Saturday, May 31, 2014

Top 5 Tech Companies For 2015

Top 5 Tech Companies For 2015: STMicroelectronics N.V.(STM)

STMicroelectronics N.V., an independent semiconductor company, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of a range of semiconductor integrated circuits and discrete devices. Its products include discrete and standard commodity components, application-specific integrated circuits, custom devices and semi-custom devices, and application-specific standard products for analog, digital, and mixed-signal applications. The company also offers subsystems and modules for the telecommunications, automotive, and industrial markets comprising mobile phone accessories, battery chargers, ISDN power supplies, and in-vehicle equipment for electronic toll payment, as well as provides Smartcard products. Its products are used in various microelectronic applications consisting of automotive products, computer peripherals, telecommunications systems, consumer products, industrial automation, and control systems. The company sells its products through distributors and ret ailers. STMicroelectronics N.V. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Burrows]

    Additionally, Wendy’s can use some of the cash freed up by the franchise model to invest in advertising and marketing, and that should boost customer traffic.

    Cheap Dividend Stocks #2: STMicroelectronics (STM)

    Share Price as of 4/4: $9.14
    YTD Stock Performance: 14%
    Dividend Yield: 4.4%

  • [By Vanina Egea]

    Reed Elsevier NV (ENL) is a diversified publisher and information provider. It works on a wide range of market segments that include scientific, technical and medical (STM); legal; risks solutions and business information and exhibitions. The key of the company's growth, however, lies almost exclusively in two brands: Elsevier and LexisNexis.

  • [By Tyler Laundon! ]

    Analog Devices (ADI) is one of the largest semiconductor companies in the motion-sensing space, with a market cap of $15.87 billion. STM Electronics (STM) is a slightly smaller manufacturer; its market cap is $7.6 billion.

  • [By ICRAOnline]

    Revenue for the last quarter stood at $73.4 million, up 27.9% from the year-ago quarter. This was primarily driven by the growth in memory technology licensing, coupled with impressive performance of its security technology licensing business. During the quarter, Rambus also signed new licensing agreements with tech giant Samsung Electronics, Micron Technology (MU), STMicroelectronics (STM), LSI Semiconductor (LSI) and SK Hynix. However, the company's LED lighting business failed to make any significant contribution.

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

Friday, May 30, 2014

Best India Companies To Own In Right Now

Best India Companies To Own In Right Now: Infosys Technologies Limited(INFY)

Infosys Ltd. provides information technology (IT) and consulting services worldwide. It offers IT services, such as application, architecture, independent validation and testing, information management, infrastructure, packaged application, SOA, systems integration, and knowledge services; product engineering services, manufacturing process and plant solutions, and product lifecycle management services; and consulting services in the areas of information and technology strategies, product innovation, next generation commerce, process excellence, and learning and complex change. The company also provides business process outsourcing solutions in the areas of business platforms, customer service outsourcing, finance and accounting, human resources outsourcing, legal services, sales and fulfillment, and sourcing and procurement outsourcing. In addition, it offers collaborative analytics solutions; digital consumer platform; Finacle universal banking solution; iProwe, a Web ac cessibility assessment product; mConnect, a real-time enterprise middleware; and research and analytical support services. Further, the company offers unified communications and collaboration solution that streamlines business processes between employees, customers, and suppliers; iTransform that helps healthcare organizations accelerate transition to new platforms; and supply chain visibility and collaboration product suite. It serves aerospace and defense, airlines, automotive, banking, capital markets, communication services, consumer packaged goods, manufacturing, education, energy, healthcare, high technology, hospitality and leisure, insurance, life sciences, logistics and distribution, publishing, resources, utilities, and retail industries. Infosys Ltd. has a strategic partnership with Alstom SA. The company was formerly known as Infosys Technologies Limited and changed its name to Infosys Ltd. on June 16, 2011. Infosys Ltd. was founded i! n 1981 and is headquartered i n Bengaluru, India.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tim Brugger]

    Longtime Infosys (NYSE: INFY  ) CEO N.R. Narayana Murthy has returned to the company he founded in 1981 as its new executive chairman of the board, Infosys recently announced. The Infosys board approved the appointment, and his new role will now be "placed for the consideration of the company's shareholders" at the annual general meeting scheduled for June 15, according to the release.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Infosys (NASDAQ: INFY) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.70 per share on revenue of $2.01 billion.

    Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

  • [By Robert Martin]

    Infosys (INFY), Housing Development Finance and Reliance Industries LTD are the top three holdings, with weightings between 8% and 10.5%. Of course, just about any India ETF will have a heavy allocation to Infosys and Reliance. However, INDA dedicates a lower percentage to energy than some of the alternatives, and instead leans more on IT and consumer spending.

  • [By Brian Stoffel]

    That helps explain why Accenture and IBM,the industry's two biggest players, have been able to gobble up so much market share. But there's a second tier of technology-consultants -- in terms of sheer size -- as well. That's where Cognizant, as well as its main competition --Infosys (NYSE: INFY  ) and Wipro (NYSE: WIT  ) -- come in to play.

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

Top 10 Consumer Companies To Own For 2015

Top 10 Consumer Companies To Own For 2015: The Hain Celestial Group Inc.(HAIN)

The Hain Celestial Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells natural and organic products in the United States and internationally. The company offers natural and organic grocery products, including non-dairy beverages and frozen desserts, infant and toddler food, flour and baking mixes, hot and cold cereals, pasta, condiments, cooking and culinary oils, granolas, granola bars, cereal bars, canned, aseptic and instant soups, yogurt, chilis, packaged grain, chocolate, nut butters, nutritional oils, juices, frozen desserts, cookies, crackers, gluten-free frozen entrees and bars, frozen pastas, and ethnic meals. It also provides snack products, such as potato and vegetable chips, organic tortilla style chips, whole grain chips, and popcorn; and specialty tea, including herbal, green, wellness, white, red, and chai teas. In addition, the company offers personal care products, including skin care, hair care, body care, oral care, deodorants, and baby care items, including acne treatment, body washes, and sunscreens. Further, it processes, markets, and distributes prepared foods, such as fresh sandwiches, appetizers, and full-plated meals for distribution to retailers, caterers, and food service providers; and develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and sells a line of household cleaning products, including laundry detergent and fabric softener, and dish cleaners, as well as glass, bathroom, wood floor, and all purpose cleaners. The company sells its products to specialty and natural food distributors, as well as to supermarkets, natural food stores, mass-market and on-line retailers, drug store chains, food service channels, and club stores. The Hain Celestial Group, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Melville, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Kell]

    Hain Celestial Group Inc.(HAIN) said its fiscal second-quarte! r earnings rose 30% on higher revenue, although its gross margin narrowed. But the top line missed analysts’ expectations, sending shares down 6.6% to $85.01 premarket.

  • [By Brendan Byrnes]

    The following video segment is part of a full interview, in which The Motley Fool's Brendan Byrnes sits down with Irwin Simon, the founder and CEO of Hain Celestial (NASDAQ: HAIN  ) , to take a closer look at the better-for-you food revolution. In this segment, they discusshow the consumer desire for more convenient packaging, while still providing a nutritious item, are shaping future products.

  • [By Brendan Byrnes]

    The following video segment is part of a full interview, in which The Motley Fool's Brendan Byrnes sits down with Irwin Simon, the founder and CEO of Hain Celestial (NASDAQ: HAIN  ) , to take a closer look at the better-for-you food revolution. In this segment, they discuss howbeing founder-led has resulted in company growth.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Hain Celestial’s (HAIN) shareholders are feeling a bit healthier today.

    AP

    Shares of Hain have gained today after the health-food company was upgraded by Piper Jaffray. Analyst Sean Naughton and team explain what they like about Hain:

    …we believe it is a high quality play on the secular growth of healthy foods. Specifically, we are encouraged by the ability to capture growth across all channels of distribution as the consumer continues to shift their buying behaviors. Additionally, we believe HAIN’s analyst day Tuesday afternoon, Ella’s launch in Walmart and improvements in UK operations could prove to be catalysts over the next few quarters. Overall, we view HAIN as an attractive core long-term holding within our Healthy Lifestyle universe with solid organic and acquisition driven growth.

    Speaking of growth, Hain’s top line is growing at a 15% clip, nearly twice the 8% average if 17 different consumer packaged ! goods sto! cks during the past 13 years, the analysts write, while margins, though much lower than competitors are getting better. As a result, Naughton upgraded shares of Hain Celestial to Overweight from Neutral and raised his price target to $94 from $80.

    Shares of Hain have gained 2.2% to $79.91 today at 11:13 a.m–and trumping other health-food stocks today. Annie’s Homegrown (BNNY) has ticked up 0.4% to $49.61, Boulder Brands (BDBD) has risen 0.6% to $15.96 and Whitewave Foods (WWAV) has dropped 1.3% to $18.93.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-10-consumer-companies-to-own-for-2015.html

Thursday, May 29, 2014

10 Best Wireless Telecom Stocks For 2015

10 Best Wireless Telecom Stocks For 2015: KongZhong Corp (HOA)

KongZhong Corporation, incorporated on May 6, 2002, is a provider of digital entertainment services for consumers in the Peoples Republic of China. The Company operates in three main business units: Wireless Value-Added Services (WVAS), mobile games and Internet games. In addition to developing and operating its self-developed Internet games, such as Loong, Demon Code and Kung Fu Hero, it is an operator of the World of Tanks game for the Peoples Republic of China Internet games market. In addition, it is also the licensee in the Peoples Republic of China for the Guild Wars 2 game developed by ArenaNet, Offensive Combat game developed by U4iA Games and Hawken game developed by Meteor Entertainment.

The Company conducts substantially all of its business in the Peoples Republic of China through its wholly owned subsidiaries KongZhong Beijing, KongZhong China and Simlife Beijing. It operates WVAS, mobile games and Internet games through Beijing AirInbo x, Beijing WINT, Beijing Chengxitong, BJXR, Mailifang, Xinreli and Dacheng, all of which are based in the Peoples Republic of China.

Wireless Value-Added Services (WVAS) Business

The Company provides interactive entertainment, media and other interactive services to mobile phone users in China through various second generation (2G) standard, technology platforms, including short message services (SMS), Interactive Voice Response services (IVR) and color ring back tone (CRBT), and through various second and a half generation standard (2.5G), technology and operating platforms, including wireless application protocol (WAP) and multimedia messaging services (MMS), which offer graphics, richer content and more interactivity than 2G wireless services. Its WVAS are tailored to the technical or other requirements of its telecommunications operator partners, through whom it deliver most of its WVAS, and to various billing systems for WVAS. Its WVAS are a! lso delivered and marketed through various media partners, i! ncluding handset manufacturers, television stations, radio stations, print media and Internet sites. Its WVAS revenues accounted for 41.7% of its total revenues during the year ended December 31, 2012.

The Company offers a variety of WVAS, such as mobile games, pictures, karaoke, electronic books, mobile phone personalization features, entertainment news, chat and message boards. It provides its services mainly pursuant to its cooperation arrangements with the telecommunications operators and their provincial subsidiaries, the terms of which are generally for one year or less.

Mobile Games Business

The Company is a developer and publisher of mobile games for mobile phone users in the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). The mobile games it develops include action, role-playing and leisure games. During 2012, it acquired Noumena, a developer of cross-platform smartphone mobile game engines.

Internet Games Business

< p>The Company develops Internet games internally based mainly on its technologies, which include its game engine (Dazzler three dimension (3D)), game development platforms and online game billing system, all developed by its internal team. In particular, its Dazzler 3D game engine enables the Company to create 3D graphics and visual effects, and provides the technical foundation for creating features in its games. Its game development platforms give the Company the capacity to develop Internet games within approximately six to 24 months and to update Its Internet games frequently in response to players preferences.

The Company uses an item-based revenue model for its games, whether internally developed or licensed, under which players can play its games on the Internet free of charge, but have to pay for purchases of in-game virtual items, such as in-game currencies, performance-enhancing clothing, weapons, accessories and pets. It distributes its electronic! prepai! d game cards and game points, which can be used to pur! chase in-! game virtual items, to players through multiple payment channels.

The Company competes with Sina Corporation, Sohu.com Inc., TOM Online Inc., Phoenix New Media Limited, Wireless Arts, Perfect World Co. Ltd, Shanda Interactive Entertainment Limited, Netease.com, Inc., Changyou.com Limited, Giant Interactive Group Inc. and Tencent Holdings Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Konrad Kuhn]

    The company also has a minority interest in the privately-held Hooters of America (HOA), the operator and franchisor of over 430 Hooters restaurants; HOTR's CEO Mike Pruitt is a member of the HOA Board of Directors.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/10-best-wireless-telecom-stocks-for-2015.html

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Buy Right Now: NEW GOLD INC.(NGD)

New Gold Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of mineral properties. The company primarily explore for gold, silver, and copper deposits. Its operating properties include the Mesquite gold mine in the United States; the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in Mexico; and the Peak gold-copper mine in Australia. The company also has development projects, including the New Afton gold, silver, and copper project in Canada; and a 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile. The company was formerly known as DRC Resources Corporation and changed its name to New Gold Inc. in June 2005. New Gold Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MONEYMORNING]

    New Gold Inc. (NSYEMKT: NGD) completed its takeover of Rainy River Resources back in October. New Gold got 4 million ounces in a good jurisdiction (Ontario) and paid less than book value.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    January is nearing an end, and that means one thing: Gold miners will start announcing earnings. New Gold (NGD) will get things started on Feb 6, followed by Kinross Gold (KGC) on Feb. 12 and Goldcorp (GG) and Barrick Gold (ABX) on Feb. 13.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Hamed singles out Goldcorp (GG) and Yamana Gold (AUY) as two companies that have strong production growth, falling costs, declining capital obligations and less debt than competitors. New Gold (NGD), meanwhile, should have the lowest all-on costs in the group at $731 an ounce, but its capital spending is likely to notes, Hamed says. Hamed rates Goldcorp and Yamana Overweight, while New Gold is rated Equal Weight.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-gold-stocks-to-buy-right-now! -4.html

European stocks tilt lower; Glaxo falls on probe news

LONDON (MarketWatch) — European stocks drifted lower Wednesday, with GlaxoSmithKline PLC among those losing ground and pushing the pan-European equity index toward its first loss in six sessions.

The Stoxx Europe 600 (XX:SXXP) (XX:SXXP) fell 0.3% to 343.59, erasing its 0.2% gain on Tuesday that left the index at a six-year high.

A 7.1% slide in Osram Licht AG shares (DE:OSR) left them among the worst performers on the Stoxx 600. The fall came after Osram said an "accelerated decline" in its traditional illumination business has led the lighting company to now expect revenue on last year's level, and "at best a modest revenue increase" on a comparable basis for the current fiscal year.

Shutterstock Enlarge Image

Also lower, shares of GlaxoSmithKline PLC (UK:GSK) fell 1.7% after the drug maker said British regulators are probing its commercial practices . No details of the action were included in its Tuesday statement, but Glaxo said it will fully cooperate with the U.K.'s Serious Fraud Office.

The probe comes as Glaxo tries to clear up allegations from Chinese officials that Glaxo executives orchestrated the bribery of doctors and health-care groups in China to boost drug sales.

The fall in Glaxo shares tugged at the U.K.'s FTSE 100 (UK:UKX) , which slipped 0.1% to 6,840.70. But the FTSE 100's top advancer was London Stock Exchange Group (UK:LSE) , gaining 2.2% as the exchange operator was added to Credit Suisse's Europe focus list. The rating remained at outperform.

Meanwhile, Goldman Sachs put Telecom Italia SpA (IT:TIT) on its conviction buy list, and investors pushed the shares up 3.6%, to the top of the Stoxx 600. The move for the telecom company's shares aided in a 0.2% rise in Italy's FTSE MIB index (XX:FTSEMIB) .

In deal news, Nestlé SA (CH:NESN)  has agreed to pay $1.4 billion for the rights to certain skin-care products from Valeant Pharmaceuticals Inc. (VRX) as Nestlé builds up its newly established dermatology unit. Nestlé shares were up 0.1%.

Best Food Companies For 2015

Among other country-specific indexes, the German DAX 30 (DX:DAX)  shed 0.1% to 9,935.97, and France's CAC 40 (FR:PX1)  gave up 0.1% at 4,523.64.

More news from MarketWatch:

Europe bubble grows as markets ignore vote against euro

Nestlé to buy Valeant skin-care rights for $1.4 billion

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Top 5 Companies To Own For 2015

Top 5 Companies To Own For 2015: Cardtronics Inc.(CATM)

Cardtronics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides automated consumer financial services through its network of automated teller machines (ATMs) and multi-function financial services kiosks. As of December 31, 2011, it offered services to approximately 52,900 devices across its portfolio, which included approximately 46,000 devices located in 50 states of the United States, as well as in the U.S. territories of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands; approximately 3,500 devices throughout the United Kingdom; approximately 2,800 devices throughout Mexico; and approximately 600 devices in Canada. The company also deployed approximately 2,200 multi-function financial services kiosks in the United States. Its ATMs and financial services kiosks offer cash dispensing and bank account balance inquiry services, as well as other consumer financial services, including bill payments, check cashing, remote deposit capture, and money transfer services. In addition, the compan y provides various forms of managed service solution, including monitoring, maintenance, cash management, customer service, and transaction processing services. Further, it partners with national financial institutions to brand its ATMs and financial services kiosks with their logos. As of December 31, 2011, the company had approximately 15,400 company-owned ATMs under contract with financial institutions to place their logos on those machines. Additionally, it provides financial institutions with surcharge-free program through its Allpoint network, as well as owns and operates an electronic funds transfer transaction processing platform that provides transaction processing services to its network of ATMs and financial services kiosks, and ATMs owned and operated by third parties. The company was formerly known as Cardtronics Group, Inc. and changed its name to Cardtronics, Inc. in Januar! y 2004. Cardtronics, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

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 Cardtronics (Nasdaq: CATM  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

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

Monday, May 26, 2014

Is One of the Wii U's Biggest Supporters About to Ditch the Console?

Source: Ubi.com

Ubisoft (NASDAQOTH: UBSFF  ) has been one of the Wii U's biggest supporters. The French games publisher has released annual entries in its Just Dance and Assassin's Creed series on the struggling platform, and even developed an exclusive horror game, Zombi U, for the console's launch. Rumors have since swirled that the Wii U version of Ubi's upcoming Watch Dogs has been cancelled, but such speculation has been routinely dismissed by company representatives. Now, Ubisoft has announced that it will not have any games to show on Nintendo (NASDAQOTH: NTDOY  ) platforms at this June's E3 industry expo. Is this a sign that yet another large publisher is deserting the console?

Wii U games are a no-show
Ubisoft's Watch Dogs will launch on almost every system under the sun on May 27, with a Wii U version supposedly debuting sometime later this year. If that is to be the case, it wouldn't be unreasonable to assume that the company would have a working, showable build of the title for the year's biggest gaming media event. Still, the persistence of rumors that the Wii U version of the game has been cancelled makes the title's stated absence from the show less than shocking. What is more shocking is Ubi's implicit statement that it does not intend to show a version of a Just Dance game for the console. The company's announced E3 lineup does not currently feature the series, but the list does have a spot for unannounced titles. Ubisoft has released a Just Dance game annually since 2009, so a new entry for this year seems like a surefire bet.

Will Just Dance skip Wii U?

Source: Ubi.com

If Ubisoft doesn't announce its next Just Dance game for the Wii U at E3, it will be a clear sign that the publisher is abandoning the platform. The belief that Watch Dogs may not be a good match for the system's user base is well-founded, but the Just Dance series is different. The motion-gaming based franchise would seem to be a natural fit for Nintendo's family oriented audience, perhaps more so than any other IP that Ubisoft has in its stable. The absence of a new Wii U Just Dance game this year would be send the message that Ubisoft does not believe the platform to be at all viable.

Ubisoft will show two Assassin's Creed games at E3
The news that Ubisoft will not show any titles for Nintendo platforms also suggests that the Wii U will not be getting an Assassin's Creed game this year. The publisher has already announced that it will show Assassin's Creed Unity, a game that Ubisoft describes as being "next-gen" from the ground up, at the show. The company is also expected to debut a game called Assassin's Creed Comet for PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360. Ubisoft's statement that it will not have any Wii U games at the show is certain evidence of an erosion of support for the console.

Nintendo needs to win back developers
At this stage, publishers moving away from the Wii U isn't surprising. Nintendo and Electronic Arts had a fairly public falling out, Warner Bros. is taking a more cautious approach to supporting the platform, and a February poll out of the Game Developers Conference showed that only 4% of developers had an interest in supporting Wii U. The real question for Nintendo at this juncture is how to win support back for their next hardware platforms.

Source: Nintendo.com

The structure of Nintendo's business essentially necessitates that the company stay in the hardware game. Accomplishing that feat becomes increasingly difficult without strong support from third-party publishers. The Wii U's dismal performance casts a shadow over future endeavors, and Nintendo will have to be much more proactive in securing developer support if the company is to maintain its place in gaming.

That said, there are demographic issues at play that will be difficult to overcome. Games like Assassin's Creed and Call of Duty have performed terribly on Wii U. The type of audience that buys such games is currently key to a healthy console, but Nintendo's strengths are still concentrated on a family friendly appeal.

Why should third parties come back?
Nintendo has repeatedly failed to build an audience for the type of triple-A titles that are driving the industry, and there's little reason to believe things will be different next time around. That's the perception Nintendo is up against, regardless of whether Ubisoft trots out another batch of ports or abandons Wii U completely. 

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Sunday, May 25, 2014

Buying a Home: You Will Always Need a Real Estate Agent

The Internet has changed countless industries, and many people think real estate agents are about to become obsolete as consumers have more information at their disposal. Spencer Rascoff, CEO of Zillow (NASDAQ: Z  ) , disagrees.

In the following video, Motley Fool analyst Brendan Byrnes sits down with Rascoff to discuss the changing real estate landscape. Unlike the travel agent model which was drastically changed because of the Internet, Rascoff believes most Americans will always use a real estate agent to assist them when purchasing a home. Rascoff highlights how a real estate transaction is complicated, emotional, expensive, and infrequent -- all characteristics that lend themselves to an intermediary.

What Rascoff does believe is changing is the type of real estate agent that is going to succeed in this new information-era. He says a good agent in today's market has to be an expert negotiator and a great marketer. He also highlights the importance of having a deep, local expertise because agents and consumers all have the same information due mobile devices and the Internet.

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Friday, May 23, 2014

5 Best Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now

5 Best Long Term Stocks To Watch Right Now: Comcast Corporation(CMCSA)

Comcast Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides entertainment, information, and communications products and services in the United States and internationally. Its Cable Communications segment provides video, high-speed Internet, and phone services to residential and business customers. As of June 30, 2011, its cable systems served approximately 22.5 million video customers, 17.5 million high-speed Internet customers, and 9.1 million phone customers. The company?s Cable Networks segment operates cable entertainment networks, such as USA Network, Syfy, E!, Bravo, Oxygen, Style, G4, Chiller, Sleuth, and Universal HD; news and information networks, including CNBC, MSNBC, and CNBC World; cable sports networks comprising Golf Channel and VERSUS; regional sports and news networks; international entertainment, and news and information networks, such as CNBC Europe, CNBC Asia, and Universal Networks International portfolio of networks; cable television production oper ations; and digital media properties consisting primarily of brand-aligned Websites and other Websites, such as DailyCandy, Fandango, and iVillage. Its Broadcast Television segment operates the U.S. broadcast networks, NBC and Telemundo; 10 NBC and 15 Telemundo owned local television stations; broadcast television productions; and related digital media properties. The company?s Filmed Entertainment segment operates Universal Pictures, which produces, acquires, markets, and distributes filmed entertainment and stage plays worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television, and other distribution platforms. Its Theme Parks segment operates Universal Studios Hollywood park and Wet ?n Wild water park, as well as licenses intellectual properties and provides services to third parties that own and operate Universal Studios Japan and Unive! rsal Studios Singapore. Comcast Corporation was founded in 1963 and is based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

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

    Chris Ratcliffe/Bloomberg via Getty Images AT&T (T) has approached DirecTV (DTV) about a possible acquisition of the satellite TV company, the Wall Street Journal reported, citing people familiar with the situation. A deal would likely be worth at least $40 billion, DirecTV's current market capitalization, the newspaper said. A combination of AT&T and DirecTV would create a pay television giant close in size to where Comcast (CMCSA) will be if it completes its pending acquisition of Time Warner Cable (TWC), the Journal said. Representatives for AT&T weren't immediately available for comment outside of regular U.S. business hours. DirecTV spokesman Robert Mercer said the company doesn't comment on speculation.

  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    Susan Walsh/APComcast CEO Brian Roberts at The Cable Show 2013 convention in Washington. Comcast offered to sell 1.4 million pay TV subscribers to Charter Communications for $7.3 billion as part of a transaction aimed at winning regulatory approval for its proposed $45 billion takeover of Time Warner Cable. Comcast (CMCSA) also said it would divest another 2.5 million subscribers into a new publicly traded company, dubbed SpinCo for now, to be one-third owned by Charter (CHTR) and two-thirds by Comcast shareholders. The deal would make Charter -- whose own bid for Time Warner Cable (TWC) was thwarted by Comcast's higher offer -- the second-biggest U.S. pay TV company with 5.7 million customers, overtaking Cox Communications. Charter's shares rose as much as 10 percent to $142.70 in early trading Monday. Comcast shares were up 1.4 percent at $51.70. Comcast would have less than 30 percent of the U.S. residential cable or satellite TV market after the deal, the company said in a statement. The agreement is contingent on Comcast's Time W! arner Cab! le deal being approved by the Justice Department and the U.S. Federal Communications Commission, a process that could take many months. Analysts said the deal was a pre-emptive move by Comcast ahead of a review of the deal by regulators. "Comcast wanted to do this deal now with Charter so it could get in front of regulators at the Justice Department and the FCC at the same time as the Time Warner Cable deal," a source familiar with the matter said. The source said there was a standstill agreement with Charter stipulating that it can't gain full control of SpinCo for four years. Comcast will have no ownership in SpinCo. SpinCo would have an estimated enterprise value of $14.3 billion and an equity value of $5.8 billion, Charter and Comcast said in an investor presentation. The divestments, mostly in the U.S. Midwest, would deliver about $19.5 billion in value to Comcast shareholders, the companies said. "For

  • [By Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

    Comcast Corp.(CMCSA) and Charter Communications Inc.(CHTR) reached an agreement for Comcast to divest millions of subscribers, helping it smooth over regulatory concerns involving its $45 billion deal for Time Warner Cable Inc.(TWC) As part of the agreement, Comcast will divest about 1.4 million existing Time Warner Cable customers directly to Charter for cash. Shares of Charter edged up 1.5% to $132 premarket.

  • [By Anora Mahmudova]

    Investors welcomed better-than-expected results from Comcast Corp. (CMCSA) and Harley-Davidson, Inc. (HOG) , while a flurry of deal news in the health-care sector added to positive sentiment.

  • source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/5-best-long-term-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Sears Reports Wider Loss, May Close More Stores

Sears Holdings Corp. Ahead of Earnings Figures Daniel Acker/Bloomberg via Getty Images HOFFMAN ESTATES, Ill. -- Sears' first-quarter loss widened as the beleaguered retailer's sales declined amid its ongoing struggle to attract shoppers. Sears Holdings, which operates Kmart and its namesake stores, has been cutting costs, reducing inventory and selling assets to return to profit. At the same time, it's shifting away from its focus on running a store network into a member-focused business. The latest results show the heavy challenges that remain. Chairman and CEO Edward Lampert said in a statement Thursday that Sears (SHLD) is seeing progress in its shift to a member-focused business, with first-quarter member sales comprising 74 percent of eligible sales -- the highest level ever. The executive said the biggest drag on sales has occurred in the consumer electronics businesses at its Kmart and Sears stores. The Hoffman Estates, Illinois-based company lost $402 million, or $3.79 a share, for the period ended May 3. That compares with a loss of $279 million, or $2.63 a share, a year ago. Excluding certain items, it lost $2.24 a share. Revenue fell 7 percent to $7.88 billion partly because there were fewer Kmart and Sears stores open. The results also accounted for weaker Sears Canada revenue and the spinoff of Lands' End in April. Sears said last week that it is considering selling its Canadian operations. Sales at domestic Sears stores open at least a year edged up 0.2 percent in the quarter. Excluding the impact of consumer electronics, the figure rose 0.8 percent. At Kmart stores open at least a year, sales declined 2.2 percent. Stripping out the impact of the consumer electronics business and its grocery and household goods category, the metric slipped 0.4 percent at Kmart. Sales at stores open at least a year is a key indicator of a retailer's health. It excludes results from stores recently opened or closed. One bright spot was online sales, which increased 26 percent. Lampert combined Sears and Kmart in 2005, about two years after he helped bring Kmart out of bankruptcy. But it has faced mounting pressure from nimbler rivals, including Walmart Stores (WMT) and Home Depot (HD). Sears caters to low to middle income shoppers, and is wrestling with a slow economic recovery that hasn't benefited all Americans equally. Many of its customers are juggling stagnant wages with higher costs of living like health care and food. Sears has closed about 80 stores year to date and said it may close more during the rest of the year. The company's stock fell $2.66, or 7.3 percent, to $33.90 in early premarket trading more than three hours before the market open.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Will Microsoft's Surface Pro 3 Really Be A Laptop Killer?

You wouldn't expect Microsoft to say it has a product that's set up to kill the laptop computer.  After all the laptop computer and the PC are what built Microsoft into the colossus that it is.

But here's how Panos Panay described the new Surface Pro 3 tablet device at a New York press event. The new device is the tablet that can replace your laptop."

The Surface Pro 3 is thin — 9.1 millimeters thick. It's light — just 800 grams, and it's fast, especially if you buy the version with the Intel Core I7 processor. It has a 12-inch diagonal screen, comparable to Apple's standard iPad.

You can add a keyboard to it and a pen for writing personal notes (or doing the New York Times crossword puzzle). And, unlike Apple's iPad, the Surface Pro 3 is aimed not so much at the consumer-geek crowd (and others who can find other uses for it). Instead, it's aimed squarely first at the commercial market.

It comes loaded with Windows 8.1. You can subscribe to various Microsoft aps, and other software vendors are already building applications for it, said Panay, the corporate vice president in charge of the Surface family of devices.

A big question is if it's too pricey.

With Panay in New York was Michael Gough, an Adobe Systems vice president, who showed off how the new device can run Adobe's Photoshop.

A keyboard can be easily attached, and it has an adjustable kickstand that can be set to just about any angle.

But the larger point about the device is this: It was inevitable the moment that the iPad arrived that the tablet was where PCs were headed.

The iPad destroyed the market for low-end netbooks. It then cut deeply into sales of notebook computers generally. Apple was soon selling more iPads than the combined notebook sales for Dell Inc., Hewlett-Packard and others.

Apple has understood where the tablet was going. Vendors build keyboards for the device, and Apple worked with Microsoft to make Microsoft Office available to iPad users. Already, users have downloaded 27 million copies of the software. The free downloads lets users look at Word, Excel and PowerPoint presentations. To use the software after a one-month trial requires subscribing to Office 365 for $9.99 a month.

And now comes the Surface Pro 3, which claims from the outset to be a replacement for the laptop.

The big question for Microsoft is this: Can this device generate enough demand that it can carve out a significant market share. Maybe. The stock market seemed to like what it heard. Microsoft shares were off 7 cents or 0.2%, to $39.68 — on a day when the Dow Jones Industrial Average was down 138 points, or 0.8%, to 16,374.

There remains the thorny issue of pricing. To buy a Surface Pro 3 with an Intel Core i3 processor will run you $799. But it comes without a keyboard. A keyboard that doubles as a device cover will cost an additional $129.99. A pen for the device will cost $49. The top end of the product line, with the most powerful Intel chip, lists for $1,949. Add in the keyboard and pen, and it tops out at nearly $2,130.

What that reinforces is the idea that corporate or institutional users are the primary market. And the question is if they will bite. Some have, including BMW Group, The Coca-Cola Co. and LVMH – Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton.

Top 10 Electric Utility Companies To Watch In Right Now

A second question, posed by ZDNet's Mary Jo Foley, is what happened to what was supposed to a smaller version of the Surface, powered by chips designed by ARM Holdings. There was no mention of it Tuesday, even though there had been reports that Tuesday's presentation would introduce the smaller version — if it exists at all.

We should note that Intel seems to have gotten a victory from the new device. Its shares were unchanged at $26 on Tuesday. ARM Holdings was down $1.11, or 2.5%, to $42.83.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

How AT&T got busted up and pieced back together

AT&T Timeline

Click on the image to see the full chart.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) When you look at the history of AT&T, you wonder why federal regulators ever bothered to break up the telecom giant.

To tear down a nationwide monopoly, the American Telephone and Telegraph Company was forcibly split into "Baby Bells" in 1984. But most of those have since joined forces once again, forming the AT&T (T, Fortune 500) we know today.

Not all the parts made it back into "Ma Bell," though. Several Baby Bells later merged to form Verizon (VZ, Fortune 500). One part eventually gave birth to CenturyLink (CTL, Fortune 500).

But the vast majority melted back together to form the new AT&T.

The whirlwind began in 1997, when Southwestern Bell Corp. (SBC) merged with fellow Baby Bell Pacific Telesis. Two years later, SBC bought Ameritech, another Baby Bell.

Top Stocks For 2015

Then, the craziness really started when SBC bought Ma Bell -- its former parent company -- in 2005. The combined company renamed itself AT&T. A year later, the new AT&T bought BellSouth, yet another Baby Bell.

The new AT&T also bought Cingular Wireless in 2006 -- a company jointly run by Baby Bells SBC and BellSouth that had bought the old AT&T Wireless in 2004. Cingular then changed its name to AT&T Mobility.

Got all that?

The merger history of these five Baby Bells is dizzying and better explained visually. Click on the chart above to take a closer look.

What AT&T gets by buying DirecTV   What AT&T gets by buying DirecTV

Now, AT&T is trying to buy DirecTV for $49 billion, which would be the fourth-biggest telecommunications merger in history.

AT&T already rules over an empire of wireless, landline telephone and fiberoptic cables. If regulators approve the deal, it will get a satellite TV network too -- and control over the content flowing to nearly every screen in our lives. To top of page

Monday, May 19, 2014

Stocks flat despite DirecTV takeover

dow 1015a

Click the chart for more markets data.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Wall Street had mergers on its mind Monday, but so far, these big deals haven't translated into much enthusiasm in the broader market. Stocks are off to a sluggish start.

Here are the five things to watch today:

1. Investors are still timid

The Dow was flat and the S&P 500 was up modestly in early trading. The tech-heavy Nasdaq was picking up a bit of steam -- up about half a percent by mid-morning.

The latest reading from the CNNMoney Fear & Greed index indicates investors are feeling fearful after stock markets hit fresh all-time highs last week but then slumped by the end of the week.

2. Big Merger # 1- AT&T and DirecTV

Shares of DirecTV (DTV, Fortune 500) fell after AT&T (T, Fortune 500) said Sunday that it had agreed to pay nearly $50 billion to acquire America's biggest satellite television provider. Shares of AT&T also dipped. If approved by regulators, the deal will continue a wave of consolidation in the television and telecommunications industries. Comcast, (CMCSA, Fortune 500) the nation's biggest cable provider, is currently awaiting regulatory approval for its plan to merge with Time Warner Cable. (TWC, Fortune 500)

3. Merger # 2 - No love from the Brits on pharma deal

AstraZeneca's (AZN) shares plunged 11% in London after the board rejected yet another takeover bid from U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer (PFE, Fortune 500). Investors had pushed AstraZeneca stock higher as they hoped Pfizer would be able to woo the British firm, but the rejection of a fourth and "final" offer from Pfizer suggests the deal is dead in the water.

Pfizer shares were up more than 1% in early trading Monday.

4. Monday's major stock movers

There's not much in terms of economic and earnings announcements on the docket Monday, but a few stocks are on the go.

Campbell Soup (CPB, Fortune 500) reported slightly better than forecast earnings early Monday but lowered its 2014 sale outlook, sending shares lower. It's one of the worst performers in the S&P 500 today. The company said it was unable to heat up its soup sales in the United States despite an increase in promotional activity.

Hot Telecom Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Shares of Intermune (ITMN) spiked after the biotechnology firm released positive results over the weekend for a drug that treats pulmonary fibrosis, a terminal illness characterized by scarring of the lungs.

5. World Markets mixed

European markets were mixed in afternoon trading.

Banking stocks, including Deutsche Bank (DB) and Barclays (BCS), were down in Europe after Deutsche Bank announced it was raising roughly €8 billion ($11 billion) from investors to meet regulatory requirements.

Asian markets mostly ended with losses. However, the Mumbai Sensex index continued to rise as investors cheered the election of a new leader, Narendra Modi. To top of page

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now

Each month, Neil Macneale analyzes the stocks that have announced splits; based on a proprietary screening system, he then selects one to add to the model portfolio of his 2-for-1 Stock Split Newsletter.

In considering an addition to our portfolio, we looked at EOG Resources (EOG), which is a big ($52B) oil and natural gas producer with decent numbers, but nothing too exciting.

It should be noted that return on assets, investment, and equity for EOG are all improving, but have lagged the industry over the last five years. We already have plenty of energy related companies in the portfolio so this is an easy one to pass up.

We also considered Westlake Chemical (WLK). Based in Houston, Texas, the company produces basic chemicals such as ethylene and styrene from oil and gas feed stocks.

The recent growth numbers for this company are very impressive, but these metrics are projected to taper off in the coming year. Other factors, including volatility that is well above the market average, score WLK the Number Two spot on our list.

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now: E.I. du Pont de Nemours and Company(DD)

E. I. du Pont de Nemours and Company operates as a science and technology company worldwide. It operates in seven segments: Agriculture & Nutrition, Electronics & Communications, Performance Chemicals, Performance Coatings, Performance Materials, Safety & Protection, and Pharmaceuticals. The Agriculture & Nutrition segment provides hybrid seed corn and soybean seed, herbicides, fungicides, insecticides, value enhanced grains, and soy protein under the Pioneer brand name. The Electronics & Communications segment supplies materials and systems for photovoltaic products, consumer electronics, displays, and advanced printing. The Performance Chemicals segment offers fluorochemicals, fluoropolymers, specialty and industrial chemicals, and white pigments for various markets, such as plastics and coatings, textiles, mining, pulp and paper, water treatment, and healthcare. The Performance Coatings segment supplies high performance liquid and powder coatings for motor vehicle origi nal equipment manufacturers (OEM); the motor vehicle after-market; and general industrial applications, such as such as coatings for heavy equipment, pipes and appliances, and electrical insulation. The Performance Materials segment provides polymers, elastomers, films, parts, and systems and solutions for the automotive OEM and associated after-market industries, as well as electrical, electronics, packaging, construction, oil, photovoltaics, aerospace, chemical processing, and consumer durable goods. The Safety & Protection segment primarily offers nonwovens, aramids, and solid surfaces for the construction, transportation, communications, industrial chemicals, oil and gas, electric utilities, automotive, manufacturing, defense, homeland security, and safety consulting industries. The Pharmaceuticals segment represents its interest in the collaboration relating to Cozaar/Hyzaar antihypertensive drugs. The company was founded in 1802 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Dela ware.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    DuPont (NYSE: DD  ) is scheduled to release its quarterly earnings report tomorrow, and with its stock at its highest levels in more than a decade, investors are pleased with the company's success lately. But some recent concerns about DuPont's earnings make this quarterly report crucial for the company's future prospects, and a disappointment could set the stage for a reversal in the stock's strong performance.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    4. DuPont (NYSE: DD  ) was confusing in the other direction, as a 1% drop in revenue and a 12% decline in earnings per share nevertheless didn't hurt the stock. Here, news is that DuPont is considering a sale or other strategic moves for its performance chemicals division as the company continues to maneuver toward emphasizing its higher-margin agricultural segment. Shares have gained about 1% so far on the week.

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now: K&S AG (KPLUY)

K&S AG is a Germany-based holding company which is active in the chemical sector. The Company divides its activities into four main business segments. The Potash and Magnesium Products segment is engaged in the crude potash and magnesium salts extraction and in processing raw materials into products for industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. The Nitrogen Fertilizers business segment distributes fertilizers for almost all agricultural crops, and products for home and garden, plant care and plant protection, specialty fertilizers for public green areas, tree nurseries, horticulture and various special crops are offered. The Salt segment offers food grade salt, industrial salt and salt for chemical use, as well as de-icing salt applied to ensure road safety. The Complementary Business segments include recycling activities and the disposal and reutilization of waste salt mines, granulation of CATASAN, logistics, and trading in different basic chemicals. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Yet, Europe's leading potash player K+S (NASDAQOTH: KPLUY  ) just said that, because of the upheaval that's occurred in the market, it was slashing its dividend by 82% for 2013,�reducing the payout ratio to just 11% of adjusted after tax�earnings, a far cry from the miner's usual�ratio of between 40% and 50%. Could this signal a new era of austerity that will ultimately see Potash,�Agrium (NYSE: AGU  ) , and Mosaic (NYSE: MOS  ) �end up whacking their payouts, as well?

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Watch Right Now: Wacker Chemie AG (WCH)

Wacker Chemie AG is a Germany-based company engaged in chemical industry. The Company operates through four business segments: WACKER SILICONES, which produces silicone products, ranging from silanes through silicone fluids, emulsions, elastomers, sealants and resins to pyrogenic silicas; WACKER POLYMERS, which offers a range of polymeric binders and additives; WACKER POLYSILICON, which provides polysilicon, and WACKER BIOSOLUTIONS, which is the life science division of the Company, offers solutions and products for the food, pharmaceutical and agrochemical industries. The Company offers its products for a range of sectors, including consumer goods, food, pharmaceuticals, textiles and the solar, electrical/electronics, basic-chemical industries, medical technology, biotech and mechanical engineering, automotive and construction. The Company also supplies silicon wafers to the semiconductor industry. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonathan Morgan]

    Wacker Chemie AG (WCH), the fourth-largest producer of polysilicon, jumped 9 percent to 56.22 euros, its largest increase since December.

    Banks Decline

    Commerzbank slumped 3.7 percent to 8.18 euros, for the biggest loss on the benchmark index.

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now: K&S AG (KPLUY.PK)

K&S AG is a Germany-based holding company which is active in the chemical sector. The Company divides its activities into four main business segments. The Potash and Magnesium Products segment is engaged in the crude potash and magnesium salts extraction and in processing raw materials into products for industrial, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industries. The Nitrogen Fertilizers business segment distributes fertilizers for almost all agricultural crops, and products for home and garden, plant care and plant protection, specialty fertilizers for public green areas, tree nurseries, horticulture and various special crops are offered. The Salt segment offers food grade salt, industrial salt and salt for chemical use, as well as de-icing salt applied to ensure road safety. The Complementary Business segments include recycling activities and the disposal and reutilization of waste salt mines, granulation of CATASAN, logistics, and trading in different basic chemicals. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chris Damas]

    Other players, such as K+S (KPLUY.PK), Israel Chemicals and APC, Belaruskali and Soquimich (SQM) maintained their world shares at Uralkali's expense.

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now: Agrium Inc.(AGU)

Agrium Inc., together with its subsidiaries, produces and markets agricultural nutrients, industrial products, and specialty products worldwide, as well as involves in the retail supply of agricultural products and services in North and South Americas. The company?s Retail segment markets crop nutrient products, including nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphur, and micronutrients; crop protection products, such as herbicides, fungicides, adjuvants, and insecticides; and seeds. This segment also offers agronomic services, as well as product application, soil and leaf tissue testing and analysis, and crop scouting services. This segment operates 1,192 outlets in the United States, Canada, Australia, Argentina, Chile, and Uruguay. The company?s Wholesale segment produces, markets, and distributes nitrogen, phosphate, potash, sulphate, and other crop nutrient products for agricultural and industrial customers. This segment also owns and operates facilities that upgrade ammonia t o other nitrogen products, such as urea, nitric acid, and ammonium nitrate, as well as provides Rainbow plant food products. Agrium?s Advanced Technologies segment produces and markets controlled-release crop nutrients and micronutrients for the agriculture, specialty agriculture, professional turf, horticulture, and consumer lawn and garden markets. The company was formerly known as Cominco Fertilizers Ltd. and changed its name to Agrium Inc. in 1995. Agrium Inc. was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tim Gallagher]

    Mosaic (MOS), Agrium (AGU), Intrepid Potash (IPI) and CF Industries (CF) have been moving and trading hand-in-hand, with AGU, BHP and Rentech Nitrogen Partners LP (RNF) trading the best, losing the least and rebounding the most since July 30th. IPI has sold off a lot more in the post-news period, as would be expected from a smaller, less established company with mine projects still in development. BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP) announced plans to proceed with its Jansen Mine Project in Saskatchewan, Canada, potentially tapping the largest and longest-lasting supply in the world known at this time. Scotiabank (BNS) recently commented on Jansen, stating that the added supply "could add the equivalent of 18%-20% of the potash market over recent years." Nearly all of the companies mentioned have had a pretty predictable mix of upgrades and downgrades. That's what makes a market.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Stemming from the recent BPC fall-out, POT�� revised guidance reflects the acute market uncertainty and lingering turmoil battering global potash markets. Specifically, with potash prices moving sharply lower across most export regions, buyers seem intent on deferring purchases with the hope of securing lower prices and improved macro visibility in the future. Consistent with this view, we note that competing potash bellwethers�Mosaic (MOS) and�Agrium (AGU) both recently lowered their 2013 global shipment forecasts.

  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, fertilizer producer Agrium (NYSE: AGU  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now: Braskem SA (BRKM5)

Braskem SA is a Brazil-based company primarily engaged in the manufacture of basic petrochemical products. The Company operates in five segments: Basic petrochemicals, Polyolefins, Vinyls, International businesses and Chemical Distribution. The Company�� products portfolio includes ethylene, propylene, butadiene, toluene, xylene, benzene, gasoline, diesel oil, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), as well as thermoplastic resins, such as polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP) and polyvinyl chloride (PVC). Additionally, Braskem is also engaged in the import and export of chemicals, petrochemicals and fuels; the production, supply and sale of utilities, such as steam, water, compressed air, industrial gases, as well as the provision of industrial services, and the production, supply and sale of electric energy for its own use and use by other companies. The Company also invests in other companies, either as a partner or shareholder. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Harry Suhartono]

    Brazil�� Ibovespa rose for a third day as traders pared bets on higher borrowing costs in Brazil, boosting the outlook for companies that sell in the local market. B2W Cia. Digital led gains among retailers, with Lojas Americanas SA (LAME3) and Natura Cosmeticos SA (NATU3) also trading higher. Petrochemicals producer Braskem SA (BRKM5) was the worst performer on the equity gauge after O Estado de S.Paulo reported Petroleo Brasileiro SA (PETR4) is seeking to raise prices of naphtha sold to the company by 5 percent.

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now: OCI Partners LP (OCIP)

OCI Partners LP, incorporated on February 07, 2013, owns and operates an integrated methanol and ammonia production facility that is strategically located on the Texas Gulf Coast near Beaumont. The Company is a methanol producer in the United States with an annual methanol production capacity of approximately 730,000 metric tons and an annual ammonia production capacity of approximately 265,000 metric tons, and it is in the early stages of a debottlenecking project that increases its annual methanol production capacity by 25% to approximately 912,500 metric tons and its annual ammonia production capacity by 15% to approximately 305,000 metric tons.

Both methanol and ammonia are global commodities that are essential building blocks for numerous end-use products. Methanol is a liquid petrochemical that is used in a variety of industrial and energy-related applications. Methanol is used in industrial applications to produce adhesives used in manufacturing wood products, such as plywood, particle board and laminates, resins to treat paper and plastic products, paint and varnish removers, solvents for the textile industry and polyester fibers for clothing and carpeting. Methanol is also used outside of the United States as a direct fuel for automobile engines, as a fuel blended with gasoline and as an octane booster in reformulated gasoline. In the United States, ammonia is primarily used as a feedstock to produce nitrogen fertilizers, such as urea and ammonium sulfate, and is also directly applied to soil as a fertilizer. In addition, ammonia is widely used in industrial applications, particularly in the Texas Gulf Coast market, including in the production of plastics, synthetic fibers, resins and numerous other chemical compounds.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Stocks on the Move: Potbelly Corp. (NASDAQ: PBPB) is up 119.1% at $30.68 after a blistering IPO at $14 a share. OCI Partners LP (NYSE: OCIP) is up 5.6% at $19.01 after an IPO at $18.00 a share. Cherry Hill Mortgage Investment Corp. (NYSE: CHMI) is down 7.6% at $18.48 following its IPO on Friday morning. Discovery Laboratories Inc. (NASDAQ: DSCO) is up 37.1% at $2.70 following approval of updated specifications for a drug to prevent respiratory distress in premature infants. Forest Oil Corp. (NYSE: FST) is down 9.7% at $5.74 following the sale of $1 billion worth of assets in the Texas panhandle.

  • [By Robert Rapier]

    OCI Partners (Nasdaq: OCIP) owns and operates OCI Beaumont, an integrated methanol and ammonia production facility on the Texas Gulf Coast. OCI Beaumont has a methanol production capacity of 730,000 metric tons (MT) per year and an ammonia production capacity of 265,000 MT per year. The facility is in the middle of a debottlenecking project that will increase its annual methanol production capacity by 25 percent and its annual ammonia production capacity by 15 percent.

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now: Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc.(POT)

Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan Inc. produces and sells fertilizers and related industrial and feed products primarily in the United States and Canada. The company mines and produces potash, which is used as fertilizer. It also offers solid and liquid phosphate fertilizers; animal feed supplements; and industrial acids that are used in food products and industrial processes. In addition, the company produces nitrogen fertilizers, as well as nitrogen feed and industrial products, including ammonia, urea, nitrogen solutions, ammonium nitrate, and nitric acid. Further, it holds the right to mine 785,759 acres of land in Saskatchewan; and 58,263 acres of land in New Brunswick in Canada. The company sells its fertilizers primarily to retailers, dealers, co-operatives, distributors, and other fertilizer producers; industrial products primarily to chemical product manufacturers; and purified phosphoric acid directly to consumers of the product. Potash Corporation was founded i n 1953 and is based in Saskatoon, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Neha Chamaria]

    More importantly, this development means that Mosaic's ability to buy back common shares also remains restricted till November. So the likelihood of a share repurchase this year, which the market was banking on, looks dim. Watch closely for an update in Mosaic's upcoming earnings call. Any hint of a possible buyback this year could boost Mosaic's share price, especially since peer PotashCorp (NYSE: POT  ) has already made clear its intentions of announcing a buyback program before the year ends.

  • [By Teresa Rivas]

    Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan (POT) was falling 4.5% while Intrepid Potash (IPI) tumbled more than 8% and Mosaic (MOS) lost 5%.

    Credit Suisse analyst Christopher Parkinson downgraded both Potash Corp. and Intrepid to Underweight today, noting ��he end of a pricing era�� with new target prices of $27 and $11, respectively. He maintained a Neutral rating on Mosaic, although he reduced his target price to $41 from $65.

Top Chemical Companies To Own In Right Now: Celanese Corporation (CE)

Celanese Corporation, a technology and specialty materials company, engages in manufacture and sale of value-added chemicals, thermoplastic polymers, and other chemical-based products. It operates through four business segments: Advanced Engineered Materials, Consumer Specialties, Industrial Specialties, and Acetyl Intermediates. The Advanced Engineered Materials segment offers specialty polymers for application in automotive, medical, and electronics products, as well as other consumer and industrial applications. The Consumer Specialties segment provides cellulose acetate flake, film, and tow that are primarily used in filter products applications; Sunett, a sweetener; and food protection ingredients, such as sorbates and sorbic acid for the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries. The Industrial Specialties segment produces emulsions and ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) performance polymers. Its emulsions products are used in applications, such as paints and coatings, adhesives, construction, glass fiber, textiles, and paper; and EVA performance polymers are used in flexible packaging films, lamination film products, hot melt adhesives, medical products, automotive, carpeting and photovoltaic cells. The Acetyl Intermediates segment offers acetyl products, including acetic acid, vinyl acetate monomer, acetic anhydride, and acetate esters for use as starting materials for colorants, paints, adhesives, coatings, and medicines. It also provides organic solvents and intermediates for pharmaceutical, agricultural, and chemical products. The company offers its products directly, as well as through distributors and electronic marketplaces in North America, Europe, Africa, the Asia-Pacific, and South America. Celanese Corporation was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Celanese (NYSE: CE) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $1.04 per share on revenue of $1.59 billion.

    Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

  • [By Magic Diligence]

    Given this fact, and the fact that consumer electronics (CE) is a cyclical industry, flash supply and demand balance is very tenuous. Frantic production to catch up to demand often leads to dramatic over-supply when the CE market cools off. One needs only to look at SanDisk's financials to see this. The company swung from a $917 dollar operations loss in 2008 to a $1.5 billion dollar profit in 2011, and which was then cut in half to just a $700 million profit the following year!

Friday, May 16, 2014

Americans Eager to Travel After Rough Winter

Summer Travel Charles Rex Arbogast/AP NEW YORK --€" A strong case of cabin fever and a little more money to spend should inspire a greater number of Americans to hit the road this Memorial Day weekend. That's the forecast from auto club AAA, which on Friday said it expects a total of 36.1 million people to travel 50 miles or more. If that estimate holds true, it would be the largest number of people traveling during the holiday weekend since 2005. Most will drive to their vacation spots, but more people are expected to fly or take a cruise or train this year compared with a year ago, AAA said. The improving job market and a rise in disposable income are fueling the increase in holiday travel plans, AAA found in its annual survey. The desire to get out of the house after a brutally cold winter is another strong incentive to hit the road. "Thoughts of historic cold are still fresh in the minds of Americans in many parts of the country," said AAA's Chief Operating Officer Marshall Doney, in a statement. "The winter blues appear to have given Americans the travel bug." Of the total travelers, 31.8 million are expected to drive, up 1.3 percent from 31.4 million last year. Gas prices are less of a concern for drivers, since they are expected to be lower than last year's average of $3.63, thanks to rising supplies, AAA said. Airports will be busier, with 2.6 million people expected to fly this year, up 2.4 percent from last year. And 1.7 million people will take a cruise, train or bus, a 6.5 percent jump from a year ago. Travelers can expect to pay more for their getaways. Hotel rooms are likely to cost $3 more a night from last year, at an average of $169 a night, AAA said. The average cost of a round-trip plane ticket is $227, up from $215 a year ago. Car rentals will average $44 a day during the weekend, up 1 percent from a year ago. A 3.4 percent increase in personal income from last year should help cover those additional costs, the auto club said. The AAA forecast represents an 18 percent increase in travelers from 2009, the low point of the recession, when only 30.5 million Americans traveled for Memorial Day. The number has been increasing steadily since 2011. The busiest travel weekend was in 2005, when 44 million people went away. Last year, AAA said more people traveled during the Memorial Day weekend than it projected. It had expected total travel to fall nearly 1 percent from the year before to 34.8 million. But 35.5 million Americans actually traveled last year, according to a survey conducted following the holiday weekend. For its forecast, AAA works with research company IHS Global, which uses economic data to come up with its projections. A separate company, D.K. Shifflet & Associates surveys more than 50,000 households after the trips have been taken.

Thursday, May 15, 2014

J.C. Penney leaps afterhours on earnings news

Apparel, jewelry, and home sales helped JC Penney beat analyst estimates for its performance in the first quarter, the company announced Thursday.

Penney reported sales grew 6.3% to $2.8 billion for the quarter ended May 3, up from $2.6 billion last year. But net income took a hit with a loss of $352 million. Still that beat analyst estimates. Penney lost $1.15 per share, better than the $1.26 analysts expected.

Sales at stores open at least a year grew 6.2%, a significant leap from last year's same-store sales loss of 16.6% in the first quarter of 2013.

"It is clear that our efforts to re-merchandise many areas of the store and revamp our messaging to the customer are taking hold," CEO Mike Ullman said in a company statement. "We expect to carry this momentum into the second quarter as we continue to position the company for long-term profitable growth."

Penney shares are up nearly 25% in after-hours trading to $10.37.

Penney appears to be making a comeback a little more than a year after CEO Ron Johnson stepped down. Johnson's failed attempt at reviving the retail chain by getting rid of sales and coupons in favor of everyday low prices made for an abysmal year of financial results in 2012.

Johnson left Penney last April and was replaced by former Penney CEO Mike Ullman.

"I think the consumer saw the old school JC Penney back in action, with promotions consistently in the range of 30% to 45%," says Brian Sozzi, CEO of Belus Capital Advisors.

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Global Central Banks Still Demand Canadian Dollars

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In addition to the fact that Canadian stocks generally offer much higher yields than their US counterparts, US investors have also found the Canadian market attractive because of the country's economic resilience amid the Global Financial Crisis.

Recognition of that relative strength, along with Canada's resource riches and conservative financial system, helped boost the Canadian dollar above parity with the US dollar for much of  2011 and 2012.

And while the loonie finally sold off last year, that hasn't stopped the world's central banks from continuing to add Canadian dollar-denominated debt to their reserves.

A reserve currency is a currency that is held in significant quantities, usually in the form of highly rated government bonds or bills, by governments and institutions as part of their foreign exchange reserves, which they use to help facilitate international trade.

In this context, a currency can also be accumulated as a precaution for contingencies that require intervention in an exchange rate or restoring liquidity when there's an extraordinary disruption to the flow of global capital markets. Demand for a particular currency can also help reduce borrowing costs, particularly for governments.

Although the loonie declined 7.4 percent last year, the amount of Canadian dollar-denominated debt reported held among global central banks' allocated reserves jumped 25 percent year over year, to USD108.5 billion at year-end from USD86.8 billion in the fourth quarter of 2012.

According to the International Monetary Fund (IMF), the Canadian dollar now accounts for 1.7 percent of allocated reserves, up three-tenths of a percentage point from a year ago, ranking it fifth among the world's currencies.

By this measure, the US dollar still dwarfs other developed-world currencies, accounting for 61.2 percent of central banks' allocated reserves. The euro comes in a dist! ant second at 24.4 percent, the British pound is at 4 percent, and the Japanese yen is at 3.9 percent.

However, concern about American profligacy is causing foreign central banks to slowly diversify away from the US dollar. The IMF reports that the US dollar's share of the currency composition of official foreign exchange reserves (COFER) has slid nearly 10 percentage points since 1999.

And that trend partially explains the Canadian dollar's recent ascendance to the top ranks of global reserve currencies, an exclusive club that traditionally has been dominated by the US dollar, the euro, the Japanese yen, the British pound and the Swiss franc.

As subscribers to our sister publication Australian Edge already know, the Australian dollar has enjoyed a similar rise to prominence over the past half decade, and now ranks just behind the Canadian dollar among reserve currencies, though both are essentially neck and neck in terms of the value of reported holdings.

Based on conversations with reserves managers around the world, the Bank of Canada (BoC) attributes the newfound reserve status of the loonie and the aussie to not just central banks' desire to diversify away from the greenback, but also the perceived safety of the two countries and the opportunity to earn higher yields than found in traditional reserve currencies.

And this demand might be even greater than the COFER data suggest. Since not all of the foreign reserves managers responded to the IMF's request for data, the BoC estimates that the actual amount of Canadian dollar-denominated debt among the world's reserve holdings is nearly double the official figure, at roughly USD208 billion.

The BoC arrived at this figure by extrapolating the percentage held among allocated reserves, which are roughly 53.3 percent of the USD11.7 trillion in total global reserves, to unallocated reserves, which comprise the balance of global reserves.

The term "unallocated reserves" simply refers to those countries! that rep! orted their total foreign exchange reserves, but failed to disclose the actual composition of those reserves. The central bank also notes that before arriving at this estimate, it used a variety of approaches that resulted in a range from USD172 billion to USD219 billion.

Furthermore, central banks' demand for the Canadian dollar is likely to be relatively stable over time. In contrast to currency traders who flit in and out of positions, the BoC observes that foreign reserves managers are characterized as patient, buy-and-hold investors whose primary objectives are preserving capital and maintaining liquidity, while maximizing returns within those constraints.

Interestingly, while countries that have substantial two-way trade tend to hold higher proportions of their respective currencies, the emerging markets, with which Canada has yet to establish strong trade ties, accounted for about two-thirds of foreign holdings of Canadian dollar-denominated debt. And demand from these fast-growing economies means the loonie's share of foreign holdings will likely continue rising.

The BoC believes developing countries are starting to favor the loonie because the higher yields of Canadian securities offset some of the higher expenses their central banks incur when holding these assets.

Or perhaps they also recognize that in turbulent times Canada will likely remain a relative safe haven compared to its developed-world peers. After all, a country's foreign reserves don't exist solely to serve international trade, they're also an insurance policy.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Earnings Scheduled For May 13, 2014

Related FOSL Stocks To Watch For May 13, 2014 Will Fossil Inc. (FOSL) Beat Earnings Estimates? - Analyst Blog

CST Brands (NYSE: CST) is expected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.19 per share on revenue of $3.07 billion.

Fossil Group (NASDAQ: FOSL) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $1.17 per share on revenue of $771.60 million.

Take-Two Interactive Software (NASDAQ: TTWO) is expected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.10 per share on revenue of $202.51 million.

CTI Industries (NASDAQ: CTIB) is estimated to report its Q1 earnings at $0.02 per share on revenue of $15.75 million.

URS (NYSE: URS) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.68 per share on revenue of $2.68 billion.

LATAM Airlines Group SA (NYSE: LFL) is expected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.20 per share on revenue of $3.42 billion.

Gladstone Investment (NASDAQ: GAIN) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $8.90 million.

First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $286.98 million.

Synacor (NASDAQ: SYNC) is estimated to post a Q1 loss at $0.05 per share on revenue of $24.53 million.

Diana Containerships (NASDAQ: DCIX) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.01 per share on revenue of $13.22 million.

Intrawest Resorts Holdings (NYSE: SNOW) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $2.69 per share on revenue of $294.89 million.

Cosan (NYSE: CZZ) is estimated to post its Q1 earnings at $0.16 per share.

ViaSat (NASDAQ: VSAT) is projected to post its Q4 earnings at $0.11 per share on revenue of $348.98 million.

Biodel (NASDAQ: BIOD) is expected to post a Q1 loss at $0.24 per share.

Best Managed Healthcare Companies To Buy Right Now

First Majestic Silver (NYSE: AG) is estimated to post its Q1 earnings at $0.10 per share on revenue of $63.35 million.

Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE: RDY) is expected to report its Q4 earnings at $0.52 per share.

YuMe (NYSE: YUME) is estimated to post a Q1 loss at $0.15 per share on revenue of $35.36 million.

Vertex Energy (NASDAQ: VTNR) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.03 per share on revenue of $42.48 million.

Idera Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IDRA) is estimated to report a Q1 loss at $0.08 per share on revenue of $3.00 thousand.

USA Technologies (NASDAQ: USAT) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.00 per share on revenue of $10.63 million.

P&F Industries (NASDAQ: PFIN) is expected to report its quarterly results.

INSYS Therapeutics (NASDAQ: INSY) is projected to report its Q1 earnings at $0.28 per share on revenue of $45.63 million.

Posted-In: Earnings scheduleEarnings News Pre-Market Outlook Markets

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular Earnings Expectations For The Week Of May 12: Wal-Mart, Deere, Cisco And More JPMorgan Comments on J.C. Penney In The Run-Up To Q1 Earnings Report 5 Companies Apple Could Buy Instead Of Beats Short Sellers Load Up On Pandora and Zynga (GRPN, P, ZNGA) UPDATE: MLV & Co Reiterates On Keryx Biopharmaceuticals On Increased Risk Surges In Biotech Short Interest (INCY, PCYC, RGEN) Related Articles (BIOD + AG) Earnings Scheduled For May 13, 2014 Benzinga Weekly Preview: Several Large Retailers Set To Report Biodel, HEC Pharm Ink Deal - Analyst Blog Abbott Labs Tops Earnings, Misses Sales Est - Analyst Blog

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Stratasys: This 3D Printing Stock Can Be A Good Long-Term Buy

Top 10 Performing Companies To Invest In Right Now

The stock of 3D printing company Stratasys (SSYS) has been dipping. The shares went down around 20% and the recent announcement by Hewlett-Packard (HPQ) to enter the 3D printing market has shaken investors' confidence in Stratasys. However, since Stratasys' concentrates more on the industrial 3D printing segment worldwide, its market looks lucrative due to big industrial corporations that make use of its services and products.

Looking ahead

Stratasys is engaged in expanding its business worldwide. Hence, it's strategically investing heavily in R&D, sales, and marketing to explore more business opportunities. Besides, the company has observed significant expansion in the market for 3D printing and additive manufacturing solutions globally. The reason behind Stratasys' strong organic revenue growth can be attributed to strong broad-based demand across its entire product line, including the production series, design series, and the idea series of 3D printers.

Having noticed tremendous improvements in its performance globally, especially in the Asia-Pacific market, Stratasys looks focused to ramp up its sales and invest further in marketing that will help the company post better results in the ongoing quarter. Also, the company looks solid as it has strengthened its position in the market by improving functionality and affordability of its products. Moreover, Stratasys is focusing on its digital manufacturing business with many new products in the pipeline. Lastly, Stratasys is looking to improve the accessibility of 3D printing so as to increase its addressable market.

Strategic moves

Its new releases like the Objet500 Connex3 Color Multi-material 3D Printer have not only strengthened its product line, but also hopes and expectation in the Multi-Material 3D Printing business that will fetch comprehensively better results for the company in the coming quarters. Stratasys, hence, expects the printer's triple jet technology, which allows users to combine color with a virtually unlimited combination of rigidity, flexibility, and transparency, to attract more users.

In addition, the company is coming up with new apps for the MakerBot replicator platform with unmatched speed, reliability, quality, and connectivity that will certainly increase its market share in the 3D printing business. Moreover, its technology is very user friendly and easy-to-use, and offers reliable desktop 3D printing platforms with its new apps and focuses to cover the full range of consumer, prosumer, and professional users.

Additionally to supplement growth in its product line, it has recently announced new PolyJet material for the Connex platforms, including Digital ABS2, which creates realistic, precise prototypes that are heat-resistant. The company anticipates better results from its new Connex3 Color 3D Printer that is combined with the three new color-enabling materials.

Moreover, its strategy to expand its business overseas in regions such as Singapore, Japan, and China looks lucrative. Also, Stratasys is looking for a solid start with its recently established and fully-owned subsidiary in Korea. In addition, Stratasys has also entered into a distribution agreement with Dell to provide MakerBot Replicator 3D printers bundled with Dell Precision Workstations for small and medium-sized businesses. This will definitely enhance the reach of Stratasys' printers going forward.

Further, it's very interesting to notice that Stratasys is seeing growth opportunities in the dental and medical fields as well, and to tap that market, it has announced the Objet Eden 260V Dental Advantage 3D printer and VeroGlaze dental material for Objet Eden V and OrthoDesk printers.

Overall, the company has performed significantly well and I think it will continue to perform well on the back of strategic investments in R&D investments, expansion plans, and entry into new market segments.

HP's move

But, investors must keep an eye on HP's move into the 3D printing market as it sees strong growth opportunity here. Also, HP's management is of the opinion that worldwide sales of 3D printers and related software and services will grow at a terrific pace to hit $11 billion by 2021. This will be a solid jump from just $2.2 billion two years ago.

Also, according to Reuters, HP CEO Meg Whitman believes that "HP's in-house researchers have resolved limitations involved with the quality of substrates used in the process, which affects the durability of finished products."

Therefore, Stratasys has to accelerate its business and ensure that its 3D printing offerings are cutting edge.

Conclusion

Overall, it can be said that Stratasys has been pretty solid so far and it should continue to perform well due to the various reasons that we saw above. While HP is indeed a threat, until and unless we know the extent of the threat, we shouldn't discard HP. Going forward, growth in industrial 3D printing and Stratasys' end-market growth should lead to a strong performance.

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