Best Investments For 2015: 2014

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Best Defensive Companies To Invest In Right Now

Why try to beat 'em if you can just buy 'em? That's the approach that Questcor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: QCOR ) is taking. The biotech announced today that it has acquired rights to develop Syncathen and�Synacthen Depot in the U.S. from�Novartis (NYSE: NVS ) . Questcor is paying $60 million up front and at least $75 million over the next few years, plus potential milestone payments. Shares were up nearly 25% in early trading.

What it means
Questcor appears to be playing both defense and offense with this move. On the defensive front, buying rights to Synacthen makes a lot of sense. Synacthen is a synthetic version of adrenocorticotropic hormone, or ACTH, which is the active ingredient in Acthar.

There's at least one big difference between Acthar and Synacthen, though. Questcor charges $28,000 per vial for Acthar. Synacthen Depot sells for around 3% of the cost of Acthar. You read that right -- Acthar costs 30 times more than the its synthetic rival.

5 Best Computer Hardware Stocks To Own Right Now: GNC Acquisition Holdings Inc. (GNC)

GNC Holdings, Inc. operates as a specialty retailer of health and wellness products. It operates through three segments: Retail, Franchise, and Manufacturing/Wholesale. The company�s products include vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplement products, as well as sports nutrition products, diet products, and other wellness products. It also manufactures its branded products for various third parties. The company sells its products under GNC proprietary brands, including Mega Men, Ultra Mega, Total Lean, Pro Performance, and Pro Performance AMP, as well as under third-party brands. As of March 31, 2013, it had approximately 8,200 locations, including 6,200 retail locations in the United States; and franchise operations in 55 countries. The company sells its products through company-owned domestic retail stores, domestic and international franchise activities, third-party contract manufacturing, e-commerce, and corporate partnerships. It also offers its products at GNC.com, LuckyVitamin.com, and drugstore.com. GNC Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Adam Haigh]
Asia�� benchmark stock index headed for the first monthly loss since August as GrainCorp Ltd. (GNC) plunged by a record after the Australian government rejected a takeover bid by a foreign rival.

Best Defensive Companies To Invest In Right Now: Becton Dickinson and Company(BDX)

Becton, Dickinson and Company, a medical technology company, develops, manufactures, and sells medical devices, instrument systems, and reagents worldwide. The company?s BD Medical segment produces medical devices that are used in various healthcare settings. This segment?s products include needles, syringes, and intravenous catheters for medication delivery; prefilled IV flush syringes; syringes, pen needles, and other drugs to treat diabetes; prefillable drug delivery systems; anesthesia needles and trays; sharps disposal containers; and closed-system transfer devices. Its BD Diagnostics segment provides products for the safe collection and transport of diagnostics specimens, as well as instrument systems and reagents to detect various infectious diseases, healthcare-associated infections, and cancers. This segment?s products consist of integrated systems for specimen collection; safety-engineered blood collection products and systems; automated blood culturing systems; molecular testing systems; microorganism identification and drug susceptibility systems; liquid-based cytology systems for cervical cancer screening; rapid diagnostic assays; and plated media. The company?s BD Biosciences segment produces research and clinical tools that facilitate the study of cells and their components. This segment?s products comprise fluorescence-activated cell sorters and analyzers; monoclonal antibodies and kits for performing cell analysis; reagent systems for life science research; cell imaging systems; laboratory products for tissue culture and fluid handling; diagnostic assays; and cell culture media supplements for biopharmaceutical manufacturing. It markets its products through independent distribution channels and independent sales representatives to healthcare institutions, life science researchers, clinical laboratories, the pharmaceutical industry, and the general public. The company was founded in 1897 and is headquartered in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Paul Vigna]
Becton Dickinson (BDX) & Co. said its fourth-quarter profit more than doubled on strong sales in segments such as diabetic systems and continued strength in emerging markets. Shares were up 2% to $130 premarket.
[By Geoff Gannon]
Someone who reads my articles sent me this question: My��uestion has to do with the type of investments you tend to put your energy toward. Evaluating a net-net is a whole lot different than evaluating a company that has a competitive advantage and trades at much higher multiples. To me, the net-net evaluation process is a whole lot more straightforward, as there are fewer intangibles (if any) and less prediction about the future involved. I don't have to worry about whether GTSI (GTSI) has any competitive advantage ��I know it doesn't. Then again, I look at a company like Becton Dickenson (BDX) and I see a highly predictable company with a decent moat selling at a reasonable price. I can look at BDX and figure I might earn 10-15% annually over a long time frame. That's really different from thinking about investing in a net-net where I can see how it's 30-50% undervalued now, but it's not something I'm going to hold onto for decades. It's more of a matter of waiting for that one-time "pop" that will happen sometime in the next 1-5 years. How do you decide where to put your energy?

Best Defensive Companies To Invest In Right Now: Koninklijke Ahold NV (AHONY)

Koninklijke Ahold N.V. (Ahold), incorporated on April 29, 1920, is engaged in the operation of retail food stores in the United States and Europe through subsidiaries and joint ventures. Ahold�� retail operations are presented in four segments: Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover, Giant-Carlisle, Albert Heijn and Albert/Hypernova. During the fiscal year ended January 3, 2010 (fiscal 2009), it operated 2,909 stores. On February 8, 2010, Ahold�� Giant-Carlisle acquired 25 stores from Ukrop�� Super Markets.

Franchisees operated 783 of the Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall stores, 463 of which were either owned by the franchisees or leased independently from Ahold. Of the 2,446 stores, 20% were company-owned and 80% were leased. Ahold�� stores range in size from 20 to over 10,000 square meters. Albert Heijn is a food retailer in the Netherlands. Etos is a health and beauty retailer in the Netherlands. Gall & Gall is a wine and liquor specialist in the Netherlands. Stop & Shop is a supermarket brand, operating in six states in the northeast United States. Giant-Landover is a supermarket brand, operating in four states in the mid-Atlantic United States. Peapod is an online grocery delivery service working in partnership with Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover. It also serves the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, and the northern areas of Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Rich Duprey]
As mentioned, Kroger is still swallowing Harris Teeter and has said it needs time to make more acquisitions. Royal Ahold (NASDAQOTH: AHONY ) is also said to be leery about doing large acquisitions these days, while Cerberus recently finished acquiring the Albertsons and Acme chains from SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU ) �for $3.3 billion.

Best Defensive Companies To Invest In Right Now: Tenaris S.A.(TS)

Tenaris S.A., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of steel pipe products. The company produces and sells both seamless and welded steel tubular products and related services for the oil and gas industry, particularly oil country tubular goods used in drilling operations, and certain other industrial applications with a production process that consists in the transformation of steel into tubular products. It also offers welded steel pipe products primarily used in the construction of major pipeline projects for the transportation of gas and fluids. In addition, the company provides sucker rods, casing and tubing, drill pipes, thermal tubulars, coiled tubing, premium connections, pipe accessories, welded steel pipes for electric conduits, industrial equipment, and raw materials. Further, it involves in the ownership and licensing of steel technology, as well as in the financial sector. The company serves oil and gas companies, car manufacturers, ref ineries, and petrochemical and gas-processing plants, as well as engineering companies engaged in constructing oil and gas gathering, transportation, and processing facilities. It operates in North America, South America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Far East, and Oceania. The company is headquartered in Luxembourg. Tenaris S.A. is a subsidiary of San Faustin N.V.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By ovenerio]
The company has a current ROE of 11.72% which is higher than the industry median. In general, analysts consider ROE ratios in the 15-20% range as representing attractive levels for investment. So for investors looking those levels or more, Halliburton (HAL) and Tenaris (TS) could be the option. It is very important to understand this metric before investing, and it is important to look at the trend in ROE over time.
[By GURUFOCUS]

Maverick appeared to be one of the few bargains still available in the oils service and equipment sector in 2005. Shareholders were rewarded a year later when the company was acquired by Tenaris (TS) at a price of 65 dollars a share in June of 2006.

Best Defensive Companies To Invest In Right Now: 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 Rick Munarriz]
One wouldn't expect exhibitors to rally around a movie that is available at home for no additional cost to Netflix's more than 50 million streaming accounts. The theatrical release next August is limited to IMAX (NYSE: IMAX ) and its more than 800 supersized screens worldwide. It won't be the last time that we see this happen, as Netflix and IMAX are teaming up for "several major films" that will be financially backed by Netflix.
[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.
[By Rich Smith]
IMAX's (NYSE: IMAX ) march to world domination continues.

After announcing expansions of its theater network in first Russia, then Mexico, then Indonesia earlier this year, the theater-tech company announced Monday that it is partnering with CJ CGV Holdings to add 35 new IMAX theaters in China and South Korea. Five of these new theater locations, the Korean ones, had been previously optioned, but are now confirmed. The 30 Chinese locations are officially "new" news.
[By Chris Katje]
Two other companies should be watched in the "Jurassic Park" mania. In 2013, "Jurassic Park" was re-released in theaters to celebrate the film's 20th anniversary. IMAX theaters (IMAX) showed the movie on their huge screens and saw big results. In the film's opening weekend, IMAX saw box office revenue of $6 million. This represented 32% of total domestic opening weekend box office and marked the highest market share of a wide release movie for IMAX. If IMAX can score the rights to the fourth movie, it should add to an already potential blockbuster and record breaking 2015 summer.

Best Defensive Companies To Invest In Right Now: Central Garden & Pet Company (CENTA)

Central Garden & Pet Company produces and sells various products for the pet, and lawn and garden supplies markets in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Pet, and Lawn and Garden. The Pet segment supplies products for dogs and cats comprising edible bones, edible and non-edible chews, dog and cat food and treats, toys, pet carriers, grooming supplies, and other accessories; and food, cages and habitats, toys, chews, and related accessories for birds, small animals, and specialty pets. It also offers animal and household health, and insect control products; aquariums, furniture and lighting fixtures, pumps, filters, water conditioners, food and supplements, and information and knowledge resources for fish, reptiles, and other aquarium-based pets; and products for horses and livestock. This segment sells its products to independent pet distributors, retail chains, grocery stores, mass merchants, and bookstores under various brand names, which include Ada ms, Aqueon, Avoderm, BioSpot, Farnam, Four Paws, Kaytee, Nylabone, Pinnacle, TFH, Zilla, Altosid, Comfort Zone, Coralife, Interpet, Kent Marine, Oceanic Systems, Pet Select, Pre-Strike, Super Pet, and Zodiac. The Lawn and Garden segment provides grass seeds; wild bird feed, bird feeders, bird houses, and other birding accessories; weed, grass, ant and other herbicide, insecticide, and pesticide products; and decorative outdoor lifestyle and lighting products, such as comprising potteries, trellises and other wood products, and holiday lighting products. This segment sells its products to retail chains, independent garden distributors, grocery stores, nurseries, and garden supply retailers under the AMDRO, GKI/Bethlehem Lighting, Ironite, Pennington, Sevin, Grant�s, Lilly Miller, Matthews Four Seasons, New England Pottery, Norcal Pottery, Over-N-Out, Smart Seed, and The Rebels brand names. The Company was founded in 1955 and is based in Walnut Creek, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Sean Williams]
Green paw
The month of May has been one to forget for shareholders of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT ) (NASDAQ: CENTA ) . The maker of pet products as well as seeds and herbicides for lawn care tumbled after it missed Wall Street's earnings estimates for a second straight quarter. The biggest downside pressure came from its lawn care segment, which saw expenses rise as fertilizer margins fell. However, now could be the time to consider jumping on board this interesting pet/lawn care hybrid company, as it has the potential to unlock shareholder value in a number of ways.

Best Defensive Companies To Invest In Right Now: International Game Technology (IGT)

International Game Technology (IGT) designs, manufactures, and markets electronic gaming equipment and systems worldwide. The company offers casino-style slot machines that determine the game play outcome at the machine; wide area progressive jackpot systems with linked machines across various casinos; central determination system machines connected to a central server that determines the game outcome, encompassing video lottery terminals used primarily in government-sponsored applications and electronic or video bingo machines; and amusement with prize games. Its systems products include applications for casino management, customer relationship marketing (CRM), and server-based games and player management. IGT?s casino management solutions comprise integrated modules for machine accounting, patron management, cage and table accounting, ticket-in/ticket-out, bonusing (jackpots and promotions), and table game automation. The company?s CRM solutions feature integrated market ing and business intelligence modules that provide analytical, predictive, and management tools for maximizing casino operational effectiveness; and server-based solutions enable game delivery to slot machines, computers, mobile phones, tablets, and other networked devices. Its gaming markets comprise the United States, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Mexico and South/Central America, Asia, Australia, New Zealand, the Pacific, and the United Kingdom. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Reno, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By John Divine]
Lastly, slot machine maker International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT ) slumped 7.3%, due largely to negative analyst sentiment. Unlike AMD and Microsoft, IGT doesn't report quarterly results until next Tuesday, so the comments today were sure to attract the attention of some uneasy investors before official numbers come out. A Janney Capital Markets analyst said that the stock's been driven up to a point where it no longer offers newcomers an attractive entry point. On top of that, IGT is set to start losing market share, will see higher costs, and will be able to buy back less stock in the future, according to the report.�
[By Stock Maelstrom]
International Games Technology (IGT) is the leading company in this industry. Its market capitalization of $4.6 billion is twice that of Bally Tech. International's fiscal 2013 ends September 30th, and by all indications it will be an excellent year, both in terms of comparisons with 2012 and historical references. For instance in its second quarter, the company's $600 million in revenue were up about 12% from the second quarter of fiscal 2012, and profits of $95 million, or $0.36 per share, were up 33% from the year ago. The stock market has rewarded three consecutive quarters of strong profit comparisons, bidding up shares by over 50% since September, 2012. The company also recently raised its dividend by 12.5%, paying a current yield of 1.8%. But most analysts see profit growth flattening off in fiscal 2014. I wonder if much of International Games' growth is actually behind it. For that reason, I do not like this otherwise impressive company as much as Bally Tech over the next two to three year period.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Top 10 US Companies To Buy Right Now

The popular crowdfunding website Kickstarter was hacked last week, the crowdfunding destination says.

Kickstarter sent an email to all users Saturday saying that hackers had made off with user data in the security breach. Two users accounts were compromised, Kickstarter said in an update on its website.

No credit card data was obtained in the attack, which began Wednesday night. The hackers were able to obtain access to usernames, email addresses, mailing addresses, phone numbers and encrypted passwords.

"Actual passwords were not revealed, however it is possible for a malicious person with enough computing power to guess and crack an encrypted password, particularly a weak or obvious one," the Kickstarter site said in a blog post. "As a precaution, we strongly recommend that you create a new password for your Kickstarter account, and other accounts where you use this password," the blog added.

Top 5 European Companies To Own In Right Now: Central Securities Corp (CET)

Central Securities Corporation is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Company�� primary investment objective is growth of capital. Central Securities Corporation invests primarily in common stocks, but it may invest in bonds, convertible bonds, preferred stocks, convertible preferred stocks, warrants, options real estate, or short-term obligations of governments, banks and corporations.

The Company, from time to time, invests in securities, the resale of which is restricted. Central Securities Corporation invests in various sectors, including insurance, Semiconductor, Technology Hardware and Equipment, Diversified Industrial, Energy, Software and Services, Banking and Finance and other.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Joe Eqcome]
Actionable Items:
Highest Positive Spread: ING Emerging Markets High Dividend Equity Fund (IHD)Focus Stock: Central Securities Corporation (CET)Last Week's Focus Stock: Central Securities Corporation
Junk Bonds Debacle: The $85 billion monthly bond-purchase program has produced a selloff for "junk" bonds. The U.S. Treasurys jumped 0.18% to 4.39% on Wednesday. The benchmark 10-Year Treasury note has risen 0.5% in the past month.

Top 10 US Companies To Buy Right Now: Allergan Inc. (AGN)

Allergan, Inc., a multi-specialty healthcare company, discovers, develops, and commercializes specialty pharmaceutical, medical device, and over-the-counter products for the ophthalmic, neurological, medical aesthetics, medical dermatological, breast aesthetics, obesity intervention, urological, and other specialty markets worldwide. It operates in two segments, Specialty Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices. The Specialty Pharmaceuticals segment offers a range of pharmaceutical products, including ophthalmic products for chronic dry eye, glaucoma therapy, ocular inflammation, infection, allergy, and retinal diseases; Botox for the therapeutic and aesthetic indications; skin care products for acne, psoriasis, and other skin care products; eyelash growth products; and urologics products. The Medical Devices segment offers a range of medical devices, such as breast implants for augmentation, revision, and reconstructive surgery; obesity intervention products, including the La p-Band System and the Orbera Intragastric Balloon System; and facial aesthetics products. The company also offers Contigen for the treatment of urinary incontinence due to intrinsic sphincter deficiency. It sells its products to drug wholesalers, independent and chain drug stores, pharmacies, commercial optical chains, opticians, mass merchandisers, food stores, hospitals, group purchasing organizations, integrated direct hospital networks, and ambulatory surgery centers, as well as to medical practitioners, including ophthalmologists, neurologists, dermatologists, plastic and reconstructive surgeons, aesthetic specialty physicians, bariatric surgeons, pediatricians, urologists, and general practitioners. Allergan, Inc. has strategic research collaboration agreements with ExonHit Therapeutics S.A.; Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; and Pieris AG. The company was founded in 1948 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Levisohn]
Yesterday, shares of Actavis (ACT) gained 1.7% after it said it would pay $66 billion to buy Allergan (AGN). With another day to mull the news, shares have pushed shares of Actavis up more than 8%.
[By Garrett Cook]
Salix Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SLXP) shares shot up 5.52 percent to $168.66 on report of takeover talks with Allergan. Allergan (NYSE: AGN) is set to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals in a deal probably worth more than $10 billion, according to Dow Jones Newswires.
[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
In trading on Tuesday, healthcare shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 1.50 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Allergan (NYSE: AGN), up 15.7 percent, and Idera Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IDRA), up 16.5 percent. Non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares dropped around 0.05 percent in today's trading.

Top 10 US Companies To Buy Right Now: Symantec Corporation(SYMC)

Symantec Corporation provides security, storage, and systems management solutions internationally. The company?s Consumer segment delivers Internet security, PC tune-up, and online backup solutions and services to individual users and home offices. Its Security and Compliance segment provides solutions for endpoint security and management, compliance, messaging management, data loss prevention, encryption, and authentication services to large, medium, and small-sized businesses, as well as offers solutions through its software-as-a-service (SaaS) security offerings. This segment?s products enable customers to secure, provision, and remotely manage their laptops, PCs, mobile devices, and servers. The company?s Storage and Server Management segment provides storage and server management, backup, archiving, and data protection solutions across heterogeneous storage and server platforms, as well as solutions delivered through its SaaS offerings to large, medium, and small-s ized businesses. Symantec?s Services segment offers implementation services and solutions, including consulting, business critical services, education, and managed security services. The company also provides various enterprise support offerings, such as annual maintenance support contracts, including content, upgrades, and technical support. It sells its products through its eCommerce platform, as well as through distributors, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, system builders, ISPs, and retail locations worldwide. Symantec markets and sells its products through distributors, retailers, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, original equipment manufacturers, system builders, and Internet service providers; and its e-commerce channels, as well as direct sales force, value-added and large account resellers, and system integrators. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Damian Illia]
California-based Symantec Corporation (SYMC) is a company that provides Internet security technology, with a wide range of application and software products of content security solutions and information back-up solutions such as firewall, virtual private network (VPN), virus protection, vulnerability management, intrusion detection and other services, offered to individuals and enterprises. Best known for Norton products which provide antivirus protection, identity protection and online backup, Symantec operates in more than 50 countries, and has recently realigned its business into three divisions: User Productivity & Protection, Information Security and Information Management.

Top 10 US Companies To Buy Right Now: Thermon Group Holdings Inc.(THR)

Thermon Group Holdings, Inc. offers heat tracing solutions for process industries worldwide. The company?s solutions provide an external heat source to pipes, vessels, and instruments for the purposes of freeze protection, temperature and flow maintenance, environmental monitoring, and surface snow and ice melting. Its products comprise a range of electric heat tracing cables, steam tracing components, and tubing bundles. The company also offers instrument and control products, including self-regulating and power limiting heating cables; mineral insulated cables; heat traced tube bundles for environmental gas sampling systems; heat transfer compounds and steam tracers for steam tracing solutions; control and monitoring systems for electric tracing of pipes, tanks, hoppers, and instrument sampling systems; and hopper heating modules. In addition, it provides various turnkey solutions for heat tracing, such as design, front-end optimization, product supply, engineering deli verables, system integration, installation, commissioning, and maintenance services. The company offers its solutions to the energy, chemical processing, power generation, and industrial and commercial infrastructure, as well as engineering, procurement, and construction companies. It serves customers through a network of sales and service professionals, and distributors in approximately 30 countries. The company is headquartered in San Marcos, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Seth Jayson]
Thermon Group Holdings (NYSE: THR ) reported earnings on June 5. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q4), Thermon Group Holdings missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.
[By CRWE]
Thermon Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:THR), will issue a press release reporting its fourth quarter and full fiscal 2012 consolidated financial results before the market opens on Friday, June 1 2012.
[By Namitha Jagadeesh]
ThromboGenics NV (THR) tumbled 18 percent to 22.93 euros, the biggest drop since at least July 2006. The Belgian drugmaker said sales of Jetrea, the eye drug approved by the U.S. last year, will not increase in the second half of the year. That implies full-year sales will be 36 percent less than estimates for 39.4 million euros, according to Richard Vosser, an analyst at JPMorgan Chase & Co. in London.

Top 10 US Companies To Buy Right Now: Salient MLP And Energy Infrastructure Fund (SMF)

Salient MLP and Energy Infrastructure Fund (the Fund), is an organized, non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. Its investment objective is to provide a high level of total return with an emphasis on making quarterly cash distributions (Distributions) to its shareholders. The Fund seeks to provide its shareholders with a tax-efficient vehicle to invest in a portfolio of energy infrastructure companies that own midstream and other energy assets. The Fund will invest at least 80% of its total assets in securities of companies in the Midstream/Energy Sector, consisting of Midstream MLPs, Midstream Companies, Other MLPs and Other Energy Companies. It will invest in equity securities, such as common units, preferred units, subordinated units, general partner interests, common shares, preferred shares and convertible securities in MLPs, Midstream Companies and Other Energy Companies. The Fund is managed by Salient Capital Advisors, LLC. Advisors' Opinion:

[By Eric Lam]
Semafo (SMF) jumped 4.8 percent to C$2.60 and Iamgold gained 2.1 percent to C$4.20 as 21 of 24 members of the S&P/TSX Gold Index increased. Gold rose from a five-month low as investors weighed the outlook for reduced U.S. stimulus as early as next week against speculation physical demand may increase at lower prices. Gold for February delivery advanced 0.6 percent in New York.

Top 10 US Companies To Buy Right Now: 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 Ben Levisohn]
Credit Suisse analyst�Ravi Mehrotra�and team raised Celgene to�Outperform from Neutral, putting it on par with Outperform rated Biogen Idec (BIIB) and�Gilead�(GILD) and a notch above Neutral-rated Amgen (AMGN).�
[By Ben Levisohn]
Still, investors shouldn’t buy the sector willy-nilly. Porges recommends Celgene (CELG) and Gilead (GILD), among large caps, and notes that less-pricey stocks like Amgen (AMGN) should hold up better, as should midcaps with earnings and products, such as Alexion (ALXN).

Top 10 US Companies To Buy Right Now: Diamondcorp PLC (DCP)

DiamondCorp plc is a United Kingdom-based diamond producer. The Company�� 74%-owned Lace diamond mine is located 200 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg in the Free State Province of South Africa. The project comprises the Lace kimberlite. Approximately 33 million tons of kimberlite have been outlined in the main Lace pipe between the 240 meter and the 855 meter level, containing an estimated 13.3 million carats of diamonds at an average estimated grade of 40 carats per hundred tons (cpht). Its subsidiaries include Diamondcorp Holdings Limited, Botswana Diamondcorp Limited, Lace Diamond Mine (Pty) Limited, which is engaged in diamond exploration, Soapstone Investments (Pty) Limited and DCP Exploration (Pty) Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

[By Aimee Duffy]
Winners
Given the current state of U.S. energy production, most midstream companies are winners these days. Kinder Morgan Energy Partners (NYSE: KMP ) got things started off on the right foot, reporting in mid-April and beating expectations on revenue and EPS. Here are some highlights from around the industry:
Buckeye Partners (NYSE: BPL ) �trounced analyst expectations on the top and bottom lines, and recorded a distribution coverage ratio of 1.21 times payouts, allowing the partnership to boost its distribution. DCP Midstream Partners' (NYSE: DCP ) �distributable cash flow popped 40% year over year, and the partnership completed its Eagle Ford dropdown transaction with parent company DCP Midstream, boosting its stake in the lucrative South Texas shale play. Boardwalk Energy Partners' (NYSE: BWP ) �operating revenue and net income increased 5% and 10% year over year. More importantly, distributable cash flow popped 24%, though the partnership elected to hold the distribution flat quarter over quarter. Energy Transfer Partners (NYSE: ETP ) �had no distribution increase either, but things are looking better than they have in a while. Production in the Eagle Ford Shale is driving growth at ETP, and the partnership is reorganizing into an operation that is stronger and more diverse than ever before.
Very strong results here, now let's take a look at some midstream companies that didn't perform as well.
[By Tyler Crowe]
Perhaps bigger players like Occidental were able to hog the limited takeaway capacity, but this won't be a good reason for slowed production very soon. Magellan Midstream Partners (NYSE: MMP ) and DCP Midstream (NYSE: DCP ) both have pipelines coming on line within the next couple of months that will have takeaway capacity of 225,000 and 350,000 barrels per day, respectively. Once these pipelines come on line, there should be much more room for LINN's production.�

Monday, December 29, 2014

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014

The loonie was able to print fresh highs this week ($1.0842), mostly supported by the uptick in commodity prices, specifically crude on supply concerns from any geo-political fallout in the Middle East. Also aiding the CAD was the weakening EUR on the crosses.

On Thursday, Governor Poloz commenting on the semi-annual Financial System Review assessed risks roughly the same for Canada. Despite China's shadow banking issues raising risks for trade, they seem to be offset by lower Euro-zone risks. He acknowledged the downside risks to inflation and commented on the continued risks in the Canadian housing market. To many, there is a concern that Canada's low rate environment has “become a curse” to the housing market. Even a small change higher in Canadian o/n rates could have a massive impact or drag on Canada's economic performance.

Friday's Canadian manufacturing release was stronger that the April headline would suggest. Sales value dropped -0.1% vs. the expected +0.5% gain. However, sales were up in 2/3 of the 21 sub-categories (+0.4%), which would suggest that the headline drop was driven by a drop in ‘prices'. April's producer price report reveals that prices fell for primary metals, chemical and energy products.

Hot High Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now: PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust(PMT)

PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust is based in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Marc Bastow]
PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust (PMT), a REIT involved in mortgages and mortgage-related assets, raised its quarterly dividend 4% to 59 cents per share, payable Jan. 28 to shareholders of record as of Jan. 14. At more than 10%, PMT is the highest yielder of this week’s list of dividend stocks.
PMT Stock Dividend Yield: 10.15%
[By Jon C. Ogg]
Sterne Agee’s team said, “We continue to prefer credit risk oriented Mortgage REITs over their Agency-only focused counterparts. Among the larger cap names in our coverage, our top picks are MFA Financial, Inc. (NYSE: MFA) and PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust (NYSE: PMT).”
[By Sally Jones] ng>Current Shares: 3,570,000
Value: $80,968,000
Weighting: 19.8%
Down 9% over 12 months, PennyMac Mortgage Investment Trust, a residential REIT, has a market cap of $1.61 billion; its shares were traded at around $22.94 with a P/E of 7.30. The dividend yield is 10%.
PMT is not ranked for business predictability.
Track historical data:
Guru Action: As of Sept. 30, 2013, Kyle Bass made a new buy of 3,570,000 shares at an average price of $21.84 per share, for a gain of 4.3%.
The GuruFocus analysis of PMT shows five warning signs.
Vodafone Group PLC (VOD)
Current Shares: 1,349,200
Value: $47,465,000
Weighting: 11.6%
Up 55% over 12 months, Vodafone Group PLC has a market cap of $189.2 billion; its shares were traded at around $39.14 with a P/E of 273.80. The dividend yield is 4.00%.
Vodafone Group PLC is a provider of mobile communications services and products in Germany, Italy, Spain, UK, Europe, India and Africa, Middle East and Asia Pacific.
GuruFocus ranked VOD with one out of five stars for business predictability.
Track historical data:
Guru Action: As of Sept. 30, 2013, Kyle Bass made a new buy of 1,349,200 shares at an average price of $31.01 per share, for a gain of 25.9%.
The GuruFocus analysis of VOD shows nine warning signs.
Microsoft Corporation (MSFT)
Current Shares: 1,500,000
Value: $49,920,000
Weighting: 12.2%
Up 38% over 12 months, Microsoft Corporation has a market cap of $309.54 billion; its shares were traded at around $37.45 with a P/E of 13.70. The dividend yield is 2.60%.
GuruFocus ranked MSFT with three out of five stars for business predictability.
Track historical data:
Guru Action: As of Sept. 30, 2013, Kyle Bass made a new buy of 1,500,000 shares at an average price of $32.90 per share, for a gain of 12.7%.
The GuruFocus analysis of MSFT shows two go

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: 3M Company(MMM)

3M Company, together with subsidiaries, operates as a diversified technology company worldwide. The company?s Industrial and Transportation segment offers tapes, coated and non-woven abrasives, adhesives, specialty materials, filtration products, energy control products, closure systems for personal hygiene products, acoustic systems products, and components and products that are used in the manufacture, repair, and maintenance of automotive, marine, aircraft, and specialty vehicles. Its Health Care segment provides medical and surgical supplies, skin health and infection prevention products, inhalation and transdermal drug delivery systems, dental and orthodontic products, health information systems, and food safety products. The company?s Display and Graphics offers optical film solutions for LCD electronic displays; computer screen filters; reflective sheeting for transportation safety; commercial graphics sheeting and systems; and mobile interactive solutions, includin g mobile display technology, visual systems products, and computer privacy filters. The company?s Consumer and Office segment provides office supply products, stationery products, construction and home improvement products, home care products, protective material products, certain consumer retail personal safety products, and consumer health care products. Its Safety, Security and Protection Services segment offers personal protection products, safety and security products, cleaning and protection products for commercial establishments, track and trace solutions, and roofing granules for asphalt shingles. The company?s Electro and Communications segment provides packaging and interconnection devices; fluids that are used in the manufacture of computer chips, and for cooling electronics and lubricating computer hard disk drives; high-temperature and display tapes; insulating materials, including tapes and resins; and related items. The company was founded in 1902 and is based in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Levisohn]
If January’s selloff was all about the emerging markets, February’s is all about the U.S, as fears of a weaker economy have helped drag down 3M (MMM), United Technologies (UTX), General Electric (GE), Whirlpool (WHR) and Kansas City Southern (KSU).
[By Dan Caplinger]
Finally, 3M (NYSE: MMM ) is best known for its consumer products, but it makes a huge array of goods for industrial use. Its purchase of ceramics specialist Ceradyne expanded its business, with a particular emphasis on defense- and energy-related applications that the company offered 3M. With health care, safety and security, and electronics also within 3M's portfolio of businesses, the company is looking now toward restarting its innovation engine in all of its focus areas.
[By Nicole Seghetti]
2. 3M (NYSE: MMM ) -- Another Dividend Aristocrat, 3M has increased its dividend for an amazing 55 consecutive years. The stock pays a dividend yield of 2.4% and recently grew its dividend by 7%. 3M's payout ratio is a very healthy 38%, indicating that the company has plenty of room to increase its dividend in the future.

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: CLARCOR Inc. (CLC)

CLARCOR Inc. provides filtration products, filtration systems and services, and consumer and industrial packaging products worldwide. Its Engine/Mobile Filtration segment offers oil, air, fuel, coolant, transmission, and hydraulic fluid filters for engines used in stationary power generation and mobile equipment applications, as well as for marine, construction, industrial, mining, and agricultural equipment. This segment also provides dust collection cartridges for environmental filtration applications The company�s Industrial/Environmental Filtration segment manufactures specialty industrial process liquid filters; filters for pharmaceutical processes and beverages; filtration systems, filters, and coalescers for the oil and natural gas industry; filtration systems for aircraft refueling, anti-pollution, sewage treatment, and water recycling; bilge water separators; sand control filters for oil and gas drilling; and woven wire and metallic products for filtration of pl astics and polymer fibers. This segment also offers antimicrobial treated filters and electronic air cleaners for use in commercial and residential buildings, hospitals, factories, residences, paint spray booths, gas turbine and dust collector systems, medical facilities, motor vehicle and aircraft cabins, clean rooms, and compressors. Its Packaging segment provides metal, plastic, and a combination of metal/plastic containers and closures for packing dry and paste form products, smokeless tobacco products, lip balms, ointments, and consumer healthcare products. This segment also offers shells for dry batteries; canisters for films and candles; spools for insulated and fine wire; and custom decorated flat metal sheets. The company distributes its products through independent distributors, dealers for original equipment manufacturers, retail stores, and internal sales force, as well as directly to end-use customers. CLARCOR Inc. was founded in 1904 and is headquartered in Fra nklin, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Marc Bastow]
Filtration and packaging product provider Clarcor (CLC) announced a 26% dividend increase to 17 cents per share, payable Oct. 18 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 11.
CLC Dividend Yield: 1.22%

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Own For 2014: PerkinElmer Inc.(PKI)

PerkinElmer, Inc. provides technology, services, and solutions to the diagnostics, research, environmental, industrial, and laboratory services markets worldwide. The company operates in two segments, Human Health and Environmental Health. The Human Health segment develops diagnostics, tools, and applications to help detect diseases earlier, as well as accelerate the discovery and development of critical new therapies. This segment provides early detection for genetic disorders from pre-conception to early childhood, as well as digital x-ray flat panel detectors and infectious disease testing for the diagnostics market. It also provides a suite of solutions, including instrumentation for automation and detection solutions, in vitro and in vivo imaging and analysis hardware and software, and a portfolio of consumable products, such as drug discovery and research reagents that enable researchers to enhance the drug discovery process. The Environmental Health segment offers t echnologies and applications to facilitate the creation of safer food and consumer products, secure surroundings, and efficient energy resources. This segment provides analytical technologies that address the quality of environment, sustainable energy development, and ensure safer food and consumer products; analytical instrumentation for the industrial market, which includes the semiconductor, chemical, petrochemical, lubricant, construction, office equipment, and quality assurance industries; and laboratory services. The company markets its products and services directly through its own sales forces and distributors for customers, including pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, laboratories, academic and research institutions, public health authorities, private healthcare organizations, doctors, and government agencies. PerkinElmer, Inc. was founded in 1931 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Rich Smith]
The Department of Defense awarded a dozen separate contracts Thursday, worth more than $225 million in aggregate. Notable winners (among publicly traded companies) included:

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Top 5 Undervalued Stocks To Buy Right Now

LET THE DESPERATE DELL DEBACLE DIE

New York, New York, July 31, 2013 ��Carl C. Icahn and his affiliates and Southeastern Asset Management today issued the following open letter to stockholders of Dell (DELL) Inc. and the Dell Special Committee.

Dear Fellow Dell Stockholders and Dell Special Committee:

Today we read that the Dell Special Committee will not accept Michael Dell/Silver Lake�� request to amend the stockholder approval requirement previously agreed to by Dell, Michael Dell and Silver Lake. We are pleased to see that the Special Committee heeded our advice.

But now, the Special Committee has proposed to change the record date for the special meeting of stockholders, which would further delay the stockholder vote that was first scheduled for July 18. To that proposal, we say: Enough! The stockholders have spoken ��and they do not want to be frozen out by Michael Dell/Silver Lake. Let the vote happen on Friday. Michael Dell has said he is ��t peace either way�� We are glad to hear it! It is time to let the proposed freeze-out merger die.

If the Special Committee fails to heed our advice to hold the Special Meeting on Friday and let the stockholders finally vote after six months of uncertainty, and instead, they decide to reset the record date and schedule the Special Meeting for the fourth time, it is imperative, AS WE HAVE REQUESTED FOR MONTHS, that Dell also hold the Annual Meeting on that same day and at the same time.

LET�� MOVE FORWARD TO END THIS UNCERTAINTY

The Dell Board needs to immediately set a record date for the Annual Meeting and announce the date for the Annual Meeting. The current Dell directors have been sitting for over a year. We believe that the Dell Board has a fiduciary obligation to ensure stockholders have the opportunity to make their choice:

Do stockholders want to continue with the incumbent directors who have supported what we believe is an undervalued merger with the company�� founder, largest stoc! kholder and CEO?

OR

Do stockholders want to elect our director nominees who, if elected, will promptly move forward, subject to their fiduciary duties, with a Dell self-tender offer at $14 per share plus warrants and allow stockholders to remain in the company to enjoy the benefits of what we believe will be a resurgent Dell under new management?

Hot Trucking Stocks To Invest In 2015: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]
While Caterpillar has experienced several difficult quarters, the causes have been external rather than internal��amely, a depressed mining sector leading to inventory problems. By underselling demand for the rest of the year, Caterpillar is exchanging short-term sales weakness for an attractive inventory position in the future leading to sales growth beginning in 2014. Moreover, investors thinking about going long Caterpillar can use recent weakness to buy the stock at a more attractive level than before.

Top 5 Undervalued Stocks To Buy Right Now: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Janet S. Carter/AP Dollar General (DG) upped its bid for the rival Family Dollar chain and addressed an earlier roadblock, saying that it will more than double the number of stores it would shed to tamp down the antitrust concerns of its takeover target. The newest bid is worth $9.1 billion, or $80 a share, up from $78.50 a share in the previous offer. Family Dollar (FDO), based in Matthews, North Carolina, rejected the earlier bid in favor of a lesser offer of $8.5 billion from Dollar Tree (DLTR), saying that regulators were less likely to stand in the way. On Tuesday Dollar General, the country's largest dollar-store chain, said it would divest as many as 1,500 stores, well above the 700 that it had originally agreed to, in order to sidestep any anti-monopoly actions that regulators might pursue. The Goodlettsville, Tennessee, company has also said it will pay a $500 million reverse break-up fee to Family Dollar Stores if the deal hits antitrust roadblocks. Dollar General Chairman and CEO Rick Dreiling said that a second antitrust review supported its prior bid, but that its offer was revised "to demonstrate the seriousness of our commitment." The businesses of Family Dollar and Dollar General are more similar than Dollar Tree's. The first two sell items at a variety of prices while at Dollar Tree, all items are a buck. Family Dollar has been looking for a lifeline after running into some financial stress, shuttering stores and cutting prices. In June one big shareholder, Carl Icahn, urged the company to put itself up for sale. Family Dollar acted one month later, accepting an offer from Chesapeake, Virginia-based Dollar Tree of $59.60 in cash and the equivalent of $14.90 in shares of Dollar Tree for each share held. The companies valued the transaction at $74.50 a share at the time. Including debt and other costs, Family Dollar and Dollar Tree estimated the deal to be worth approximately $9.2 billion. Shares of Family Dollar added 54 cents to $80.

Top 5 Undervalued Stocks To Buy Right Now: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Arie Goren]
After running this screen on May 21, 2013, before the markets' open, I discovered the following eight stocks: Sunoco Logistics Partners LP (SXL), Leggett & Platt Inc (LEG), Copa Holdings SA (CPA), RPC Inc. (RES), Tupperware Brands Corp. (TUP), Herbalife Ltd. (HLF), John Wiley & Sons Inc. (JW.A) and C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. (CHRW).
[By Oliver Pursche]
European large-cap pharmaceuticals like Novartis (NVS) �and Bristol Meyers Squibb (BMY) �count amongst some of our favorite stocks right now, as do U.S. multinationals that are growing revenue and margins in Asia ��Tupperware (TUP) �is a shining example. Stay away from utilities and energy stocks, as they are likely to be the laggards over the next year.
[By Dan Caplinger]
Where growth will come from
One area that Newell Rubbermaid still has to tap fully is emerging markets. The company has done a good job of expanding overseas, with 17% annual growth in Latin America. But with barely a quarter of its sales coming from outside the U.S. and Canada, the company has a lot further to go. Storage rival Tupperware (NYSE: TUP ) gets fully 60% of its total revenue from emerging markets, and it too has seen impressive gains in South America as well as the Asia-Pacific region.
[By Eric Volkman]
Tupperware Brands (NYSE: TUP ) is reaching into its corporate bowl for a fresh payout to shareholders. The company has declared a quarterly dividend of $0.62 per share. This will be paid on July 8 to stockholders of record as of June 19. That amount matches the firm's previous distribution, which was paid in early April. Prior to that, Tupperware Brands was rather less generous, handing out $0.36 per share.

Top 5 Undervalued Stocks To Buy Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Holly LaFon]
Schlumberger (SLB) was a top performer during the quarter, continuing its strong performance since the summer of 2012. Since late June 2012 (6/22) through mid-颅��April 2014, the stock (a holding since late September 2011) is up approximately 60% -颅��nearly double the S&P 500 Index's gain of 36%. Schlumberger continues to do what it does best ��dominate their respective industry and generate industry-颅��leading growth and cash flow generation. The Company is a leading global provider of oil services. At the risk of repeating an oil service industry clich茅, "the easy oil has been found." The technological development being brought to bear to the extremes and complexities in the exploration and development of hydrocarbon energy is relentless. The Company's depth and breadth of their integrated products and services has been at the forefront of the unceasing progress of energy services for decades. Indeed, according to the Company, over the past decade, total E&P capital expenditures have increased by 400%, yet global oil production is up only a scant 15%. Furthermore, in just the last three years, the upstream E&P industry has spent on average $600 billion per year yielding only a net increase in global oil production coming from the shale deposits in North American. Due to the significant advancements in horizontal drilling and multistage fracking natural gas prices are generally one-颅��hird of what they are in Europe or Asia. This differential has had 2 profound implications, for instance in the U.S. chemical industry. Chevron Phillips just this month broke ground on a $6 billion ethane cracker plant in Texas ��the first petrochemical refinery built in the U.S. in twenty-颅��ive years. Circa-颅��014 finds the Company at the cutting edge in the continued search for unconventional oil and gas, plus in the environmentally challenging area in offshore and deepwater. The Company continues to enhance their capabilities, scale and integra
[By John Kell]
Schlumberger Ltd.(SLB) reported its fourth-quarter income rose a bigger-than-expected 22% as oil-field services revenue jumped in the Middle East and Asia. Shares edged up 1.3% to $89.79 premarket.
[By Arjun Sreekumar]
Opportunities for oilfield services firms
Not surprisingly, Halliburton and other major energy companies view Chinese shale gas development as a significant opportunity for future growth. Many of them, including Baker Hughes (NYSE: BHI ) , ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP ) , and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB ) , have already developed strategic relationships with Chinese firms to better evaluate the nation's shale gas potential.
[By Aaron Levitt]
With a variety of oil stocks reporting full-year 2013 earnings, unconventional assets are the gifts that keep on giving for the oil service trio of Halliburton (HAL), Baker Hughes (BHI) and Schlumberger (SLB).

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Top US Stocks For 2015

Top US Stocks For 2015: Rutter Inc (RUT)

Rutter Inc. (Rutter) focuses on providing technologies and manufacturing solutions. The Company supplies technologies to improve efficiency and safety in the marine, defense, transportation, oil and gas sectors. The Company produces and globally markets enhanced radar systems, including oil spill detection, ice navigator, small target detection and wave-monitoring systems. The Company also offers a full range of outsource manufacturing services including: product engineering and design; materials management; manufacturing; sub-assembly; systems integration; project management; testing; logistics and documentation and provides full cycle customer support for all Company products and selected third party components/products that it manufactures under contract. Rutters sigma S6 radar signal processing products are designed to enable end users to detect and track objects which would not be visible with conventional radar equipment only. Advisors' Opinion:

[By Wallace Witkowski]
Once again, the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) and the S&P 500 Index (SPX) finished the week at record closing highs and the Russell 2000 Index (RUT) finally broke back into a gain on the year.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-us-stocks-for-2015-2.html

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Top 5 Internet Companies To Invest In 2014

RetailMeNot (Nasdaq:SALE) went public July 18 at $21 per share. In its first day of trading its stock gained 32%. Is the world's largest digital coupon marketplace still worth owning after its big opening? I'll look at the pros and cons.

Mad Money's Jim Cramer recently outlined his criteria for investing in IPOs. His big three are: (1) good management, (2) the investors behind the company, and (3) who the underwriters are. If these three items don't pass the sniff test there's no point going on to his second set of criteria, which includes analyzing the product or service, how profitable the company is and whether the ultimate market for the product or service is big enough.

Here are the first three criteria.

SEE: How An IPO Is Valued

Good Management
Its founder and CEO is Cotter Cunningham. Prior to establishing the company in 2009, Cunningham worked for Bankrate Inc. (NYSE:RATE) for seven years, first as senior vice president of marketing from February 1999 to September 2000, whereupon he became COO until his resignation in March 2007. From there he went on to start some internet businesses such as Divorce360.com with the financial assistance of Austin Ventures, one of the main investors behind RetailMeNot. Clearly, Cunningham understands the internet.

Top Prefered Companies For 2015: Symantec Corporation(SYMC)

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Symantec (NASDAQ: SYMC) were down 13.42 percent to $18.10 after the company fired President and Chief Executive Steve Bennett and appointed director Michael Brown as interim president and CEO. UBS downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral and lowered the price target from $27.00 to $21.00.
[By Wallace Witkowski]
Symantec Corp. (SYMC) �shares dropped 7% to $19.44 on heavy volume, after a brief halted at the closing bell, as the security software company fired Chief Executive Steve Bennett.
[By Tim Melvin]
The first "insider" stock to buy is Symantec Corp. (Nasdaq: SYMC), one of the leading internet security providers in the world.

Symantec makes a wide range of products that help individuals and businesses keep their computers and mobile devices safe from viruses and malware. The stock recently dropped sharply after the company fell short of analysts' quarterly earnings expectations, but CEO Stephen Bennett clearly disagrees with the market's opinion of the company's prospects. He got out his checkbook and added 1,000,000 shares of stock for a total cost of more than $2.2 million. He now owns 488,000 shares of Symantec stock and clearly has high expectations for the future of Symantec's stock price.
[By Michael Flannelly]
Nomura Securities analysts initiated coverage on Symantec Corporation (SYMC) early on Wednesday, giving the stock a “Neutral” rating because its upside is already priced into its current valuation.

The analysts see shares of SYMC reaching $29, which suggests a 14.6% upside to the stock’s Tuesday closing price of $25.30.

Nomura Securities analyst Frederick Grieb commented, “In the early innings of a classic turnaround story, but upside largely priced In. We initiate coverage of Symantec (SYMC) with a Neutral rating and a 12-month target price of $29. Symantec is a leading vender in the security and storage markets, but has struggled to grow market share post its 2005 acquisition of VERITAS. The company has faced competitive pressures in its core markets, with ‘freemium’ antivirus software pressuring the consumer business, while the storage business has been challenged by enterprise migration to Windows and Linux from Solaris and UNIX. Despite these headwinds, we are launching coverage of Symantec with a Neutral rating, as we believe management will be able to improve the business by increasing margins (perhaps to +33%) and longer-term organic growth through a combination of simplifying management structures and a better strategy to incentivize the sales force. However, given the stock�� 33% increase YTD, due in part to multiple expansion (P/E up 18% YTD), we believe much of the upside from this turnaround is already baked in. FY14E EPS starts at $1.2; FY15E EPS starts at $2.18.”

Symantec Corp shares were inactive during pre-market trading on Wednesday. The stock is up 34.43% year-to-date.

Top 5 Internet Companies To Invest In 2014: IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI)

IAC/InterActiveCorp engages in the Internet business in the United States and internationally. The company�s Search segment develops, markets, and distributes various downloadable toolbars; provides search, reference, and content services through its destination search and other Websites, including Ask.com and Dictionary.com; and aggregates and integrates local advertising and content for distribution to publishers on Web and mobile platforms, as well as markets and distributes mobile applications through which it provides search and additional services. Its Match segment offers subscription-based and advertiser-supported online personals services through its Websites comprising Match.com, Chemistry.com, OurTime.com, BlackPeopleMeet.com, and OkCupid.com, as well as through mobile applications and Meetic-branded Websites. The company�s ServiceMagic segment offers Market Match service that matches consumers with service professionals; Exact Match service, which enables con sumers to review service professional profiles and select the service professional that meets their specific needs; and 1800Contractor.com, an online directory of service professionals. This segment also offers Website design and hosting services. Its Media and Other segment operates CollegeHumor.com, an online entertainment Website that targets young males; Vimeo, a Website on which users can upload, share, and view video; and Pronto.com, a comparison search engine. This segment also engages in the creation of video content for various distribution platforms; and operates as an Internet retailer of footwear and related apparel and accessories, as well as focuses on multimedia business. The company was formerly known as InterActiveCorp and changed its name to IAC/InterActiveCorp in July 2004. IAC/InterActiveCorp was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Chris Isidore]
Newsweek, the news magazine whose print version was abandoned late last year, was sold in August by IAC (IACI) to another all-digital news company, IBT Media.
[By Igor Novgorodtsev]
InterActiveCorp (IACI) bought Ask.com for $1.85 billion in 2005. The new Perion will be worth only about 40% of that. After the merger, Perion will leapfrog its much larger rivals: Babylon and AVG (AVG). Finally, Perion should be able to increase its operating margins as it can spread its SG&A costs over a much larger base (Conduit EBITDA margin is 32% vs. Perion's 23%). Perion will keep its senior management team intact: Josef Mandelbaum will remain its CEO and Yacov Kaufman its CFO. Perion has successfully orchestrated a roll-up acquisitions of privately-held Sweetpacks and Smilebox, so I have high confidence that they know how to integrate a new business.
[By Eric Volkman]
AP/Jim Mone Is Bitcoin a slam-dunk as the currency of the future? The Sacramento Kings seem to think so. The NBA team recently became the first pro sports franchise to accept Bitcoin as a form of payment. Basketball fans will be able not only to purchase tickets and merchandise online with the digital cryptocurrency, but also to use it to buy souvenirs at the arena come game time. The team is the latest in a growing number of commercial entities finding a slot in their virtual cash registers for Bitcoin. Little by little, momentum is building for a widespread acceptance of the upstart currency. Overstocking The Kings' drive towards the Bitcoin basket comes a week after the big online retailer Overstock.com (OSTK) announced it would start accepting payments in the currency. The move was an instant hit -- the first day the company had the nifty Bitcoin button as an option in its shopping cart, its customers used it to make more than 800 transactions for total sales of around $130,000. Overstock.com was by no means the first online marketplace to accept the currency. Numerous web retailers have been doing so for some time. It's a natural fit, %VIRTUAL-article-sponsoredlinks in a way, since Bitcoin exists solely in the digital realm. Customers booking flights on discount travel operator CheapAir.com, for example, can use Bitcoin to buy their tickets, as can love seekers on dating site OkCupid, owned by IAC/InteractiveCorp (IACI). These digital players are going to have plenty of company. Earlier this month, online games purveyor Zynga (ZNGA) started to dip its toes in the water, announcing that it was testing Bitcoin payments for some of its titles in conjunction with specialist transaction facilitator BitPay. But if Overstock.com didn't get there first, it's still the largest and most prominent e-retailer to take the Bitcoin plunge thus far. This is a big win for the currency and its advocates, and Overstock.com will surely be followed by more well-known comp

Top 5 Internet Companies To Invest In 2014: CYNK Technology Corp (CYNK)

Cynk Technology Corp., formerly Introbuzz, Inc., is a development stage-company. The Company intends to develop a social network business. Social networks are Web based services that allow individuals to post a profile and link their profile to other friends and organizations.

The Company intends to develop a database of professional and other business persons, as well as other interested persons in providing and utilizing contacts. As of November 14, 2012, the Company had not generated any revenue.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
CYNK Technology (CYNK), the mysterious over-the-counter stock that at one point broke a $6 billion market cap, dropped roughly 80 percent in its first trades after a Securities and Exchange Commission halt. The SEC halted CYNK for two weeks following a massive rise in the stock's value -- it had been worth only a few cents per share in June, but it jumped above $21 on July 10. The Belize-based CYNK Technology supposedly operates a social networking site, but filings indicate it only has one employee and virtually no assets. Experts told CNBC the week of the SEC halt that they expected CYNK to fall precipitously after reopening, and its first day of trading is proving those predictions correct. When it was halted, the stock was worth just less than $14 per share, and is now below $3 a share after briefly hovering around $5 earlier Friday morning. An OTC Markets spokeswoman told Reuters that CYNK's shares were not trading on its platform, but were occurring over the phone. Earlier this week Reuters reported that OTC's CEO did not expect CYNK to trade on its platform at all after reopening, as no brokerages would file the required paperwork for the stock to trade on their exchanges. An SEC spokesman said that the organization cannot comment on the status of a company after a suspension period ends, citing an online explanation of the process. That document notes that broker-dealers may not solicit investors to trade the previously suspended OTC stock until they satisfy several regulatory requirements. The SEC warned, however, that "unsolicited" trading may occur after a reopening -- as CYNK is now seeing -- but "even though such trading is allowed, it can be very risky for investors without current and reliable information about the company."

Top 5 Internet Companies To Invest In 2014: Amazon.com Inc.(AMZN)

Amazon.com, Inc. operates as an online retailer in North America and internationally. It operates retail Web sites, including amazon.com and amazon.ca. The company serves consumers through its retail Web sites and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. It also offers programs that enable sellers to sell their products on its Web sites, and their own branded Web sites. In addition, the company serves developer customers through Amazon Web Services, which provides access to technology infrastructure that developers can use to enable virtually various type of business. Further, it manufactures and sells the Kindle e-reader. Additionally, the company provides fulfillment; miscellaneous marketing and promotional agreements, such as online advertising; and co-branded credit cards. Amazon.com, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jacob Roche]
If you guessed Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) , you are correct! Amazon increased its labor force from 17,000 employees to 88,400 from 2007 to 2012, and while it doesn't have store shelves to stock or front-end registers to run, it does have rapidly growing sales that require more warehouse personnel, more customer service representatives, and other employees to keep things running smoothly.
[By David Eller]
Amazon.com Inc (NASDAQ: AMZN ) may be warming up for the All Star game as an industry report shows it may have hit June's sales targets over the center field fence. A recent ChannelAdvisor report indicates that revenue growth may be ahead of estimates in the June quarter which bodes well for the Christmas season. The report isn't all sunshine and rainbows though as�eBay Inc (NASDAQ: EBAY ) saw an overall increase but weakness in some key segments. Could this monthly sales forecast signal upside for Amazon shares?
[By Rich Smith]
Alamy As the Dow Jones Industrial Index keeps setting new record highs, individual investors are returning to the stock market in droves. Four years of steady stock market growth have been capped by this year's 24 percent year-to-date rise on the Dow. Individual investors hoping to catch the rising tide have put $167 billion into stock mutual funds the stock market so far this year. Leaving aside the question of whether that's a wise move -- investing after the market has hit an all-time high, rather than putting money to work after a correction when stocks are cheap -- there's a more pertinent question for these investors: What method will use to you invest your money in the market, and how much will it cost you? "Free" Is a Nice Price Would you believe it might cost you nothing at all to invest in the stock market -- at least as far as stock buying fees are concerned? It has been years since investors last saw companies offering them truly commission-free online brokerage services. Years since sites like Freetrade.com and Zecco.com went belly up. (Zecco got bought by TradeKing, and upped its commission cost from $0 to $4.95). But now a new site says it's ready to give the free trading business model another whirl -- and its name is "Loyal3." Operating out of offices in San Francisco and Haverhill, Mass., private equity-backed Loyal3 is putting its unique stamp on the zero-fee stock trading game, featuring: a $10 minimum balance to open an account the option to buy stocks with a credit card the ability to buy fractions of a share (if, for example, if the $515 price tag on a whole share of Apple (AAPL) is beyond your budget, you can buy just a slice) $0 cost to buy a stock, or to sell a stock, too -- even for IPOs and for new investors nervous about privacy, a guarantee that the company uses "military grade encryption to protect your data" and "will not provide your information to third parties," either. Simplify, Simplify There are a few caveats, of cou
[By Jason Moser, Chris Hill, and Eric Bleeker, CFA]
Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) made a $300 million investment last year in Barnes & Noble (NYSE: BKS ) , focusing primarily on the company's e-reader business. However, Microsoft's investment came at a time when there were already troubling signs for e-readers, such as how they would compete as tablet prices were being slashed. As an example,�Apple�has managed to take 20% of the e-book market without making iBooks a priority. Likewise,�Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN ) has long been a more entrenched competitor and used the Kindle to head-off the Nook positioning itself as the more "tablet-y" of the companies operating from a strength in e-readers.�

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014

The Internal Revenue Service is on a roll! After announcing that the 2014 tax season would open on January 31, 2014, for individual taxpayers, the IRS has now announced that they will begin accepting 2013 business tax returns on Monday, January 13, 2014. This start date applies to both electronically-filed and paper-filed returns.

Business tax returns include any return that posts on the IRS Business Master File (BMF). Those BMF returns include a variety of income tax and information returns including:

Federal form 1120 (corporations) Federal form 1120S (S corporations) Federal form 1065 (partnerships or entities taxed as partnerships) Federal form 1041 (trusts and estates) Federal form 720 (excise) Federal form 940 (FUTA) Federal form 941 (FICA) Federal form 2290 (Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax)

Corporate returns are generally due on March 15 but since March 15 falls on a Saturday in 2014, the due date for forms 1120 and forms 1120S will be March 17, 2014.

Top 5 Prefered Companies To Invest In Right Now: US Ecology Inc.(ECOL)

US Ecology, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides waste treatment, disposal, recycling, and transportation services to commercial and government entities in the United States. The company offers treatment and disposal services for radioactive, hazardous, polychlorinated biphenyl, and non-hazardous industrial wastes. Its customers include oil refineries, chemical production facilities, manufacturers, electric utilities, steel mills, biotechnology companies, military installations, waste brokers/aggregators, and medical and academic institutions. The company was formerly known as American Ecology Corporation and changed its name to US Ecology, Inc. in February 2010. US Ecology, Inc. was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Boise, Idaho.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, hazardous waste disposal specialist US Ecology (NASDAQ: ECOL ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
[By Damian Illia] ides waste management and recycling services to manufacturing, industrial and energy-related sectors. The company�� five waste sites treat hazardous and non-hazardous industrial waste, as well as radioactive and PCB waste. In addition, the company麓s Robstown treatment plant in Texas counts with a thermal desorption unit that treats refinery sludge.

In the following sections I will show you that we are dealing with a very profitable growth stock, that has an above average ROE rate of 13.89%, and operates with a net margin of 15.99%.

Holding a Strong Position in the Market

ECOL has two revenue streams. Business contracts to treat customers��periodic disposal needs on the one hand, and event-driven services that apply to special projects or cleanup work on the other.

Furthermore, the company has a wide economic moat largely stemming from three factors: its efficient scale, its high switching costs and its intangible assets. Of the 20 commercial hazardous-waste landfills operational in the U.S., the majority are run by US Ecology and its main competitors Waste Management Inc. (WM), and Clean Harbors Inc. (CLH). With barriers to entry stemming from regulatory permits, and a limited market size, ECOL has managed to achieve an efficient scale in the market with five hazardous waste-sides. The company�� intangible assets consist of long-term regulatory permits, which enable US Ecology to posses a ��atekeeper privilege��regarding barriers to new entrants. In addition, customer switching costs are high, thus further adding to the firm�� ability to sustain growth in the long term.

Good Investments and New Management Should Ensure Profitable Growth

A range of new treatment services should also help ensure profitable growth for coming years. For example, the Texas facility which operates a new thermal desorption technology for oil refinery sludge since 2008 has been responsible for 10% of revenue and is expected to keep grow
[By Lauren Pollock]
Among the stocks to watch in Monday’s session are US Ecology Inc.(ECOL), Akamai, and Dow Chemical Co.(DOW)

US Ecology again raised its earnings guidance for the year, pointing to strong volumes and accelerated project shipments, but warned its results for next year may take a hit as a result. The company, which provides waste- management and recycling services, also outlined plans to offer about $100 million in stock. Shares dropped 10% to $34.51 premarket.
[By Damian Illia]
As we can see, the firm has a higher ROE than Amrep Corporation (AXR) but is well below the one registered by US Ecology Inc. (ECOL) and Cintas Corporation (CTAS).

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Time Inc (TIME)

Time Inc., incorporated on September 28, 1988, is a magazine publisher in the United States. As of March 31, 2014, the Company publishes 23 magazines in print in the United States, including People, Sports Illustrated, InStyle, Time, Real Simple, Southern Living, Entertainment Weekly and Fortune and over 70 magazines outside the United States, primarily through IPC Magazines Group Limited (IPC) in the United Kingdom and Grupo Editorial Expansion (GEX) in Mexico. On April 30, 2014, the Company acquired the IPC publishing business in the United Kingdom, which was previously owned by a wholly-owned subsidiary of Time Warner (the IPC Purchase). In June 2014, Time Inc acquired Cozi Inc., a Seattle-based technology company with a portfolio of mobile and digital family organizing tools

The Company�� United States and United Kingdom print magazines is also available as tablet editions on digital devices and platforms. In addition, as of March 31, 2014, it operated over 45 Websites that collectively have tens of millions of average monthly visitors globally. It also operates an integrated publishing business that provides content marketing, targeted local print and digital advertising programs, branded book publishing and marketing and support services, including magazine subscription sales services, retail distribution and marketing services and customer service and fulfillment services, to the Company and other third-party clients, including other magazine publishers.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Paul Vigna]
Time Inc.(TIME), the former Time Warner Inc.(TWX) publishing business, lowered its full-year revenue outlook, as the company looks to counteract weakness in print advertising. Shares were inactive premarket.
[By Vera Yuan]
During the quarter we initiated a position in Publicis (1.0%), and exited the last of our position in Admiral. We added further to the recently initiated position in Time Warner (TWX)(3.6%), partly funded by selling a small position in Time Inc. (TIME), the magazine business spun off from the parent. We also added to and reduced select Consumer Staples, Information Technology, Industrial and Financials names.

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Novo Nordisk A/S (NVO)

Novo Nordisk A/S, a healthcare company, engages in the discovery, development, manufacture, and marketing of pharmaceutical products in Denmark and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Diabetes Care and Biopharmaceuticals. The Diabetes care segment covers insulins, oral antidiabetic drugs, and other protein-related products and projects comprising glucagon and protein-related delivery systems, as well as GLP-1 analogue. The Biopharmaceuticals segment provides products in the areas of haemophilia, growth hormone therapy, hormone replacement therapy, and inflammation therapy. Its products are marketed and distributed through subsidiaries, distributors, and independent agents in 180 countries. Novo Nordisk A/S has a collaboration agreement with Archimedes, Inc. The company was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Bagsvaerd, Denmark.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Levisohn]
We continue to argue Sanofi offers near term momentum. This is based on scope for pipeline expectations to rise (today�� news on Dengue vaccine and recent PCSK9 data should help), coupled with an attractive valuation and earnings upside risk going into Q3. Sanofi trades at a�>10%�PE discount to�the sector yet offers comparable growth (5YR EPS CAGR 10%). That said, we retain our Neutral rating as we have�higher conviction on the�LT�fundamentals elsewhere in the sector, and�remain concerned about the sustainability of growth for the diabetes franchise (>30% of profits) post 2017. Preferred Pharma plays include AstraZeneca (AZN), Bayer, Novo Nordisk (NVO) and UCB. Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY)�and Pfizer (PFE) are our preferred US plays.
[By Maxx Chatsko]
The company will now compete more readily with industry leaders Novozymes from Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO ) and Genencor from DuPont (NYSE: DD ) . However, the biggest effects could be felt at Codexis (NASDAQ: CDXS ) , which has also licensed the cutting-edge host organism from Dyadic. Will BASF's push into industrial enzymes, specifically using the C1 platform, vindicate Codexis or shove it out of the way?

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: China North East Petroleum Holdings Limited(NEP)

China North East Petroleum Holdings Limited engages in the exploration and production of crude oil in northern China. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 295 producing wells with proven reserves of 5,476,200 barrels of crude oil at Qian?an 112, Hetingbao 301, Daan 34, and Gudian 31 oilfields. The company, through its subsidiary, Song Yuan Tiancheng Drilling Engineering Co., Ltd., provides contract land drilling and other oilfield services for state-owned and non-state-owned oil companies. China North East Petroleum Holdings Limited is headquartered in Song Yuan City, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Levisohn]
Krishna and Krauklis note that Buffalo Wild Wings, Nextera Energy (NEP), Rexnord Corp (RXN), and The Advisory Board (ABCO) should benefit from recent acquisitions that should boost revenue growth, while�Buffalo Wild Wings and Cavium (CAVM) should see improvements thanks to the adoption of new technology that will help boost margins. Terex, The Advisory Board, and�Rexnord should get a boost from cost cutting, Krishna and Krauklis say.
[By Robert Rapier]
Another YieldCo,�Nextera Energy Partners�(NYSE: NEP) which will own and operate renewable energy plants built by�NextEra Energy�(NYSE: NEE) launched June 27. NEP priced its IPO at $25 per share, then saw the share price surge to $32.36 on the first day of trading. NEP�� initial portfolio will consist of wind and solar farms in the US and Canada with a total generating capacity just under a gigawatt.
[By David Dittman]
Question: Dave, any thoughts on NextEra Energy Partners LP (NYSE: NEP)? And, if you can build on that, maybe talk about how to approach an initial public offering (IPO) in general. Thanks.

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Cellular Dynamics International Inc (ICEL)

Cellular Dynamics International, Inc., incorporated on November 16, 2007, develops and manufactures fully functioning human cells in industrial quantities to precise specifications. The Company�� iCell Operating System (iCell O/S) includes true human cells in multiple cell types (iCell products), human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) and custom iPSCs and iCell products (MyCell products). Customers use its iCell O/S products, among other purposes, for drug discovery and screening; to test the safety and efficacy of their small molecule and biologic drug candidates; for stem cell banking; and in researching cellular therapeutics. The Company�� iCell product line includes four different cell types: cardiomyocytes, neurons, hepatocytes and endothelial cells. The Company is actively developing an additional seven different cell types. iCell products are a consumable designed to be used once and then reordered.

The Company manufactures its iCell products from its iPSCs. An iPSC is a cell that has the ability both to replicate indefinitely and to be transformed into any cell type in the human body. The Company�� iCell O/S consists of six products, which include iCell Cardiomyocytes, iCell Neurons, iCell Endothelial Cells, iCell Hepatocytes and MyCell.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By John Udovich]
Stem cells may not be in the news much�as the sector has moved beyond the use of embryotic�ones, but small cap stem cell stocks Cellular Dynamics International Inc (NASDAQ: ICEL), International Stem Cell Corp (OTCMKTS: ISCO) and BioRestorative Therapies (OTCBB: BRTX) have been fairly active over the past several trading days as ICEL went public, ISCO raised additional funding and BRTX grabbed more attention:

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Ltd(RDY)

Dr. Reddy?s Laboratories Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a pharmaceutical company. It produces finished dosage forms, active pharmaceutical ingredients and intermediates, and biotechnology products. The company also conducts research in the areas of cancer, diabetes, cardiovascular, inflammation, and bacterial infection. In addition, it involves in the contract manufacture generic prescription and over-the-counter products for branded and generic companies in the United States. The company primarily focuses on therapeutic categories of cardiovascular, diabetes management, gastro-intestinal, and pain management. It markets its products in India, the United States, Europe, and the Russian Federation. The company has a co-development and commercialization agreement with Rheoscience A/S for the development and commercialization of Balaglitazone/DRF 2593, a partial PPAR-gamma agonist for the treatment of type 2 diabetes; an agreement with ClinTec Internatio nal for the development of an anti-cancer compound, DRF 1042; collaboration with the National Cancer Institute in Maryland; and an agreement with Argenta Discovery Limited for the joint development and commercialization of a novel approach to the treatment of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. It also has an agreement with 7TM Pharma for drug discovery collaboration on selected drug targets; and an agreement with GlaxoSmithKline plc to develop and market pharmaceuticals for the treatment of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, oncology, gastroenterology, and pain management. Dr. Reddy?s Laboratories Limited was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Hyderabad, India.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Rich Duprey]
Following FDA approval of its abbreviated new drug application, or ANDA,�Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (NYSE: RDY ) announced today that it launched its lamotrigine extended-release tablets, the generic version of GlaxoSmithKline's Lamictal.�
[By Dan Carroll]
The company's generic drug segment should also help push emerging market sales. Abbott markets generic pharmaceuticals outside the U.S. only, and while the division isn't growth-oriented -- sales actually fell around 2% for the quarter -- it provides an entry for the company to push into lucrative new markets such as India, where generics make up the large majority of the country's retail market. The company will face tougher competition in this industry, however: Firms such as India-based Dr. Reddy's (NYSE: RDY ) have also pushed hard into emerging markets lately, and Dr. Reddy's in particular should benefit from its being headquartered in one of the industry's top locales.
[By Benjamin Shepherd] We’re now into day 15 of the US government shutdown, as House Republicans stubbornly try to defund Obamacare. No matter what sort of deal is eventually struck, health care costs aren’t likely to come down any time soon. And that’s good news for generic drug makers.

Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories (NYSE: RDY) is one of the biggest players in generic drugs, offering more than 200 off-brand medications in the areas of cardiovascular disease, pain management and oncology, among others. In fact, this India-based company has become one of the largest makers of generics in the world, helping to drive more than 20 percent annual compounded earnings growth at the company over the past decade.

Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: PIMCO Municipal Income Fund III(PMX)

PIMCO Municipal Income Fund III is a closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC. The fund is co-managed by Pacific Investment Management Co LLC. It invests in fixed income markets. The fund invests in a portfolio of municipal bonds, including long and short U.S. Treasury Notes, and U.S. Treasury Bond Futures. PIMCO Municipal Income Fund III was formed in 2002 and is domiciled in United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By maarnio]
Spectral is focused on the development and commercialization of a treatment for severe sepsis utilizing its Endotox in Activity Assay (EAA) and the Toraymyxin therapeutic (PMX). If approved, this will be the first theranostics product, a targeted therapy guided by a specific diagnostic, in the area of sepsis. The company also manufactures and sells certain proprietary reagents.