Plug Power shares fall on wider loss

Shares of fuel-cell maker Plug Power fell Wednesday after the Nasdaq's best performer during the last year reported a wider first-quarter loss.

The stock was down more than 6% at $3.81 in morning trading after the Latham, N.Y.-based firm disclosed its financial results were affected by a charge related to a change in fair value of previously issued common stock warrants of $68.4 million.

Plug Power's net first-quarter loss totaled $75.9 million, or 57 cents a share. That compared with the lower net loss of $8.6 million, or 18 cents a share, the company reported for the same period last year.

The company's adjusted loss of 6 cents per share missed the 5-cent loss forecast of analysts surveyed by Thomson Financial Network.

Its first-quarter revenue was $5.6 million compared with $6.4 million a year earlier.

Plug Power said it is targeting more than $70 million in revenue for 2014 and has $174 million in cash on its balance sheet to support business growth.

Best Freight Companies To Invest In 2016

The company's fuel-cell technology produces electricity from hydrogen in a chemical process that creates no emissions. Plug Power shares have soared higher during the last year as investors bet that the company's energy-generating products would become more widely accepted as an alternative to oil- and gas-powered sources.

Those products include fuel cell-powered forklifts that have been bought by Wal-Mart and other customers.

Plug Power said Wednesday that GenKey, its turnkey fuel cell product, had won orders from Kroger, Wal-Mart, Volkswagen and Central Grocers during the first quarter. The first GenKey site is scheduled to be deployed this month at a Wal-Mart store in Pottsville, Pa., the company said.

"Investments in the sales team, hydrogen generation, hydrogen distribution, geographic expansion and stack technologies are just some of the steps being taken b! y Plug Power today to build our future," CEO Andy Marsh said in a statement issued with the financial results.

Top Airline Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top Airline Stocks To Watch Right Now: Allegiant Travel Co (ALGT)

Allegiant Travel Company, incorporated on April 4, 2006, is a leisure travel company focused on providing travel services and products to residents of small, underserved cities in the United States. The Company operates a passenger airline marketed primarily to leisure travelers in small cities, allowing it to sell air transportation both on a stand-alone basis and bundled with the sale of air-related and third party services and products. In addition, it provides air transportation under fixed fee flying arrangements. The Company provides scheduled air transportation on limited frequency nonstop flights between small city markets and leisure destinations. As of February 1, 2013, its operating fleet consisted of 58 MD-80 aircraft and six Boeing 757-200 aircraft providing service on 191 routes to 85 cities including 13 leisure destinations and 72 small cities and including cities served seasonally. In January 2012, the Company took ownership of two MD-80 aircraft. In Octobe r 2012, the Company announced the formation of Allegiant Systems, a joint venture with AvIntel and Lixar IT.

The Company provides unbundled air-related services and products in conjunction with air transportation for an additional cost to customers. These optional air-related services and products include use of its Website for purchases, use of its call center for purchases, advance seat assignment, baggage fees, priority boarding, its own travel protection product, change fees, food and beverage purchases on board and other air-related services. The Company offers third party travel products, such as hotel rooms, ground transportation (rental cars and hotel shuttle products) and attractions (show tickets) bundled with the purchase of its air transportation.

The Company provides air transportation through fixed fee agreements and charter service on a seasonal and ad-hoc basis for other customers. As of February 1, 2013, its oper! ating aircraft consi sted of 58 MD-80 aircraft and six Boeing 757-200 aircraft. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company has entered into purchase agreements to acquire seven Airbus A320 aircraft and operating lease agreements for an additional nine Airbus A319 aircraft.

The Company competes with AirTran, Frontier, Spirit, Southwest, US Airways, Alaska Airlines, Horizon Air, Delta, Xtra, United and American.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Keep in mind that some companiesdeservetheir current valuations. Allegiant Travel (NASDAQ: ALGT  ) , for example, is creating cash flow hand over fist by luring in passengers with low ticket fees and then utilizing hefty optional fees such as on checked baggage, carry-on baggage, and food, which are almost pure margin plays, to add to its bottom line. The beauty of Allegiant's model is that many of these ancillary fees are purchased online or at electronic points of sale, meaning few employee costs.

• [By DAILYFINANCE]

  AP NEW YORK -- American Airlines and US Airways (LCC) have cleared the last major hurdle to merging, now that the Justice Department has agreed to the deal if they scale back their combined footprint in some major airports. But it will be several months -- if not years -- before passengers see any significant impact from a union that will create the world's biggest airline. Passengers with existing tickets on American or US Airways -- and members of both frequent flier programs -- shouldn't fret. No changes will come immediately. Since announcing the deal in February, the two airlines have been working behind the scenes to try and make the merger as seamless as possible. Following Tuesday's agreement with the Justice Department, the two airlines said they expect the deal to close in December. But that doesn't mean everything will happen overnight. When the deal does close, here's what passengers can expect: Airfares During the past five years, the airl! ine indus! try has seen the combinations of Delta (DAL) with Northwest, United (UAL) with Continental and Southwest Airlines (LUV) with AirTran. The price of a domestic round-trip flight has climbed more than 15 percent since 2009, when adjusted for inflation, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics. The merger will give a combined American and US Airways Group Inc. the ability to increase fares. United, Delta and Southwest would be likely to follow. Although it could also pave the way for further expansion by discount airlines such as Spirit Airlines (SAVE) and Allegiant Travel (ALGT). Frequent Flier Miles Your miles will be safe. After the merger closes, the two airlines will likely combine the miles into one program and elite status from one airline will likely be honored on the other. That puts the occasional traveler closer to rewards. The merged carrier will continue American's participation in the OneWorld alliance, which was founded by American, British Airways, Cathay Pacific and Qant

• [By Michael Lewis]

  At 9.5 times forward earnings, Alaska Air is priced far cheaper than another grower,Allegiant Air Travel Group (NASDAQ: ALGT  ) , which trades at more than 14 times earnings. Allegiant Air does operate a large travel booking service, which may warrant higher valuations, but the core airline business does not have as attractive long-term metrics as Alaska Air's. Another favorite among investors and travelers, JetBlue, trades much closer to Alaska Air at 9.4 times forward earnings. I like both companies, but am more attracted to Alaska's growth prospects as it is still mainly a West Coast airline with plenty of room for expansion.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-airline-stocks-to-watch-right-now-3.html

Hot Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015

For an investor who can invest Rs 15,000 per month, Gupta advises investing the amount into insurance, equities and gold. ��uild up a portfolio that is 60% large cap equities, 30% midcap equities and 10% gold,��she said, adding that the amount can be staggered so as to put into different funds.

Gupta�� top picks are Franklin Templeton Blue Chip in the large cap space and ICICI Pru Discovery in the midcap space. ��or gold, you can either use an ETF or a good gold fund,��she said,

Below is an edited transcript of her interview. Also watch the accompanying video.

Q: If an investor can invest Rs 15,000 per month and wants to make a crore of rupees at the end of retirement, how should he go about allocating money?

A: The good news is that you have your safe investments in place. You have some allocation to insurance. I would recommend increasing that a little bit. The existing investment will give you about Rs 20-30 lakh.

To meet the balance, you really need to have a more aggressive portfolio when you use this Rs 15000 a month. You need to build up a portfolio that is 60% large cap equities, 30% midcap equities and 10% gold. You can do this by staggering your Rs 15000 into two three funds every month.

Top Solar Companies For 2016: Wind Works Power Corp (WWPW)

Wind Works Power Corp. (Wind Works), incorporated on November 20, 2002, the Company intends to develop wind parks. The Company will assemble land packages, secure requisite environmental permitting, provide wind testing by erecting towers to measure wind speed. The Company operates 4.6 megawatts in Germany, in which it has a 49% ownership stake.

The Company�� projects include Ganaraska Wind Park, Settlers Landing, Skyway 126, Ganaraska and Thunder Spirit. The Company focuses to develop 77 megawatts of near-term permitted projects in Germany; 50 megawatts of FIT contracted projects in Ontario; and 320 megawatts of projects in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap green stocks Geo Finance Corporation (OTCMKTS: GEFI), Dragon Polymers Inc (OTCMKTS: DRAG) and Wind Works Power Corp (OTCMKTS: WWPW) have been getting some extra attention lately from various investment newsletters or investor alerts. However, two of these small cap green stocks have also been the subject of paid promotions or investor relations types of activities. So will these green small cap stocks produce some greenbacks for investors and traders alike? Here is a closer look and a reality check:

Hot Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: VisionChina Media Inc.(VISN)

VisionChina Media Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides advertising services in the People?s Republic of China. The company operates out-of-home advertising network using real-time mobile digital television broadcasts to deliver content and advertising on mass transportation systems. Its mobile digital television advertising network delivers real-time content provided by the local television stations. The company?s network also displays real-time news and stock quotes, weather and traffic updates, sports highlights, and other programs, as well as disseminates public-interest messages and programs that promote the general welfare of society and other urgent messages during emergency situations, such as typhoons, earthquakes, and other events that concern public safety. Its advertising network consists of digital television displays primarily located on buses, and in subway trains and subway platforms that receive mobile digital television broadcasts of real-time conten t and advertising. The company also operates various closed-circuit advertising digital displays in subway platforms and subway trains in Beijing, Chongqing, Guangzhou, Nanjing, Shenzhen, and Tianjin, as well as in subway trains in Hong Kong. As of December 31, 2010, its network and supplemental subway advertising platform covered 23 cities in China and consisted of approximately 137,395 digital displays. The company sells its advertising time through direct sales force and third party advertising agencies. VisionChina Media Inc. was founded in 2005 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  VisionChina Media (NASDAQ: VISN) soared 5.13% to $32.80 in the pre-market trading. VisionChina's trailing-twelve-month revenue is $98.39 million.

  The Dow Chemical Company (NYSE: DOW) surged 0.90% to $45.00 in the pre-market session. Dow Chemical's trailing-twelve-month revenue is $56.61 billion.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  VisionChina Media (NASDAQ: VISN) surged 31.25% to $31.75 in the pre-market session after the company announced an exclusive strategic cooperation with Baidu Games.

Hot Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: ZIOPHARM Oncology Inc(ZIOP)

ZIOPHARM Oncology, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of small molecule and synthetic biology approaches to cancer therapies in the United States. The company's clinical programs include Palifosfamide, a DNA cross-linker, which is in a phase III clinical trial for the treatment of metastatic soft tissue sarcoma in the front-line setting. ZIOPHARM is also developing Palifosfamide in combination with etoposide and carboplatin in phase I clinical trial to determine safety for initiating a pivotal, adaptive phase III trial in front-line. In addition, the company, in partnership with Intrexon Corporation, is developing DNA-based therapeutics (synthetic biology) that include two phase 1 clinical-stage product candidates, both of which are DNA IL-12 to be turned on/off by an oral activator ligand. Further, it is developing Indibulin, an oral tubulin binding agent, which is in Phase 1/2 for metastatic breast cancer; and Darinaparsin , a mitochondrial- and hedgehog-targeted agent that is in a solid tumor phase I study with oral administration and has been developed intravenously for the treatment of relapsed peripheral T-cell lymphoma. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in New York City, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Tuesday, healthcare shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.14 percent. Top losers in the sector included ZIOPHARM Oncology (NASDAQ: ZIOP), down 8.9 percent, and Sanofi (NYSE: SNY), off 9.3 percent.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Four months ago, you could barely give your shares of ZIOPHARM Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ:ZIOP) away. The company announced s on Tuesday, March 26th, that its sarcoma drug Palifosfamide had failed to meet its Phase 3 goals. Shares of ZIOP plunged from $5.13 to $1.82 in a mere day, and were trading as low as $1.51 a week and a half later.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Back on July 16th, I pointed out ZIOPHARM Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ:ZIOP) was a budding superstar. Though I suggested waiting for the stock to cool off before stepping into it (and it did cool off, by the way), ZIOP has since walked its way above the key line in the sand that was acting like a ceiling then. Though there's still one more hurdle shares need to clear before being a "must-have" stock, the heavy lifting's been done.

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Cancer drug investors who have been disappointed in recent results from shares of Clovis Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ:CLVS) or Nuvilex Inc. (OTCMKTS:NVLX) lately may want to take a look at ZIOPHARM Oncology Inc. (NASDAQ:ZIOP) as a replacement for either of those first two stocks. CLVS is down about 16% for the week on a less-than-flattering write-up in a Bloomberg publication, and NVLX has moved under a pair of key moving averages this week because, well, for no specific reason, but broadly because the recent wave of compelling news is already losing its potency, with most of that upside already being priced into shares (and then some) before it became official.

Hot Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida(SBCF)

Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida operates as the holding company for Seacoast National Bank that provides various financial products and services in the United States. It offers an array of deposit accounts and retail banking services; engages in consumer and commercial lending activities; and provides various trust and asset management services, as well as securities and annuity products to its customers. The company also offers marine loans. In addition, it provides Internet banking, and brokerage and annuity services. As of June 17, 2011, the company had 39 offices in South and Central Florida. Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida was founded in 1926 and is based in Stuart, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  One that recently crossed my radar as an "avoid" is small-cap bank Seacoast Banking Corp. of Florida (NASDAQ: SBCF  ) �(henceforth known here as Seacoast to make our lives easier).

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Seacoast Banking Corporation of Florida (NASDAQ:SBCF) is certainly no Citigroup Inc. (NYSE:C) or Bank of America Corp. (NYSE:BAC), but then again, that may be a good thing - both larger banks are still dealing with the headaches of their sheer size. The smaller bank is far more nimble, and better still, appears to be on the verge of doling out a huge reward for shareholders.

Hot Integrated Utility Companies To Watch For 2015: Actelion Ltd (ATLN.VX)

Actelion Ltd is a Swiss biopharmaceutical holding company that focuses on the discovery, development and commercialization of small molecule drugs. The Company has four approved drugs on the market: Tracleer, an oral dual endothelin receptor antagonist; Veletri, a prostanoid vasodilator; Ventavis, an inhaled formulation of iloprost, and Zavesca, an oral treatment for type 1 Gaucher disease. Furthermore, the Company has a number of compounds various stages of development. The Company operates through a number of worldwide subsidiaries, including Actelion Registration Ltd, which holds marketing authorizations for products marketed in the European Union; Actelion Clinical Research, Inc, engaged in clinical development on behalf of the Company's group; Actelion Re SA, providing insurance solutions for the Company's group and Actelion US Holding Company, engaged in the holding activities of the Company's United States-based units. In September 2013, it acquired Ceptaris Therapeutics, Inc. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Victor Selva]

  Forest Laboratories has a current ratio of 2.69% which is higher than the ones registered by Endo International Plc (ENDP), Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (VRX) and Cubist Pharmaceuticals Inc. (CBST). For investors looking for a higher ROE, Allergan Inc. (AGN) and Actelion Ltd. (ATLN.VX) are good options.

Betting on a Turn

5 Best Telecom Stocks To Watch For 2016

The iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index (NYSE: EEM) seems to have halted its slide.  The index bottomed out year-to-date on February 3, when it was down 11.2 percent. Since then, it has gained 1.5 percent, but bargains in the emerging markets still abound.

As I discussed in "A Plan, Not a Panic" two weeks ago, emerging markets are in much better economic shape today than they were even just a few years ago, much less during the currency crisis that peaked in 1998. Foreign exchange reserves are generally much more robust, budget deficits are narrower if they exist at all and, so far at least, the full-blown currency war that many were predicting last year isn't likely to breakout.

With rationality finally setting in, this is a terrific time to do a little bargain hunting in the emerging markets.

The most obvious play here is the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index itself. Covering China (18.8 percent of assets), South Korea (16 percent), Taiwan (12 percent) and Brazil (10.2 percent) with smaller positions spanning Asia and Europe, the fund is most exposed to any shift in sentiment.

The fund is currently trading at just 10.2 times forward one-year earnings, well below its average of about 18 times over the past two decades. On a price-to-sales basis it is even more attractive valued at just 1.03 times; the last time the index was this cheap on a sales basis was early 2009.

So while there are always dangers in trying to call a bottom to any market move, valuations alone are attractive enough to start pulling bargain hunters back in.

A broadly diversified play on an emerging market turnaround, iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a great buy up to 45, which leaves plenty of room to run back to the average.

For those who can tolerat! e a bit more risk, you can also drill down and make more country-specific bets.

At this point my favorite would be iShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund (NYSE: EWY).

South Korea is something of a special case; despite having a highly developed economy, it is still lumped in with emerging markets.

South Korea's per capital income last year totaled more than USD33,000, well ahead of Spain and Italy and closing the gap between France and Japan. The South Korean economy is also the 15th largest in the world, boasts low unemployment and almost nonexistent inflation and ranks 7th in the World Bank's Ease of Doing Business Index.

That said, South Korea still uses capital controls to help protect its won. There is limited currency convertibility outside the country, essentially forcing traders to use Korean institutions. There are also some limits on foreign access to Korean equity markets, essentially making it more difficult to move money out of the country.

Because of those restrictions, MSCI (NYSE: MSCI), the company which is the primary arbiter of what is and isn't an emerging market, still lumps South Korea in with the emerging markets. That creates an advantage for market watchers, though.

Since South Korea is included in almost every emerging market index, any time those countries take a hit South Korea falls with them. But given the fact that it has more developed market characteristics than not, it's also usually one of the first to turn.

So far in February, there are early signs of improvement as iShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund has crossed both its 10-day and 200-day moving averages. Its relative strength index reading has also closed in on its average reading, all of which point to the fund's turn gaining momentum.

IShares MSCI South Korea Index Fund is a riskier bet on a turn, but it should pay off up to 63.

Top Healthcare Equipment Companies To Invest In Right Now

Top Healthcare Equipment Companies To Invest In Right Now: ADDvantage Technologies Group Inc.(AEY)

ADDvantage Technologies Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, distributes and services a range of electronics and hardware products for the cable television industry. The company provides new, surplus-new, and refurbished products in various brands, including Cisco, Motorola and Arris Solutions for use in connection with video, telephone and internet data signals. It offers headend products, including digital and analog satellite receivers, integrated receiver/decoders, demodulators, modulators, antennas and antenna mounts, amplifiers, equalizers, and processors for signal acquisition, processing, and manipulation for further transmission; fiber products comprising optical transmitters, fiber-optic cable, receivers, couplers, splitters, and compatible accessories for transmitting the output of cable system headend to virus locations using fiber-optic cables; and access and transport products, such as transmitters, receivers, line extenders, broadband amplifiers, direction al taps and splitters for use in permiting signals to travel from the headend to their destination in a home, apartment, hotel room, office or other terminal location. The company also provides customer premise equipment consisting of digital converter boxes and modems to receive, record, and transmit video, data, and telephony signals; and hardware equipment, such as test equipment, connector, and cable products. In addition, it offers Fujitsu Frontech North America encoders, decoders, and other media solutions products primarily for use in the broadcast industry. The company markets and sells its products to franchise and private MSOs, telephone companies, system contractors, and other resellers primarily in the United States, Canada, Central America, Mexico, and rest of South America. ADDvantage Technologies Group, Inc.was founded in 1989 and is based in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:

• ! [By Geoff Gannon] through some changes now due to a new (adverse) agreement with Cisco (CSCO). But, historically, it competed on delivery alone. By having products in stock and ready to ship their motto is on hand on demand ADDvantage could compete with original equipment manufacturers even though those manufacturers could sell the same product (in large numbers and slow delivery times) for much less.

  That's my biggest concern with whether an industry is easy to understand or not. If a competitor offers to sell its product for 5% less than you charge, how do you respond? Do you have to respond? Can you ignore price competition like that?

  Now, there are obviously industries where price competition is critical and yet the business is easy to understand. Groceries, auto insurance, etc. Even the deposit gathering aspect of some banks is very simple and easy to understand.

  The lending part not so much.

  My concern is a durable competitive advantage. Som ething that I can recognize. I have to be able to understand it. In some sense, to actually imagine it. There are many companies with competitive advantages that are just too esoteric for me to understand. Id probably recognize them if I worked in that industry day after day. You notice things when youre close enough to see them illustrated every day in a million different anecdotes. Reading about an industry from afar is much harder to do. So the competitive advantage has to be pretty plain and simple. Or I wont see it when I read it. But thats competitive advantages. And I'm not sure competitive advantages are the topic of greatest interest to the folks you'll be interviewing with.

  I know that when it comes to what stocks people are most likely to make money on it often comes down to familiarity. Are you willing to study the company? And then are you willing to trust your judgment when the stock price moves against you as it almost certainly will at some critical

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-healthcare-equipment-companies-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac: What They Do and Why We Need Them

A lot of news stories today have to do with Fannie Mae (NASDAQOTCBB: FNMA  ) or Freddie Mac (NASDAQOTCBB: FMCC  ) , which have both become household names as a result of the mortgage crisis. However, even though these are both very well-known companies, not very many Americans really know what the companies do and why they were created.

With that in mind, here's a crash course in the two companies to help investors improve their understanding of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

A brief history
Fannie and Freddie are both government-sponsored enterprises, or GSEs, that buy mortgages on the secondary market, pool them together, and then sell them as "mortgage-backed securities" to investors. The goal of these companies was to increase the supply of money available for mortgage lending and, therefore, increase the money available for home purchases.

Fannie Mae was created as part of the New Deal in 1938 in response to the Great Depression in an attempt to stimulate the housing market.  Fannie Mae split in 1968 into a private corporation and a publicly financed institution, which became known as Ginnie Mae. The difference was that Ginnie Mae explicitly guaranteed its mortgages, while Fannie Mae did not, but it was implied that the government would guarantee the loans.

Freddie Mac was established by Congress in 1970 in order to provide competition for Fannie Mae and to further boost the availability of funds for mortgage lending. Both companies are only allowed to buy "conforming" loans, which meet certain size limits that are set in relation to the mean home price. 

The financial crisis and Fannie and Freddie's roles
Even today, it remains unclear just how much blame for the most recent financial crisis should be placed on Fannie and Freddie. There are still ongoing investigations by the Justice Department that aim to determine just how much financial institutions misrepresented the quality of their loans that they sold as "investment grade." Some of these investigations have already found wrongdoing by the banks and have awarded large settlements to the GSEs.

For example, Deutche Bank just recently agreed to pay $1.9 billion to the GSEs ($1.63 billion to Freddie Mac and $300 million to Fannie Mae) in response to accusations that the bank misled both companies about the quality of $14.2 billion in mortgage-backed securities. Earlier this year, Bank of America agreed to pay $3.55 billion to Fannie Mae and to repurchase $6.75 billion in questionable mortgages. The list goes on and on...

In a nutshell, banks began to use lower lending standards in order to make more loans and boost earnings, and at first, they didn't meet the standards of Fannie and Freddie, so private mortgage-backed securities (MBSes) became more commonplace. This took business from the GSEs and forced Fannie and Freddie to drastically lower their standards to reclaim the market share they were losing in order to keep their profits fat for their private shareholders.

As we now know, this was unsustainable, and by 2008, the companies owned or guaranteed over $5 trillion in mortgage debt, a lot of which was substandard. The share prices of both companies began to drop drastically, and investors were fearful of a collapse amid skyrocketing foreclosure rates and plummeting housing prices, worrying that the companies lacked the capital to absorb the predicted losses.

In September 2008, both companies were placed into conservatorship of the FHFA, and the Treasury was issued preferred shares and warrants for a 79.9% stake in each company, which effectively ended the implicit guarantee and made both Fannie and Freddie into government-operated companies.

Fannie and Freddie today
The basic role of Fannie and Freddie has not changed very much. The companies still guarantee and purchase loans from mortgage lenders, and the companies have taken steps (including raising fees) in order to improve their financial condition and build a profitable business. 

According to Fannie Mae's website, between 2009 and the present, the company provided about $3.9 trillion in liquidity, which enabled 3.4 million purchases and 12 million refinancings. Freddie Mac says that they have provided $2.1 trillion of funding since 2009, including purchases and refinancings.

One aspect of the GSEs' business that was not really there before the crisis is loan modifications, designed to help borrowers stay in their homes and avoid foreclosure. Since 2009, Fannie Mae has modified over 1 million loans and has implemented programs to reach those at risk.

Currently, more than three-quarters of the mortgage loans being made in America are subsequently guaranteed by Fannie and Freddie, so odds are that if you financed your home, your loan is guaranteed by one of these companies, even if you don't know it.

One stock to buy in 2014
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5 Best Retail Stocks To Invest In Right Now

5 Best Retail Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Office Depot Inc.(ODP)

Office Depot, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies office products and services. Its North American Retail division sells an assortment of merchandise, such as general office supplies, computer supplies, business machines and related supplies, and office furniture under various labels, including Office Depot, Viking Office Products, Foray, Ativa, Break Escapes, Niceday, and Worklife through its chain of office supply stores. It also provides printing, reproduction, mailing, shipping, and other services, as well as personal computer support and network installation service. As of December 25, 2010, this division operated 1,147 office supply stores in the United States and Canada. The company?s North American Business Solutions division sells nationally branded and private brand office supplies, technology products, furniture, and services to small- to medium-sized customers through a dedicated sales force, catalogs, and Internet. Its International division sells o ffice products and services through direct mail catalogs, contract sales forces, Internet sites, and retail stores using a mix of company-owned operations, joint ventures, licensing and franchise agreements, alliances, and other arrangements. As of December 25, 2010, it sold its office products to customers in 53 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. This division operated, through wholly-owned or majority-owned entities, 97 retail stores in France, Hungary, South Korea, and Sweden; and participates under licensing and merchandise arrangements in South Korea, Thailand, India, Israel, Japan, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Burrows]

  Office supply retailers have long seen their market eroded by online rivals, notably Amazon (AMZN). That’s why Office Depot (ODP) merged with OfficeMaxlast year.

[By Michael Lewis]

Foolish bottom line
Though I was not a fan of brick-and-mortar Staples, I am inclined to take a deeper look at its slimmer self. The company seems to be shifting to a more asset-light, high-ROIC, low-capex model that resembles that of growth companies -- tech in particular. The company is planning to pay down nearly $870 million in debt this year, and still has $1.4 billion in cash and equivalents. A year-end enterprise value of roughly $10 billion (an approximation) implies an EV/FCF ratio of 11.1 times. For comparison, Office Depot (NYSE: ODP  ) expects $10million to $20 million in free cash flow for the year, implying an EV/EBITDA of 64 times to 128 times. On an EV/EBITDA basis, however, the two look nearly identical.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Office Depot (ODP) has plunged 17% to $4.45 after missing earnings and revenue forecasts.Home Depot (HD), however, has gained 2.2% to $79.60 after beating forecasts by two cents thanks to a stronger U.S. housing market.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  We still have many key oil and energy companies reporting in the week ahead but we have now seen the sector leaders report earnings. Earnings previews have been prepared for the following stocks:

  CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) Hertz Global Holdings Inc. (NYSE: HTZ) Kellogg Company (NYSE: K) DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) Office Depot Inc. (NYSE: ODP) and OfficeMax Incorporated (NYSE: OMX) Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ: TSLA) T-Mobile US, Inc. (NYSE: TMUS) American Water Works Company Inc. (NYSE: AWK) Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) QUALCOMM Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) Time Warner Inc. (NYSE: TWX) Whole Foods Market Inc. (NASDAQ: WFM) Groupon Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN) Molycorp Inc. (NYSE: MCP) The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS) Priceline.com Inc. (NASDAQ: PCLN) The Wendy’s Company (NYSE: WEN)

  CME Group Inc. (NASDAQ: CME) reports earnings on Monday morning. With all of the exchange mergers of the last decade this remains one of the dominant exchanges. Estim! ates are ! $0.73 EPS and $713.3 million in revenue. Keep in mind that this exchange is now worth $25 billion. At $74.70, the consensus analyst price target is only just barely higher at almost $75.50.

source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/5-best-retail-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Best Transportation Companies To Invest In Right Now

Best Transportation Companies To Invest In Right Now: Ryder System Inc.(R)

Ryder System, Inc. provides transportation and supply chain management solutions. It operates in three segments: Fleet Management Solutions (FMS), Supply Chain Solutions (SCS), and Dedicated Contract Carriage (DCC). The FMS segment offers leasing, contract maintenance, contract-related maintenance, and commercial rental of trucks, tractors, and trailers primarily in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. It also offers fleet support services, such as fuel, insurance, safety, administration, environmental management, and information technology services. In addition, this segment sells its used vehicles through 55 company owned retail sales centers, as well as through its Web site, Usedtrucks.Ryder.com. Its customers include small businesses and enterprises operating in transportation, grocery, lumber and wood products, food service, and home furnishings industries. The SCS segment provides supply chain consulting solutions in North America and Asia. It offers di stribution management, transportation management, and professional services, as well as various support services, such as information technology and engineering solutions. This segment primarily serves automotive, electronics, high-tech, telecommunications, industrial, consumer goods, consumer packaged goods, paper and paper products, office equipment, food and beverage, and general retail industries. The DCC segment offers vehicles and drivers as part of a transportation solution in the United States. It combines the equipment, maintenance, and administrative services of a service lease with drivers and additional services, such as routing and scheduling, fleet sizing, safety, regulatory compliance, risk management, technology and communication systems support, and other technical support. This segment serves energy and utility, metals and mining, retail, construction, healthcare products, and food and beverage industries. The company was founded ! in 1933 and is based in Mi a mi, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By jaggom]

  The ASF (R) 165 will also be available for its new customers, targeting the LED and industrial markets. The production is in progress in the Arizona plant in the U.S. with a production furnace capable of producing high-quality 165 kilogram boules in high volume. The ASF 165 will definitely give its customers a competitive advantage and lower cost of ownership, by providing a sapphire furnace that will significantly increase capacity and reduce costs as it provides 40% increase in Boule size compared to the current ASF 115. In addition, the company is anticipating strong demand for this product category in the coming months.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/best-transportation-companies-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Top 10 Growth Companies To Invest In 2015

Since 1834, the Hingham Institution for Savings (HIFS) has been providing banking services in Massachusetts...1834! Needless to say, anyone still in business for that amount of time has to be doing something right. In fact, why all banks don't follow in this institution's footsteps is beyond me. Their website has an open invitation for anyone to stop in one of their 10 branches and find out why they are "one of the most successful community banks in Massachusetts." Something I think they could go ahead an update to "in the world."

Please pardon the fact that the graph below doesn't go back to 1834, even so, I think it sums up the bank's revenue and per share book value growth rather nicely (all non-YCHARTS graphs are presented in thousands of dollars).

Top Growth Companies To Invest In Right Now: Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.(BWLD)

Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. engages in the ownership, operation, and franchise of restaurants in the United States. The company provides quick casual and casual dining services, as well as serves bottled beers, wines, and liquor. As of July 26, 2011, it had 773 Buffalo Wild Wings locations in 45 states in the United States, as well as in Canada. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD) is an owner, operator and franchiser of restaurants featuring a variety of boldly-flavored, craveable menu items. This stock closed up 6% to $103.58 in Wednesday's trading session.

  Wednesday's Volume: 1.55 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 402,120
  
  Volume % Change: 319%

  From a technical perspective, BWLD ripped higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $98.38 with heavy upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of BWLD within range of triggering major breakout trade. That trade will hit if BWLD manages to take out its intraday high on Wednesday of $105.32 and then once it clears is 52-week high at $106.03 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BWLD as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $98.38 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 402,120 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then BWLD will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $110 to $120.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Barclays’ Venu Krishna and Elias Krauklis have come up with a list of 11 small and mid-sized companies that have improving fundamentals and solid risk/reward characteristics, including Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), Terex (TEX) and Eclipse Resources (ECR).

Top 10 Growth Companies To Invest In 2015: Waste Management Inc.(WM)

Waste Management, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides waste management services to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in North America. It offers collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services. The company also owns, develops, and operates waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Its collection services involves in picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility, or disposal site; and recycling operations include collection and materials processing, plastics materials recycling, and commodities recycling. In addition, it provides recycling brokerage, which includes managing the marketing of recyclable materials for third parties; and electronic recycling services, such as collection, sorting, and disassembling of discarded computers, communications equipment, and other electronic equipment. Further, the company e ngages in renting and servicing portable restroom facilities to municipalities and commercial customers under the Port-o-Let name; and involves in landfill gas-to-energy operations comprising recovering and processing the methane gas produced naturally by landfills into a renewable energy source, as well as provides street and parking lot sweeping services. Additionally, it offers portable self-storage, fluorescent lamp recycling, and medical waste services for healthcare facilities, pharmacies, and individuals, as well as provides services on behalf of third parties to construct waste facilities. The company was formerly known as USA Waste Services, Inc. and changed its name to Waste Management, Inc. in 1998. Waste Management, Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Keep in mind that some companies�deserve�their current valuations. Take Waste Management (NYSE: WM  ) , for instance, which has rallied ever since reporting its first-quarter results last week. The company's internal revenue growth from yield for its collection and disposal operations came in at a two-year high, 1.4%, and the company modestly improved its adjusted year-over-year EPS. Trash disposal and recycling are necessity businesses and make Waste Management a solid long-term buy.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Consider that municipalities and industrial giants such as�Waste Management� (NYSE: WM  ) �are converting their fleets -- in this case garbage trucks -- to�run on natural gas fuels�(link opens a video). It's a little easier for Waste Management, since it uses biogas generated from its managed landfills to fuel its own vehicles. Clean Energy Fuels also sources biomethane from one of its landfills in Dallas. In fact, the facility can produce up to 36,000 gasoline-equivalent gallons�each day. It's like the old saying goes: One man's trash is another man's fuel.��

Top 10 Growth Companies To Invest In 2015: Delphi Financial Group Inc. (DFG)

Delphi Financial Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated employee benefit services. The company operates in two segments, Group Employee Benefit Products and Asset Accumulation Products. The Group Employee Benefit Products segment provides disability, group life, and excess workers? compensation insurance products to small and mid-sized employers. It also offers travel accident, voluntary accidental death and dismemberment, group dental, and limited benefit health insurance products, as well as assumed workers? compensation and casualty reinsurance. This segment markets its group products to employer-employee groups and associations in various industries primarily through independent brokers and agents. The Asset Accumulation Products segment primarily offers fixed annuities, such as single premium deferred annuities, flexible premium annuities, and multi-year interest guarantee products to individuals through networks of independent insurance agen ts. The company also provides integrated disability and absence management services, including event reporting, leave of absence management, claims and case management, and return to work management. Delphi Financial Group, Inc. was founded in 1987 and is based in Wilmington, Delaware.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Some of Elliott Management�� top equity positions in the first quarter 2012 are Brocade Communications Systems (BRCD), Delphi Automotive (DFG), Iron Mountain (IRM) and News Corp. (NWS).

Top 10 Growth Companies To Invest In 2015: TrueBlue Inc.(TBI)

TrueBlue, Inc. provides temporary blue-collar staffing services in the United States. It supplies on demand general labor to various industries under the Labor Ready brand; skilled labor to manufacturing and logistics industries under the Spartan Staffing brand; and trades people for commercial, industrial, and residential construction, and building and plant maintenance industries under the CLP Resources brand. The company also provides mechanics and technicians to the aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul, aerospace manufacturing, and assembly industries, as well as to other transportation industries under the Plane Techs brand; and temporary drivers to the transportation and distribution industries under the Centerline brand. It primarily serves small and medium-size businesses. The company was formerly known as Labor Ready, Inc. and changed its name to TrueBlue, Inc. in December 2007. TrueBlue, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Tacoma, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  When looking at small cap stocks, it is useful to compare the company with others that have expanded in both share price and size. For those considering investing in the $100 billion staffing industry, the growth of TrueBlue (NYSE: TBI) shows what could be the potential path for Labor SMART (OTCBB: LTNC), as both operate in the $29 billion demand labor sector. Other firms have done well in the staffing industry include Paychex (NASDAQ: PAYX) and ManPower Group (NYSE: MAN).

• [By idahansen]

  The entire demand labor industry should do well as the US Department of Labor just reported that 169,000 more jobs were added to the American economy. The more work there is, the more demand there is for the services of staffing solutions firms such as Labor SMART, Paychex (NASDAQ: PAYX), TrueBlue (NYSE: TBI), and Robert Half International (NYSE: RHI).

• [By Jonathan Yates]

  Even though the stock market rallied on Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke's remarks with the Dow Jones Industrial Average (NYSE: DIA) and Standard & Poor's 500 Index (NYSE: SPY) surging, the long term winners will be stocks in the staffing industry such as Paychex(NASDAQ: PAYX), TrueBlue (NYSE: TBI), Robert Half (NYSE: RHI), and Labor SMART (OTCBB: LTNC).

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of staffing agency TrueBlue (NYSE: TBI  ) jumped 10% today after the company reported earnings.

  So what: Revenue jumped 19%, to $422.3 million, and beat estimates of $420.2 million from Wall Street. Adjusted earnings per share were also up 19%, to $0.31, outpacing estimates by $0.05.�

Top 10 Growth Companies To Invest In 2015: Crocs Inc.(CROX)

Crocs, Inc. and its subsidiaries engage in the design, development, manufacture, marketing, and distribution of footwear, apparel, and accessories for men, women, and children. The company primarily offers casual and athletic shoes, and shoe charms. It also designs and sells a range of footwear and accessories that utilize its proprietary closed cell-resin, called Croslite. The company?s footwear products include boots, sandals, sneakers, mules, and flats. In addition, it provides footwear products for the hospital, restaurant, hotel, and hospitality markets, as well as general foot care and diabetic-needs markets. Further, the company offers leather and ethylene vinyl acetate based footwear, sandals, and printed apparels principally for the beach, adventure, and action sports markets; and accessories comprising snap-on charms. The company sells its products through the United States and international retailers and distributors, as well as directly to end-user consumers th rough its company-operated retail stores, outlets, kiosks, and Web stores primarily under the Crocs Work, Crocs Rx, Jibbitz, Ocean Minded, and YOU by Crocs brand names. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 164 retail kiosks located in malls and other high foot traffic areas; 138 retail stores; 76 outlet stores; and 46 Web stores. Crocs, Inc. operates in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The company was formerly known as Western Brands, LLC and changed its name to Crocs, Inc. in January 2005. Crocs, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Niwot, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Suravi Thacker]

  People�� tastes and preferences keep changing with the changing times. So was the case with the footwear industry, when Crocs��(CROX) fancy and new style shoes took over the market. Customers became highly fascinated with the new style of resin-molded shoes which came in a variety of bright colors. It became a fashion statement. However, a few years later, this fascination started to fade away as customers got bored of the same old style. Crocs��footwear became tacky for the same lot of customers. This resulted in sharp decline in the retailers��revenue.

• [By Chris Hill]

  Visa (NYSE: V  ) and Under Armour (NYSE: UA  ) hit new all-time highs. General Motors (NYSE: GM  ) appears to be turning the corner in Europe. And second-quarter profits for Crocs (NASDAQ: CROX  ) fell a whopping 43%. In this installment of Investor Beat, Motley Fool analysts David Hanson and Jason Moser discuss four stocks making moves on Thursday.

Top 10 Growth Companies To Invest In 2015: 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 ovenerio]

  But the firm must continue working hard because growth remains below management's expectations from a few years ago. Competition includes Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (CKP), R-pac International Corporation, and SML Group Limited.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Three months after settling upon a new chief executive officer, it looks like Thorofare, N. J.-based Checkpoint Systems (NYSE: CKP  ) will soon have itself a new CFO as well.

• [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.

Top 10 Growth Companies To Invest In 2015: Thoratec Corporation(THOR)

Thoratec Corporation engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of proprietary medical devices used for circulatory support. The company?s primary product lines include ventricular assist devices, such as HeartMate II, an implantable left ventricular assist device consisting of a rotary blood pump to provide intermediate and long-term mechanical circulatory support (MCS); and HeartMate XVE, an implantable and pulsatile left ventricular assist device for intermediate and longer-term MCS. Its ventricular assist devices also comprise Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist Device, an external pulsatile ventricular assist device, which provides left, right, and biventricular MCS approved for bridge-to-transplantation (BTT), including home discharge, and post-cardiotomy myocardial recovery; and Implantable Ventricular Assist Device, an implantable and pulsatile ventricular assist device designed to provide left, right, and biventricular MCS approved for BTT comprising hom e discharge, and post-cardiotomy myocardial recovery. The company also provides CentriMag, an extracorporeal full-flow acute surgical support platform that offers support up to 30 days for cardiac and respiratory failure. In addition, it offers PediMag and PediVAS extracorporeal full-flow acute surgical support platforms designed to provide acute surgical support to pediatric patients. The company sells its products through direct sales force in the United States, as well as through a network of distributors internationally. Thoratec Corporation was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Brian Pacampara]

  What: Shares of medical device company Thoratec (NASDAQ: THOR  ) sank 12% today after its quarterly results missed Wall Street expectations. �

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Thursday, healthcare shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.62 percent. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Thoratec (NASDAQ: THOR), down 30 percent, and PhotoMedex (NASDAQ: PHMD), off 15.11 percent.

• [By Ali Berri]

  In trading on Thursday, healthcare shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.62 percent. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Thoratec (NASDAQ: THOR), down 28.4 percent, and PhotoMedex (NASDAQ: PHMD), off 14.6 percent.

Hot Services Stocks To Buy Right Now

Related ZNH Stocks Hitting 52-Week Lows China Economy and Markets Report: Real Estate Rally Boosts Markets - Analyst Blog Related DARA DARA BioSciences' KRN5500 Receives Orphan Drug Designation From FDA Helsinn, DARA Announce U.S. Launch of Gelclair

China Southern Airlines Co (NYSE: ZNH) shares fell 2.47% to reach a new 52-week low of $15.38. China Southern Airlines' PEG ratio is 3.00.

DARA BioSciences (NASDAQ: DARA) shares fell 15.02% to touch a new 52-week low of $1.81. DARA BioSciences' trailing-twelve-month ROA is -66.74%.

LCNB (NASDAQ: LCNB) shares touched a new 52-week low of $16.57. LCNB shares have dropped 4.80% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 18.57% in the same period.

Liquidity Services (NASDAQ: LQDT) shares fell 1.02% to reach a new 52-week low of $17.50. Liquidity Services is expected to report its Q2 results on May 8, 2014.

Posted-In: 52-Week LowsNews Movers & Shakers Intraday Update Markets

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Buy Right Now: Spartan Stores Inc.(SPTN)

Spartan Stores, Inc. operates as a grocery distributor and retailer principally in Michigan and Indiana. The company operates in two segments, Distribution and Retail. The Distribution segment provides approximately 43,000 stock-keeping units, including dry groceries, produce, dairy products, meat, deli, bakery, frozen food, seafood, floral products, general merchandise, pharmacy, and health and beauty care items to approximately 375 independent grocery stores and 96 corporate-owned stores, as well as offers approximately 3,600 private brand grocery and general merchandise items. It also provides value-added services, including site identification and market analyses; store planning and development; marketing, promotion, advertising; technology and information; accounting and tax preparation; human resource; coupon redemption; product reclamation; printing; category management; real estate; and construction management services. The Retail segment operates 97 retail superma rkets in Michigan under the Glen?s Markets, Family Fare Supermarkets, D&W Fresh Markets, VG?s Food and Pharmacy, and Valu Land names; and 25 fuel centers/convenience stores that offers refueling facilities, as well as immediately consumable products under the Glen?s Quick Stop, Family Fare Quick Stop, D&W Fresh Markets Quick Stop, and VG?s Quick Stop names. Its retail supermarkets offer dry groceries, produce, dairy products, meat, frozen food, seafood, floral products, general merchandise, beverages, tobacco products, health and beauty care products, delicatessen items, and bakery goods, as well as pharmacy services. This segment also provides private brand items, including its Spartan brand; Fresh Selections; Top Care, a health and beauty care brand; Valu Time, a value brand; Full Circle, a natural and organic brand; and Paws, a pet supplies brand. The company was founded in 1917 and is headquartered in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Margins matter. The more Spartan Stores (Nasdaq: SPTN  ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Spartan Stores's competitive position could be.

• [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 Spartan Stores (Nasdaq: SPTN  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By GURUFOCUS]

  Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. Avg. High Yield Price
  2. 20-Year DCF Price
  3. Avg. P/E Price
  4. Graham Number
  
  SYY is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 37.5% premium to its calculated fair value of $26.26. SYY did not earn any Stars in this section.
  
  Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. Free Cash Flow Payout
  2. Debt To Total Capital
  3. Key Metrics
  4. Dividend Growth Rate
  5. Years of Div. Growth
  6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%
  
  SYY earned two Stars in this section for 2.) and 3.) above. The stock earned a Star as a result of its most recent Debt to Total Capital being less than 45%. SYY earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1970 and has increased its dividend payments for 43 consecutive years.
  
  Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description:
  
  1. NPV MMA Diff.
  2. Years to > MMA
  
  The NPV MMA Diff. of the $282 is below the $500 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as SYY has. If SYY grows its dividend at 3.6% per year, it will take 3 years to equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.41%. SYY earned a check for the Key Metric 'Years to >MMA' since its 3 years is le

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  …we believe the conventional grocers in our universe ��namely, Safeway, Supervalu, and SpartanNash (SPTN)��re most at risk from Amazon.com’s expansion. Kroger should fare better due to its very strong price positioning and weighted-average market share positions. In addition, we believe that Kroger may actually end up as a net beneficiary of Amazon.com’s expansion, as grocers with lower market share positions (outside the top 5) are likely to exit/close, leaving more share to top players such as Kroger. The natural/organic specialty players are also better positioned to absorb Amazon.com’s expansion, with Whole Food Markets least at-risk due to its product mix (e.g. prepared foods), differentiated format, strong EBIT margins, and very strong balance sheet.

Hot Services Stocks To Buy Right Now: Vapor Corp (VPCO)

Vapor Corp (Vapor), incorporated in 1987, is engaged in designing, marketing and distributing electronic cigarettes and accessories under the Fifty-One, Krave, VaporX, EZ Smoker, Green Puffer, Americig, Fumre Hookah Stix and Smoke Star brands. Electronic cigarettes or e-cigarettes, are battery-powered products that enable users to inhale nicotine vapor without smoke, tar, ash, or carbon monoxide. Electronic cigarettes look like traditional cigarettes and consists of three functional components: a mouthpiece, which is a small plastic cartridge that contains a liquid nicotine solution; a heating element that vaporizes the liquid nicotine so that it can be inhaled; and the electronics, which include: a lithium-ion battery, an airflow sensor, a microchip controller and an light emitting diode (LED), which illuminates to indicate use. When a user draws air through the electronic cigarette, the air flow is detected by a sensor, which activates a heating element that vaporizes the solution stored in the mouthpiece/cartridge, the solution is then vaporized and it is this vapor that is inhaled by the user. The cartridge contains either a nicotine solution or a nicotine free solution, either of which may be flavored. The Company offers rechargeable and disposable electronic cigarettes in two varieties: a two-piece unit, which the Company markets under its DUO product line; and a three-piece unit, which the Company markets under its TRIO product line.

The DUO

The DUO's 2-part construction (battery component and cartridge) features a disposable all-in-one atomized cartridge (also known as a cartomizer). This cartomizer is replaced when the nicotine or nicotine free solution is depleted from use. The all-in-one configuration eliminates the need for maintenance of a separate atomizer and maintains consistent performance of the e-cigarette over time.

The TRIO

The TRIO's 3-part construction (battery component, atomizer, and filter cartridge) features a separate atom! izer from the cartridge; the atomizer is reused and requires separate maintenance over its useful life. Replacement atomizers are available for sale and are easily serviceable by the user. In the TRIO, the only component that needs to be routinely replaced is the refill cartridge (either with or without nicotine).

The Company's electronic cigarettes are sold in kits. In addition to kits the Company sells replacement batteries, replacement mouthpieces that contain the liquid solution and atomizer, for its two-piece configurations as well as mouthpieces with the liquid solution and separate atomizers for its three-piece units. In addition to the Company's electronic cigarette products the Company sells an assortment of accessories, including chargers and simple and fashionable cases. The Company also offers refill cartridges and accessories for its electronic cigarettes. The Company's refill cartridges consist of assorted flavors and nicotine levels (including cartridges without nicotine).

The Company competes with Altria Group, Inc. and Reynolds American Inc.,

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Last week, I talked about small cap electronic cigarette stocks Vapor Corp (OTCMKTS: VPCO) and Hop-On Inc (OTCMKTS: HPNN) as being among the last of the e-Cig�stocks not controlled by ��ig Tobacco,��but Victory Electronic Cigarettes Corp (OTCMKTS: ECIG), mCig Inc (OTCBB: MCIG) and American Heritage International (OTCBB: AHII)�are also�positioning themselves or their technology to exploit opportunities in the e-Cig market or even in�marijuana or cannabis. Last year, industry experts were already saying that�US retail sales of e-cigarettes could reach $1 billion for the year�for roughly�1% of the country's cigarette market. That number might appear small, but its more than double 2012 sales�as sales increasingly�move off the Internet and into more mainstream retailers thanks to their positioning as a���ealthier��alternative to smoking.

Hot Services Stocks To Buy Right Now: Dephasium Corp (DPHS)

Dephasium Corp., formerly Pay Mobile, Inc., incorporated on November 17, 2005, is a development-stage company. As of December 31, 2012, the Company was seeking new business opportunities. On June 3, 2013, Dephasium Corp announced that it has completed the acquisition of the ANCILIA from Dephasium Ltd.

The Company was engaged in the business of providing integrated payment solutions for consumers and corporate clients by incorporating its mobile payment technology with the issuance of open-loop prepaid Visa and MasterCard cards. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had no operations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap stocks BluForest Inc (OTCMKTS: BLUF), Dephasium Corp (OTCMKTS: DPHS) and IceWEB, Inc (OTCBB: IWEB) have been getting some attention for at least a few weeks now thanks to paid for promotional activity. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed stock promotions, but one of these stocks also has a former shareholder who has filed a civil action against it alleging there is an illegal ��ump and dump��scheme going on. So what�� the whole story and more importantly, what will happen with these small cap stocks when the well from promoters eventually goes dry? Here is a closer look and a quick reality check:

Hot Services Stocks To Buy Right Now: VCA Antech Inc (WOOF)

VCA Antech, Inc., incorporated on May 4, 1987, is a national animal healthcare company operating in the United States and Canada. The Company provides veterinary services and diagnostic testing to support veterinary cares. The Company operates in two segments: animal hospital and laboratory. Its all other category includes Vetstreet and Medical Technology operating segments. The Company sells diagnostic imaging equipment and other medical technology products and related services to the veterinary markets. The Company's animal hospitals offer a range of general medical and surgical services for companion animals, as well as specialized treatments, including advanced diagnostic services, internal medicine, oncology, ophthalmology, dermatology and cardiology. On January 31, 2012, it expanded its operations into Canada with an increased investment in Associate Veterinary Clinics (1984) Limited (AVC), which operates 44 hospitals in three Canadian provinces. On February 1, 2012, it acquired ThinkPet's, Inc. (ThinkPets). In 2012, it acquired 79 animal hospitals, including 44 with the acquisition of AVC, one laboratory and ThinkPets.

The Company provides various communication, marketing solutions and other services to the veterinary community. The Company's network of animal hospitals is supported by more than 3,000 veterinarians and had approximately 7.4 million patient visits during the year ended December 31, 2012. The Company's network of veterinary diagnostic laboratories provides testing and consulting services used by veterinarians in the detection, diagnosis, evaluation, monitoring, treatment and prevention of diseases and other conditions affecting animals. The Company's network of veterinary diagnostic laboratories provides diagnostic testing for over 16,000 clients, which includes standard animal hospitals, large animal practices, universities and other government organizations. The Company's medical technology business sells digital radiography and ultrasound imaging equipment, provid! es education and training on the use of that equipment, and provides consulting and mobile imaging services.

The Company's Vetstreet business provides services to veterinary practices, pharmaceutical manufacturers, and the pet owning community. The Company's services to veterinary practices include subscriptions to the Company's Pro Pet Portals. The Pro Pet Portal provides an online platform for the veterinarian to offer secure individualized portals for pet owners, as well as practice Websites that are branded to the individual veterinary clinic. The Company also sells appointment reminder notices that are sent to pet owners on behalf of their clinics. The Company's services to manufacturers involve targeted marketing programs to animal hospitals whom are subscribers to the Company's Pro Pet Portal.

Animal Hospital

As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated 609 animal hospitals serving 41 states and three Canadian provinces. The Company's Animal Hospital revenue accounted for 78% of total revenue in 2012. In addition to general medical and surgical services, the Company offers specialized treatments for companion animals, including advanced diagnostic services, internal medicine, oncology, ophthalmology, dermatology and cardiology. The Company also provides pharmaceutical products for uses in the delivery of treatments by its veterinarians and pet owners. Many of the Company's animal hospitals offer additional services, including grooming, bathing and boarding. The Company also sells specialty pet products at its animal hospitals, including pet food, vitamins, therapeutic shampoos and conditioners, flea collars and sprays, and other accessory products.

Laboratory

The Company operates a veterinary diagnostic laboratory network serving all 50 states and certain areas in Canada. The Company's Laboratory revenue accounted for 16% of total revenue in 2012. The Company service a diverse customer base of over 16,000 clients, including animal! hospital! s the Company operates, which accounted for 16% of total laboratory revenue in 2012. The Company's diagnostic spectrum includes over 300 different tests in the area of chemistry, pathology, endocrinology, serology, hematology and microbiology, as well as tests specific to particular diseases. As of December 31, 2012, the Company operated 55 veterinary diagnostic laboratories. The Company's laboratory network includes primary hubs that are open 24 hours per day and offer a testing menu, secondary laboratories that are open 24 hours per day and offer a testing menu servicing large metropolitan areas, and short-term assessment and treatment (STAT) laboratories that service other locations with demand sufficient to warrant nearby laboratory facilities and are open primarily during daytime hours. In 2012, the Company derived approximately 85% of its laboratory revenue from metropolitan areas, where the Company offers twice-a-day pick-up service and same-day results. In addition, in these areas the Company generally offers to report results within three hours of pick-up. Outside of these areas, the Company typically provides test results to veterinarians before 8:00 a.m. the day following pick-up.

The Company competes with IDEXX Laboratories, Demand Force, and ePet Health.

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 VCA Antech (Nasdaq: WOOF  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

• [By Sean Williams]

  Let's also not forget about the physical surgical and veterinary centers themselves. VCA Antech (NASDAQ: WOOF  ) , for instance, operates more than 600 hospitals around the U.S., as well as 55 diagnostic laboratories. Like PetSmart, VCA hasn't seen a decline in revenue in any of the past 10 years, growing sales by 212% over that timespan thanks to growth in services rendered, ample pricing power, and strong ancillary sales of premium food and vitamins from its hospitals and veterinary centers.

• [By John Udovich]

  About�a week ago, Wall Street was biting small cap pet stock Petmed Express Inc (NASDAQ: PETS) for not living up to its earnings expectations�- meaning it might be worth taking a closer look at the stock�and compare its performance with other pet stocks like mid cap PetSmart, Inc (NASDAQ: PETM) and small cap VCA Antech Inc (NASDAQ: WOOF). I should also mention that we have recently added Petmed Express to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio because we think the stock is undervalued in the pet space and has tremendous growth potential�moving forward.

Hot Services Stocks To Buy Right Now: Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc.(HMIN)

Home Inns & Hotels Management Inc. develops, leases, operates, franchises, and manages a chain of economy hotels in the People?s Republic of China. The company operates its hotels under the Home Inn brand name. As of April 28, 2011, it had approximately 800 Home Inns in operation and 1,000 Home Inns sealed in franchise agreements. The company was incorporated in 2001 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Home Inns & Hotels Management (NASDAQ: HMIN) is estimated to post its Q4 earnings at $2.18 per share on revenue of $1.54 billion.

  Qiwi plc (NASDAQ: QIWI) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.28 per share on revenue of $50.00 million.

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Home Inns & Hotels Management (Nasdaq: HMIN  ) reported earnings on May 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Home Inns & Hotels Management missed estimates on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  We��e been down this road with Home Inns and Hotels Management (HMIN) before. Which doesn�� make it any less scary.

  The stock is down 22.2% in the last ten days��espite solid��ut certainly not spectacular��esults for the fourth quarter, reported on March 12.

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The New York traded ADRs of China's Home Inns and Hotels Management (HMIN) have climbed 15.5% from September 24 to the close on October 11.

  Part of the reason is a October 10 recommendation from Goldman Sachs that added the ADRs to its top pick list. And part of the reason is a huge surge in domestic travel during China's recently concluded National Day holiday week. (Home Inns and Hotels Management is a member of my Jubak's Picks portfolio.)

Hot Services Stocks To Buy Right Now: Scripps Networks Interactive Inc(SNI)

Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. operates as a lifestyle content company in the United States and internationally. It engages in the operation of television networks, including Home and Garden Television, Food Network, Travel Channel, DIY Network, Cooking Channel, and Great American Country. The company also operates Websites, including FoodNetwork.com, Food.com, CookingChannelTV.com, HGTV.com, DIYnetwork.com, and Travelchannel.com that are associated with its television networks and other Internet-based businesses serving food, home, and travel related categories. Scripps Networks Interactive, Inc. is headquartered in Knoxville, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Will Ashworth]

  Somebody will buy Scripps Networks Interactive (SNI), given that HGTV and Food Network are both in the top 20. It looked momentarily like Discovery Communications (DISCA) might be the suitor, but the company backed out of talks this past week, preferring to focus on overseas expansion.

• [By Tim Beyers]

  You probably don't know Ken Lowe. Why should you? He's the CEO of Scripps Network Interactive (NYSE: SNI  ) , a five-year-old entertainment holding company that tends to keep clear of controversy. Or at least it used to.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Discovery Communications Inc.(DISCA) is mulling a bid for Scripps Network Interactive Inc.(SNI), the owner of cable channels like the Food Network and HGTV, according to a person familiar with the matter. Shares of Scripps jumped 10% to $83.01 premarket.

Should You Bet on the Google of Russia?

Popular Posts: 5 Small-Cap Stocks Poised to Pop When the Shutdown Ends4 Sizzling Stocks That Analysts HateWhat to Know Before eBay Earnings Recent Posts: Should You Bet on the Google of Russia? 5 Small-Cap Stocks Poised to Pop When the Shutdown Ends What to Know Before eBay Earnings View All Posts
This Once-Shamed Stock Is Blowing Away Google

When Google (GOOG) went live as a search engine in 1998, it was more or less dismissed as a cute little project undertaken by a couple of Stanford guys.

And even when Google stock went public in 2004, the market wasn’t overly impressed … even though it controlled half of the search market at that time.

Two words: Big mistake.

Investors were a little more alert when Chinese search engine Baidu (BIDU) went public in 2005. But buy and large, they still missed the boat on spotting the “next Google” before the underlying stock took off.

With that as the backdrop, are U.S. investors right to be eyeing the Google of Russia — search engine Yandex (YNDX) — as the next big search opportunity? Let’s take a look.

The Case For YNDX

For starters, Yandex has left Google in the dust in Asia’s largest country. As of last month, YNDX controlled 62.2% of the country’s web-search market, while Google seemingly stuck at about a fourth of Russia’s search traffic. Plus, Yandex has been widening its lead for a couple of years now.

But dominance isn’t even what makes YNDX such an interesting idea. It’s acquisitions that have been making Yandex so investment-worthy.

In just the past couple of years, Yandex has taken on a partial stake in seismic data processor Seismotech; bought login service Loginza; outright purchased mobile software developer SPB Software; snagged startup news-delivery service The Tweeted Times; and most recently acquired movie and actor database sight KinoPoisk (think IMDB in Russian) … just to name a few.

That buying spree has paid off. The company’s revenue has grown from 8.7 billion rubles in 2009 to 28.8 billion rubles last year. Net income also grew from 2.01 billion rubles to 8.2 billion rubles for the same timeframe.

That’s annual sales growth of 49%, and earnings growth of 61%. Part of it was bought, while part of it was organic. Nevertheless, it was far more growth than Google was able to put up on either front for the same timeframe.

Plus, few expect Yandex to ease off on its acquisition efforts going forward. It’s got 6.2 billion rubles ($188 million) in the bank it could use to keep buying companies to widen its traffic and revenue funnel.

The Case Against YNDX

So yes, the parallels between Yandex and Google (and Baidu, for that matter) are uncanny.

There’s little denying that the Russian company borrowed several pages from Google’s playbook, and did so at an ideal time since Russia is just now entering its Internet heyday. It was only last year that more than 50% of the country’s population became regular users of the world wide web. That means Russian Internet access has hit a critical mass, and the usage statistics are only going to grow from here.

That’s good news for Yandex.

It’s not necessarily good news for YNDX stock investors, however. Because in simplest terms, it means the YNDX cat is out of the bag.

Russia is a booming market for web-based companies, with Internet advertising spending there expected to grow by 26% per year through 2015. But that potential is already baked into the YNDX stock price. Shares of YNDX stock are currently priced at a frothy 42 times trailing income, and nearly 30 times its projected earnings.

That’s hardly a bargain, especially with Google’s stock trading at a more palatable 26 times its trailing profits.

Even beyond the stock’s frothy valuation, there’s another looming pitfall for the company’s shareholder. While YNDX was able to carve out a business that generates nearly a billion U.S. dollars’ worth of revenue per year, it was largely able to do so because the Russian Internet market was still in its infancy as the company expanded, with little competition to get in its way.

Now that Yandex has demonstrated its market is not only viable, but vibrant, competition will start to trickle in.

These newcomers may not dethrone Yandex as Russia’s de facto Internet leader. But, in the same way Bing has nagged Google in the United States and Qihoo 360 (QIHU) has knocked Baidu’s search market-share down a couple of percentage points this year (Qihoo 360 now owns about 15% of China’s search market, ves. only about 10% at the end of last year), Yandex is vulnerable.

YNDX simply can’t buy big growth forever.

The Bottom Line

While Yandex has matured as a company, and the full maturation of Russia’s Internet industry is no more than a couple of years away, the company is still a solid long-term play.

It’s not, however, the “next Google.”

Instead, the best days of YNDX stock are probably behind it. That’s still not a bad position to be in, mind you, but the red-hot growth phase for Yandex stock is winding down, and it’s tough to believe the occasionally-misguided acquisitions (like a seismic data company) will be able to fend off competition as well as Google has in North America.

Investors looking for a big, budding Google-like opportunity may want to look to India, where Google currently owns an intimidating 90% of the search market, but only because no one has stepped up as a serious competitor yet.

That’s a huge opportunity, as Google doesn’t always hit the nail on the head in overseas markets — something Yandex has proven big-time in Russia.

As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

5 Best European Stocks To Own Right Now

5 Best European Stocks To Own Right Now: TotalFinaElf S.A.(TO T)

TOTAL S.A., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated oil and gas company worldwide. The company operates through three segments: Upstream, Downstream, and Chemicals. The Upstream segment engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas. It also involves in the transportation, trade, and marketing of natural gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG), as well as in LNG re-gasification and natural gas storage operations. In addition, this segment engages in the shipping and trade of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG); power generation from gas-fired power plants, nuclear, or renewable energies; production, trade, and marketing of coal, as well as in solar power systems and technology operations. As of December 31, 2010, it had combined proved reserves of 10,695 Mboe of oil and gas. The Downstream segment involves in refining, marketing, trading, and shipping crude oil and petroleum products. It also produces a range of specialty products, s uch as lubricants, LPG, jet fuel, special fluids, bitumen, marine fuels, and petrochemical feedstock. This segment holds interests in 24 refineries located in Europe, the United States, the French West Indies, Africa, and China, as well as operates a network of 17,490 service stations. The Chemicals segment produces base chemicals, including petrochemicals and fertilizers, as well as engages in rubber processing, resins, adhesives, and electroplating activities. TOTAL S.A. was founded in 1924 and is based in Paris, France.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Syme thinks BG (BRGYY), Total (TOT), ConocoPhillips (COP) and BP (BP) make better bets. He explains why:

  What works in this environment? We see the best opportunities around companies with strong growth credentials (BG, Total, ConocoPhillips) and those that are quick to ali! gn with the needs of shareholders at this point in the cycle (BG, BP, Total and ConocoPhillips) – all Buys.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  HSBC’s Gordon Gray and team think it’s time to start buying big oil companies like Total (TOT), Chevron (CVX) and BP (BP). In a report released yesterday, they explained why:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  While Gheit and Amadeo don’t name names, BP’s peers are few: ExxonMobil (XOM), Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A), Total (TOT) and Chevron (CVX). Each has a market cap higher than BP’s $127 billion.

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-european-stocks-to-own-right-now-5.html

Top Retail Stocks To Invest In 2015

Every year, Morningstar determines who gets their Fund Manager of the Year awards. We are happy that one fund from our mutual funds portfolio, and its manager, made the list for 2013, notes Genia Turanova in Leeb Income Performance Letter.

Rated 5-stars, as well as ��old,��FPA Crescent (US:FPACX)—led by Steven Romick since 1993��asn�� been off the radar for Morningstar analysts and retail investors, who followed its strong performance and clear investment strategy for years.

This is why assets under management ballooned: over the last ten years, assets in the fund jumped from $915 million in 2004 to $15.3 billion in 2013.

But we are not worried. FPA Crescent�� investment style should be able to absorb these assets, as its management sees appropriate investment opportunities arise.

Right now, though, the fund holds about 40% of its total assets in cash. Why? In short, the managers question the sustainability of the rally.

��quity values, as a percentage of GDP, are near their peaks. The only time they were higher was at the apex of the dot com bubble,��noted Steven Romick in the fourth quarter fund commentary.

Top 5 High Dividend Companies To Own For 2016: FTD Companies Inc (FTD)

FTD Companies, Inc. (FTD), incorporated on April 25, 2008, is a floral and gifting company. The Company provides floral, gift and related products and services to consumers and retail florists, as well as to other retail locations offering floral and gift products primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and the Republic of Ireland. The Company operates in one segment, which includes floral and related products and services. Its business uses the FTD and Interflora brands, both supported by the Mercury Man logo. The Company�� portfolio of brands also includes Flying Flowers, Flowers Direct, and Drake Algar in the United Kingdom. On November 1, 2013, United Online, Inc. (United Online) completed the separation of United Online into two independent, publicly traded companies: FTD Companies, Inc. and United Online, Inc.

The Company�� products revenues are derived primarily from selling floral, gift and related products to consumers and the related shipping and service fees. Products revenues also include revenues generated from sales of hard goods, software and hardware systems, cut flowers, packaging and promotional products, and a range of other floral-related supplies to floral network members. Its services revenues related to orders sent through the floral network are variable based on either the number of orders or on the value of orders and are recognized in the period in which the orders.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

  BlueOrange Studio/Shutterstock One day out of 365, we pay homage to our sainted mothers. Those of us who are members of this long-suffering, uncomplaining, self-sacrificing class may get some soggy French toast in bed, (don't worry, kids; mom will clean up the kitchen), a chance to read in peace, or perhaps time to indulge in a long, hot bath. Bringing Home the Bacon If you really want to pay back mom for all she's done, get ready to pony up big. A card and some carnations (the official flower of Mother's Day, who knew?) just won't cut it. The cost of replacing mom as nurturer, nurse, cleaner and cook -- according to Insure.com's 2014 Mother's Day salary index -- would run you $62,985 a year, up from $59,862 in 2013. Breaking down the price of having someone else handle her various duties: Cooking and cleaning, $12,230 Child care, $21,736 Homework help, $7,290 Chauffeur, $5,672 Shopping, yard work, party and activity planning, finances, etc., $15,019 And my personal favorite, finding out what the kids are up to (paid in the equivalent value of a private detective), $1,036. Salary.com placed a higher value on moms in its 2014 Mother's Day salary survey, concluding that stay-at-home moms were worth $118,905 and working moms worth $70,107 (this does not include any paid salary from their job), with both groups putting more than 56 hours of overtime at home. These numbers are all up from last year's survey. Cooking It Up in a Pan Mom helps to pay for other things, too. Thanks to the Department of Agriculture, you can see what it costs to raise a child in the U.S. to 18. As of August 2013, the average cost is $241,080. This does not cover college, and hopefully dear old dad is contributing. In 2012, there were 10.3 million single U.S. mothers with children under 18, and one-third of women who gave birth in 2012 were single moms. By becoming moms, women give up time to do other things, what economists call an "opportunity cost." Particularly if your mother st

• [By John Udovich]

  As we head towards Black Friday, small cap specialty retail stocks United Online, Inc (NASDAQ: UNTD), TravelCenters of America LLC (NYSE: TA) and MarineMax, Inc (NYSE: HZO) have the distinction of being the best performing small cap�specialty retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with gains of 181.2%, 123.8% and 71.8%, respectively. With those returns in mind, what are these small cap specialty retail stocks doing right and will the performance last through the all important holiday season? Here is what new and existing investors and traders alike need to know or consider:

  United Online, Inc.�A provider of consumer products and services over the Internet, United Online�� Content & Media segment services are online nostalgia (Memory Lane) and online loyalty marketing (MyPoints) while its�primary Communications segment services are Internet access and email (NetZero and Juno). The reason United Online is among the�best performing specialty retail stocks for this year in various stock screening tools like Finviz.com�is actually misleading as the company has just completed the spin off�of subsidiary FTD Companies, a floral and gifts products company acquired in August 2008 for $441 million, as�FTD Companies Inc (NASDAQ: FTD) where United Online shareholders received one share of FTD common stock for every five shares of United Online common stock they hold. In addition, United Online completed�a�one-for-seven reverse stock split of United Online shares.�On Tuesday, small cap United Online, Inc fell 1.01% to $15.72 (UNTD has a 52 week trading range of $11.65 to $62.30 a share) for a market cap of $207.79 million plus the stock is up 181.2% since the start of the year and up 182.2% over the past five years. Meanwhile, the FTD Companies Inc�now has a�market cap of $611.60 and the stock is up almost 6% since October.

Top Retail Stocks To Invest In 2015: SK3 Group Inc (SKTO)

SK3 Group, Inc. (SK3), formerly CTT International Distributors Inc., is a development-stage company. The Company was formed by the merger of Slabsdirect.com, Inc. and CTT International Distributors Inc. SK3 has one subsidiary, CTT Distributors Ltd., which is the operating company. SK3 is in the e-commerce business and provides non-branded computer and electronic merchandise at discount prices to the Internet consumer through its Website www.cheaperthanthem.com. The Website is hosted by Ezyra E-Business Services, an unrelated party, which charges SK3 an annual fee to host the Website. In December 2009, Healthcare of Today, Inc. acquired controlling interest in the Company. In December 2009, the Company acquired NuvoDigital Technology, Inc., a data security technology firm based in Salt Lake City. In addition, in December 2009, the Company's parent company Healthcare of Today, Inc. acquired Xenotis Pty Ltd. In February 2011, the Company acquired PRN Registry. In March 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of HealthStaff Training Institute. In March 2011, the Company acquired W&M Medical Management, Inc. Effective March 14, 2013, the Company acquired Medical Greens, a provider of medical logistics services.

SK3 has a direct business, in which it buys and takes possession of excess electronic and computer inventory for resale (Direct Business). In addition, SK3 has a fulfillment partner business, in which SK3 facilitates the sale of merchandise of other retailers, cataloguers or manufacturers (Fulfillment Associates) through the Website (Fulfillment Business). For both the direct business and fulfillment business, SK3 has developed a consumer and a wholesaler sales channel.

SK3�� Direct Business involves buying and taking possession of inventory for resale. The Company offers moving picture experts group layer-3 audio (MP3) players and a frequency modulation (FM) transmitter accessory for MP3 players on the Website. SK3 seeks to become an online retailer offering non-b! randed electronic and computer merchandise for sale over the Internet. SK3�� Fulfillment Business sells merchandise of Fulfillment Associates through the Website. SK3 manages the orders collected for the Fulfillment Associates through the Website and forwards the orders on to the Fulfillment Associate, who then fills the order. The Fulfillment Associates perform essentially the same operations as a warehouse: order picking and shipping.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Truth be told, it's not clear if SK3 Group Inc. (OTCMKTS:SKTO) is best described when compared to a name like Cerner Corporation (NASDAQ:CERN), or to a Gentiva Health Services, Inc. (NASDAQ:GTIV). The company's got elements of both major industries being represented by CERN and GTIV (home health care, and information technology), with the addition of another budding industry thrown into the mix. One thing IS clear though... SKTO shares have decidedly reversed a nasty downtrend, and may now be one of the market's best small cap healthcare speculative trades.

Top Retail Stocks To Invest In 2015: Pier 1 Imports Inc (PIR)

Pier 1 Imports, Inc. (Pier 1 Imports), incorporated in April 30, 1986, is a global importer of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts. As of March 2, 2013, the Company had 1,062 stores in the United States and Canada. During the fiscal year ended March 2, 2013 (fiscal 2013), the Company opened 22 new Pier 1 Imports stores and closed 12 stores. The Company operates regional distribution center facilities in or near Baltimore, Maryland; Columbus, Ohio; Fort Worth, Texas; Ontario, California; Savannah, Georgia, and Tacoma, Washington. The specialty retail operations of the Company consist of retail stores and e-Commerce operations conducting business under the name Pier 1 Imports, which sell a range of furniture, decorative home furnishings, dining and kitchen goods, candles, gifts and other specialty items for the home.

As of March 2, 2013, the Company operated 982 Pier 1 Imports stores in the United States and 80 Pier 1 Imports stores in Canada. During fiscal 2013, the Company supplied merchandise and licensed the Pier 1 Imports name to Grupo Sanborns, which sold Pier 1 Imports merchandise primarily in a store within a store format in 49 Sears Mexico stores and one store in El Salvador. The stores consist of freestanding units located near shopping centers or malls and in-line positions in major shopping centers. Pier 1 Imports operates in all major United States metropolitan areas and many of the primary smaller markets.

Decorative Accessories

This merchandise group constitutes the range of category of merchandise in Pier 1 Imports��sales mix. These items are imported primarily from Asian and European countries, as well as some domestic sources. This merchandise group includes decorative accents, lamps, vases, dried and artificial flowers, baskets, ceramics, dinnerware, bath and fragrance products, candles, seasonal and gift items.

Furniture

This merchandise group consists of furniture and furniture cushions to be used in livin! g, dining, office, kitchen and bedroom areas, sunrooms and on patios. Also included in this group are wall decorations and mirrors. These goods are imported from a variety of countries such as Vietnam, Malaysia, Brazil, Thailand, China, the Philippines, India and Indonesia, and are also obtained from domestic sources. This merchandise group is made of metal or handcrafted natural materials, including rattan, pine, beech, rubberwood and selected hardwoods with either natural, stained, painted or upholstered finishes.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Teresa Rivas]

  Pier One Imports (PIR) was jumping 3% Tuesday after an upgrade from Barclays.

  Analysts Alan Rifkin and Sam Reid upgraded the stock to Overweight from Equal Weight, and boosted their target price by $4, to $23, writing that the stock has suffered ��erfect storm��of one-time operational headwinds that has masked its potential long-term performance.

  They write that this year should finally bring the payoff of years of ��ignificant investment��in personnel and technology, and more normalized sales and margins will replace its previous high levels of capital expenditure.

  Given that the stock is off more than 20% in the past year, they also write that the selloff has gone too far, and it is a ��ompelling buying opportunity��at current levels, which represent a meaningful discount to peers. Although the company just reported an upbeat fourth quarter last week, they expect the current first quarter to be a catalyst for the stock, as it will provide an opportunity ��or management to begin to demonstrate this renewed momentum.��/p>

  More from their note:

  Supporting top-line growth, we note: (1) E-comm investments have likely peaked; accelerating e-comm growth (to 10% in 2015) should be highly supportive of both top-line (and EBIT). We do not believe forward valuation fully reflects this. (2) A sequential acceleration in comps is highly likely. We are looking for 5% comps for 2014 (vs. 2.4% in 2013), which should yield productivity per square foot of ~$215. (3) PIR�� merchandising strategy remains on track. We think differentiation relative to peer offerings is an underappreciated positive. (4) PIR should benefit from attractive housing industry fundamentals in 2014-15. Collectively, these four growth engines should support both occupancy and SG&A leverage. We also note that (5) the accelerated buyback underscores management�� conviction in an operating performance rebound. After repurchasing 5% of total shares in the fi

• [By Grace L. Williams]

  It wouldn’t be much of a shock. In an article earlier today, MarketWatch reporter Andria Cheng notes that industry rivals including Pier 1 Imports (PIR), the Container Store (TCS) and Williams-Sonoma (WSM) lowered their profit or sales outlooks. Cheng also notes that Bed Bach & Beyond had cut its outlook in June to $1.08 a share from $1.16. She continues:

• [By DailyFinance Staff]

  Stocks took a breather Thursday after racing higher on Wednesday, and the price of gold sank to a three-year low. The major averages ended mixed -- and that's good news, as the market mostly held onto the huge gains that followed the Federal Reserve's taper announcement. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) edged up 11 points, the Standard & Poor's 500 index (^GPSC) slipped a point, and the Nasdaq composite index (^IXIC) fell 12 points. But the price of gold slumped by $39 an ounce, closing below $1,200 for the first time in more than three years. Gold related stocks followed suit. Newmont Mining (NEM), Barrick Gold (ABX) and Goldcorp (GG) all fell about 1.5 percent. Another story getting lots of play today is Target's (TGT) announcement that as many as 40 million credit and debit card customers may have had their account information stolen over the past few weeks. Target shares fell 2 percent. Even though earnings season is still a few weeks away, earnings news was a big factor today. On the upside: Oracle (ORCL), up 6 percent. The software maker beat Wall Street profit and revenue estimates. Food giant ConAgra (CAG), up 5 percent, after topping expectations. And Pier 1 (PIR), also up 5 percent. Net slightly missed, but the retailer raised its dividend by 20 percent.

Top Retail Stocks To Invest In 2015: Costco Wholesale Corporation(COST)

Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership warehouses that offer a selection of branded and private label products in a range of merchandise categories in no-frills, self-service warehouse facilities. The company's product categories include candy, snack foods, tobacco, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and cleaning and institutional supplies; appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, office supplies, garden and patio, sporting goods, toys, seasonal items, and automotive supplies; dry and institutionally packaged foods; apparel, domestics, jewelry, house wares, media, home furnishings, cameras, and small appliances; meat, bakery, deli, and produce; and gas stations, pharmacy, food court, optical, one-hour photo, hearing aid, and travel. It also provides business and gold star (individual) membership services. As of April 26, 2011, the company operated 581 warehouses, including 425 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 80 in Canada, 22 in the Uni ted Kingdom, 7 in Korea, 6 in Taiwan, 8 in Japan, 1 in Australia, and 32 in Mexico. It also has Costco Online, an electronic commerce Web site, at costco.com in the United States and at costco.ca in Canada. The company was formerly known as Costco Companies, Inc. and changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation in August 1999. Costco Wholesale Corporation was founded in 1976 and is based in Issaquah, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By tyokunbo]

  Costco (COST) operates membership warehouses. It offers products in a variety of merchandise categories. It offers appliances, electronics, automobile supplies and other consumer products. Costco also operates gas stations, pharmacies, food courts, travel businesses and hearing-aid centers. As of March 6, 2014, Costco operated 649 warehouses. This includes 462 warehouses in the U.S. The company also sells its products through online channels. It was founded in 1976 and is based in Issaquah, Wash.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  I went out on a limb last week, and now it's time to see how that decision played out.

  I predicted that Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) would close lower on the week. The satellite-radio provider has been a market beast over the past four years, but racing to a new multiyear high when tech giants were starting to enter the premium-audio market seemed risky. Shares of Sirius XM declined 2.5% on the week. I was right. I predicted that the tech-heavy Nasdaq would outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) . This has been a tricky call lately, so how did it play out this time? Well, the market finally took a breather this week, and secondary stocks closed flat, with the Nasdaq shedding less than 0.1% on the week. The Dow managed to close 1.2% lower. I was right. My final call was for Costco (NASDAQ: COST  ) to beat Wall Street's income estimates in its latest quarter. The class act in warehouse clubs has been posting blowout quarterly results over the past year, and I was banking on seeing the trend continue. Analysts were looking for a profit of $1.03 a share during the quarter, and it came through with earnings of $1.04 a share. Wow! That was close. But I was right.

  Three out of three? Awesome! That makes me 16 out of 18 over the past six weeks.

• [By John Del Vecchio]

  But when it comes to success at bricks-and-mortar companies, one company stands above the pack. Costco Wholesale (NASDAQ: COST  ) is similar to Amazon, in that it sells a vast array of products, from deli meats to electronics.

• [By Bruce Watson]

  Getty Images When you go grocery shopping, what's your biggest worry? Saving money? Eating healthily? Protecting the rights of the people who pick your grapes? Or do you just want to get out of the store as quickly as possible? In 1954, consumer behavior expert Gregory Stone identified four types of shoppers: those who were concerned with bargains, those who were concerned with their treatment in a store, those who didn't care about their shopping experience, and those who were "ethical." The last group, he wrote, perceived "shopping in the light of a larger set of values," and judged their purchases and store choices in terms of "moral consequences." For Stone's ethical shoppers, the main concern was who owned their store: They preferred locally-owned shops to big chains. But for today's ethical shopper, a variety of other worries come into play. The healthy shopper may be concerned with pesticides or factory-farming processes, artificial ingredients or added sugar. Meanwhile, the political shopper may be worried about the policies of a particular food company or the treatment of farm workers, the fishing techniques that a company employs or its political alliances. But regardless of the ethical shopper's concerns, chances are that he or she is trying to balance them with worries about the high cost of food ... and therein lies the difficulty. It's easy to eat healthily when you have unlimited money to spend on free-range chicken or organic grapes. It's harder, however, to balance your political and dietary concerns when you also need to watch your pennies. With that in mind, here are three guidelines that may help you eat more wisely without breaking the bank. 1. Big Business Doesn't Always Mean Bad Business Part of the reason that high-quality healthy foods cost so much is because they are usually made in smaller batches, by small-scale manufacturers who have to buy ingredients in smaller lots. Big companies, on the other hand, are able to take advantage

Top Retail Stocks To Invest In 2015: Office Depot Inc.(ODP)

Office Depot, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, supplies office products and services. Its North American Retail division sells an assortment of merchandise, such as general office supplies, computer supplies, business machines and related supplies, and office furniture under various labels, including Office Depot, Viking Office Products, Foray, Ativa, Break Escapes, Niceday, and Worklife through its chain of office supply stores. It also provides printing, reproduction, mailing, shipping, and other services, as well as personal computer support and network installation service. As of December 25, 2010, this division operated 1,147 office supply stores in the United States and Canada. The company?s North American Business Solutions division sells nationally branded and private brand office supplies, technology products, furniture, and services to small- to medium-sized customers through a dedicated sales force, catalogs, and Internet. Its International division sells o ffice products and services through direct mail catalogs, contract sales forces, Internet sites, and retail stores using a mix of company-owned operations, joint ventures, licensing and franchise agreements, alliances, and other arrangements. As of December 25, 2010, it sold its office products to customers in 53 countries in North America, Europe, Asia, and Latin America. This division operated, through wholly-owned or majority-owned entities, 97 retail stores in France, Hungary, South Korea, and Sweden; and participates under licensing and merchandise arrangements in South Korea, Thailand, India, Israel, Japan, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Holly LaFon]

  The company�� primarily competitors are Office Depot (ODP), United Stationers (USTR) and Office Max (OMX). Staples has the best gross margins of its competitors, at greater than 26%, and the only one to increase its book value per share since 2001.

Top Retail 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 Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

  Mattress Firm Holding Corp.(MFRM) said its fiscal first-quarter earnings fell 36% on higher costs that masked the bedding specialty retailer’s sales growth. The company raised its revenue forecast for the year.

• [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.

• [By Anna Prior]

  Mattress Firm Holding Corp.'s(MFRM) fiscal third-quarter earnings rose 46% as increased advertising helped drive customer traffic and sales growth. The company’s adjusted profit and revenue beat expectations.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Big Earnings Movers: Specialty retailer Quiksilver Inc. (NYSE: ZQK) is up 31.7% at $6.85. Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: SWHC) is down 10.2% at $10.31 after issuing weak guidance. Mattress Firm Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: MFRM) is down 14.6% at $35.59. Korn/Ferry International (NYSE: KFY) is up 11.2% at $20.81 after posting a new 52-week high of $20.93 earlier. VeriFone Systems Inc. (NYSE: PAY) is up 10.1% at $22.81. Zumiez Inc. (NASDAQ: ZUMZ) is up 11.2% at $28.11.