Sunday, May 31, 2015

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: S&P 500/Barra Value(SU)

Suncor Energy Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated energy company. The company involves in the development of petroleum resource basins in Canada's Athabasca oil sands; acquisition, exploration, development, production, and marketing of crude oil and natural gas in Canada and internationally; transportation and refining of crude oil; and marketing of petroleum and petrochemical products primarily in Canada. Its Oil Sands segment produces bitumen recovered from oil sands through mining and in-situ technology, and upgrades it into refinery feedstock, diesel fuel, and by-products. This segment?s products include gasoline and distillates. The company?s Natural Gas segment acquires, explores, develops, and produces natural gas, natural gas liquids, oil, and by-products from reserves located primarily in western Canada, the Northwest Territories, Alaska, and the Arctic Islands. Its International and Offshore segment engages in the exploration and pro d uction of oil and gas in offshore Newfoundland and Labrador, in the North Sea, and in Libya and Syria. The company?s Refining and Marketing segment refines crude oil at Suncor's refineries in Edmonton, Alberta; Montreal, Quebec; and Sarnia, Ontario in Canada, as well as in Commerce City, Colorado into a range of petroleum and petrochemical products for sale to retail, commercial, and industrial customers. It also transports crude oil through pipelines in eastern and western Canada, as well as through wholly-owned pipelines in Wyoming and Colorado; and produces specialty lubricants and waxes. In addition, this segment operates retail sites in Canada under the Petro-Canada brand; and in Colorado under Phillips 66 and Shell brands. Suncor Energy Inc. also engages in third-party energy trading activities. The company was formerly known as Suncor Inc. and changed ! its name to Suncor Energy Inc. in April 1997. Suncor Energy Inc. was founded in 1953 and is headquartered in Calgary , Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By reports.droy]

    Suncor Energy (SU) has already encountered a good amount of volatility in the trading sessions – the stock is down by more than 24% since the start of July 2014, after a good run in the preceding four months. The fall in the stock price is not due to any intrinsic issue with the company alone, but the whole sector has been badly battered due to the falling crude prices.

  • [By Ali Berri]

    In a report released Friday, Barclay analyst Paul Cheng released coverage on major oil companies such as Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA (NYSE: PBR), Exxon Mobil (NYSE: XOM), ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP), Chevron (NYSE: CVX) and Suncor Energy (NYSE: SU).

  • [By Ari Charney]

    The Canadian energy sector just got yet another vote of confidence from the world's most famous investor. Last August, Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Inc (NYSE: BRK-B) disclosed that it held nearly 17.8 million shares of Canadian energy giant Suncor Energy Inc's (NYSE: SU, TSX: SU) stock, a position which was then valued at roughly USD500 million.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-canadian-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now-3.html

Friday, May 29, 2015

Hot Recreation Companies To Watch For 2016

Hot Recreation Companies To Watch For 2016: MarineMax Inc (HZO)

MarineMax, Inc., incorporated in January 1998, is a recreational boat dealer in the United States. Through 54 retail locations in Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Oklahoma, Rhode Island, Tennessee, and Texas, the Company sells new and used recreational boats, including pleasure and fishing boats. It also sells related marine products, including engines, trailers, parts, and accessories. In addition, the Company provides repair, maintenance, and slip and storage services; it arranges related boat financing, insurance, and extended service contracts; it offers boat and yacht brokerage services, and it operates a yacht charter business. It is also retailer of Sea Ray, Boston Whaler, Bayliner, Cabo, Hatteras, and Meridian recreational boats and yachts, all of which are manufactured by Brunswick Corporation (Brunswick). In March 2013, it acquired Parker Boat Company's retail boat sales and service operations in Orlando and Daytona, Florida.

The Company is a dealer for Hatteras Yachts throughout the state of Florida (excluding the Florida panhandle) and the states of New Jersey, New York, and Texas; the exclusive dealer for Cabo Yachts throughout the states of Florida, New Jersey, and New York; the exclusive dealer for Boston Whaler in many of its markets; the exclusive dealer for Bayliner in many of its markets, and the exclusive dealer for Meridian Yachts in most of its markets. In addition, it is the exclusive dealer for Italy-based Azimut-Benetti Group for Azimut mega-yachts, yachts, and other recreational boats for the Northeast United States from Maryland to Maine and the state of Florida.

New Boat Sales

The Company sells recreational boats, including pleasure boats and fishing boats. The products it offers are manufactured by Brunswick, the manufacturer of recreation! al boats, includ ing Sea Ray pleasure boats, Boston Whaler fishing boats, Cabo Yachts, Hatteras Yachts, and Meridian Yachts. During the fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), it derived approximately 48% of its revenue from the sale of new boats manufactured by Brunswick. During fiscal 2011, new boat sales accounted for 60.6% of its revenue. It offers recreational boats in most market segments. Hatteras Yachts and Azimut are two of the premier yacht builders. The motor yacht product lines include designs with live-aboard luxuries. Hatteras offers a flybridge with guest seating; covered aft deck, which may be fully or partially enclosed, providing the boater with additional living space; an elegant salon; and multiple staterooms for accommodations.

Hatteras Yachts and Cabo Yachts are convertible yacht builders and offer designs with live-aboard luxuries. Convertibles are primarily fishing vessels, which are well equipped to meet the needs of even the most serious to urnament-class competitor. Hatteras features interiors that offer luxurious salon/galley arrangements, multiple staterooms with private heads, and a cockpit that includes a bait and tackle center, fishbox, and freezer. Cabo is known for spacious cockpits and accessibility to essentials, such as bait chests, livewells, bait prep centers, and tackle lockers.

Sea Ray and Meridian pleasure boats target both the luxury and the family recreational boating markets and come in a range of configurations to suit each customers particular recreational boating style. Sea Ray sport yachts and yachts serve the luxury segment of the recreational boating market and include living accommodations with a salon, a fully equipped galley, and multiple staterooms. Sea Ray sport yachts and yachts are available in cabin, bridge cockpit, and cruiser models. Meridian sport yachts and yachts are available in sedan, motoryacht, and pilothouse models.

The fishing boats the C ompany offers, such as Boston Whaler and ! Grady Whi! te, range from entry level models to advanced models designed for fishing and water sports in lakes, bays, and off-shore waters, with cabins with limited live-aboard capability. The fishing boats feature livewells, in-deck fishboxes, rodholders, rigging stations, cockpit coaming pads, and fresh and saltwater washdowns. The ski boats it offers, such as Malibu, Axis, and Nautique by Correct Craft, range from entry level models to advanced models.

Used Boat Sales

The Company sells used versions of the new makes and models it offers and, to a lesser extent, used boats of other makes and models generally taken as trade-ins. During fiscal 2011, used boat sales accounted for 19.0% of its revenue, and 77.1% of the used boats it sold were Brunswick models. It also sells used boats at various marinas and other offsite locations throughout the country. In addition, it offers the Sea Ray Legacy warranty plan ava ilable for used Sea Ray boats less than six years old. The Legacy plan applies to each qualifying used Sea Ray boat, which has passed a 48-point inspection, and provides protection against failure of most mechanical parts for up to three years.

Marine Engines, Related Marine Equipment, and Boating Parts and Accessories

The Company offers marine engines and propellers, substantially all of which are manufactured by Mercury Marine, a division of Brunswick. It sells marine engines and propellers primarily to retail customers as replacements for their existing engines or propellers. It also sells a range of marine parts and accessories at its retail locations, at various offsite locations, through its print catalog, and through the Website portal. These marine parts and accessories include marine electronics; dock and anchoring products, such as boat fenders, lines, and anchors; boat covers; trailer parts; water sport accessories, such as tubes, lines, wakeboards, and skies; engine parts; oils; lubricants; steering and control systems; corrosion control pro! ducts, se! rvice products; high-performance accessories, such as propellers and instruments, and a complete line of boating accessories, including life jackets, inflatables, and water sports equipment. It also offers novelty items, such as shirts, caps, and license plates bearing the manufacturers or dealers logos. The sale of marine engines, related marine equipment, and boating parts and accessories accounted for 6.2% of the Companys during fiscal 2011 revenue.

Maintenance, Repair, and Storage Services

The Company provides maintenance and repair services at most of its retail locations, with extended service hours at certain of its locations. In addition, in many of its markets, it provides mobile maintenance and repair services at the location of the customers boat. The Company performs both warranty and non-warranty repair services . It derives the majority of its warranty revenue from Brunswick products. Its maintenance and repair services are performed by manufacturer-trained and certified service technicians. At many of the Companys locations, it offers boat storage services, including in-water slip storage and inside and outside land storage. Maintenance, repair, and storage services accounted for 8.9% of its revenue during fiscal 2011. This includes warranty and non-warranty services.

F&I Products

At each of the Companys retail locations, it offers the customers the ability to finance new or used boat purchases and to purchase extended service contracts and arrange insurance coverage, including boat property, credit life, and accident, disability, and casualty insurance coverage (collectively, F&I). The Company also offers third-party extended service contracts under which, for a predetermined price, it provides all designated services pursuant to the service contract guidelines during the contract term at no additional charge to the customer above a deductible. Credit life insurance policies provide for repayment of the boat financing contract! if the p! urchaser dies while the contract is outstanding. Accident and disability insurance policies provide for payment of the monthly contract obligation during any period in which the buyer is disabled. Property and casualty insurance covers loss or damage to the boat.

Brokerage Services

Through employees or subcontractors that are licensed boat or yacht brokers, the Company offers boat or yacht brokerage services at most of its retail locations. It also offers for sale brokered boats or yachts, listing them on various Internet sites, advising its other retail locations, and posting them on its Website, www.MarineMax.com. Its maintenance and repair services, including mobile service, also are generally available to its brokerage customers.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    As we head towards Black Friday, small cap specialty retail stocks United Online, Inc (NASDAQ: UNTD), TravelCenters of America LLC (NYSE: TA) and MarineMax, Inc (NYSE: HZO) have the distinction of being the best performing small capspecialty retail stocks for this year (according to Finviz.com) with gains of 181.2%, 123.8% and 71.8%, respectively. With those returns in mind, what are these small cap specialty retail stocks doing right and will the performance last through the all important holiday season? Here is what new and existing investors and traders alike need to know or consider:

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/hot-recreation-companies-to-watch-for-2016.html

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Top 10 Insurance Stocks To Own For 2016

Top 10 Insurance Stocks To Own For 2016: United Insurance Holdings Corp (UIHC)

United Insurance Holdings Corp. (UIHC), incorporated on May 22, 2007, is a holding company for United Property and Casualty Insurance Company and its affiliated companies. Its business is conducted principally through four wholly-owned subsidiaries, including United Property and Casualty Insurance Company (UPC), which writes insurance policies; United Insurance Management, L.C. (UIM), the managing general agent that manages substantially all aspects of UPC's business, Skyway Claims Services, LLC (SCS), a claims adjusting company that provides services to UPC; and UPC Re. UPC Re provides reinsurance protection to UPC.

The Company offers standardized policies for a range of exposures, and its policies include coverage options for standard single-family homeowners, tenants (renters), and condominium unit owners. It also writes flood policies. The Company has authorization to write a commercial line of business in Florida that includes auto and multi-peril coverag e but the Company does not write commercial business. The Company offers standardized policies for a broad range of exposures, and its policies include coverage options for standard single-family homeowners, tenants (renters), and condominium unit owners.

The Company competes with Citizens Property Insurance Corporation, State Farm Florida Insurance Company, Universal Property & Casualty Insurance Company, St. Johns Insurance Company, Inc., United Services Automobile Association, American Coastal Insurance Company, Florida Peninsula Insurance Company, Security First Insurance Company, Homeowners Choice Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Inc., United Property & Casualty Insurance Company, Tower Hill Prime Insurance Company, Federal Insurance Company, USAA Casualty Insurance Company, Castle Key Insurance Company, American Integrity Insurance Company of Florida, Tower Hill Signature Insurance Company, ASI Assurance Corp., Tower Hi! ll Preferred Insurance Company, Chartis Property Casualty Company and Universal Insurance Company of North America.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Louis Navellier]

    United Insurance Holdings (UIHC) is a great example of a best of the best stock that should climb the wall of worry this summer. Writing homeowners and flood insurance might not be the most exciting business sin the word but the fundamentals of this company are really exciting.

  • [By , Zacks Investment Research]

    United Insurance Holdings Corp (UIHC) is a holding company that focuses primarily on providing homeowners’ insurance in Florida, South Carolina, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and North Carolina. It is headquartered in St. Petersburg, Fla., and has a market cap of $348 million.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-10-insurance-stocks-to-own-for-2016.html

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Feds: Dad impersonated in Maxim magazine bid

NEW YORK (AP) — A convicted con man arrested on charges he impersonated his successful father in a failed bid to buy Maxim magazine was ordered held on $1 million bail Thursday.

Calvin Darden Jr., 39, was arrested Wednesday on wire fraud charges that carry a potential prison term of up to 40 years. Nearly a decade ago, he pleaded guilty in a scam that cost investors millions of dollars and was sentenced to four to 12 years in prison and ordered to repay nearly $6 million.

This time, federal prosecutors said the Staten Island man fooled two lenders into providing more than $8 million in financing for the potential acquisition of Maxim magazine and tried to defraud another victim of about $20 million in the quest. They said he also caused a Taiwan-based company to pay him $500,000 by falsely claiming that he needed a down payment for a New York Knicks exhibition game he was arranging to be played in Taiwan.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Andrew J. Peck set bail at $1 million and ordered electronic monitoring after Assistant U.S. Attorney James Pastore Jr. sought detention, saying Darden forced authorities to chase him before his surrender. He said Darden claimed he was on Long Island when he was actually at a Teaneck, N.J., hotel, where he left his car before finding another way into Manhattan.

Pastore also said documents found in Darden's home indicate he might have been perpetrating other frauds and other victims might emerge.

Darden's attorney, Xavier Donaldson, declined to comment outside court, but he told the magistrate judge that Darden had never failed to show up for a court appearance.

Donaldson also protested when prosecutors tried to insist that Darden's father sign the bail package, which requires $300,000 in cash or property be posted as collateral. Donaldson said it would be inappropriate, though he added that Darden's family was prepared to do what was necessary to ensure Darden was released.

Darden was not immediately freed because Peck said electronic mon! itoring equipment must be installed before his release.

Secret Service Agent Paul Deal said in court papers that the NBA commissioner, among others, had no recollection of meeting with Darden or his father, who is a retired United Parcel Service executive living in Atlanta and sits on the board of Coca-Cola, Target and Cardinal Health.

A prosecutor said Darden used false documents and "spoofed" emails in the alleged scams, posing as his father in emails and on the telephone to convince investors that the Maxim purchase was viable and that the NBA game was going to happen.

"Calvin Darden Jr. sought to mislead and deceive his victims at virtually every opportunity, and he used the full spectrum of fraudulent devices, including false documents, 'spoofed' emails and outright impersonation," U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara said in a release.

FBI Assistant Director-in-Charge George Venizelos said Darden "was up to the same worn-out tricks in an elaborate scheme of fake emails, fictitious bank accounts and fabricated statements all to rip off unwitting investors."

In 2005, Darden admitted stealing from securities firms and investors who included NBA star Latrell Sprewell. Prosecutors said he used the money to buy a $2.85 million home on Long Island, complete with a 20-foot aquarium and movie theater.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now

The stock market edged lower on Thursday, as defensive sectors like telecom and utilities managed to outperform. This is the fourth time in five days that the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) has fallen, though the market's off less than 0.5% during that time. Today, it lost just four points, or less than 0.1%, to end at 16,264.

McDonald's (NYSE: MCD  ) couldn't help the Dow much on Thursday, adding just 0.3%. Not much changes from day-to-day with McDonald's, whose golden arches are one of the most recognizable brand symbols in the world. But for blue chip companies like Mickey D's to maintain their dominance, they've got to fend off competition, and embrace innovation and change in the industry. McDonald's isn't doing a great job at either of these.�Yum! Brands'�Taco Bell is now using real people named Ronald McDonald to endorse the taco haven's new breakfast menu. And McDonald's has been slow to embrace smartphone payment technology, as well, even as its rivals rush to develop apps�for their consumers.

Top 5 Computer Hardware Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Lockheed Martin Corporation(LMT)

Lockheed Martin Corporation engages in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration, operation, and sustainment of advanced technology systems and products in the areas of defense, space, intelligence, homeland security, and government information technology in the United States and internationally. It also provides management, engineering, technical, scientific, logistic, and information services. The company operates in four segments: Aeronautics, Electronic Systems, Information Systems & Global Services (IS&GS), and Space Systems. The Aeronautics segment offers military aircraft, including combat and air mobility aircraft, unmanned air vehicles, and related technologies. Its products and programs comprise the F-35 multi-role, stealth fighter; the F-22 air dominance and multi-mission stealth fighter; the F-16 multi-role fighter; the C-130J tactical transport aircraft; and the C-5M strategic airlifter modernization program; and support for the P-3 maritime patrol aircraft, and the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft. The Electronic Systems segment provides air and missile defense; tactical missiles; weapon fire control systems; surface ship and submarine combat systems; anti-submarine and undersea warfare systems; land, sea-based, and airborne radars; surveillance and reconnaissance systems; simulation and training systems; and integrated logistics and sustainment services. The IS&GS segment offers information technology solutions and advanced technology primarily in the areas of software and systems integration for space, air, and ground systems to various defense and civil government agencies. The Space Systems segment provides government and commercial satellites; strategic and defensive missile systems, including missile defense technologies and systems, and fleet ballistic missiles; and space transportation systems. Lockheed Martin Corporation was founded in 1909 and is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    On Monday, the Department of Defense awarded 19 contracts, which added up to just under $1.5 billion in total value. The largest award actually went to a private company to pay for "full line food distribution" in Okinawa. But the second-largest contract went to Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT  ) .

  • [By Rich Smith]

    And don't forget about the allies
    Foreign buyers of U.S. military equipment were behind a number of contracts awarded last week. Among them:

    Honeywell (NYSE: HON  ) won one of the week's biggest contracts to support the militaries of U.S. allies Australia, Morocco, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates. Honeywell will be shipping out to these countries a total of 440 T55-GA-714A engines and 365 T55-GA-714A engine fielding kits. Among other aircraft, the T55-GA-714A engine is used to power CH-47 Chinook transport helicopters, an aircraft that is present in (or, in the case of Turkey, on order by) the militaries of all four countries. The total value of this contract modification to Honeywell will be nearly $122 million. Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT  ) won a $50 million contract to supply the militaries of South Korea and Finland with M934E6 and M934E7 warhead fuses for use with these countries' arsenals of Stinger shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles (often called "MANPADS," short for man-portable air defense systems). Deliveries of the fuses will continue through Aug. 25, 2018. Textron's (NYSE: TXT  ) Cessna unit won a $64 million contract to provide "support" and training services to Afghan pilots and mechanics servicing 26 C-208B "Caravan" and six T-182T "Skylane" utility aircraft through based at Kabul International Airport, Kandahar Air Base, and Shindand Air Base in Afghanistan through Jan. 31, 2016.

    Opportunities on the horizon
    So much for the contracts everyone knows about. Now, let's end last week's roundup with one contract that you may not yet have heard of.

  • [By Rich Smith]

    The Department of Defense awarded a round dozen defense contracts Friday, worth just under $7.2 billion in aggregate. The bulk of the contracts -- $7 billion worth -- were split among eight small privately held firms scattered around New Jersey, Maryland, Indiana, and Virginia contracted to supply software and systems engineering services in support of the Army's Software Engineering Center. But a handful of better-known -- and, more importantly to investors, publicly traded -- companies won contracts as well. Namely:

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Notable earnings released on Tuesday included:

    The Travelers Company Inc. (NYSE: TRV) reported third quarter EPS of $2.35 on revenue of $6.45 billion, compared to last year�� EPS of $2.22 on revenue of $5.70 billion. Delta Airlines Inc. (NYSE: DAL) reported third quarter EPS of $1.41 on revenue of $10.49 billion, compared to last year�� EPS of $0.90 on revenue of 9.92 billion. United Technologies Corporation (NYSE: UTX) reported third quarter EPS of $1.55 on revenue of $15.46 billion, compared to last year�� EPS of $1.37 on revenue of $15.04 billion. Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) reported third quarter EPS of $2.57 on revenue of $11.35 billion, compared to last year�� EPS of $2.21 on revenue of $11.87 billion.

    Pre-Market Movers

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Brown Shoe Company Inc. (BWS)

Brown Shoe Company, Inc., a footwear company, engages in the retail and wholesale of footwear. It operates through Famous Footwear, Wholesale Operations, and Specialty Retail segments. The company provides licensed, branded, and private-label casual, dress, and athletic footwear products to women, men, and children. It operates retail shoe stores under the Famous Footwear name that offer shoes of various brands, including Nike, Skechers, New Balance, Converse, adidas, DC, LifeStride, Reebok, Sperry, Asics, Puma, Dr. Scholl�s Shoes, Vans, BOC by Born, Sof Sole, Fergalicious, and Bearpaw. The company also operates shoe stores under the Naturalizer name, which provide women�s footwear, including casual, dress, sandals, and boots under the Naturalizer brand; operates retail stores under Dr. Scholl�s Shoes and Sam Edelman names; and sells its products through Internet retail that include Shoes.com, Famous.com, Naturalizer.com, Naturalizer.ca, and DrSchollsShoes.com, as well as ViaSpiga.com, LifeStride.com, and Ryka.com. As of February 2, 2013, it operated 1,277 retail shoe stores in the United States, Canada, China, and Guam. In addition, the company designs, sources, and markets footwear to retail stores, such as national chains, department stores, independent retailers, mass merchandisers, online retailers, and catalogs. Brown Shoe Company, Inc. was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Friday

    Earnings Expected From: �Buckle, Inc. (NYSE: BKE), Brown Shoe Company (NYSE: BWS) Economic Releases Expected: German CPI, Swiss PPI

    Posted-In: Crimea Reserve Bank of New ZealandEarnings News Guidance Previews Markets Trading Ideas Best of Benzinga

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Big earnings movers: Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) reported better-than-expected earnings and revenues and raised its guidance slightly, but even posting a new 52-week high early could hold the stock from dropping about 1.3% today. Brown Shoe Co. Inc. (NYSE: BWS) also posted good earnings, but followed with slightly lower EPS guidance and the stock lost about 9%, trading around $21.60 in a 52-week range of $13.68 to $24.78. Another footwear maker, DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW) put up good results and raised its guidance as well, sending shares up more than 9% to a new 52-week high of $88.73 in the mid-morning.

  • [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 Brown Shoe (NYSE: BWS  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Marathon Investments Ltd (MARA)

Marathon Investments Ltd is an Israel-based company that invests in income-producing industrial companies. The Company's portfolio includes companies in the fields of heat treatment, biotechnology, inspection and advanced electronics. Its portfolio comprises of a number of companies: Protalix Biotherapeutics Inc. which produces plant protein-based medical treatment; Nanomotion Ltd. which develops, manufactures and markets tiny solid-state ceramic servo motors and positioning systems; Margan Business Development Ltd. which engages in early building and facility damage detection; BioView Ltd. which develops and manufactures medical screening and diagnostics systems; Solcon Industries Ltd. is a high technology electronics manufacturer, whose products are intended for installation in low and medium voltage AC Motor switchgear, and Chromat Ltd., which is a commercial steel heat treatment company, among others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    Today, MARA has shed (-3.78%) down -0.23 at $5.85 with�23,913 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:09AM EDT September 11, 2013).

    Marathon Patent Group, Inc. previously reported its financial results for the second quarter ended June 30, 2013 (“Q2 2013″).
    For Q2, 2013, the Company reported gross revenue of $1,524,979, as a result of three patent licensing and settlement agreements. Q2 2013 marks the first quarter the Company has reported significant licensing and settlement revenue. Included in the gross revenue amount is the value of certain patents received in settlement from a defendant.

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Healthcare Realty Trust Inc (HR)

Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated (Healthcare Realty), incorporated in 1993, is a self-managed and self-administered real estate investment trust (REIT) that owns, acquires, manages, finances and develops income-producing real estate properties associated with the delivery of outpatient healthcare services throughout the United States. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company disposed of five real estate properties. In January 2012, the Company purchased a 58,295 square foot medical office building in South Dakota. In February 2012, the Company purchased a 23,312 square foot medical office building in North Carolina. The property is 100% leased by two tenants. In January 2012, the Company disposed of two medical office buildings located in Texas. In January 2012, the Company disposed of a medical office building located in Florida. In January 2012, an inpatient facility under construction in South Dakota that was being funded by the Company through a mortgage note was sold. On March 15, 2011, the Company acquired Lakewood MOB, LLC. On March 31, 2011, it acquired HR Ladco Holdings, LLC. Effective October 22, 2013, Healthcare Realty Trust Inc acquired First Hill Medical Building.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company provided property management services for 150 healthcare-related properties nationwide, totaling approximately 10.3 million square feet. The Company�� portfolio of properties is focused on medical office and outpatient sector of the healthcare industry and is diversified by geographic location, tenant and facility type.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dividends4Life]

    Memberships and Peers: UHT is, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Hersha Hospitality Trust (HT) with a 4.4% yield, Healthcare Realty Trust Incorporated (HR) with a 5.2% yield and LTC Properties Inc. (LTC) with a 5.4% yield.

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: 7 Days Group Holdings Limited(SVN)

7 Days Group Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates a chain of limited service economy hotels under the brand name of 7 Days Inn in China. The company provides accommodations and services primarily to business and leisure travelers. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 568 hotels in operation, including 247 managed hotels, with 56,410 hotel rooms in 89 cities, as well as 197 hotels with 19,345 hotel rooms under conversion. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Guangzhou, China.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Chinese economy hotel chain 7 Days Group (NYSE: SVN  ) announced today that the company's shareholders had approved the going-private proposal that was offered up on Feb. 28.�Approximately 88.3% of the hotel chain's shares voted on the proposal, and approximately 86% voted in favor of it.�

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ)

Global X China Consumer ETF (the Fund) seeks to provide investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance, before fees and expenses, of the Solactive China Consumer Index (the Underlying Index). The Underlying Index is a free float adjusted, liquidity tested and market capitalization-weighted index that is designed to measure performance of the investable universe of companies in the Consumer sector of the Chinese economy, as defined by Structured Solutions AG. Global X Management Company, LLC serves as the investment adviser to the Fund. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By pamatlarge]

    Investors looking to short a particular sector can choose from several Global X long ETFs. The Global X China Consumer ETF (CHIQ) concentrates its investments in consumer cyclical goods and consumer defense goods. The Global X China Energy ETF (CHIE) primarily holds stocks in coal, oil and utility companies. The Global X China Financials ETF (CHIX) only invests in financial services companies and real estate companies. The Global X China Industrials ETF (CHII) holds stocks in industrial companies and basic materials companies. The Global X China Materials ETF (CHIM) invests in basic materials stocks. The Global X China Technology ETF (CHIB) holds technology stocks as the core of its investments. All of these ETFs are particularly sensitive to sector downturns and general economic contractions.

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Skyline Corporation(SKY)

Skyline Corporation and its subsidiaries engage in designing, producing, and marketing manufactured houses, modular homes, and towable recreational vehicles to independent dealers and manufactured housing communities in the United States and Canada. The company?s manufactured homes include two to four bedrooms, kitchen, dining area, living room, one or two bathrooms, kitchen appliances, and central heating and cooling, as well as exterior dormers and windows, interior or exterior accent columns, fireplaces, and whirlpool tubs. Its towable recreational vehicles comprise travel trailers and fifth wheels offered under the Aljo, Bobcat, Koala, Layton, Mountain View, Nomad, Texan, Wagoneer, Walkabout, and Weekender brands; and park models under the Cedar Cove, Cutlass, Cutlass Elite, Deerfield, Forest Brook, Shore Park Homes, and Vacation Villa brands, which consists of sleeping, kitchen, dining, and bath areas. The company markets its manufactured and modular housing to subur ban and rural areas of the continental United States and Canada. Skyline Corporation markets its recreational vehicles to vacationing families, traveling retired couples, and sports enthusiasts pursuing four-season hobbies. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Elkhart, Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Holly LaFon] rch 12, Third Avenue Management sold 55.7% of its stake in Skyline Corp. for a total value of $3,394,689. It now has 361,805 shares, or 4.31% of the company.

    Third Avenue incurred a loss on Skyline. The firm has had the stock since before the second quarter of 2009 after it had been sliding for several years. That quarter, Third Avenue bought it for roughly $20 per share. Since 2009 its stock price has declined 60% and the firm has been mostly selling its shares since then. The stock closed at $7.98 per share on Friday.

    Third Avenue Management was founded by legendary value investor Martin Whitman and manages mutual funds, separate accounts and hedge funds. Third Avenue managers believe that the current balance sheet rather than projected future figures are the best measure of a company�� value. Companies they invest in are also usually cheap and safe.

    Skyline makes manufactured housing and recreational vehicles. Its revenue per share has been declining at a rate of 13.2% over the last 10 years, and 23.2% in the last 5 years. The company has been operating at a loss since 2008, and EBITDA and free cash flow has been negative since 2007.

    NWQ Managers and PrivateBancorp (PVTB) Bob Evans Farms (BOBE)

    On February 29, NWQ reduced its stake in PrivateBancorp (PVTB) by 28.48%. At $14.50 per share, the total value of the sale was $18.8 million. It now owns 3,253,454 shares or 4.49% of the company. NWQ initiated its holding in PrivateBancorp in the fourth quarter of 2009 with 4,334,692 shares at an average price of $12.15. It sold shares as the price rose during 2010, and added 2,008,454 shares in the third quarter of 2011 when its price dropped to an average of $10 per share. On Friday, the stock is trading near $15 per share.

    PrivateBancorp is a small, regional bank based in Chicago. After its stock fell to a 52-week low of $6.44 in late 2011, its 2011 fourth-quarter and full-year results helped push it up 38% to $15 in 2012. Afte

  • [By John Udovich]

    The CEO of recreation vehicle (RV) stock Winnebago Industries, Inc (NYSE: WGO) recently appeared on CNBC to say that the economy is improving for RV makers, meaning its time to take a closer look at the stock plus take a look at the performance of other small cap RV stocks like Drew Industries, Inc (NYSE: DW), Skyline Corporation (NYSEMKT: SKY) and Thor Industries, Inc (NYSE: THO).

Sunday, May 24, 2015

What the Numbers Say About Obama's Health Care Law

Top 10 Machinery Companies To Invest In 2016

Year End Health Care OverhaulJon Elswick/AP WASHINGTON -- The government churns out tons of numbers, but here's one you won't see: 0.0002. That's the percentage of estimated online visitors to HealthCare.gov who actually signed up for coverage the first day. Altogether, that's six people out of just over 3 million. Not all the figures associated with the rollout of President Barack Obama's health care law are so ridiculously dreary. Three million tells a happier tale, too. That's how many young adults have been able to get coverage under their parents' plan thanks to the law's rule that people up to age 26 can do so. A look at the heath care law's early going, by the numbers:

Top Gold Companies To Invest In Right Now

Top Gold Companies To Invest In Right Now: Pershing Gold Corp (PGLC)

Pershing Gold Corporation, incorporated on August 2, 2007, is a gold and precious metals exploration company. The Company is pursuing exploration and development opportunities primarily in Nevada. It is focused on exploration at its Relief Canyon properties in Pershing County in northwestern Nevada. None of the Companys properties contain proven and probable reserves, and all of its activities on all of its properties are exploratory in nature. The Company seeks properties with known mineralization that are in an advanced stage of exploration and have previously undergone some drilling but are under-explored. It is focused on exploration of the Relief Canyon properties, recommissioning the Relief Canyon gold processing facility and, if economically feasible, commencing mining at the Relief Canyon Mine.

Relief Canyon Mine Property

The Companys Relief Canyon properties totals approximately 25,000 acres and consists of approximately 940 owned u npatented mining claims, 120 owned millsite claims, 170 leased unpatented mining claims, and leased and subleased private lands. The Company drilled 44 holes for approximately 28,500 feet in 2013. This drilling was on land adjacent to the current deposit and focused on extending and upgrading the existing deposit. In January 2013 the Company reported 32,541,000 tons of mineralized material at an average grade of 0.017 ounces of gold per ton and a cut-off grade of 0.0046 ounces of gold per ton.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By ValueInvestor7]

    I listen to investing advice from self-made billionaire investors, and I try to ignore advice from everyone else. I suspect readers on this website will appreciate this, where thankfully the Focus is still Gurus. To this end, I bring you the instructive story of Pershing Gold Corp (PGLC) and Levon Resources (TSE: LVN) (LVNVF).

  • source from Top Stoc! ks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-gold-companies-to-invest-in-right-now-3.html

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

Will Walgreen Company Earnings Outgrow Rite Aid and CVS Caremark?

Walgreen (NYSE: WAG  ) will release its quarterly report on Friday, and investors have been pleased with the drugstore chain's success lately, bidding its shares to all-time record highs within the past month. Yet with Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD  ) having risen from the ashes to become profitable and with CVS Caremark (NYSE: CVS  ) still posing a big obstacle to Walgreen's dominance of the industry, the question investors are asking is whether Walgreen earnings can keep up the pace.

Walgreen has a solid history of leadership among drugstore companies, having made moves to solidify its position in the U.S. market while making aggressive moves to take advantage of opportunities overseas. Yet past mistakes have opened the door to Rite Aid and CVS poaching customers from its doors, and shareholders want reassurances that Walgreen's management won't make those same mistakes again. What will the future hold for Walgreen? Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Walgreen over the past quarter.

Stats on Walgreen

Analyst EPS Estimate

$0.72

Change From Year-Ago EPS

24%

Revenue Estimate

$18.36 billion

Change From Year-Ago Revenue

6%

Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters

2

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

What's next for Walgreen earnings?
In recent months, analysts have gotten a little cautious about Walgreen earnings, trimming November-quarter estimates by about 5% and making smaller reductions to projections for fiscal 2014 and 2015. The stock has kept climbing, posting about a 5% gain since mid-September.

Walgreen's climb to new highs stemmed in large part from its August-quarter earnings report. A 6.1% gain in prescription revenue helped overall sales rise more than 5%, with a greater proportion of generic-drug business helping boost earnings by a whopping 86% from the year-ago quarter. Non-prescription sales had weaker growth but still eked out gains of 1.6%.

But competitors have had success of their own. Rite Aid delivered an unexpected profit last quarter, marking its fourth-straight profitable quarter, and it could well continue its string of good news with a favorable report on Thursday. Just on Wednesday, CVS gave favorable earnings guidance that was in line with fiscal 2014 estimates, and the combination of a 22% boost in its dividend and a $6 billion stock buyback authorization sent the stock soaring today. Walgreen and Rite Aid both rose in sympathy, but until we see their respective reports, investors can only hope that they'll benefit from the same positive trends that CVS experienced.

In making its case for the status of top drugstore chain, Walgreen has done a better job of taking advantage of international opportunities than CVS and Rite Aid. Its acquisition of U.K. drugstore giant Alliance Boots offers geographical diversification at a time in which the U.S. market is in flux, with the Affordable Care Act changing the landscape of health care domestically. Strategic moves like offering its own prepaid card shows the extent to which Walgreen is willing to innovate in order to differentiate itself from its peers, while moving forward with health-care clinics to serve simple health-care needs proves that Walgreen is willing to stand up to competition from CVS Caremark, Rite Aid, and other players in the drugstore industry.

In the Walgreen earnings report, be sure to compare the company's growth to what Rite Aid reports on Thursday. With competition becoming cutthroat, Walgreen needs to make sure it remembers its core values and keeps giving its customers what they want.

Is Walgreen a great stock?
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Click here to add Walgreen to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

Japan stocks slip on rising yen, earnings caution

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) off 1.1% as a Nikkei business daily report said it would post a mild rise in operating profit for the previous quarter. Among the top gainers, Hitachi Construction Macheriny Co. (JP:6305) (HTCMF) rallied 3.4% on a separate Nikkei report that the company will post a first-half operating profit well above the consensus estimate, while Mitsubishi Motors Corp. (JP:7211) (MMTOF) climbed 4.2% after hiking its fiscal-year profit outlook by 40%. The market appeared to show little reaction to consumer inflation data out just ahead of the open, which printed in line with expectations.

Read the full story:
Asian shares mostly lower; techs struggle in Seoul

Monday, May 18, 2015

Industry veterans to head up new wealth unit of Lebenthal Holdings

wealth

Financial services industry veterans Frank Campanale, Andrew Grillo and Jeffrey Lane are joining forces to head up a new private wealth advisory division of Lebenthal Holdings LLC that will seek to attract independent advisers.

Alexandra Lebenthal, chief executive and president of Lebenthal Holdings, said Tuesday that the new advisory firm, Lebenthal Wealth Advisors LLC, will “leverage our successful brand, and proven capital markets and asset management expertise, while forging a new model for entrepreneurial financial advisers.”

Mr. Campanale will be chairman and chief executive of Lebenthal Wealth Advisors, and Mr. Lane will be chairman of Lebenthal Holdings. Mr. Grillo, a former regional director at Smith Barney, will be president of Lebenthal Wealth Advisors.

Lebenthal Holdings, which was founded in 1925 by Ms. Lebenthal's grandparents, is a boutique investment bank specializing in debt and equity capital markets.

The advisory firm affiliate moves the brand deeper into the asset management and financial advice categories.

“Lebenthal continues to grow the scope of its asset management and broker-dealer activities. This venture not only complements our existing platform but will position us for future growth as we take advantage of opportunities in the evolving financial services landscape,” Ms. Lebenthal said.

Mr. Campanale was president and chief executive of Smith Barney Consulting Group, where he was responsible for the investment management consulting business.

Mr. Lane's background includes working as chief executive of Bear Stearns Asset Management, chairman and chief executive of Neuberger Berman Inc., and a vice chairman of Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc.

“Our goal is simple,” he said. “We want to attract the best independent registered investment advisers and entrepreneurial wealth managers from across the nation by providing them with a culture that empowers them to deliver the best service and unconflicted advice to their clients.”

Both Mr. Campanale and Mr. Grillo were working to relaunch a new version of E.F. Hutton & Co. when Mr. Lane approached them with the proposal to build the advisory business at Lebenthal.

“I was meeting with some private-equity firms over the past few months, and Jeff Lane showed up at a lunch meeting,” Mr. Campanale said. “I was trying to reel Jeff into the E.F. Hutton world, but he convinced me there is a better opportunity at Lebenthal for me and Andy [Grillo].”

It is a sharp turn for Mr. Campanale, who celebrated the efforts to relaunch the E.F. Hutton name in April 2012.

The venerable name was registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission in August 2012. (Read about E.F. Hutton's ADV filing.)

“It's a fantastic brand and! it still has a wonderful legacy, not only with advisers who loved working there but with clientele, as well,” Mr. Campanale said last year of E.F. Hutton.

There also are parallels between the efforts to revive the E.F. Hutton brand and the history of Lebenthal Holdings.

In 1987, Shearson Lehman/American Express acquired E.F. Hutton, which two years earlier had been rocked by a scandal involving check overdrafting, for $1 billion.

The Hutton brand was dropped by Amex in 1990, when it changed the name of its Shearson Lehman Hutton brokerage firm to Shearson.

The Lebenthal brand has also gone through a kind of metamorphosis.

Even though the company was started in 1925, the Lebenthal firm was sold in 2001 for $25 million to MONY Group Inc., and joined its Advest Group Inc. brokerage unit.

In 2004, financial giant Axa SA acquired MONY, and in 2005 Axa sold Advest, including Lebenthal, to Merrill Lynch & Co. Inc.

Merrill didn't use the Lebenthal brand, which was sold back to the Lebenthal family in 2007 for $1,000.

Sunday, May 17, 2015

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy For 2015

Our top pick for conservative investors for the coming year is the leading engineer of software and hardware to work together in the cloud and data centers, asserts Ingrid Hendershot, editor of Hendershot Investments.

Oracle (ORCL) reported fiscal second quarter revenues rose 2% to $9.3 billion, with EPS up 6% on lower shares outstanding. Revenue growth was driven by a 6% increase in software license updates, and product support offset by declines in hardware system, product, and service revenues.

The company's operating margin was 37% during the quarter, and is poised for expansion due to product mix changes, and leverage from investments in the sales force.

For the first time ever, Oracle generated more than $15 billion in operating cash flow over four quarters. Free cash flow increased 17% in the first half of the fiscal year to $7.2 billion, with the company ending the quarter with $37 billion in cash.

Oracle returned $6.9 billion of cash to shareholders year-to-date through $1.1 billion in dividends and $5.8 billion in share repurchases.

Top 10 Restaurant Companies To Invest In Right Now: GigOptix Inc (GIG)

GigOptix, Inc. (GigOptix), incorporated on March 2008, is a supplier of semiconductor and electro-optical component products that enables high-speed end to end data streaming over optical fiber and wireless telecommunications and data-communications networks globally. The Company's products convert signals between electrical and optical formats for transmitting and receiving data over fiber optic networks and between electrical and high speed radio frequencies to enable the transmission and receipt of data over wireless networks. The Company is creating both optical telecommunications and data-communications applications for fast growing markets in 10 giga bytes per second (Gbps), 40Gbps and 100Gbps drivers, receiver integrated circuits (IC), electro-optic modulator components and multi-chip-modules (MCM), as well as E-band wireless data-communications applications for high speed mobile backhaul and other high capacity wireless data transport applications. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company shipped over 150 products to over 200 customers.

The Company offers a portfolio of 10Gbps and 40Gbps electro-optical products and is developing market for 100Gbps products. The Company provides bundled solutions that consist of a few of its products, such as modulator and driver. The Company also offers a comprehensive portfolio of Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit (MMIC) and application-specific integrated circuit (ASIC) products to support E-band wireless communication and defense markets. The Company has also developed 10Gbps vertical cavity surface-emitting laser (VCSEL) drivers and receivers for aerospace as well as outdoor, non-temperature controlled environments that enables higher capacity in its customers' next generation flight and data center systems.

The Company has a portfolio of products for telecommunications , data-communications, defenses and industrial applications designed for optical speeds from 3Gbps to over 100Gbps and for wireless frequencies! from zero giga hertz (GHz) to 86GHz. The Company's products support a range of data rates, protocols, transmission distances and industry standards.

The Company's portfolio consists of the product ranges, such as laser and modulator drivers for 10Gbps, 40Gbps and 100Gbps applications; receiver amplifiers or Trans-impedance Amplifiers (TIAs) for 10Gbps, 40Gbps and 100Gbps applications; VCSEL driver and receiver chipsets for 14 and 12 channel parallel optics applications from 3Gbps to 10Gbps; Electro-optic modulators based on the Company's TFPS technology suitable for various 40Gbps and 100Gbps modulation schemes, such as differential phase shift keying (DPSK), differential quadrature phase shift keying (DQPSK), RZ-DQPSK and DP-QPSK; wideband monolithic microwave integrated circuit (MMIC) amplifiers with flat gain response; high frequency MMIC Power Amplifiers with high gain and output power; high frequency passive attenuators and filters in small form factors, and standard cell, and structured ASIC and hybrid ASIC designs and manufacturing service for multiple markets offering information technology acquisition review (ITAR) compliance for defense applications. The Company designs and market products that amplifies electrical signals during both the transmission (amplifiers and optical drivers) and reception (TIAs) of optical signals as well as modulate optical signals in the transmission of data.

The Company's optical drivers amplify the input digital data stream that is used to modulate laser light either by direct modulation of the laser or by use of an external modulator that acts as a precise shutter to switch on and off light to create the optical data stream. The Company supplies an optimized component for each type of laser, modulator and photo-diode depending upon the speed, reach and required cost. The Company's microwave and millimeter wave amplifiers amplify small signal radio signals into more signals that can be transmitted over long distances to establish high t! hroughput! data connections or enable radar based applications. The Company's ASIC solutions are used in a number of applications such as defense and test and measurement applications to enable the high speed processing of complex signals.

The Company's product portfolio is designed to cover the range of solutions needed in these different modules. The Company's product portfolio consists of five product lines: GX Series, which includes serial drivers and TIA ICs devices for telecom and data-com markets; HX Series, which includes multi-channel driver and TIA ICs for short reach data-com and optical interconnect applications; LX Series, which includes TFPS modulators for high speed telecom and defense applications; EX Series, which includes amplifiers, filters and attenuators for microwave applications in defense and instrumentation, and CX Series, which includes family of ASIC solutions for custom integrated circuit design.

GX Series

The GigOptix GX Series of products services both the telecom and data-com markets with a broad portfolio of drivers and transimpedence amplifiers that address 10Gbps, 40Gbps and 100Gbps speeds over distances that range from 100 meters to 10,000 kilometers. The GX Series devices are used in FiberChannel, Ethernet, synchronous optical networking (SONET)/ synchronous digital hierarchy (SDH) components and those based upon the optical internetworking forum (OIF) standards.

HX Series

The GigOptix HX Series of products service the high performance computing (HPC), data-com and consumer markets with a portfolio of parallel VCSEL drivers and TIAs that address 3Gbps, 5Gbps,10Gbps, 14Gbps, 16Gbps and 25Gbps channel speeds over 100-300 meters distances in four and 12 channel configurations. The HX Series devices are used in HPC formats, Infiniband, Ethernet and optical high definition multimedia interface (HDMI) components.

LX Series

The GigOptix LX Series of products service the 40Gbps and above telecom! market f! or Mach-Zehnder modulators. The LX Series devices are based on the Company's TFPS EO material technology.

EX Series

The GigOptix EX Series of products leverages the high performance products acquired in the Endwave acquisition. In addition, it also includes the die and design techniques developed for the GX Series telecom and data-com drivers for related defense and instrumentation applications.

CX Series

The GigOptix CX Series of products offers a portfolio of distinct paths to digital and analog mixed signal ASICs with the capability of supporting designs of up to 10M gates in technologies ranging from 0.6 through 65nm. The CX Series uses the Company's technology in Structured and Hybrid ASICs to enable a generic ASIC solution that can be customized for a customer using only a few metal mask layers. The CX Series also offers ASIC services, including Analog and Mixed Signal IP into designs and taking customers designs from RTL or gate-level net list definitions to volume production with third party foundries.

The Company competes with TriQuint, Rohm, InPhi, Centellax, Semtech, Vitesse, M/A-Com, Avago, Emcore, Tyco Electronics, IPtronics. Avago, Emcore, Tyco Electronics, JDSU, Oclaro, Sumitomo, Fujitsu, Emcore, Oclaro, Hittite, Sumitomo, Hittite, RFMD, Northrop Grumman, On -Semiconductor, eSilicon, Open Silicon, Faraday, Toshiba and eASIC.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    It's admittedly overbought and due for a slight dip thanks to today's surge. But when you take a step back and look at GigOptix Inc. (NYSEMKT:GIG), there's actually a lot to be excited about if you've been mulling a trading in GIG. The trick will be getting the timing right.

  • [By maarnio]

    Lightwave Logic�� main competitor is GigOptix (GIG). GigOptix has designed and patented potentially commercially feasible electro-optic polymers and holds an exclusive license to all electro-optic polymeric technology developed at the University of Washington.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy For 2015: Charter Pacific Corporation Ltd (CHF)

Charter Pacific Corporation Limited is in the business of investments and the provision of corporate services. During the fiscal tear ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company focused on development of its iron ore projects in Mauritania, maintained its holding in Monteray Mining Group Ltd to 30.36%, and maintained its investment in FarmWorks Australia Limited. The Company segments include corporate services, investments, share trading, and exploration and evaluation. Corporate services include provision of corporate services to other companies; Investments segment includes investment in listed and unlisted companies planned to deliver returns in through capital appreciation and/or interest on loan funds advanced. Share trading includes the purchase and sale of listed investment securities. Exploration and evaluation involves the exploration of iron ore permits. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012, the Company closed its Internet Protocol Television (IPTV) segment. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chandan Dubey]

    DatePrice/Share (CHF)SharesAmount08.08.20116.3812,57480,22208.08.20115.9715,00089,55010.08.20115.9945,00029,97218.08.20115.866,000383,10322.08.20115.410,00054,00022.08.20115.720,000114,500

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy For 2015: Bounty Oil and Gas NL (BUY)

Bounty Oil & Gas NL (Bounty) is an Australia-based company engaged in the exploration, development, production and marketing of oil and gas (petroleum). The Company operates in two segments: Core Petroleum Segment and Secondary Segment. The Core Petroleum Segment is involved in oil and gas exploration, development and production. The Secondary Segment is involved in the Investment in listed securities. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company produced light sweet crude oil from the Murta Zone in the Utopia Field , southwest Queensland and continued to sell the oil to the Eromanga Refinery 50 kilometers north of the field; produced oil from several oil fields and leases operated by Santos Limited in ATP 259P, Naccowlah Block, southwest Queensland, and achieved revenue from sale of listed investments. The Company also operates Nyuni Joint Venture which is offshore Tanzania, East Africa. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By wax]

    Positive (buy) investment interest means that the current key performance indicators (KPIs) favor investment consideration at this time.

    The recent close of $10.01 is approximately 13% below the fair value buy target for the stock and approximately 58% below the fair value close target for the stock. The recent close is also 5% above analysts��twelve-month $9.50 median price target for the stock.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy For 2015: AFC Enterprises Inc.(AFCE)

AFC Enterprises, Inc. develops, operates, and franchises quick-service restaurants under the trade names of Popeyes Chicken & Biscuits and Popeyes Louisiana Kitchen. As of December 25, 2011, it operated and franchised 2,035 Popeyes restaurants in 45 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Cayman Islands, and 25 foreign countries. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    AFC Enterprises (Nasdaq: AFCE  ) reported earnings on May 29. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended April 21 (Q1), AFC Enterprises beat expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy For 2015: Martin Marietta Materials Inc. (MLM)

Martin Marietta Materials, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the production and sale of aggregates for the construction industry primarily in the United States, Canada, the Bahamas, and the Caribbean Islands. The company operates in four segments: Mideast Group, Southeast Group, West Group, and Specialty Products. It mines, processes, and sells granite, limestone, sand, gravel, and other aggregate products for use in the public infrastructure, and nonresidential and residential construction industries, as well as in the agriculture, railroad ballast, chemical, and other applications. The company also offers asphalt, ready mixed concrete, and road paving materials. In addition, it manufactures and markets magnesia-based chemical products for the industrial, agricultural, and environmental applications; and dolomitic lime primarily for use in the steel industry. These chemical products are used in flame retardants, wastewater treatment, pulp and paper producti on, and other environmental applications. Martin Marietta Materials, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Still, most companies in the space have high expectations for the future. Martin Marietta Materials (NYSE: MLM  ) said in its first-quarter report that it expects rising shipments for its aggregates, pointing to better housing starts, employment figures in the construction industry, and the need to upgrade highways as justifying greater sales.

  • [By Vera Yuan]

    For the calendar year-to-date, the Fund�� Investor Class returned +2.9% compared to +8.3% for the S&P 500 and +7.0% for the Russell 3000. DIRECTV (DTV) (+25% on AT&T�� buyout offer), Martin Marietta Materials (MLM) (+30% on its acquisition of Texas Industries) and Valeant Pharmaceuticals (VRX) (+12%, and in the news for its hostile takeover battle for Allergan) benefited from the robust deal environment in different ways. Interval Leisure (IILG) (-37%) was the largest detractor and one of our few companies where business value declined. Our earnings estimates fell roughly 15% when Interval announced that four large, multi-year corporate relationships renewed at less favorable rates in their timeshare exchange business. We think the stock has overreacted to this news, and the company continues to add strategically to its platform. Other small-cap stocks that detracted from year-to-date results included XO Group (XOXO) (-25%) and Redwood Trust (RWT) (-11%). Broader themes behind the relative shortfall include our overweight position in consumer discretionary companies (the weakest sector in the market year-to-date), our lack of near-term big winners in health care and technology (the strongest sectors in the market year-to-date) and our conservative portfolio positioning in the first half of the year. We are not pleased with recent results. It is natural for our concentrated investing style to be out of step with the market at times.

  • [By Anna Prior]

    Martin Marietta Materials Inc.(MLM) will replace United States Steel Corp.(X) (X) in the Standard and Poor’s 500-stock index after the market closes July 1, according to S&P.

Top Prefered Stocks To Buy For 2015: ReachLocal Inc.(RLOC)

ReachLocal, Inc. provides a suite of online marketing and reporting solutions to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) primarily in the United States, Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom, India, the Netherlands, Germany, and Japan. The company?s products include ReachSearch, a search engine marketing product; ReachDisplay, a display advertising and remarketing product; ReachCast, a solution that builds and optimizes Web presence for the purpose of driving online search discovery, powering reputation management, and managing social media marketing; and remarketing and retargeting products. It also provides a suite of digital marketing solutions comprising TotalTrack, TotalLiveChat, TotalVideoNow, and TotalBannerNow to address specific marketing needs, such as lead optimization, online analytics, and digital creative solutions. The company serves clients in various industry verticals, such as home repair and improvement, automobile sales and repair, medical and health services, legal services, and retail and personal services. It delivers its solutions through a combination of its proprietary ReachLocal Platform and direct sales force of Internet marketing consultants, as well as through select third-party agencies and resellers. ReachLocal, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Woodland Hills, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jeremy Bowman]

    What: Shares of ReachLocal (NASDAQ: RLOC  ) were moving the wrong way today, falling as much as 19% after providing disappointing guidance in its quarterly report.

Thursday, May 14, 2015

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Buy Right Now: ATA Inc.(ATAI)

ATA Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides computer-based testing services in the People?s Republic of China. It offers services for the creation and delivery of computer-based tests utilizing its test delivery platform, proprietary testing technologies, and testing services; and provides logistical support services relating to test administration. The company?s computer-based testing services are used for professional licensure and certification tests in various industries, including information technology (IT) services, banking, securities, teaching, and insurance. Its e-testing platform integrates various aspects of the test delivery process for computer-based tests ranging from test form compilation to test scoring, and results analysis. ATA also provides career-oriented educational services, such as single course programs, degree major course programs, and pre-occupational training programs focusing on preparing students to pass IT and other vocational certification tests; test preparation and training programs and services to test candidates preparing to take professional certification tests in securities, futures, banking, insurance and teaching industries; online test preparation and training platform for the securities and banking industries; and test preparation software for the teaching industry. In addition, the company offers HR select employee assessment solution, an online system that utilizes its proprietary software and an inventory of test titles to help employers improve the efficiency and accuracy of their employee recruitment process. As of March 31, 2010, it had contractual relationships with 1,988 ATA authorized test centers. The company serves Chinese governmental agencies, professional associations, IT vendors, and Chinese educational institutions, as well as individual test preparation services. ATA Inc. was founded in ! 1999 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

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

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Industrials stocks gained Friday, with ATA (NASDAQ: ATAI) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG), with shares up 22 percent, and Korn/Ferry International (KFY), with shares up 12 percent. In trading on Friday, basic materials shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.36 percent.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Industrials stocks gained Friday, with ATA (NASDAQ: ATAI) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included Plug Power (NASDAQ: PLUG), with shares up 22 percent, and Korn/Ferry International (KFY), with shares up 12 percent. In trading on Friday, basic materials shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.36 percent.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-small-cap-stocks-to-buy-right-now-5.html

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Advisors Overwhelmed by Product Pitches: Study

Advisors will probably say they don't need a study to tell them they're barraged by product pitches; for manufacturers, however, the results could be eye-opening.

The typical advisor receives 50 to 100 different marketing and sales contacts a week in various formats, according to a new report from the Boston-based research and consulting firm Practical Perspectives.

Additionally, the report, “Communicating with Financial Advisors–Insights and Opportunities 2013,” found roughly one in three advisors indicate they actually receive significantly more communications.

“Many advisors find the volume of marketing and sales contact to be overwhelming and are challenged to devote time to reflect on these outreach efforts,” the report says. “Consequently, a large portion of the messaging is given cursory attention or ignored, especially from firms that advisors are not currently engaged with.”

Best Promising Stocks To Invest In 2016

Howard Schneider, Practical Perspectives’ president and author of the report, says advisors see benefit in the marketing and sales outreach they receive from product providers and other sources, but most don’t have the time to digest the messages given other day-to-day priorities.

“Providers are spending countless resources on outreach each year to build awareness, loyalty and sales,” Schneider says. “Many advisors indicate these contacts do influence key factors such as their willingness to consider a particular provider or their loyalty to a provider. The struggle for firms is to use best practices to gain advisors' attention in a highly cluttered environment with so many firms competing for the chance to connect.”

Additional findings of the report include:

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Check out 3 Steps to Reaching Prospects Online on ThinkAdvisor.

Sunday, May 10, 2015

5 Best High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015

5 Best High Dividend Stocks To Invest In 2015: Saratoga Investment Corp(SAR)

Saratoga Investment Corp. is a business development company specializing in buyout, acquisition, growth, recapitalization, and note financing transactions of private middle market companies. It structures its investments as debt and equity by investing through first and second lien loans, mezzanine debt, select high yield bonds, senior secured bonds, unsecured bonds, and preferred and common equity. It seeks to invest in the United States. The firm primarily invests in companies having EBITDA between $5 million and $50 million. It invests through direct lending as well as participation in loan syndicates. The firm was formerly known as GSC Investment Corp. Saratoga Investment Corp. is based in New York, New York with an additional office in Florham Park, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Monday

    Earnings Releases Expected:  Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C), Saratoga Investment Corp. (NYSE: SAR), Bank of the Ozarks (NASDAQ: OZRK) Economic Releases Expected: Japanese industrial production, eurozone industrial production

    Tuesday

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/5-best-high-dividend-stocks-to-invest-in-2015.html

Thursday, May 7, 2015

The Heavy Price of Stockpicking

The tab for speculating in the stock market is about 4% a year, according to the calculation of one influential wealth manager. That’s a harsh penalty to pay when the S&P 500’s average annual result over the past 15 years is barely above that amount, at 4.28%.

Eric NelsonEric Nelson of Servo Wealth Management goes through the grim numbers in his July newsletter to clients.

The Oklahoma City-based registered investment advisor and Dimensional Fund Advisors loyalist starts his analysis at the professional money manager level, arguing that their performance as measured against indexes shows they lack market-beating skill.

Unlike top athletes or surgeons who demonstrate superior abilities, Nelson’s scorecard reveals that just 20% of fund managers beat their index from 2008 to 2012 and that the number who did so in most categories closely matched the number of mutual funds that were outright closed “due to horrendous underperformance.”

For example, 24.6% of active large-cap funds beat their index during that period, while 27.7% of active large-cap funds were shut down. The category that exhibited the least correspondence was not to the credit of professional managers: Just 9.6% of active short-term bond funds beat their index—far less than the 21.7% of such funds that closed during that period.

Nelson attributes manager selection to a Lake Wobegon mentality that assumes their manager is better than average. Yet he argues that people select their better-than-average managers based on past performance that doesn't persist.

Nelson cites data from Standard & Poor's showing the performance of the top managers from 2003 to 2007 in the subsequent five-year period from 2008 to 2012. Just 24.1% of top quartile managers remained in the top quartile, whereas 19.3% fell to the second quartile, 20.3% to the third quartile and 23.1 dropped to the last quartile; the missing 13.3% lost their jobs as their funds were shut down.

The wealth manager concludes: “So even when narrowing the search for a professional active manager to only those who have previously produced the best results, we still find the chance of future index-beating returns is no better than choosing at random (by chance, we’d expect to have 1/4 odds of landing in each of the four quartiles, and a bit less when we consider the odds of disappearing completely).”

Nelson notes there are actually greater odds (nearly 37%) of a top fund falling to the bottom quartile or disappearing than remaining in the top quartile (24%).

The professional advisor emphasizes that this poor performance emanates from people with chartered financial analyst (CFA) designation and Ivy League MBAs.

“If they can’t get it right," he asks, "what is the chance that a do-it-yourself investor running a Charles Schwab or Morningstar stock screener for a few hours in the evening or on the weekends will perform better?”

Drilling down further, Nelson next takes a page out of John Bogle’s book, literally, and considers both the underperformance of active managers and bad investor behavior.

Bogle’s The Clash of the Cultures shows that large-cap funds returned 4.1% to investors from 1997 to 2011, compared with 5.4% for their S&P 500 benchmark. While the numbers are both small, Nelson points out that that means 37% less wealth over 15 years for active fund investors, and 72% less wealth over the same time period compared to the wealth managers’ clients invested in his favorite DFA US Large Value Fund (DFLVX).

“But even this dismal result is too generous,” Nelson says, since naughty investors typically dump poor-performing funds for those with recent good performance, which subsequently perform poorly, which “amplifies the return deficit.”

Citing Bogle again, Nelson shows that investor returns trail fund returns by nearly 2% on average.

“So between poor professional management and bad investor behavior, the total cost speculators pay is almost 4% per year!” Nelson says in summary, calling on investors to save their wealth through the discipline of a fee-only investment advisor.

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Check out Your Move, Bogleheads: Advisor Finds DFA’s Returns Trump Vanguard’s.

Monday, May 4, 2015

Hot Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In 2015

Hot Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In 2015: (FSM)

Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. engages in the mining and production silver and base metal in Latin America. Its primary assets consist of the Caylloma zinc/lead/silver mine, which is located to the northwest of Arequipa, Peru; and the San Jose silver/gold project that is located south of the city of Oaxaca, Mexico. The company was formerly known as Fortuna Ventures Inc. and changed its name to Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. in June 2005. Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. The company was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Lima, Peru.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Zacks]

    Some better-ranked stocks in the Basic materials sector include Endeavour Silver Corp. (NYSE: EXK), Fortuna Silver Mines Inc. (NYSE: FSM) and MAG Silver Corp. (AMEX:MVG). All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/hot-warren-buffett-stocks-to-invest-in-2015-2.html

Saturday, May 2, 2015

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2015

Top 5 US Companies To Buy For 2015: US Airways Group Inc (LCC)

US Airways Group, Inc. (US Airways Group) is a holding company whose primary business activity is the operation of a network air carrier through its wholly owned subsidiaries, US Airways, Piedmont Airlines, Inc. (Piedmont), PSA Airlines, Inc. (PSA), Material Services Company, Inc. (MSC) and Airways Assurance Limited (AAL). MSC and AAL operate in support of the Company's airline subsidiaries in areas, such as the procurement of aviation fuel and insurance. It has hubs in Charlotte, Philadelphia and Phoenix and a focus city in Washington, D.C. at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (Washington National). During the year ended December 31, 2011, it offered scheduled passenger service on more than 3,100 flights daily to more than 200 communities in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and Central and South America. It also has an East Coast route network, including the US Airways Shuttle service.

The Company had approximatel y 53 million passengers boarding its mainline flights in 2011. During 2011, the Company's mainline operation provided scheduled service or seasonal service at 133 airports, while the US Airways Express network served 156 airports in the United States, Canada and Mexico, including 78 airports also served by its mainline operation. US Airways Express air carriers had approximately 28 million passengers boarding their planes in 2011. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated 340 mainline jets and was supported by its regional airline subsidiaries and affiliates operating as US Airways Express under capacity purchase agreements, which operated 233 regional jets and 50 turboprops. The Company's prorate carriers operated seven turboprops and seven regional jets at December 31, 2011.

In May 2011, US Airways Group and US Airways entered into an Amended and Restated! Mutual Asset Purchase and Sale Agreement (the Mutual APA) with Delta Air Lines, Inc. (Delta). Pur suant to the Mutual APA, Delta agreed to acquire 132 slot pa! irs at LaGuardia from US Airways and US Airways agreed to acquire from Delta 42 slot pairs at Washington National and the rights to operate additional daily service to Sao Paulo, Brazil. On December 13, 2011, the transaction contemplated by the Mutual APA closed and ownership of the respective slots was transferred between the airlines. During 2011, the US Airways Express network served 156 airports in the continental United States, Canada and Mexico, including 78 airports also served by its mainline operation. During 2011, approximately 28 million passengers boarded US Airways Express air carriers' planes, approximately 44% of whom connected to or from its mainline flights.

The Company competes with Southwest, JetBlue, Allegiant, Frontier, Virgin America and Spirit.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

    US Airways is an airline that operates passenger and freight planes. The company and AMR Corp.'s American Airlines began trading as a merged entity when markets opened on Monday. The stock has exploded higher in 2013 and is currently trading near highs for the year. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been decreasing while revenues have been rising, which has left investors pleased. Relative to its peers and sector, US Airways has been an average year-to-date performer. Look for US Airways to OUTPERFORM.

  • [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

    US Airways is an airline that operates passenger and freight planes. Friday is the last day that shares of AMR Corp. and US Airways will trade separately before the newly merged airline, American Airlines Group, will begin trading on the Nasdaq under the ticker AAL on Monday. The stock has exploded higher in 2013, but is currently pulling back. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been decreasing while revenues have been rising, whi! ch has pr! oduced optimistic investors. Relative to its peers and sector, US Airways has been an average year-to-date performer. Look for US Airways to OUTPERFORM.

  • [By Jonathan Yates]

    Stock prices for United Continental (NYSE: UAL), US Airways Group (NYSE: LCC), and Delta Airlines (NYSE: DAL) have soared for 2013.

    Pretty remarkable, when you consider the level of debt each of these companies is carrying. When the market turns, as it always does, the heavy leverage will be a tremendous burden on the ability of all of these airlines to compete and survive.

  • [By Paul Quintaro]

    Shares of Delta Air (NYSE: DAL) are down 3.6 percent at last check, shares of United Continental (NYSE: UAL) are down 3.8 percent, US Air (NYSE: LCC) shares down 2.8 percent, shares of Southwest (NYSE: LUV) down 2 percent, JetBlue (NASDAQ: JBLU) shares down 2 percent and shares of SkyWest (NASDAQ: SKYW) down nearly 4 percent.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-us-companies-to-buy-for-2015-3.html