Robert Shiller on Market Bubbles and BustsHot Stocks For 2014
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Saturday, March 29, 201413 “Triple A” Stocks to Buy  Popular Posts: 9 Oil and Gas Stocks to Buy Now7 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now10 Best “Strong Buy” Stocks — QIHU POWR UA and more Recent Posts: Hottest Healthcare Stocks Now – AEGR RDY HGR OMI Hottest Technology Stocks Now – IGTE HOLI SNDK SYMC Biggest Movers in Basic Materials Stocks Now – NG SWC IAG CLW View All Posts This week, 13 stocks get A’s (“strong buy”) in Portfolio Grader‘s three main grading categories, Total Grade, Overall Fundamental Grade and Quantitative Grade. These are the best of the best in the entire Portfolio Grader database. This week, there are 4,336 stocks and only these 13 get top marks in all categories to make the elite “Triple A” stocks list. Here they are: Edwards Group Ltd. ADR () is an industrial technology company that manufactures and sells vacuum products and abatement systems. . Phoenix New Media Ltd. Sponsored ADR Class A () provides content on an integrated platform across Internet, mobile, and TV channels in the People’'s Republic of China. Since January 1, FENG has jumped 17.6%. This is better than the S&P 500, which has remained flat. Trade volume rose notably over the past week, up 98.8%. . Michael Kors Holdings Ltd () engages in the design, marketing, distribution and retailing of branded women'’s apparel and accessories and men'’s apparel. Since January 1, KORS has jumped 16.2%. . Lannett Company, Inc. () manufactures and distributes pharmaceutical products under its own trade name and under generic names. LCI is up 22.6% since January 1. . Packaging Corporation of America () engages in the manufacture and sale of containerboard and corrugated packaging products for industrial and consumer markets in the United States. Shares of PKG have climbed 16.6% since January 1. . Par Pharmaceutical () develops, manufactures and distributes generic and branded pharmaceuticals in the United States. . Qihoo 360 Technology Co., Ltd. ADR Class A () provides Internet and mobile security products in the People’s Republic of China. Since the start of the year, QIHU has increased 37%. The volume of trades has grown significantly in the past week, up 195.4%. . SouFun Holdings Ltd. Sponsored ADR Class A () operates a real estate Internet portal, and a home furnishing and improvement website in the People'’s Republic of China. . Santarus, Inc. () is a specialty pharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing proprietary products that address the needs of patients treated by gastroenterologists and other targeted physicians. . Constellation Brands, Inc. Class A () is primarily a wine company that also markets other alcoholic beverages. The price of STZ is up 19.2% since the first of the year. The stock has a trailing PE Ratio of 8.70. . Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. () designs, manufacturers and sells innovative broadband wireless solutions worldwide. UBNT is up 25.7% since January 1. Trade volume has increased significantly over the past week, down 106.4%. . TAL Education Group Unsponsored ADR Class A () provides K-12 after-school tutoring services in China. Since January 1, XRS has risen 19.6%. . YY, Inc. Sponsored ADR Class A () operates an online social platform in the People’'s Republic of China. Since January 1, YY has jumped 58.2%. . Louis Navellier’s proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being “strong buy,” and F being “strong sell.” Explore the tool here. Friday, March 28, 2014Top 5 Tech Companies To Own For 2014Top 5 Tech Companies To Own For 2014: Webxu Inc (WBXU)WebXU, Inc. (WebXU), incorporated on July 16, 2010, is a media company. The Company develops, acquires and integrates consumer-oriented businesses in the online customer acquisition and e-commerce field, focusing on operational improvement and augmenting of management resources. The Company also provides marketing solutions for online businesses, media agencies and marketers. The Company generates revenue by providing advertiser clients with targeted consumer traffic. In December 2012, the Company acquired M.T. Performance Marketing, Inc. (MediaTrust). In May 2013, Webxu Inc acquired BarNone Inc. The Company's wholly owned subsidiaries include Bonus Interactive Inc. and Lot6 Media, Inc. Bonus Interactive Inc. is engaged in the business of customer acquisition and retention programs in both the online and offline arenas. Lot6 Media, Inc. provides a variety of solutions for online businesses, media agencies, and marketers. Advisors' Opinion:
source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-tech-companies-to-own-for-2014.html Wednesday, March 26, 2014How to Benefit From MLP’s Complex Tax RulesMaster limited partnerships are attractive total-return vehicles for investors, but their tax treatment can be intimidating. ThinkAdvisor spoke with Abby Woodham, a fund analyst with Morningstar’s Passive Fund Research group in Chicago, about what issues investors should keep in mind when mulling MLP purchases and sales. Can you briefly summarize the rather complex issue of MLP taxation? Individual MLPs, which are partnerships and are not seen as separate from their owners, pass their tax liability onto unitholders, so you—the investor—would owe taxes on your portion of an MLP’s taxable income, which is stated on a K-1 tax form. If your MLP investment generates high enough income in a state other than your own, you could have to file a tax return in that state. Luckily, some states (Texas, for instance) do not levy a state income tax. This can be a bit of a pain for some people. Can you explain what makes MLP taxation complicated? The distributions you receive are treated as return of capital, and reduce your cost basis. You only pay tax on these distributions when you sell your MLPs units. This is effectively tax-differed distribution. Plus, you only pay taxes on the taxable part of a distribution, which often can be zero. MLPs can use depreciation to reduce their reported net income lower than the level of cash they are distributing to unitholders. If, for example, you had $100 of shares and sold them for $105 at the end of the year. The MLP paid you a $5 distribution, but only $1 is taxable income because of depreciation. The remaining $4 is treated as return of capital. You are not liable for a tax on it today, but it gets deducted from your cost basis. So, you owe taxes on the $1 at your ordinary income rate. If you hold the MLPs, you would just pay your ordinary income tax rate on the $1 and wait to pay any tax on the $4. When you finally sell your shares, you pay your ordinary income rate on the $4 because it’s recapture of past depreciation deductions. You get the benefit of tax deferment. As the years go on, it can be attractive. On the flipside, if you own an MLP for just a year, you’re paying the ordinary rate on your distributions. That’s less attractive that the rate you’d pay on qualified dividend income from stocks. The longer you own an MLP, the more tax deferment becomes an attractive proposition. How else can investors hold MLPs? Exchange-traded notes’ taxation is fairly straightforward. The ETN does not hold any securities, but pays out the return of the index less fees, so you get a distribution as if you owned the securities. Again, there is no MLP ownership, so the distribution is taxed at the ordinary income rate. If you sell the ETN shares, you’ll pay capital gains tax on any price appreciation. It’s straightforward, but there is no tax deferred distribution. For those looking for this deferment, ETNs may not be best. ETFs are more complicated, since ETFs hold the securities in an index. They have actual MLP ownership, and most have to be structured as C corporations—like the Alerian MLP ETF (AMLP). The “bummer” part is that the ETF must accrue for the future tax liability of unrealized gains in its portfolio. That amount is deducted from the fund’s NAV daily. This means a typical investor has to give up 37-38% of total return to the accrued deferred corporate income tax liability. Investors receive a 1099, not a K-1. The fund company handles the K-1s. As of late January, AMLP was up 11% vs. the 18% for the index. The gap reflects the corporate tax liability, which is a function of its structure. That’s a big bite out of your performance, especially when MLPs are going great. There’s a new second-generation of MLP ETFs, which are made of MLPs (25%) and MLP affiliates and related utilities (75%). This concept is interesting but young, so it’s hard to say much about its tax implications yet. What’s the best way to compare these investments? Owning MLPs can be a bit of a nightmare, since there is no perfect way to own them, but investors do have a few options--ETNs, ETF, closed-end funds and straight-up ownership of individual MLPs. The general rule is that if you are interested in total returns but don’t need the tax deferral on distributions, look at ETNs. If you’re only interested in income and not price returns, then it might be worth looking at ETFs for their tax treatment of distributions. If you only own a handful of individual MLPs, it’s easier to file a K-1 than in the past. For example, you can report the K-1 information using TurboTax. Also, you could own five or 10 MLPs like an index does, if you’re not bothered by the K-1. It all depends on the individual investor. --- Related ThinkAdvisor story: 8 Costly Tax Blunders to Avoid in 1031 Exchanges For more tax planning advice check out ThinkAdvisor’s 21 Days of Tax Planning Advice for 2014 home page. Monday, March 24, 2014Toyota $1.2 Billion Deal OK'd to End Criminal ProbeHot Value Stocks To Buy For 2014
Sunday, March 23, 2014Number of U.S. Millionaires Reaches 9.6 MillionWhile lots of polls show that many middle-class and lower-class Americans believe the recession has not ended financially, the number of millionaires in the U.S. climbed close to record levels in 2013, reaching a count of 9.63 million. The top 1% of Americans based on income have done well, according to most media accounts. There is evidence that the top tier of that group has done even better. According to a report by Spectrem Group: The Recession reduced the number of millionaires in the United States to 6.7 million in 2008, though its population has grown ever since. Its previous high was 9.2 million in 2007, before the Recession started. The figure does not include the value of primary residences. George H. Walper Jr., president of Spectrem Group, added: Most of the financial damage done by the Recession has been erased by recent record-high markets in 2013 as well as continued rebound in the real estate markets. In terms of the affluent investor, it is fair to say they have finally recovered from the economic downturn. The number of ultra-rich rose as well, according to the study. People with household net worth of $5 million or more reached a record high of 1.24 million last year, up from 1.14 million in 2012. People with $25 million or more in net worth numbered 132,000 in 2013, up by 15,000 the year before. 5 Best Communications Equipment Stocks To Own Right NowThe trend probably helps the U.S. economy in several ways. The first is the value of high-end real estate. Investor’s Business Daily recently reported on luxury home sales, “Nationwide, sales volume for existing single-family homes priced at the top end is growing the fastest of any price range, according to the National Association of Realtors.” The benefit has also spread to expensive cars. Mercedes, BMW and Audi all posted record sales in the United States during 2013. Mercedes and BMW each sold more than 300,000 cars and SUVs last year. The rich did get richer in 2013, and they did so at record levels. Saturday, March 22, 2014Everything You Need to Know About P/E RatiosWhen it comes to stock market measures, none is more popular than the price-earnings ratio, a yardstick used to determine whether individual stocks (or the market as a whole) are cheap, reasonably priced, expensive or ridiculously overvalued. A P/E ratio essentially tells you how much investors are willing to pay for each dollar of a company's profits. The P/E ratio is calculated by dividing a company's stock price by its earnings, or in the case of the broad market, typically the value of Standard & Poor's 500-stock index divided by its earnings. A low P/E signals a bargain, and a high P/E is a red flag. Simple, right? See Also: 7 Cheap Stocks the Bull Market Left BehindNot so fast. There are many permutations of the P/E ratio. Getting the price is the easy part. But earnings? There are a lot of choices. Earnings can be estimated, or forward-looking—a guess about what a company or the constituents of an index will earn over the current year or the coming four quarters. Here it gets complicated. If you're talking about the P/E for the market, you can use top-down earnings forecasts (the best guess of Wall Street strategists, reflecting their view of big-picture economic factors). Or you could rely on bottom-up estimates—an average of the numbers crunched by analysts who follow each of the companies in the index. Analysts are often accused of falling in love with the stocks they follow, and bottom-up estimates tend to be more optimistic—resulting in a lower P/E—than top-down forecasts.  Or you could look at trailing earnings: results that have already been logged, typically for the past four quarters. The advantage of trailing earnings is that they're already on the books; no guesswork is involved. The downside: They may be ancient history for a dynamic company or in a rapidly changing economic situation. If profits are growing, then trailing earnings will be lower than forward-looking earnings, and the trailing P/E will be higher. Whether looking ahead or behind, investors have other choices to make when it comes to what to plug into the denominator of a P/E ratio. Some people prefer to use earnings that are reported in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles—so-called GAAP earnings. These are the earnings that are reported in a company's official income statements. Other investors prefer operating earnings because they exclude expenses such as interest or taxes that aren't directly related to a company's widget-making, so you get a better picture of the profitability of the company's core business. The downside of using figures that aren't based on GAAP, say critics, is that companies can get pretty creative about writing off expenses. "Cynics will tell you that operating earnings are earnings before bad stuff," says Sam Stovall, chief equity strategist at Standard & Poor's Capital IQ. GAAP earnings will usually give you a higher P/E value than will operating earnings.  A company's profits can be volatile in any given year, for a host of reasons. You can smooth out the impact of outlier years by looking at earnings over the long term. Normalized earnings are averaged over a given period—typically three to five years but sometimes as long as ten. Normalizing earnings is especially useful for companies that are sensitive to swings in the economy, so you can measure profitability over a full economic cycle. Probably the best-known method of normalizing earnings is one devised by Robert Shiller, a finance professor at Yale. Shiller, who won the Nobel Prize in economics last year, devised what's known as the cyclically adjusted price-earnings ratio, or colloquially, the Shiller P/E. The CAPE takes the value of the S&P 500 and divides it by the average of ten years' worth of reported earnings, adjusted for inflation. As the ratio rises above the long-term average of around 16, it signals that future stock returns will be less generous. (To calculate a CAPE ratio for individual stocks, visit www.caperatio.com.) Recently, the CAPE has come under fire for overstating the risk in the market. Current CAPE values skew high, the argument goes, because the past ten-year-period captures the profit plunge during the Great Recession, the biggest ever. Whatever components you use to calculate a P/E ratio, remember that P/Es are relative. Stocks in different industries or circumstances will have different P/Es, with mature, slow-growing businesses sporting modest P/Es and high-growth companies commanding much higher multiples. What is a high P/E for an energy company (recent average: 13, based on estimated earnings) could be low for a tech stock (recent average: 15), in the same way the P/E of a fast-growing biotech firm (75 for Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, for instance) would dwarf the multiple of an old-line pharmaceutical blue chip (14 for Pfizer). P/Es are only useful when comparing apples to apples, that is, a company to its peer group. Ultimately, P/Es are a measure of optimism (or pessimism) about a company's prospects or about the market overall. When investors are optimistic, whether because of the health of the economy, the certainty of a company's potential for profits or some other reason, they often are willing to pay more for their share of corporate profits. (Of course, the converse is true as well.) When prices rise faster than earnings are growing, you'll see P/Es increase. This P/E expansion is the reason bull markets can continue even after earnings growth has plateaued, while P/E contraction can knock prices down even when earnings continue to roll in. Be careful when drawing conclusions by comparing current P/Es to historical values. Early earnings data may not be adjusted for inflation or accounting changes over the years. When Jim Paulsen, chief investment strategist at Wells Capital Management, started in the investment business in the 1980s, P/Es had longstanding valuation ranges that had been consistent for 100 years or more, providing a useful gauge of stock market value. "At the lower end of that range, you had a lot of confidence that stocks were cheap," says Paulsen, and at the higher end, the opposite. But that all changed after the 1987 stock market crash, he says. "When the market came back in the '90s, it blew through the upper end of that range, never to return" to the older, lower range, he says. Since 1990, Paulson says, the average value of trailing P/Es has increased by almost 50%, from about 14 between 1870 and 1990 to about 20. "You can have a few years when P/E values are way out of bounds," he says. "But can you have a quarter-century of that and say it's somehow an outlier? Or do you have to wonder if something different is going on?" The debate isn't merely philosophical. It makes all the difference in determining whether stocks are dangerously overpriced or worth buying. Friday, March 21, 2014Top 5 Insurance Companies To Own In Right NowTop 5 Insurance Companies To Own In Right Now: Federated National Holding Co (FNHC)Federated National Holding Company (Federated National), formerly 21st Century Holding Company, is an insurance holding company, which through its subsidiaries and its contractual relationships with its independent agents and general agents, controls all aspects of the insurance underwriting, distribution and claims processes. Federated National is authorized to underwrite homeowners' multi-peril (homeowners), personal umbrella, commercial general liability, following form commercial excess liability, personal and commercial automobile, fire, allied lines, workers' compensation, business personal property and commercial inland marine insurance. On January 26, 2011, Federated National merged into the Company's other wholly owned subsidiary, American Vehicle Insurance Company (American Vehicle), with resulting entity being Federated National. Federated National markets and distributes its own and third-party insurers' products and its other services thro ugh a network of independent agents. The Company also utilize a select number of general agents for the same purpose. During 2010, the Company processed property and liability claims stemming from its homeowners', commercial general liability and private passenger automobile lines of business. Through contractual relationships with a network of approximately 4,200 independent agents, of which approximately 400 sell and service its products, Federated National is authorized to underwrite homeowners', fire, allied lines and personal automobile insurance in Florida. American Vehicle is licensed as an admitted carrier in Florida, and underwrites commercial general liability, and personal and commercial automobile insurance. American Vehicle is also licensed as an admitted carrier in Alabama, Louisiana, Georgia and Texas, and underwrit! es commercial general liability insurance in those states. American Vehicle operates as a non-admitted carrier in Arkansas, Califo rnia, Kentucky, Maryland, Missouri, Nevada, Oklahoma, South ! Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia, and can underwrite commercial general liability insurance in all of these states. During 2010, 79.7%, 12.3%, 4.1% and 3.9% of the premiums the Company underwrote were for homeowners', commercial general liability, federal flood, and personal automobile insurance, respectively. Federated National internally processes claims made by its insured through its wholly owned claims adjusting company, Superior Adjusting, Inc. (Superior). It also offers premium financing to its own and third-party insured through its wholly owned subsidiary, Federated Premium Finance, Inc. (Federated Premium). Homeowners' Property and Casualty Insurance Federated National underwrites homeowners' insurance primarily in the South, West and Central Florida regions. Homeowners' insurance protects an owner of real and personal property against covered causes of loss to that property. The Company's homeowner insurance products provide max imum dwelling coverage in the amount of approximately $0.8 million, with the aggregate maximum policy limit being approximately $1.5 million. Premium rates are regulated and approved by the Florida OIR. Commercial Residential Property Insurance The Florida OIR has granted Federated National the authority to write commercial residential property insurance under the fire line of business. This class of business affords property coverage primarily to associations with property commonly owned by the tenants of the association. Aggregate policy limits ranged between $1.0 million and $20 million. Additionally, Federated National has secured automatic facultative reinsurance for insured values up to $10 million with permission to individually submit attractive risks greater than $10 million to its reinsurers for quote and! binding ! authority. Commercial General Liability and Inland Marine The Company underwrite commercial general l iability insurance for approximately 350 classes of artisan ! (excludin! g home-builders and developers) and mercantile trades (such as owners, landlords and tenants). The limits of liability range from $100,000 per occurrence with a $200,000 policy aggregate to $1 million per occurrence with a $2 million policy aggregate. The Company markets the commercial general liability insurance products through independent agents and a limited number of general agencies unaffiliated with the Company. Personal Automobile Personal automobile insurance markets can be divided into two categories: standard automobile and nonstandard automobile. Standard personal automobile insurance is provided to insureds who present an average risk profile in terms of driving record, vehicle type and other factors. Nonstandard personal automobile insurance is provided to insureds that are unable to obtain standard insurance coverage because of their driving record, age, vehicle type or other factors, including market conditions. During 2010, the ave rage annual premium on policies was approximately $1,325, and the nonstandard personal automobile insurance lines represented 100% of its written premiums for personal automobile insurance. Federated National underwrites new and renewal policies for this coverage on primarily an annual basis and to a much lesser extent, on a semi-annual basis. American Vehicle underwrites standard personal automobile insurance policies. Flood Federated National writes flood insurance through the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). The Company writes the policy for the NFIP, which assumes 100% of the flood risk while it retains a commission for its service. The average flood policy premium is approximately $570 with limits up to $250,000. Assurance MGA Assurance MGA, a wholly owned subsidia! ry of Fed! erated National, acts as Federated National's and American Vehicle's exclusive managing general agent in the state of Florida and is a lso licensed as a managing general agent in the states of Al! abama, Ar! kansas, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, North Carolina, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Nevada, South Carolina, Texas and Virginia. Assurance MGA has contracted with several unaffiliated insurance companies to sell commercial general liability, workers compensation, personal umbrella and inland marine insurance through Assurance MGA's existing network of agents. Assurance MGA earns commissions and fees for providing policy administration, marketing, accounting and analytical services, and for participating in the negotiation of reinsurance contracts. The homeowner policy provides Assurance MGA the right to cancel any policy within a period of 90 days from the policy's inception with 25 days' notice, or after 90 days from policy inception with 95 days' notice, even if the risk falls within its underwriting criteria.
Superior Superior processes claims made by insured from Federated National and American Vehicle. Its agents have no authority to settle claims or otherwise exercise control over the claims process. Federated National also employs an in-house legal department to manage claims-related litigation and to monitor its claims handling practices for compliance. Federated Premium Federated Premium provides premium financing to Federated National's, American Vehicle's and third-party's insureds. Premium financing has been marketed through the Company's distribution network of general agents and independent agents. Premiums for property and casualty insurance, in certain circumstances, are payable at the time a policy is placed in- force or renewed. Federated Premium's services allow the insured to pay a portion of the premium when the policy is placed in-force and the balance in monthly installments over a specified term, be! tween six! and nine months. Insure-Link, Inc. (Insure-Link) Insure-Link serves as an independent insurance agency. The insurance ag ency markets direct to the public to provide a variety of in! surance p! roducts and services to individual clients, as well as business clients, by offering a line of insurance products, including, but not limited to, homeowners', personal and commercial automobile, commercial general liability and workers' compensation insurance through their agency appointments with over fifty different carriers. There were no other agency relationships with affiliated captive or franchised agents during 2010.
The Company competes with Castle Key (formerly Allstate Floridian) Indemnity Insurance Company, Fidelity National Insurance Company, Universal Property and Casualty Insurance Company, Royal Palm Insurance Company, St. Johns Insurance Company, Cypress Property and Casualty Insurance Company, American Strategic Insurance Company, Century Surety Insurance Company, Atlantic Casualty Insurance Company, Colony Insurance Company, Burlington/First Financial Insurance Companies, Kingsway Amigo Insurance Company, United Automobile Insurance Compa ny, Direct General Insurance Company, Ocean Harbor Insurance Company, Progressive Casualty Insurance Company, and GEICO. Advisors' Opinion:
source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-insurance-companies-to-own-in-right-now.html Thursday, March 20, 2014Starbucks New App Is Finally HereNEW YORK (TheStreet) - Starbucks (SBUX) had customers in a frenzy since yesterday, following the delayed release of its updated mobile app for Apple (AAPL) iPhone. Starbucks fans have no fear, the app is here. The Seattle-based coffee chain announced the updated app as part of its investor day yesterday. Among other changes, the new version of the app allowed for digital tipping. Starbucks chief digital officer Adam Brotman had written in a blog post last week that the new app would be available on March 19. Yet, as of Thursday morning, the updated app still wasn't available - and customers were cranky. "To prepare for this update, make sure you know your account password and set a reminder to download or update the new Starbucks for iPhone app on March 19," Brotman wrote. Brotman separately mentioned that Starbucks would be bringing alcohol to its stores in limited capacity, noting the company had been testing alcohol sales in select stores, and the tests were positive.
Starbucks spokeswoman Maggie Jantzen confirmed at 1:30 pm EST that the app was now working. "We did just learn that the App is now live and working its way to iPhone users. We know Apple's delivery system was offline which caused a delay, but beyond that don't have any additional [information]," Jantzen wrote in an email to TheStreet. Wednesday, March 19, 2014Best Cheap Companies To Buy Right NowBest Cheap Companies To Buy Right Now: Sirius XM Radio Inc.(SIRI)Sirius XM Radio Inc. provides satellite radio services in the United States and Canada. It broadcasts a programming lineup of approximately 135 channels of commercial-free music, sports, news and information, talk and entertainment, traffic, and weather on subscription fee basis through two satellite radio systems in the United States; and holds an interest in the satellite radio services offered in Canada. The company also simulcasts music and selected non-music channels over the Internet; and offers applications to allow consumers to access its Internet services on mobile devices. As of December 31, 2010, it had 20,190,964 subscribers. In addition, the company designs, establishes specifications, sources or specifies parts and components, and manages various aspects of the logistics and production of satellite radios; licenses its technology to various electronics manufacturers to develop, manufacture, and distribute radios under various brands; and imports radios distri buted through its Websites. The company?s satellite radios are primarily distributed through automakers, retailers, and its Websites. Further, it provides music services for commercial establishments; a satellite television service to offer music channels as part of certain programming packages on the DISH Network satellite television service; music and comedy channels to mobile phone users through mobile phone carriers; Backseat TV, a service offering television content designed primarily for children in the backseat of vehicles; Travel Link, a suite of data services that include graphical weather, fuel prices, sports schedules and scores, and movie listings; and real-time traffic and weather services. The company was formerly known as Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and changed its name to Sirius XM Radio Inc. in August 2008. Sirius XM Radio Inc. was founded in 1990 and is h! eadquartered in New York, New York. Advisors' Opinion:
source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-cheap-companies-to-buy-right-now.html Tuesday, March 18, 2014Best Stocks To Invest InBest Stocks To Invest In: Autoliv Inc (ALV)Autoliv, Inc. (Autoliv) is a holding company. Autoliv is the supplier of automotive safety systems, with a range of product offerings, including modules and components for passenger and driver-side airbags, side-impact airbag protection systems, seatbelts, steering wheels, safety electronics, whiplash protection systems and child seats, as well as night vision systems, radar and other active safety systems. Autoliv has two main operating segments: airbags/seatbelt (including restraint electronics) products and active safety electronics products. In March 2010, the Company acquired Visteon Corporation's radar system business. In April 2010, the Company acquired Delphi's Occupant Protection Systems (OPS) operations in Korea and China. In addition, in April 2010, Autoliv Inc.'s Automotive Holding AS increased its stake in Norma AS from 51% to 93.74%. Additionally, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB and ING Luxembourg SA sold their 6.67% and 10% stake, respectively, held in Norm a AS. In October 2010, the Company acquired 51% interest in Bejing Delpi Automotive Safety Products. In November 2011, the Company acquired the airbag cushion cut&sew assets from Milliken. In June 2012, the Company sold its subsidiary Autoliv Mekan AB to Verktygs Allians i Hassleholm AB. Autoliv has approximately 80 wholly or partially owned or leased production facilities located in 28 countries, consisting of both component factories and assembly factories. The Company's component factories manufacture inflators, initiators, textile cushions, webbing materials, electronics, pressed steel parts, springs and overmoulded steel parts used in seatbelt and airbag assembly, seat subsystems, steering wheels and its active safety and night vision systems, and its other safety electronic systems. During the year ended December 31, 2010, Autoliv's revenues were approximately 67% of airbags a! nd associated products and approximately 33% of seatbelts and associa ted products. The Company's markets are in Europe, North A! merica, Asia-Pacific and Japan. Its customers include the car manufacturers. During 2010, the products manufactured by Autoliv's consolidated subsidiaries consisted of approximately 121 million complete seatbelt systems (of which approximately 49 million were fitted with pretensioners), approximately 57 million side-impact airbags (including curtain airbags), approximately 28 million frontal airbag modules, approximately 12 million steering wheels, approximately 11 million electronic units (airbag control), approximately 0.4 million active safety systems and 0.1 million night vision systems. Autoliv owns two principal subsidiaries, AAB and Autoliv ASP, Inc. (ASP). Its AAB and ASP are developers, manufacturers and suppliers to the automotive industry of automotive safety systems. AAB and ASP's products include seatbelts, frontal and side-impact airbags, steering wheels and seat sub-systems, as well as components for such systems. Advisors' Opinion:
source from Top Stock! s Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-stocks-to-invest-in.html Monday, March 17, 2014General Motors: Lessons from Toyota as Recall GrowsAnother day, another headline for General Motors (GM)–but at least it has company today, as Toyota Motor (TM) and Honda Motor (HMC) made headlines if their own. Even Ford (F) made headlines over currency matters.  Agence France-Presse/Getty Images Today, General Motors recalled an addition 1.5 million vehicles, and said it would take a $300 million first-quarter charge. On Friday night, meanwhile, reports hit of the first of what should be many lawsuits filed against General Motors. RBC Capital Markets’ Joseph Spak and Jacob Hughes consider the where General Motors goes from here: It does appear GM is trying to send a message of a refocused company and providing consumers with greater "peace of mind". GM proactively issued these recalls after a comprehensive internal review. Internal processes are being reviewed likely to ensure something of this scope doesn't happen again. But, to the average consumer, the negative headlines continue. For GM, you could argue these headlines are coming at the worst possible time given elevated industry pricing fears. Also, in this new recall, some current MY vehicles are included (as opposed to the ignition switch recall) so potentially more relevant to consumers shopping for a new GM vehicle. Best Value Stocks To Watch For 2014Citigroup’s Itay Michaeli and team take another look at Toyota Motor’s recall for clues of what’s to come for General Motors–and comes away feeling optimistic: Toyota's stock price took an initial hit when the recall commenced in late-2009, but then experienced a period of stability and recovery through year-end despite a flurry of negative headlines that persisted after the initial recall. Market share…also held up during this period. The real pressure began in early-2010 when Toyota expanded the recall and was forced to halt production for a brief period ([General Motors'] recall involves out-of-production models). It was also at this stage that Toyota's share first began to suffer, though ATPs held-in. And unlike the bounce that occurred after the initial recall, Toyota's share and stock price came under further pressure in Feb 2010 as hearings/investigations commenced… While every recall is distinctly different, the Toyota events suggest that market share losses only commenced when the initial recall expanded to the point of forcing production cuts. The [General Motors] situation is far from an easy call, but we think the risk of Toyota-like share losses would only come into play if the headline situation materially worsens (i.e. outcome of investigations etc.). Otherwise, [General Motors] share price reaction (vs. Toyota's) would suggest a likely bounce. Meanwhile, Honda Motor announced its own recall–of nearly 90,000 Odyssey vans today with faulty fuel-pump pieces. Toyota, meanwhile, announced that it had stopped building cars at two of its factories in India due to a labor dispute. Ford said it was reviewing its operations in Russia because of the weakening ruble. Shares of General Motors have gained 1% to $34.43 at 1:49 p.m. today, while Toyota Motor has gained 1.4% to $110.30, Honda Motor has advanced 1% to $35.84 and Ford Motor has risen 1.3% to $15.28. Sunday, March 16, 2014Top 10 Undervalued Stocks To Buy For 2014Top 10 Undervalued Stocks To Buy For 2014: 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:
source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-undervalued-stocks-to-buy-for-2014.html Saturday, March 15, 2014Hot Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014Hot Bank Stocks To Buy For 2014: Simplicity Bancorp Inc (SMPL)Simplicity Bancorp Inc., formerly K-Fed Bancorp, is a federally-chartered stock holding company. K-Fed Bancorp is a wholly owned subsidiary of K-Fed Mutual Holding Company (the MHC), a federally-chartered mutual holding company. K-Fed Bancorp operates through its subsidiary, Kaiser Federal Bank (the Bank), a federally chartered stock savings bank, which provides retail and commercial banking services to individuals and business customers from its nine branch and financial service center locations throughout California. The Bank is a community-oriented financial institution offering a variety of financial services. The Bank's principal business activity consists of attracting retail deposits from the general public and originating primarily loans secured by first mortgages on owner-occupied one-to-four family residences and multi-family residences located in its market area and, to a lesser extent, automobile and other consumer loans. Its revenues are derived principally from interest on loans and mortgage-backed and related securities. It also generates revenue from service charges and other income. The Bank offers a variety of deposit accounts having a range of interest rates and terms, which generally include savings accounts, money market accounts, demand deposit accounts and certificate of deposit accounts with varied terms ranging from 90 days to 5 years. Lending Activities The Bank originates consumer loans, primarily automobile loans. As of June 30, 2010, its net loan portfolio totaled $758 million, which constituted 87.4% of its total assets. As of June 30, 2010, the Bank's first lien one-to-four family residential mortgage loans totaled $335.6 million, or 43.5%, of its gross loan portfolio. It originates one-to-four family mortgage loans on a fixed rate and adjustable rate basis. As of June 30, 2010, the Bank�! ��s one-to-four family adjustable rate mortgage loan portfolio totaled $58.6 million, or 7.6% o f its gross loan portfolio. As of June 30, 2010, the fixed r! ate one-to-four family mortgage loan portfolio totaled $276.9 million, or 35.9% of its gross loan portfolio. Included in non-accrual loans at June 30, 2010, were $2.9 million in adjustable rate one-to-four family mortgage loans and $21.9 million in fixed rate one-to-four family mortgage loans. The Bank also offers multi-family residential real estate loans. These loans are secured by real estate located in its primary market areas, within the state of California. As of June 30, 2010, multi-family residential loans totaled $278.4 million, or 36.1%, of its gross loan portfolio, and consists of 415 loans outstanding with an average loan balance of approximately $670,000. It offers a variety of secured consumer loans, including home equity lines of credit, new and used automobile loans, and loans secured by savings deposits. It also offers a limited amount of unsecured loans. At June 30, 2010, the Bank's consumer loan portfolio, exclusive of automobile loans, tot aled $13.8 million, or 1.8%, of its gross loan portfolio. Investment Activities The Bank is authorized to invest in various types of liquid assets, including the United States Treasury obligations, securities of various federal agencies, certain certificates of deposit of insured banks and savings institutions, certain bankers' acceptances, repurchase agreements and federal funds. At June 30, 2010, the Bank's investment portfolio totaled $6 million and consisted principally of investment grade collateralized mortgage obligations and mortgage-backed securities. It invests in mortgage-backed securities insured or guaranteed by Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) or Government National Mortgage Association (Ginnie Mae). As of June 30, 2010, it also had an investment in an afforda! ble housi! ng fund totaling $1.2 million. Sources of Funds The Bank's sourc es of funds are deposits, payment of principal and interest ! on loans,! interest earned on or maturity of investment securities, borrowings, and funds provided from operations. It offers a variety of deposit accounts to consumers with a range of interest rates and terms. Its deposits consist of time deposit accounts, savings, money market and demand deposit accounts. The Bank's borrowings consist of advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco. It may obtain advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank of San Francisco upon the security of its mortgage loans and mortgage-backed securities. As of June 30, 2010, the Bank had $137 million in Federal Home Loan Bank advances outstanding. At June 30, 2010, it had available additional advances from the Federal Home Loan Bank (FHLB) of San Francisco in the amount of $219.1 million. Advisors' Opinion:
source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-bank-stocks-to-buy-for-2014.html Thursday, March 13, 2014Best China Stocks For 2014Best China Stocks For 2014: Mindray Medical International Limited (MR)Mindray Medical International Limited, through its subsidiary, Shenzhen Mindray Bio-Medical Electronics Co., Ltd., develops, manufactures, and markets medical devices worldwide. It operates in three segments: Patient Monitoring and Life Support Products, In-Vitro Diagnostic Products, and Medical Imaging Systems. The Patient Monitoring and Life Support Products segment offers patient monitoring devices that track the physiological parameters of patients, such as heart rate, blood pressure, respiration, and temperature. This segment?s patient monitoring devices are suitable for adult, pediatric, and neonatal patients and are used principally in hospital intensive care units, operating rooms, and emergency rooms. This segment provides single and multiple-parameter monitors, mobile and portable multifunction monitors, central stations that could collect and display multiple patient data on a single screen, and an electro-cardiogram monitoring device; veterinary monitoring devi ces; and anesthesia machines, as well as defibrillators, surgical beds, and surgical lights. The In-Vitro Diagnostic Products segment offers data and analysis on blood, urine, and other bodily fluid samples for clinical diagnosis and treatment. This segment also provides semi-automated and fully-automated in-vitro diagnostic products for laboratories, clinics, and hospitals. In addition, this segment offers hematology analyzers and biochemistry analyzers, and reagents. The Medical Imaging Systems segment provides ultrasound systems, which are employed in medical fields consisting of urology, gynecology, obstetrics, and cardiology; digital radiography systems; and a magnetic resonance imaging system. The company serves distributors, original design manufacturers, original equipment manufacturers, and hospitals and government agencies. Mindray Medical International Limited was fou! nded in 1991 and is headquartered in Shenzhen, the People?s Republic of China. Advisors' Opinion:
source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-china-stocks-for-2014.html Wednesday, March 12, 2014Hot Chemical Stocks For 2015Hot Chemical Stocks For 2015: PetroLogistics LP (PDH)PetroLogistics LP owns and operates propane dehydrogenation (PDH) facility. The Company is located in the vicinity of the Houston Ship Channel. As of April 23, 2012, the Company had an annual production capacity of approximately 1.45 billion pounds of propylene. Its PDH facility uses a CATOFIN dehydrogenation technology pursuant to a fully-paid license from CB&I Lummus. It derives its sales from three different sources: propylene sales, hydrogen sales, and mixed stream of butane and butylenes (C4 mix stream) and heavier hydrocarbons (C5+ stream) sales.
Contracted Propylene Sales The Company has propylene sales contracts with The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Total Petrochemicals USA, Inc. (Total), and INEOS Olefins and Polymers USA (INEOS), each of which use the propylene it supplies in the acrylic acid, polypropylene and acrylonitrile plants. Effective January 1, 2012, it added BASF Corporation (BASF) and LyondellBasell Industries N.V. (LyondellBa sell) as additional contracted customers. It delivers propylene to these customers through its integrated pipeline system, which connects its facility to the Dow and Total plants and the LyondellBasell system, and through interconnected third-party pipelines, which connect its facility to INEOS and BASF and to other potential propylene customers. Spot-Market Propylene Sales Through the Company's integrated pipeline system, the Company accesses other consumers of propylene, which it is able to supply on a spot basis with its excess production capacity. It manages its contract and spot portfolio. Hydrogen Gas Sales As part of the PDH process, the Company produces commercial quantities of hydrogen. Hydrogen is consumed in refinery processes, including fuel desulphurization. C4 Mix/C5+ Streams Sales The Company produc! es commercial quantities of C4 mix/C5+ streams. It sells the C4 mix stream to speci alty chemical consumers or refiners and these customers tran! sport the purchased volumes from its facility by truck. The C5+ stream, which is heavy in aromatics, is transported by its pipeline to a Kinder Morgan terminal, and then sold to Texas Aromatics for use in the chemical or gasoline markets. The Company competes with Enterprise, Chevron Phillips, ExxonMobil Chemical, Shell Chemical, Flint Hills and the Williams Companies. Advisors' Opinion:
source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-chemical-stocks-for-2015-2.html Tuesday, March 11, 2014Top Biotech Companies To Buy For 2015Top Biotech Companies To Buy For 2015: Ophthotech Corp (OPHT)Ophthotech Corporation, incorporated on January 05, 2007, is a biopharmaceutical company specializing in the development of therapeutics to treat diseases of the eye. The Company's advanced product candidate is Fovista, which the Company is developing for use in combination with anti-VEGF drugs that represent the current standard of care for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (wet AMD). Wet AMD is a serious disease of the central portion of the retina, known as the macula, which is responsible for detailed central vision and color perception. It is characterized by abnormal new blood vessel formation and growth, referred to as neovascularization, which results in blood vessel leakage, retinal distortion and scar formation. If untreated, the progressive retinal damage results in rapid, irreversible and severe vision loss. Wet AMD is the cause of blindness in patients over the age of 55 in the United States and the European Union. The anti-V EGF market for the treatment of wet AMD consists predominantly of two drugs that are approved for marketing and primarily prescribed for the treatment of wet AMD, Lucentis and Eylea, and off-label use of the cancer therapy Avastin. The use of anti-VEGF drugs has significantly improved visual outcomes for patients with wet AMD who have been treated with these drugs as compared to untreated patients. Advisors' Opinion:
source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-biotech-companies-to-buy-for-2015.html Monday, March 10, 2014How to Get Retailers to Match PricesRemember the days when you had to drive from store to store to compare prices, or just go to the retailer that typically had the lowest prices and hope that you were getting the best deal? Those days are over. Now it's as easy as using a smart phone with a price-comparison app, such as RedLaser or ShopSavvy, to scan the barcode of an item and see if another retailer is offering it at a lower price. Then you can simply ask a clerk if the store where you're shopping will match the other retailer's price. SEE ALSO: Stores With Generous Return PoliciesOkay, so maybe it's really not so easy. Plenty of stores have price-matching policies, but sometimes consumers have to jump through a lot of hoops to get retailers to match their competitors' prices. Policies vary from store to store, making it difficult to know what to expect from one to another. And most are fraught with exclusions. So is it worth it to even attempt price matching? It certainly is if you're buying a big-ticket item and the other store that's selling it for less is miles away – requiring you to give up your time and drain your car's gas tank to get there – says Louis DeNicola, who examined stores' price-matching policies for Cheapism.com. You can improve your chances of a successful price-matching outcome if you follow these tips: Know stores' requirements. Don't assume that getting a store to match a competitor's price is as easy as showing a sales clerk your phone with the competitor's price displayed on it through an app or online search. Many stores require consumers to show a competitor's print ad with the lower price, DeNicola says. Even at stores that don't require an ad for price matching, such as Walmart, sales clerks sometimes will ask for one, he says. So before you attempt to price match, call the store or check its Web site for its price-match policy to see what proof you need of a competitor's price.  Also be aware that although some stores such as Best Buy and Target will match online retailers' prices (Amazon, in particular), most will only match prices of local competitors where the item is in stock – but they don't always identify what local means, DeNicola says. And most stores will only match the price of items if the model numbers are the same. This can be difficult at stores such as Home Depot that get manufacturers to assign unique model numbers for items they sell. However, Home Depot – as well as Lowe's – will beat competitors' prices by 10%. See Cheapism.com's guide to price-matching policies to learn more about the requirements at several major retailers. Be courteous. Despite a store's policy, sometimes your success depends on the mood of the sales clerk or manager you're dealing with, DeNicola says. So it's important to be polite when asking about price matching rather than act as if you deserve a better price, he says. If you plan to price match frequently – for example, at a grocery store – developing a relationship with a particular clerk can be helpful. Erin Chase, a consumer shopping expert for Savings.com, has had a lot of success with grocery price matching at Walmart by using this approach. When the Favado grocery price-comparison app recently was released, she used it to compare prices at Walmart and other grocery stores in her area. The first time she used the app to show a Walmart clerk that another store had lower prices on some items, she also brought in the store's print ad to verify the app's information. Since then, she has just used the app and checks out with the same clerk.  Don't give up. Even if a store won't match a competitor's price, you still might be able to get the cost lowered. The managers at some stores are authorized to give consumers discounts, DeNicola says. Ask to speak to a manager, show him the competitor's lower price, and explain that you understand that the store could not match the price but ask whether he can offer a manager's discount so you can buy the item there instead of from the competitor. Another option is to continue watching the price of an item after you buy it. If you didn't have luck getting a store to match a competitor's price, you may benefit from its price-adjustment policy. Many stores will refund you the difference if the price of an item you buy drops within a certain time period -- in other words, they'll match their own sale price. Sunday, March 9, 2014Reports: Ford dumping Microsoft for BlackBerry
Ford is ditching Microsoft and going with a unit of BlackBerry for the software underlying its cars' Sync infotainment systems, says an industry source who asked not to be identified because they are not authorized to speak publicly about the move.
The next generation of the system, which allows people to control their smartphones and other devices by voice in the car, likely will be based on software from BlackBerry's QNX automotive unit. A Ford statement did not confirm or deny the switch, saying: "Ford works with a variety of partners and suppliers to develop and continuously improve our in-car connectivity systems for customers. We do not discuss details of our work with others or speculate on future products for competitive reasons." The move to QNX could save money over Ford's costs for its Microsoft licensing agreement. But it will also add more flexibility and speed for the next generation of Sync in the highly competitive in-car infotainment space. QNX provides the base code for many different automakers — the automakers themselves then build their infotainment on it to meet their own needs and design goals. Sync, and the touch-screen and voice system upgrade called MyFord Touch, has run into complaints from consumers, including that it didn't understand voice commands, was too complex, that the screen icons were too small, the view options too confusing, and more. That has led to a drop in Ford's overall quality scores in various industry surveys. QNX would represent a major shift. Ford ballyhooed its original linkup with Microsoft when the Sync system rolled out, with CEO Alan Mulally going to the Consumer Electronics Show — the mega-trade show — to show it off. While QNX may not be a household name, the company acquired by BlackBerry several years ago is a top-level auto supplier, with its software powering electronics systems for many major automakers. Friday, March 7, 2014Jim Cramer, Dan Dicker Discuss the Most Undervalued Oil CompanyBest Oil Stocks To Own For 2015Related APC Market Wrap For March 6: Investors Find Positives In Jobless Claims Market Wrap For March 5: Markets Calm Following Tuesday's Massive RallyIn a conversation highlighted on TheStreet.com Thursday, Jim Cramer and RealMoney's Dan Dicker discussed shares of Anadarko Petroleum (NYSE: APC) potentially going to $140, "pending a lawsuit settlement." The most undervalued oil??? http://t.co/z0eGnZ9DqY — Jim Cramer (@jimcramer) March 6, 2014
Dicker believes the company has a great portfolio of assets including Marcellus, Eagle Ford Shale, and the Shenandoah Basin. Dicker feels investors should allocate a larger portion of their portfolio to E&Ps since they are undervalued and have "plenty of room for them to move higher." Shares of Anadarko are up 1 percent to $86.25 on the session. Dicker's $140 price target is 62 percent above the stocks current level. Posted-In: Dan Dicker Jim CramerNews Jim Cramer Commodities Legal Markets Media Trading Ideas (c) 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Most Popular Analyst Believes The Street Has 'Woken Up' To Recovering Fundamentals In Fuel Cell Space Morgan Stanley Analyst Provides Insight Into Tesla's Future 4 Apple Stories You Need To Know From Wednesday Benzinga's Top #PreMarket Gainers After-Hours Movers Mar. 5, 2014: ERII, PXLW, BIOD, SEED Higher, DVAX, LYV Lower 6 Reasons Why What's Going On In Venezuela Matters Related Articles (APC) Market Wrap For March 6: Investors Find Positives In Jobless Claims Jim Cramer, Dan Dicker Discuss the Most Undervalued Oil Company Market Wrap For March 5: Markets Calm Following Tuesday's Massive Rally Morgan Stanley Has Positive Outlook on Anadarko Petroleum Market Wrap For March 4: Bulls Take Over As Ukraine Fears Dissipate Market Wrap For February 18: Dow Finishes Lower, Nasdaq Still Hot Around the Web, We're Loving... Is the Weather Hurting PetSmart? Lightspeed Trading Presents: Using Trade Ideas with the Lightspeed Trader Platform Is Ebay's Donahoe Right that Paypal, eBay are Stronger Together? Create an Account With Options House and Get 150 Free Trades! Wynn, MGM, Other Casino Giants Vying For U.S. Turf What Should You Know About AMZN? View the discussion thread. adsonar_placementId=1587471;adsonar_pid=3134769;adsonar_ps=0;adsonar_zw=675;adsonar_zh=250;adsonar_jv="ads.adsonar.com"Thursday, March 6, 2014Switzerland: A Safe HavenWhat makes a good hedge and safe haven? A strong, stable currency with ample liquidity, financial and political stability, and a market-based, rules-driven, open economy. Switzerland fits the bill nicely, suggests Carl Delfeld, editor of The Value Bounce. Despite a population of only 7.2 million, Switzerland packs a punch and is a financial and multinational powerhouse. Switzerland has the highest per capita income in the world. The Swiss franc is backed by ample gold reserves, fiscal discipline, a trade surplus, and very little foreign debt. Outward looking, Switzerland has 40% of its gross domestic product attributed to exports. Switzerland represents the third-largest financial center in the world, after New York and London. It is also home to world-beating pharmaceutical, engineering, and food companies. Switzerland enjoys a stable government, vibrant democracy, and a reputation as an asset haven in times of stress. The Swiss have had a functioning democracy for 500 years and, actually, have a fairly weak central government, with a legislature that meets for only two weeks, four times a year (good idea for US Congress?). Meanwhile, the Swiss stock market is trading at a discount to the S&P 500. Now how should Switzerland become part of your portfolio? Large, blue-chip global companies are almost always in favor due to attractive price-to-value valuations, entrenched brand names, and dominant market shares, proven management teams, solid free cash flows, and double-digit growth potential. The iShares Switzerland (EWL) is a wonderful way to gain exposure to a basket of Switzerland's leading multinationals and has an expense ratio of only 0.59%. In addition, while a rising Swiss franc puts pricing pressure on Swiss exporters, a strong Swiss franc supercharges returns for investors in EWL. Top Asian Stocks To Watch Right NowMy favorite stock pick is Nestlé (NSRGY). This consumer giant has a share-buyback program, a focus on growth in emerging consumer markets, and a rising dividend. In addition, ABB (ABB) is terrific infrastructure play and has been on a tear, winning power and automation-technology contacts all over the world. Subscribe to The Value Bounce here… More from MoneyShow.com: T. Rowe Price European Stock Insights from the #1 China Fund Five Favorites from Around the World Wednesday, March 5, 2014Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015Even though the broader PC market is in an accelerating decline, with unit shipments falling 14% last quarter, there's still plenty of consumers out there looking to purchase a PC. To that end, Soluto has put together a purchasing guide for those in the market for a Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) Windows laptop. Soluto offers PC monitoring and management software services, which is geared toward IT professionals. The company has access to a massive database of analytics regarding real-world PC performance. In measuring performance, Soluto aggregates data regarding occurrences like application crashes, the infamous blue screens of death, boot times, and background processes, among others. The goal is to represent real-world performance over the long term, whereas most review sites experience a product for only a limited period of time and rely on benchmarking software that doesn't realistically capture everyday conditions. Soluto has put together a Top 10 list of the best-performing Windows laptops, and the winner is ... a Mac. Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015: Discovery Communications Inc(DISCA)Discovery Communications, Inc. operates as a non fiction media and entertainment company worldwide. The company provides original and purchased programming across various distribution platforms. Its content covers science, exploration, survival, natural history, sustainability of the environment, technology, docu-series, anthropology, paleontology, history, space, archaeology, health and wellness, engineering, adventure, lifestyles, forensics, civilization, and current events. The company owns and operates nine national television networks in the United States, including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Military Channel, Planet Green, Discovery Fit & Health, and Velocity. Discovery Communications also has interests in Oprah Winfrey Network, a pay-television network and Web site; The Hub that features original programming, game shows, and live-action series and specials; and 3net, a three-dimensional network. In addition, it o ffers network branded Web sites, and mobile and video-on-demand services; and distributes various national and pan-regional television networks. Further, the company develops and sells curriculum-based products and services to public and private K-12 schools, such as access to an online VOD service that includes curriculum-based tools, professional development services, and student assessment and publication of hardcopy curriculum-based content; and postproduction audio services to motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies, and interactive producers. As of December 31, 2011, it operated approximately 150 distribution feeds in 40 languages. The company is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland. Advisors' Opinion:
Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015: Wendy's/Arby's Group Inc.(WEN)The Wendy's Company operates as a quick-service hamburger company in the United States. The company, through its subsidiary, Wendy's International, Inc., operates as a franchisor of the Wendy's restaurant system. As of December 26, 2011, the Wendy's system comprised approximately 6,500 franchise and company restaurants in the United States and the United States territories, as well as in 26 other countries worldwide. The company was formerly known as Wendy's/Arby's Group, Inc. and changed its name to The Wendy's Company in July 2011. The Wendy's Company was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ohio. Advisors' Opinion:
Top 5 Media Stocks For 2015: CirTran Corp (CIRC)CirTran Corporation, incorporated on March 23, 1987, manufactures, markets, and distributes internationally an energy drink under a license with Playboy Enterprises, Inc. (Playboy) through its subsidiary, CirTran Beverage Corporation. It operates in Beverage Distribution and Contract Manufacturing segments. In the United States, it provides a mix of high- and medium-volume turnkey manufacturing services and products using various high-tech applications for electronics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) in the communications, networking, peripherals, gaming, law enforcement, consumer products, telecommunications, automotive, medical, and semiconductor industries. The Company�� services include pre-manufacturing, manufacturing, and post-manufacturing services. Beverage Distribution CirTran Beverage Corporation (CirTran Beverage) manufactures, markets, and distributes Playboy-licensed energy drinks, flavored water beverages, and related merchandise through various distribution channels. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had 65 countries throughout Europe, Africa, Australia, the Pacific, and the Middle East. Contract Marketing CirTran Products Corp. pursues contract-manufacturing relationships in the domestic consumer products markets, including products in areas, such as home/garden, kitchen, health/beauty, toys, licensed merchandise, and apparel for film, television, sports, and other entertainment properties. The Company concentrates its product development efforts into three areas: home and kitchen appliances, beauty products, and licensed merchandise. Through CirTran - Asia, Inc., the Company designs, manufactures, and supplies products in the international electronics, consumer products, and general merchandise industries for various marketers, distributors, and retailers selling overseas. This subsidiary provides manufacturing services to the direct-response and retail consumer markets.
The Company competes with Hansen�! � Energy, Diet Red, Monster Energy, Lost Energy, Joker Mad Energy, Ace Energy, Unbound Energy, Rumba energy juice, Red Bull, Rockstar, Full Throttle, No Fear, Amp, Adrenaline Rush, 180, Extreme Energy Shot, Red Devil, Rip It, NOS, Boo Koo, and Vitaminenergy. Advisors' Opinion:
Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015: Republic Airways Holdings Inc.(RJET)Republic Airways Holdings Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides scheduled passenger services. The company offers scheduled passenger services on approximately 1,500 flights daily to 133 cities in 42 states, the Bahamas, Canada, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, and Mexico under branded operations and through fixed-fee airline services agreements. As of December 31, 2011, its total operational fleet consisted of 281 aircrafts. The company also offers cargo and charter services. Republic Airways Holdings Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana. Advisors' Opinion:
Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015: Carmike Cinemas Inc.(CKEC)Carmike Cinemas, Inc. operates as a digital cinema and 3D motion picture exhibitor in the United States. It operates theatres that show films on a first-run basis; and discount theatres. The company serves small to mid-size non-urban markets. As of December 31, 2011, it owned, operated, or had an interest in 237 theatres with 2,254 screens located in 35 states. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia. Advisors' Opinion:
Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015: Madison Square Garden Inc.(MSG)The Madison Square Garden Company, together with its subsidiaries, operates in the sports, entertainment, and media businesses primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: MSG Media, MSG Entertainment, and MSG Sports. The MSG Media segment produces and develops content for various distribution platforms, including content originating from the company?s venues. It consists of the MSG Networks and the Fuse Networks, which offer sports and musical content. This segment also manages interactive businesses that comprise a range of targeted websites; and wireless, video on demand, and digital platforms. The MSG Entertainment segment creates, produces, and/or presents various live productions, as well as presents or hosts other live entertainment events, such as concerts, family shows, special events, and theatrical productions. The MSG Sports segment owns and operates sports franchises. This segment also owns other sports properties, including the pre sentation of a range of live sporting events, such as professional boxing, college basketball, track and field, and tennis. The company owns the Madison Square Garden complex in New York City, which includes an arena and a theater; and The Chicago Theatre in Chicago. It leases Radio City Music Hall and the Beacon Theatre in New York City. The company is based in New York, New York. As of February 09, 2010, Madison Square Garden, Inc. operates independently of Cablevision Systems Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:
Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015: Owens & Minor Inc.(OMI)Owens & Minor, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides distribution, third-party logistics, and other supply-chain management services to healthcare providers and suppliers of medical and surgical products. Its services include logistics, supplier management, analytics inventory management, outsourced resource management, clinical supply management, and business process consulting. The company also offers various services comprising PANDAC, an operating room-focused inventory management program that helps healthcare providers to control suture and endo-mechanical inventory; SurgiTrack, a customizable surgical supply service that includes the assembly and delivery of surgical supplies in procedure-based totes; OMSolutions, a supply-chain consulting, customer technology, and resource management service; and WISDOM Gold, an Internet-based supply spend management, data normalization, and contract management solution. In addition, it provides Clinical Supply Solutions, a n inventory and contract management service; and Implant Purchase Manager, a technology-based service, as well as owns OM HealthCare Logistics, a customized third-party logistics and business process outsourcing service. Further, the company distributes medical and surgical supplies to the acute-care market. It serves federal government, including the U.S. department of defense; and alternate-site providers, such as ambulatory surgery centers, physicians? practices, clinics, home healthcare organizations, nursing homes, and rehabilitation facilities, as well as provides distribution and supply-chain management services that include third-party logistics and business process outsourcing services to manufacturers of medical and surgical products. Owens & Minor, Inc. was founded in 1882 and is headquartered in Mechanicsville, Virginia. Advisors' Opinion:
Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015: Attitude Drinks Inc (ATTD)Attitude Drinks Incorporated (Attitude), incorporated on May 10, 1988, is a brand-development company. The Company focuses on the non-alcoholic single serving beverage business, developing and marketing of milk based products in two segments: sports recovery and functional dairy. The Company does not directly manufacture its products but instead outsources the manufacturing process to third party packers. Attitude has developed its second product, which is branded as Phase III Recovery is a milk-based protein drink which is available in chocolate and vanilla flavors. The Company�� co-packer for its dairy based product is O-AT-KA Milk Products Cooperative, Inc. in Batavia, New York. This product contains 35 grams of protein that are inherent in filtered milk. The product is packaged as a retort-processed shelf stable dairy-based 100% milk-based sports recovery drink in both chocolate and vanilla flavors. The Company competes with The Coca-Cola Company and Pepsico Inc. Advisors' Opinion:
Top Services Stocks To Own For 2015: rue21 inc.(RUE)rue21, inc. operates as a specialty apparel retailer in the United States. It provides fashion apparel and accessories for girls and guys, including graphic T-shirts, denim, dresses, shirts, hoodies, belts, jewelry, handbags, footwear, intimate apparel, and other accessories. The company sells its apparel and accessories under the brand names of rue21, rue21 etc!, tarea by rue21, Carbon and CJ Black, and Carbon Elements; and fragrances under the rue by rue21, revert eco rue21, CJ Black, sparkle rue21, Pink Ice by rue21, MetroBlack rue21, tarea by rue21, twentyone black, runway21 by rue21, Carbon Elements, Intense by rue21, and rue21 etc! brand names. As of January 28, 2012, it operated 755 stores in 713 cities in 46 states. rue21, inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Warrendale, Pennsylvania. Advisors' Opinion:
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Utah Highway Patrol/AP NEW YORK -- A U.S. judge signed off on Toyota Motor's (TM) $1.2 billion settlement of criminal charges that it concealed safety problems in its vehicles, an accord that could serve as a model for a similar probe into General Motors (GM). U.S. District Judge William Pauley approved the Japanese automaker's deferred prosecution agreement at a hearing Thursday in Manhattan. His approval came one day after the U.S. Department of Justice said it resolved its investigation into problems that caused Toyota vehicles to accelerate suddenly. Pauley said the case presented a "reprehensible picture of corporate misconduct," and expressed hope that the government would ultimately hold the responsible decisionmakers at Toyota accountable. "This unfortunately is a case that demonstrates that corporate fraud can kill," he said. Pauley ruled shortly after Christopher Reynolds, Toyota's North American legal chief, entered a "not guilty" plea on behalf of the automaker to one count of wire fraud. The $1.2 billion settlement is the largest such penalty ever levied by the United States on an auto company. It resolves issues that have dogged Toyota since at least 2007 and have been linked to at least five deaths. Toyota still faces hundreds of private lawsuits. The settlement marked a huge victory for safety advocates who fought for years for criminal prosecution of automakers over safety violations. Toyota agreed to a so-called statement of facts, in which it admitted to having misled U.S. consumers and a federal regulator about two problems that caused cars to accelerate even if drivers tried to slow them down. No guilty plea was required, and the government agreed not to prosecute Toyota for wire fraud for three years. The charge will be dismissed in 2017 if Toyota follows the terms of the accord, which include allowing an independent monitor to review its safety practices. A spokeswoman for Toyota declined to comment, as did a spokeswoman for U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara in Manhattan. U.S. authorities are investigating GM over its handling of an ignition switch defect linked to 12 deaths, and which resulted in a recall last month of more than 1.6 million vehicles, mostly in the United States. Attorney General Eric Holder told reporters Wednesday that he hoped the Toyota deal would "serve as a model for how to approach future cases involving similarly situated companies." The Toyota investigation flowed out of publicity starting in 2009 over unintended acceleration linked to at least five deaths, and which prompted hundreds of lawsuits. Last year, a federal judge approved a settlement valued at $1.6 billion to resolve claims by Toyota owners that the value of their cars dropped because of the negative publicity. The case is U.S. v. Toyota Motor Corp., U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York, No. 14-cr-00186.
Starbucks blamed Apple iTunes for the delay. "Apple's iTunes delivery system for apps is currently offline causing the launch of our new Starbucks App for iPhone to be delayed," Jantzen wrote in an email this morning. "We're looking forward to sharing it with our customers and partners (employees) soon." Starbucks customers had taken to social media to ask the coffee chain where the new app is. Starbucks' social media team has responded to a flurry of tweets, saying it would be available in the iTunes app store soon. TheStreet has yet to hear back from Apple on what exactly caused the problem. Other new features in the app will include a "shake to pay" option, where customers, while in the app, can "shake your phone and your registered Starbucks Card will appear, ready to scan," the blog stated. The newest app version will also have easier access to a user's account information, it stated. Most importantly, a Google (GOOG) Android version is coming soon, the company says. --Written by Laurie Kulikowski in New York. Follow @LKulikowski