Wednesday, December 31, 2014

3 Stocks Spiking on Unusual Volume

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>4 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

>>5 Stocks Poised to Break Out

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume recently.

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company

Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Company (HMHC) provides education solutions for educational institutions and consumers worldwide. This stock closed up 5.5% at $19.50 in Monday's trading session.

Monday's Volume: 1.28 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 315,916

Volume % Change: 308%

From a technical perspective, HMHC ripped sharply higher here and broke out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $18.77 to $18.87 with strong upside volume. This move also pushed shares of HMHC back above its 50-day moving average of $19.40. Market players should now look for a continuation move to the upside in the short-term if HMHC manages to clear Monday's intraday high of $19.67 with strong upside volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in HMHC as long as it's trending above $18.77 or above Monday's low of $18.30 and then once it sustains a move or close above $19.67 with volume that's near or above 315,916 shares. If that move gets underway soon, then HMHC will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance level at its all-time high of $21. Any high-volume move above $21 will then give HMHC a chance to make a run at $25.

Acceleron Pharma

Acceleron Pharma (XLRN), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the discovery, development, and commercialization of protein therapeutics for cancer and rare diseases. This stock closed up 4.8% at $32.20 in Monday's trading session.

Monday's Volume: 766,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 347,172

Volume % Change: 75%

From a technical perspective, XLRN ripped sharply higher here right off some near-term support at $30 with above-average volume. This move higher on Monday is starting to push shares of XLRN within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if XLRN manages to take out its 50-day moving average of $33.29 to some more key overhead resistance levels at $35 to $35.37 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in XLRN as long as it's trending above support at $30 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 347,172 shares. If that breakout materializes soon, then XLRN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $39.28 to $42.24.

Celldex Therapeutics

Celldex Therapeutics (CLDX), a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development, manufacture, and commercialization of novel therapeutics for human health care primarily in the U.S. This stock closed up 7.4% at $16.26 in Monday's trading session.

Monday's Volume: 4.37 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 2.73 million

Volume % Change: 85%

From a technical perspective, CLDX ripped sharply higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $14.54 with above-average volume. This spike higher on Monday also pushed shares of CLDX into breakout territory, since the stock took out some key overhead resistance levels at $15.97 to $16.16. Shares of CLDX are now starting to trend within range of triggering another big breakout trade. That trade will hit if CLDX manages to clear some past resistance levels at $17.20 to $18.52 with strong upside volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CLDX as long as it's trending above Monday's low of $15.04 or above its 50-day at $14.54 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 2.73 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then CLDX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $22 to its 200-day moving average of $23.04, or even $25.

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.


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>>3 Big-Volume Stocks to Trade for Breakouts

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At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.


Top 5 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Watch For 2014

If you are ever playing the word association game and bourbon comes up, chances are high that the first or second brand you would associate it with is Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Whiskey. Brown-Forman Corp. (NYSE: BF-A) (NYSE: BF-B)�is going to invest another $100 million into expanding its Jack Daniel’s distillery to make sure that it stays that way, or becomes the case even more. Jack Daniel’s Tennessee Honey is part of the increased demand, and that has only been on the market a couple of years.

Brown Foreman said it is investing more than $100 million to expand the Jack Daniel Distillery due to global demand for its world-famous Tennessee Whiskey. The expansion will include additional stills, barrel warehouses and related infrastructure to support the expanding operations. Construction on the planned expansion will begin this fall and is expected to be completed within two years.

Brown-Forman also will�add about 90 more full-time jobs over the next five years. The distillery expansion will be located on distillery property in the Lynchburg area.

Hot India Companies To Buy Right Now: ExamWorks Group Inc. (EXAM)

ExamWorks Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides independent medical examinations (IME), peer and bill reviews, and related services in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Its IME services are used by clients to confirm the veracity of claims by sick or injured individuals for workers� compensation, automotive, personal injury liability, and disability insurance coverage. The company also offers peer review services, including medical record reviews, nurse file reviews, and utilization reviews by members of its medical panel to provide medical opinion of a claimant�s condition and treatment; bill review services, such as physician and hospital bill reviews, and surgical cost estimates; and other IME related services comprising litigation support, medical record retrieval, administrative support services, and managed technology services. ExamWorks Group, Inc. provides its services through its medical panel of independently contract ed physicians and other medical providers. It serves property and casualty insurance carriers, law firms, third-party claim administrators, government agencies, and state funds. The company was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Examworks Group (EXAM) is a provider of independent medical examinations, peer and bill reviews and related services. This stock closed up 9.4% at $24.28 in Wednesday's trading session.

    Wednesday's Volume: 1.62 million

    Three-Month Average Volume: 209,788

    Volume % Change: 583%

    From a technical perspective, EXAM exploded higher here right off some near-term support at $21.91 with heavy upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $13.79 to its intraday high of $24.40. During that uptrend, shares of EXAM have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. This move also pushed shares of EXAM into breakout territory, since the stock took out its former 52-week high at $23.56.

     

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in EXAM as long as it's trending above $23 or $22.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above Wednesday's high of $24.40 with volume that hits near or above 209,788 shares. If we get that move soon, then EXAM will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $28 to $30.

Top 5 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Watch For 2014: First Horizon National Corp (FHN)

First Horizon National Corporation (FHN), incorporated in 1968, is a bank holding company. The Company provides financial services through its subsidiary, First Tennessee Bank National Association (the Bank), and its subsidiaries. The Company�� two brands First Tennessee and FTN Financial provide customers with a range of products and services. First Tennessee provides retail and commercial banking services throughout Tennessee. FTN Financial (FTNF) is engaged in fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad. FHN has four operating business segments: regional banking, capital markets, corporate, and non-strategic. As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had $16.4 billion in total deposits and $16 billion in total net loans. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� subsidiaries had over 200 business locations in 17 the United States states, Hong Kong, and Tokyo, excluding off-premises automated teller machines (ATMs). As of December 31, 2011, the Bank had 183 branch locations in four states, which include 172 branches in metropolitan areas of Tennessee; two branches in northwestern Georgia; seven branches in northwestern Mississippi, and two branches in North Carolina. As of December 31, 2011, FTN Financial products and services were offered through 18 offices in total, including 16 offices in 14 states plus an office in each of Hong Kong and Tokyo.

The regional banking segment offers financial products and services, including traditional lending and deposit taking, to retail and commercial customers in Tennessee and surrounding markets. Regional banking provides investments, financial planning, trust services and asset management, credit card, cash management, and first lien mortgage originations within the Tennessee footprint. In addition, the regional banking segment includes correspondent banking, which provides credit, depository, and other banking related services to other financial institutions.

The capital markets se! gment consists of fixed income sales, trading, and strategies for institutional clients in the United States and abroad, as well as loan sales, portfolio advisory, and derivative sales. The corporate segment consists of gains on the extinguishment of debt, unallocated corporate expenses, expense on subordinated debt issuances and preferred stock, bank-owned life insurance, unallocated interest income associated with excess equity, net impact of raising incremental capital, revenue and expense associated with deferred compensation plans, funds management, low income housing investment activities, and charges related to restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency. The non-strategic segment consists of the wind-down national consumer lending activities, legacy mortgage banking elements, including servicing fees, and the associated ancillary revenues and expenses related to these businesses. Non-strategic also includes the wind-down trust preferred loan portfolio and exited businesses along with the associated restructuring, repositioning, and efficiency charges.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided services through its subsidiaries, which include general banking services for consumers, businesses, financial institutions, and governments; through FTN Financial fixed income sales and trading, underwriting of bank, loan sales, advisory services and derivative sales; discount brokerage and full-service brokerage; correspondent banking; transaction processing, such as nationwide check clearing services and remittance processing; trust, fiduciary, and agency services; credit card products; equipment finance; investment and financial advisory services; mutual fund sales as agent; retail insurance sales as agent, and mortgage banking services.

As of December 31, 2011, the commercial, financial, and industrial (C&I) portfolio was eight billion dollars, and is consisted of loans used for general business purposes, and consisted of relationship customers in Tennessee and certain n! eighborin! g states, which are managed within the regional bank. Products include working capital lines of credit, term loan financing of owner-occupied real estate and fixed assets, and trade credit enhancement through letters of credit. As of December 31, 2011, the unpaid principal balance (UPB) of trust preferred loans totaled $447.2 million with the UPB of other bank-related loans totaling approximately $161.8 million. The commercial real estate portfolio includes both financings for commercial construction and non-construction loans. This portfolio is segregated between income commercial real estate (CRE) loans which contain loans, lines, and letters of credit to commercial real estate developers for the construction and mini- permanent financing of income-producing real estate, and residential CRE loans. The residential CRE portfolio includes loans to residential builders and developers for the purpose of constructing single-family detached homes, condominiums, and town homes. As of December 31, 2011, the residential CRE portfolio was $.1 billion. As of December 31, 2011, the consumer real estate portfolio was $5.3 billion, and is composed of home equity lines and installment loans. As of December 31, 2011, the credit card and other portfolios were $.3 billion, and primarily include credit card receivables, automobile loans, and over-the-counter (OTC) construction loans and other consumer related credits.

FHN�� investment portfolio consists of debt securities, including government agency issued mortgage-backed securities (MBS) and government agency issued collateralized mortgage obligations (CMO). During the year ended December 31, 2011, Government agency issued MBS and CMO, and other agencies averaged $2.9 billion. During 2011, the United States treasury securities and municipal bonds averaged $79.5 million. During 2011, investments in equity securities averaged $222.3 million.

During 2011, short-term funds (certificates of deposit greater than $100,000, federal funds purchased (! FFP), sec! urities sold under agreements to repurchase, trading liabilities, and other short-term borrowings) averaged $3.6 billion. During 2011, other borrowings increased to $.3 billion. Term borrowings include senior and subordinated borrowings and advances with original maturities greater than one year. During 2011, average term borrowings averaged $2.6 billion.

The Company competes with Regions Bank, SunTrust Bank, Wells Fargo Bank N.A., Bank of America N.A., and Pinnacle National Bank.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    First Horizon National (NYSE: FHN) is expected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.17 per share on revenue of $286.98 million.

    Synacor (NASDAQ: SYNC) is estimated to post a Q1 loss at $0.05 per share on revenue of $24.53 million.

Top 5 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Watch For 2014: Chilean Metals Inc (CMX)

Chilean Metals Inc, formerly International PBX Ventures Ltd., is an exploration-stage company. The Company is engaged in exploring for gold, silver, copper and molybdenum on its various properties located in Chile through its wholly owned subsidiaries in Chile, Minera IPBX Limitada, Minera Tierra de Oro Limitada, Minera Palo Negro Limitada and Minera Sierra Pintada Limitada. The Company owns 100% interest in Copaquire Project. The Copaquire property is approximately 20 kilometer west of the Collahuasi mine and 8 kilometer west of the Quebrada Blanca copper-molybdenum mine properties. The Tierra de Oro property lies about 30 kilometers south of the Candelaria copper-gold-silver mines. Through its 100% owned Chilean Metals Exploration Ltd. the Company owns six Gold-Copper properties strategically located in the prolific IOCG belt of Chile. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Johanna Bennett]

    It�� a good day for auto dealer stocks. CarMax (CMX) got engines revving on Wall Street when it posted blowout quarterly results. And Goldman Sachs upgraded AutoNation (AN) from Neutral to Buy and set a six-month price target of $65, citing the company�� growth prospects, margins and balance sheet.

    The AutoNation upgrade was actually part of a broader industry call by analysts Patrick Archambault and David Tamberrino. In a 32-page note published today,�the pair raised estimates for auto dealers, citing increased SAAR projections for 2014 through 2016 and growth opportunity�� from M&A. Archambault and Tamberrino write:

    The combination of these factors drives up our 2015/2016 EPS estimates to 2.4% and 6.1% above the Street which we believe is understating the sector�� growth potential. M&A is the key growth opportunity. About 2 points of our 3% profit revision comes from M&A. With $2.4bn of dry powder, a still very fragmented dealer group, and reasonable valuations on the private side we think the risk is to the upside for acquisitions. M&A has added 2.4% to dealer revenue growth annually over the past 5 years which we assume continues.

    AutoNation rose 2.7% to $58.04, while CarMax surged 15.6% to $52.32

Top 5 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Watch For 2014: KMG Chemicals Inc (KMG)

KMG Chemicals, Inc., incorporated on July 30, 1992, manufactures, formulates and globally distributes specialty chemicals. The Company has acquired and operates businesses selling electronic chemicals and industrial wood treating chemicals. The Company operates in two segments: electronic chemicals and wood treating chemicals. The Company's electronic chemicals segment provides wet process chemicals to the semiconductor industry, primarily to clean and etch silicon wafers in the production of semiconductors. The Company supplies wet process chemicals to the semiconductor industry in the United States and Europe. Its wood treating chemicals, pentachlorophenol (penta), and creosote, are sold to industrial customers who use these preservatives primarily to extend the useful life of utility poles and railroad crossties. The Company is the supplier of penta in North America, and supplier of creosote in the United States to wood treaters who do not produce their own creosote. On March 1, 2012, the Company discontinued its animal health business. In June 2013, the Company announced that it completed the acquisition of the Ultra Pure Chemicals subsidiaries of OM Group Inc located in the United States, England and Singapore.

Electronic Chemicals

The Company's electronic chemicals business sells wet process chemicals primarily to the semiconductor industry. These chemicals are used to clean and etch silicon wafers in the production of semiconductors. The Company's products include sulfuric, phosphoric, nitric and hydrofluoric acids, ammonium hydroxide, hydrogen peroxide, isopropyl alcohol and various blends of chemicals. The Company's products are sold in bulk and in containers, including bottles, drums and totes. This process is accomplished at the Company's Pueblo, Colorado, Hollister, California and Milan, Italy facilities, although the Company contracts with General Chemical to produce certain products for the Company at its facility. As of July 31, 2012, the Company's electronic ! chemicals business accounted for 58.5% of its net sales.

Wood Treating Chemicals

The Company supplies penta and creosote to industrial customers who use these products to extend the useful life of wood, primarily utility poles and railroad crossties. The Company's penta products include penta blocks, solutions and hydrochloric acid, a byproduct of penta production. Penta is used primarily to treat utility poles, protecting them from insect damage and decay. The Company manufactures solid penta blocks at its facility in Matamoros, Mexico. The Company sells solid penta to its customers, or make it into a liquid solution of penta concentrate at its Matamoros, Mexico and Tuscaloosa, Alabama facilities. The Company sells penta products primarily in the southeastern and northwestern United States and in Canada. The hydrochloric acid the Company produces as a byproduct of penta production is sold in Mexico for use in the steel and oils well service industries. Creosote is a wood preservative used to treat utility poles and railroad crossties. Creosote is produced by the distillation of coal tar, a by-product of the transformation of coal into coke. The Company sells creosote to wood treaters throughout the United States. As of July 31, 2012, the Company's wood treating chemicals constituted about 41.4% of the Company's net sales.

The Company competes with Honeywell, Kanto Corporation, Avantor, BASF and the OM Group.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on KMG Chemicals (NYSE: KMG  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Caroline Bennett]

    J. Neal Butler, KMG Chemicals' (NYSE: KMG  ) CEO and president, has resigned from his positions with the company. Effective July 10,�Christopher Fraser, KMG's chairman of the board of directors, will serve as interim replacement CEO and president, the company announced today.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    KMG Chemicals (NYSE: KMG) is projected to report its Q4 earnings.

    JB Hunt Transport Services (NASDAQ: JBHT) is expected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.84 per share on revenue of $1.59 billion.

Hot Low Price Companies To Invest In Right Now

This article was written by�Oilprice.com, the leading provider of energy news in the world. Also check out these related articles:

OPEC & Russia's Vulnerability and America's Ingenuity
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OPEC Secretary-General Abdalla Salem el-Badri says he doesn't expect demand for the cartel's oil or its production levels to change in the coming year, and he is urging member states not to be alarmed by oil's current low prices.

"Don't panic," el-Badri�said Oct. 29�at an impromptu news conference in London, where he was attending a conference. "I am sure the market will balance itself."

The concern, if not the panic, already is present. The price of the global petroleum benchmark, Brent crude, plunged a little more than $87 a barrel the day he made those comments -- nearly $30 less than it was in June, a loss of about one-fourth of its value.

Al-Badri shrugged off this loss, saying he wasn't worried because price fluctuations don't reflect "the fundamentals" of the oil market. "Demand is still growing, supply is also growing. OPEC is reviewing the situation,"�he said. "There is nothing wrong with the market."

10 Best India Stocks To Own For 2015: Elray Resources Inc (ELRA)

Elray Resources, Inc., incorporated on December 13, 2006, is an exploration stage company. The Company was engaged in the acquisition and exploration of mineral properties with a view to exploiting any mineral deposits discovered.

Elray owned a 100% interest in Porphyry Creek, a 90 square kilometer gold and copper claim located in Cambodia. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company has not generated any revenues.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    Today, ELRA remains (0.00%) +0.000 at $.160 thus far (ref. google finance Delayed:� 1:13PM EDT July 2, 2013).

    Elray Resources, Inc. through its online gaming and turnkey solution subsidiary Elray Gaming, previously reported the launch and operations of the Golden Galaxy online casino.

    Golden Galaxy is a licensed online casino, and whilst it complies fully with the UIGEA (The Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006) and does not accept US players it is targeted towards other regulated and rapidly growing markets. Golden Galaxy’s software is provided and maintained by Playtech Limited, the world’s largest online gaming software supplier traded on the London Stock Exchange�� Main Market, offering cutting-edge, value added solutions to the industry’s leading operators. Since Playtech’s inception in 1999 the world�� leading online gaming software company, and bears the official approval of the Technical System Testing of North America Inc. (TST), which has periodically verified that the games are true and fair.

  • [By Peter Graham]

    Small cap entertainment or gaming stocks Soul and Vibe Interactive Inc (OTCBB: SOUL), Elray Resources Inc (OTCMKTS: ELRA) and Players Network (OTCMKTS: PNTV) focus on entertaining consumers. However, its important to remember that consumers can be very fickle when it comes to entertainment or games. So should you be entertaining any of these small caps? Here is a closer look and a reality check:

Hot Low Price Companies To Invest In Right Now: Silicon Image Inc.(SIMG)

Silicon Image, Inc. provides wireless and wired high-definition (HD) connectivity solutions that enable the distribution and presentation of HD content for consumer electronics, mobile, and personal computer (PC) markets. It delivers its technology via semiconductor and intellectual property products. The company?s consumer electronics products include high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI) port processors, HDMI and mobile high-definition link (MHL) transmitters, MHL-to-HDMI bridges, and HDMI receiver products; PC products comprise MHL/HDMI-to-HDMI bridges and digital visual interface receivers; and storage products consist of a line of serial advanced technology attachment controllers used in PC, DVR, and network attached storage applications. Its products are deployed by the electronics manufacturers in various devices, such as desktop and notebook PCs, DTVs, Blu-ray disc players, and audio-video receivers, as well as mobile phones, tablets, and digital cameras. The company, through its subsidiaries, provides manufacturers comprehensive standards interoperability and compliance testing services; and acts as an agent for promoting and administering HDMI and MHL specifications, and for licensing the serial port memory technology memory interface specification. It sells its products to original product manufacturers worldwide through direct sales force, as well as through a network of distributors and manufacturer?s representatives. The company has operations in the United States, Taiwan, Japan, China, and Korea, as well as Europe and internationally. Silicon Image, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

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

    Technology shares dropped by 0.14 percent in the US market today. Among the sector stocks, Liquidity Services (NASDAQ: LQDT) was down more than 11.2 percent, while Silicon Image (NASDAQ: SIMG) tumbled around 6.7 percent.

  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    The exact same setup is shaping up in shares of small-cap semiconductor firm Silicon Image (SIMG). Like HCP, this firm is stuck trading in a downtrending channel. Unlike HCP, trendline resistance is a whole lot stronger in this stock. Shares have gotten swatted down on each of the last eight attempts through that ceiling; with shares at resistance again, the high-probability move is to the downside.

    Again, relative strength has been terrible since the summer; SIMG is underperforming the S&P by a considerable margin. Downtrending relative strength is a cardinal sin for stocks, so with shares sitting at resistance, now's a stellar place to be a seller. While support has been pretty strong along the way down, SIMG's previous penetrations through S1 should be a big red flag that buyers are skittish.

    SIMG is in a textbook downtrend right now. Don't get caught on the wrong side of the trade.

  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    Quick - what do Simon Property Group Inc. (NYSE:SPG), Dr. Pepper Snapple Group Inc. (NYSE:DPS), and Silicon Image, Inc. (NASDAQ:SIMG) have in common? If you said absolutely nothing, you'd be about 99% right. There's one common thing between SIMG, SPG, and DPS right now, however. What's that? All three stocks are on my personal "buy" list this week.

Hot Low Price Companies To Invest In Right Now: Avis Budget Group Inc.(CAR)

Avis Budget Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides car and truck rentals, and ancillary services to businesses and consumers worldwide. It supplies rental cars to the premium commercial and leisure segments of the travel industry under the Avis brand; and to the value-conscious segments of the industry under the Budget brand. The company operates or licenses the Avis car rental system that includes approximately 5,200 locations; and operates approximately 2,100 Avis car rental locations in on-airport and local rental markets; and operates or licenses the Budget vehicle rental system comprising approximately 3,050 car rental locations, and operates approximately 1,100 Budget car rental locations. It also operates local and one-way truck rental businesses, and operates a combined fleet of approximately 26,000 trucks, which are rented through a network of approximately 1,850 dealers and 300 company-operated locations in the continental United States serving the consumer and light commercial sectors. In addition, the company engages in the sale and rental of optional products and services, including loss damage waivers; insurance products, such as additional/supplemental liability insurance or personal accident/effects insurance; automobile towing equipment and other moving accessories consisting of hand trucks, furniture pads, and moving supplies; and products for driving convenience, such as where2 GPS navigation units, optional roadside assistance, fuel service options, and electronic toll collection, as well as other ancillary products and services comprising rental of satellite radio units and child safety seats. Its rental fleet comprises approximately 393,000 vehicles. The company was formerly known as Cendant Corporation. Avis Budget Group, Inc. was founded in 1946 and is headquartered in Parsippany, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Building on its acquisition of Zipcar earlier this year,�Avis Budget Group (NASDAQ: CAR  ) just announced it is buying deep-value rival�Payless Car Rental, the sixth-largest�car rental company�in North America, in a $50 million deal. The deal marks the continued consolidation of the car rental industry, one that is already heavily rolled up into just a few hands.

  • [By Vera Yuan]

    ��uto rental company Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR) reported strong quarterly results, and pricing appeared to be in line with management�� plans in the important summer months. We estimate the company could generate $4 per share in free cash flow per share in 2015. In addition, competitor Hertz announced a multi-period earnings restatement, potentially reducing the probability that one of Avis�� two main competitors will take more aggressive pricing actions.

  • [By Kevin Chen]

    After acquiring Zipcar for $500 million in January, Avis� (NASDAQ: CAR  ) has expanded Zipcar into 11 airports across North America in the past several weeks. It announced eight of the openings this week following three last month.

Hot Low Price Companies To Invest In Right Now: Dycom Industries Inc.(DY)

Dycom Industries, Inc. provides specialty contracting services in the United States and Canada. The company?s services include engineering services, which comprise the design of service area concept boxes, terminals, buried and aerial drops, transmission and central office equipment, administration of feeder and distribution cable pairs, and fiber cable routing and design for telephone companies; and make-ready studies, strand mapping, field walk-out, computer-aided radio frequency design and drafting, and fiber cable routing and design for cable television multiple system operators. The company also provides construction, maintenance, and installation of splice fiber, copper, and coaxial cables to telephone companies; installation and maintenance of customer premise equipment, including set top boxes and cable modems to cable television multiple system operators; and premise wiring services, which include installation, repair, and maintenance of telecommunications infrast ructure within improved structures to various corporations, and state and local governments. In addition, Dycom offers underground utility locating services, such as locating telephone, cable television, power, water, sewer, and gas lines to various utility companies. Further, it provides construction and maintenance services for electric utilities and others, which include installing and maintaining overhead and underground power distribution lines, as well as maintenance and installation of underground natural gas transmission and distribution systems. The company was founded in 1969 and is based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    What: Shares of telecom contractor Dycom Industries (NYSE: DY  ) climbed 11% today after its quarterly results and outlook topped Wall Street expectations.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Dycom Industries (NYSE: DY  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Hot Low Price Companies To Invest In Right Now: Alps Jefferies TR/J CRB Global Commodty Eq Idx (CRBQ)

Jefferies | TR/J CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund (the Fund), formerly Thomson Reuters/Jefferies CRB Global Commodity Equity Index Fund, is an exchange traded fund (ETF). The Fund seeks investment results that replicate as closely as possible the price and yield performance of the Thomson Reuters/Jefferies In-The-Ground CRB Global Commodity Equity Index (the Index). The Index is a modified capitalization-weighted, float-adjusted, rules-based index designed to track the overall performance of a global universe of listed companies engaged in the production and distribution of commodities and commodity-related products and services in the sectors, such as agriculture, base/industrial metals, energy and precious metals. ALPS Advisors, Inc. is the investment adviser for the Fund. Arrow Investment Advisors, LLC is the investment sub-adviser for the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Richard Stavros]

    Whereas in the 1970s there were limited ways to hedge against inflation, now there is a cornucopia of currency and international commodities instruments that can not only hedge against inflation but other global shocks, such as market bubbles and even war.

    And it is these very scenarios that investors have been worried about. Since the beginning of the year, stocks, bonds and just about any investment you can think of have gyrated wildly at various times amid concerns of war, inflation and the possibility that the U.S. equity market is overvalued and headed for a correction.

    In response, some market analysts in Bloomberg news reports have offered any number of wildly unsubstantiated statements for why investors should ignore today’s perils. They dismiss the danger posed by Russia�� annexation of Ukraine�� Crimea region (��utin will stop short of other countries or war with the West��. They also argue that the Federal Reserve chairwoman misspoke (��anet Yellen really didn�� mean a rate hike is coming soon. Inflation is under control. It was a rookie mistake��.

    For my money, here’s the most outrageous: The Shiller Cyclically adjusted P/E metric which has predicted the 1929, 2000 and 2007 downturns doesn�� apply (��uggests only a slightly expensive market with low to moderate returns going forward on average��.

    With new records being set by the S&P 500 in the last few months, it stands to reason that some investors have not needed much convincing to stay all in and buying. This mindset has prevailed, even as the impact of a Russian war or conflict, runaway inflation or a market correction could be devastating to investor portfolios, taking years to recover.

    If you��e never thought of certain investments as “insurance,” it�� time to start now. Protecting wealth is as important as building wealth. And as previously mentioned, we have found that the Inflation Survival Letter�� Thri

Hot Low Price Companies To Invest In Right Now: Pharmacyclics Inc (PCYC)

Pharmacyclics, Inc., incorporated on April 19, 1991, is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing and commercializing small-molecule drugs for the treatment of cancer and immune mediated diseases. The Company's clinical development and product candidates are small-molecule enzyme inhibitors designed to target biochemical pathways involved in human diseases. As of June 30, 2011, it had three drug candidates under clinical development and a number of preclinical lead molecules. This includes an inhibitor of Bruton�� tyrosine kinase (Btk) (PCI-32765) in Phase II studies in hematologic malignancies; a Btk inhibitor lead optimization program targeting autoimmune indications, an inhibitor of Factor VIIa (PCI-27483) in a Phase II clinical trial in pancreatic cancer, and a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor (PCI-24781) in Phase I and II clinical trials in solid tumors and hematological malignancies as of June 30, 2012.

As of June 30, 2012, the Company developed ibrutinib, which has demonstrated clinical activity and tolerability in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials in a variety of B-cell malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and a number of non-Hodgkin�� lymphoma (NHL) subtypes. CLL, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and multiple myeloma (MM) are specific indications of its current or planned Phase Ib/II and Phase III development program. had development programs for B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases. For malignant indications it has developed PCI-32765, which has demonstrated clinical activity and tolerability in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials in a range of B-cell malignancies, including chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and a number of non-Hodgkin�� lymphoma (NHL) subtypes. CLL, mantle cell lymphoma (MCL), follicular lymphoma (FL), diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) and multiple myeloma (MM) are specific indications of its Phase II development. It has developed an assay! to measure occupancy of Btk in PBMCs using a cell-permeable fluorescently-labeled derivative of PCI-32765.

Factor VII is an enzyme that becomes activated (FVIIa) by binding to the cell surface protein tissue factor (TF), a protein found in the body that helps to trigger the process of blood clotting in response to injury. TF is over expressed in many cancers including gastric, breast, colon, lung, prostate, ovarian and pancreatic cancers. In these tumors, the FVIIa/TF complex induces intracellular signaling pathways by activating protease activated receptor 2 (PAR-2), another cell-surface protein. This in turn increases the expression of interleukin-8 (IL-8), a protein produced by white blood cells and other immune cells in response to pathogenic stimulation, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a signal protein produced by cells that stimulate the growth of blood vessels. Both proteins play an important role in tumor growth and metastases as well as angiogenesis (growth of new blood vessels). FVIIa/TF complex also initiates the coagulation (a process by which blood forms clots) processes implicated in the high incidence of thromboembolic (the process by which the blood clots within a blood vessel) complications seen in patients with TF-expressing cancers. Thromboembolic events are a cause of death in patients with cancer and anticoagulant treatment has been shown to improve survival in a variety of cancers (Klerk et al. JCO. 2005).

PCI-27483 Factor VIIa Inhibitor

The Company�� Factor VIIa inhibitor PCI-27483 is a first-in-human small molecule inhibitor that selectively targets FVIIa. As an inhibitor of FVIIa, PCI-27483 has two potential mechanisms of action: inhibition of intracellular signaling involved in tumor growth and metastases and inhibition of early coagulation processes associated with thromboembolism.

Factor VIIa PCI-27483 Clinical Development Update

A multicenter Phase I/II of PCI-27483 in patients with locally a! dvanced o! r metastatic pancreatic cancer that are either receiving or are planned to receive gemcitabine therapy has completed enrollment. The Phase II portion of the study randomized patients to receive either gemcitabine alone or gemcitabine plus PCI-27483 (1.2 mg/kg twice daily). The objectives are to assess the safety of FVIIa Inhibitor PCI-27483 at pharmacologically active dose levels, to assess potential inhibition of tumor progression and to obtain initial information of the effects on the incidence of thromboembolic events. Due to a paradigm shift away from the use of gemcitabine alone for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, enrolling patients in this randomized study has been challenging. PCYC is evaluating other alternatives for development of this agent.

A multicenter Phase I/II of PCI-27483 in patients with locally advanced or metastatic pancreatic cancer that are either receiving or are planned to receive gemcitabine therapy has completed enrollment. The Phase II portion of the study randomized patients to receive either gemcitabine alone or gemcitabine plus PCI-27483 (1.2 mg/kg twice daily). PCI-27483 is covered by United States patents and patent applications and counterpart patents and patent applications in fourteen ex-United States territories, including Europe, Canada, Mexico, Japan, China, India, South Korea, Australia and Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Yet J&J isn't satisfied with what it already has. Last week, the company joined with Pharmacyclics (NASDAQ: PCYC  ) to seek approval for their lymphoma drug ibrutinib. J&J will get a 50% share of any profit from the venture, and J&J cited a Piper Jaffray estimate that just one of its indications could produce sales of more than $4 billion.

  • [By Keith Speights]

    Last year, Pharmacyclics (NASDAQ: PCYC  ) shares gained a whopping 280%. That was enough to land the biotech a spot on The Motley Fool's list of top health-care stocks in 2012. How is 2013 looking so far? Shares have gained more than 30% year to date but have been anemic since early March.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    Very few breakthrough therapies have been approved up to this point -- then again, we're only working with about 100 days for the Food and Drug Administration to have assigned such a designation. Vertex Pharmaceuticals'�received the first two "breakthrough therapy" designations from the FDA for two cystic fibrosis treatments, of which both involve the use of the already FDA-approved Kalydeco. The more intriguing "breakthrough therapy" designation is Pharmacyclics' (NASDAQ: PCYC  ) Ibrutinib for the treatment of two rare blood cancers, which analysts feel could have a peak sales value of $5 billion if approved.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Top 5 Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- Ugh, I wouldn't want to be Larry Summers this morning. The former Treasury secretary set off a rally in stock futures yesterday, when he withdrew his name from the Fed Chairman job. The market has voted: Investors hate Larry Summers.

>>Why Wall Street Got Apple Wrong

But don't worry too much about Larry. It's probably safe to say he's got a thick skin.

Instead, investors should be paying attention to the market's reaction. As I write just ahead of the open this morning, equities are pointed at some serious follow-through this Monday. That's a big deal after a technically-significant bounce that slingshotted stocks 1.98% higher last week. And it's creating some buying opportunities this week. To make the most of them, we're turning to a new set of Rocket Stocks. >>5 Stocks Ready for Breakouts For the uninitiated, "Rocket Stocks" are our list of companies with short-term gain catalysts and longer-term growth potential. To find them, I run a weekly quantitative screen that seeks out stocks with a combination of analyst upgrades and positive earnings surprises to identify rising analyst expectations, a bullish signal for stocks in any market. After all, where analysts' expectations are increasing, institutional cash often follows. In the last 214 weeks, our weekly list of five plays has outperformed the S&P 500 by 88.85%. Without further ado, here's a look at this week's Rocket Stocks.

Top 5 India Companies For 2015: Nikon Corp (NINOF)

NIKON CORPORATION is mainly engaged in the manufacture and sale of image and video equipment. The Company operates in four business segments. The Precision Equipment segment offers semiconductor exposure apparatus and liquid crystal (LC) exposure apparatus. The Image segment provides digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, compact digital cameras and interchangeable lens. The Instruments segment offers microscopes, measuring machines and semiconductor inspection equipment. The Others segment provides LC photomask substrates and optical components. As of March 31, 2013, the Company has 87 subsidiaries and 10 associated companies. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks opened lower Thursday, as gains for the yen and losses for Wall Street conspired to drive the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) down 1.2% to 15,333.35, extending Wednesday's 0.6% loss. The Topix fell 0.7%, with the U.S. dollar (USDJPY) slipping to 102.46 yen, down from around 楼102.80 at the start of the previous session, but off its lows in late Wednesday trade. Electronics firms and other techs helped lead the loss, with Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) falling 1.4%, Nikon Corp. (JP:7731) (NINOF) off 2.4%, and Alps Electric Co. (JP:6770) 1.8% lower. The Nikkei Asian Review reported Thursday that Japan looked set to post its first trade deficit for electronics goods this year. Shares of Yahoo Japan Corp. (JP:4689) (YAHOF) lost 1.4%, even as Bloomberg reported the firm was offering its stake in market-research firm Macromill Inc. (JP:3730) to U.S. private-equity firm Bain Capital at a premium to its most recent close. Shares of Macromill were untraded. Among gainers, Nippon Telegraph & Telephone Corp. (JP:9432) (NTT) rose 2.1%, following a 1.1% gain for its U.S.-listed shares.

  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- With the yen holding on to its gains and investors cautious as earnings season kicks off, Japanese stocks slid lower Friday after closing the previous day with some late-session gains. The Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) fell 0.9% to 14,358.28, with the Topix down 0.8%, as the dollar bought 97.36 yen, little changed from 24 hours earlier. The relatively strong yen weighed on some names with high global exposure, as Sharp Corp. (JP:6753) (SHCAF) lost 1%, Pioneer Corp. (JP:6773) (PNCOF) dropped 1.6%, and Bridgestone Corp. (JP:5108) (BRDCF) fell 1.2%. An outlook cut from Canon Inc. (JP:7751) (CAJ) helped send its shares down 1%, while rival Nikon Corp. (JP:7731) (NINOF) lost 1.8%, though Olympus Corp. (JP:7733) (OCPNF) gained 1%. Telecoms were weak, with Softbank Corp. (JP:9984) (SFTBF) falling 2.5%, KDDI Corp. (JP:9433) (KDDIF) down 1.7%, and NTT DoCoMo Inc. (JP:9437) (NTDMF)

Top 5 Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now: TRW Automotive Holdings Corporation(TRW)

TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells automotive systems, modules, and components for automotive original equipment manufacturers and related after-markets. It operates in four segments: Chassis Systems, Occupant Safety Systems, Electronics, and Automotive Components. The Chassis Systems segment offers product lines relating to steering gears and systems, foundation brakes, modules, brake controls, and linkage and suspension. The Occupant Safety Systems segment provides airbags, seat belts, steering wheels, and occupant restraint systems. The Electronics segment offers various products comprising safety electronics, radio frequency electronics, chassis electronics, powertrain electronics, and driver assist systems. The Automotive Components provides body controls, engine valves, and engineered fasteners and components. The company offers its products for passenger cars, light trucks, and commercial vehicles worldwid e. TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. was founded in 1904 and is based in Livonia, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Cooper Tire & Rubber (CTB) has gained 1% to $24.86 today, but its trading more on whether investors expect its acquisition by Apollo Tyres to be completed. Car-part companies, however, are also exhibiting weakness today. TRW Automotive (TRW) has fallen 0.8% to $77.91, Lear (LEA) has dipped 0.4% to $74.78 and American Axel and Manufacturing (AXL) is off 0.5% to $18.99.

  • [By guruek]


    TRW Automotive Holdings Corp (TRW): Director Neil P. Simpkins Sold 10,273,062 Shares

    Director of TRW Automotive Holdings Corp (TRW) Neil P. Simpkins sold 10,273,062 shares on 08/05/2013 at an average price of $71.34.

Top 5 Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now: Continental Gold Ltd (CGOOF.PK)

Continental Gold Limited is an exploration-stage company. The Company is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, evaluation and development of principally gold resource properties in Colombia. The Company holds the rights to explore and develop six properties in Colombia totaling approximately 122,317 hectares. The Buritica project encompasses an aggregate area of 57,588 hectares and is located about 75 kilometers northwest of Medellin in the Antioquia Department of north-western Colombia. The Berlin project covers an aggregate area of 25,059 hectares. The project area is located 90 kilometers north of Medellin in the Antioquia Department. The Dominical project encompasses an aggregate area of 24,327 hectares and is located in southern Colombia in the Cauca Department. The project area is consists of four registered concessions totaling 5,590 hectares, five pending registration concessions totaling 3,426 hectares and 10 concession applications covering 15,311 hectares. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Markus Aarnio]

    Other gold miners that have seen intensive insider buying during the past four months include St. Andrew Goldfields (STADF.PK), Continental Gold (CGOOF.PK), Kinross (KGC) and Agnico-Eagle Mines (AEM).

Top 5 Rising Companies To Watch In Right Now: RSA Insurance Group PLC (RSA)

RSA Insurance Group plc is the holding company of the RSA group of companies whose principal activity is the transaction of personal and commercial general insurance business. The Company operates in four segments: Scandinavia, Canada, United Kingdom and Western Europe, and Emerging Markets. The Company provides insurance covers for a range of renewable energy technologies, including Wind Energy, which includes onshore and offshore facilities; Solar Energy, which includes photovoltaic, concentrated and thermal installations; Small Hydro, which includes power stations producing an output up to 50 megawatt, and Bio energy, which includes Biomass, Biogas and Waste to Energy plants. The Company works with both large and small brokers. The Company works with partners, such as building societies, banks, retailers, motor manufacturers, charities, utilities and unions to offer their customers appropriate insurance products. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

    RSA Insurance Group Plc (RSA), which insures cars, homes and ships in the U.K., Scandinavia and emerging markets, rose 0.8 percent to 114.1 pence. Morgan Stanley raised its rating on the stock to overweight, the equivalent of a buy recommendation, from underweight.

  • [By Sarah Jones]

    RSA Insurance Group Plc (RSA) gained 0.8 percent to 114.1 pence after Morgan Stanley upgraded the insurer to overweight from underweight, saying the share price will benefit from a stronger prospective U.K. performance. The stock has declined 9.2 percent so far this year, while the FTSE 350 Insurance Index has rallied 10 percent.

Monday, December 29, 2014

Why planes don't live stream data

Technology could've tracked missing AirAsia flight   Technology could've tracked missing AirAsia flight NEW YORK (CNNMoney) When AirAsia Flight QZ8501 disappeared on Sunday, its black box and any evidence of what went wrong may have vanished with it.

In a time when we stream Netflix on our laptops, get music instantly on our phones, and use Wi-Fi on airplanes, why isn't air flight data transmitted in real time?

The technology already exists.

One option for it is sold by Canadian company Flyht Aerospace Solutions.

The company's Automated Flight Information System automatically monitors data about a plane's location, altitude and performance. It can live stream information when something goes wrong -- from little problems that can be fixed when the plane lands to disasters that can cause a crash.

Flyht President Matt Bradley said his company's system was not on board the missing AirAsia jet. But if it had been, he added, it would be easier to locate the downed airliner.

On a normal flight, Flyht's system would send updates from the cockpit to the ground every five to 10 minutes. But it can be programmed to recognize when something is wrong, such as a deviation in a flight path, and automatically begin streaming data every second.

The potential benefits of live streaming were widely discussed after Air France Flight 447 crashed into the Atlantic Ocean in 2009. It took two years to recover the flight data recorder.

The conversation started up again after Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 disappeared in March. That plane has still not been located.

Top 5 Dividend Companies To Own In Right Now

Since Flight 370 went missing, Canadian regional carrier First Air became the first to activate Flyht's streaming systems on all its planes.

But the technology is not catching on with major carriers.

Skeptics point to several reasons why. For starters, industry consultant Michael Boyd pointed out, planes rarely completely fall off the grid.

"Up until now, we haven't had a need to track all airplanes," Boyd said. "Why would we do it if we don't have to?"

Another problem: widespread use of live streaming technology would create an overload of information, making it hard to analyze properly.

Photos: AsiaAir flig! ht goes missing

But in the end, it comes down to cost, experts said.

"[Airlines are] very cost sensitive," said former inspector general of the U.S. Department of Transportation Mary Schiavo, who is a CNN aviation analyst. "They simply will not add additional safety measures unless mandated by the federal government."

Flyht counters by saying that its system, which typically costs less than $100,000 to install, is designed to save carriers money.

The company says a carrier can recover its initial costs in a matter of months by using the technology to help cut fuel costs or troubleshoot mechanical problems.

"When you have better visibility on how you're burning your fuel and what's going wrong with the aircraft, you can be more proactive," Bradley says. "If something goes wrong, you get parts to the right place. You get mechanics to the right place. It's just a more efficient operation."

Given recent events, Boyd said he expects carriers to start adopting solutions soon.

"Within the next three years, I predict new airplanes will have something," said Boyd. "If my GPS in my car knows where I am, and my cell phone knows where I am, I think we can find a way of finding a 747."

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Top Services Stocks To Own For 2014

Three and a half hours into the trading day, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) shares are up 3.1% on strong second-quarter earnings and some reassuring words from the Federal Reserve.

Wall Street and Washington weigh in
B of A is reporting that net income rose 63% year over year, from $2.5 billion to $4.0 billion, while total revenue increased 3.2% year over year, from $22.0 billion to $22.7 billion. Earnings per share are $0.32, beating analyst expectations of $0.25.

Over on Capitol Hill, Fed chairman Ben Bernanke is testifying to the House Committee on Financial Services on U.S. monetary policy. His comments indicate that the central bank will still begin tapering QE later this year, so long as the American economy continues trending in the right direction, but that the Fed believes the economy is still clearly not where it should be.

Foolish bottom line
The markets have waited with baited breath on the words of Federal Reserve chairmen for years now, and have responded either calmly and coolly, or flown completely off the handle. Today, investors have taken the former road, the one not often enough taken, and have responded to Bernanke's comments with the equanimity they deserve.

Top 10 Trucking Companies To Buy Right Now: Pazoo Inc (PZOO)

Pazoo, Inc., formerly IUCSS, Inc., incorporated on November 16, 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company is an online retailer and distributer of nutritional foods/supplements, wellness goods, and fitness apparel.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� source of revenue was through www.pazoo.com. The Company offers a range of products through various catalogs, such as health and beauty, vitamins and supplements, apparel, accessories, food and beverages, fitness and sports equipments, gifts, videos and books, and pet wellness.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    For those traders who were lucky and smart enough to be in an Arotech Corporation (NASDAQ:ARTX) before today, then congratulations - you're up at least 38% on your position. Now it's time to get out. Conversely, if you're looking for a new name to get into (or perhaps looking for a place to park your ARTX proceeds), then you may want to consider Pazoo Inc. (OTCBB:PZOO)... a tiny online retailer of health and fitness goods. PZOO has dropped several tell-tale hints that more upside is on the way.

Top Services Stocks To Own For 2014: NEC Corp (NIPNF)

NEC Corporation is a diversified company. The Information Technology (IT) Solution segment provides system integration, supporting, outsourcing and cloud services, servers, mainframes, super computers, wireless access devices and software. Carrier Network segment provides backbone network system, network access and operation support system, among others. Social Infrastructure segment provides broadcasting video system, control system, transportation and public system, fire and disaster prevention system, and others. Personal Solution segment provides smart phones, cellular phones, corporate computers, tablet terminals, mobile and wireless routers, and Internet service and display solution. The Others segment provides smart energy solution, electronic components and lighting fixtures. On October 1, 2013, it transferred 45% stake in NEC TOPPAN CIRCUIT SOLUTIONS, INC. to KYOCERA CORP, and sold all shares in NEC Magnus Communications Ltd. to NEC Networks & System Integration Corporation. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japan's Nikkei Average (JP:NIK) traded 0.5% higher in the early minutes Tuesday, extending the previous day's 0.9% advance, with the market getting some support from overnight gains for U.S. shares and a slightly weaker yen (dollar at 楼101.56 vs. 楼101.40 at Monday's open). Among the gainers, Toshiba Corp. (JP:6502) (TOSYY) rose 1.7%, Hitachi Ltd. (JP:6501) (HTHIF) gained 1.5%, NEC Corp. (JP:6701) (NIPNF) improved by 2.5%, Bridgestone Corp. (JP:5108) (BRDCF) added 2.7% to extend gains over the past couple weeks following the company's purchase of U.S.-based Masthead Industries, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (JP:7011) (MHVYF) traded 1.1% higher as a Wall Street Journal report said the industrial major's Mitsubishi Aircraft unit had reached a tentative deal to sell 40 jets for the planned revival of defunct U.S. carrier Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. Auto makers were firmer as well, with Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201) (NSANY) up 1.3%, Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) up 0.5%, and Honda Motor Co. (JP:7267)

  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks slipped early Monday, with the Nikkei Stock Average (JP:NIK) down 0.1% at 14,298.17, and the Topix dropping 0.4%. Singapore-traded lead futures for the Nikkei Average had suggested a 0.8% gain for the index, but the indicator fell after the Cabinet Office reported fourth-quarter economic growth of 0.3%, flat from the previous quarter and below expectations in separate Reuters and Wall Street Journal/Nikkei surveys. The disappointing economic data also pushed the yen higher, weighing on some exporters, with Panasonic Corp. (JP:6752) (PCRFF) down 1.8%, NEC Corp. (JP:6701) (NIPNF) off 1.3%, and Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) down 0.7% after S&P downgraded the firm's credit rating to BBB- from BBB with a negative outlook. Shares of Internet retailer Rakuten Inc. (JP:4755) (RKUNF) dropped 12% after announcing plans to buy online messaging and telecom firm Viber Media Inc. for $900 million as well as posting below-consensus full-year profit. Banks were broadly lower, with Mizuho Financial Group Inc. (JP:8411) (MFG) off 1% and Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc. (JP:8316) (SMFG) off 1.1%, though Daiwa Securities Group Inc. (JP:8601)

Top Services Stocks To Own For 2014: CGI Group Inc (GIB)

CGI Group Inc. (CGI), incorporated on September 29, 1981, provides information technology (IT) consulting, systems integration, IT outsourcing and business solutions. The Company�� delivery model provides for work to be carried out onsite at client premises, or through its centers located globally. CGI has approximately 72,000 members across the globe. The Company also has a range of business solutions, which support long-term client relationships. Its services include consulting, systems integration, and management of information technology (IT) and business functions (outsourcing). On August 20, 2012, CGI completed its acquisition of Logica plc (Logica).

CGI has a range of business solutions, which include Momentum, CGI Advantage, CACS, CACS-G, Bureaulink and Strata. Momentum is an integrated enterprise resource planning suite in use by over 85 federal organizations across the three branches of the United States federal government, including 16 agencies. CGI�� enterprise resource planning solution, CGI Advantage, include financial management, payroll, budgeting, human resources management, procurement and grants management. The CGI Advantage client organizations include 22 states. CGI�� Credit Services Solutions include CACS, CACS-G and Bureaulink, Strata and other components.

Management of IT and Business Functions - Outsourcing

Clients delegate entire or partial responsibility for their IT or business functions to CGI. It implements its processes to improve the client�� operations. It also integrates clients��operations into its technology network. Services provided as part of an outsourcing contract may include development and integration of new projects and applications; applications maintenance and support; technology management (enterprise and end-user computing and network services); transaction and business processing, such as payroll, insurance processing and document management services. Outsourcing contracts have terms of up to 10 years.

Consulting and Systems Integration

CGI provides a full range of IT and business consulting services, including business transformation, IT strategic planning, business process engineering and systems architecture. CGI integrates and customizes technologies and software applications.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    It could be even uglier for CGI Group (NYSE: GIB  ) as I've touched on previously. It's not that this software developer of Healthcare.gov isn't getting its fair share of pay for its time and effort to construct the federally run website. It's that the negative publicity surrounding the event and its inability to quickly fix what are growing problems in the system could damage its reputation for years to come, possibly costing the company future orders.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    CGI Group (NYSE: GIB) was also up, gaining 7.28 percent to $38.59 after the company swung to a profit in the fourth quarter.

    Equities Trading DOWN
    Shares of Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO) were down 13.36 percent to $20.79 after the company posted weaker-than-expected fiscal first-quarter revenue and issued a weak outlook. Cisco also increased its share buyback program by $15 billion. Deutsche Bank downgraded the stock from Buy to Hold.

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Thursday

    Earnings Expected From: Applied Materials, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMAT), CGI Group, Inc. (NYSE: GIB), Kohl�� Corporation (NYSE: KSS), Nordstrom, Inc, (NYSE: JWN), Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. (NYSE: WMT) Economic Releases Expected: French GDP, German GDP, Italian GDP, British retails sales, eurozone GDP, Greek unemployment rate

    Friday

  • [By Sean Williams]

    A delay would also be a crushing blow to the information technology architects behind Healthcare.gov like CGI Group (NYSE: GIB  ) . As I've discussed previously, it's not the money aspect that would become a problem for CGI since it continues to be paid for services rendered so much as its tarnished reputation could cost the company future jobs.

Top Services Stocks To Own For 2014: WD-40 Co (WDFC)

WD-40 Company incorporated on October 22, 1999, is a global consumer products company dedicated to delivering solutions for a range of maintenance needs of doer and on-the-job users. As of August 31, 2012, the Company�� products included WD-40 Smart Straw, WD-40 Trigger Pro, 3-IN-ONE Professional Garage Door Lube, Spot Shot Pet Clean which is a non-aerosol Spot Shot trigger product, Blue Works product line, and a mildew stain remover under the X-14 brand. In addition, its WD-40 Speciality product line, consists of certain specialty maintenance products. The Company�� three geographical segments are: the Americas, Europe and Asia-Pacific. The Company sells its products primarily through mass retail and home center stores, warehouse club stores, grocery stores, hardware stores, automotive parts outlets and industrial distributors and suppliers. During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2012, the Company formed WD-40 Bike Company LLC, focused on the development of a line of bicycle maintenance products for cyclists and mechanics.

Multi-Purpose Maintenance Products

The WD-40 brand is a multi-purpose maintenance product and is sold as an aerosol spray, a non-aerosol trigger spray and in liquid form through mass retail stores, hardware stores, warehouse club stores, automotive parts outlets and industrial distributors and suppliers. WD-40 products are sold worldwide in markets, such as North, Central and South America, Asia, Australia and the Pacific Rim, Europe, the Middle East and Africa. WD-40 products has a range of consumer uses in household, marine, automotive, construction, repair, sporting goods and gardening applications, in addition to numerous industrial applications. The 3-IN-ONE brand consists of multi-purpose drip oil and spray lubricant products, as well as other specialty maintenance products. The drip oil is an entry-level lubricant with spout options that allow applications for small mechanisms and assemblies, tool maintenance and threads on screws and bolts. It! also has industrial applications in areas, such as locksmithing, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), marine, farming, construction and jewelry manufacturing. In addition to the drip oil line of products, the 3-IN-ONE brand also includes a line of products known as 3-IN-ONE Professional, which is a line of multi-purpose maintenance products. 3-IN-ONE products are sold in the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, Australia and Asia.

The Blue Works brand consists of a line of industrial grade, specialty maintenance products that include lubricants, penetrants, degreasers and cleaners designed specifically for the needs of industrial users. Blue Works products were launched in the United States in selected markets in Europe and are sold through the industrial channel. WD-40 Specialist consists of a line of specialty problem solving products that include penetrants, water resistant silicone sprays, corrosion inhibitors and rust removers that are aimed at the current users of the WD-40 brand.

Homecare and Cleaning Products

The X-14 brand is a line of products designed for cleaning needs. X-14 is sold as a liquid mildew stain remover and two types of automatic toilet bowl cleaners. X-14 is sold in the United States through grocery and mass retail channels. The 2000 Flushes brand is a line of long-lasting automatic toilet bowl cleaners, which includes a variety of formulas. 2000 Flushes is sold in the United States and Canada through grocery and mass retail channels. The Carpet Fresh brand is a line of room and rug deodorizers sold as powder, aerosol foam and trigger spray products. Carpet Fresh is sold through grocery and mass retail channels in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. In the United Kingdom, Carpet Fresh is sold under the 1001 brand name. In Australia, Carpet Fresh is sold under the No Vac brand name.

The Spot Shot brand is sold as an aerosol carpet stain remover and a liquid trigger carpet stain and odor e! liminator! . The brand also includes products, such as Spot Shot Instant Carpet Stain & Odor Eliminator and Spot Shot Pet Clean, which are non-toxic and biodegradable. Spot Shot products are sold through grocery and mass retail channels, warehouse club stores and hardware and home center stores in the United States and Canada. Spot Shot products are also sold in the United Kingdom under the 1001 brand name. The 1001 brand includes carpet and household cleaners and rug and room deodorizers, which are sold through mass retail, grocery and home center stores in the United Kingdom. The Lava and Solvol brands consist of heavy-duty hand cleaner products, which are sold in bar soap and liquid form through hardware, grocery, industrial, automotive and mass retail channels. Lava is sold in the United States, while Solvol is sold in Australia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on WD-40 (Nasdaq: WDFC  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Wednesday

    Earnings Expected: WD-40 Company (NASDAQ: WDFC), MSC Industrial Direct Company (NYSE: MSM), CHC Group (NYSE: HELI) Economic Releases Expected:  Chinese trade balance, Australian unemployment rate

    Thursday

  • [By Mike Deane]

    After the closing bell on Wednesday, WD-40 Co. (WDFC) released its third quarter earnings, posting slightly higher revenues and net income than last year’s Q3.

    WDFC’s�Earnings in Brief

    WD-40�reported third�quarter revenues of $95.65 million, up from last year’s Q3 revenues of $93.1 million. Net income�for the quarter came in at $10.4 million, or 69 cents per share, up slightly from last year’s Q3 figures of $10.27 million, or 66 cents per share. WD-40 missed analysts’ estimates of 72 cents EPS on revenues of $99.16 million. Looking ahead, WDFC sees FY2014 EPS in the range of $2.70-$2.83 on revenues between�$380 million and�$387 million, while analysts are expecting EPS of $2.75 on revenues of $387.44 million.

    CEO Commentary

    WD-40′s president and CEO�Garry Ridge released the following comments in the earnings release:�“We are pleased with the solid progress we have made for the year and remain confident that our strategic initiatives are well positioned to carry us into the future. While we continue to see fluctuations in certain markets quarter to quarter, our long-term growth plans remain stable and we continue to deliver on our expectations.”

    WDFC’s�Dividend

    WD-40 declared its last quarterly dividend of 34 cents on June 24. The dividend is payable on July 31, and the stock goes ex-dividend today, July 9.

    Stock Performance

    WDFC stock ended the trading day up 45 cents, or 0.59%, but the stock was headed slightly lower in after hours trading. YTD, the company’s stock is up 2.24%.

    WDFC�Dividend Snapshot

    As of Market Close on July 9, 2014

    Click here to see the complete history of WDFC dividends.

Top Services Stocks To Own For 2014: USell.com Inc (USEL)

usell.com, Inc. (uSel), formerly known as Upstream Worldwide, Inc., incorporated on November 18, 2003, is a technology-based company. The Company focuses on creating an online marketplace where individuals interested in selling small consumer electronics.

The Company through its wholly owned subsidiaries helps individuals monetize household items. Household items, such as small consumer electronics that they no longer using.

The Company competes with eBay.com, craigslist.com and BestBuy, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By EquityOptionsGuru]

    Over the past decade, online marketplaces have been springing up at a rapid fire pace.� Consumers continue to seek new outlets to both buy and sell products at reasonable prices with high efficiency.� This need can be seen in the re-commerce industry, which represents an annual market of $57 billion.� Although eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY) has been the dominant player for the better part of a decade, it is facing increasing pressure from other marketplaces for cost and convenience reasons.� One such marketplace, uSell.com (OTC PINK: USEL), appears poised to rival eBay for years to come.

Top Services Stocks To Own For 2014: Prumo Logistica SA (LLXL3)

Prumo Logistica SA, formerly LLX Logistica SA (LLX), is a Brazil-based company primarily engaged in the sector of port logistic services. The Company builds and develops the Acu Port, located in Sao Joao da Barra, in the north of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The Industrial Complex Acu Port has two port terminals (T1 and T2) and the capacity to handle various types of cargo, such as petroleum, iron ore, coal, solid and liquid bulk and general cargo. The Company�� subsidiaries include LLX Minas-Rio Logistica Comercial Exportadora SA, LLX Acu Operacoes Portuarias SA and LLX Brasil Operacoes Portuarias SA. In October, 2013, EIG LLX Holdings SARL reached a 52.82% stake in the ordinary share capital of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Denyse Godoy]

    A committee of exchange executives, banks and brokerages developed the changes to the benchmark index. BM&FBovespa said on its website that it hadn�� made changes to the gauge�� methodology since its inception in 1968. LLX Logistica SA (LLXL3), the shipping unit that Batista founded, is the second-lowest priced stock on the Ibovespa after dropping 36 percent this year to 1.53 reais.

Investors go berserk over Bitcoin trading platform

bitcoin, el-erian, taper, federal reserve, morningstar, obamacare

Plans for a Bitcoin trading platform sent WPCS International's shares up 20% last night. Beta version released

Contrarian investment strategies for 2014. Emerging markets, TIPS, commodities

Morningstar's stock market outlook points to a thinner crop of opportunities in the year ahead, but sees more room for markets to run. Don't try to time this market

Pimco's El-Erian warns against getting too excited about the Fed's tapering program. Artificially-inflated asset prices

Britain will be Europe's largest economy in 15 years, but it will still be overtaken by India and Brazil, according a new study. The growth could be even faster if Britain left the European Union

Brace yourself for the Obamacare taxes that will add insult to injury in 2014. Taxed at the plan level and beyond

Delta Airlines plans to honor tickets sold yesterday at accidentally-low fares. Round trip to Hawaii for $6.90

Kudos to companies that got social media right in 2013. Taco Bell does Snapchat

Saturday, December 27, 2014

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now

China�� stocks fell to the lowest level in six months after benchmark money-market rates climbed to a record and a private report showed manufacturing shrank at a faster pace this month.

Ping An Bank Co. and China Minsheng Banking Corp. dropped more than 4 percent as the repurchase rate, a measure of interbank funding availability, jumped to the highest level since at least 2006. Poly Real Estate Group Co. dragged property developers to the biggest loss among industry groups. Metal and energy companies slumped on concern about the economy, with Jiangxi Copper Co. sliding to the lowest level since March 2009 and Yanzhou Coal Mining Co. plunging 7 percent.

The Shanghai Composite Index (SHCOMP) lost 2.8 percent to 2,084.02 at the close. The CSI 300 Index dropped 3.3 percent to 2,321.47. The Hang Seng China Enterprises Index (HSCEI) fell 3.2 percent. The Bloomberg China-US Equity Index plunged 2.5 percent yesterday after Federal Reserve Chairman Ben S. Bernanke said the central bank may reduce bond purchases later this year.

Top Beverage Companies To Own In Right Now: Bonavista Energy Corp (BNPUF.PK)

Bonavista Energy Corporation (Bonavista) is engaged in the acquisition, exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas assets. The Company operates approximately 87% of its assets which are concentrated within three core regions in western Canada. Each core region contains a well-balanced portfolio of oil and natural gas assets with considerable opportunities. Its operations are geographically focused within three regions of Western Canada, which includes Western region, Northern region and Eastern region. The Company�� subsidiaries include Bonavista Petroleum (BP), Bonavista Energy LP (BELP) and Bonavista Energy Inc. (BEI). Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Stephan Dube]

    Cold Lake's most notable producers:

    Husky Energy (HUSK.PK), see article here.Pengrowth Energy Corporation (PGH), see article here.Southern Pacific Resource (STPJF.PK), see article here.Canadian Natural Resources (CNQ), see article here.Devon Energy (DVN), see article here.Imperial Oil (IMO), see article here.Baytex, see article here.Bonavista Energy (BNPUF.PK), see article here.

    Athabasca's most notable producers:

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Phillips 66 Partners LP (PSXP)

Phillips 66 Partners LP, incorporated on February 20, 2013, owns, operates, develops and acquires primarily fee-based crude oil, refined petroleum product and natural gas liquids (NGL) pipelines and terminals and other transportation and midstream assets. The Company�� initial assets consist of the three systems, which include Clifton Ridge crude system, Sweeny to Pasadena products system and Hartford Connector products system. A refined petroleum product pipeline, terminal and storage system extending from Phillips 66�� Sweeny refinery in Old Ocean, Texas, to its refined petroleum product terminal in Pasadena, Texas, and ultimately connecting to the Explorer and Colonial refined petroleum product pipeline systems and other third-party pipeline and terminal systems.

A crude oil pipeline, terminal and storage system located in Sulphur, Louisiana, that is the primary source for delivery of crude oil to Phillips 66�� Lake Charles refinery. A refined petroleum product pipeline, terminal and storage system located in Hartford, Illinois, that distributes diesel and gasoline produced at the Wood River refinery (a refinery owned by a joint venture between Phillips 66 and Cenovus Energy Inc.) to third-party pipeline and terminal systems, including the Explorer refined petroleum product pipeline system.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Rapier]

    Investors in master limited partnerships (MLPs) tend to keep a close eye on interest rates, and for good reason. Yield-seeking investors are generally looking to minimize their risk to capital, and as interest rates rise other options may present themselves for generating yield at a lower risk. The cost of doing business may also rise for an MLP when interest rates are rising, cutting into the distributable cash flow (DCF). Thus, a low-yielding MLP may find itself especially vulnerable to a decline in price if interest rates rise.

    One example I sometimes use to highlight the risk in a rising interest rate environment is the low-yielding MLP Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP), which was one of the most highly-anticipated initial public offerings of 2013. PSXP owns some of the midstream logistics assets of its sponsor, the refiner Phillips 66 (NYSE: PSX). The IPO was initially intended to be 15 million shares at an indicated range of $19 to $21. According to the IPO prospectus the minimum yield was to be $0.85 per unit on an annualized basis, which translates into a 4.25 percent annual yield at the initial midrange IPO price. This yield is pretty typical for a midstream MLP.

    Demand for PSXP units proved to be very strong, so the deal was upsized to 16.4 million shares and the price increased to $23 a unit. But demand outstripped even the expanded offering, and units opened on July 23, 2013 at nearly $29, and traded as high as $36 in subsequent days before finally settling down in a range of $30 to $31. Then in the fourth quarter PSXP units raced forward, exceeding $38 at one point and presently trading at $37.16.

  • [By Eric Volkman]

    A new oil partnership with a storied name has made a splash on its market debut. Phillips 66 Partners (NYSE: PSXP  ) began trading on the New York Stock Exchange this morning and at the moment is trading at $29.87, nearly 30% above its IPO price of $23 per share.

  • [By Robert Rapier]

    The top performing MLP of the first half was�Emerge Energy Services (NYSE: EMES), a supplier of sand used in hydraulic fracking (+146 percent). The second leading gainer with a gain of 110 percent was�Phillips 66 Partners�(NYSE: PSXP), which IPO�� a year ago and consists of midstream assets dropped down from its sponsor,�Phillips 66�(NYSE: PSX).

  • [By Monica Wolfe]

    Phillips 66 Partners LP (PSXP)

    Chairman and CEO Greg Garland made a significant buy during the company�� IPO on July 26. Garland purchased 35,000 shares at $23 per share. This transaction cost him a total of $805,000.

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Halliburton Company(HAL)

Halliburton Company provides various products and services to the energy industry for the exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas worldwide. It operates in two segments, Completion and Production, and Drilling and Evaluation. The Completion and Production segment offers production enhancement services, completion tools and services, cementing services, and Boots & Coots. Its production enhancement services include stimulation and sand control services; completion tools and services comprise subsurface safety valves and flow control equipment, surface safety systems, packers and specialty completion equipment, intelligent completion systems, expandable liner hanger systems, sand control systems, well servicing tools, and reservoir performance services; cementing services consist of bonding the well and well casing, while isolating fluid zones and maximizing wellbore stability, and casing equipment; and Boots & Coots include well intervention services , pressure control, equipment rental tools and services, and pipeline and process services. The Drilling and Evaluation segment provides field and reservoir modeling, drilling, evaluation, and wellbore placement solutions that enable customers to model, measure, and optimize their well construction activities. Its services comprise fluid services, drilling services, drill bits, wireline and perforating services, testing and subsea services, software and asset solutions, and integrated project management and consulting services. The company serves independent, integrated, and national oil companies. Halliburton Company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dimitra DeFotis]

    Among significant moves in energy stocks, the biggest decliner was Pioneer Natural Resources (PXD), down nearly 5%, followed by Nabors Industries (NBR).�Down more than 3%: Halliburton (HAL), Chesapeake Energy (CHK), Anadarko Petroleum (APC), Baker Hughes�(BHI), �Diamond Offshore (DO) and Occidental Petroleum (OXY).

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    On the downside, Halliburton (HAL) fell 3.5% to $50.66 after beating earnings but underperforming competitors, while Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN) fell 2.4% to $294.89 after it reported positive trial data on Eylea and that it will file an application with the FDA in a few months. And our big loser of the day: PetMed Express (PETS), which plunged 9.8% to $15.21, the biggest drop in the S&P 1500. It reported a profit of 21 cents a share, missing forecasts for a profit of 22 cents.

5 Best Energy Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Enduro Royalty Trust (NDRO)

Enduro Royalty Trust (the Trust) is a statutory trust. On May 13, 2011, the Trust was formed by Enduro Resource Partners LLC (Enduro Sponsor) to own a net profits interest representing the right to receive 80% of the net profits from the sale of oil and natural gas production from certain properties in the states of Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico (the Underlying Properties) held by Enduro Sponsor as of the date of the conveyance of the net profits interest to the trust. The business and affairs of the Trust will be managed by The Bank of New York Mellon Trust Company, N.A., as trustee (the Trustee). In addition, Wilmington Trust Company will act as Delaware trustee (the Delaware Trustee) of the Trust.

The Trust will enter into an administrative services agreement with Enduro pursuant to which Enduro will provide the Trust with certain accounting, bookkeeping, and informational services related to the Net Profits Interest. Enduro Sponsor is a privately-held limited liability company engaged in the production and development of oil and natural gas from properties located in Texas, Louisiana and New Mexico.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Statutory trust Enduro Royalty Trust (NYSE: NDRO  ) announced yesterday its July monthly distribution of $0.128817�per unit; it has paid a monthly dividend since November 2011. The distribution announced in May was $0.096825 per unit.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Hot Mid Cap Companies To Own For 2014

Barclays’ Venu Krishna and Elias Krauklis have come up with a list of 11 small and mid-sized companies that have improving fundamentals and solid risk/reward characteristics, including Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), Terex (TEX) and Eclipse Resources (ECR).

Kirshna and Krauklis explain how they made their selections:

…we continue to see a greater focus on improving fundamentals (top line acceleration and margin/multiple expansion) gained through acquisitions and divestitures. Again, the companies in this edition�� Selections are placing more of an emphasis on redeploying capital via investments in technology instead of share buybacks and dividends…

Our Small & Mid Cap Selections of 11 stocks offer a median upside potential of 35%: The median upside case is 66.4% while the median downside case is -11.2%….

Top Restaurant Companies To Buy For 2015: DTS Inc.(DTSI)

DTS, Inc. provides audio technologies that are incorporated into various consumer electronics devices worldwide. Its audio technologies enable the delivery and playback of clear and compelling high-definition audio. The company?s technologies are used in various product applications, including audio/video receivers, soundbars, Blu-ray disc players, DVD based products, personal computers, car audio products, video game consoles, network capable televisions, digital media players, set-top-boxes, mobile phones, tablets and home theater systems. It also offers products and services to motion picture studios, radio and television broadcasters, game developers, and other content creators to facilitate the inclusion of compelling and realistic DTS-encoded soundtracks in their content. In addition, the company provides a suite of audio processing technologies to enhance the entertainment experience in televisions, personal computers (PC), and mobile electronics. It serves home au dio/video, automotive, PC, broadcast, mobile electronics, professional content, and other consumer electronics markets. The company was formerly known as Digital Theater Systems, Inc. and changed its name to DTS, Inc. in May 2005. DTS, Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Calabasas, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    www.fossil.com From the world's largest retailer stepping up with fresh financials to a maker of fashionable timepieces proving that it can still grow in this unwelcome climate for watchmakers, here are some of the things that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- Sounds Good DTS (DTSI) has carved a cozy living providing sound-enhancing technology in Blu-ray players, video game consoles and other devices. Despite its success, DTS is trading a lot closer to its 52-week low than its 52-week high. One thing holding it back is that it has failed to impress the market with its quarterly financials. It's coming off back-to-back quarters of falling short of Wall Street's profit expectations. It's against this setting that DTS will step up after Monday's market close to deliver its latest results. Will the streak of disappointment stretch to three quarters, or is DTS finally going to put out a report that looks as good as its audio technology sounds? We will know soon. Tuesday -- Fossil Fuel Fossil (FOSL) may seem to be toiling away in an industry worthy of its name. Aren't wristwatches dinosaurs? Who wears watches anymore when we have smartwatches to tell us the time. Folks with active lifestyles are saving their wrists for fitness bracelets. Well, Fossil is growing just nicely in this environment, thank you very much. When the trendy watchmaker reports on Tuesday analysts see revenue climbing 13 percent. They see top-line growth of 10 percent for all of 2014. Fossil's profitability isn't expected to clock in as nicely, but unlike DTS,we've seen Fossil blow Wall Street's profit targets away consistently over the past year. Wednesday -- Press Hard CafePress (PRSS) has been a disappointment for investors since going public at $19 two years ago. The stock opened higher on its first day of trading, but it's been mostly downhill for the shares, which now fetch less than a third of the initial public offering price. CafePress was hoping

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    DTS (NASDAQ: DTSI) surged 3.64% to $20.23. The volume of DTS shares traded 148% higher than normal. DTS's PEG ratio is 0.76.

    Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) shares climbed 3.02% to $42.65. The volume of Lululemon Athletica shares traded was 138% higher than normal. Dow Jones reported that the company's founder Dennis Wilson, is exploring options, including a potential sale of the company to private equity.

Hot Mid Cap Companies To Own For 2014: Chemical Financial Corporation(CHFC)

Chemical Financial Corporation operates as the financial holding company for Chemical Bank that offers banking and fiduciary products and services in Michigan. Its products and services include business and personal checking accounts, savings and individual retirement accounts, time deposit instruments, electronically accessed banking products, residential and commercial real estate financing, commercial lending, consumer financing, debit cards, safe deposit box services, money transfer services, automated teller machines, access to insurance and investment products, corporate and personal wealth management services, and other banking services. The company also provides mutual funds, annuity products, and market securities to customers, as well as issues title insurance to buyers and sellers of residential and commercial mortgage properties, including properties subject to loan refinancing. As of January 26, 2012, Chemical Financial Corporation operated 142 banking offices in approximately 32 counties in the lower peninsula of Michigan. The company was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Midland, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Financial services holding company Chemical Financial (CHFC) raised its quarterly dividend 4.5% to 23 cents per share, payable on Dec. 20 to shareholders of record as of Dec. 6.
    CHFC Dividend Yield: 2.98%

Hot Mid Cap Companies To Own For 2014: Accuray Incorporated(ARAY)

Accuray Incorporated designs, develops, and sells medical radiation systems for the treatment of tumors anywhere in the body. The company offers the CyberKnife system, an image-guided robotic radiosurgery system used for the treatment of solid tumors. The system tracks, detects, and corrects for tumor and patient movement in real-time during the procedure, enabling delivery of precise, high dose radiation typically with sub-millimeter accuracy. The company also offers the TomoTherapy system, which consists of an integrated and versatile radiation therapy system used for the treatment of a range of cancer types. Accuray Incorporated markets its product through a direct sales force and distributors worldwide. The company was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    What: Shares of medical device maker Accuray (NASDAQ: ARAY  ) jumped as much as 13% after the company reported its third-quarter earnings results.

Hot Mid Cap Companies To Own For 2014: Geospace Technologies Corp (GEOS)

Geospace Technologies Corporation, formerly OYO Geospace Corporation, incorporated on September 13, 1997, designs and manufactures instruments and equipment used in the acquisition and processing of seismic data, as well as in the characterization and monitoring of producing oil and gas reservoirs. The Company also manufactures and distributes thermal imaging equipment and dry thermal film products to a variety of markets including the screenprint, point of sale, signage and textile markets. As of September 30, 2011, OYO Corporation U.S.A. (OYO USA) owned approximately 20.3% of the Company�� common stock. The Company operates in two segments: Seismic and Thermal Solutions. The seismic segment of its business accounts for the majority of its sales. Its thermal solutions product technologies were developed for seismic data processing applications.

Seismic Products

Geoscientists use seismic data primarily in connection with the exploration, development and production of oil and gas reserves to map hydrocarbon bearing formations and the geologic structures that surround them. The Company provides many of the components of seismic data recording systems, including data acquisition systems, geophones, hydrophones, multi-component sensors, seismic leader wire, geophone strings, connectors, seismic telemetry cables and other seismic related products. Its marine seismic products help steer streamers while being towed and help recover streamers if they become disconnected from the vessel.

The Company has developed permanently installed high-definition reservoir characterization products for ocean-bottom applications in producing oil and gas fields. It also produces a retrievable version of this ocean-bottom system for use on fields where permanently installed systems are not appropriate or economical. Seismic surveys repeated over selected time intervals show dynamic changes within the reservoir and can be used to monitor the effects of production. In addition, it produc! es seismic borehole acquisition systems which employ a fiber optic augmented wireline capable of high data transmission rates. These systems are used for several reservoir characterization applications, including an application pioneered by it allowing operators and service companies to monitor and measure the results of fracturing operations.

The Company designs and manufactures power and communication transmission cable products for offshore applications and market these products to the offshore oil and gas and offshore construction industries. These products include a variety of specialized cables, primarily used in deepwater applications, such as remotely operated vehicle (ROV) tethers, umbilicals and electrical control cables. These products also include specially designed and manufactured cables, including armored cables, engineered to withstand harsh offshore operating environments. In addition, it designs and manufactures industrial sensors for the vibration monitoring, security and earthquake detection markets. The Company also design and manufacture other specialty cable and connector products, such as those used in connection with global positioning products and water meter applications.

Its seismic product lines consists of land and marine nodal seismic data acquisition systems, high-definition reservoir characterization products and services, geophones and hydrophones, including multi-component geophones and hydrophones, seismic leader wire, geophone string and acquisition system connectors, seismic telemetry cables, marine seismic cable retrieval and steering devices and specialized data acquisition systems targeted at conventional and niche markets.

The Company�� high-definition reservoir characterization products include the HDSeis product line and a suite of borehole and reservoir characterization products and services. Its HDSeis System is a high-definition seismic data acquisition system with architecture that allows it to be configured as a bo! rehole se! ismic system or as a subsurface system for both land and marine reservoir-monitoring projects. Its multi-component seismic product developments include an omni-directional geophone for use in reservoir monitoring, a compact marine three-component or four-component gimbaled sensor and special-purpose connectors, connector arrays and cases. Its products used in marine seismic data acquisition include its marine seismic streamer retrieval devices (SRDs). Its SRDs, which are attached to the streamer cables, contain air bags which are designed to inflate automatically at a given depth, bringing the severed streamer cables to the surface. It also produces seismic streamer steering devices, or birds, which are finlike devices that attach to the streamer cable. These birds help maintain the streamer cable at a certain desired depth as it is being towed through the water.

The Company competes with CGGVeritas, ION Geophysical, INOVA, Amphenol Corporation, Fairfield Industries, Petroleum Geo-Services ASA, Avalon, Mitcham Industries, Inc. and Seismic Equipment Solutions.

Thermal Solutions Products

The Company thermal printers include both thermal imagesetters for graphics applications and thermal plotters for seismic applications. In addition, its thermal solutions products include direct-to-screen systems, thermal printheads, dry thermal film, thermal transfer ribbons and other thermal media. Its thermal imaging solutions produce images ranging in size from 12 to 54 inches wide and in resolution from 400 to 1,200 dots per inch. It markets its thermal imaging solutions to a variety of industries, including the screen printing, point-of-sale, signage, flexographic and textile markets. It also distributes private label dry thermal media for use in its thermal printers and direct-to-screen systems. In addition, the Company is engaged in efforts to develop new lines of dry thermal film and ribbon in order to improve the image quality of its media for use with printheads.

The! Company thermal solutions products include thermal imagesetters for graphics applications and thermal plotters for seismic applications. In addition, its thermal solution products include thermal printheads and thermal media products. It markets these products to a variety of industries, including the screen print, point of sale, signage and textile markets. It also sells these products to seismic customers.

The Company competes with KIWO USA, Inc., Colour Scanned Technology and iSys Group.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Geospace Technologies (Nasdaq: GEOS  ) reported earnings on May 2. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended March 31 (Q2), Geospace Technologies whiffed on revenues and whiffed on earnings per share.

Hot Mid Cap Companies To Own For 2014: Cogent Communications Group Inc.(CCOI)

Cogent Communications Group, Inc. provides high-speed Internet access, Internet Protocol, and communications services primarily to small and medium-sized businesses, communications service providers, and other bandwidth-intensive organizations in North America, Europe, and Japan. It offers on-net services to bandwidth-intensive users, such as universities, other Internet service providers, telephone companies, cable television companies, and commercial content providers; and multi-tenant office buildings, including law firms, financial services firms, advertising and marketing firms, and other professional services businesses. The company also provides its on-net services in carrier-neutral colocation facilities, Cogent controlled data centers, and single-tenant office buildings. In addition, it offers off-net services to businesses that are connected to its network primarily by means of last mile access service lines obtained from other carriers primarily in the form of p oint-to-point TDM, POS, SDH, and/or carrier ethernet circuits. Further, the company provides voice services; and Internet connectivity to customers that are not located in buildings directly connected to the company?s network. Additionally, it operates 43 data centers that allow customers to co-locate their equipment and access its network. Cogent Communications Group, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Washington, D.C.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ali Berri]

    In trading on Friday, telecommunications services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.01 percent. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), down 4.1 percent, and Cogent Communications Holdings (NASDAQ: CCOI), off 2.4 percent.

  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    SAN FRANCISCO -- Netflix's videos are streaming through Comcast's Internet service at their highest speeds in 17 months, thanks to a recent deal that bought Netflix a more direct connection to Comcast's (CMCSA) network. The data released Monday by Netflix (NFLX) may become another flash point in a debate about whether the Federal Communications Commission should draw up new rules to ensure that all online content providers are treated the same by Internet service providers. The equal-treatment doctrine, known as Net neutrality, has become a thornier topic since January when a federal appeals court overturned the FCC's regulations on the issue. Net neutrality is also drawing more attention as Comcast tries to gain approval of its proposed $45 billion purchase of Time Warner Cable (TWC), another large Internet service provider. As the world's largest Internet video subscription service, Netflix has long supported Net neutrality as a way to prevent online service providers from giving better treatment to websites willing to pay additional fees for the privilege. Nevertheless, Netflix agreed in mid-February to pay an undisclosed sum to Comcast Corp. to create a new avenue for its videos to reach Comcast's service. Netflix previously had been paying third-party vendors such as Cogent Communications Group (CCOI) and Akamai Technologies (AKAM) to deliver its content to Comcast. Some analysts suspect Netflix may be saving money by paying Comcast directly instead of the vendors, but the specifics remain unknown as part of a confidentiality agreement. The arrangement clearly seems to paying off for Netflix subscribers who are among the nearly 21 million households and businesses that rely on Comcast's high-speed Internet service to watch movies and television shows. Comcast delivered Netflix video at an average rate of 2.5 megabits per second during March. That was a 66 percent increase from a recent low of 1.51 megabits per second in January. The March perform

  • [By The GeoTeam]

    We will get more into the plain English version of what GTT does later. GTT's closest comparative publicly traded company is Cogent Communications Group, Inc. (CCOI). Cogent and Global Telecom are forecast to reach revenues of $400 million and $200 million in 2014, respectively.

  • [By James O'Toole]

    Netflix (NFLX) relies heavily on third parties -- primarily Cogent Communications (CCOI) -- to deliver content from its servers to Internet service providers. Traditionally, broadband companies and bandwidth providers like Cogent haven't charged one another, on the assumption that traffic that flows back and forth over their networks will even out over time.

Hot Mid Cap Companies To Own For 2014: Daktronics Inc.(DAKT)

Daktronics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells various electronic display systems and related products, as well as provides related maintenance and professional services worldwide. The company offers scoring and timing products, such as indoor and outdoor scoreboards, digit displays, scoring and timing controllers, statistics software, and other related products; timing systems for sports events, primarily aquatics and track competitions; and audio systems integrated into a solution that include scoring, timing, message display, and/or video capability for sports venues, as well as related control systems. It also provides automated rigging and hoist products, which comprise of arena center-hung scoreboard/display systems for small and large sporting facilities; automated rigging for theatre applications, including high schools; and video display systems, such as displays to show various levels of video, graphics, and animation, as well as controllers to manage the operation of the display. In addition, the company provides architectural lighting and display products, which include freeform video elements; message display systems for commercial applications; digital billboards that offer digital display solutions for the outdoor advertising industry; Visiconn system, a primary software application for controlling content and playback loops for digital billboard applications; and digit and price displays consisting of outdoor time and temperature displays, as well as Fuelight digit displays designed for the petroleum industry. Further, it offers transportation products comprising various light emitting diodes-based displays for road management, parking, mass transit, and aviation applications; and rents its display equipment. The company sells its products through its direct sales force, as well as through resellers. Daktronics, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is based in Brookings, South Dakota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap flat panel display stock�Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ: OLED) was hit by bearish news in late November and the trend lines on its technical�charts appear to be confused as to what direction the stock will head, meaning its probably time to take a closer look at the situation along with the stock�� performance verses that of flat panel display peers like large cap Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW)�and small cap players like Daktronics, Inc (NASDAQ: DAKT) and SGOCO Group Ltd (NASDAQ: SGOC)

  • [By John Udovich]

    On Tuesday, large cap�LCD glass maker�Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) began surging some 20% in after hours trading after announcing that it will take over an existing joint venture (Samsung Corning Precision Materials) with Samsung���meaning it might be worth taking a closer look at some small cap peers like Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ: OLED), Daktronics, Inc (NASDAQ: DAKT) and SGOCO Group Ltd (NASDAQ: SGOC) who also have a piece of the LCD glass or related flat panel display action. Specifically, the deal involves a series of transactions to�give Corning Incorporated full ownership of Samsung Corning Precision Materials Co., Ltd. (SCP), which manufactures LCD glass in Korea and it should be noted that Corning already relies on sales of LCD-TV glass for the bulk of its profit. In addition, Corning Incorporated���board of directors has authorized an additional $2 billion of share repurchases through Dec. 31, 2015, dependent upon the transaction closing. Wendell P. Weeks, the chairman, CEO and president of Corning Incorporated was quoted in the press release announcing the deal as saying:

  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT  ) also knows the score. The largest supplier of electronic scoreboards and other gargantuan displays boosted its semi-annual dividend by 4%. Investors will be getting $0.12 a share every six months. Daktronics was able to return more money to its stakeholders after posting a slight increase in quarterly revenue as it reversed a year-ago loss with a small profit.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    On Wednesday, Daktronics (NASDAQ: DAKT  ) will release its latest quarterly results. But can the company that's famous for helping professional sports keep score fare well enough to make investors the ultimate winners?

Hot Mid Cap Companies To Own For 2014: Thoratec Corporation(THOR)

Thoratec Corporation engages in the development, manufacture, and marketing of proprietary medical devices used for circulatory support. The company?s primary product lines include ventricular assist devices, such as HeartMate II, an implantable left ventricular assist device consisting of a rotary blood pump to provide intermediate and long-term mechanical circulatory support (MCS); and HeartMate XVE, an implantable and pulsatile left ventricular assist device for intermediate and longer-term MCS. Its ventricular assist devices also comprise Paracorporeal Ventricular Assist Device, an external pulsatile ventricular assist device, which provides left, right, and biventricular MCS approved for bridge-to-transplantation (BTT), including home discharge, and post-cardiotomy myocardial recovery; and Implantable Ventricular Assist Device, an implantable and pulsatile ventricular assist device designed to provide left, right, and biventricular MCS approved for BTT comprising hom e discharge, and post-cardiotomy myocardial recovery. The company also provides CentriMag, an extracorporeal full-flow acute surgical support platform that offers support up to 30 days for cardiac and respiratory failure. In addition, it offers PediMag and PediVAS extracorporeal full-flow acute surgical support platforms designed to provide acute surgical support to pediatric patients. The company sells its products through direct sales force in the United States, as well as through a network of distributors internationally. Thoratec Corporation was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Pleasanton, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    What: Shares of medical device company Thoratec (NASDAQ: THOR  ) sank 12% today after its quarterly results missed Wall Street expectations. �

  • [By Ali Berri]

    In trading on Thursday, healthcare shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.62 percent. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Thoratec (NASDAQ: THOR), down 28.4 percent, and PhotoMedex (NASDAQ: PHMD), off 14.6 percent.

  • [By Anna Prior]

    Medical device company Thoratec Corp.(THOR) has purchased Apica Cardiovascular Ltd., in a deal that includes $35 million in cash upfront and potential milestone payments of up to $40 million.