Amazon (AMZN) has been ��ccused��by The New York Times of raising its prices on some books to improve its anemic margins. The bookseller denies it. If that's true, investors should seriously consider jumping ship.
A Big BusinessAmazon is a giant company. While it started out selling just books, it quickly expanded into other areas like merchandise, handling the Internet business of competitors, cloud computing, and video streaming. While its top-line growth has been enviable, advancing from $5 billion to $61 billion over the last decade, the company earned $0.08 a share in fiscal 2003 and lost $0.08 a share last year.
There's clearly a lot of earnings potential at Amazon, which earned over $2.50 a share in fiscal 2012. However, growth spending has taken profit margins from as high as 6% to the low single digits of late. As recently as fiscal 2012 the profit margin was as high as 4%.
Time to Look at MarginsMargins, already low, are clearly moving in the wrong direction. That's not surprising since the company is in some fairly competitive markets. For example, Netflix is the company's main competition in the video streaming space. That company has been growing its top line at an impressive clip, but has made a notable business shift recently.
Hot Asian Stocks To Invest In 2015: Perion Network Ltd (PERI)
Perion Network Ltd, incorporated in November 1999, is a digital media company. The Company's products include: IncrediMail, a communication client; Smilebox, a photo sharing and social expression product and service; and Sweet IM, an instant messaging application. The Company generates revenues primarily through search, the sale of products and services, and advertising. Its product is available in seven languages in addition to English. On November 30, 2012, the Company acquired SweetIM (a.k.a. SweetPacks).
Communication vertical
IncrediMail is its communication client, available over the Internet it its basic version free of charge, used for managing email messages and Facebook feeds, with many graphic and personalizing capabilities. However, most important is that it is safe, simple and easy to use. The premium version of this software offers, for an annual subscription fee, VIP support and enhanced graphic capabilities, as well as advanced anti-spam software for a separate annual subscription. SweetIM is free downloadable and easy to use software that enables users to enhance their messaging experience and express themselves in creative ways across online platforms, such as messenger and email.
Digital photo vertical
Smilebox is an Internet photo sharing service available for the desktop and smart-phone. On the desktop, Smilebox can be used both on the PC and the Mac, making it easy to create digital creations from personal photos using a range of digital designs including Invitations, Greetings, Collages, Scrapbooks, Photo Albums and slideshows. These creations can then be shared free of charge via email, Facebook, Twitter, Print, digital versatile disk (DVD) or photo frames. Smilebox is also available free of charge for the iPhone, making it easy to personalize and share photos in real time, directly from the device. Personalization options include captions, stickers and frames, and sharing options include email, Facebook and short message ser! vice (SMS).
The Company competes with America Online, Inc., QUALCOMM Incorporated , Mozilla Corporation and Microsoft Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Perion Network (NASDAQ: PERI) soared 1.16% to $12.17 in the pre-market trading after the company announced its inclusion in the NASDAQ Global Select Market.
Top 5 Rising Companies To Buy Right Now: Groupe Eurotunnel SA (GET)
Groupe Eurotunnel SA, (also GET SA), is a France-based company having its expertise in infrastructure management and railway operations. It manages and operates the Channel Tunnel between the United Kingdom and France and its railway infrastructure. The Company is also engaged in passenger and freight transport between continental Europe and the United Kingdom. In addition, it provides ferry transport through the Channel. Groupe Eurotunnel SA has direct and indirect stakes in a number of companies, including The Channel Tunnel Group Limited, France Manche SA, Europorte SAS, Europorte Channel SAS, Europorte Proximite SAS, GB Railfreight Limited, Eurotunelplus GmbH and others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Wall]
At the same time it faces new competition as Deutsche Bahn plans services from Germany to London via the Channel Tunnel from 2016 after a three-year safety study, Groupe Eurotunnel SA (GET), which runs the 30-mile subsea link, said in June.
Top 5 Rising Companies To Buy Right Now: Credit Suisse Group AG (CSGN.VX)
Credit Suisse Group AG is a Switzerland-based holding company engaged in private banking, investment banking and asset management areas. It operates through four divisions: Private Banking, which consists of the Wealth Management Clients and Corporate & Institutional Clients business; Investment Banking, provides a range of financial products and services, with a focus on client-driven, flow-based and capital-efficient businesses; Asset Management, offers a range of asset class products, including alternative investments, and multi-asset class solutions, including equities and fixed income products, and Shared Services, which provides centralized corporate services and business support for the Company's divisions. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Steven Russolillo]
NY Fed to Allow Credit Suisse(CSGN.VX) to Remain a Primary Dealer: “Credit Suisse Group AG’s ability to serve as a counterparty to the Federal Reserve Bank of New York hasn’t been affected by the bank’s criminal tax-evasion settlement.”
- [By Steven Russolillo]
Credit Suisse CEO Nearly Lost Job During Tax Probe: “As a yearslong U.S. tax probe dragged on in recent months, board members at Credit Suisse(CSGN.VX) mulled actions that likely would have cost CEO Brady Dougan his job.”
- [By Dan Strumpf]
As big macroeconomic headlines recede, ETFs are falling out of favor. ETF volumes have dipped this year to about 16.5% of total equity volumes, down from 16.7% in 2013, according to analysts at Credit Suisse(CSGN.VX) Trading Strategy. The data suggest that investors are increasingly favoring trades in individual stocks.
Top 5 Rising Companies To Buy Right Now: Compania Cervecerias Unidas S.A. (CCU)
Compa帽ia Cervecerias Unidas S.A., through its subsidiaries, produces, bottles, sells, and distributes beverages primarily in Chile, Argentina, and Uruguay. It offers super-premium, premium, medium-priced, and popular-priced brands of alcoholic and non-alcoholic beer under 12 proprietary brands and 4 licensed brands, such as Royal Guard; Royal Light; Heineken; Budweiser; Paulaner; Austral; Kunstmann; D'olbek; Cristal; Cristal Cero 0掳; Cristal Black Lager; Cristal Light; Escudo; Morenita; Lemon Stones; and Dorada brands. The company also produces and markets ultra-premium, reserve, varietal, and popular-priced wines under the brand families comprising Vi帽a San Pedro Tarapac谩, Vi帽a Santa Helena, Vi帽a Misiones de Rengo, Vi帽a Mar, Vi帽a Alta茂r, Bodega Tamar铆, Finca la Celia, and Vi帽a Leyda. In addition, it offers cider and spirits under the brand names of Real, La Victoria, Saenz Briones 1888, and El Abuelo; pisco, rum, and ready-to-drink cocktails under the Control C , Mistral, Campanario, Sierra Morena, Pisco Bauz谩 and Havana Club, Chivas Regal, and Absolut Vodka brand names; and home-made sweet snacks products under the Calaf, Natur, and Nutrabien brand names. Further, the company produces and sells tea; sports and energy drinks; carbonated beverages, including cola and non-cola, as well as non carbonated beverages; fruit juices; mineral water, sparkling and still water, purified water, and home and office delivery water products; and nectars. It serves small and medium sized retail outlets; retail establishments, such as restaurants, hotels, and bars for on-premise consumption; wholesalers; and supermarket chains. Compa帽ia Cervecerias Unidas S.A. also exports its products to Europe, Latin America, the United States, Canada, and others. The company was founded in 1850 and is based in Santiago, Chile. Compa帽ia Cervecerias Unidas S.A. is a subsidiary of Inversiones y Rentas S.A.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By fedezaldua]
After a couple of capital increases and what looks like a weak strategy for its growth in different South American countries, Chile's beer king Compania Cervecerias Unidas (CCU) – most commonly knows as CCU - is selling at a steep discount to its peers. In other words, being down by 23% year to date, I think it might be the time to start thinking of buying CCU's shares.
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