Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) messed up, and in a few months they may start paying the price. When Microsoft's Xbox One fails to gain traction the way its current video-game console did -- and when the high-tech Google Glass specs falter at the retail level -- there will be no shortage of scapegoats.
Microsoft angered gamers with restrictive policies, and that sentiment's going to stick even if the restrictions did not. Google Glass probably hit the market at too high a price for the first wave of wearable computing products. Xbox One priced itself for too much more than the rival PS4 and Wii U platforms. Google Glass was overrun by early-adopter hipsters that few would want to emulate.
All of this can be remedied. Microsoft can be more generous. Both companies have the financial flexibility to slash prices aggressively. Shipping out Google Glass to a few dozen celebrity tastemakers would turn momentum back toward mainstream appeal.
Top 5 Low Price Companies For 2015: Sempra Energy(SRE)
Sempra Energy, together with its subsidiaries, develops new energy infrastructure, operates utilities, and provides energy-related products and services worldwide. It operates in six segments: SDG&E, SoCalGas, Sempra Generation, Sempra Pipelines & Storage, Sempra LNG (liquefied natural gas), and Sempra Commodities. The SDG&E segment has electric and natural gas franchises that locate, operate, and maintain facilities for the transmission and distribution of electricity and natural gas to residential, commercial, industrial, street and highway lighting, and direct access customers. The SoCalGas segment has natural gas franchises that locate, operate, and maintain facilities for the transmission and distribution of natural gas to electric generation, wholesale, large commercial, industrial, and enhanced oil recovery customers. The Sempra Generation segment involves in the generation and wholesale distribution of electricity through a fleet of natural gas-fired power generati on facilities in Arizona, Nevada, and Indiana, as well as Mexico with a total capacity of 2,513 megawatts. The Sempra Pipelines & Storage segment operates 1,883 miles of distribution pipelines, 224 miles of transmission pipelines, and 3 compressor stations in Mexico; operates Mobile Gas, a natural gas distribution utility located in Mobile and Baldwin counties in Alabama; and operates natural gas storage facilities in Washington County of Alabama and Simpson County of Mississippi. The Sempra LNG segment involves in the receipt, storage, and vaporization of LNG, as well as the purchase and sale of natural gas. It operates Energia Costa Azul LNG receipt terminal in Baja California, Mexico, as well as Cameron LNG receipt terminal in Hackberry, Louisiana. The Sempra Commodities segment engages in the commodities-marketing business. Sempra Energy has operations in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Argentina, Chile, and Peru. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered i n San Diego, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
Liquefied natural gas (LNG) export terminals will begin operation as early as late 2015, when�Cheniere Energy Partners�(NYSE: CQP) completes its Sabine Pass LNG export terminal.�Sempra Energy�(NYSE: SRE) has also received approval for an LNG facility on the Gulf Coast in Louisiana, and there are 13 more proposals awaiting approval. As more of these terminals come online, some of the excess natural gas will find its way to more lucrative markets.
- [By Marc Bastow]
California-based utility holding company Sempra Energy (SRE) raised its quarterly dividend 5% to 66 cents per share, payable April 15 to shareholders of record as of March 27.
SRE Dividend Yield: 2.80% - [By Robert Rapier]
As I pointed out in last week�� Energy Letter, US natural gas production is up 11.4 Bcfd in just the past five years. Presently there are 13 pending proposals awaiting approval from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC), with a total proposed export capacity of 17.9 Bcfd. Two projects have been approved by FERC. Cheniere Energy (NYSE: LNG) and Sempra Energy (NYSE: SRE) have had projects approved with a combined proposed capacity of 4.46 Bcfd.
Top Shipping Stocks To Buy For 2014: NovaBay Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NBY)
NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, engages in the development of various product candidates for the therapeutic needs of the anti-infective market. Its products include Aganocide compounds comprising NVC-422 that are synthetic molecules for the treatment of impetigo and adenoviral conjunctivitis, as well as for reducing the incidence of urinary catheter blockage and encrustation, and the associated urinary tract infections. The company is also involved in developing NeutroPhase, a solution for cleansing and debriding wounds. It has collaboration and license agreement with Galderma S.A. to develop and commercialize its Aganocide compounds, which covers acne, impetigo, and other dermatological conditions. The company was formerly known as NovaCal Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and changed its name to NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in February 2007. NovaBay Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was incorporated in 2000 and is based in Emeryville, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CRWE]
NovaBay(r) Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Amex:NBY), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing its first-in-class, anti-infective Aganocide(r) compounds for the local non-systemic treatment and prevention of infections, reported that Tom Paulson, Chief Financial Officer, will present at the Rodman & Renshaw 14th Annual Healthcare Conference held September 9-11, 2012, in New York, NY.
Top Shipping Stocks To Buy For 2014: First Financial Northwest Inc.(FFNW)
First Financial Northwest, Inc. operates as the holding company for First Savings Bank Northwest that provides community-based savings bank services in Washington. Its deposit products include noninterest bearing accounts, NOW accounts, money market deposit accounts, statement savings accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan products portfolio comprises one-to-four family residential loans, multifamily loans, commercial real estate loans, construction/land development loans, and business loans, as well as consumer loans, including home equity loans, personal lines of credit, second mortgage loans, and savings account loans. First Financial Northwest, Inc., through another subsidiary, First Financial Diversified, Inc., offers escrow services. The company primarily serves customers in the King, Pierce, Snohomish, and Kitsap counties of Washington through a full-service banking office in Renton, Washington. First Financial Northwest, Inc. was founded in 1923 and is based in Renton, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jim Royal]
The special situation
For those of you following my Special Situations portfolio, Investors Bancorp is in a spot similar to First Financial Northwest (NASDAQ: FFNW ) and TFS Financial (NASDAQ: TFSL ) , both of which are featured substantially in the portfolio. While Investors Bancorp is still only a partially demutualized thrift (like TFS Financial today), it will soon become a fully public institution, like First Financial. - [By Jim Royal]
One of my favorite reasons to reinvest in stocks I already own is when an uncertain, but favorable catalyst occurs, but the stock does little. So my Special Situations portfolio is adding $1,000 to each of the following three stocks: Cincinnati Bell (NYSE: CBB ) , Bridgepoint Education (NYSE: BPI ) , and First Financial Northwest (NASDAQ: FFNW ) . Read on to see why.
Top Shipping Stocks To Buy For 2014: TAL International Group Inc.(TAL)
TAL International Group, Inc. engages in the lease of intermodal containers and chassis. It operates in two segments, Equipment Leasing and Equipment Trading. The Equipment Leasing segment involves in the acquisition, lease, re-lease, and sale of various intermodal transportation equipment, such as dry freight containers, which are used for general cargo, including manufactured component parts, consumer staples, electronics, and apparel; refrigerated containers that are used for perishable items, such as fresh and frozen foods; and special containers, which are used for heavy and oversized cargo, such as marble slabs, building products, and machinery. It also leases chassis, which are used for the transportation of containers and tank containers that are used to transport bulk liquid products, such as chemicals, as well as finances port equipment, which includes container cranes, reach stackers, and other related equipment. The Equipment Trading segment purchases container s from shipping line customers and other sellers of containers, and resells these containers to container traders and users of containers for storage or one-way shipment. As of December 31, 2009, it had a fleet of 701,946 containers and chassis, including 31,137 containers under management for third parties, representing 1,139,523 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU). The company was founded in 1963 and is headquartered in Purchase, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Margins matter. The more TAL International Group (NYSE: TAL ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong TAL International Group's competitive position could be.
- [By ABN]
TAL International Group (TAL) is one of the world's largest lessors of intermodal freight containers for the shipping business with 17 offices in 11 countries and approximately 230 third-party container depot facilities in 40 countries. TAL's fleet consists of approximately 1,238,000 containers and 2,031,000 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).
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