Friday, October 31, 2014

Top 10 Performing Companies To Buy For 2015

Top 10 Performing Companies To Buy For 2015: Knoll Inc (KNL)

Knoll, Inc., incorporated on December 15, 1995, is a designer and manufacturer of workplace furnishings, textiles and fine leathers. The Company operates in three segments: Office, Studio and Coverings. The Office segment includes systems, seating, storage, tables, desks and KnollExtra ergonomic accessories, as well as the international sales of the Company's North American Office products. The Studio segment includes the Company's KnollStudio division, the Company's European subsidiaries, which primarily sell KnollStudio products, and Richard Schultz Design. The KnollStudio portfolio includes a range of lounge seating, side, cafe and dining chairs, barstools, and conference, dining and occasional tables. Richard Schultz Design provides outdoor furniture. The Coverings segment includes KnollTextiles, Spinneybeck (including Filzfelt), and Edelman Leather. In February 2014, Knoll Inc completed the acquisition of Holly Hunt Enterprises, Inc.

Office Segment

The Company's systems furniture consists principally of functionally integrated panels or table desks, work surfaces, pedestal and other storage units, power and data systems and lighting. The Company's systems furniture product lines include panel and desk-based planning models, which consists of Antenna Workspaces, Reff Profiles, AutoStrada, Dividends Horizon, Morrison, Equity and Currents. The Company's principal seating product lines include generation by Knoll, ReGeneration by Knoll, LIFE, RPM and Chadwick. Essentials Work Chairs' Pro, Tech, and Sport models offer a range of four task and two side chairs suitable to any office style from the traditional to the progressive. The Company's files and storage products, featuring the Template, Calibre and Series 2 product lines, are designed with features to maximize storage capabilities throughout the workpla! ce.

The Company's core files and storage products consist of lateral files, mobile pedest als and other storage units, bookcases and overhead storage ! cabinets.. The Company offers collections of adjustable tables, as well as meeting, conference, training, dining, and cafe tables for large scale projects and standalone desks and table desks. The Company's Interaction and Upstart product lines include adjustable, work, meeting, conference and training tables. These product lines range from independent tables to tables suitable for workstations that support individual preferences for computer and writing heights to plannable desks that can be linked together to build and reshape larger work areas. KnollExtra offers accessories that complement Knoll office furniture products, including technology support accessories, desktop organizational tools, lighting and storage.

Studio Segment

The KnollStudio portfolio includes a range of lounge seating; side, cafe and dining chairs, barstools, and conference, dining and occasional tables. The Company's studio segment includes the Knoll Europe businesses. Kno ll Europe provides products and services primarily to its European clients, whose aesthetics and styles can be different from its North America clients. A majority of Knoll Europe's business is Knoll Studio products, but Knoll Europe also offers a product profile that enables its customers to purchase a complete office environment. In addition, it offers certain products designed specifically for the European market. In Europe, the core product categories include KnollStudio, desk systems, including the Wa desking system, the KnollScope, and the PL1 system, seating, including a range of chairs, and storage units, which are designed to complement Knoll desk products. During 2012, it acquired Richard Schultz Design, Inc., a designer and manufacturer of outdoor furniture for the residential, hospitality, and contract office furniture markets.

Coverings Se! gment

!

The Company's Coverings segment consists of KnollTextiles, Spinneybeck Leather (including Fil zfelt products), and Edelman Leather. KnollTextiles offers u! pholstery,! panel fabrics, wallcoverings and drapery that harmonize color, pattern and texture and offers products for corporate, hospitality, healthcare and residential interiors. KnollTextiles products are used in the manufacture of Knoll furniture and are sold to clients for use in other manufacturers' products. Spinneybeck Enterprises, Inc., (Spinneybeck), the Company's wholly owned subsidiary, offers leathers and related products, including leather rugs and wall panels. Spinneybeck supplies upholstery leather for use on Knoll furniture and for sale directly to clients, including other office furniture manufacturers, upholsterers, aviation, custom coach and boating manufacturers. Edelman Leather LLC, (Edelman) its wholly owned subsidiary, supplies fine leathers to residential, hospitality, aviation and contract office furniture markets. Edelman, offers a residential showroom network where designers and retail consumers can sample its products.

The Company competes with Herman Miller, Inc., Steelcase, Inc., Haworth, Inc., HNI Corporation and Teknion Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Shares of HNI Corp. have gained 4.9% to $35.17 at 1:45 p.m., while Steelcase (SCS) has risen 0.8% to $16.93, Knoll (KNL) has advanced 2.5% to $18.74 and Herman Miller (MLHR) has ticked up 0.3% to $30.57.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap office furniture stock Steelcase Inc (NYSE: SCS) jumped 11.66% after beating earnings expectations, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at the stock along with potential office or commercial furniture stock peers like HNI Corp (NYSE: HNI), Knoll Inc (NYSE: KNL) and Virco Mfg. Corporation (NASDAQ: VIRC). After all, the performance of any company selling office or commercial furniture would tend to give some insights into the office! or emplo! yment markets.

  • [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 Knoll (NYSE: KNL  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-performing-companies-to-buy-for-2015-4.html

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Top 10 Recreation Companies To Own For 2014

Pot is hot! Colorado, which allowed the legal sales of marijuana for recreational use beginning Jan.1, is facing a severe shortage of cannabis only days after the legalization.

Initially, only licensed medical marijuana dispensaries in good standing (of which there are about 500) are eligible to apply for sales licenses. The state had approved 348 total licenses, including 136 for retail stores, 178 for cultivation facilities, 31 for product manufacturing facilities, and 3 for testing facilities.

Colorado is estimated to have generated in excess of $5 million in total marijuana sales. More than 100,000 people were believed to have bought the drug since legal sales to the general public began in Colorado, which became the first Government in the World to control and regulate marijuana, also known as Cannabis. Cannabis is a preparation of the Cannabis plant intended for use as a psychoactive drug and as medicine.

Top 5 Healthcare Equipment Companies To Own For 2015: Life Time Fitness Inc (LTM)

Life Time Fitness, Inc., incorporated on October 15, 1990, operates multi-use sports and athletic, professional fitness, family recreation and spa centers in a resort-like environment. As of February 28, 2013, the Company operated 105 centers under the LIFE TIME FITNESS and LIFE TIME ATHLETIC SM brands primarily in suburban locations in 28 major markets in the United States and Canada. The Company�� model centers target 7,500 to 11,000 memberships by offering, on average, 114,000 square feet of multi-use sports and athletic, professional fitness, family recreation, spa amenities and programs and services in a resort-like environment. Life Time programs include a range of interest areas, such as group fitness, yoga, swimming, running, racquetball, squash, tennis, Pilates, martial arts, kids activities and camps, adult activities and leagues, rock climbing, cycling, basketball, personal training, weight loss and nutrition initiatives, spa, medi-spa and chiropractic services. Life Time program offerings may vary by location. Effective August 28, 2012, MGC Diagnostics Corporation sold the assets of its New Leaf business to the Company.

The Company's offerings also include the Company's line of nutritional products and supplements, and its magazine, Experience Life. The Company also has an Athletic Events division, which offers more than 100 events each year, including running, cycling and triathlon events from entry-level to ultra-endurance. Additionally, the Company offers a portfolio of health assessments to its members at its centers, as well as employees at corporate clients, along with partnerships with health insurance companies. The Company offers different types of membership plans for individuals, couples and families. The Company's memberships include the primary member's children under the age of 12 at a modest per child monthly cost. The Company provides the majority of its members with a variety of services with their membership, including group fitness classes and fitness asse! ssments, towel and locker service and an online subscription to its magazine, Experience Life. The Company's membership plans include initial 14-day money back guarantees and are month-to-month, cancelable by giving up to 60 days advance notice. The Company's ancillary businesses include media, athletic events and related services, health promotion programs and training and certification programs.

The Company offers one-on-one sessions and small group sessions for individual member and a group of two to four members. The Company offers large group (typically eight to 12 members) programs under its T.E.A.M. platform. The Company's T.E.A.M. Weight Loss program focuses on exercise, education and nutrition and provides the resources and support toward long-term weight loss. The T.E.A.M. Fitness program combines cardio exercise with strength training. The Company's endurance program focuses on training in the proper heart rate zones, for the proper duration of time and at the proper frequency to burn fat more efficiently while improving overall health and fitness. The Company's T.E.A.M. Boot Camp enables members to test their strength, agility and stamina. From time to time, the Company also offers other weight loss and nutrition programs, such as the Life Time 90-Day Weight Loss Challenge, as an opportunity for members to receive education, training and motivation. The Company's centers offer fitness programs, including group fitness classes and health and fitness training seminars on subjects ranging from metabolism to personal nutrition. On average, the Company offers 85 group fitness classes per week at each current model center, including studio cycling, step workout, dance classes, circuit training and fitness yoga classes.

The Company's large format centers feature a Life Cafe, which offers fresh and healthy made-to-order and pre-prepared breakfast, lunch and dinner items, including sandwiches, salads, snacks, shakes and more. The Company's Life Cafes offer customers the cho! ice of di! ning indoors, ordering their meals and snacks to go or, in each of the Company's model centers and certain of its other large format centers, dining outdoors at the poolside bistro. Life Cafes also typically offer the Life Time line of nutritional products and supplements, third-party nutritional products, exercise accessories and personal care products. The Company's LifeSpa is a salon and spa. Each in-center LifeSpa offers hair, body, skin care and massage therapy services, customized to each client's individual needs. The Company also offers medi-spa services in select locations. LifeClinic Chiropractic services are provided by licensed chiropractors. LifeClinic Chiropractic offers non-invasive form of soft tissue and joint treatment. The Company's centers offer on-site child centers for children from three months through 11 years of age as part of a monthly fee per child. All of the Company's large format centers offer a variety of additional programs for children, which may include birthday parties, school break camps, parents' night out, sports and fitness classes and swimming lessons. For adults, the Company offers a variety of sports leagues and interest-driven clubs.

During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Company produced over 100 events, serving over 90,000 participants. The Company's events range from entry level to ultra endurance events and draw from local, regional, national and international markets. The Company's larger events include triathlons such as the Life Time Tri Minneapolis and Life Time Tri Chicago, as well as the iconic Leadville Trail 100 Mountain Bike Race Across the Sky. The Company produces events primarily in markets in which the Company operates centers, including themed runs such as the Torchlight 5K Run and Turkey Day 5K. The Company offers a line of nutritional products, including Men's and Women 's Performance Multivitamins, Omega-3 Fish oils, Joint Maintenance Formulation, LeanSource Soft Gels, VeganMax, Whey Protein, and FastFuel Complete, its me! al replac! ement product.

The Company competes with 4 Hour Fitness Worldwide, Inc., Equinox Holdings, Inc., LA Fitness International, LLC, Town Sports International, Inc. and Gold's Gym.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By amigobulls@twitter]

    Twitter currently trades at a Last Twelve Months (LTM) Price to Sales (PS) ratio of 27, which translates to astronomical valuations. Consider a comparison with Facebook which generates about 10 times the revenue and still grows at a healthy 60 odd percent. Facebook trades at an LTM PS multiple of 19. Here one should note that Facebook also delivered a net profit margin of 27% in Q2 vs Twitter's loss margin of 46% and has nearly 5 times Twitter's active users.

Top 10 Recreation Companies To Own For 2014: Medina International Holdings Inc (MIHI)

Medina International Holdings, Inc. (Medina), incorporated on June 23, 1998, manufactures products and services to assist emergency and defense organizations and personnel. The Company, through its two wholly owned subsidiaries, Harbor Guard Boats, Inc. (HGB) and Medina Marine, Inc. manufactures and sells recreational and commercial boats. The products are manufactured by HGB, which designs, manufactures, and markets hand-laid fiberglass and aluminum commercial boats ranging from 15 feet to 37 feet, which are utilized by fire, search and rescue, emergency, patrol, military and defense organizations. It manufactures commercial and recreational watercrafts.

As of April 30, 2012, HGB had nine models of commercial and recreational watercrafts. The Company�� products consist of commercial boats and recreational boats. As of April 30, 2012, Medina had seven commercial watercraft models, ranging from 15 feet to 37 feet in length. Its other watercraft includes 15 feet interceptor, which is used for rescue and fiber glass; 20-feet interceptor, which is used for fire rescue, rescue and fiber glass; 21 feet firecat, which is used for fire rescue, rescue and fiber glass; 24 feet firecat/denfender, which is used for fire rescue, rescue, aluminum and fiber glass; 26 feet firecat/denfender, which is used for fire rescue, rescue, aluminum and fiber glass; 30 feet firecat/denfender, which is used for fire rescue, rescue, aluminum and fiber glass, and 37 feet firecat/denfender, which is used for fire rescue, rescue, aluminum and fiber glass. As of April 30, 2012, the Company had two recreational watercraft models. Its watercraft products are made out of fiberglass and aluminum materials.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Peter Graham]

    Last Friday, small cap Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group Inc (OTCMKTS: DBMM) surged 22.22% while Blue Water Global Group Inc (OTCBB: BLUU) sank 18.42% and Medina International Holdings, Inc (OTCMKTS: MIHI) sank 50%. However, one of these small caps (Blue Water Global Group) appears to be reversing course in early morning trading today. So with it and the rest of these small cap stocks either sink or swim in trading this week? Here is a closer look to help you decide on an investing or trading strategy:

Top 10 Recreation Companies To Own For 2014: IMAX Corp (IMAX)

IMAX Corporation, incorporated on January 1, 2002, together with its wholly owned subsidiaries, is an entertainment technology companies, specializing in motion picture technologies and presentations. The Company�� customers who purchase lease or otherwise acquire the IMAX theatre systems are theatre exhibitors, which operate commercial theatres, museums, science centers, and destination entertainment sites. IMAX theatre systems combine the Company�� digital re-mastering movie conversion technology (IMAX DMR), projectors with equipment and automated theatre control systems, sound system components, screens, theatre geometry, and theatre acoustics.

The Company�� principal business is the design, manufacture and delivery of theater systems (IMAX theater systems). The Company�� customers who purchase, lease or otherwise acquire the IMAX theater systems through joint revenue sharing arrangements are theater exhibitors that operate commercial theaters (particularly multiplexes), museums, science centers, or destination entertainment sites. The Company does not own IMAX theaters, but licenses the use of its trademarks along with the sale, lease or contribution of the IMAX theater system.

IMAX Systems, Theater System Maintenance and Joint Revenue Sharing Arrangements

The Company provides IMAX theater systems to customers on a sales or long-term lease basis with an initial 10-year term. These agreements consist of initial fees and ongoing fees (which can include a fixed minimum amount per annum and contingent fees in excess of the minimum payments) and maintenance and extended warranty fees. The initial fees vary depending on the system configuration and location of the theater and generally are paid to the Company in installments between the time of system signing and the time of system installation. Ongoing fees are paid over the term of the contract, commencing after the theater system has been installed and are generally equal to the greater of a fixed minimu! m amount per annum or a percentage of boxoffice receipts. The Company also provides IMAX theater systems to customers under joint revenue sharing arrangements, pursuant to which the Company provides the IMAX theater system in return for a portion of the customer�� IMAX box-office receipts, and in some cases concession revenues and/or a small upfront or initial payment. As at December 31, 2012, the Company had 316 theaters in operation under joint revenue sharing arrangements.

Production and Digital Re-Mastering (IMAX DMR)

The Company�� technology digitally re-masters Hollywood films into IMAX digital cinema package format or 15/70-format film. IMAX DMR digitally enhances the image resolution of motion picture films for projection on IMAX screens while maintaining or enhancing the visual clarity and sound quality to levels for which The IMAX Experience is known. This technology enabled the IMAX theater network to release Hollywood films simultaneously with domestic release. In a typical IMAX DMR film arrangement, the Company will receive a percentage of net box-office receipts of any commercial films released in the IMAX network, which is generally 10-15%, from a film studio for the conversion of the film to the IMAX DMR format and access to its distribution platform. During the year ended December 31, 2012, 35 films converted through the IMAX DMR process were released to theaters within the IMAX network. As of December 31, 2012, the Company released 23 IMAX DMR titles to theaters within the IMAX network. During 2012, five local language IMAX DMR films were released, including one French film, Houba! On the Trail of the Marsupilami: The IMAX Experience and four Chinese IMAX DMR titles: Tai Chi 0: An IMAX 3D Experience, Tai Chi Hero: An IMAX 3D Experience, Back to 1942: The IMAX Experience and CZ12: The IMAX Experience.

Film Distribution and Post-Production

The Company is also a distributor of large-format films, primarily catering to its institution! al theate! r partners. The Company generally distributes films, which it produces or for which it has acquired distribution rights from independent producers. The Company generally receives a percentage of the theater box-office receipts as a distribution fee. Films produced by the Company are typically financed through third parties, whereby the Company will generally receive a film production fee in exchange for producing the film and a distribution fee for distributing the film. The Company utilizes third-party funding for the majority of original films it produces and distributes. In 2012, the Company, along with Warner Bros. Pictures (WB) and MacGillivray Freeman Films (MFF) released an original title, To the Artic 3D: An IMAX 3D Experience.

The Company derives a small portion of its revenues from other sources. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had four owned and operated theaters. In addition, the Company has a commercial arrangement with one theater resulting in the sharing of profits and losses and provides management services to two theaters. The Company also rents its two dimensional (2D) and three dimensional (3D) large-format film and digital cameras to third party production companies. The Company maintains cameras and other film equipment and also offers production advice and technical assistance to both documentary and Hollywood filmmakers. Additionally, the Company generates revenues from the sale of after-market parts and 3D glasses. As of December 31, 2012, approximately 54.2% of IMAX systems in operation were located in the United States and Canada. As at December 31, 2012, approximately 45.8% of IMAX systems in operation were located within international markets (other than the United States and Canada).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    The shares of small cap IMAX Corporation (NYSE: IMAX) have slipped more than 10% this week on growth concerns - meaning it might be a good idea to take a closer look at the stock plus its performance�verses other cinema stocks like Carmike Cinemas, Inc (NASDAQ: CKEC), Cinemark Holdings, Inc (NYSE: CNK) and Regal Entertainment Group (NYSE: RGC) along with the PowerShares Dynamic Leisure & Entertainment ETF�(NYSEARCA: PEJ).

  • [By Rick Munarriz]

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

    I predicted that IMAX (NYSE: IMAX  ) would close higher on the week. With a strong slate of potential summer blockbusters hitting movie theaters these days, betting on the provider of super-sized multiplex experiences seemed like a good call during a week that has been historically busy at the box office. IMAX shares moved 1.2% higher on the week, pushing into positive territory with a strong Friday. I was right. I predicted that the tech-heavy Nasdaq would outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) . This has been a tricky call lately, so how did it play out this time? Well, the market closed nicely higher this week. The Nasdaq moved 2.2% higher, and the Dow managed to close just 1.5% higher. I was right. My final call was for Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ  ) to beat Wall Street's income estimates in its latest quarter. The liquor leader behind Mondavi wines, Svedka vodkas, and other libations has been posting blowout quarterly results over the past year, and I was banking on seeing the trend continue. Analysts were looking for a profit of $0.40 a share during the quarter, but Constellation came through with adjusted net income of $0.38. I was wrong.

    Two out of three? I can do better than that.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    The main rival that RealD faces is IMAX (NYSE: IMAX  ) , and the biggest challenge IMAX poses for RealD is that IMAX and its huge-screen theaters give viewers an impressive experience even with 2-D films. That flexibility has been a key component driving IMAX's growth, with a global footprint extending to hundreds of theaters in more than 50 countries worldwide. RealD has tried to match that with its precision white-screen technology, but RealD can't make theater-operators install the huge screens to match up to IMAX.

Top 10 Recreation Companies To Own For 2014: Marine Products Corp (MPX)

Marine Products Corporation (Marine Products), incorporated on August 31, 2000, designs, manufactures and sells recreational fiberglass powerboats in the sportboat, deckboat, cruiser, sport yacht and sport fishing markets. The Company sells its products to a network of 135 domestic and 69 international independent authorized dealers. The Company focuses to remain a manufacturer of recreational powerboats for sale to a range of consumers globally. The Company manufactures Chaparral sterndrive and inboard-powered pleasure boats including H2O Sport and Fish & Ski boats, SSi and SSX Sportboats, Sunesta Sportdecks and Xtreme Tow boats, Signature Cruisers, Premiere Sport Yachts and Robalo outboard sport fishing boats. The Company offers a range of products to the family recreational, cruiser and sport yacht markets through its Chaparral brand, and to the sport fishing market through its Robalo brand.

The Company's products include Chaparral - H2O Sport Series, which is a fiberglass multipurpose runabouts; Chaparral - SSi Wide tech, which is a fiberglass closed deck runabouts; Chaparral - SSX Sportdecks, which is a fiberglass bowrider crossover sportboats; Chaparral - Sunesta Xtreme Tow Boats, which is a fiberglass pleasure boats; Chaparral - Signature Cruisers, which is a fiberglass, accommodation-focused cruisers; Chaparral - Premiere Sport Yacht, which is a fiberglass sport yacht, and Robalo - Sport Fishing Boats, which is a sport fishing boats for freshwater lakes or saltwater use. Domestic sales are made through approximately 74 Chaparral dealers, 16 Robalo dealers and 45 dealers that sell both brands located in markets throughout the United States. Marine Products also has 69 international dealers.

The Company competes with Sea Hunt, Sea Fox, Grady-White, Boston Whaler, Everglades and Parker.

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 Marine Products (NYSE: MPX  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    Sink or swim
    Sometimes the best short-sale opportunities are small, under-the-radar companies. One that I feel fits the bill perfectly is fiberglass boat maker Marine Products (NYSE: MPX  ) .

Top 10 Recreation Companies To Own For 2014: MarineMax Inc (HZO)

MarineMax, Inc., incorporated in January 1998, is a recreational boat dealer in the United States. Through 54 retail locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas, the Company sells new and used recreational boats, including pleasure and fishing boats. It also sells related marine products, including engines, trailers, parts, and accessories. In addition, the Company provides repair, maintenance, and slip and storage services; it arranges related boat financing, insurance, and extended service contracts; it offers boat and yacht brokerage services, and it operates a yacht charter business. It is also retailer of Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Bayliner, Cabo, Hatteras, and Meridian recreational boats and yachts, all of which are manufactured by Brunswick Corporation (Brunswick). In March 2013, it acquired Parker Boat Company's retail boat sales and service operations in Orlando and Daytona, Florida.

The Company is a dealer for Hatteras Yachts throughout the state of Florida (excluding the Florida panhandle) and the states of New Jersey, New York, and Texas; the exclusive dealer for Cabo Yachts throughout the states of Florida, New Jersey, and New York; the exclusive dealer for Boston Whaler in many of its markets; the exclusive dealer for Bayliner in many of its markets, and the exclusive dealer for Meridian Yachts in most of its markets. In addition, it is the exclusive dealer for Italy-based Azimut-Benetti Group for Azimut mega-yachts, yachts, and other recreational boats for the Northeast United States from Maryland to Maine and the state of Florida.

New Boat Sales

The Company sells recreational boats, including pleasure boats and fishing boats. The products it offers are manufactured by Brunswick, the manufacturer of recreational boats, including Sea Ray pleasure boats, Boston Whaler fishing boats, Cab! o Yachts, Hatteras Yachts, and Meridian Yachts. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), it derived approximately 48% of its revenue from the sale of new boats manufactured by Brunswick. During fiscal 2011, new boat sales accounted for 60.6% of its revenue. It offers recreational boats in most market segments. Hatteras Yachts and Azimut are two of the premier yacht builders. The motor yacht product lines include designs with live-aboard luxuries. Hatteras offers a flybridge with guest seating; covered aft deck, which may be fully or partially enclosed, providing the boater with additional living space; an elegant salon; and multiple staterooms for accommodations.

Hatteras Yachts and Cabo Yachts are convertible yacht builders and offer designs with live-aboard luxuries. Convertibles are primarily fishing vessels, which are well equipped to meet the needs of even the most serious tournament-class competitor. Hatteras features interiors that offer luxurious salon/galley arrangements, multiple staterooms with private heads, and a cockpit that includes a bait and tackle center, fishbox, and freezer. Cabo is known for spacious cockpits and accessibility to essentials, such as bait chests, livewells, bait prep centers, and tackle lockers.

Sea Ray and Meridian pleasure boats target both the luxury and the family recreational boating markets and come in a range of configurations to suit each customer�� particular recreational boating style. Sea Ray sport yachts and yachts serve the luxury segment of the recreational boating market and include living accommodations with a salon, a fully equipped galley, and multiple staterooms. Sea Ray sport yachts and yachts are available in cabin, bridge cockpit, and cruiser models. Meridian sport yachts and yachts are available in sedan, motoryacht, and pilothouse models.

The fishing boats the Company offers, such as Boston Whaler and Grady White, range from entry level models to advanced models designed for fish! ing and w! ater sports in lakes, bays, and off-shore waters, with cabins with limited live-aboard capability. The fishing boats feature livewells, in-deck fishboxes, rodholders, rigging stations, cockpit coaming pads, and fresh and saltwater washdowns. The ski boats it offers, such as Malibu, Axis, and Nautique by Correct Craft, range from entry level models to advanced models.

Used Boat Sales

The Company sells used versions of the new makes and models it offers and, to a lesser extent, used boats of other makes and models generally taken as trade-ins. During fiscal 2011, used boat sales accounted for 19.0% of its revenue, and 77.1% of the used boats it sold were Brunswick models. It also sells used boats at various marinas and other offsite locations throughout the country. In addition, it offers the Sea Ray Legacy warranty plan available for used Sea Ray boats less than six years old. The Legacy plan applies to each qualifying used Sea Ray boat, which has passed a 48-point inspection, and provides protection against failure of most mechanical parts for up to three years.

Marine Engines, Related Marine Equipment, and Boating Parts and Accessories

The Company offers marine engines and propellers, substantially all of which are manufactured by Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick. It sells marine engines and propellers primarily to retail customers as replacements for their existing engines or propellers. It also sells a range of marine parts and accessories at its retail locations, at various offsite locations, through its print catalog, and through the Website portal. These marine parts and accessories include marine electronics; dock and anchoring products, such as boat fenders, lines, and anchors; boat covers; trailer parts; water sport accessories, such as tubes, lines, wakeboards, and skies; engine parts; oils; lubricants; steering and control systems; corrosion control products, service products; high-performance accessories, such as propellers and instr! uments, a! nd a complete line of boating accessories, including life jackets, inflatables, and water sports equipment. It also offers novelty items, such as shirts, caps, and license plates bearing the manufacturer�� or dealer�� logos. The sale of marine engines, related marine equipment, and boating parts and accessories accounted for 6.2% of the Company�� during fiscal 2011 revenue.

Maintenance, Repair, and Storage Services

The Company provides maintenance and repair services at most of its retail locations, with extended service hours at certain of its locations. In addition, in many of its markets, it provides mobile maintenance and repair services at the location of the customer�� boat. The Company performs both warranty and non-warranty repair services. It derives the majority of its warranty revenue from Brunswick products. Its maintenance and repair services are performed by manufacturer-trained and certified service technicians. At many of the Company�� locations, it offers boat storage services, including in-water slip storage and inside and outside land storage. Maintenance, repair, and storage services accounted for 8.9% of its revenue during fiscal 2011. This includes warranty and non-warranty services.

F&I Products

At each of the Company�� retail locations, it offers the customers the ability to finance new or used boat purchases and to purchase extended service contracts and arrange insurance coverage, including boat property, credit life, and accident, disability, and casualty insurance coverage (collectively, F&I). The Company also offers third-party extended service contracts under which, for a predetermined price, it provides all designated services pursuant to the service contract guidelines during the contract term at no additional charge to the customer above a deductible. Credit life insurance policies provide for repayment of the boat financing contract if the purchaser dies while the contract is outstanding. Accident an! d disabil! ity insurance policies provide for payment of the monthly contract obligation during any period in which the buyer is disabled. Property and casualty insurance covers loss or damage to the boat.

Brokerage Services

Through employees or subcontractors that are licensed boat or yacht brokers, the Company offers boat or yacht brokerage services at most of its retail locations. It also offers for sale brokered boats or yachts, listing them on various Internet sites, advising its other retail locations, and posting them on its Website, www.MarineMax.com. Its maintenance and repair services, including mobile service, also are generally available to its brokerage customers.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

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

Top 10 Recreation Companies To Own For 2014: mCig Inc (MCIG)

MCIG, INC. (mCig), incorporated on December 30, 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company is a technology company. The Company focused on two long-term secular trends sweeping the globe: the decriminalization and legalization of marijuana for medicinal or recreational purposes and the adoption of electronic vaporizing cigarettes (eCigs).

The mCig provides a smoking experience by heating (not burning) plant material, waxes, and oils delivering a smoother inhalation experience. As of October 31, 2013, the Company did not generate any revenues.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jason Shubnell]

    He also discussed MCIG (OTC: MCIG), a relatively new company that has developed a legal marijuana vaporizer, similar to the e-cig. The mCig heats plant material instead of burning it, providing a superior method of consumption that is much smoother, according to the company's website. The product sells for $10, while the stock itself has a market cap of $35 million.

  • [By Joel Elconin]

    One such example is mCig (OTC: MCIG).

    ��CIG started off with a $10 vape pen," he said. "They almost envision themselves as being the Apple of the industry. CEO and founder Paul Rosenberg [is] strictly a businessman, he owns about half the stock. He then brought on some talent and gave them his stock to help the company. Why? Because he knows the stock is overvalued, but if you can [evolve a company] without diluting your shareholders, that's what I mean by doing the right thing.��/p>

  • [By John Udovich]

    After marijuana, the electronic cigarette sector and e-Cig stocks or industry players�like�Reynolds American, Inc (NYSE: RAI), mCig Inc (OTCBB: MCIG), Victory Electronic Cigarettes Corp (OTCMKTS: ECIG) and American Heritage International Inc (OTCBB: AHII) is looking like the next hot niche sector for investors. However, electronic cigarette stock investors should be aware of the following�recent good and bad news from the sector that needs to be digested:

Top 10 Recreation Companies To Own For 2014: Bowl America Inc (BWL.A)

Bowl America Incorporated, incorporated in July 22, 1958, is engaged in the entertainment business. The Company operates in one segment. Its principal source of revenue consists of fees charged for the use of bowling lanes and other facilities and from the sale of food and beverages for consumption on the premises. Merchandise sales, including food and beverages, were approximately 30% of operating revenues. The balance of operating revenues (approximately 70%) represents fees for bowling and related services. During the fiscal year ended July, 1 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company and its wholly owned subsidiaries operated 19 bowling centers. These 19 bowling centers contain a total of 756 lanes. As of September 1, 2012 the Company and its subsidiaries operated 10 bowling centers in the greater metropolitan area of Washington, D.C., one bowling center in the metropolitan area of Baltimore, Maryland, one bowling center in Orlando, Florida, three bowling centers in the metropolitan area of Jacksonville, Florida, and four bowling centers in the metropolitan area of Richmond, Virginia.

These establishments are air-conditioned with facilities for service of food and beverages, game rooms, rental lockers, and meeting room facilities. All centers provide shoes for rental, and bowling balls are provided free. In addition, each center retails bowling accessories. Most locations are equipped for glow-in-the-dark bowling, popular for parties and non-league bowling. The bowling equipment essential for the Company's operation is readily available. Two of the Company's bowling centers are located in leased premises, and the remaining seventeen centers are owned by the Company.

The Company competes with Brunswick Corporation and AMF Bowling Worldwide, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Fredrik Arnold]

    The balance of the top ten included one technology firm, AT&T Inc. (T) in fourth place; one consumer goods, Altria Group Inc. (MO), placed fifth; Bowl America Class A (BWL.A) in seventh place was the lone service dog. Two utilities, Northwest Natural Gas (NWN), and Consolidated Edison (ED), in ninth and tenth places completed the representation of market sectors in the champions index.

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

Top Small Cap Companies To Watch For 2014

Small cap upscale apparel retailer Vince Holding Corp (NYSE: VNCE) recently had a spectacular IPO and while there aren�� any ETFs that track the luxury or upscale apparel or retail segments, the performance of large cap Michael Kors Holdings Ltd (NYSE: KORS), the last major apparel retail group to debut in the US IPO market, and Francesca's Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: FRAN), which debuted some months before KORS,�offer investors�good performance benchmarks for investors. But is Vince Holding Corp a bargain deal for investors?

What is Vince Holding Corp?

Founded in 2002, Vince Holding Corp began with a collection of stylish women�� knits and cashmere sweaters but has since grown to include a men�� collection in 2007; expanded denim, leather and outerwear lines in 2010; and women�� footwear, which was launched through a licensing partnership in 2012. Vince Holding Corp says the Vince brand is ��ynonymous with a clean, timeless aesthetic, sophisticated design and superior quality��plus it�� a ��rominent fashion brand known for its modern effortless style and everyday luxury essentials.��Today, Vince Holding Corp offers a broad range of women�� and men�� ready-to-wear items (including signature cashmere sweaters, leather jackets, luxe leggings, dresses, silk and woven tops, denim and footwear) in over 2,100 stores across 43 countries and operates 21 full-price retail locations, 6 outlet stores and�an e-commerce site called�Vince.com.

Top 10 Value Stocks For 2015: Sify Technologies Limited(SIFY)

Sify Technologies Limited provides enterprise and consumer Internet services primarily in India. The company offers various corporate network/data services comprising e-commerce and network connectivity solutions, such as end-to-end services network, application, and security services; voice origination and termination services; co-location and managed hosting services; and system integration services for data centre build, hardware distribution, security solutions, and turnkey projects. It also provides application services, including SLEMS and Microsoft Exchange messaging platforms; I-test for online assessment and LiveWire, which enable management of training processes across the organization; document management system for the management of documents electronically; and Forum, a forward supply chain solution. In addition, the company operates e-Ports that offer browsing, chat, email, gaming, utility bill payment, travel ticketing, hotel booking, mobile recharge, Intern et telephony, and online share trading services; and portals, which provide news, views, reviews, interactions, and services in the areas of movies, sports, finance, food, videos, astrology, online games, shopping, and travel, as well as offers content offerings and broadband services. Further, it provides infrastructure management services, such as network management, datacenter and helpdesk outsourcing, desktop and storage outsourcing, IT security outsourcing, LAN and WAN outsourcing, database and telecom outsourcing, and application monitoring and management services to automotive, chemical, media, and financial enterprises; and virtualization design, integration, and deployment services for servers, storage, networks, and end user clients. Sify has approximately 1,278 e-Ports in 200 towns and cities; and serves 1,06,000 broadband subscribers through 1500 cable TV Operators. The company, formerly known as Sify Limited, was founded in 1995 and is based in Chennai, India. Advisors' Opinion:

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Technology stocks gained Tuesday, with Ku6 Media Co (NASDAQ: KUTV) leading advancers. Among leading tech stocks, gains came from Rubicon Technology (NASDAQ: RBCN), Bitauto Holdings (NYSE: BITA) and Sify Technologies (NASDAQ: SIFY).

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Technology stocks gained Tuesday, with Ku6 Media Co (NASDAQ: KUTV) leading advancers. Among leading tech stocks, gains came from Rubicon Technology (NASDAQ: RBCN), Bitauto Holdings (NYSE: BITA) and Sify Technologies (NASDAQ: SIFY). Utilities shares dropped by 0.11 percent in the US market today.

Top Small Cap Companies To Watch For 2014: EZchip Semiconductor Limited(EZCH)

EZchip, a fabless semiconductor company, engages in the development and marketing of Ethernet network processors for networking equipment. Its products include network processor chips, evaluation boards and network-processor based systems, and development software toolkits. The company offers network processors for use in forming the silicon core of networking equipment, such as switches and routers; and for voice, video and data integration in various applications. Its network processors are single-chip solutions, which enable its customers to design multi-port line cards, such as processing and classification engines, traffic managers, media access controllers, as well as a range of specialized hardware blocks that accelerate various functions. The company offers Evaluation systems which enable customers to test NPU-based systems; and toolkits that assist customers in creating, verifying, and implementing solutions based on its network processors. It provides a library f eaturing data plane code for a range of applications, which include Metro Ethernet protocols, Multi-Protocol Label Switching, IPv4 and IPv6 routing, Access Control Lists, GPON/EPON OLT functionality, Network Address Translation, and Server Load Balancing. The company sells its products directly, and through contract manufacturers and distributors to network equipment vendors. It markets its products in Israel, China, Hong Kong, the Far East, Canada, the United States, and Europe. The company was formerly known as LanOptics Ltd. and changed its name to EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. in July 2008. EZchip Semiconductor Ltd. was founded in 1989 and is based in Yokneam, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Evan Niu, CFA]

    What: Shares of EZchip (NASDAQ: EZCH  ) have jumped today by as much as 13% after the company reported first-quarter earnings.

    So what: Revenue in the first quarter totaled $15.3 million, topping the Street's forecast of $15.1 million. Non-GAAP net income per share came in at $0.23, which was right on target with expectations.

  • [By Paul McWilliams]

    Paul McWilliams: Oh, absolutely. Another company that most investors probably have never heard of is a tiny little Israeli semiconductor company named EZChip (EZCH).

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    EZchip Semiconductor (NASDAQ: EZCH) shares climbed 5.80% to $23.53. The volume of EZchip Semiconductor shares traded was 635% higher than normal. EZchip Semiconductor's PEG ratio is 1.57.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    EZchip Semiconductor (NASDAQ: EZCH) surged 9.38% to $26.13. The volume of EZchip Semiconductor shares traded 407% higher than normal. EZchip Semiconductor reported better-than-expected Q1 results.

Top Small Cap Companies To Watch For 2014: Panera Bread Company(PNRA)

Panera Bread Company, together with its subsidiaries, owns, operates, and franchises retail bakery-cafes in the United States and Canada. Its bakery-cafes offer fresh baked goods, sandwiches, soups, salads, custom roasted coffees, and other complementary products, as well as provide catering services. The company also manufactures and supplies dough and other products to company-owned and franchise-operated bakery-cafes. As of March 29, 2011, it owned and franchised 1,467 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co., and Paradise Bakery & Cafe names. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Daniel Sparks]

    For Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA  ) , the stakes are high. Can the bakery-cafe continue on its impressive growth trajectory? On Tuesday, shareholders will get a chance to check in on the company to see whether or not the company's growth story is still hot.

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Analyst at Barclays maintained an Equal-Weight rating on Panera Bread (NASDAQ: PNRA) with a price target lowered to $165 from a previous $167. Shares lost 2.94 percent, closing at $147.30.

Top Small Cap Companies To Watch For 2014: KongZhong Corporation(KONG)

KongZhong Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides wireless interactive entertainment, media, and community services to mobile phone users in the People's Republic of China. It also involves in the development, distribution, and marketing of consumer wireless value-added services, including wireless application protocol, multimedia messaging services, short messaging services, interactive voice response services, and color ring back tones. In addition, it offers interactive entertainment services, such as mobile games, pictures, karaoke, electronic books, mobile phone personalization features, entertainment news, chat, and message boards; and through Kong.net offer news, community services, games, and other interactive media and entertainment services; and sells advertising space in the form of text-link, banner, and button advertisements. Further, the company develops and publishes mobile games, including downloadable mobile games and online mobile games cons isting of action, role-playing, and leisure games. As of December 31, 2009, it had a library of approximately 300 internally developed mobile games. Additionally, it develops online games; and provides consulting and technology services, as well as media and net book services. The company was formerly known as Communication Over The Air Inc. and changed its name to KongZhong Corporation in March 2004. KongZhong Corporation was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    One under-$10 wireless services player that looks poised for a big spike higher is KongZhong (KONG), which is a provider of WVAS and mobile games to mobile phone users and a wireless media company providing news, content, community and mobile advertising services through its wireless Internet sites in the PRC. This stock is off to a hot start in 2013, with shares up sharply by 53%.

    If you take a look at the chart for KongZhong, you'll notice that this stock has been downtrending badly for the last two months, with shares plunging lower from its high of $14.92 to its recent low of $7.78 a share. During that downtrend, shares of KONG have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of KONG into oversold territory, since its current relative strength index reading is 30.21. Shares of KONG are now starting to spike higher off its recent low of $7.78 a share and off its 200-day moving average of $7.95 a share. This spike could be signaling that the downside volatility for KONG is over in the short-term and the stock is ready to trend higher.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in KONG if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $8.50 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 519,857 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then KONG will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $10 to its 50-day moving average at $11.33 a share.

    Traders can look to buy KONG off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support at $7.78 a share. One can also buy KONG off strength once it takes out $8.50 a share with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

  • [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 Kongzhong (Nasdaq: KONG  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Top losers in the sector included China Unicom (Hong Kong) (NYSE: CHU), off 4.5 percent, and Kongzhong (NASDAQ: KONG), down 4.7 percent.

    Top Headline
    The Boeing Company (NYSE: BA) reported better-than-expected first-quarter profit. Boeing's quarterly profit declined to $965 million, or $1.28 per share, from a year-ago profit of $1.11 billion, or $1.44 per share. Its adjusted earnings surged to $1.76 per share compared to $1.73 per share. Its revenue climbed to $20.47 billion versus $18.89 billion. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $1.57 per share on revenue of $20.24 billion. For the full year, Boeing expects adjusted earnings of $7.15 to $7.35 per share.

Top Small Cap Companies To Watch For 2014: ATA Inc.(ATAI)

ATA Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides computer-based testing services in the People?s Republic of China. It offers services for the creation and delivery of computer-based tests utilizing its test delivery platform, proprietary testing technologies, and testing services; and provides logistical support services relating to test administration. The company?s computer-based testing services are used for professional licensure and certification tests in various industries, including information technology (IT) services, banking, securities, teaching, and insurance. Its e-testing platform integrates various aspects of the test delivery process for computer-based tests ranging from test form compilation to test scoring, and results analysis. ATA also provides career-oriented educational services, such as single course programs, degree major course programs, and pre-occupational training programs focusing on preparing students to pass IT and other vocational certification tests; test preparation and training programs and services to test candidates preparing to take professional certification tests in securities, futures, banking, insurance and teaching industries; online test preparation and training platform for the securities and banking industries; and test preparation software for the teaching industry. In addition, the company offers HR select employee assessment solution, an online system that utilizes its proprietary software and an inventory of test titles to help employers improve the efficiency and accuracy of their employee recruitment process. As of March 31, 2010, it had contractual relationships with 1,988 ATA authorized test centers. The company serves Chinese governmental agencies, professional associations, IT vendors, and Chinese educational institutions, as well as individual test preparation services. ATA Inc. was founded in 1999 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Industrials stocks gained Friday, with ATA (NASDAQ: ATAI) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG), with shares up 22 percent, and Korn/Ferry International (KFY), with shares up 12 percent. In trading on Friday, basic materials shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.36 percent.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Industrials stocks gained Friday, with ATA (NASDAQ: ATAI) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG), with shares up 22 percent, and Korn/Ferry International (KFY), with shares up 12 percent. In trading on Friday, basic materials shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.36 percent.

Top Small Cap Companies To Watch For 2014: Rackspace Hosting Inc(RAX)

Rackspace Hosting, Inc. operates in the hosting and cloud computing industry. It provides information technology (IT) as a service, managing Web-based IT systems for small and medium-sized businesses, as well as large enterprises worldwide. The company?s service suite includes dedicated hosting comprising customer management portal and other management tools that manage data center, network, hardware devices, and operating system software; and cloud computing that enables customers to provide and manage a pool of computing resources, as well as delivery of computing resources to business when they need them. It offers cloud servers, cloud files, and cloud sites, as well as cloud applications, such as email, collaboration, and file back-ups; and hybrid hosting that provides a combination of dedicated hosting and cloud computing services. The company also offers customer support services. It sells its service suite through direct sales teams, third-party channel partners, an d online ordering. The company was formerly known as Rackspace.com, Inc. and changed its name to Rackspace Hosting, Inc. in June 2008. Rackspace Hosting, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Antonio, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Michael Lewis]

    Rackspace (NYSE: RAX  ) got slammed in early May after missing analyst estimates. The miss was relatively minor, and normally shouldn't concern investors, but it was management's comments that did the damage.

Top Small Cap Companies To Watch For 2014: OCZ Technology Group Inc(OCZ)

OCZ Technology Group, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and distributes computer components for computing devices and systems worldwide. It primarily offers solid state drives, flash memory storage, memory modules, thermal management solutions, AC/DC switching power supply units, and computer gaming solutions. The company?s products are used in industrial equipment and computer systems; computer and computer gaming solutions; mission critical servers and high end workstations; personal computer (PC) upgrades to extend the useable life of existing PCs; high performance computing and scientific computing; video and music editing; home theatre PCs and digital home convergence products; and digital photography and digital image manipulation computers. OCZ Technology Group, Inc. offers its products to retailers, on-line retailers, original equipment manufacturers, systems integrators, and distributors. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in San Jose, Califo rnia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    The not-so-great and wonderful OCZ
    There was no company-specific news that caused solid-state-drive maker OCZ Technology (NASDAQ: OCZ  ) to fall almost 8% Wednesday. But an article that appeared on Seeking Alpha �questioning whether the company had six months or less to live before it filed for bankruptcy seemed to coincide with its fall.

Tuesday, October 28, 2014

Top Healthcare Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Larry Summers has withdrawn his name as a potential candidate for Chairman of the Federal Reserve, even though he looked to be President Obama's man. Obama, despite all the negative baggage associated with this potential nominee, was likely to name him as the successor to Ben Bernanke.

This baggage included cozy Wall Street relationships, involvement with deregulation that led to much of the financial crisis and then his stepping down at Harvard due to his sexist remarks about women. Obama has already faced criticism from the female vote for his lack of appointments, especially painful since his 2012 Republican opponent Mitt Romney was seen as an enemy to female appointees.

Hot Dow Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Global Payments Inc.(GPN)

Global Payments Inc. provides electronic transaction processing services for merchants, independent sales organizations (ISO), financial institutions, government agencies, and multi-national corporations located in the United States, Canada, Europe, and the Asia-Pacific region. It offers a comprehensive line of processing solutions for credit and debit cards; business-to-business purchasing cards; gift cards; and electronic check conversion and check guarantee, verification, and recovery, including electronic check services, as well as terminal management. The company also offers proprietary software products to establish revolving check cashing limits for the casinos? customers in the gaming industry. In addition, it sells, installs, and services automated teller machine and point of sale terminals; and provides card issuing services, including card management and card personalization. The company markets its products directly, as well as through ISOs, retail outlets, tra de associations, alliance bank relationships, and financial institutions. Global Payments Inc. has a joint venture with La Caixa Group to provide merchant acquiring services to merchants in Spain. Global Payments Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Wednesday

    Earnings Expected From: Uniferst (NYSE: UNF), Constellation Brands (NYSE: STZ), RPM International (NYSE: RPM), Global Payments (NYSE: GPN) Economic Releases Expected: German trade balance, German factory orders, Australian retail sales

    Thursday

Top Healthcare Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now: Colonial Municipal Income Trust (CMU)

MFS High Yield Municipal Trust operates as a nondiversified, closed-end management investment company. The trust invests primarily in medium and lower quality bonds and notes issued by or on behalf of state and local government units. Its portfolio primarily comprises investments in health care, tax-backed, utilities, transportation, housing, education, industrials, resource recovery, industrial, manufacturing, oil and gas, and refunded/escrowed sectors. Columbia Management Advisors, Inc. serves as the investment advisor of the trust. The trust was formerly known as Colonial Municipal Income Trust and changed its name to MFS High Yield Municipal Trust in 2007. MFS High Yield Municipal Trust was founded in 1987 and is based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Paul McWilliams]

    Marvell (MRVL) is clearly carrying a big zit on its forehead from the ongoing legal battle with Carnigie Mellon University (CMU). A jury awarded CMU damages slightly in excess of $1B, and the judge could triple that.

Top Healthcare Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now: Eaton Corporation(ETN)

Eaton Corporation operates as a power management company worldwide. It provides electrical components and systems for power quality, distribution, and control; hydraulics components, systems, and services for industrial and mobile equipment; aerospace fuel, hydraulics, and pneumatic systems for commercial and military use; and truck and automotive drivetrain, and powertrain systems for performance, fuel economy, and safety. The company also manufactures screw-in cartridge valves, custom-engineered hydraulic valves, and manifold systems; and electrical and electromechanical systems. In addition, it designs, manufactures, and distributes intake and exhaust valves for diesel and gasoline engines; supplies electrical components for commercial and residential building applications and industrial controls for industrial equipment applications; and manufactures human machine interfaces, programmable logic controllers, and input/output devices. Further, the company also operates a s a provider of customized enclosures, rack systems, and air-flow management systems to store, power, and secure mission-critical IT data center electronics; and manufacturer, distributor, and service provider of single-phase and three-phase uninterruptible power supply systems. Eaton Corporation was founded in 1916 and is headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Shauna O'Brien]

    On Monday, Morgan Stanley reported that it has raised its rating on power company Eaton Corporation (ETN).

    The firm has upgraded ETN from “Neutral” to “Overweight,” and has given the stock a $76 price target. This price target suggests a 12% increase from the stock’s current price of $66.79.

    Analysts expect to see EPS of $5 in 2014 and see favorable risk and reward.

    Eaton shares were up $1.12, or 1.71%, during Monday morning trading. The stock is up 23% YTD.

  • [By Ron Rowland]

    Just rolled out, this new UBS exchange traded note (ETN) is targeted at investors desiring significant monthly income from a diversified multi-asset mix, notes Ron Rowland in Invest with an Edge.

Top Healthcare Technology Stocks To Buy Right Now: Illumina Inc.(ILMN)

Illumina, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets integrated systems for the analysis of genetic variation and biological function. Its instrumentation products include HiSeq 2000, an instrument for high-throughput (up to 200 Gb per run and up to 25 GB per day) sequencing using sequencing-by-synthesis (SBS) technology; Genome Analyzer IIx, an instrument for medium to high-throughput (up to 95 Gb per run) sequencing using SBS technology; Genome Analyzer IIe, an instrument for low to medium throughput (up to 40 Gb per run) sequencing using SBS technology; iScan System, a high-resolution imaging instrument to scan BeadArray based assays; and BeadXpress Reader, a low- to mid-multiplex, high-throughput instrument for readout of assays. The company?s consumables consist of InfiniumHD Whole-Genome BeadChips comprising HumanOmniExpress, HumanOmni1-Quad, Human1M-Duo, and BovineHD, which are multi-sample DNA analysis microarrays; iSelect Custom Genotyping BeadChips that are custome r designable SNP genotyping arrays; GoldenGate Assay Method, a high throughput assay and genotyping system; GoldenGate Universal-32 Sample BeadChip, which are 32 sample GoldenGate genotyping arrays; Paired-End Genomic DNA Sample Prep Kit, a streamlined library preparation kit to generate 200?500 kb insert paired-end reads; VeraCode GoldenGate that are low plex GoldenGate genotyping arrays compatible with the BeadXpress System; Standard Sequencing Kit, reagents used for SBS chemistry on sequencing platforms; and Infinium Assay Kit, reagents used to perform Infinium assays on the iScan platform. It also provides sequencing and genotyping services. The company?s customers include pharmaceutical, biotechnology, agrichemical, diagnostics, and consumer products companies, as well as research centers. It sells its products through distributors in North America, Europe, the Asia-Pacific, the Middle East, and South Africa. Illumina was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Dieg o, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

    Illumina, Inc. (Nasdaq: ILMN) is a groundbreaking company with a unique focus on using genetics for medical care and is a leader in the budding field of personalized medicine.

  • [By Vanina Egea]

    Illumina Inc. (ILMN) is a leading developer and distributor of next-generation integrated systems used for the large-scale analysis of genetic variation and function. It applies innovative DNA sequencing as well as an array of technologies to provide information that could be used to improve drugs and therapies, customize diagnostics and treatments, and cure diseases. The firm is developing a wide line of products that "can address the scale of experimentation and the breadth of functional analysis required to achieve the goals of molecular medicine."

Monday, October 27, 2014

Top 5 Regional Bank Companies To Own For 2014

I'm buying more of some of my favorites in the financials-centric real-money portfolio I manage for The Motley Fool: best-in-class megabank Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) , ongoing insurance comeback story AIG (NYSE: AIG  ) , and Midwestern regional banker Fifth Third Bancorp (NASDAQ: FITB  ) .

Why am I doing three rebuys instead of purchasing the shares of a new company?

The big picture
As background, I track around 500 publicly traded financial companies, looking for solid performers trading at a discount. Depending on market sentiment, there are sometimes many candidates that look tantalizing after my initial screen -- and sometimes very few.

These days, after some decent rebounding in financial stocks, and with the U.S. market's 10-year P/E at 23.7 as calculated by Yale professor Robert Shiller, it's closer to "very few."

Internationally, I require a greater margin of safety, because I know less about the ins and outs of banking outside the United States. So when European majors such as Banco Santander and Deutsche Bank trade at similar multiples to book as American too-big-to-fail banks, they're not yet cheap enough for me dive in further.

Best Low Price Companies To Watch For 2015: Blue Nile Inc.(NILE)

Blue Nile, Inc. operates as an online retailer of diamonds and fine jewelry worldwide. Its fine jewelry selection includes diamond, gemstone, platinum, gold, pearl and sterling silver jewelry, and accessories, as well as wedding bands, earrings, necklaces, pendants, bracelets, and watches. Blue Nile, Inc. sells its products through the Web sites bluenile.com, bluenile.ca, and bluenile.co.uk. The company was formerly known as Internet Diamonds, Inc. and changed its name to Blue Nile, Inc. in November 1999. Blue Nile, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Holly LaFon]

    We think the next chapter of Internet growth will be driven by increasing broadband penetration and mobile 3G rollouts globally. Baron invests in the global Internet in two ways: 1) U.S. based Internet companies that have substantial international businesses, and 2) foreign based Internet companies. Several Baron portfolio holdings such as Google, Inc. and priceline.com, Inc. receive 50% or more of their revenues outside the U.S., and we think the faster growth of Internet access in emerging economies will be a substantial benefit to these companies. Other Baron portfolio companies such as LinkedIn Corp. (LNKD) and Blue Nile, Inc. (NILE) are also accelerating their efforts to penetrate international markets in 2012 and beyond.

Top 5 Regional Bank Companies To Own For 2014: Gilead Sciences Inc.(GILD)

Gilead Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of life threatening diseases worldwide. Its products include Atripla, Truvada, Viread, Emtriva for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection in adults; Hepsera, an oral formulation for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B; AmBisome, a amphotericin B liposome injection to treat invasive fungal infections; Letairis, an endothelin receptor antagonist for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; Ranexa for the treatment of chronic angina; Vistide, an antiviral medication for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS; and Cayston, an inhaled antibiotic used as a treatment to enhance respiratory systems. The company?s products also comprise Tamiflu, an oral antiviral for the treatment and prevention of influenza A and B; Macugen, an intravitreal injection for the treatment of neovascular a ge-related macular degeneration; and Lexiscan/Rapiscan, an injection used as a pharmacologic stress agent in radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging. Its products under the Phase III clinical trials consist of Cobicistat, a pharmacoenhancer that is under evaluation as a boosting agent for HIV medicines; Elvitegravir, an oral integrase inhibitor being evaluated as part of combination therapy for HIV; Integrase Single-Tablet, a ?Quad? regimen of elvitegravir, cobicistat, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and emtricitabine for the treatment of HIV/AIDS in treatment-naive patients; and Aztreonam for inhalation solution for the treatment of cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The company?s Phase II clinical trials products comprise Cicletanine, Ranolazine, and Aztreonam, as well as GS 9190, GS 9256, and GS 9451. Its Phase I clinical trial products include GS 7340, GS 5885, GS 6620, GS 9620, and GS 6624. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Fost er City, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

    In fact, this ETF is a way to grab yourself stakes in Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL), Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT), and chip giant Intel Corp. (Nasdaq: INTC). It also includes biotech leader Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD), e-commerce king Amazon.com, Inc. (Nasdaq: AMZN), and social networking icon Facebook Inc. (Nasdaq: FB).

Top 5 Regional Bank Companies To Own For 2014: Nordstrom Inc.(JWN)

Nordstrom, Inc., a fashion specialty retailer, offers apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories for women, men, and children in the United States. It offers a selection of brand name and private label merchandise. The company sells its products through various channels, including Nordstrom full-line stores, off-price Nordstrom Rack stores, Jeffrey? boutiques, treasure & bond, and Last Chance clearance stores; and its online store, nordstrom.com, as well as through catalog. Nordstrom also provides a private label card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards, and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. The company?s credit and debit cards feature a shopping-based loyalty program. As of September 30, 2011, it operated 222 stores, including 117 full-line stores, 101 Nordstrom Racks, 2 Jeffrey boutiques, 1 treasure & bond store, and 1 clearance store in 30 states. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Louis Navellier]

    Take a look:

    General Motors (GM): In the past three months, estimates have been revised down by 24%. Analysts now forecast a 46.4% drop in sales and a 47.7% plunge in earnings for this quarter. HES is a sell. Goldman Sachs (GS): In the past month, estimates have slipped by 9%. Analysts now see a 12.2% decline in sales and a 15.6% drop in earnings for this quarter. GS is a sell. Hess (HES): In the past three months, the consensus estimate has plummeted by 52%. Analysts now expect just 3.5% annual sales growth and a 25.4% drop in earnings for this quarter. . International Business Machines (IBM): In the past 90 days, analysts have revised their estimates down by 29%. The consensus now calls for a 2% drop in sales and a 15% reduction in earnings. IBM is a sell. Mattel (MAT): In the past 60 days, estimates have fallen by 33%. Analysts now expect a 5.2% year-on-year drop in sales and a 27.3% decline in earnings for this quarter. . Newmont Mining (NEM) In the past 90 days, analysts have slashed their estimates down by 55%. The consensus now calls for a 14.9% drop in sales and a 73.2% dive in earnings. NEM is a strong sell. Nordstrom (JWN): In the past two months, estimates have fallen by 15%. Analysts now expect just 4.3% annual sales growth and a 6.8% decline in earnings for this quarter. . Target (TGT): In the past 90 days, analysts have reduced their estimates down by 28%. The consensus now calls for just 2% sales growth and an 11% decline in earnings. TGT is a strong sell. Tesoro (TSO): In the past 90 days, the consensus estimate has plunged 39%. The consensus now calls for 10% annual sales growth and a 5.5% reduction in earnings. TSO is a sell. Weyerhaeuser (WY): In the past three months, estimates have been reduced by 14%. Analysts now expect just 6.8% annual sales growth and a 3.8% dip in earnings for this quarter. WY is a strong sell.

    As I mentioned, there are two easy ways to check out how your holdings are perceived by the analyst community.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) shares jumped 10.75% to $68.10 in pre-market trading as the company reported upbeat first-quarter results. Nordstrom posted a quarterly profit of $0.72 per share on revenue of $2.93 billion. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $0.68 per share on revenue of $2.86 billion. Analysts at Credit Suisse upgraded Nordstrom from Neutral to Outperform.

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Analysts at Deutsche Bank maintained a Buy rating on Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) with a price target lowered to $77 form a previous $78. Shares lost 5.21 percent, closing at $65.11.

Top 5 Regional Bank Companies To Own For 2014: General Growth Properties Inc. (GGP)

General Growth Properties, Inc is an equity real estate investment trust. The firm invests in the real estate markets of the United States. It engages in owning, managing, leasing, and redeveloping high-quality regional malls. General Growth Properties, Inc was founded in 1986 and is based in Chicago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Michael Calia]

    General Growth Properties Inc.(GGP) said its fourth-quarter profit surged as it reported a higher mall-leased percentage and a bigger-than-expected increase in revenue.

  • [By Anna Prior]

    S&P Dow Jones Indices said General Growth Properties Inc.(GGP) will join the S&P 500 index, replacing Molex Inc.(MOLXA), a move that sent the real-estate investment trusts’ shares 4.3% higher to $21.15 premarket.

Sunday, October 26, 2014

Top High Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now

Popular Posts: Top 10 Dow Dividend Stocks for May2 Solid BDCs to Buy Today2 Best High Dividend Funds to Buy Now – NFJ and CHW Recent Posts: Buy These Solid BDCs ASAP 2 Solid BDCs to Buy Today Trade of the Day: Nokia (NOK) View All Posts Buy These Solid BDCs ASAP

Considering�how difficult the lending environment is for mid-size private companies, it only makes sense to take a hard look at the business development companies (BDCs).

It’s been a catch 22 for the banks. They are awash in cash,� but after getting shell shocked by the recession they aren’t willing to put that cash in the system in the form of new small-business loans as the Fed had intended under its current policy.

Top 5 Energy Stocks To Watch Right Now: Central Goldtrust (GTU)

Central GoldTrust (GoldTrust) is a passive, self-governing, single purpose, closed-end trust. GoldTrust is a gold holding trust created to buy and hold substantially all of its assets in long-term holdings of gold bullion. The primary objective of GoldTrust is to provide a exchange-tradeable alternative for investors interested in holding an investment in gold bullion. All gold bullion owned by GoldTrust must be stored in Canada in the treasury vault facilities of a tier 1 Canadian chartered bank on an allocated and segregated basis.

GoldTrust holds long-term holdings of pure, unencumbered gold bullion, in 400 troy ounce international bar sizes, and does not speculate with regard to short-term changes in gold prices. At least 95% of the total net assets of GoldTrust should be held in gold with at least 90% in physical bullion and up to 5% in gold certificate form. The property of GoldTrust, as at December 31, 2011, was consisted of 698,496 fine ounces of gold bullion and 6,156 fine ounces of gold in certificate form for a total of 704,652 fine ounces. GoldTrust is almost entirely invested in pure refined gold bullion in international bar form. As at December 31, 2011, GoldTrust�� assets were made up of 98.1% gold.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Eric Parnell]

    It also remains worthwhile to hedge stock allocations to protect against any major downside event along the way. This includes positions with low correlations such as the PIMCO Total Return ETF (BOND) or the PIMCO Global Advantage Inflation Linked Bond ETF (ILB). This also includes allocations that are likely to rally sharply in the event of a stock pullback but can also continue to rise along with the market such as long-term Treasuries (TLT) or Build America Bonds (BAB). And despite the recent thrashing they have endured, the precious metals complex including gold (GLD), silver (SLV), platinum (PPLT) and palladium (PALL) continue to provide attractive long-term portfolio diversification benefits. I remain long all of these metals via the Central GoldTrust (GTU), the Central Fund of America (CEF), the Sprott Physical Silver Trust (PSLV) and the Sprott Physical Platinum and Palladium Trust (SPPP).

Top High Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: CSX Corporation (CSX)

CSX Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides rail-based transportation services. The company offers traditional rail service, and the transport of intermodal containers and trailers. It transports crushed stone, sand and gravel, metal, phosphate, fertilizer, food, consumer, agricultural, automotive, paper, and chemical products; and utility, industrial, and export coal to electricity-generating power plants, steel manufacturers, industrial plants, and deep-water port facilities. The company also provides intermodal transportation services through a network of approximately 50 terminals transporting manufactured consumer goods in containers in the eastern United States, as well as performs drayage services and trucking dispatch operations. In addition, it operates distribution centers and storage locations; connects non-rail served customers to the benefits of rail by transferring products, such as ethanol and minerals, from rail to trucks; engages in the real estate sale, leasing, acquisition, and management and development activities. CSX Corporation operates approximately 21,000 route mile rail network, which serves various population centers in 23 states east of the Mississippi River, the District of Columbia, and the Canadian provinces of Ontario and Quebec, as well as operates approximately 4,000 locomotives. It also serves production and distribution facilities through track connections to approximately 240 short-line and regional railroads. CSX Corporation was founded in 1978 and is based in Jacksonville, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chuck Saletta]

    Two of those companies, railroad tycoon CSX (NYSE: CSX  ) and safety equipment provider Mine Safety Appliances (NYSE: MSA  ) , paid out higher per-share amounts than they did last quarter. Both raised their payments by about 7% -- with CSX's moving from $0.14 to $0.15 per share and Mine Safety Appliances' rising from $0.28 to $0.30.

Top High Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Northrim BanCorp Inc(NRIM)

Northrim BanCorp, Inc., through its subsidiaries, which provides a range of banking products and services to businesses, professionals, and individuals in Alaska. Its deposit services include noninterest-bearing checking accounts and interest-bearing time deposits, checking accounts, and savings accounts. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial and real estate lending, construction and land development lending, and consumer loans. Northrim BanCorp also offers other customer services, including telebanking, faxed account statements, Internet banking, automated teller services, personalized checks at account opening, overdraft protection from a savings account, extended banking hours, commercial drive-up banking with coin service, automatic transfers and payments, wire transfers, direct payroll deposit, electronic tax payments, automated clearing house origination and receipt, and cash management services. In addition, it provides investment advisory, insurance br okerage, trust, and wealth management services. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 11 branches, including 7 in Anchorage, 2 in Fairbanks, and 1 each in Eagle River and Wasilla. Northrim BanCorp, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Anchorage, Alaska.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By GURUFOCUS]

    Northrim BanCorp Inc. (NRIM) operates as the bank holding company for Northrim Bank that provides commercial banking products and services to businesses, professionals, and individuals primarily in Alaska. August 16th the company increased its quarterly dividend 13% to $0.17 per share. The dividend is payable Sept. 13 to shareholders of record as of the close of business on Sept. 5, 2013. The yield based on the new payout is 2.8%.

Top High Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: APM Automotive Holdings Bhd (APM)

APM Automotive Holdings Berhad is a Malaysia-based investment holding company. The Company operates in six divisions: Suspension Division, which includes products, such as leaf springs, parabolic springs, coil springs, shock absorbers, gas springs, U-bolts and metal parts; Interior & Plastics Division, which includes products, such as plastics parts, interiors, seatings for motor vehicles, buses, auditoriums and cinemas; Electrical & Heat Exchange Division, which includes products, such as air-conditioning systems, radiators, starter motors, alternators, wiper system, distributors and other electrical parts; Marketing Division, which includes trading and distribution of automotive components/parts manufactured by it for the replacement and export market; Others, which include operations related to the rental of investment properties in Malaysia, and Operations Outside Malaysia include businesses in Indonesia, Vietnam, Australia and United States. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Damian Illia]

    Since 1973 Compuware Corp (CPWR) has been providing software solutions both on-premise and through a software as a service (SaaS) model, as well as professional technical services related to mobile application developments and mainframe systems. The company reported revenues of $944.5 million in fiscal 2013, working through four segments: Performance Management (APM), Mainframe, Changepoint and Uniface. Through the APM segment Compuware provides services to maximize efficiency of web, non-web, mobile, streaming and cloud applications. Mainframe solutions are designed for organizations which require high developer productivity and enhanced service quality at lower costs, and through Changepoint it provides Professional Services Automation (PSA) and Project Portfolio Management services (PPM). Uniface, a rapid application development platform, creates renews and integrates enterprise applications. Currently, more than 7,100 companies, including many of the world's largest organizations, depend on Compuware and our new generation approach to performance management to do just that.

Top High Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Aeropostale Inc (ARO)

Aeropostale, Inc., (Aeropostale), incorporated on September 1, 1995, is a mall-based, specialty retailer of casual apparel and accessories, principally targeting 14 to 17 year-old young women and men through its Aeropostale stores and 4 to 12 year-old kids through its P.S. from Aeropostale stores. P.S. from Aeropostale products can be purchased in P.S. from Aeropostale stores, in certain Aeropostale stores, and online at www.ps4u.com. As of January 28, 2012, it operated 986 Aeropostale stores, consisting of 918 stores in 50 states and Puerto Rico, 68 stores in Canada, as well as 71 P.S. from Aeropostale stores in 20 states. The Company designs, sources, markets and sells all of its own merchandise. In addition, pursuant to a licensing agreement, it operated 14 Aeropostale and P.S. from Aeropostale stores in Middle East and South East Asia. During March 2011, it announced that it had signed a second licensing agreement. The licensee to this agreement is focused to open approximately 30 stores in stores in Turkey over the next five years. In November 2012, the Company acquired online women's fashion footwear and apparel retailer GoJane.com (GoJane).

P.S. from Aeropostale offers casual clothing and accessories focusing on kids between the ages of 4 and 12. It�� P.S. from Aeropostale products are sold only at its stores and online through its e-commerce Websites, www.ps4u.com and www.aeropostale.com. The Company operates three street level stores in the New York City area. It also has a19,000 square foot Aeropostale store in the Times Square section of New York City. It offers both Aeropostale and P.S. from Aeropostale products in the Times Square store.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Johanna Bennett]

    After the closing bell, Walt Disney (DIS) rose 0.7% to $70.47 after announcing a 15% dividend hike. And teen retailer Aeropostale (ARO) fell 3.8% $9 after reporting fiscal third-quarter financial results.

Top High Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: Westfield Group (WEFIF)

Westfield Group is engaged in ownership, development, design, construction, funds/asset management, leasing and marketing activities undertaken with respect to its global portfolio of retail properties. Property investments segment includes net property income from existing shopping centers and completed developments, revaluation of existing centers and other operational expenses. Property and project management segment includes income from third parties, property management and development fees, and associated business expenses. The development segment includes revaluation of redevelopments and development projects. The corporate business unit includes unallocated corporate entity expenses. In November 2013, Starwood Capital Group LLC acquired a majority interest in seven regional malls in the United States from the Westfield Group. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks fell early Wednesday, tracking a weak lead from the U.S. but with a few blue-chip miners higher after gains for some commodities overnight. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) retreated 0.4% to 5,237.80 after similar losses for the main Wall Street indexes, with the Australian benchmark trading around its lowest level since October. Among the major decliners, Qantas Airways Ltd. (AU:QAN) (QUBSF) lost 2.5%, Harvey Norman Holdings Ltd. (AU:HVN) (HNORY) gave up 1.3%, and Incitec Pivot Ltd. (AU:IPL) (ICPVY) fell 1.8%. Santos Ltd. (AU:STO) (STOSF) fell 2.6% on indication it will miss its lowered production guidance for 2013, according to the Australian Financial Review. On the upside, top miners BHP Billiton Ltd. (AU:BHP) (BHP) and Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) rose 0.3% and 0.7%, respectively, while Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) traded 1% higher. Shares of global shopping-mall developer Westfield Group Australia (AU:WDC) (WEFIF) were on halt

Best Financial Companies To Buy For 2015

Best Financial Companies To Buy For 2015: FXCM Inc. (FXCM)

FXCM Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides online foreign exchange (FX) trading and related services to retail and institutional customers worldwide. It operates in two segments, Retail Trading and Institutional Trading. The company acts as an agent between retail customers and a collection of global banks and financial institutions by making foreign currency markets for customers trading in foreign exchange spot markets. It offers spot FX trading in approximately 58 currency pairs; enables non-U.S. customers to trade contract for differences that include contracts for metals, fixed income, energy and stock indices; and provides spread betting trading to the United Kingdom customers. The company also offers equity and equity option trading for customers outside of the United States to trade equity and options on the United Kingdom, continental Europe, and the United States markets. FXCM Inc. offers its customers access to over-the-counter FX markets through its propriet ary technology platform. The company was incorporated in 2010 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Anna Prior]

    FXCM Inc.(FXCM) said its fourth-quarter profit dropped slightly amid a muted trading environment, although results beat Wall Street expectations. FXCM makes most of its top line from customers using its software to trade currencies online.

  • [By John Udovich]

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

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/best-financial-companies-to-buy-for-2015.html

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Week's Winners and Losers: Tough Sell for Some Gadgets

Top 5 Gold Stocks To Invest In Right Now

3dsystems.com3D Systems made these sugar cubes with a 3-D printer There were plenty of winners and losers this week, with a leading toy maker posting strong growth across its product lines and one of this year's most hyped smartphone rollouts struggling to connect with consumers. Here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders. Fire Phone -- Loser It has been widely assumed that Amazon.com (AMZN) hasn't gained a lot of traction with its first foray into proprietary smartphones, but now we have confirmation directly from the leading online retailer. Amazon took a $170 million accounting hit on Thursday to write down the value of its Fire Phone inventory and supplier commitment costs. Amazon isn't ready to throw in the towel on the smartphone, but it clearly miscalculated in a big way by not pricing it more aggressively. It may not have much of a choice now. Chipotle Mexican Grill (CMG) -- Winner The restaurant industry's market darling lived up to the hype with another blowout quarter. Revenue and earnings climbed 31 percent and 56 percent, respectively, over the prior year. The most stunning nugget in Chipotle's report is that comparable-restaurant sales soared 19.8 percent during the quarter. Yes, the average Chipotle rang up 19.8 percent more in sales than it did during last year's third quarter. A springtime menu price increase has helped spice up sales, but Chipotle continues to be a fast-casual rock star. The stock did disappoint the market by initiating a lackluster outlook for 2015. That was enough to find the bears outnumbering the bulls. However, it's hard to generate a nearly 20 percent spike in store-level comps without being called a winner. 3D Systems (DDD) -- Loser 3-D printing may be one of the coolest technologies to arise in years, but consumer adoption has been slow. Printing physical objects sounds cool -- and there are plenty of consumer and industrial applications -- but the high prices of printers have kept 3-D printing from cracking the mainstream market. 3D Systems is a leader in 3-D printing, but lately the leader has been a bleeder. 3D Systems has shed nearly 60 percent of its value this year. Its latest tumble came on Wednesday after it announced preliminary third-quarter results that show sales and profitability falling short of expectations. 3D Systems blames the shortfall on delays in new consumer printers and weak sales of its metal printers. If you ever see a 3-D printer in action, you'll come to appreciate the potential of printing out everything from figurines to medical products. However, until the printers get cheaper and, ideally, faster, the revolution will be slow in coming around. Hasbro (HAS) -- Winner Traditional toys aren't dead just yet. Hasbro kicked off the week with a better-than-expected quarterly report. Revenue moved higher after Hasbro posted top-line gains in all seven of its leading toy franchises. Hasbro's strong report came a trading day after rival Mattel (MAT) missed Wall Street's profit target. Mattel has come up short on the bottom line every single quarter over the past year. Hasbro is clearly getting the better of its longtime rival. Sears Holdings (SHLD) -- Loser Things are going from bad to worse at Sears Holdings. The parent company of Kmart and Sears is closing more of its fading department stores. Sears said that at least 5,457 employees will be let go as the struggling retailer will close 46 Kmart, 30 Sears and 31 Sears Auto Centers. Sears Holdings has already closed nearly 100 stores this year. The carnage continues, but the real problem is that the company won't make the necessary investments to update its remaining stores -- 1,077 Kmart stores and 793 Sears stores in the United States as of Aug. 2 -- to make them relevant to modern shoppers. More from Rick Aristotle Munarriz
•As Multiplexes Slump, IMAX Thinks Big, and Grows Bigger •If Everybody Hates Yelp, Why Is It Still Growing? •Halloween Is Raking in Scary Profits for Theme Parks