Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX ) has traditionally been a notable target among short-sellers. Even if the bears have been running for cover lately, the stock still carries a relatively high short interest ratio of around 10%. But shorting Netflix has been a losing proposition over the last years, and the way things are going, it could also be a very expensive mistake on a forward-looking basis.
Competitive strengths
One of the most popular arguments among Netflix short-sellers is that the company lacks the competitive strengths to succeed in the long term. Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) is usually seen as the most challenging competitor for Netflix over the coming years.
Amazon Prime offers free two-day shipping, access to the Kindle Owners' Lending Library, and more than 40,000 tittles available for streaming via its Prime Instant online video service for a conveniently low price of $79 per year. The service now has "tens of millions" of members, according to the company, and it gained more than 1 million new members in the third week of December alone, so it continues growing at full speed.
Best Japanese Companies For 2015: Levon Resources Ltd (LVNVF)
Levon Resources Ltd. (Levon) is an exploration-stage company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration and development of natural resource properties in Mexico. The Company is focusing on silver and gold exploration. The Company owns approximately 50% leasehold interest in certain claims in the Lillooet Mining Division, British Columbia. It also owns approximately 50% interest in certain mineral claims in the Gold Bridge area, Lillooet Mining Division, British Columbia. The Cordero Sanson Property (Cordero) is located near Hidalgo Del Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico. Levon holds approximately 50% interest in certain lode mining claims located in Lander County, Nevada. It owns certain mineral claims in the Lillooet Mining Division, British Columbia. Advisors' Opinion:- [By ValueInvestor7]
I listen to investing advice from self-made billionaire investors, and I try to ignore advice from everyone else. I suspect readers on this website will appreciate this, where thankfully the Focus is still Gurus. To this end, I bring you the instructive story of Pershing Gold Corp (PGLC) and Levon Resources (TSE: LVN) (LVNVF).
Top 10 Low Price Companies For 2014: Mapfre SA (MAP)
Mapfre SA is a Spain-based holding company active in the insurance industry. It provides insurance services to businesses, professionals and individuals. The range of the Company�� products and services includes insurance policies of direct life, property and casualty, health, automotive and third party liability, among others. In addition, Mapfre SA is active in the management of pension funds, retirement plans and investment funds, as well as the provision of healthcare services in Spain. The Company is a parent of Grupo Mapfre, which comprises a number of entities active in the insurance, reinsurance, financial and real estate sectors with operations established worldwide. The Company operates such subsidiaries as Mapfre Familiar, Mapfre Vida, Mapfre Emperesas, MSG Portugal, Mapfre America, Mapfre Internatcional, Mapfre Re, Mapfre Global Risks and Mapfre Asistencia, among others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tom Stoukas]
Mapfre SA (MAP) slid 3.1 percent to 2.67 euros. Bankia SA sold a 12 percent stake, or 369.6 million shares, in Spain�� biggest insurer.
Centrica SlidesCentrica Plc (CNA), the largest energy supplier to U.K. homes, lost 2.3 percent to 366.9 pence. JPMorgan Chase & Co. downgraded the shares to neutral from overweight, citing proposals from Britain�� Labour Party to freeze energy bills and break up the country�� six biggest power suppliers.
- [By Ruth David]
Bankia, a Valencia-based bank that took state aid, did the third-biggest placing last quarter, when it dumped a 979 million-euro stake in Mapfre (MAP), Spain�� largest insurer. Bankia said the sale was a step in implementing its parent company�� strategy for the three years through 2015.
Top 10 Low Price Companies For 2014: Synalloy Corporation(SYNL)
Synalloy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells pipes and piping systems in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Metals and Specialty Chemicals. The Metals segment manufactures pipe and piping systems from stainless steel, carbon, chrome, and other alloys for use in the chemical, petrochemical, pulp and paper, waste water treatment, LNG, mining, power generation, water treatment, brewery, food processing, petroleum, alternative fuels, and pharmaceutical sectors. The Specialty Chemicals segment produces specialty chemicals and dyes for the carpet, chemical, paper, metals, mining, agricultural, fiber, paint, textile, automotive, petroleum, cosmetics, mattress, furniture, janitorial, and other industries. Synalloy Corporation sells its metal products through outside and inside sales employees, manufacturers? representatives, and authorized stocking distributors, as well as directly to engineering firms, construction companies, and project owners. It markets its specialty chemicals directly to various industries through outside sales employees and manufacturers' representatives. The company was formerly known as Blackman Uhler Industries, Inc. and changed its name to Synalloy Corporation in July 1967. Synalloy Corporation was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By GuruFocus]
New Purchase: Synalloy Corporation (SYNL)
Tom Gayner initiated holdings in Synalloy Corporation. His purchase prices were between $13.36 and $16, with an estimated average price of $14.21. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.27%. His holdings were 485,343 shares as of 06/30/2013.
Top 10 Low Price Companies For 2014: IRSA Inversiones Y Representaciones S.A. (IRS)
IRSA Investments and Representations Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in a range of diversified real estate investment and related activities in Argentina. The company is involved in the acquisition, development, and operation of shopping centers, offices, and other non-shopping center properties primarily for rental purposes; development and sale of residential properties; acquisition and operation of luxury hotels; and acquisition of undeveloped land reserves for future development purpose. It also engages in consumer financing activities, including credit card products to its consumers at shopping centers, hypermarkets, and street stores. IRSA Investments and Representations, Inc. was founded in 1943 and is headquartered in Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
In trading on Wednesday, financial shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.24 percent. Top losers in the sector included IRSA Investments and Representations (NYSE: IRS), down 3.2 percent, and OceanFirst Financial (NASDAQ: OCFC), off 2.5 percent.
Top 10 Low Price Companies For 2014: Washington Banking Company(WBCO)
Washington Banking Company operates as the bank holding company for Whidbey Island Bank that provides community commercial banking services in northwestern Washington. Its deposit products include interest-bearing demand and money market accounts, saving deposits, time deposits, NOW accounts, and noninterest-bearing demand deposits. The company?s portfolio of loans comprises secured and unsecured commercial loans for working capital and expansion; real estate mortgage loans, including one-to-four family residential and commercial real estate loans; and real estate construction loans, such as commercial real estate, one-to-four family residential construction, and speculative construction loans. Its consumer loan portfolio include automobile loans, boat and recreational vehicle financing, home equity and home improvement loans, and other secured and unsecured personal loans, as well as SBA guaranteed loans for small and medium sized businesses. In addition, the company pro vides non-deposit managed investment products and services, and sweep investment options. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 30 branches in 6 counties located in northwestern Washington. The company was founded in 1996 and is based in Oak Harbor, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Volkman]
Washington Banking (NASDAQ: WBCO ) is diverting some of its capital to repurchase its own stock. The company announced that its board has authorized a buyback program for up to 775,000 shares. The program is expected to continue through the end of 2014, although the firm stressed that it "is under no obligation to repurchase a specific number or dollar amount of shares and the repurchase program may be discontinued at any time."
Top 10 Low Price Companies For 2014: Northwest Bancshares Inc.(NWBI)
Northwest Bancshares, Inc. operates as the holding company for Northwest Savings Bank that offers various banking and consumer finance services. The company offers consumer and commercial deposits, such as checking accounts, savings accounts, money market deposit accounts, term certificate accounts, and individual retirement accounts. Its loan portfolio comprises one- to four-family residential real estate loans, multifamily residential and commercial real estate loans, home equity loans and lines of credit, and commercial business loans, as well as consumer loans, including automobile loans, sales finance loans, unsecured personal loans, credit card loans, and loans secured by deposit accounts. It also offers trust, investment management, actuarial and benefit plan administration, brokerage services, title insurance, and municipal bonds, as well as involves in the ownership and operation of properties. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 171 community-banking of fices in northwest, southwest, and central Pennsylvania; western New York; eastern Ohio; Maryland; and southeastern Florida. It also operated 51 consumer finance offices in Pennsylvania. The company was founded in 1896 and is headquartered in Warren, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tim Melvin]
The financial crisis bought an end to the takeover activity, but as the industry has recovered and valuations have stabilized we should once again see the former thrifts become too tempting for growth-starved larger banks to ignore. It is a worthwhile exercise to look at some older thrift conversions that may be beyond their “sell by” dates.
Northwest Bancshares�(NWBI)Northwest Bancshares (NWBI) did its conversion offering back in 2009, right near the bottom of the financial crisis. The bank has 65 community banking offices in central and western Pennsylvania, western New York, eastern Ohio, and Maryland as well as 52 consumer finance offices in Pennsylvania. The bank has an above-average equity-to-assets ratio of 13.42, and nonperforming assets are just 1.59% of total assets. That puts NWBI in solid financial shape.
- [By Rich Duprey]
Northwest Bancshares (NASDAQ: NWBI ) announced today that it will be paying a special dividend of $0.12 per share in May to�supplement the regular dividend for the first quarter of 2013, which it prepaid back in December in a bid to�accelerate the distribution of cash�to help shareholders offset some of the risk of higher taxes.
Top 10 Low Price Companies For 2014: McMoRan Exploration Company (MMR)
McMoRan Exploration Co. engages in the exploration, development, production, and marketing of oil and natural gas in the shallow waters of the Gulf of Mexico and onshore in the Gulf Coast area of the United States. It is involved in lifting oil and natural gas to the surface; and gathering, treating, and processing hydrocarbons to extract liquids, such as ethane, propane, butane, and natural gasolines from natural gas. The company also provides exploration and production technologies, including the incorporation of 3-D seismic interpretation, offshore drilling to total depths, and horizontal drilling. As of December 31, 2012, it owned or controlled interests in 1,003 oil and gas leases in the Gulf of Mexico, and onshore Louisiana and Texas covering approximately 511,000 net acres. The company had estimated proved oil and natural gas reserves totaling 219.9 billion cubic feet equivalent. McMoRan Exploration Co. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisi ana.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt DiLallo]
While it has diversity among metals, the company is also in the final stages of adding even more diversity among commodities. It has pending deals to acquire both McMoRan Exploration (NYSE: MMR ) and Plains Exploration and Production (NYSE: PXP ) . When the deals close, Freeport will shift its revenue mix from 100% mining related to around 75% mining and 25% oil and gas. That makes the company a truly diversified economic indicator as copper, oil, and natural gas are much more important to our economy than aluminum.
- [By Rich Duprey]
While there was a lot of grousing, the miner was returning to its roots as a multiline resources company -- it will also be purchasing McMoRan Exploration (NYSE: MMR ) , a driller it had spun out in the 1990s -- after a series of mishaps and deadly accidents at its huge Grasberg mine, it could be the drilling operations that Freeport relies upon to see it through.
- [By David Smith]
As we move into June, the company's attention is being directed to the combination of starting its huge Grasberg copper and gold facility in Indonesia, following a pair of accidents, and buttoning up its purchase of Houston-based energy producer Plains Exploration and Production Company. At the same time, its preparing to close on its planned acquisition of McMoRan Exploration (NYSE: MMR ) , an event that's expected to occur early next week.
- [By David Smith]
The pending purchases
Aside from its current core metals operations, Freeport is in the process of acquiring a pair of independent oil and gas producers, Plains Exploration & Production (NYSE: PXP ) and McMoRan Exploration (NYSE: MMR ) . In December, Freeport announced that it would pay 0.6531 shares of its common stock and $25 in cash for each outstanding share of Plains. In addition, for McMoRan it stated that it would pay $14.75 in cash and 1.15 units of a royalty trust that will hold a 5% overriding royalty interest in McMoRan's shallow water and ultra-deepwater prospects.
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