There�� a reason that 2013 was marked the Marine Tourism Year by China�� government. Some 530,000 Chinese tourists took cruises beyond the mainland, more than double the previous year. Industry forecasts have the country second only to the U.S. in passengers by 2017.
To Chinese, ship travel once meant taking a steamer down the Yangtze River, mostly as basic transportation before jet service and an expansive highway system became the norm. Today, though, it has taken on an ever more luxurious sheen. This month Carnival's Carnival's Princess Cruises will christen a Sapphire voyage from Shanghai, with the 2,670 on board paying $900 to $5,000 to float to South Korea and southwestern Japan over six days.
Carnival, the world�� largest cruise line, began the current era in 2006 when Allegra , from its more basic Costa line, departed from the old Shanghai docks. International rivals like Royal Caribbean and Star followed, along with a smaller domestic contingent. Now few can afford to stay away. They��e banking on a potential market above 100 million in a few years��nd an actual load, Carnival figures, of 2.3 million passengers.
5 Best Income Stocks To Buy For 2015: Acuity Brands Inc (AYI)
Acuity Brands, Inc. (Acuity Brands), incorporated on September 20, 2007, is the parent company of Acuity Brands Lighting, Inc. (ABL), and other subsidiaries. Acuity Brands is a provider of lighting solutions for commercial, institutional, industrial, infrastructure, and residential applications throughout North America and select international markets. The Company's lighting solutions include devices, such as luminaires, lighting controls, power supplies, prismatic skylights, light-emitting diode (LED) lamps, and integrated lighting systems for indoor and outdoor applications utilizing a combination of light sources, including daylight, and other devices controlled by software that monitors and manages light levels while optimizing energy consumption (collectively referred to herein as lighting solutions). Effective March 14, 2013, the Company acquired eldoLED Europe BV.
The Company manufactures lighting devices primarily in North America, Europe and Asia. The Company's lighting solutions are marketed under numerous brand names, including Lithonia Lighting, Holophane, Peerless, Mark Architectural Lighting, Hydrel, American Electric Lighting, Gotham, Carandini, RELOC, Antique Street Lamps, Tersen, Winona Lighting, Synergy Lighting Controls, Sensor Switch, Lighting Control & Design, Dark to Light, ROAM, Sunoptics, acculamp, Pathway Connectivity, and Healthcare Lighting. As of August 31, 2012, the Company manufactures products in 18 facilities in North America and two facilities in Europe.
Principal customers include electrical distributors, retail home improvement centers, electric utilities, municipalities, lighting showrooms, and energy service companies located in North America and select international markets serving new construction, renovation, and facility maintenance applications. In North America, the Company's lighting solutions are sold primarily by independent sales agents, electrical wholesalers, and factory sales representatives who cover specific geographic areas! and market channels. Products are delivered directly or through a network of distribution centers, regional warehouses, and commercial warehouses using both common carriers and a company-owned truck fleet. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), North American sales accounted for approximately 98% of net sales. The Company has one operating segment serving the North American lighting market and select international markets.
The Company provides a range of lighting solutions, as well as services used in the applications, such as lighting solutions and services. Lighting solutions and services includes commercial and institutional, industrial, infrastructure, residential and services. Commercial and Institutional includes stores, hotels, offices, schools, and hospitals, as well as other government and public buildings. Lighting solutions that serve these applications include recessed, surface, and suspended lighting products, recessed down lighting, track lighting, day lighting, and lighting controls (occupancy sensors, photocontrols, relay panels, architectural dimming panels, and integrated lighting controls systems), as well as special-use lighting products. The outdoor areas associated with these applications are addressed by a range of outdoor lighting products, such as area and flood lighting, decorative site lighting, and landscape lighting. Industrial includes primarily warehouses and manufacturing facilities, which utilize a range of general purpose, day lighting, and special-use lighting solutions. Infrastructure includes highways, tunnels, airports, railway yards, and ports. Products that serve these applications include street, area, high-mast, off-set roadway, sign lighting, poles, and integrated controls systems. Residential includes a combination of decorative, utilitarian, and down lighting products. Services include monitoring and controlling of lighting systems through network technologies.
The Company competes with Cooper Industries plc, Hu! bbell Inc! orporated, Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V., OSRAM AG, Schneider Electric and General Electric Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Bieglmeier]
[Related -Acuity Brands, Inc. (AYI) Q2 Earnings Preview: Red Lighting Earnings And Performance As Of Late]
Liu Chun-ting, director general for Electronics and Optoelectronics Research Laboratories (EORL) under Taiwan government-sponsored Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) projects a little stronger number, "Global LED lighting market value is estimated at US$30.5 billion for 2014 and will increase to US$51.6 billion in 2018."
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Acuity Brands Inc. (NYSE: AYI) was raised to Neutral from Underperform at Sterne Agee�on better-than-expected unit growth and nonresidential construction recovery.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Invest In Right Now: Cosi Inc.(COSI)
Cosi, Inc. owns, operates, and franchises premium convenience dining restaurants. It offers squagels, sandwiches, hearth-baked quiches, oatmeal, salads, soups, appetizers, melts, flatbread pizzas, S?mores, fruit parfaits, wraps, and other desserts; coffees and other espresso-based beverages, seasonal fruit smoothies and specialty drinks, soft drinks, and flavored teas, as well as bottled beverages, such as still and sparkling waters. The company also sells alcoholic beverages comprising beer and wine. Its restaurants also offers catering service for the breakfast and lunch day parts, including breakfast baskets, lunch buffets, and dessert platters. As of August 26, 2011, it had 80 company-owned and 58 franchise restaurants in 17 states in the United States, the District of Columbia, and the United Arab Emirates. Cosi, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is based in Deerfield, Illinois.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James Brumley]
But Sbarro is hardly the only restaurant struggling to make ends meet right now. Indeed, there are several more that may be following in the pizza chain’s bankruptcy footsteps. In no particular order, here are five more restaurants that may be fiscally insolvent in the foreseeable future.
Cosi (COSI)The sandwiches may be delicious, but the menu Cosi Inc. (COSI) offers at its 136 restaurants is increasingly irrelevant, either for price (the average ticket size is about $8.81), convenience, or both.
- [By John Udovich]
At the end of last week, small cap sandwich stock Potbelly Corp (NASDAQ: PBPB) had a delicious surge of 120% for its IPO���meaning its probably a good idea to see whether its still worth getting in on the action plus take a look at the performance of peers�Cosi Inc (NASDAQ: COSI), Panera Bread Co (NASDAQ: PNRA) and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group, Inc (NASDAQ: BAGL) as Subway remains private. I should mention that competing with Subway in the sandwich business is a tall order as they have 40,229 restaurants in 102 countries and territories as of early September���making them the�largest single-brand restaurant chain and the largest restaurant operator globally. However, Potbelly Corp and its peers Cosi Inc, Panera Bread Co and Einstein Noah Restaurant Group aren�� slugging it out directly with Subway.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Invest In Right Now: C&F Financial Corporation(CFFI)
C&F Financial Corporation operates as the holding company for Citizens and Farmers Bank that provides various banking and related financial services to individuals and businesses. It operates through three segments: Retail Banking, Mortgage Banking, and Consumer Finance. The Retail Banking segment offers various types of checking and savings deposit accounts; business, real estate, development, mortgage, home equity, and installment loans; and ATMs, Internet banking, and credit cards, as well as travelers? checks, safe deposit box rentals, collection, notary public, wire service, and other customary bank services. This segment provides retail banking services at its main office in West Point, Virginia; and 17 branches in Chester, Hampton, Mechanicsville, Midlothian, Newport News, Norge, Providence Forge, Quinton, Saluda, Sandston, Varina, West Point, Yorktown, Williamsburg, and Richmond, Virginia. The Mortgage Banking segment originates conventional mortgage loans, mortga ge loans insured by the Federal Housing Administration, mortgage loans partially guaranteed by the Veterans Administration, and home equity loans. This segment provides mortgage loan origination services through 15 locations in Virginia, 4 in Maryland, and 2 in North Carolina, as well as 1 each in Wilmington, Delaware; Moorestown, New Jersey; and York, Pennsylvania. The Consumer Finance segment provides automobile loans in Virginia and in portions of Alabama, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, North Carolina, Ohio, Tennessee, Georgia, and West Virginia through offices in Richmond and Hampton, Virginia; Nashville, Tennessee; and Towson, Maryland. The company also offers brokerage services, and insurance and title insurance services. C&F Financial Corporation was founded in 1927 and is based in West Point, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Doug Hughes]
An example of that would be C&F Financial (CFFI) in Westport, Virginia. The CEO, Larry Dillon, has been there for 35 years, plus, the bank is trading at a p/e of 6 or 7, if you can believe it. It's only $2 over book value.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Invest In Right Now: Five Star Quality Care Inc (FVE)
Five Star Quality Care, Inc. (Five Star), incorporated in April 2000, operates senior living communities, including independent living communities, assisted living communities and skilled nursing facilities (SNFs). As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated 245 senior living communities located in 30 states containing 27,159 living units, including 207 primarily independent and assisted living communities with 23,736 living units and 38 SNFs with 3,423 living units. The Company owns and operates 31 communities (2,954 living units), lease and operate 191 communities (20,811 living units), and manage 23 communities (3,394 living units). Its 245 senior living communities included 8,699 independent living apartments, 13,069 assisted living suites and 5,391 skilled nursing units. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company discontinued its operations on two SNFs owned and operated by it containing 271 living units and one assisted living community leased from Senior Housing Properties Trust (SNH) and operated by it containing 103 living units. In September 2012, it sold its pharmacy business to Omnicare, Inc. Effective December 31, 2013, Five Star transferred the operations of two rehabilitation hospitals, which included New England Rehabilitation Hospital located in Woburn and Braintree Rehabilitation Hospital located in Braintree, to entities affiliated with Reliant Hospital Partners, LLC.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company leased and operated two rehabilitation hospitals with 321 beds that provide inpatient rehabilitation services to patients at the two hospitals and at three satellite locations. In addition, it leased and operated 13 outpatient clinics affiliated with these rehabilitation hospitals. It also owns and operate five institutional pharmacies. In 2011, the Company acquired from unrelated parties seven assisted living communities containing 854 living units with one located in Arizona and the other six located in Indiana, or the Indiana Communities. It also commenc! ed leasing from SNH six senior living communities containing 724 living units with one located in each of Illinois and Florida and two located in each of North Carolina and Virginia.
Independent Living Communities
Independent living communities provide privacy to residents and require residents to be capable of independence. An independent living apartment usually bundles several services as part of a regular monthly charge. In addition, services are available from staff employees on a fee for service basis. As of December 31, 2011, its business included 8,699 independent living apartments in 75 communities that it operated or managed.
Assisted Living Communities
Assisted living communities consists of one bedroom units which include private bathrooms and kitchens. Services bundled within one charge usually include three meals per day in a central dining room, daily housekeeping, laundry, medical reminders and around the clock availability of assistance with the activities of daily living such as dressing and bathing. Professional nursing and healthcare services are usually available at the community as requested or at regularly scheduled times. As of December 31, 2011, its business included 13,069 assisted living suites in 185 communities that it operated or managed. .
Skilled Nursing Facilities
SNFs provide nursing and healthcare services similar to those available in hospitals. A purpose built SNF includes one or two beds per room with a separate bathroom in each room and shared dining facilities. SNFs are staffed by licensed nursing professionals 24 hours per day. As of December 31, 2011, its business included 5,391 skilled nursing units in 69 communities.
Rehabilitation Hospitals
Rehabilitation hospitals, which are also known as inpatient rehabilitation facilities (IRFs), provide intensive physical therapy, occupational therapy and speech language pathology services. Patients in IRFs receive a mi! nimum of ! three hours of rehabilitation services daily. IRFs also provides radiology, laboratory, telemetry, hemodialysis and orthotics/prosthetics services. Outpatient satellite clinics are often included as part of the services offered by IRFs. As of December 31, 2011, its two rehabilitation hospitals had 321 beds available for inpatient services and provided rehabilitation services at the two hospitals and three satellite locations. In addition, it operates 13 outpatient clinics affiliated with its rehabilitation hospitals where patients discharged from hospitals can continue their therapy programs and receive amputee, brain injury, neurorehabilitation, cardio-pulmonary, orthopedic, spinal cord injury and stroke rehabilitation services.
Institutional Pharmacies
Institutional pharmacies provide drugs at locations where patients with recurring pharmacy requirements are concentrated. The Company�� five institutional pharmacies are located in six leased commercial spaces and one owned commercial building containing a total of approximately 67,759 square feet plus parking areas for its employees and delivery vehicles.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Laura Brodbeck]
Tuesday
Earnings Expected From: Five Star Quality Care, Inc. (NYSE: FVE), Maximus, Inc. (NYSE: MMS), Nustar Energy (NYSE: NS), D.R. Horton, Inc. (NYSE: DHI), DISH Network Corporation (NASDAQ: DISH) Economic Releases Expected: German CPI, British CPI, British PPI, US Redbook, Indian manufacturing output, Indian industrial productionWednesday
- [By Keith Speights]
Falling stars
The sky didn't fall, but it might have seemed like it this week for shareholders of Five Star Quality (NYSE: FVE ) . The stock dropped 21% after the operator of long-term-care facilities reported quarterly earnings.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Invest In Right Now: Stevia First Corp (STVF)
Stevia First Corp. , formerly Legend Mining Inc., incorporated on June 29, 2007, is a development-stage company. It is an agricultural biotechnology company. The Company is engaged in the cultivation and harvest of stevia leaf and the development of stevia products. As of March 31, 2012, the Company had not generated any revenues.
The Company focuses on the process of stevia production from plant breeding through propagation, planting, cultivation, and harvesting, and developing, marketing, and selling stevia products. It also focuses on developing operations that will include stevia tissue culture, laboratory propagation, farming, and cultivation of stevia leaf. Stevia, is a plant from the chrysanthemum family. Stevia is a sweetener in its raw, unprocessed form. The small green plant�� leaves have a taste that can be 30 times sweeter than sugar.
The Company competes with Cargill, Incorporated, PureCircle, Blue California, Corn Products International, GLG Life Tech Corp., McNeil Nutritionals, LLC, Sunwin USA, L.L.C., Sweet Green Fields L.L.C., Whole Earth Sweetener Co. L.L.C., Wisdom Natural Brands and &W Seed Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Glenwoods]
Cargill and Evolva are not the only companies developing stevia via a fermentation-based process. Stevia First Corp. (OTCMKTS:STVF), an early-stage agribusiness based in California's Central Valley, with its sights on being the first vertically integrated stevia company, has been developing its own stevia microbial fermentation-based process (through a license by Vineland Research and Innovation Centre of Canada).� Recently the company announced its "Beyond Reb A" research program, aimed at producing not only Reb A, but also Reb D and Reb X, two glycosides found in small amounts in the stevia leaves that have been identified as the next-generation of stevia sweeteners.� �
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Invest In Right Now: Perfumania Holdings Inc(PERF)
Perfumania Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a wholesale distributor and specialty retailer of perfumes and fragrances in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company distributes designer fragrances to mass market retailers, drug and other chain stores, retail wholesale clubs, traditional wholesalers, and other distributors. It also owns and licenses designer and other fragrance brands. The company sells its products in retail stores on a consignment basis; and online through perfumania.com, an Internet retailer of fragrances and other specialty items. As of July 30, 2011, it operated a chain of 343 retail stores specializing in the sale of fragrances and related products. The company is based in Bellport, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Vitamin Shoppe Inc (NYSE: VSI), Books-A-Million, Inc (NASDAQ: BAMM) and Perfumania Holdings, Inc (NASDAQ: PERF) have the dubious distinction of being�the worst performing small cap�specialty retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with losses of 4.85% and�3% and a gain of 0.61%, respectively, since the start of the year (See my previous article: This Year�� Best Performing Small Cap Specialty Retail Stocks? UNTD, TA & HZO). I should mention that the definition of specialty retail stocks might vary from one stock screener to another, but what�� clear is that these three small cap retail stocks have been heading in the wrong direction for investors for much of this year. �With that in mind, what sort of performance should investors expect from these small cap specialty retail stocks on Black Friday and for the all important holiday season? Here is what you need to be aware of:
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Companies To Invest In Right Now: iStar Financial Inc.(SFI)
iStar Financial Inc. operates as a finance company focusing on the commercial real estate industry. The company provides custom-tailored financing to high-end private and corporate owners of real estate. Its financing products include senior and mezzanine real estate debt, senior and mezzanine corporate capital, corporate net lease financing, and equity. The company also involves in corporate tenant leasing business, which provides capital to corporations and others who control facilities leased primarily to single creditworthy customers. As of December 31, 2008, iStar Financial owned 362 office, industrial, entertainment, hotel, and retail facilities in 39 states. The company qualifies as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it generally would not be subject to federal corporate income taxes if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 1993 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sally Jones]
iStar Financial Inc. (SFI): Sold OutUp 52% over 12 months, iStar Financial has a market cap of $940.1 million and trades with a P/B of 0.70. The current share price is $11.01.
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