The seafood chain's parent company Darden Restaurants on Friday reported a lower quarterly profit in line with its previously announced estimates. Sales at its struggling Olive Garden and Red Lobster chains dropped by 5.4% and 8.8% respectively, as reported on March 3.
The Orlando-based company has been fighting to win back customers at its flagship chains and has said it will spin off or sell Red Lobster to focus its attention on fixing Olive Garden with a revamped menu and marketing. Both chains have been losing customers as more affordable alternatives such as Chipotle have gained in popularity.
But in recent months, another factor weighing on Red Lobster was higher shrimp costs. Executives said that costs in the quarter rose about 30% because a "production issues in Asia." They said don't expect relief until the early part of its fiscal 2015 year.
Top 5 Industrial Conglomerate Companies To Buy For 2015: Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS(TKC)
Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri A.S. engages in establishing and operating a global system for mobile communications network in Turkey. It provides mobile voice, and Internet services over its mobile communications network; voice services, which include wireless telephone services on a prepaid and postpaid basis; mobile Internet and 3G services; consumer services; Telco services; TV and video services; music services; infotainment services; social community and other services; and mobile financial services The company also offers Turkcell enablers and platforms; corporate (B2B); corporate telco; authentication; location based; mobile marketing; machine-to-machine communications; and international roaming services. In addition, it provides Mobile Signature, a GSM service that enables customers to sign electronic documents and transactions with a legally-accepted digital signature using GSM SIM cards; and Mobile Billboard, which enables brands to reach their targeted customers . As of December 31, 2010, the company had approximately 23.3 million prepaid subscribers and 10.1 million postpaid subscribers. It sells its products and services through its distribution network consists of distributors, Turkcell distribution centers, corporate solution centers, non exclusive dealers, Turkcell communication centers, Turkcell stores, and consumer electronic Chains, as well as points of sale for prepaid airtime, including ATMs, POS, Web, call centers, supermarkets, and kiosks. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Istanbul, Turkey. Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS is a subsidiary of Turkcell Holding A.S.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS (NYSE: TKC) shares reached a new 52-week low of $12.74. Turkcell's trailing-twelve-month EPS is $1.40.
Posted-In: 52-Week LowsNews Movers & Shakers Intraday Update Markets
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Telecommunications services shares gained around 0.83 percent in the US market on Monday. Top gainers in the sector included China Telecom Corp. (NYSE: CHA),Turkcell Iletisim Hizmetleri AS (NYSE: TKC), and China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited (NYSE: CHU). In trading on Monday, basic materials shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.75 percent.
10 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Own For 2014: Image Systems Nordic AB (IS)
Image Systems Nordic AB, formerly Digital Vision AB, is a Sweden-based company active in the media industry. The Company specializes in high resolution image processing, film scanning and solutions for motion analysis. The Company operates within three business areas: Media, Defense and Motion. The Company�� product portfolio includes the Nucoda software products, providing a suite of colour grading and finishing solutions used in film and television post production; the Phoenix software products, providing image restoration tools for film archives and content owners; the Golden Eye film scanners, which provide high resolution scanning, archive and restoration, and the Image Systems Motion Unit with its TEMA software platform, providing a range of motion analysis solutions, among others. As of March, 1, 2012, the Company acquired Sawco Holding AB and RemaControl Sweden AB. As of March 31, 2012, the Company�� largest shareholder was Tibia Konsult AB (19.1%). Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon]
��The ranking exercise (is) based on growth and fundamental analysis. EXC ranks at the bottom in both analyses��op 4 results are Apple, BHP Billiton (BHP), Mosaic (MOS) and Rio Tinto (RIO). MOS was eliminated as it has one year of negative FCF.
10 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Own For 2014: LKQ Corp (LKQ)
LKQ Corporation (LKQ) provides replacement parts, components and systems needed to repair vehicles (cars and trucks). The Company operates in four segments: Wholesale-North America, Wholesale-Europe, Self Service and Heavy-Duty Truck. Buyers of vehicle replacement products have the option to purchase from primarily five sources: new products produced by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), which are known as OEM products; new products produced by companies other than the OEMs, which are sometimes referred to as aftermarket products; recycled products originally produced by OEMs, which it refers to as recycled products; used products that have been refurbished; and used products that have been remanufactured. October 1, 2011, it acquired Euro Car Parts Holdings Limited (ECP). On May 27, 2011, it acquired AkzoNobel Coatings Inc.'s paint distribution business consisting of 40 locations across the United States. In February 2012, the Company announced that it had acquired Pieces Automobiles Lecavalier IncEffective August 6, 2013, LKQ Corp acquired Premier Paints Ltd, a manufacturer of motor vehicle parts, form Iris Coatings Ltd, and concurrently, LKQ acquired Bee Bee Refinishing Supplies Halstead, JCA Coatings, Milton Keynes Paint & Equipment and Sinemaster Motor Factors Ltd.
The Company distributes a variety of products to collision and mechanical repair shops, including aftermarket collision and mechanical products, recycled collision and mechanical products, refurbished collision replacement products such as wheels, bumper covers and lights, and remanufactured engines. Collectively, it refers to its products as alternative parts. The Company is a provider of alternative vehicle collision replacement products, and a provider of alternative vehicle mechanical replacement products. Its sales, processing, and distribution facilities reach markets in the United States and Canada. In addition to its wholesale operations, it operates self service retail facilities that sell recycled automotiv! e products. The Company also sells recycled heavy-duty truck products and used heavy-duty trucks.
The Company obtains its aftermarket inventory from auto parts manufacturers and distributors based in the United States, Taiwan, Europe and China. The Company procures recycled automotive products mainly by purchasing salvage vehicles, typically severely damaged by collisions and primarily sold at salvage auctions or pools, and then dismantling and inventorying the parts. The refurbished and remanufactured products that it sells, such as wheels, bumper covers, lights and engines, originate from Companyparts from the salvage vehicles bought at auctions, parts received in trade at collision shops purchasing replacement products from the, and damaged parts bought through bulk purchases from core sales companies that collect damaged parts. The majority of our products and services are sold to collision repair shops, also known as body shops, and mechanical repair shops.
WHOLESALE AUTO PRODUCTS-NORTH AMERICA
The Company�� wholesale automobile product operations in North America are organized by geographic regions serving the United States and Canada that sell all four product types to collision and mechanical automobile repair businesses. As of December 31, 2011, these wholesale operations conducted business from more than 290 facilities. its aftermarket product operations may include a combination of sales, warehousing and distribution, and in many cases will be co-located with its refurbishing operations. Its salvage operation typically has processing, sales, distribution and administrative operations on site, indoor and outdoor storage areas, and include a warehouse with multiple bays to dismantle vehicles.
The Company�� 2011, sales included more than 86,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) of aftermarket collision products and repair materials for the models of domestic and foreign automobiles and light trucks. Its aftermarket product types consist of thos! e frequen! tly damaged in collisions, including automotive body panels, bumper covers and lights. The Company distributes paint and other materials used in repairing damaged vehicles, including sandpaper, abrasives, masking products and plastic filler. The paint and other materials distributed by the Company are purchased from numerous suppliers in the United States and Canada. Certain of these products are distributed under the brand Keystone. Platinum Plus is its exclusive brand offered in the Keystone product line of aftermarket products. The aftermarket products it distributes are purchased from independent manufacturers and distributors located primarily in the United States and Taiwan. The Company has business arrangements with manufacturers to produce its Platinum Plus products.
The Company�� recycled products include engines, transmissions, doors, front end assemblies, trunk lids, bumper assemblies, head and tail lamp assemblies and mirrors. Some insurance companies mandate that the recycled products must be of the same model year or newer as the vehicle being repaired. The Company procures recycled products for its wholesale operations by acquiring damaged or totaled vehicles. During the year ended December 31, 2011, LKQ acquired approximately 228,000 salvage vehicles for its wholesale recycled product operations. Vehicle processing for its wholesale recycled operations involves dismantling a salvage vehicle into recycled products that are ready for sale.
As of December 31, 2011, it operated 34 plastic bumper and bumper cover refurbishing plants, a chrome bumper plating plant, 15 wheel plants, one light refurbishing plant and four engine remanufacturing facilities. Most of its refurbished and remanufactured products are sold through its wholesale distribution channels. The balance is sold to retail automotive stores, wholesale distributors and through Internet sales. Its wholesale recycled product operations generate scrap metal and other materials that it sells to recyclers. T! he Compan! y has a distribution network of over 290 wholesale plants and warehouses across the United States and Canada, of which 50 function as hub or cross dock facilities.
WHOLESALE AUTO PRODUCTS-EUROPE
The Company�� European wholesale operating segment was formed in 2011 with its acquisition of ECP, the distributor of automotive aftermarket products. The Company operates 90 branches, supported by eight regional hubs and a national distribution center, which allows us to reach major markets within the United Kingdom. In 2011, it sold more than 121,000 SKUs of aftermarket products, primarily composed of mechanical aftermarket parts for the repair of vehicles five to 15 years old. Its products include electrical products, such as spark plugs and ignition coils, clutches and related parts, steering and suspension parts, and brake pads and sensors. The Company sells its products to over 32,000 professional repairers, including primarily independent mechanical repair shops and collision repair shops.
SELF SERVICE RETAIL PRODUCTS
The Company�� self service retail operations sell parts from older cars and light trucks directly to consumers. In addition to revenue from the sale of parts, core and scrap, it charges admission fee to access the property. Its self service facilities typically consist of a fenced or enclosed area of several acres with vehicles stored outdoors and a retail building through which customers are able to access the yard. As of December 31, 2011, it conducted our self service retail operations from 47 facilities in North America. Its self service auto recycling operations generate scrap metal, alloys and other materials that it sells to recyclers.
HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK PRODUCTS
As of December 31, 2011, it had a total of 18 facilities in the United States and Canada. Its inventory is comprised of used heavy- and medium-duty trucks, usually five years or older, which are purchased at salvage and truck auctions or direct! ly from i! nsurance companies or fleet operators. During 2011, it purchased approximately 6,000 vehicles. Depending on the condition of the vehicles, they may be dismantled for parts or resold as running vehicles. If certain mechanical parts are damaged, such as transmissions, it may remanufacture them and offer them to its customers. The vehicles that are acquired for resale are typically special purpose or vocational use trucks, such as those used for garbage pickup or cement delivery. If requested by the sellers of the vehicles, it provide an assurance that the vehicles will be sold to foreign buyers and exported to countries for use outside of the United States, or to domestic buyers after the vehicles have been reconditioned and modified for use other than their original purpose.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chris Hill]
In this segment, Mike talks about�LKQ (NASDAQ: LKQ ) , and why the largest operator of junkyards has turned its scale into an incredibly well-run business, and Matt takes a look into�McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) , which reports earnings tomorrow. After a rough period for McDonald's as the competitive landscape shifts toward fast-casual dining options such as Panera and Chipotle, Matt will be looking for signs in the earnings report that the strategy at McDonald's to adapt and shift its business focuses is coming to fruition.
- [By Holly LaFon]
Our worst performers during the third quarter were Cummins (CMI) (-颅14.5%), Schlumberger (SLB) (-颅13.8%) and Cognizant Technology (CTSH) (-颅8.5%). Our best performers during the quarter were EMC (EMC) (+11.1%), Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (+9.2%) and Apple (AAPL) (+8.4%). During the quarter we trimmed positions in Apple as it approached our maximum position weighting of 10%. We added to existing positions in Qualcomm (QCOM), LKQ (LKQ) and Cognizant Technology (CTSH) ��all on improved prospective risk-颅reward on respective share-price declines. The Great Bull Market of 2009-2014 started on March 9, 2009 when the S&P 500 Index stood at 667. The S&P 500�� relentless bull market advance over the course of the next 2,000 days would reach a record high index level of 2000 in late August. Relentless indeed, according to Bespoke, the S&P 500 Index has been up seven quarters in a row ��the best streak since 1998 and the fourth best since 1950.
- [By Holly LaFon]
LKQ Corporation (LKQ) is the world's largest procurer and distributor of alternative and aftermarket collision replacement parts for automobiles and other vehicles. The Company has grown rapidly since its inception in 1998, by executing an expansion strategy that has included aggressive organic and inorganic investments. To date, LKQ's strategy has resulted in a business with unparalleled scale, at over $5 billion in revenues across three continents, compared with aftermarket and salvage parts competitors that routinely post less then $100 million in sales, usually with the largest footprints limited to regional geographies.
10 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Own For 2014: Isle of Capri Casinos Inc.(ISLE)
Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, owns, and operates gaming facilities and lodging and entertainment facilities in the United States. It owns and operates 14 casino gaming facilities located in Black Hawk, Colorado; Lake Charles, Louisiana; Lula, Biloxi, Natchez, and Vicksburg, Mississippi; Kansas City, Caruthersville, and Boonville, Missouri; Bettendorf, Davenport, Waterloo, and Marquette, Iowa; and Pompano Beach, Florida. The company?s properties feature approximately 15,000 slot machines; 370 table games, including 110 poker tables; 3,000 hotel rooms; and 40 restaurants. It also operates a harness racing track at its casino in Florida. Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. was formerly known as Casino America, Inc. and changed its name to Isle of Capri Casinos, Inc. in October 1998. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in St Louis, Missouri.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin] Related KFX New Enterprise Computing Platform from Unisys - Analyst Blog Unisys' Ted Davies To Lead ACT-IAC - Analyst Blog Related ISLE Isle Of Capri Shares Gain 14.86% On Deutsche Bank M&A Analysis (ISLE) Benzinga's M&A Chatter for Monday June 30, 2014
Kofax (NASDAQ: KFX) shares declined 13.30% to $7.01 after the company reported selected preliminary unaudited results for FY14. Kofax expected FY14 sales of $295.0 million to $298.0 million.
- [By Paul Ausick]
The REIT is expected to spend as much as $500 million in acquisitions in 2014, according to Barron��, and some potential acquisition targets include Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. (NASDAQ: ISLE) which has a market cap of around $323 million or Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: DDE) with a market cap of around $47 million.
10 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Own For 2014: Sonoco Products Company(SON)
Sonoco Products Company provides industrial and consumer packaging products, and packaging services worldwide. It offers composite paperboard cans; paperboard packages; fiber cartridges; layered bottles and jars; laminated tubs, cups, and spools; consumer and institutional trays; and aluminum, steel, and peelable membrane easy-open closures, as well as flexible packaging, product design, tool design, fabrication, and manufacturing services. The company also produces paperboard tubes, cores, roll packaging, molded plugs, pallets, pallet components, concrete forms, rotary die boards, recycled paperboard, chipboard, tube board, lightweight corestock, boxboard, linerboard, corrugating medium, specialty grades, and recovered paper products; and steel, nailed wooden, plywood, recycled, and polyfiber reels, as well as recycles old corrugated container, paper, plastic, metal, and glass materials. In addition, it manufactures custom-printed glass covers and coasters; offers custom packing, fulfillment, and primary package filling services, as well as operates scalable service centers; contract packaging, co-packing, and fulfillment services; and temporary, semipermanent, and permanent point-of-purchase displays. Further, the company provides fabricated foam, corrugated paperboard, molded EPS and EPP, antistatic fabricated foam solutions, nesting and stacking trays, molded foam dunnage, totes and tote inserts, energy-absorbing and flotation components, and insulation components, as well as contract package testing service. Additionally, it offers insulated shippers, durable transport chests, gel packs, phase change materials, lab/pharma/diagnostic specimen transport, refrigerant materials, edge and corner protection, and temperature assurance solutions; high-visibility packaging and printed products; and blister packaging machines. The company, formerly known as Southern Novelty Company, was founded in 1899 and is based in Hartsville, South Carolina. Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Rich Smith]
Hartsville, S.C.-based Sonoco Products (NYSE: SON ) is hiking prices on its signature product: cardboard.
On Friday, Sonoco announced an across-the-board price hike on "all grades of uncoated recycled paperboard (URB) products by $40 per ton, effective with shipments in the�United States and Canada�beginning July 8, 2013." The company's Primary Materials Group, North America, Vice President Marty Pignone�explained that "the�price increase�is necessary to recover rising recovered paper and other raw materials costs."
- [By Marc Bastow]
Industrial and consumer packaging products manufacturer Sonoco (SON) raised its quarterly dividend 3.22% to 32 cents per share.
Payout Date: June 10
Ex-Dividend Date: May 14
SON Dividend Yield: 3.04% - [By David Fish]
Once known as the Southern Novelty Company, Sonoco Products (SON) is a leading producer of paper-based tubes and cores, flexible packaging, rigid plastic containers, cylinder paperboard, wire and cable reels, and point-of-purchase displays.
- [By Shauna O'Brien]
Goldman Sachs reported on Friday that it has cut its rating on Sonoco Products Company (SON).
The firm has downgraded SON from “Neutral” to “Sell,” and has maintained its current $36 price target. This price target suggests a 9% upside from the stock’s current price of $39.58.
An analyst from the firm noted: “We downgrade SON to Sell (relative to our coverage) from Neutral on a lower projected EPS CAGR through 2015 (7% vs. 15% for group) and relative valuation ��SON shares are trading at 15.4X 2014E P/E, ahead of the Packaging group average at 14.6X, and its 5-year historical average of 13.2X. However, our 3Q EPS for SON is largely in line with consensus and we do not expect the 3Q print to be a catalyst for underperformance.”
Sonoco Products shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Friday. The stock is up 33% YTD.
10 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Own For 2014: SandRidge Mississippian Trust I (SDT)
SandRidge Mississippian Trust I (The Trust) is a statutory trust. The Trust was created to acquire and hold the Royalty Interests for the benefit of Trust unitholders. SandRidge conveyed to the Trust the Royalty Interests in specified oil and natural gas properties in the Mississippian formation in Alfalfa, Garfield, Grant, Major and Woods counties in Oklahoma (the Underlying Properties). These Royalty Interests were derived from SandRidge�� interests in a 36 wells and the equivalent of 123 horizontal development wells to be drilled in the Mississippian formation (Trust Development Wells) within an area of mutual interest (AMI), consisting of approximately 49,600 gross acres (42,000 net acres) in the counties where the Underlying Properties are located.
Effective January 1, 2011, the Royalty Interests entitle the Trust to receive 90% of the proceeds from the sale of oil and natural gas production attributable to its net revenue interest in the Initial Wells and 50% of the proceeds from the sale of oil and natural gas production attributable to SandRidge�� net revenue interest in the Trust Development Wells. As of December 31, 2011, the Trust�� properties consisted of Royalty Interests in the Initial Wells, 48 wells (equivalent to approximately 53 Trust Development Wells under the development agreement) and the equivalent of approximately 70 Trust Development Wells to be drilled in the Mississippian formation.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
SandRidge has made a huge bet on the Mississippian Lime shale play, especially after selling off its Permian Basin assets late last year. Unfortunately, that bet hasn't paid off well for shareholders, as the company saw its spun-off royalty trusts SandRidge Mississippian Trust I (NYSE: SDT ) and SandRidge Mississippian Trust II (NYSE: SDR ) fail to meet their projections for distribution amounts during the first quarter. The main problem has been that wells in the Mississippian Lime have produced more natural gas than expected, and even with a slight rebound in gas prices, it still doesn't produce adequate margins compared to oil and natural-gas liquids.
- [By Adam Galas]
As the chart illustrates, SandRidge's other royalty trust,�SandRidge Mississippian Trust I (NYSE: SDT ) , which has already had its final wells drilled, has been experiencing a severe decline in distributions, a result of its massive quarterly production declines of 26%, 21%, and 22% immediately after the last well was drilled.�
10 Best Diversified Bank Stocks To Own For 2014: Brookfield Residential Properties Inc (BRP)
Brookfield Residential Properties Inc. (Brookfield Residential) is a land developer and homebuilder.The Company entitles and develops land and builds homes for its own communities, as well as sells lots to third-party builders. It operates in three segments in North America: Canada, California and Central and Eastern U.S. Each of the Company�� segments specializes in lot entitlement and development and the construction of single-family and multi-family homes. As of December 31, 2011, Brookfield Residential controlled 108,197 lots. The Company became a public company on March 31, 2011, by combining the former business of Brookfield Homes Corporation (Brookfield Homes) and the residential land and housing division (BPO Residential) of Brookfield Office Properties Inc. into a single residential land and housing company, achieved through a merger and series of related transactions completed on March 31, 2011. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
Brookfield Residential Properties (NYSE: BRP) shares shot up 21.51 percent to $23.10 after Brookfield Asset Management (NYSE: BAM) proposed to acquire around 30% of the company not currently owned for $23 per share.
- [By Dimitra DeFotis]
In the homebuidling category:
Weyerhaeuser (WY), the producer of lumber, was up nearly 3%. On Thursday, Citigroup Analyst Anthony Pettinari wrote that Weyerhaeuser could sell its homebuilder unit for between $2.5 billion and $3.5 billion, and interested buyers in the unit, WRECO, could include Lennar�(LEN), Toll Brothers (TOL) and Brookfield Residential Properties (BRP). About 67% of the Weyerhaeuser unit’s roughly 27,000 lots are in California. Citi has a Buy rating on Weyerhauser and a $35 price target. Lennar, the home builder, was�up 2.6%. Masco (MAS), the building materials maker, was�up 2%.� PulteGroup (PHM), the home builder, was�up 2%. DR Horton�(DHI), the home builder, was�up 1.9%.Among real estate trusts:
- [By Ben Levisohn]
In terms of specific company upside/downside payoffs, we believe that [Brookfield Residential Properties (BRP)], [KB Home], and [PulteGroup] offer above-average payoffs. We note that more than half of [Brookfield Residential Properties'] earnings are derived from Canada, dampening EPS sensitivity to our assumptions regarding the pace of the U.S. housing recovery. We believe that [KB Home] will achieve sharply improved operating performance, which should drive robust EPS growth given the company�� comparatively high degree of financial leverage. We also have a high degree of confidence that�[PulteGroup] will continue to successfully execute against its goal of improving ROIC performance, which should act as a catalyst for share price appreciation.
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