Friday, August 22, 2014

5 Best Quality Stocks To Own Right Now

The following is an excerpt from this week's Earnings Trends. Click here to access the PDF.

The Finance sector gave the 2013 Q2 earnings season a flying start, but the sector�� momentum came as no surprise -- estimate revisions activity in the run-up to the reporting season indicated a strong showing from the sector. The sector�� actual performance has turned out to be even better relative to pre-season expectations. The fact is that the strength in Finance sector results is helping hide broad earnings weakness elsewhere.

Total earnings for the 240 S&P 500 companies that have reported Q2 results, as of Thursday July 25th, are up +4.1% from the same period last year, with 65.8% beating earnings expectations and a median surprise of +2.6%. Total revenues for these companies are up +3.8%, with 45.4% beating revenue expectations and a median surprise of +0.4%.

Not to make light of Finance�� strength, but a big part of the bank earnings growth is due to loan loss reserve releases and not from loan growth. Reserve releases are a net positive as they reflect improving credit quality, but they don�� constitute the sector�� core earnings power. That said, the earnings growth picture outside of Finance is very weak.

Top Freight Companies To Invest In 2015: Allscripts Healthcare Solutions Inc.(MDRX)

Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. provides clinical, financial, connectivity, and information solutions and related professional services to hospitals, physicians, and post-acute organizations primarily in the United States and Canada. The company?s integrated clinical software applications include acute care electronic health records, clinical and practice management solutions, revenue cycle management software, clearinghouse services, stand-alone electronic prescribing, and document imaging solutions, as well as various solutions for home care, hospice, skilled nursing, and other post-acute organizations. It also provides electronic medical records software; practice management software; electronic claims administration services; related installation and training services; hosting services for its software and outsourced solutions; and information technology outsourcing services. In addition, the company also resells related hardware products. Allscripts Healthcare Solutions, Inc. is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By George Putnam]

    After a large acquisition, made in 2010, didn't work out as planned, Allscripts Healthcare Solutions (MDRX) put itself up for sale in early 2012. This created concern among its clients, and potential clients, and eventually led to the replacement of its long-time CEO in December 2012.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Which might help explain why Quality Systems has dropped 0.1% to $17.98 today, even as Allscripts Healthcare Solutions (MDRX) has gained 1.7% to $16.15 and Cerner (CERN) has risen 3.4% to $55.42.

  • [By Keith Speights]

    GE Healthcare also claims one of the top spots in the world of electronic medical records. The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, or CMS, reported recently that the company ranked in the No. 5 spot for Meaningful Use attestations needed for health care providers to receive federal incentives. Only two publicly traded companies placed higher than GE Healthcare -- Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX  ) and Quality Systems' (NASDAQ: QSII  ) NextGen Healthcare unit.

  • [By Keith Speights]

    As you might expect, large EHR systems vendors enthusiastically welcomed passage of HITECH. What company wouldn't enjoy having the government pay customers to buy its products and fine them if they didn't? Allscripts (NASDAQ: MDRX  ) reported total revenue of $548 million in the fiscal year ending in May 2009. At the end of 2012, the company's annual revenue topped $1.4 billion -- thanks in no small part to Uncle Sam.

5 Best Quality Stocks To Own Right Now: Nortech Systems Incorporated(NSYS)

Nortech Systems Incorporated operates as a contract manufacturing company. It manufactures wire harness cable and printed circuit board assemblies, electronic sub-assemblies, higher level assemblies, and complete devices. The company also provides value added services and technical support, including design, testing, prototyping, and supply chain management; and repair services on circuit boards used in machines in the medical industry. In addition, it engages in the design, manufacture, and post-production service of electronic and electromechanical medical devices for diagnostic, analytical, and other life-science applications. Nortech Systems Incorporated serves various industries that include aerospace and defense; medical; and the industrial markets, which include industrial equipment, transportation, vision, agriculture, and oil and gas. The company markets its products through sales force and independent manufacturers? representatives. Nortech Systems Incorporated was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Wayzata, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James E. Brumley]

    In a perfect world stocks would move in predictable, manageable ways. We don't live - nor do we trade in - a perfect world. In the real world we have to adapt to and deal with the curve balls the market throws us, and there are no two stocks that illustrate that point better than Document Security Systems, Inc. (NYSEMKT:DSS) and Nortech Systems Incorporated (NASDAQ:NSYS) to today. While both NSYS and DSS are up today, one's overbought and ripe for a pullback, while the other is likely at the beginning of a trade-worthy rally.

5 Best Quality Stocks To Own Right Now: Omnicare Inc (OCR)

Omnicare, Inc. (Omnicare) is a healthcare services company. The Company operates in two primary businesses: Long-Term Care Group (LTC) and Specialty Care Group (SCG). Through LTC, Omnicare provides pharmaceuticals and related pharmacy and ancillary services to long-term care facilities, as well as chronic care facilities and other settings. SCG provides commercialization services for the biopharmaceutical industry in addition to end-of-life pharmaceutical care management for hospice care agencies. At December 31, 2011, LTC provided its pharmacy services in 47 states in the United States, the District of Columbia and in Canada. In September 2012, Five Star Quality Care, Inc. sold its pharmacy business to Omnicare.

Long-Term Care Group

Omnicare operates the institutional pharmacy business in North America. LTC's customers consist of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living facilities (ALFs), independent living communities, hospitals, correctional facilities, and other healthcare service providers. LTC consisted of approximately 83% of the Company�� total net sales during the year ended December 31, 2011 and dispensed approximately 115.1 million prescriptions. The Company provides pharmacy consulting, including monthly patient drug therapy evaluations, assist in compliance with state and federal regulations and provide clinical and health management programs (utilizing outcomes-based algorithm technology). LTC also provides a range of technology solutions based on its Omniview Web-based platform.

LTC also provides a range of other products and services, including intravenous medications and nutrition products (infusion therapy products and services), respiratory therapy services, medical supplies and equipment (including billing the Medicare Part B program for eligible patients) and clinical care planning. It also provides pharmaceutical case management services for retirees, employees and dependents. The Company purchases, repackages and dispenses presc! ription and non-prescription medication in accordance with physician orders and deliver such prescriptions to long-term care facilities for administration to individual residents (by the facilities��nursing staff for SNFs).

The Company services long-term care facilities typically within a radius of approximately 150 miles of its pharmacy locations and maintain an around-the-clock, seven-day per week, on-call pharmacist service for emergency dispensing and delivery, and for consultation with the facility's staff or attending physician. The Company utilizes a unit-of-use drug distribution system. This means that its prescriptions are packaged for dispensing in individual doses. The Company�� range of technologies allow Web-based access to electronic medical records, automated pharmacy billing, online medication refills and returns processing, census tracking, pre-admission medication assessment and access to the Omnicare Guidelines.

Specialty Care Group

SCG serves the needs of biopharmaceutical manufacturers, physicians, nurses, caregivers and patients. Its services are based on five platforms: brand support services, third party logistics, patient assistance programs, specialty pharmacy and disease management for end-of-life care. In the Company�� specialty pharmacy platform, it provides dispensing of specialized pharmaceuticals. These specialized drugs deal primarily with specific categories of drugs and disease states, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, oncology and growth hormones. In its end-of-life care platform, Omnicare provides hospice care pharmaceutical management. SCG accounted for approximately 17% of the Company�� total net sales during 2011.

Omnicare competes with PharMerica Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Grace L. Williams]

    Finally insiders bought at Omnicare (OCR), a long-term care pharmacy provider. Now CEO/former COO Nitin Sahney bought 10,000 shares for $584,900 and CFO Robert Kraft bought 1,500 shares for $90,000. InsiderScore writes that Sahney�� buy was the largest in at least 10 years at Omnicare and Kraft�� purchase was his first on record.

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Healthcare services provider Omnicare (OCR) raised its quarterly dividend 43% to 20 cents per share, payable on Dec. 24 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 16.
    OCR Dividend Yield: 1.36%

  • [By John Kell]

    Omnicare Inc.(OCR) swung to an unexpected fourth-quarter loss on write-downs related to its hospice pharmacy business and certain certain retail operations that have been classified as discontinued operations. Results missed expectations, sending shares down 5.5% to $61 premarket.

5 Best Quality Stocks To Own Right Now: Xylem Inc (XYL)

Xylem Inc. (Xylem), formerly ITT WCO, Inc., incorporated on May 4, 2011, is a provider of equipment and service for water and wastewater applications with a portfolio of products and services addressing the full cycle of water, from collection, distribution and use to the return of water to the environment. It operates in two segments: Water Infrastructure and Applied Water. The Water Infrastructure segment focuses on the transportation, treatment and testing of water, offering a range of products, including water and wastewater pumps, treatment and testing equipment, and controls and systems. Key brands in this segment include Flygt, Wedeco, Godwin Pumps, WTW, Sanitaire, AADI and Leopold. The Applied Water segment encompasses the uses of water and focuses on the residential, commercial, industrial and agricultural markets. The segment�� products include pumps, valves, heat exchangers, controls and dispensing equipment. Key brands in this segment include Goulds Water Technology (Goulds), Bell & Gossett, AC Fire, Standard, Flojet, Lowara, Jabsco and Flowtronex. The Company sells its products in more than 150 countries through a distribution network consisting of its direct sales force and independent channel partners. On October 31, 2011, ITT Corporation completed Spin-off of Xylem, formerly ITT�� water equipment and services businesses. The Spin-off was completed pursuant to the Distribution Agreement, dated as of October 25, 2011, among ITT, Exelis Inc. (Exelis) and Xylem. In July 2012, it acquired MJK Automation A/S. In March 2013, it acquired MultiTrode Pty Ltd.

Water Infrastructure

Water Infrastructure involves the process that collects water from a source and distributes it to users, and then returns the wastewater to the environment. Water Infrastructure serves three applications: transport, treatment and test of water and wastewater for two types of customers: public utilities and industrial facilities. The Transport application includes all of the equipment and s! ervices involved in the movement of water from sources, such as oceans, lakes, rivers and ground water, to treatment facilities, and then to users. It also includes the movement of wastewater from the point of use to a treatment facility and then back into the environment. The Company serves the equipment markets, such as water and wastewater submersible pumps, monitoring controls, and application solutions. With operations on six continents, it also has dewatering rental fleet, serviced with the Company�� Flygt and Godwin brands. In its Water Infrastructure Segment, Transport accounted for approximately 73% of its consolidated revenue during the year ended December 31, 2011. Flygt is the manufacturer of submersible pumps, mixers, and aeration equipment for use in environments, such as water and wastewater treatment, raw water supply, abrasive or contaminated industrial processes, mining and crop irrigation. Flygt products have applications in various markets, including wastewater lift stations, water and wastewater treatment facilities, pressurized sewage systems, oil and gas, steel, mining and leisure markets. Customers include public utility wastewater and clean water treatment facilities, oil and gas platforms, and steel manufacturing companies.

Godwin Pumps is engaged in pump manufacturing. It manufactures, sells, rents and services products that are customized to the specific needs of its clients. Godwin Pumps��products include the fully automatic self-priming Dri-Prime pump, a range of Sub-Prime electric and Heidra hydraulic submersible pumps, Wet-Prime gasoline-powered contractor pumps and a line of generators and portable light towers. Godwin products are primarily used in construction, disaster recovery, flooding, heavy industry, marine use, mining, oil, gas and chemical extraction, refineries, temporary fire protection and water and wastewater transport. Customers include industrial plants, construction contractors, public utility wastewaters and clean water treatment and tr! ansportat! ion facilities, oil, gas and chemical drilling outfits, and refineries. Godwin�� fleet of equipment is rented through 33 United States branches and a global network of distributors. The Treatment application includes equipment and services that treat both water for consumption and wastewater to be returned to the environment. Leopold is the Company�� filtration brand. Disinfection systems, both ultraviolet (UV) and ozone oxidation, treat both public utility drinking water and wastewater, as well as industrial process water, and are provided through its WEDECO brand. Biological treatment systems are key to the treatment of solids in wastewater plants, which is provided through its Sanitaire brand. In its Water Infrastructure Segment, Treatment accounted for approximately 18% of its consolidated net sales in 2011.

The Company�� Sanitaire brand provides biological wastewater treatment solutions for public utility and industrial applications. Sanitaire�� offering includes diffused aeration, sequencing batch reactors, drum filters and state-of-the-art controls. Sanitaire is a brand in diffused aeration, which is a process that introduces air into a liquid, providing an aerobic environment for degradation of organic matter. Principal Sanitaire customers are public utility and industrial wastewater treatment facilities. WEDECO develops chemical-free and environmentally friendly water treatment technologies, including ultraviolet light and ozone systems. There are over 250,000 installed WEDECO systems for UV disinfection and ozone oxidation globally in private, public utility and industrial locations. Customers include public utility wastewater and clean water treatment facilities, power plants, pulp and paper mills, food products manufacturers and aquaculture facilities. Leopold is a gravity media filtration and clarification solutions for the water and wastewater industry. Nova Analytics, its served market is focused on water and the environment for quality levels throughout the water in! frastruct! ure loop.. Analytical systems are applied in three primary ways: in the field, in a facility laboratory, or real time, online monitoring in a treatment facility process. In its Water Infrastructure Segment, Test accounted for approximately 9% of its consolidated net sales in 2011.

In wastewater treatment facilities, WTW-branded systems monitor parameters, such as dissolved oxygen, pH, and turbidity throughout the water process. WTW�� product offering includes meters, sensors, data-loggers, photometers and software. Aanderaa Data Instruments AS (AADI) offers sensors, instruments and systems for measuring and monitoring in environments, such as rivers, oceans and the polar regions through networked systems using wireless technology that monitors temperature, salinity, oxygen, turbidity, current and waves for ecosystem health. The main market areas are marine transportation, environmental and ocean research, oil and gas, aquaculture, road and traffic, and construction. Oceanography International Corporation (OI Analytical) provides products used for chemical analysis. The Company develops, manufactures, sells, and services analytical instruments that detect, measure, analyze, and monitor chemicals in liquids, solids, and gases. Yellow Springs Instrument Company (YSI) develops and manufactures sensors, instruments, software and data collection platforms for environmental and coastal water quality monitoring and testing. YSI also offers life sciences products, including biochemical analyzers for bioprocess monitoring, food and beverage processing, and sports physiology. The main market areas are marine transportation, environmental and ocean research, oil and gas, aquaculture, road and traffic, and construction.

Applied Water

Applied Water encompasses all the uses of water. Its served market consists of the main uses of global water: Building Services, Industrial Water and Irrigation. The Building Services is defined by four main uses of water in building services ! applicatio! ns, such as in residential homes and commercial buildings, including offices, hotels, restaurants and malls. The first is the supply of potable water for consumption, such as for drinking and hygiene. The Goulds brand offers pumps and boosting systems utilized within buildings, sourcing water from distribution networks or from wells. The second application is wastewater removal with sump and sewage pumps. The third application is in heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC), where Bell & Gossett specializes in pumps and valves that are used in water-based heating and cooling systems. The fourth water-related building service area is fire protection, where its AC Fire brand supplies full pump systems for emergency fire suppression. In Europe, Lowara is a brand in the commercial and residential water market with applications in the four main uses of water. In its Applied Water Segment, Building Services accounted for approximately 51% of its consolidated net sales in 2011.

The Company�� Goulds brand supplies vertical multistage pumps to boost pressure for purposes , such as circulating water through a manufacturing facility to cool machine tools. Its Lowara brand focuses on water treatment, industrial washing equipment and machine tool cooling. The Standard brand delivers heat exchangers for combined heat and power (CHP) applications within power generation plants. It also provides applications, such as flexible impeller pumps for wine processing facilities served by its Jabsco brand, and water-based detergent dispensing and water circulation within car washes served by Flojet and Goulds air-operated diaphragm and end suction pumps. In its Applied Water Segment, Industrial Water accounted for approximately 42% of its consolidated net sales in 2011. The irrigation business consists of irrigation-related equipment and services associated with bringing water from a source to the plant or livestock need, including hoses, sprinklers, center pivot and drip irrigation. The Company focuses ! on the pu! mps and boosting systems that supply this ancillary equipment with water. Its Goulds brand brings mixed flow pumps, and its Flowtronex group specializes in equipment solutions, such as the Hydrovar boosting system, which incorporates monitoring and controls. Its Lowara brand also produces pumps for agriculture applications and irrigation of gardens and parks. In its Applied Water Segment, Irrigation accounted for approximately 7% of the Company�� consolidated net sales in 2011.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Holly LaFon]

    Xylem Inc. (0.7%) (XYL)(XYL - $36.42 - NYSE) is a global leader in the design, manufacturing, and application of highly engineered technologies for the transportation, treatment, and testing of water. The company is expected to benefit from favorable long term fundamentals in the water industry, driven by scarcity, population growth, aging of the infrastructure, and the need to improve water quality. Further, with a large installed base of pumps and systems, the company is well positioned to increase aftermarket revenue, which currently represents roughly 40% of total revenues. Xylem's attractive business mix also generates strong cash flow, which is expected to support acquisitions, debt service, and dividend growth. Concerns regarding weakness in Europe and municipal spending levels in the U.S. remain, although we believe the long term fundamentals outweigh these concerns. From Mario Gabelli (Trades, Portfolio)'s Gabelli Asset Fund's first quarter 2014 shareholder commentary.Also check out: Mario Gabelli Undervalued Stocks Mario Gabelli Top Growth Companies Mario Gabelli High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Mario Gabelli keeps buying Currently 0.00/512345

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