Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Top Bank Companies To Own In Right Now

Infosys Technologies Ltd (INFY) reported first quarter 2014 earnings results, with earnings per ADS from continuing operations of 73 cents beating the Zacks Consensus Estimate of 69 cents by 5.7%. However, earnings were flat year over year while it declined 6.4% sequentially. Volatility in currency and the unstable macro environment impacted the first quarter profits.

Quarter Details

Total revenue for the quarter was $1.99 billion, up 13.6% year over year and 2.7% sequentially. The company saw growth in retail and manufacturing and also in banking and insurance. The company delivered a decent quarter in terms of client additions.

During the reported quarter, Infosys added approximately 9 new clients for Infosys��products and platforms. Apart from this, Infosys and its subsidiaries added 66 clients during the quarter. The company�� cloud based offerings continued to gain good momentum during the quarter.

Infosys recently collaborated with SAP AG (SAP) to develop new mobile applications for the retail industry to enable consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies to contact with sales representatives and merchandisers anytime, anywhere through wireless tablets and smartphones. This, in turn, will help the companies to gain access to real time information directly from the field, giving them a competitive advantage over others.

Hot Restaurant Companies To Buy For 2015: GAIN Capital Holdings Inc (GCAP)

GAIN Capital Holdings Inc. (GAIN Capital) is an independent provider of online forex trading. GAIN Capital offers online trading services, specializing in foreign exchange (FX), contracts for difference (CFDs) and equities to retail and institutional traders worldwide. GAIN Capital provides execution, clearing, custody and technology products and services to an institutional client base, including asset managers, broker/dealers and other financial services firms. GAIN Capital�� trading services include FOREX.com, GAIN GTX, GAIN Securities and Asset Management. In September 2012, it acquired Open E Cry, LLC from optionsXpress Holdings, Inc., which is a subsidiary of The Charles Schwab Corporation. Effective September 24, 2013, GAIN Capital Holdings Inc acquired the entire share capital of Global Futures & Forex Ltd, a provider of retail forex and derivative trading services.

FOREX.com

GAIN Capital�� FOREX.com is used by self-directed retail traders and professional money managers in over 140 countries worldwide. FOREX.com provides a range of trading interfaces, such as FOREXTrader PRO, Website Trading, FOREXTrader Mobile and MetaTrader4.

GAIN GTX

GAIN GTX offers a range of automated and manual strategies on both the buy and sell side. Automated trading strategies can be programmed and executed using a Java or Financial Information Exchange (FIX)-based Academic Performance Index (API). It is used by individual traders, hedge funds and financial institutions.

GAIN Securities

GAIN Securities is a brokerage firm offering customers access to a full suite of investment products and trading services, including equities, equity and FX options, exchange traded funds (ETFs), mutual funds and fixed income. It is used by individual investors.

Asset Management

GAIN Capital's Managed Forex Account Program (MAC) is offered by GAIN Capital Asset Management LLC (GCAM, LLC). MAC provides qualified institutional i! nvestors access to the FX market.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap stocks FXCM Inc (NYSE: FXCM), Gain Capital Holdings Inc (NYSE: GCAP) and up and coming�Indo Global Exchanges PteLtd (OTCMKTS: IGEX) all offer online trading platforms to retail or institutional traders and investors. Certainly if you have found yourself trading more lately or if markets become more volatile, trading platforms are going to be the big winners.�With that in mind, here is a close look at these three small cap trading platform stocks:�

  • [By The GeoTeam]

    We also look for companies going through defining events that can significantly change their growth trajectory. One of these situations is a transformative acquisition, such as one that Gain Capital Holdings (GCAP) is in the process of consummating. We coded GCAP a GeoBargain on June 6, 2013, at $5.30. On June 12, 2013 we released our bullish thesis for GCAP on Seeking Alpha, "Double Your Gains With Gain Capital Holdings." Fast forward just 3 months from the time of our release and the stock has lived up to our title, returning investors over 100% so far.

Top Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Raymond James Financial Inc (RJF)

Raymond James Financial, Inc. (RJF) is a financial services holding company whose subsidiaries are engaged in various financial services businesses predominantly in the United States of America and Canada. At September 30, 2011, its principal subsidiaries include Raymond James & Associates, Inc. (RJ&A), Raymond James Financial Services, Inc. (RJFS), Raymond James Financial Services Advisors, Inc. (RJFSA), Raymond James Ltd. (RJ Ltd.), Eagle Asset Management, Inc. (Eagle), and Raymond James Bank, FSB (RJ Bank). All of these subsidiaries are wholly owned by RJF. In April 1, 2011, the Company acquired Howe Barnes Hoefer & Arnett (Howe Barnes). The Company operates through eight business segments: Private Client Group, Capital Markets, Asset Management, RJ Bank, Emerging Markets, Securities Lending, Proprietary Capital and various corporate activities combined in the Other segment. In April 2012, Regions Financial Corporation sold Morgan Keegan & Company, Inc. and related affiliates to RJF.

PRIVATE CLIENT GROUP

The Company provides securities transaction and financial planning services to approximately two million client accounts through the branch office systems of RJ&A, RJFS, RJFSA, RJ Ltd. and Raymond James Investment Services Limited (RJIS), a joint venture in the United Kingdom. Its financial advisors offer a range of investments and services, including both third-party and products, and a variety of financial planning services. The Company charges sales commissions or asset-based fees for investment services it provides to its Private Client Group clients based on established schedules. Varying discounts may be given, generally based upon the client's level of business, the trade size, service level provided, and other relevant factors. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), the portion of revenues from this segment that the Company considers recurring include sources, such as asset-based fees, including mutual fund and annuity trailing commissions, ! and interest income and represented approximately 61% of the Private Client Group's total revenues. Its financial advisors offer a number of professionally managed load mutual funds, as well as a selection of no-load funds. RJ&A and RJFS maintain dealer sales agreements with distributors of mutual fund shares sold through broker-dealers.

The Company�� principal subsidiary, RJ&A, is the full service brokerage and investment firm headquartered in the state of Florida and with over 220 locations throughout the United States, is a retail brokerage firms in the country. RJ&A is a self-clearing broker-dealer engaged in most aspects of securities distribution, trading, investment banking and asset management. RJ&A also offers financial planning services for individuals and provides clearing services for RJFS, RJFSA, other affiliated entities and several unaffiliated broker-dealers. RJFS is an independent contractor brokerage firms in the United States., is a member of Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) and Securities Investors Protection Corporation (SIPC), but is not a member of any exchanges. Financial advisors affiliated with RJFS may offer their clients all products and services offered through RJ&A, including investment advisory products and services which are offered through its affiliated registered investment advisor, RJFSA. RJ Ltd. is its Canadian broker-dealer subsidiary, which is engaged in both retail and institutional distribution and investment banking. RJ Ltd. is a member of the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) and the Investment Industry Regulatory Organization of Canada (IIROC). Its United States broker-dealer subsidiary is a member of FINRA and SIPC.

CAPITAL MARKETS

Capital Markets activities consist primarily of equity and fixed income products and services. Its institutional clients are serviced by institutional equity departments of RJ&A and RJ Ltd.; the RJ&A fixed income department; RJ&A�� European offices; Raymond James Financial Intern! ational, ! Ltd, an institutional UK broker-dealer, and Raymond James European Securities, Inc., a joint venture, in which the Company hold a controlling interest. The Company charges commissions on equity transactions based on trade size and the amount of business conducted annually with each institution. Fixed income commissions are based on trade size and the characteristics of the specific security. Some European and United States offices also provide services to high net worth clients. RJ Ltd. has approximately 40 institutional equity sales and trading professionals servicing predominantly Canadian, United States and European institutional investors from offices in Canada and Europe.

Trading equity securities involves the purchase and sale of securities from and to its clients or other dealers. RJ&A makes markets in over 900 common stocks. The RJ Ltd. trading desks not only support client activity, but also take positions that are closely monitored within well defined limits. RJ Ltd. also provides specialist services in approximately 150 TSX listed common stocks. RJ&A trades both taxable and tax-exempt fixed income securities. The taxable and tax-exempt RJ&A fixed income traders purchase and sell corporate, municipal, government, government agency, and mortgage-backed bonds, asset-backed securities, preferred stock and certificates of deposit from and to its clients or other dealers.

Fixed income investment banking includes debt underwriting and public finance activities. The syndicate department consists of professionals who coordinate the marketing, distribution, pricing and stabilization of lead and co-managed equity underwritings. In addition to lead and co-managed offerings, this department coordinates the firm's syndicate and selling group activities in transactions managed by other investment banking firms. Raymond James Tax Credit Funds, Inc. (RJTCF) is the general partner or managing member in a number of limited partnerships and limited liability companies. These partnershi! ps and li! mited liability companies invest in real estate project entities that qualify for tax credits under Section 42 of the Internal Revenue Code.

ASSET MANAGEMENT

The Company�� Asset Management segment includes the operations of Eagle, the Eagle Family of Funds (Eagle Funds), the asset management operations of RJ&A (AMS), Raymond James Trust, and other fee-based programs. The majority of the revenue for this segment is generated by the investment advisory fees related to asset management services for individual investment portfolios and mutual funds. Investment advisory fees are also earned on assets held in managed and non-managed programs. Eagle Fund Distributors, Inc. (EFD), a wholly owned subsidiary of Eagle, is a registered broker-dealer engaged in the distribution of the Eagle Funds. The Eagle Funds utilize unaffiliated sub-advisors for the Capital Appreciation Fund and International Equity Fund. The Small Cap Growth Fund, Mid Cap Growth Fund, Growth and Income Fund, Large Cap Core Fund, Mid Cap Stock Fund, Investment Grade Bond Fund, and Small Cap Core Value Fund are managed by Eagle.

AMS

AMS manages several investment advisory programs which maintain an approved list of investment managers, provide asset allocation model portfolios, establish custodial facilities, monitor performance of client accounts, provide clients with accounting and other administrative services, and assist investment managers with certain trading management activities. In addition, AMS offers additional managed accounts managed within fee based asset allocation platforms under its Freedom accounts and other managed programs. Freedom�� investment committee manages portfolios of mutual funds, exchange traded funds and separately managed account models on a discretionary basis. AMS also provides certain services for their non-managed fee-based programs (Passport, Ambassador and other non-managed programs). They provide performance reporting, research, sales, accounting, trad! ing and o! ther administrative services. Client fees are based on the individual account or relationship size and may also be dependent on the type of securities in the accounts.

Raymond James Trust, National Association, (RJT) provides personal trust services primarily to existing clients of its broker-dealer subsidiaries. Portfolio management of trust assets can be subcontracted to its asset management operations. This subsidiary had a total of approximately $2 billion in client assets at September 30, 2011, including nearly $120 million in the donor-advised charitable foundation known as the Raymond James Charitable Endowment Fund.

RJ BANK

RJ Bank is a federally chartered savings bank, regulated by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), which provides corporate, residential and consumer loans, as well as Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit accounts, to clients of our broker-dealer subsidiaries and to the general public. RJ Bank is active in corporate loan syndications and bank participations as well as purchases residential whole loan packages to hold for investment. RJ Bank generates revenue principally through the interest income earned on loans and investments, which is offset by the interest expense it pays on client deposits and on its borrowings.

RJ Bank�� assets include C&I loans, commercial and residential real estate loans, as well as consumer loans that were purchased or originated by RJ Bank. Corporate loans represent approximately 75% of RJ Bank�� loan portfolio of which 90% are Shared National Credits (SNC) or other large syndicated loans. RJ Bank purchases and originates corporate loans secured by corporate assets, commercial and industrial (C&I) loans, commercial and residential real estate loans, as well as consumer loans, all of which are funded primarily by cash balances swept from the investment accounts of our broker-dealer subsidiaries��clients.

EMERGING MARKETS

Raymond! James In! ternational Holdings, Inc. (RJIH), through its subsidiaries, has interests in operations in Latin American countries including Argentina, Uruguay and Brazil. Through these entities it operates securities brokerage, investment banking, asset management and equity research businesses. In fiscal 2011, approximately 75% of this segments��investment banking revenues arose from one client.

SECURITIES LENDING

This segment conducts its business through the borrowing and lending of securities from and to other broker-dealers, financial institutions and other counterparties. The Company conducts these activities as an intermediary. Securities Lending will also loan customer marginable securities held in a margin account containing a debit to counterparties. The borrower of the securities puts up a cash deposit on which interest is earned. The lender in turn receives cash and pays interest. These cash deposits are adjusted daily to reflect changes in the current market value of the underlying securities. Additionally, securities are borrowed from other broker-dealers to facilitate RJ&A�� clearance and settlement obligations. The net revenues of this securities lending business are the interest spreads generated.

PROPRIETARY CAPITAL

This segment consists of its principal capital and private equity activities, including various direct and third-party private equity and merchant banking investments; Raymond James Employee Investment Funds I and II (the EIF Funds), and a private equity fund which we sponsor-Raymond James Capital Partners, L.P. As of September 30, 2011, certain of its merchant banking investments include an investment in a manufacturer of crime investigation and forensic supplies, an event photography business, and an indirect investment in an allergy immunotherapy testing and treatment supply company.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Eric Volkman]

    The joint book-running managers of the issue are Raymond James Financial (NYSE: RJF  ) unit Raymond James & Associates, Royal Bank of Canada's (NYSE: RY  ) RBC Capital Markets, and the Securities divisions of Credit Suisse and Deutsche Bank (NYSE: DB  ) . The sale is expected to close on May 28.

Top Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: AKB Mosoblbank OAO (MOBB)

AKB MOSOBLBANK OAO (AKB MOSOBLBANK OJSC) is a Russia-based commercial bank. The Company focuses on the provision of various types of banking services to both individual and corporate clients. The Bank offers its services through the network of 400 offices and automated teller machines (ATM), located across the Russian Federation. In addition, it has 23 branches in such cities as: Rostov na Donu, Samara, Astrakhan, Arkhangelsk, Nizhny Novgorod, Omsk, Tyumen, Yakutsk, Grozny, Kemerovo and Vladivostok, among others. As of May 25, 2012, the Company�� major shareholder was Respublikanskaya Finansovaya Korporatsiya OAO with a stake of 74.19%. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Corinne Gretler]

    UBS, Switzerland�� largest bank, rallied to a two-year high. Philips, the Dutch maker of light bulbs and electric toothbrushes, gained for an eighth day. Portugal�� PSI-20 Index (PSI20) advanced 2.3 percent as President Anibal Cavaco Silva affirmed that he doesn�� want to call early elections. Mobistar (MOBB) SA slumped the most on record after the Belgian mobile-phone company cut profit forecasts and suspended its dividend.

Top Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Deutsche Bank AG (DBK)

Deutsche Bank AG is a global investment bank. The Company offers a variety of investment, financial and related products and services to private individuals, corporate entities and institutional clients around the world. The Company operates through such divisions as: Private and Business Clients, Asset and Wealth Management, Corporate Banking and Securities, Global Transaction Banking and Non-Core Operations Unit. Deutsche Bank AG is active domestically and in various countries, through the network of numerous branches. In February 2014, the Company and its related bodies corporate ceases to a share holder in the capital of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonathan Morgan]

    Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) lost 0.6 percent as a gauge of banks posted the largest drop of the 19 industry groups in the Stoxx Europe 600 Index. Deutsche Telekom AG (DTE) advanced 2.2 percent as a gauge of telecom companies rose the most on the Stoxx 600.

  • [By Tom Stoukas]

    Deutsche Lufthansa AG (LHA) and Allianz SE (ALV) led airlines and insurers lower, retreating at least 1.5 percent. Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BMW) slid 1.6 percent. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) rose after JPMorgan Chase & Co. boosted its recommendation on the shares. Gildemeister AG (GIL) added 3.4 percent after Deutsche Bank upgraded the maker of cutting tools.

  • [By Jonathan Morgan]

    Bayer AG (BAYN) and BASF SE gained, following their European peers higher. Commerzbank AG (CBK), the country�� second-biggest lender, slid 3.7 percent. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) dropped the most in more than a month after JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded the shares.

Top Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Banco Macro SA (BMA)

Banco Macro S.A. (the Bank), incorporated on November 21, 1966, is a bank in Argentina. The Bank provides standard banking products and services to a nationwide customer base. The Bank has two categories of customers: retail customers, which include individuals and very small companies, and corporate customers, which include small, medium and large companies and major corporations. In addition, it provides services to four provincial governments. The Bank offers a range of standard products, which are available to both its retail and corporate customers. Retail customers are individuals, entrepreneurs and very small companies (companies with less than Pesos one million in sales per year). It provides services to them throughout Argentina, in particular outside of the City of Buenos Aires, which has higher concentrations of low- and middle-income individuals who are traditionally underserved by large private banks. The Bank serves its retail customers through its nationwide branch network. Approximately 94% of the Bank�� branches are located outside of the City of Buenos Aires.

The Bank offers its retail customers traditional banking products and services, such as savings and checking accounts, time deposits, credit and debit cards, consumer finance loans (including personal loans), mortgage loans, car loans, overdrafts, credit-related services, home and car insurance coverage, tax collection, utility payments, automated teller machines (ATMs) and money transfers. The Bank offers personal loans, document discounts, (housing) mortgages, overdrafts, pledged loans and credit card loans to its retail customers.

The Bank provides its corporate customers with traditional banking products and services, such as deposits, lending (including overdraft facilities), check cashing advances and factoring, guaranteed loans and credit lines for financing foreign trade and cash management services. It also provides them trust, payroll and financial agency services, corporate credit cards a! nd other specialty products. The corporate business is focused on the classification by sizes and sectors. The Bank has four categories for its corporate customers: small companies, which register up to Pesos 52 million in sales per year; medium companies, which register more than Pesos 52 million and less than Pesos 150 million in sales per year; major companies, which register more than Pesos 150 million in sales per year, and agro companies, which operate in agriculture or in the commerce of its products (approximately 97% of its corporate customers are small businesses).

The Bank�� lending activities to the corporate sector (defined here as firms with loans outstanding in excess of Pesos 20,000) totaled Pesos 4,985 million. Most of its lending activity consists of working capital loans to small and medium-sized businesses. The Bank offers short-term and medium- to long-term corporate lending products. Short-term products include credit lines for up to 180 days and consist mainly of overdraft facilities, corporate credit and debit cards and factoring, as well as foreign trade related financing, such as pre-export, post-shipment and import financing. Medium-to long-term products include credit lines and specific lending facilities of more than 180 days.

The Bank offers transaction services to its corporate customers, such as cash management, customer collections, payments to suppliers, payroll administration, foreign exchange transactions, foreign trade services, corporate credit cards and information services, such as its Datanet and Interpymes services. The Bank�� payments to suppliers��services enable its customers to meet their payment obligations to their suppliers on a timely basis through a system. This service also provides payment liquidations, tax payment receipts, invoices and any other documents required by the payer.

The Bank�� collection services include cash or check deposits at its 408 branches, automatic and direct debits from checking ! or saving! s accounts and the transportation of funds collected from corporate customers to its branches for deposit. The Bank provides its corporate clients with access to the Datanet service, which is an electronic banking network linking member banks in Argentina. These services permit its clients to obtain reliable online information on a real-time basis from their bank accounts in Datanet, as well as perform certain transactions. The Bank also provides tax collection and financial agency services to four provinces.

The Bank competes with Santander Rio, Banco de Galicia y Buenos Aires S.A., BBVA Banco Frances S.A., HSBC Argentina S.A. and Banco Patagonia S.A.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Federico Zaldua]

    Despite growing expenses, in local currency terms, the bank's net income improved 16% year-over-year (yoy) while Non-Performing-Loans (NPL) have been kept below 4%. Hence, through Galicia, you can invest in an operationally healthy bank that shall behave in line with government bonds. Trading at 3 times P/E and 75% book value I think Galicia is good bet within the space.

    High Exposure to Public Debt

    Banco Macro (BMA) has been one of the highest growing banks during the last two decades. One interesting thing about Banco Macro is that the bank owns approximately $400 million of government related securities when the bank's total market capitalization is now just above $1 billion. On the other hand, Banco Macro is growing earnings aggressively at a 39% year over year rate in local currency terms with a very low (and stable) 1.6% NPL rate. Banco Macro is slightly more expensive than Galicia trading at 80% its book value and 3.2 times P/E.

  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Marco Bank (BMA) offers a range of traditional banking products and services to corporates, SME's and individuals in Argentina. This stock closed up 5.6% at $20.93 in Monday's trading session.

    Monday's Volume: 404,000

    Three-Month Average Volume: 78,386

    Volume % Change: 504%

    From a technical perspective, BMA jumped sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $19 with strong upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last two months and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $13.63 to its recent high of $21.73. During that move, shares of BMA have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of BMA within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if BMA manages to take out its 52-week high at $21.73 with high volume.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BMA as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $19 to $18.29 and then once it sustains a move or close above its 52-week high at $21.73 with volume that's near or above 78,386 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then BMA will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $25 to $27.

Top Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Hang Seng Bank Ltd (0011.HK)

Hang Seng Bank Limited and its subsidiaries and associates are engaged in the provision of banking and related financial services. It operates in five segments. The Hong Kong and other business segment includes: Retail Banking and Wealth Management activities, which offer personal banking, consumer lending and wealth management services to individual customers, including current and savings accounts, mortgages and personal loans and others; Corporate and Commercial Banking activities, which include the provision of financial services, payments and cash management and others to corporate and commercial customers; Treasury activities, which are mainly the provision of treasury services in credit, interest rates, foreign exchanges and others, and Other, which mainly refers to the management of shareholders' funds. The Mainland China business segment comprises the business of Hang Seng Bank (China) Limited and the Company's share of profit from Mainland associates.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Steven Russolillo]

    MARKET SNAP: At 6:20 a.m. ET, S&P 500 futures up 0.2%. 10-Year Treasury yield flat at 2.46%. Nymex up 6 cents at $102.45. Gold 0.2% higher at $1310.40. In Europe, FTSE 100 up 0.4%, DAX up 0.7% and CAC 40 up 0.6%. In Asia, Nikkei 225 down 0.1% and Hang Seng (0011.HK) up 0.8%.

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