium coffeehouse chain expanded its carbonated beverage offerings, and a disruptive video-streaming service got disrupted itself. Here's a rundown of the week's best and worst. GoPro (GPRO) -- Winner The initial public offering market got some fresh meat on Thursday when GoPro went public. The company behind the popular namesake cameras that extreme sports enthusiast like to wear was a hit. It priced at $24 a share -- at the high end of its initial range -- and that still wasn't enough. The stock opened at $28.65, closing out its first day of trading with a 31 percent gain. GoPro's growth has been stellar. Sales soared 87 percent last year to nearly hit $1 billion. However, there was a surprising decline in revenue during this year's first quarter. New GoPro investors are assuming that the most recent quarter's dip was a fluke. If it isn't a fluke, they can record their stumble in glorious high-def. Aereo -- Loser Sometimes it's the disruptor that gets disrupted. Aereo, the start-up service that offers local TV channels as a streaming platform, was pummeled by the U.S. Supreme Court. In a 6-3 decision, the court ruled that Aereo violated the copyrights of major TV networks by streaming their content without paying transmission fees. The move isn't the end for Aereo, but its prognosis has clearly deteriorated. Aereo thought that incorporating tiny remote antennas that subscribers can access online was similar enough to actual HD antenna ownership by individuals that its business model would be found to be legal. That didn't pan out, and consumers are unlikely to get a break this way from their ever-increasing cable and satellite TV bills. Starbucks (SBUX) -- Winner If you need to cool down in the Sun Belt, Starbucks has a few fizzy options. The java giant this week introduced its Fizzio lin

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Home Depot – A Simple Peer Group Comparison

A company can frequently be valued by comparing it to a peer group of companies. The advantage of performing a peer group comparison is that the constituent companies are normally fairly similar along their product/service lines, sizes and operating structures. This approach assigns company "value" based on the notion that assets of similar dimensions should sell at similar prices and is known as the "method of comparables."

The method of comparables involves taking a subject company's P/E, P/B, P/S, P/CF or some other multiplier and then comparing it to the mean or median multiplier for the peer group to derive a relative value. This equilibrium multiplier can then be multiplied to the subject companies per share earnings, book value, sales or cash flows to derive a fair-value estimate. The stock's market price could then be compared against this fair value estimate to determine whether the position is under- or overvalued.

For the purpose of this article we are going to use the method of comparables to assess Home Depot (HD), the U.S.' largest retail supplier of home repair, building and maintenance materials. The valuation metric we will use is the trailing 12-month P/E. We will evaluate the P/E using the mean P/E for its peer group companies as the benchmark value. Trailing P/Es for its peer group are presented in the table below.

Table: Trailing P/Es of Home Depot and Peer Group

Company

Trailing P/E

Home Depot (HD)

23.4

Lowe's (LOW)

23.4

RONA (RON)

27.0

Canadian Tire (CTC.A)

15.8

Wolseley (WOSCF)

21.3

Lumber Liquidators Holdings (

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Watch In Right Now

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Watch In Right Now: Five Prime Therapeutics Inc (FPRX)

Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc., incorporated on December 20, 2001, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing protein therapeutics. Protein therapeutics is antibodies or drugs developed from extracellular proteins or protein fragments that block disease processes, including cancer and inflammatory diseases. The Company's advanced product candidates include FP-1039/GSK3052230 (FP-1039), FPA008 and FPA144. FP-1039 is a protein therapeutic that traps and neutralizes cancer-promoting fibroblast growth factors (FGFs), involved in cancer cell proliferation and new blood vessel formation. FPA008 is an antibody that inhibits colony stimulating factor-1 receptor (CSF1R), and is being developed to treat patients with inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). FPA144 is an antibody that inhibits FGF receptor 2b (FGFR2b), and is being developed to treat patients with gastric cancer and potentially other solid tumors.

FP-1039

FP-1039 is a protein therapeutic, which includes the extracellular part of FGFR1. FP-1039 acts as an inhibitor of FGFs, because the FGFR1 portion of the molecule binds to FGFs and prevents them from binding to FGFR1 on tumor and blood vessel cells. Because FGF proteins circulating in the blood are called ligands, FP-1039 is called a ligand trap. FP-1039 also includes a portion of an antibody called the Fc region. In preclinical testing, it observed inhibition of tumor growth with single-agent FP-1039, particularly in tumors withFGFR1 gene amplification, including squamous NSCLC and SCLC.

FPA008

FPA008 is an antibody that inhibits CSF1R and is being developed to treat patients with RA. FPA008 also has the potential to treat patients with other inflammatory diseases, including lupus nephritis, psoriatic! arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, fibrosis, inflammatory bowel disease and multiple sclerosis. These are chronic, incurable diso rders with serious medical complications and disability for ! which better therapies with novel mechanisms of action are needed. FPA008 is an anti-CSF1R antibody, which it designed to block the ability of IL-34 and CSF1 to bind to and activate CSF1R. FPA008 reduces the numbers and activity of monocytes and macrophages that cause disease, and prevents the production and release of inflammatory factors. The Company and others has demonstrated that both IL-34 and CSF1 are present at increased levels in the inflamed joints of patients with RA.

FPA144

FPA144 is a monoclonal antibody directed against a form of FGFR2, or FGFR2b. When the FGFR2 gene is amplified by cancer cells, the FGFR2b protein is expressed at abnormally high levels on the tumor's surface. This occurs in some patients with gastric and lower esophageal cancers. The tumor cells that have too much FGFR2b protein on their surface can be identified by special staining tests performed on the tumor. Because FGFR2b is the target for FPA144, patients' t umors can be screened for this protein, helping to identify the patients most likely to respond to FPA144 treatment.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Kell and Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); p]

    Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Monday’s session are Keurig Green Mountain Inc.(GMCR), JA Solar Holdings Co.(JASO) and Five Prime Therapeutics Inc.(FPRX)

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Breaking news

    Alcoa (NYSE: AA) is investing US$13 million to expand its wheel manufacturing plant in Europe, to meet growing demand for its lightweight, durable, low-maintenance aluminum truck wheels. To read the full news, click here. L & L Energy (NASDAQ: LLEN) announced today that its Special Independent Committee has appoin! ted Mr. N! icholas Chen, Managing Partner at Pamir Law Group, to replace Mr. Mark Bartlett. To read the full news, click here. Five Prime Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FPRX) and Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) announced today that they have signed a collaboration agreement for the discovery, development and commercialization of immuno-oncology therapies directed toward targets identified in two undisclosed immune checkpoint pathways using Five Prime's proprietary target discovery platform. To read the full news, click here. First Solar (NASDAQ: FSLR) on Sunday announced the completion of the 1.3MW(DC) solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant at Kitakyushu-shi. Powered by First Solar FS Series 3 Black PV modules, the plant will generate approximately 1,400 MWh of clean and safe solar electricity per year. To read the full news, click here.

    Posted-In: Credit Suisse US Stock FuturesNews Eurozone Futures Global Pre-Market Outlook Markets

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-biotech-companies-to-watch-in-right-now-2.html

Monday, August 25, 2014

Top Trucking Companies For 2014

Modeling and assigning a fair value to Cummins (NYSE:CMI) is not a particularly easy task. It's hard to find a better company in the transportation components sector, not to mention the wider industrial sector as a whole. Through all of the cyclical ups and downs of the commercial vehicle market(s), Cummins almost always generates double-digit returns on invested capital and has managed to stay in the green with free cash flow.

So quality and ability to execute are not problems. What is the problem is estimating fair future growth rates. It seems hard to imagine that Cummins can match its trailing revenue growth rate of 12%, but countries like Brazil, China, and India are still seeing trucking operators building their fleets, while the move to natural gas could fuel demand not only for LNG/CNG engines, but also compression facilities and more equipment for the energy sector. Although I think the Street may be a little too optimistic on the free cash flow margin leverage Cummins can deliver, I'm increasingly thinking this is a good stock to own for the longer term.

Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Own For 2015: Tahoe Resources Inc (TAHO)

Tahoe Resources Inc. operates Escobal mine. The Company owns 100 % interest in Escobal project located in southeastern Guatemalan, approximately 70 kilometer from Guatemala City, near the municipality of San Rafael las Flores. Escobal mine contains silver, gold, lead, and zinc mineralization. In addition, the Company is engaged in the exploration and a review of prospective mineral acquisitions for mining of precious metal. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Luke Jacobi]

    Tahoe Resources’ (NYSE: TAHO) Escobal mine is a silver deposit in southeast Guatemala, from which all of the company’s production occurs. Fortunately for Tahoe, the mine is in the southeast of the country, while the quake was most felt on the other side of Guatemala. The company told Benzinga its operations were not at all affected by the earthquake and that just a few tremors were felt.

Top Trucking Companies For 2014: First Solar Inc.(FSLR)

First Solar, Inc. manufactures and sells solar modules using a thin-film semiconductor technology. It also designs, constructs, and sells photovoltaic solar power systems. The company?s solar modules employ a thin layer of semiconductor material to convert sunlight into electricity. Its integrated solar power systems activities include the project development; engineering, procurement, and construction services; operating and maintenance services; and project finance. The company sells solar modules to project developers, system integrators, and operators of renewable energy projects; and solar power systems to investor owned utilities, independent power developers and producers, and commercial and industrial companies, as well as other system owners. It operates in the United States, Germany, France, Canada, and internationally. The company was formerly known as First Solar Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to First Solar, Inc. in 2006. First Solar was founded in 1999 a nd is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Whitney Kisling]

    Gains were led by stocks that had fallen in 2013. First Solar Inc. (FSLR), the Tempe, Arizona-based power technology developer, has jumped 38 percent since sliding 13 percent in the first quarter. Cliffs Natural Resources Inc. (CLF), the Cleveland-based iron-ore mining company, rallied 8.8 percent on April 9, its biggest increase since September. The shares were down 52 percent for 2013 before last week.

  • [By Bill Maurer]

    First Solar (FSLR):

    First Solar saw a huge drop in short interest over the past few weeks of March. The number of shares short declined by more than 1.8 million in the last two weeks of the month, putting short interest in First Solar at its lowest point in more than a year. Since the middle of August high, more than 48.4% of shares short have been covered.

Top Trucking Companies For 2014: Checkpoint Systms Inc.(CKP)

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. manufactures and markets identification, tracking, security, and merchandising solutions for the retail and apparel industry worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Shrink Management Solutions, Apparel Labeling Solutions, and Retail Merchandising Solutions. The Shrink Management Solutions segment provides shrink management and merchandise visibility solutions. It offers electronic article surveillance systems, such as EVOLVE, a suite of RF and RFID-enabled products that act as a deterrent to prevent merchandise theft in retail stores; and electronic article surveillance consumables, including EAS-RF and EAS-EM labels that work in combination with EAS systems to reduce merchandise theft in retail stores. This segment also provides keepers, spider wraps, bottle security, and hard tags, as well as Showsafe, a line alarm system for protecting display merchandise. In addition, it offers physical and electronic store monitoring solutions, incl uding fire alarms, intrusion alarms, and digital video recording systems for retail environments; and RFID tags and labels. The Apparel Labeling Solutions segment provides apparel labeling solutions to apparel retailers, brand owners, and manufacturers. It has Web-enabled apparel labeling solutions platform and network of 28 service bureaus located in 22 countries that supplies customers with customized apparel tags and labels. The Retail Merchandising Solutions segment offers hand-held label applicators and tags, promotional displays, and queuing systems. The company serves retailers in the supermarket, drug store, hypermarket, and mass merchandiser markets through direct distribution and reseller channels. Checkpoint Systems was founded in 1969 and is based in Thorofare, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap Checkpoint Systems, Inc (NYSE: CKP) fights shoplifting or retail theft and other forms of�"shrink��that costs retailers over $112 billion worldwide last year (according to a study funded by the company), meaning it might be an interesting stock to take a closer look at and to compare its performance with that of SPDR S&P Retail ETF (NYSEARCA: XRT) and PowerShares Dynamic Retail ETF (NYSEARCA: PMR). Just how bad can shoplifting or shrink be for a retailer? Troubled retailer J.C. Penney Company, Inc (NYSE: JCP) has just reported that shoplifting took a full percentage point off the department store chain's profit margins during the quarter. Moreover and given that tens of millions of Americans are now facing higher health insurance costs thanks to Obamacare (which will likely impact consumer discretionary spending),�retailers�will need to find ways to shore up their margins and bottom lines by preventing�retail theft with solutions from company�� like Checkpoint Systems.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Checkpoint Systems (NYSE: CKP) surged 17.73% to $14.21. The volume of Checkpoint Systems shares traded was 525% higher than normal. Checkpoint announced its intent to extend the filing date of its annual report.

Top Trucking Companies For 2014: Redrow PLC (RDW)

Redrow PLC is a United Kingdom-based company engaged in residential development, which includes mixed use development. The Company�� operations are primarily focused on house building. Its completed projects include Signature, In the City/Regeneration and Debut. The Company's land holdings consist of both a current and forward land bank. As of June 30, 2010, the current land bank consisted of 11,600 plots owned with planning and 1,570 contracted plots, and its forward lank bank stood at around 22,000 plots. Its subsidiaries include Redrow Homes (Scotland) Ltd, Redrow Homes (Yorkshire) Ltd, Redrow Homes (Lancashire) Ltd, Redrow plc & Redrow Homes (NW) Ltd, Redrow Homes (Midlands) Ltd, Redrow Homes (South Midlands) Ltd, Redrow Homes (South West) Ltd, Redrow Homes (South Wales) Ltd and Redrow Homes (Eastern) Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

    Redrow Plc (RDW) rallied 3.2 percent to 245.6 pence as Deutsche Bank AG increased its 12-month share-price estimate and profit forecasts for 2013 and 2014. The U.K. builder yesterday jumped the most in five months after saying pretax profit for the year ended June will beat analysts��estimates.

Top Trucking Companies For 2014: Credit Suisse Group(CS)

Credit Suisse Group AG, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a financial services company. The company operates in three segments: Private Banking, Investment Banking, and Asset Management. The Private Banking segment offers advisory services and a range of wealth management solutions, including pension planning, life insurance products, tax planning, and wealth and inheritance advice for the high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth individuals. This segment also supplies banking products and services to affluent, high-net-worth and ultra-high-net-worth clients, and corporates and institutions. The Investment Banking segment provides investment banking and securities products and services to corporations, governments, pension funds, and institutions. Its products and services include debt and equity underwriting, sales and trading, mergers and acquisitions advice, divestitures, corporate sales, restructuring, and investment research. The Asset Management segment offe rs integrated investment solutions and services to institutions, governments, foundations and endowments, corporations, and individuals. It provides access to a range of investment classes across alternative investment, asset allocation, and traditional investment strategies. The company operates in Switzerland, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific. Credit Suisse Group AG was founded in 1856 and is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MONEYMORNING]

    Credit Suisse Group AG ADR (NYSE: CS) has an even more aggressive forecast for the sector, stating that sales will grow from about $3 billion today to $11 billion by 2020. Credit Suisse says 3D printing is already taking hold in the healthcare and aerospace sectors, and says each of these markets will race along at a 30% compound annual growth rate (CAGR).

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Thursday

    Earnings Expected From: Credit Suisse Group (NYSE: CS), Expedia Inc. (NASDAQ: EXPE), Kellogg Company (NYSE: K), LinkedIn Corporation (NYSE: LNKD), Philip Morris International Inc. (NYSE: PM) Economic Releases Expected: French trade balance, British trade balance, eurozone consumer confidence, German industrial production, Bank of England interest rate decision, European Central Bank interest rate decision, US initial and continuing jobless claims, Chinese trade balance

    Friday

Top Trucking Companies For 2014: Single Touch Systems Inc (SITO.OB)

Single Touch Systems, Inc., incorporated on incorporated on May 31, 2000, is a mobile media solutions provider serving retailers, advertisers and brands. The Company offers its patented technologies through a modular, adaptable platform and a multi-channel messaging gateway to its customers, enabling them to reach consumers on all types of connected devices. Its solution is designed to drive return on investment for high-volume clients and/or customized branded advertisers. Its platform and tools are designed to enable brands or anyone with substantial reach to utilize the mobile device as a new means to communicate. Communication might be in the form of a reminder message in voice or Short Message Service (SMS), an abbreviated dial code or a coupon, promotion, or an advertisement. On July 26, 2013, the Company dismissed Weaver, Martin & Samyn, LLC (Weaver).

Messaging and Notifications

The Company�� Short Message Service (SMS) gateway has to be a channel for retailers to communicate with their brand loyalists on a personal level. This is accomplished through integration with the client�� customer relationship management (CRM) database. With such integration, retailers are able to send targeted mobile coupons and transactional messages based on a shopper�� CRM profile. Targeted mobile coupons can be sent based on past purchase behaviors making the content relevant and timely to a shopper. Transactional messages can add another layer of value by sending shipping and order pick-up alerts, as well as notifications for reorders, layaway and new product releases.

Abbreviated Dial Codes

The Company�� abbreviated dial codes have 10 times the recall of a common keyword-to-short-code solution. The Company has seen many of its clients using this as an on-ramp to mobility solutions.

Campaign Management and Analytics

The Company�� anywhere management platform is an easy to use Web interface that allows clients to manage and se! gment messaging campaigns with customized reporting tools. Its clients use this tool to drive campaigns related to in store events, product offerings, information and special sales. The message management systems enables the user to create a message, schedule its delivery time and frequency, segment audience groups for distribution and create message responders.

FollowMe

FollowMe provides a product to deliver location based mobile ads directly to consumers��smartphones for retailers and advertisers. The Company has found that by combining multiple real time bidding networks with its ability to serve coupons, ads and promotions at times and places when consumers are interested, it can create relevant content for consumers. FollowMe enables advertisers to deliver targeted ads in App to the smartphones of people within close proximity of a specific location. This service is offered by partnering with TheMobile Audience, a mobile demand side platform (DSP) that enables programmatic buying of mobile media across multiple real-time bidding (RTB) networks.

The Company compets with Voltari, Hippcricket and Hippcricket.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Markman Advisors]

    Public companies leveraging their patent portfolios, (aka "patent plays"), are getting the market's attention. Companies such as Vringo (VRNG), ParkerVision (PRKR), MGT Capital (MGT), Worlds Inc. (WDDD.OB) and others have presented trading opportunities due to their volatility while retaining the chance for a big payoff to those investors who stay the course. Yet there exist viable patent plays that are still undiscovered. Some of these so called "plays," which are not getting enough attention, are actually real companies making and selling real products or services in contrast to pure patent monetization companies. Some known examples are Single Touch Interactive (SITO.OB) and Blue Calypso (BCYP.OB). This article is focused on another one of these patent plays, On Track Innovations Ltd. (OTIV).

Sunday, August 24, 2014

Top 10 Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Invest In Right Now

Americans are on pace to drink 38.6 gallons of soda per person this year, but that's down 3.5 gallons from five years ago.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Health-conscious consumers are buying less soda, especially diet sodas flavored with artificial sweeteners, which some consider risky.

Spending on soft drinks dropped 3.3% between late November and a year ago, according to sales data gathered by Nielsen.

The decline in diet beverages was even steeper: Year-over-year, consumers spent 7.2% less on diet cola and 7.8% less on diet lemon-lime drinks.

It's a concern on the mind of Pepsico (PEP, Fortune 500) CEO Indra Nooyi, who told investors in October that her company has seen "a fundamental shift in consumer habits and behaviors," adding that "the diet slowdown has been a little more rapid than we expected."

Hot Transportation Stocks To Buy For 2015: Hitachi Ltd (HTHIF)

Hitachi, Ltd. is a diversified company. Information and Telecommunication System segment offers system integration services and automated teller machines. Electricity System segment offers power generation systems. Social and Industrial System segment offers industrial machinery. Electronic Device and System segment offers liquid crystal displays. Construction segment offers hydraulic shovels and wheel loaders. High Functional Material segment offers electric wires and cables. Automotive System segment offers engine management and in-car information systems. Component and Device segment offers information record media and batteries. Digital Media and Consumer Product segment offers optical disk drives and refrigerators. Financial Service segment offers leasing and loan services. On March 1, 2014, it fully acquired Hitachi Medical Corp. On April 1, 2014, it transferred and integrated its air conditioning systems construction, and elevator and escalator businesses into two subsidiaries. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- A rising Japanese yen and weak results from Caterpillar Inc. (CAT) overnight sent Tokyo-listed shares lower in early Thursday trade, with the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) falling 0.4% to 14,363.59, while the Topix also lost 0.4%. With the U.S. dollar remaining below the 98-yen level amid concerns about the health of China's largest banks, some currency-sensitive shares extended their losses after driving the Nikkei Average down 2% in the previous session. Among them, trading house Mitsui & Co. (JP:8031) (MITSY) fell 1.3%, retail major J. Front Retailing Co. (JP:3086) lost 1.2%, auto maker Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201) (NSANY) retreated 0.6%, and Fujitsu Ltd. (JP:6702) (FJTSY) traded 1% lower. The below-forecast quarterly results and outlook cut from U.S. construction-equipment maker Caterpillar sent its Japanese rivals tumbling, with Komatsu Ltd. (JP:6301) (KMTUF) dropping 3.5% and Hitachi Construction Macheriny Co. (JP:6305) (HTCMF) falling 3.1%. On the upside, Hitachi Ltd. (JP:6501) (HTHIF) soared 5.4% after raising its profit and revenue guidance for the fiscal first hal

  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks rose as trading began Wednesday, with the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) climbing 1.7% to 15,234.83, a strong advance after four days of declines. Aiding the export-heavy market was a rise in the U.S. dollar against the yen above the 楼103 level as the yen's safe-haven appeal waned alongside worries about emerging markets. Among exporters, Honda Motor Co. (JP:7267) (HMC) and Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) shares tacked on 2.4% and 1.5%, respectively, and Hitachi Ltd. (JP:6501) (HTHIF) shot higher by 4.8%. But shares of Advantest Corp. (JP:6857) (ADTTF) dropped 9.3% after the electronics maker widened its full-year forecast. It now expects a net loss of 35.9 billion yen ($347.19 million), compared with a previous forecast for a loss of 2.5 billion yen.

Top 10 Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Invest In Right Now: Toshiba Corp (TOSBF)

TOSHIBA CORPORATION is a Japan-based manufacturer that operates in five business segments. The Digital Product segment manufactures and sells cellular phones, hard disc devices, optical disc devices, televisions among others. The Electronic Device segment provides general logic integrated circuits (ICs), optical semiconductors, power devices, large-scale integrated (LSI) circuits, among others. The Social Infrastructure segment manufactures and sells various generators, power distribution systems, water and sewer systems, transportation systems and station automation systems, among others. The Home Appliance segment provides refrigerators, drying machines, washing machines, cooking utensils, cleaners and lighting equipment, among others. The Others segment is involved in the provision of logistics services. In January 2014, Toshiba Corp purchased substantially all assets of OCZ Technology Group, and launched new subsidiary, OCZ Storage Solutions. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bruce Kennedy]

    On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced indictments against five officers in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) for ��erious cybersecurity breaches��against six American firms: Westinghouse Electric, a division of Toshiba (OTC: TOSBF) , Alcoa (NYSE: AA),�Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI), U.S. Steel (NYSE: X), the United Steelworkers Union and SolarWorld (OTC: SRWRY).

  • [By Dan Carroll and Max Macaluso, Ph.D.]

    Panasonic's (NASDAQOTH: PCRFY  ) not the first company you may think of in the health-care field, but this Japanese electronics maker's a player in blood glucose monitors and other fields. With Panasonic's sales under fire across the board, however, this company's looking to sell off its health-care business to refocus on its core segments. Toshiba (NASDAQOTH: TOSBF  ) reportedly has expressed interest in a buy, and private equity-firms are also in the hunt to get on board with Asia's health-care rise.

Top 10 Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Invest In Right Now: Orkla ASA (ORK)

Orkla ASA is a Norway-based company active in various sectors. The Company�� operations are structured into two segments: Branded Consumer Goods and Other Businesses. The Branded Consumer Goods segment is divided into five units: Orkla Foods, which comprises the Company�� food businesses in the Nordic region and the Baltics; Orkla Confectionery, which comprises five branded consumer goods businesses which serve the Nordic region and the Baltics as their home markets; Orkls Home & Personal consists of five branded consumer goods businesses, including Lilleborg, Lilleborg Profesjonell, the Axellus Group, Pierre Robert Group and House Care; Orkla Food Ingredients cover product categories, including margarine, marzipan, bread improvers and mixes, and yeast, and Orkla International includes branded consumer goods companies outside the Nordic region and the Baltics. The Other Businesses segment covers the Company�� operation in aluminum, real estate and hydropower sectors, among others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonathan Morgan]

    Orkla ASA (ORK), the Norwegian industrial conglomerate transforming itself into a consumer-goods producer, slumped 11 percent to 46.78 kroner, the largest drop since November 2011. The company reported second-quarter pretax profit of 514 million kroner ($86 million), missing estimates of 965 million kroner in a Bloomberg survey of analysts.

Top 10 Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Invest In Right Now: Wartsila Oyj Abp (WRT1V.HE)

Wartsila Oyj Abp is a Finland-based company. Its operations are divided into four segments: Power Plants, Ship Power, Services and PowerTech. The Power Plants segment offers multi-fuel solutions for power generation markets, such as gas power plants, dual-fuel power plants, oil power plants and liquid biofuel power plants, among others. The Ship Power segment offers a range of products and services to both shipyards and ship owners, such as medium-speed and low-speed engines, seals and bearings, automation systems, ship design and ballast water treatment systems, among others. The Services segment offers solutions, such as basic support, installation and commissioning, performance optimization and upgrades, among others. The PowerTech segment comprises research and development for medium-speed engines and other operations, with a focus on gas, environmental solutions and Smart Power Generation drives. It has operations in more than 160 locations in over 70 countries around the world. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Wall var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(fu]

    The British company tried to strengthen its maritime engine business through a $10 billion takeover of Finland�� W盲rtsil盲 Oyj (WRT1V.HE) which rebuffed Rolls-Royce’s preliminary approach. The attempted acquisition of a company of that size surprised investors who hadn�� realized expansion was on management�� agenda so soon after its full takeover of Tognum, a German engineering company originally acquired in partnership with Daimler.

Top 10 Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Invest In Right Now: Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KWHIY)

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KHI), incorporated on October 15, 1896, is a global manufacturer of transportation equipment and industrial goods. KHI manufactures ships, rolling stock, aircraft and jet engines, gas turbine power generators, environmental and industrial plants, and range of manufacturing equipment and systems. KHI also produces consumer products, such as Kawasaki-brand motorcycles and personal watercraft. KHI�� business is divided into seven operations: shipbuilding, rolling stock and construction machinery, aerospace, gas turbines and machinery, plant and infrastructure engineering, consumer products and machinery, and hydraulic machinery.

Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation, which is the company of this segment, is engaged in building gas carriers and submarines, which require advanced design and construction technologies. It offers

a range of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, extending from small carriers with cargo tank capacities of 19,000 cubic meters to large carriers with capacities of 177,000 cubic meters. It also developed and offered in its lineup a pressure build-up type LNG carrier for short distance and small-volume transportation. The Company�� shipbuilding operations include products, such as LNG carriers, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, container ships, very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and other types of tankers, bulk carriers, high speed vessels, submarines, maritime application equipment.

KHI�� rolling stock production systems are located in Hyogo and Harima in Japan and in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Yonkers, New York, in United States. Kawasaki completed its light rail vehicle (LRV), dubbed SWIMO. It also is developing efSET (Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train) which achieves a service speed of 350 kilometers per hour (km/h). Regarding the construction machinery business, Kawasaki has arranged a business alliance with Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., and TCM Corporation. As of April 1, 2009, the Compa! ny split off its construction machinery business as a wholly owned subsidiary of KHI, KCM Corporation.

KHI is the prime contractor for the development of the MOD�� large-scale XP-1 and C-X aircraft. In the commercial aircraft field, KHI delivered a test model of Boeing�� 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft. KHI is a partner corporation in the development and production of the 787 Dreamliner.

The Gas Turbines & Machinery segment has a range of products for the energy and transportation equipment field. KHI focuses to expand its global business by offering solutions for its customers that include a lineup of in-house developed gas turbines together with product support and maintenance. During the year ended December 31, 2008, the 8MW-class power-generating capacity Kawasaki Green Gas Engine had 4,000 hours of operational testing.

The plant and infrastructure engineering segment encompasses the operations of Kawasaki Plant Systems, Ltd. (K Plant), which undertakes projects to supply energy-related, industrial infrastructure, environmental preservation systems and equipment, and the operations of the parent company�� Industrial Facilities and Tunneling Equipment Division, which mainly focuses on LNG tanks and diverse other storage tanks along with shield machines and tunnel-boring machines. The Anhui Conch Kawasaki Energy Conservation Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (CKM) is engaged in the manufacturing of PH boiler parts that are employed in waste heat power plants. CKM has commenced the manufacturing and sales of environmental preservation related products, including cement plant components, such as vertical mills, boilers for waste heat recovery power generation systems, and waste gasification systems and sewage treatment systems that can be integrated with cement kilns to enable municipal waste recycling.

The consumer products and machinery segment includes the manufacture of motorcycles, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility vehicles, personal! watercra! ft, general purpose gasoline engines and industrial robots. In the motorcycle line, Kawasaki launched the ZRX1200 DAEG and the Ninja ZX-6R. In the cruiser segment, Kawasaki launched its Vulcan 1700 series with developed engine and chassis. This series includes the Vulcan 1700 Voyager, a full-dress V-twin engine tourer with a load of long-distance touring equipment. In the utility vehicle category, KHI equipped the Teryx 750 series with an electronic fuel injection system, mainly for recreational use. The MULE utility-oriented vehicle series was restyled with the launch of the MULE 4010 series.

The hydraulic machinery operations include Kawasaki Precision Machinery Ltd. (KPM). It has five manufacturing and marketing facilities, which comprises KPM�� headquarters plant and the facilities

of Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.K.) Limited; Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.S.A.), Inc.; China based Kawasaki Precision Machinery (Suzhou) Ltd.; and Korea-based Flutek, Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks have ended with losses in every session this week, and sure enough, the Nikkei Average (JP:NIK) was down 0.6% in early Friday trade, though off an opening 0.8% defecit, while the Topix carried a 0.7% loss. Overnight losses for the U.S. and further strength in the yen (with the dollar falling to 楼101.28 from 楼101.56 a day earlier) helped drag the market lower, as did results from Fast Retailing Co. (JP:9983) (FRCOF) , the shares of which hold the heaviest weighting on Nikkei Average. Fast Retailing said that while its Uniqlo brand was doing great business, weakness for its J Brand luxury demin label helped send September-May profit down 4% and prompted another cut to Fast's full-year outlook. Consequently, its shares traded 0.7% lower, though rivals Takashimaya Co. (JP:8233) and J. Front Retailing Co. (JP:3086) (JFROF) also saw losses of 0.6% and 0.5%, respectively. Among other decliners, Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) lost 0.7%, Toshiba Corp. (JP:6502) (TOSYY) fell 2.1%, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (JP:7012) (KWHIY) fell 1.5%, Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) and Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201)

Top 10 Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Invest In Right Now: Smiths Group PLC (SMGKF.PK)

Smiths Group plc is a technology company. It has five divisions: Smiths Detection, Smiths Medical, John Crane, Smiths Interconnect and Flex-Tek. The Company and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture, sale and support advanced security equipment, including trace detection, millimeter-wave, infrared, biological detection and diagnostics; mechanical seals, seal support systems, engineered bearings, power transmission couplings and specialist filtration systems, and medical devices aligned to specific therapies, principally airway, pain and temperature management, and vascular access. It also develops, manufactures, sells and supports specialized electronic and radio frequency products for the global wireless telecommunications, aerospace, defense, space, medical, rail, test and industrial markets, and engineered components, including ducting, hose assemblies and heating elements. In May 2011, it acquired the entire issued share capital of SDBR Comercio De Equipamentos De Seguanca LTDA. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Daniel Lauchheimer]

    Currently, three main companies supply security equipment to the TSA - Safran (SAFRY.PK), Smiths (SMGKF.PK), and Level-3 Holdings (LLL). All three of these companies sell the whole range of their products to the TSA, with an ETD offering included. Recently, however, a new company, Implant Sciences Corporation (IMSC.PK) received approval from the TSA to begin selling their ETD equipment to airport security professionals. This approval has opened the door for IMSC to begin taking some market share away from the more established players in the US and beyond.

Top 10 Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Invest In Right Now: Siemens AG (SI)

Siemens AG (Siemens), incorporated on August 28, 1996, is a globally operating technology company with core activities in the fields of energy, healthcare, industry and infrastructure. Siemens business activities focus on four sectors, Energy, Healthcare, Industry and Infrastructure & Cities. These sectors form four of Siemens reportable segments. In addition to the four sectors, Siemens has two additional reportable segments: Equity Investments and Siemens Financial Services (SFS). The Energy sector comprises four divisions: Power Generation, Wind Power, Power Transmission and Energy Service. The Healthcare Sector includes four divisions: Imaging & Therapy Systems, Clinical Products, Diagnostics and Customer Solutions; and one sector-led Business Unit, Audiology Solutions. The Industry sector consists of three divisions: Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services; and one sector-led Business Unit, Metals Technologies. The Infrastructure & Cities sector consists of five divisions: Rail Systems, Mobility and Logistics, Low and Medium Voltage, Smart Grid, and Building Technologies. In July 2013 Siemens sold its stake in the Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) joint venture to Nokia and OSRAM Licht AG was spun off from Siemens.

Industry

The Industry Sector offers a broad spectrum of products, solutions and services that help customers use resources and energy. The Sector�� integrated technologies and holistic solutions primarily address industrial customers, particularly those in the process and manufacturing industries. The portfolio spans industry automation, industrial software, drive products and services, system integration, and solutions for industrial plant businesses. The Industry Sector consists of three Divisions: Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services. The Sector also includes a sector-led Business Unit, Metals Technologies. In addition to its Sector-level financial results, Industry also breaks out financial results for the Indust! ry Automation Division and the Drive Technologies Division. The Industry Automation Division offers a range of standard products and system solutions for automation technologies used in the manufacturing and process industries. The Division�� offerings include automation systems and software, motor controls, machine-to- machine communication products, sensors, product and production lifecycle management products, and software for simulating and testing mechatronic systems. The Drive Technologies Division offers products and comprehensive systems across the entire drive train. These offerings are customized to the respective application and include numerical control systems, inverters, converters, motors (geared and gearless), drives and couplings. In addition, Drive Technologies supplies integrated automation systems for machine tools and production machines. The Division also offers integrated lifecycle solutions and services for industries such as shipbuilding, cement, mining, and pulp and paper. The Customer Services Division offers a comprehensive portfolio of services and supports industrial customers.

Energy

The Energy Sector offers a spectrum of products, solutions and services for generating and transmitting power, and for extracting, converting and transporting oil and gas. The Fossil Power Generation Division offers products and solutions for fossil-based power generation. The Division concentrates on products and solutions for gas and steam turbines, turbo generators, heat recovery steam generators including control systems, with an emphasis on combined-cycle power plants. It also develops solutions for instrumentation and control systems for all types of power plants and for use in power generation. The Wind Power Division manufactures wind turbines for onshore and offshore applications, including both geared turbines and direct drive machines. The product portfolio is based on four product platforms, two for each of the onshore and offshore applications. The Oil ! & Gas Div! ision has a comprehensive portfolio of rotating machinery (gas turbines, steam turbines, compressors with associated equipment) and electrical, instrumentation and telecommunication (EIT) solutions. The Power Transmission Division provides customers with turnkey power transmission solutions as well as discrete products, systems and related engineering and services. It covers high-voltage transmission solutions, power and distribution transformers, high-voltage switching and non-switching products and systems, and alternating and direct current transmission systems. The Energy Service Division offers comprehensive services for products, solutions and technologies, covering performance enhancements, maintenance services, customer trainings and consulting services for the Divisions Fossil Power Generation, Wind Power and Oil & Gas. The Wind Power Division is active in both the onshore and the offshore market segments globally. Power Transmission Division is expanding infrastructure in emerging countries, equipment replacement and modernization in mature economies, and integration of renewable energies.

Healthcare

The Healthcare Sector offers customers a comprehensive portfolio of medical solutions across the treatment chain-ranging from medical imaging to in-vitro diagnostics to interventional systems and clinical information technology systems-all from a single source. In addition, the Sector provides technical maintenance, professional and consulting services, and, together with Financial Services (SFS), financing to assist customers in purchasing the Sector�� products. The Healthcare Sector includes four Divisions: Imaging & Therapy Systems, Clinical Products, Diagnostics and Customer Solutions. The Sector also includes one sector-led Business Unit, Audiology Solutions. In addition to its Sector-level financial results, Healthcare also separately breaks out financial results for the Diagnostics Division.

The Imaging & Therapy Systems Division provides large-scale! medical ! devices for diagnostic imaging and for image-guided therapies. Imaging equipment includes computed tomographs, magnetic resonance imaging equipment, angiography systems for diagnostics, and positron emission tomography. The Clinical Products Division mainly comprises the business with ultrasound and X-ray equipment including mammography. The Diagnostics Division offers products and services in the area of in-vitro diagnostics. The Division�� product portfolio represents a comprehensive range of diagnostic testing systems and consumables, including offerings for clinical chemistry and immunodiagnostics, molecular diagnostics, hematology, hemostasis, microbiology, point-of-care testing and clinical laboratory automation solutions. The Customer Solutions Division provides healthcare information technology (HIT) systems. It is responsible for the Sector�� service business and customer relationship management on a global level.

Equity Investments

The Equity Investments comprises equity stakes held by Siemens that are accounted for by the equity method, at cost or as current available-for-sale financial assets and for strategic reasons are not allocated to a Sector, SFS, Centrally managed portfolio activities, Siemens Real Estate (SRE), Corporate items or Corporate Treasury. Its main investments within Equity Investments are its stake of 50% in BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgerate GmbH (BSH), its stake of 17% in OSRAM Licht AG (OSRAM) as well as its 49% stake in Enterprise Networks Holdings B.V. (EN).

Financial Services

Financial Services provides a variety of financial services and products to other Siemens units and their customers and to third parties. SFS has three strategic pillars: supporting Siemens units with finance solutions for their customers, managing financial risks of Siemens and offering third-party finance services and products. SFS��business can be divided into capital business and fee business. The Commercial Finance Business Unit offers! a compre! hensive range of solutions for equipment financing, leasing, rental and related financing for equipment supplied by Siemens or third-party providers. The Venture Capital Business Segment�� main task, together with Siemens��Sectors, is to identify and finance young companies worldwide. The Treasury Business Unit operates the global Corporate Treasury of the Siemens Group, with SFS employee�� thereby managing liquidity, cash and financial risks (interest, foreign exchange, commodities) on behalf of Corporate Treasury. The Financing & Investment Management Business Unit manages fee-based receivables and offers investment management services. The Insurance Business Unit acts primarily as an insurance broker for Siemens and external customers.

Infrastructure & Cities

The Infrastructure & Cities Sector offers a range of technologies for the sustainability of metropolitan centers and urban infrastructures worldwide, such as integrated mobility solutions, building and security systems, power distribution equipment, smart grid applications and low and medium-voltage products. The Sector consists of five Divisions: Rail Systems; Mobility and Logistics; Low and Medium Voltage; Smart Grid; and Building Technologies. The Rail Systems Division comprises Siemens��rail vehicle business, encompassing the entire spectrum of rolling stock-including high-speed trains, commuter trains, passenger coaches, metros, people movers, light rail vehicles, locomotives, bogies, traction systems and rail-related services. The Mobility and Logistics Division primarily provides products, solutions (including IT solutions) and services for rail transportation operating systems, such as central control systems, interlockings and automated controls. The Division also provides offerings for road traffic, including traffic detection, information and guidance systems.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Carroll]

    Siemens's (NYSE: SI  ) stock hasn't fared so well recently: Its shares have shed 4.8% year to date. Incrased exports should help if that trend keeps up, as Siemens conducts a significant amount of international business as Germany's pre-eminent engineering firm. Company leadership still projects a double-digit profit margin for 2014 despite the weak business climate in Europe, although Siemens has already lowered its outlook for the current year as solar-related losses and other charges weigh on its bottom line. Siemens will need to charge up its energy business to succeed, as the company expects profit from the unit to come in on the low side of earlier full-year projections.