JPMorgan Chase & Co. (NYSE:JPM) has removed one of the key overhangs ahead of its quarterly earnings by settling its alleged business dealings with Bernard Madoff for $1.7 billion.
JPMorgan, the biggest bank in the U.S. by assets, settled for claims that it facilitated Madoff's Ponzi scheme, the largest in U.S. history, thereby resolving another legal hiccup facing the embattled bank.
As part of the deal, JPMorgan has agreed to a deferred-prosecution agreement, by which the bank can avoid criminal charges as long as it adheres to specific legal requirements for two years. The deal requires the bank to acknowledge failures in its protections against money laundering. However, none of the bank employees were accused of wrongdoing in the deal.
[Related -Banks Outperform The Market, With Regional Banks Pulling Ahead]
Top 5 Mid Cap Companies To Own For 2015: Armstrong World Industries Inc (AWI)
Armstrong World Industries, Inc. (AWI), incorporated on December 30, 1891, is a global producer of flooring products and ceiling systems for use in the construction and renovation of residential, commercial and institutional buildings. The Company designs, manufactures and sells flooring products (resilient and wood) and ceiling systems (mineral fiber, fiberglass and metal) globally. The Company segments includes: Building Products, Resilient Flooring and Wood Flooring. The Company�� Building Products, Resilient Flooring, Wood Flooring and Cabinets segments sell products for use in the home. Its products are used in new home construction and existing home renovation work. Its products, primarily ceilings and Resilient Flooring, are used in commercial and institutional buildings. On September 1, 2012, it sold Patriot Flooring Supply, Inc. to The Belknap White Group. Effective October 31, 2012, the Company sold of its cabinets business to American Industrial Partners.
Building Products
Building Products produces suspended mineral fiber, soft fiber and metal ceiling systems for use in commercial, institutional and residential settings. In addition, its Building Products segment sources complementary ceiling products. Its products, which are sold globally, are available in colors, performance characteristics and designs, and offer attributes, such as acoustical control, rated fire protection and aesthetic appeal. Commercial ceiling materials and accessories are sold to ceiling systems contractors and to resale distributors. Residential ceiling products are sold in North America to wholesalers and retailers, including home centers. Suspension system (grid) products manufactured by Worthington Armstrong Venture (WAVE) are sold by both the Company and WAVE.
Resilient Flooring
Resilient Flooring produces and sources a range of floor coverings for homes and commercial and institutional buildings. Manufactured products in this segment include vinyl sheet, v! inyl tile and linoleum flooring. In addition, its Resilient Flooring segment sources and sells laminate flooring products, vinyl tile products, vinyl sheet products, adhesives, and installation and maintenance materials and accessories. Resilient Flooring products are offered in a range of types, designs, and colors. It sells these products globally to wholesalers, home centers, retailers, contractors and to the manufactured homes industry.
Wood Flooring
The Company�� Wood Flooring segment produces and sources wood flooring products for use in new residential construction and renovation, with commercial applications in stores, restaurants and offices. The product offering includes pre-finished solid and engineered wood floors in various wood species, and related accessories. All of its Wood Flooring sales are in North America. Its Wood Flooring products are sold to independent wholesale flooring distributors and home centers.
The Company competes with Saint-Gobain, Chicago Metallic Corporation, Georgia-Pacific Corporation, Knauf AMF GmbH & Co. KG, Lafarge SA, Odenwald Faserplattenwerk GmbH, Rockfon A/S, USG Corporation, Amtico International, Inc., Beaulieu International Group, N.V., Boa-Franc, Inc., Congoleum Corporation, Faus, Inc., Forbo Holding AG, Gerflor Group, Interface, Inc., IVC Group, Krono Holding AG, LG Floors, Mannington Mills, Inc., Metroflor Corporation, Mullican Flooring, L.P., Mohawk Industries, Inc., Nora Systems GmbH, Pfleiderer AG, Shaw Industries, Inc., Somerset Hardwood Flooring, Tarkett AG.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI) cut its Q3 forecast citing price pressures in Europe and a market shift in North America. Armstrong World shares declined 4.58% to $46.50 in the after-hours trading session.
- [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 Armstrong World Industries (NYSE: AWI ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Watch For 2014: WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund (DLN)
WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that closely correspond to the price and yield performance of the WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Index (the Index). The Index is a fundamentally weighted index that measures the performance of the large-capitalization segment of the United States dividend-paying market. The Index consists of the 300 largest companies ranked by market capitalization from the WisdomTree Dividend Index.
The Index is dividend weighted annually to reflect the proportionate share of the aggregate cash dividends each component company is projected to pay in the coming year, based on the most recently declared dividend per share. The Fund�� investment advisor is WisdomTree Asset Management, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of WisdomTree Investments, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Todd Rosenbluth, Senior Director, S&P Capital IQ]
The smallest of the four ETFs is WisdomTree LargeCap Dividend Fund (DLN) which owns the 300 largest US dividend paying companies; their median market capitalization is $20 billion.
Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Watch For 2014: China Auto Logistics Inc.(CALI)
China Auto Logistics Inc. primarily engages in the sale and trading of imported automobiles in the People?s Republic of China. It also offers financing services, including letter of credit issuance, purchase deposit financing, and import duty advances, as well as automobile value-added services, including customs clearance, storage, and nationwide delivery services to automobile dealers and agents. In addition, the company operates Websites that provide subscribers with sales and trading information for imported and domestically manufactured automobiles. Its Websites include cali.com.cn, which provides auto living public with information about auto and auto-related products and services; at188.com that provides sales and trading information about imported automobiles, as well as parts and components information; at160.com, which provides sales and trading information about domestically manufactured automobiles; and goodcar.cn that provides information relating to automoti ve products and services, including discounted gas, car washes, emergency roadside assistance, body-shop repairs, and car maintenance. The company sells automobiles to authorized dealers, free traders or wholesalers, government agencies, and individual customers. China Auto Logistics Inc. is based in Tianjin, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
China Auto Logistic (NASDAQ: CALI) shares dropped 9.06% to $3.17 after the company announced 2013 results. China Auto Logistic posted its net income of $524,260, or $0.14 per share.
Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Watch For 2014: NuStar GP Holdings LLC (NSH)
NuStar GP Holdings, LLC (NuStar GP Holdings), incorporated on June 06, 2000, conducts operations through its indirect ownership interests in NuStar Energy L.P. (NuStar Energy). NuStar Energy is engaged in the terminalling and storage of petroleum products, the transportation of petroleum products and anhydrous ammonia, and petroleum refining and marketing. The Company operates in three segments: NuStar Energy�� Storage Segment, NuStar Energy�� Pipeline Segment and NuStar Energy�� Asphalt and Fuels Marketing Segment. On January 1, 2013, NuStar Energy sold the San Antonio Refinery and related assets, which included inventory, a terminal in Elmendorf, Texas and a pipeline connecting the terminal and refinery. On December 13, 2012, NuStar Energy completed its acquisition of the TexStar Crude Oil Assets (as defined below), including 100% of the partnership interest in TexStar Crude Oil Pipeline, LP, from TexStar Midstream Services, LP and certain of its affiliates.
NuStar Energy has terminal and storage facilities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Netherlands, including St. Eustatius in the Caribbean, the United Kingdom and Turkey. NuStar Energy L.P.'s asphalt refineries, refined product terminals, petroleum and specialty liquids storage and terminaling operations, and crude oil storage tank facilities are predominantly located on waterways that are easily accessible by barge or vessel. On September 28, 2012, NuStar Energy sold a 50% ownership interest (the Asphalt Sale) in NuStar Asphalt LLC (Asphalt JV), previously a wholly owned subsidiary of NuStar Energy, to an affiliate of Lindsay Goldberg LLC (Lindsay Goldberg), a private investment firm.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
NuStar Energy does have a publicly traded general partner in�NuStar GP Holdings�(NYSE: NSH) which went public in 2006. The GP pays a lower dividend at 5.8 percent, but has significantly outperformed the limited partner since it went public:
- [By Robert Rapier]
But it is important to note that ETE also has interests in Sunoco Logistics Partners (NYSE: SXL) and Regency Energy Partners (NYSE: RGP).
Finally, consider NuStar Energy (NYSE: NS) and its general partner NuStar GP Holdings (NYSE: NSH). Like ETE, NSH went public in 2006 and has also significantly outperformed its limited partner since:
The vast majority of partnerships don’t have a publicly-traded GP. But in each of these three cases in which the GP is publicly traded, the GP tends to outperform the LP units on long-term gains, an advantage somewhat offset by the typically higher LP yield.
Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Watch For 2014: Sociedad Quimica y Minera S.A.(SQM)
Chemical and Mining Company of Chile Inc. engages in the production and sale of fertilizers and specialty chemicals in Chile and internationally. The company?s specialty plant nutrients include potassium nitrate, sodium nitrate, sodium potassium nitrate, and specialty blends for crops, such as vegetables, fruits, flowers, potatoes, and cotton, as well as Ultrasol for application via fertigation; Qrop for field application; Speedfol for foliar application; Allganic for organic farming; and Nutrilake for aquaculture. It also produces iodine and iodine derivatives, which are used in a range of medical, pharmaceutical, agricultural, and industrial applications, including X-ray contrast media, polarizing films for liquid crystal displays (LCDs), antiseptics, biocides, and disinfectants; and in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, herbicides, electronics, pigments, dye components, and heat stabilizers. In addition, the company provides lithium carbonate for use in various applicat ions comprising batteries, frits for the ceramic and enamel industries, heat-resistant glass, primary aluminum, lithium bromine for use in air conditioner equipment, and continuous casting powder for steel extrusion, pharmaceuticals, and lithium derivatives; and lithium hydroxide, which is used as a raw material in the lubricating grease industry. Further, it offers various industrial chemicals, such as sodium nitrate, potassium nitrate, and boric acid; and potassium chloride and potassium sulfate. The company was founded in 1968 and is based in Santiago, Chile.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jim Jubak]
His choice for the 2014 Top Stock Pick to watch out for in the coming year, is the Chemical and Mining Company of Chile (SQM).
This company's stock plunged 59% in 2013 due to weak fertilizer and phosphate prices. However, both Conrad and Jubak feel it is beginning to bounce back this year, due to a return to normalized pricing and earnings.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Amid the boom in Latin America lately, Chile has produced substantial amounts of economic success. But the drop in commodities markets around the world has weighed on resource-reliant industries, and Sociedad Quimica y Minera (NYSE: SQM ) is one of the companies that has suffered from that trend. On Tuesday, the company will release its latest quarterly results, and investors are nervous about whether SQM will be able to meet the growth expectations they have for the chemical company.
Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Watch For 2014: La-Z-Boy In (LZB)
La-Z-Boy Incorporated, incorporated on May 1, 1941, is a global producer of reclining chairs. The Company manufactures, markets, imports, distributes and retails upholstery products, accessories and casegoods (wood) furniture products. The Company sells its products, primarily in the United States and Canada, to furniture retailers and directly to consumers through Company-owned stores. The Company operates in three segments: Upholstery Group, Casegoods Group and Retail Group. As of April 27, 2013, the Company had network of 313 La-Z-Boy furniture galleries stores and 565 Comfort Studios, and it owned 94 of the La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores. The Kincaid, England and Lea operating units also have in-store gallery programs.
Upholstery Group
The Company�� operating units in the Upholstery Group are England and Bauhaus. It manufactures and sells upholstered furniture to furniture retailers and stores. Upholstered furniture includes recliners and motion furniture, sofas, loveseats, chairs, sectionals, modulars, ottomans and sleeper sofas. It sells directly to La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores, operators of Comfort Studios locations, major dealers and other independent retailers.
The Company competes with Ashley, Bassett Furniture, Bernhardt, Ethan Allen, Flexsteel, Furniture Brands International, Klaussner, and Natuzzi.
Casegoods Group
The Casegoods Group is an importer, marketer, manufacturer and distributor of casegoods (wood) furniture, such as bedroom sets, dining room sets, entertainment centers, and accent pieces, as well as some coordinated upholstered furniture. The operating units in the Casegoods Group consist of two groups, one including American Drew, Lea and Hammary, and the second being Kincaid. The Casegoods segment primarily sells to dealers and other independent retailers.
The Company competes with Ashley, Bassett Furniture, Bernhardt, Ethan Allen, Flexsteel, Furniture Brands International, Klaussner, a! nd Natuzzi.
Retail Group
The Retail Group consists of 94 Company-owned La-Z-Boy Furniture Galleries stores located in 11 markets ranging from the Midwest to the East Coast of the United States and also, including Southeastern Florida and southern California. The Retail Group sells upholstered furniture, as well as casegoods and other accessories to end consumers through the retail network.
The Company competes with Arhaus, Ashley, Bassett Furniture Direct, Crate and Barrel, Ethan Allen, Restoration Hardware, Thomasville Home Furnishings Stores, Costco, Home Depot, IKEA, Sam�� Club, Target, Wal-Mart and Williams Sonoma.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB) was down, falling 4.43 percent to $25.91 on weaker-than-expected fiscal third-quarter results.
Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded up 0.29 percent to $102.73, while gold traded down 0.34 percent to $1,319.90. - [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
La-Z-Boy (NYSE: LZB) was also up, gaining 10.11 percent to $26.89 after the company reported upbeat fiscal second-quarter results and lifted its dividend.
Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Watch For 2014: Pinnacle Foods Inc (PF)
Pinnacle Foods Inc., incorporated on July 28, 2003, is a manufacturer, marketer and distributor of branded food products in North America. The Company operates in three segments: the Birds Eye Frozen Division, the Duncan Hines Grocery Division and the Specialty Foods Division. The Birds Eye Frozen Division and the Duncan Hines Grocery Division, which collectively represent its North America Retail operations, include the brands. Its brand portfolio enjoys household penetration in the United States, where its products can be found in approximately 85% of U.S. households. Its products are sold through supermarkets, grocery wholesalers and distributors, mass merchandisers, super centers, convenience stores, dollar stores, drug stores and warehouse clubs in the United States and Canada, as well as in military channels and foodservice locations. On June 24, 2011, the Company completed the sale of its Watsonville, California facility which had been recorded as an asset held for sale.
Birds Eye Frozen Division
The Company�� Birds Eye Frozen Division includes its steamed and non-steamed product offerings, with a 27.0% market share, making Birds Eye the recognized frozen vegetables brand in the United States. Birds Eye was the Company to capture a nationwide market share with a product that enables consumers to conveniently steam vegetables in microwaveable packaging.
Duncan Hines Grocery Division
Duncan Hines is the division�� brand and includes cake mixes, ready-to-serve frostings, brownie mixes, muffin mixes, and cookie mixes. During the fiscal year ended September 23, 2012, the Company added two additional items to the line. In February 2012, the Company introduced a line of frosting products, Duncan Hines Frosting Creations, which uses a patent pending frosting system to allow consumers to customize their frosting into one of 12 different flavors. The Company also offers a complete line of shelf-stable pickle products that we market and distribute n! ationally, primarily under the Vlasic brand, and regionally under the Milwaukee�� and Wiejske Wyroby brands. In 2012, the Company introduced Vlasic Farmers Garden, artisan-quality pickle line.
Specialty Foods Division
The Company�� snack products primarily consist of Tim�� Cascade, Snyder of Berlin and Husman��. These direct store delivery brands have local awareness and hold market share positions in their regional markets. The Company also manufactures and distributes certain products, mainly in the frozen breakfast, canned meat, and pie and pastry fruit filling categories, through food service channels. The Company also manufactures and distributes certain private label products in the canned meat, shelf-stable pickles and frozen seafood. As part of its ongoing strategic focus over the last several years, the Company has deemphasized the food service and private label businesses for the benefit of its higher margin branded food products.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Joe Raedle/Getty Images NEW YORK -- Tyson Foods (TSN) has won a bidding war to gobble up Hillshire Brands (HSH), the maker of Jimmy Dean sausages and Ball Park hot dogs. Tyson had been vying with rival poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride for Hillshire, which wrapped up its bidding process Sunday. Tyson ended up raising its offer to $63 a share. It had previously offered $50 a share, after which Pilgrim's Pride (PPC) raised its bid to $55 a share. Pilgrim's Pride, which is owned by Brazilian meat giant JBS, said Monday that it is withdrawing its offer. Still, the deal isn't sealed yet. It is contingent on the termination of Hillshire's offer to acquire Pinnacle Foods (PF), which makes Birds Eye frozen vegetables and Wish-Bone salad dressings. Pinnacle could choose to cut bait and walk away with $163 million breakup fee, or force the deal to a vote by Hillshire shareholders. A Pinnacle representative didn't immediately return a call for comment. In a conference call with reporters, Tyson CEO Donnie Smith said he was confident the $63 offer would end up being worthwhile for Tyson shareholders, despite how high the price went. "Great brands like Jimmy Dean and Ball Park just don't become available very often," Smith said. Hillshire's stock closed at $36.95 on May 9, the day before the company announced the Pinnacle deal. Tyson, like Pilgrim's Pride, has been looking to boost its presence in brand-name, prepared foods like Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches. Those types of products are more profitable than fresh meat, such as chicken breasts, where there isn't as much wiggle room to pad prices. While Tyson and Pilgrim's Pride already sell some brand-name products, their businesses have been more focused on supplying supermarkets and restaurant chains. In particular, Tyson said it was drawn by Hillshire's stable of breakfast foods, which would better position it in the fast-growing category. Tyson also noted the potential for cost savings by combining suppl
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Paul Sakuma/AP NEW YORK -- Hillshire Brands says it will hold separate talks with Pilgrim's Pride and Tyson Foods, as the two meat processing heavyweights engage in a bidding war for the maker of Jimmy Dean sausages and Ball Park hot dogs. The announcement by Hillshire (HSH) comes a day after Pilgrim's Pride raised its bid to $55 a share, or $6.8 billion, from $45 a share. That tops Tyson's offer of $50 a share, or $6.2 billion, made last week. Those values are based on Hillshire's 123 million shares outstanding. Pilgrim's Pride puts the total value of its new bid at $7.7 billion. Tyson Foods values its proposal at $6.8 billion, including debt. The takeover bids by Pilgrim's Pride (PPC) and Tyson Foods (TSN) are being driven by the desirability of brand-name, convenience products like Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches. Those types of products are more profitable than fresh meat, such as chicken breasts, where there isn't as much wiggle room to pad prices. While Pilgrim's Pride and Tyson both sell such products, their businesses have been more focused on supplying supermarkets and restaurant chains. Both offers are contingent on Hillshire abandoning its plan to acquire Pinnacle Foods (PF), which makes Birds Eye frozen vegetables and Wish-Bone salad dressings. Some investors had questioned the wisdom of that deal, given the outdated image of some of Pinnacle's brands and the differences in the two companies' product portfolios. In its statement issued Tuesday, Hillshire noted that it can't just scrap its deal with Pinnacle. But a term in Hillshire's deal with Pinnacle allows it to consider alternative proposals that would be superior for stockholders. Pilgrim's Pride has said it would pay the $163 million breakup fee to call off the deal between Hillshire and Pinnacle. Hillshire, based in Chicago, had been trying to diversify its own portfolio by moving into other areas of the supermarket with the $4.23 billion acquisition of Pinnacle. Based in Greeley,
- [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]
Toby Talbot/AP NEW YORK -- Hillshire Brands is at the center of a barnyard brawl. Tyson Foods, the largest U.S. meat processor, has made a $6.2 billion offer for the maker Jimmy Dean sausages and Ball Park hot dogs, topping a bid made two days earlier by rival poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride. Based in Greeley, Colorado, Pilgrim's Pride is owned by Brazilian meat giant JBS. The takeover bids for Hillshire Brands (HSH) by the two major meat processors are being driven by the desirability of brand-name processed products like Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches. The convenience foods are more profitable than fresh meat, such as chicken breasts, where there isn't as much wiggle room to pad prices. Selling more types of products also would give the companies a buffer from volatile price swings of fresh meat. When beef prices rise and shoppers turn to other meats, the companies can sell more chicken or bacon, for example. While both Tyson (TSN) and Pilgrim's (PPC) sell some prepared products like frozen fried chicken pieces, their main business has been as suppliers of fresh meat for supermarkets and restaurant chains. Both offers are contingent on Hillshire abandoning its plan to acquire Pinnacle Foods (PF), which makes Birds Eye frozen vegetables and Wish-Bone salad dressings. Hillshire had been trying to diversify its own portfolio by moving into other areas of the supermarket with the $4.23 billion acquisition. But some investors questioned whether combining with Pinnacle made sense, given the sharp differences in product categories and the outdated image of some Pinnacle brands, such as Hungry Man frozen dinners. Hillshire said earlier it strongly believes in its deal with Pinnacle Foods but would review Pilgrim's offer. In its latest statement Thursday, the Chicago-based company said it would review Tyson's offer as well and made no mention of its Pinnacle deal. Pilgrim's Pride said it is considering its options and will "update the markets in due cou
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Top Headline
Hillshire Brands Co (NYSE: HSH) announced its plans to buy Pinnacle Foods (NYSE: PF) for around $6.6 billion including debt. Hillshire will offer $18.00 in cash and 0.50 shares of its common stock for each Pinnacle share.
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