Top Stocks To Buy 2018: December 2013

Sunday, December 29, 2013

Hot Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014

We'd all like to invest like the legendary Warren Buffett, turning thousands into millions or more. Buffett analyzes companies by calculating return on invested capital, or ROIC, to help determine whether a company has an economic moat -- the ability to earn returns on its money above that money's cost.

In this series, we examine several companies in a single industry to determine their ROIC. Let's take a look at Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT ) and three of its industry peers, to see how efficiently they use cash.

Of course, it's not the only metric in value investing, but ROIC may be the most important one. By determining a company's ROIC, you can see how well it's using the cash you entrust to it and whether it's actually creating value for you. Simply put, it divides a company's operating profit by how much investment it took to get that profit. The formula is:

ROIC = net operating profit after taxes / Invested capital

(Get further detail on the nuances of the formula.)

Hot Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: Conceptus Inc.(CPTS)

Conceptus, Inc. designs, develops, and markets minimally invasive devices for reproductive medical applications primarily in the United States, France, and rest of Europe. It primarily provides Essure, a permanent birth control system that delivers an insert into a woman?s fallopian tubes. The company sells its products through direct sales personnel and distributors primarily to physicians and hospitals. Conceptus, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Hot Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: Repligen Corporation(RGEN)

Repligen Corporation engages in the manufacture and supply of biologic products used to manufacture biologic drugs. The company offers commercial bioprocessing products based on protein A and IFG-1 growth factors; and pre-packed chromatography columns under the Opus brand, which are used in the production of monoclonal antibodies and other biopharmaceutical products. It also develops SecreFlo, a synthetic human hormone that has completed a Phase III clinical trial and is to be used in combination with magnetic resonance imaging to improve the detection of pancreatic abnormalities in patients with pancreatitis; RG3039, which is in Phase I study for the treatment of patients with spinal muscular atrophy; and RG2833, a class I histone deacetylase inhibitor that is in Phase I study for the treatment of patients with Friedreich?s ataxia. In addition, the company licenses its biologics intellectual property to Bristol-Myers Squibb Company. Repligen Corporation sells its bioproc essing products to life science companies, diagnostics companies, biopharmaceutical companies, and laboratory researchers through its direct sales force, partners, and distributors in certain foreign markets. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Maxx Chatsko]
Any company that creates products and relies on other companies to use and distribute them will inevitably forge strong relationships with its customers. It's an important thing to look into when investing, yet easy to overlook. Investors should know whether customers are reliable, which are leaned on the most, and if the company they own is too dependent on any customer (or a select few). Bioprocessing product company Repligen (NASDAQ: RGEN ) may make consumables that are the lifeline of the biotech industry, but its customer relationships are absolutely critical for smooth operations. Let's look at how the company interacts with the Life Sciences division of General Electric (NYSE: GE ) , EMD Millipore from Merck (NYSE: MRK ) , and Sigma-Aldrich (NASDAQ: SIAL ) -- the three most important customers.
[By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, small-cap biotech Repligen (NASDAQ: RGEN ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
[By CRWE]
Repligen Corporation (NASDAQ:RGEN) reported that Walter C. Herlihy, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, will be presenting at the upcoming Stifel Nicolaus Healthcare Conference in Boston.

Best Energy Companies To Own In Right Now: GeoEye Inc.(GEOY)

GeoEye, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides earth imagery and imagery information products, as well as image processing services to the United States and foreign government defense and intelligence organizations, domestic federal and foreign civil agencies, and commercial customers. It owns and operates two earth-imaging satellites, which include GeoEye-1 and IKONOS; and three airplanes with high-resolution imagery collection capabilities. The company?s satellite imagery products include Geo, GeoProfessional, and GeoStereo that provide the customers with time-critical visual imagery, data, and information. Its aerial imaging products consist of digital aerial imaging and light detection and ranging imaging (LiDAR). The company?s production services range from the generation of precision imagery products to the extraction of site-specific features for the company?s customer?s database development. These production services include Georectification, Tonal Correcti on, Image Mosaicing, and Orthorectification; and LiDAR elevation data, maps, topographic maps, digital orthophoto imagery, remote sensing services, and survey and inventory services, as well as geospatial information system, consulting, and implementation. The company serves customers in online mapping, geospatial information system, precision mapping, infrastructure, oil and gas, environmental monitoring, agriculture, mining, utilities, and transportation markets. It sells its products through direct and indirect sales channels, resellers, direct salespeople, strategic partners, and customer service and production services personnel. GeoEye, Inc. is based in Herndon, Virginia.

Hot Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: Ubiquitech Software Corp (UBQU)

Ubiquitech Software Corporation, incorporated on January 11, 2007, is focused on the proposed business encompassing two business units or divisions, including an esoteric clinical laboratory and a research and development facility attached to the esoteric clinical laboratory. Until June 2009, the Company�� business was to develop and market specialized computer software to help manage electronically stored data through the Company�� wholly owned subsidiary companies, Datamatrix Software Corporation and Enterpriseware Software Corporation.

The Company had designed and planned to develop a software application for health care businesses known as Ubiquitech Enterprise Storage Manager (UESM). UESM was designed to provide computer data storage technicians with reporting and system problem notification. As of August 31, 2009, the Company had not generated any revenues.

Hot Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: EXILLON ENERGY PLC ORD USD0.0000125(EXI.L)

Exillon Energy plc, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an independent oil producer. The company engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas in the Commonwealth of Independent States region. It extracts and sells crude oil in the Timan-Pechora basin in the Komi Republic region and in the Western Siberian basin in the Khanty-Mansiysk region in the Russian Federation. Exillon Energy plc also engages in oil trading activities in Moscow in the Russian Federation. The company was formerly known as Caspian Minerals plc and changed its name to Exillon Energy plc in August 2009. The company is based in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Hot Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: MetroPCS Communications Inc.(PCS)

MetroPCS Communications, Inc., a wireless telecommunications carrier, together with its subsidiaries, provides wireless broadband mobile services in the United States. Its services include voice services, such as local, domestic long distance, and international call services; and data services, including domestic and international text messaging, multimedia messaging, mobile Internet access, mobile instant messaging, location based services, social networking services, push e-mail, and multimedia streaming and downloads, as well as services provided through the binary runtime environment for wireless (BREW), Blackberry, Windows, and the Android platforms, including ringtones, ring back tones, games, and content applications. The company also offers custom calling features consisting of caller ID, call waiting, three-way calling, and voicemail services. In addition, it sells mobile handsets. The company offers its products and services under the MetroPCS brand name, directl y through the company-operated retail stores and indirectly through independent retail outlets, as well as through Internet. As of December 31, 2010, it served approximately 8.1 million subscribers, as well as operated 159 retail stores primarily in the metropolitan areas of Atlanta, Boston, Dallas/Fort Worth, Detroit, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Miami, New York, Orlando/Jacksonville, Philadelphia, Sacramento, San Francisco, and Tampa/Sarasota. The company is headquartered in Richardson, Texas.

Hot Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: Jinpan International Limited(JST)

Jinpan International Limited engages in the design and manufacture of cast resin transformers for voltage distribution equipment. Its cast resin transformers allow high voltage transmissions of electricity to be distributed to various locations in lower, more usable voltages. The company provides medium voltage cast resin transformers for various end uses and applications, including industrial, infrastructure, and municipal projects, such as factories, real estate developments, airports, and subway systems. It also offers switchgears, which enable operators of a power distribution network to switch equipment in and out of the network; line reactors that limit current, filter waveforms, and attenuate electrical noise and harmonics associated with the inverter and driver output of wind powered turbines; and unit substations, which are integrated assemblies comprising high voltage switchgear, a transformer, a low voltage switchgear, a power meter, and a power factor compensat ion device interconnected with cables or buss bars. The company?s unit substations function as miniature power distribution stations and are used in applications related to the construction and maintenance of city power networks. Jinpan International sells its products in the People?s Republic of China, the United States, and Europe. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Haikou, the People's Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By CRWE]
Jinpan International Ltd (Nasdaq:JST), a leading designer, manufacturer, and distributor of cast resin dry type transformers, recently reported that its subsidiary Hainan Jinpan Electric Co. Ltd. successfully developed a 40,000KVA / 35KV cast resin dry type power transformer. The Company has shipped the transformer to the customer’s site in China’s Anhui province for installation in a transformer substation that will deliver power to gas liquification systems.

Hot Warren Buffett Companies To Watch For 2014: Market Leader Inc(LEDR)

Market Leader, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides software-as-a-service-based business and marketing solutions for real estate professionals primarily in the United States and Canada. It offers real estate agents and brokerage companies with software-as-a-service based products, as well as online lead-generation, online prospect management, online real estate portal content and advertising, and customer coaching and training solutions. The company also offers consumers with free access to the information and tools they need throughout the home buying and selling process through its national consumer real estate sites. Its consumer Web sites include: JustListed.com, a service that notifies home buyers as soon as new homes hit the market; HouseValues.com, a service, which provides home sellers with market valuations of their current homes; and HomePages.com, a real estate portal that enables consumers to see the home listings in their area, view detailed neighbor hood and school data, compare recent home sales, find local real estate agents, and find the value of their own homes. In addition, the company offers Growth Leader, a Website and customer relationship management tool for real estate agents; RealtyGenerator, a lead-generation and lead management system for real estate brokerage offices; and ActiveRain.com that provides professional networking, referral, recruitment, content syndication, and online marketing services for professionals in real estate and related businesses. Market Leader, Inc. markets its products to individual agents and brokerage offices directly, as well as through marketing partnerships with real estate franchise networks. The company was formerly known as Housevalues, Inc. and changed its name to Market Leader, Inc. in November 2008. Market Leader, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Kirkland, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Michael Lewis]
For a bit of context, competitor Trulia (NYSE: TRLA ) is in negotiations to buy Market Leader (NASDAQ: LEDR ) for $355�million. Market Leader is a smaller (and growing) business that's similar to both Zillow and Trulia. Since Market Leader is still earnings negative, we can't compare it on a P/FCF basis, but we can look at other metrics. For one, Market Leader trades at a still-ridiculous-but-slightly less-so 57.2 times forward earnings. It trades at 6.4 times last year's sales. Zillow trades at 16.4 times last year's sales. Management expects sales to hit (on the high end) $182 million -- that implies a price of 10.55 times forward sales. If they double a year or two after, which would be unbelievably phenomenal, it would trade at 5.3 times sales.

Officials: 476,000 Obamacare applications filed

WASHINGTON (AP) — Administration officials say about 476,000 health insurance applications have been filed through federal and state exchanges, the most detailed measure yet of the problem-plagued rollout of President Obama's signature legislation.

However, the officials continue to refuse to say how many people have actually enrolled in the insurance markets. Without enrollment figures, it's unclear whether the program is on track to reach the 7 million people projecting by the Congressional Budget Office to gain coverage during the six-month sign-up period.

Obama's advisers say the president has been frustrated by the flawed rollout. During one of his daily health care briefings last week, he told advisers assembled in the Oval Office that the administration had to own up to the fact that there were no excuses for not having the website ready to operate as promised.

The president is expected to address the problems on Monday during a health care event at the White House. Cabinet members and other top administration officials will also be traveling around the country in the coming weeks to encourage sign-ups in areas with the highest population of uninsured people.

The first three weeks of sign-ups have been marred by a cascade of computer problems, which the administration says it is working around the clock to correct. The rough rollout has been a glaring embarrassment for Obama, who invested significant time and political capital in getting the law passed during his first term.

The officials said technology experts from inside and outside the government are set to work on the glitches, though they did not say how many workers were being added.

Officials did say staffing has been increased at call centers by about 50 percent. As problems persist on the federally run website, the administration is encouraging more people to sign up for insurance over the phone.

The officials did not want to be cited by name and would not discuss the health insurance rollout w! ith the Associated Press unless they were granted anonymity.

Despite the widespread problems, the Obama administration has yet to fully explain what went wrong with the online system consumers were supposed to use to sign up for coverage.

Initially, administration officials blamed a high volume of interest for the frozen screens that many people encountered. Since then, the administration has also acknowledged unspecified problems with software and some elements of the system's design.

Interest in the insurance markets appears to continue to be high. Officials said about 19 million people had visited HealthCare.gov as of Friday night.

Of the 476,000 applications that have been started, just over half have been from the 36 states where the federal government is taking the lead in running the markets. The rest of the applications have come from the 14 states running their own markets, along with Washington, D.C.

The White House says it plans to release the first enrollment totals from both the federal and state-run markets in mid-November.

An internal memo obtained by the AP showed that the administration projected nearly a half-million people would enroll for the insurance markets during the first month.

Officials say they expect enrollments to be heavier toward the end of the six-month sign-up window.

In an ironic twist, the problems with the rollout were overshadowed by Republican efforts to get changes to the health care law in exchange for funding the government. That effort failed and the government reopened last week with the "Obamacare" law intact.

Stung by that defeat, some Republicans are now calling for the resignation of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius. The White House says it has complete confidence in her.

House Republicans have scheduled a hearing next week to look into the rollout problems. White House allies say they're confident the problems are being addressed.

"There's no question the marketplace we! bsite nee! ds some improvement," said Sen. Max Baucus, D-Mont., one of the architects of the law. "The administration needs to fix the computer bugs and I'm confident that they're working around the clock to fix the problems."

---

Associated Press writer Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar contributed to this report.

Saturday, December 28, 2013

2015 Cadillac Escalade reaches higher

The once-unthinkable big Cadillac SUV has become indispensable.

Caddy unveils the 2015 Escalade in New York this evening, promising that it'll be in showrooms the first half next year. The General Motors luxury brand isn't providing price or fuel-economy information yet.

Escalade's spring launch gives GM's mechanically similar mainstream models, Chevrolet Tahoe and Suburban and GMC Yukon and Denali SUVs, a few months head start in the market. It's considered unlikely those would swipe any Escalade sales.

The styling is supposed to convey a bold, premium vehicle that's highly advanced even though its chassis is derived from GM's redesigned, 2014 full-size pickup trucks.

That body-on-frame construction -- instead of the more common, car-like unibody used by crossover SUVs -- remains common among big SUVs, though nearly is extinct among midsize and smaller models.

The interior, leathered and high-teched, is supposed to underline the first impression the outside conveys.

Cadillac says the 2015 provides more leg and head room than the predecessor. It will continue to be available in standard (think Tahoe) and long-wheelbase (think Suburban) sizes.

The brand points to the "new 6.2-liter V-8 engine that is more powerful and more efficient than previous models." It's rated 420 horsepower and 460 pounds-feet of torque, up nearly 5% in hp and 10% in torque.

Jack Nerad, executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book, says the new Escalade "leaves no doubt that the brand is staying on its course of providing a big, bold SUV to its luxury customers with no excuses. The vehicle is more powerful than ever, yet offers better fuel economy, and it is filled with electronic driver aids that sho! uld improve its already impressive safety record."

Escalade's important for its profits and its image. Big SUVs, because they're derived from pickups, cost less to build than other models but can be sold at high prices. Escalade's also an icon for some segments of pop culture, which helps steer the Cadillac brand away from the "fogey" label.

Mercedes-Benz models own 44.4% of luxury SUV sales this year, Autodata says. The two version of Escalade, standard size and long-wheelbase version called ESV, account for 12.3% of luxury SUV sales.

That there is an Escalade at all is remarkable.

In the 1990s, as the SUV craze was accelerating, the man then running GM's North American operations, dismissed the idea of a big Caddy SUV as out of character for the brand's refined image. "There'll never be" such a machine, Ron Zarella said then.

Asked later, after the first, 1999 Escalade was a reality, why the about-face, he was candid: "Frankly, there was just too much money on the table" that GM was missing by not having a big luxury SUV.

Now, Cadillac says, Escalade is "the brand's signature SUV."

And Zarella became another example of why, as the admonition goes, one should "never say never."

Expect Caddy to emphasize:

•The segment's only front-center side airbag. It's meant to protect the driver and front passenger from slamming into one another in a side crash. It's a way to provide more protection to the person furthest from the crash impact.

•Newly standard heated and cooled front seats and heating becoming standard on second-row bucket seats.

•Newly standard Magnetic Ride Control, a fast-reacting suspension system that helps tailor the chassis response to the road conditions and driving demands.

•Cut-and-sewn and wrapped interior trim, something that's all the rage among uplevel brands. The dashboard is covered with leather or fabric, instead of presenting a plastic finish made to look classy. The cut-sewn method has visible stitchin! g where p! ieces join at edges. That's supposed to be a mark of authentic luxury. Replica, faux stitched panels already are springing up in economy cars, though, so the feature's bona fides might not last long.

•CUE becomes standard. It's the electronic command center, using an 8-inch center screen. The screen features "capacitive touch technology" and recognizes gestures. That means you can tap and swipe across it as you would a smartphone, Kindle or iPad.

It can respond even before you touch the screen, using proximity sensors to "activate common options and controls as the user's hand approaches," Cadillac says.

Part of the setup that's handy but sometimes overlooked: All types of favorites can be stored on the same pushbuttons used for radio station presets. There are dozens of buttons, displayed a few at a time. Button 1 might be XM Satellite Radio's Deep Tracks channel, while button 2 might be the navigation route to an important but infrequent destination, button 3, your boss' work phone, and so forth.

Production of the 2015 Escalade begins next spring at Arlington, Texas, in the same factory that builds Tahoe, Suburban, Yukon and Denali. It will be available with rear-wheel or four-wheel drive.

In addition to the standard, full-size model, Escalade continues offering the Suburban-size ESV. It will have a 14-in. longer wheelbase and be about 20 inches longer overall that the full-size Escalade.

Thursday, December 26, 2013

Intel's Mobile Future Lies On a Rocky Bay Trail

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Last week, Intel (INTC), at its developer forum, launched its latest family of low-power systems-on-a-chip (SoC), codenamed "Bay Trail."

The chipsets are designed to shake up the status quo in the market place, and offer improved tablet performance and battery life, tablet/PC hybrids and other mobile devices. The SoC will be available for both consumers and businesses starting in the fourth quarter of this year. Hardware manufactures such as AAVA, Acer, ASUS, Dell (DELL), Lenovo and Toshiba have already signed up to come out products supporting the new chipsets.

I recently sat down with Hermann Eul, general manager of Intel's Mobile and Communications Group to discuss what Bay Trail means for Intel as it relates to the mobile devices market.

Chris Ciaccia: "What can consumers expect in terms of performance, battery life from Intel's Bay Trail, as opposed to something that's based off Arm Holdings (ARMH)?" Hermann Eul: "Users can expect really great performance. They can expect stunning visuals, they can expect a powerful imaging engine, and they can expect wonderful battery lifetime. We already are measuring beyond 10 hours of battery life time, and our custom systems. We believe this will go a little higher, as they are in the process of fine-tuning the systems coming to the market. To this, we believe this is a very, very balanced package going into the market, and it will deliver new experiences that have not been seen at that power envelope and battery lifetime before." Ciaccia: "In terms of new experiences, can you touch on what you think will happen?" Eul: "We look at this as the market is so quickly changing. It is about us providing a platform, a powerful platform. We put a lot of work behind it, in case of our API's (Application Programming Interfaces) that we do. We put a lot of work behind it in terms of the optimization we do for any of the different operating systems that runs on this. We believe, deeply believe, that a lot of innovation will come out of this ecosystem, that then goes after it, and builds the application and comes up with new ideas that have not been possible before. This is what we want to do, lay the ground for, pave the road, that now this ecosystem can pick this performance up, and translate this into the next step that you might not have thought a year ago."

Ciaccia: "Will pricing for the chips be competitive with what's already in the market, or can Intel either undercut or charge a premium?"

Eul: "We believe the Bay Trail system, depending on how our customers position, depending on what components and what kind of quality they put behind that, we believe that we can bring this down to system price points of $199."

Ciaccia: "As far as I'm concerned, the big push is not to rely on just Windows-based machines, but also Google's (GOOG) Android-based OEM's. How important is expanding multiple OS's (operating systems) to Intel's mobile future?"

Eul: "We have a tradition of being agnostic towards operating systems, actually so to speak, forever. There has been a predominant operating system, but in the server space, it was always Windows, it was always Linux. We have a long tradition of this. Now, there's Chromebooks out, there's Windows books out. We're doing the same in the tablet space as well. We respond to what the market needs, what our customers ask us for, and we support that." Ciaccia: "64-bit chips will start to come at the beginning of next year. Is that process being sped up with Brian [Krzanich] coming on as the new CEO, or was that always the case?" Eul: "The 64-bit capability is deeply embedded into the architecture. The Silvermont architecture is 64-bit architecture. That has been developed for years. We anticipate that the market is going to ask for this. We deeply believe that this will also be big for enterprises. Enterprise systems, 64-bit will come sooner or later. 64-bit allows IT officers to manage their PC clients, their desktops, and their laptops all out of one hand. They can use all the technology that we bring, in terms of platform security, everything goes into this. As always, we believe that the ecosystem will look for 64-bit, and a must for us to do, and the market will adopt to it."

Ciaccia: "You touched on battery life earlier. When do you think we start to see battery life on phones and tablets not be a concern anymore, where you can go an exceptionally long period of time without charging?"

Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now

Eul: "We can go already in a way without charging, an exceptionally long time, sometimes as long as three weeks."

Ciaccia: "In terms of actual usage."

Eul: "It depends on the user. As we drive forward Moore's Law, every generation has a lower power consumption. Of course, we expect the 14 nanometer generations will again deliver a big, big push forward in terms of either processing power, or usage time on the battery." --Written by Chris Ciaccia in New York >Contact by Email. Follow @Chris_Ciaccia

Monday, December 23, 2013

Will United Rentals Beat These Analyst Estimates?

United Rentals (NYSE: URI ) is expected to report Q2 earnings around July 16. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

The 10-second takeaway
Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict United Rentals's revenues will expand 23.3% and EPS will expand 57.6%.

The average estimate for revenue is $1.22 billion. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $1.04.

Revenue details
Last quarter, United Rentals notched revenue of $1.10 billion. GAAP reported sales were 68% higher than the prior-year quarter's $656.0 million.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
Last quarter, non-GAAP EPS came in at $0.58. GAAP EPS of $0.19 for Q1 were 12% higher than the prior-year quarter's $0.17 per share.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Recent performance
For the preceding quarter, gross margin was 35.0%, 250 basis points better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was 14.6%, 20 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was 1.9%, 10 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter.

Looking ahead

The full year's average estimate for revenue is $5.01 billion. The average EPS estimate is $4.66.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a three-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 208 members out of 226 rating the stock outperform, and 18 members rating it underperform. Among 75 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 72 give United Rentals a green thumbs-up, and three give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on United Rentals is outperform, with an average price target of $63.58.

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Add United Rentals to My Watchlist.

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014

JC Penney’s (JCP) shares have dropped today, though the selling pressure is nothing compared to what it has been recently. In fact, this feels more like a drift than anyone really placing big bets one way or the other.

Bloomberg

Bloomberg assesses the challenges facing the struggling retailer:

Now that�J.C. Penney Co.�Chief Executive Officer�Mike Ullman�has slowed the sales decline and amassed enough cash to fund two years of operations, he faces his biggest challenge since returning as CEO: a holiday season marked by price wars and penny-pinching consumers.

Analysts predict that U.S. retailers will discount heavily as they compete for shoppers concerned by joblessness and budget battles in Washington. While J.C. Penney has shored up its operations and finances, Macy�� Inc. (M) and�Kohl�� Corp. (KSS) can better afford to cut prices to drive traffic. If Ullman is forced to join the price war, he risks hurting profitability and burning cash at a faster than projected rate.

Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: Wonder Auto Technology Inc.(WATG)

Wonder Auto Technology, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of electrical parts, suspension products, and engine components. It offers starters, alternators, engine valves, and tappets in the People?s Republic of China, South Korea, and Brazil, as well as airbags and seatbelts in People?s Republic of China. The company?s products are primarily used in a range of passenger and commercial automobiles. It also manufactures and sells rectifier and regulator products for use in alternators; and various rods and shafts for use in shock absorbers, alternators, and starters. Its customers include automakers, engine manufacturers, and auto parts suppliers. Wonder Auto Technology, Inc. is headquartered in Jinzhou City, the People?s Republic of China.

Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: BioLase Technology Inc.(BLTI)

BIOLASE Technology, Inc., a medical technology company, develops, manufactures, and markets lasers and related products focused on technologies for improved applications and procedures in dentistry and medicine. Its principal products provide dental laser systems that allow general dentists, periodontists, endodontists, oral surgeons, and other specialists to perform a range of dental procedures, including cosmetic and complex surgical applications. The company offers two categories of laser system products comprising Waterlase systems and Diode systems. The Waterlase systems use a combination of water and laser to perform dental procedures primarily cutting soft and hard tissue plus bone. Its Waterlase systems include the Waterlase iPlus, the Waterlase MD Turbo, and the Waterlase C100 All-Tissue Dental Laser System. The Diode systems consists of the ezlasetm and iLase, semiconductor diode lasers to perform soft tissue, hygiene, and cosmetic procedures, including teeth whi tening and pain relief. The company also provides medical systems, such as the Diolase 10 diode laser for dental and medical pain relief applications, as well as disposable products and related accessories for its laser systems. In addition, it offers dental imaging equipment. BIOLASE Technology, Inc. sells its products through direct sales force and a network of independent distributors in the United States and internationally. The company was formerly known as Societe Endo Technic, SA and changed its name to BIOLASE Technology, Inc. in 1994. BIOLASE Technology, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Irvine, California.

5 Best Growth Stocks To Buy For 2014: Kulicke and Soffa Industries Inc.(KLIC)

Kulicke and Soffa Industries, Inc. designs, manufactures, and sells capital equipment and expendable tools used to assemble semiconductor devices, including integrated circuits, high and low powered discrete devices, light-emitting diodes, and power modules. It also services, maintains, repairs, and upgrades its equipment. The company operates in two segments, Equipment and Expendable Tools. The Equipment segment manufactures and sells a line of ball bonders, heavy wire wedge bonders, stud bumpers, and die bonders. Its Ball bonders are used to connect very fine wires, primarily made of gold or copper, between the bond pads of the semiconductor device or die, and the leads on its package; Heavy wire wedge bonders are used in the power semiconductor and automotive power module markets; and Die bonders are used to attach a die to the substrate or lead frame, which will house the semiconductor device. This segment?s Stud bumpers mechanically apply bumps to die, while still in the wafer format, for some variants of the flip chip assembly process. The Expendable Tools segment manufactures and sells various expendable tools for a range of semiconductor packaging applications. Its products include capillaries, bonding wedges, and saw blades. The company?s customers primarily comprise semiconductor device manufacturers, outsourced semiconductor assembly and test providers, other electronics manufacturers, and automotive electronics suppliers in the United States and the Asia/Pacific region. Kulicke and Soffa Industries sells its products through manufacturers? representatives and distributors. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Singapore.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, chip equipment maker Kulicke and Soffa Industries (NASDAQ: KLIC ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: Servotronics Inc.(SVT)

Servotronics, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of technology and consumer products primarily in the United States. It operates in two segments, Advanced Technology Group (ATG) and Consumer Products Group (CPG). The ATG segment designs, manufactures, and markets various servo-control components that convert an electrical current into a mechanical force or movement, and other related products. Its servo-control components include torque motors, electromagnetic actuators, hydraulic valves, pneumatic valves, and similar devices that are principally sold to commercial aerospace, missile, aircraft, government related, medical, and industrial markets. This segment also produces metallic seals in various cross-sectional configurations that are used to fit between two metal surfaces to produce a secure and leak-proof joint. The ATG segment markets its products primarily through its professional staff to the United States Govern ment, government prime contractors, government subcontractors, commercial manufacturers, and end users. The CPG segment designs, manufactures, and sells various cutlery products, including steak, carving, bread, butcher, and paring knives for household use and for use in restaurants, institutions, and private industry; pocket and other types of knives for use in hunting, fishing, and camping; and machetes, bayonets, and other types of knives for military use. This segment also produces and markets other cutlery items, such as specialty tools, putty knives, linoleum sheet cutters, field knives, and other edged products. The CPG segment markets its products through sales personnel and independent manufacturers? representatives to hardware, supermarket, variety, department, discount, gift, and drug stores, as well as to various branches of the United States Government primarily under the ?Old Hickory? and ?Queen? brand names. Servotronics, Inc. was founded in 1959 and is based in Elma, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Sarah Jones]
Societe Generale SA, Barclays Plc and Deutsche Bank AG led a selloff in banks, with each falling more than 2 percent. Severn Trent Plc (SVT) sank the most since October 2006 after a consortium of investors dropped their bid for the water utility. Kabel Deutschland Holding AG jumped 8.2 percent after Vodafone Group Plc confirmed it approached the company about a takeover.

Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: Coffee Holding Co. Inc.(JVA)

Coffee Holding Co., Inc. engages in manufacturing, roasting, packaging, marketing, and distributing roasted and blended coffees in the United States and Canada. The company offers three categories of products: wholesale green coffee, private label coffee, and branded coffee. The wholesale green coffee product category consists of unroasted raw beans imported from worldwide that are sold to roasters and coffee shop operators in approximately 90 varieties. The private label coffee product category includes coffee roasted, blended, packaged, and sold under the specifications and names of others. As of October 31, 2010, the company supplied private label coffee under approximately 34 different labels to wholesalers and retailers in cans, brick packages, and instants in various sizes. The branded coffee product category comprises coffee roasted and blended to the company's own specifications and offered under its seven brand names in various segments of the market. The company also offers other products, including trial-sized mini-brick coffee packages; specialty instant coffees; instant cappuccinos and hot chocolates; and tea line products. Its coffee brands include Cafe Caribe, S&W, Cafe Supremo, Don Manuel, Fifth Avenue, Via Roma, IL CLASSICO, and Entenmann. Coffee Holding Co., Inc. markets its private label and wholesale coffee through trade shows, industry publications, face-to-face contacts, internal sales force, and non-exclusive independent food and beverage sales brokers, as well as through its Web site, coffeeholding.com. The company was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Staten Island, New York.

Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: Anthera Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ANTH)

Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a development stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing and commercializing therapeutics to treat diseases associated with inflammation, including cardiovascular and autoimmune diseases. Its primary product candidates include varespladib methyl (A-002), which has completed its Phase 2 clinical studies for the treatment of acute coronary syndrome; varespladib sodium (A-001) that is in a Phase 2 clinical study for the prevention of acute chest syndrome associated with sickle cell disease; and A-623, which has completed Phase 1 clinical studies for the treatment of B-cell mediated autoimmune diseases. The company has license agreements with Eli Lilly and Company, and Shionogi & Co., Ltd. to develop and commercialize secretory phospholipase A2 or sPLA2 inhibitors for the treatment of cardiovascular disease and other diseases; and Amgen Inc., to develop and commercialize A-623. Anthera Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Hayward, California.

Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: Investors Real Estate Trust(IRET)

Investors Real Estate Trust, a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in the ownership and operation of income-producing real estate properties in the United States. It owns multi-family residential properties and commercial office, medical, industrial, and retail properties located primarily in the upper midwest states of Minnesota and North Dakota. As of April 30, 2008, the company operated a real estate portfolio of 72 multi-family residential; 65 office; 48 medical; 17 industrial; and 33 retail properties. Investors Real Estate Trust has elected to be taxed as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. As a REIT, the trust is not subject to federal corporate income taxes, if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. The company was founded in 1970 and is headquartered in Minot, North Dakota with additional offices in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and Omaha, Nebraska; and Kansas City, Kansas, and St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Aaron Levitt]
Here are five of the best.
Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET)
Real estate investment trusts (REITs) have garnered much attention from investors seeking income in our low interest rate environment. Energy investors may want to hone in on them as well. Specifically, Investors Real Estate Trust (IRET).

Best Penny Stocks To Watch For 2014: National American University Holdings Inc.(NAUH)

National American University Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, Dlorah, Inc., engages in the ownership and operation of National American University that provides post-secondary education services primarily to working adults and other non-traditional students in the United States. It provides associate?s, bachelor?s, and master?s degrees programs in business-related disciplines, such as accounting, applied management, and business administration, as well as information technology; and healthcare-related disciplines, such as nursing and healthcare management. The company also offers diploma programs consisting of a series of courses focused on a particular area of study, for students who seek to enhance their skills and knowledge in the areas of healthcare coding, practical nursing, therapeutic massage, and veterinary assisting. National American University Holdings offers its courses through educational sites, as well as online. As of May 31, 2010, the company had enr olled approximately 3,565 students in online programs, 3,742 students on-campus, and 1,451 students in hybrid learning centers. In addition, it manages apartment units, as well as develops and sells multi family residential real estate in the Rapid City, South Dakota area. The company was founded in 1941 and is headquartered in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Top Biotech Stocks To Watch For 2014

Biotech stocks and especially anything related to cancer has been a hot sector this year with plenty of good news with small cap cancer stocks like Clovis Oncology Inc (NASDAQ: CLVS), Celldex Therapeutics, Inc.(NASDAQ: CLDX) and MetaStat Inc (OTCBB: MTST). also recently reporting their share of good news. I should point out that one reason biotech or rather cancer is a hot area right now is because�big pharma companies who are loosing their�patent protection are looking for acquisitions with cancer in particular being a hot area. In addition and�thanks to a series of breakthroughs that have helped researchers understand the genetic basis of the disease, more investment or R&D dollars are flowing into cancer therapies or small cap biotechs in the cancer space.�With that in mind, here is the latest news about cancer or the cancer stocks or drug companies involved with finding new cancer treatments:

Top Biotech Stocks To Watch For 2014: (DYMTF)

Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation engages in the development and commercialization of energy solutions for biomass-to-liquid fuel conversion based on its fast pyrolysis technology. The company?s fast pyrolysis technology uses biomass or biomass waste feedstock to produce BioOil as a fuel and char. BioOil is a renewable fuel, which could be replaced with natural gas, diesel, and other fossil fuels to produce power, mechanical energy, and heat in industrial boilers, fuel gas turbines, and fuel reciprocating engines. The company has a strategic alliance with Tecna S.A. of Argentina to develop commercial energy systems based on Dynamotive?s pyrolysis technology in Latin America and other markets on a non-exclusive basis. It has operations in Canada, the United States, Argentina, and the United Kingdom. The company was formerly known as Dynamotive Technologies Corporation and changed its name to Dynamotive Energy Systems Corporation in June 2001. The company was founded i n 1991 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada.

Top Biotech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Fuse Science Inc (DROP)

Fuse Science, Inc. ( Fuse Science), incorporated on September 21, 1988, is a consumer products holding company. The Company maintains the rights to sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactive agents that can effectively encapsulate and charge many varying molecules in order to produce complete product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or delivered otherwise sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The Fuse Science technology is designed to accelerate conveyance of medicines or nutrients relative to traditional pills and liquids and can enhance how consumers receive these products. In December 2012, the Company launched its initial DROP products, PowerFuse, an energy formulation in a concentrated drop and ElectroFuse, an electrolyte formula in a concentrated drop, online, with the expansion into targeted retail distribution channels.

The Company is developing formulations and devices, which are compatible with alternative delivery systems for energy, medicines, vitamins and minerals, among other bioactives. These alternative systems include, but are not limited to, sublingual, transdermal and buccal drug delivery methods. use Science has developed and continues to advance, in conjunction with its scientific team, sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactives that can effectively encapsulate and charge varying molecules in order to produce product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or otherwise delivered sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The delivery technology is consists of encapsulation vesicles and ion exchange permeation enhancers. This technology utilizes a gradient across the mucosa membrane to help deliver the bioactive more efficiently through the mucosa.

The Company�� products consist of EnerJel, PowerFuse and ElectroFuse. Ene! rJel is a topical product leveraging some of its technology, which is designed to address muscle fatigue and soreness, before, during and after physical activity. The product contains a natural anti-inflammatory and energy source which is directly applied to the problem area. PowerFuse contains natural ingredients, causes no sugar crash with zero calories and less than half the caffeine of an eight ounce cup of premium coffee. It is available in a great tasting Berry Blast Flavor. ElectroFuse contains natural ingredients, causes no sugar crash with zero calories, is easily portable and is available in a great tasting Salty-Sweet flavor.

10 Best High Tech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Dendreon Corporation(DNDN)

Dendreon Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics to enhance cancer treatment options for patients. The company offers active cellular immunotherapy and small molecule product candidates to treat various cancers. Its product candidates comprise Provenge (sipuleucel-T), an active cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer; DN24-02, an investigational active immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with bladder, breast, ovarian, and other solid tumors expressing HER2/neu; and TRPM8, a small molecule agonist to transient receptor potential ion channel, for multiple cancers. The company also has a range of products in preclinical studies, which include Carcinoembryonic antigen for the treatment of lung, colon, and breast cancer; and Carbonic AnhydraseIX for the treatment of kidney cancer. Dendreon Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in S eattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Paul Ausick]
Stocks on the move: Facebook Inc. (NASDAQ: FB) is up 5.2% at $40.63, a new 52-week high, on a positive note from analysts at J.P. Morgan. Dendreon Corp. (NASDAQ: DNDN) down 9.1% at $2.90 after posting a new 52-week low of $2.85.

Top Biotech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Neoprobe Corporation(NEOP)

Neoprobe Corporation, a biomedical company, engages in the development and commercialization of precision diagnostics that enhance patient care and improve patient benefit. The company is developing and commercializing targeted agents aimed at the identification of occult (undetected) disease. Neoprobe?s two lead radiopharmaceutical agent platforms, Lymphoseek and RIGScan are intended to help surgeons better identify and treat certain types of cancer. Lymphoseek is a diagnostic imaging agent intended for radiolabeling and administration in radiodetection and visualization of the lymphatic system draining the region of injection for delineation of the lymphatic tissue; and RIGScan is an intraoperative biologic targeting agent consisting of a radiolabeled murine monoclonal antibody. The company has a biopharmaceutical development and supply agreement with Laureate Biopharmaceutical Services, Inc. to support the initial evaluation of the viability of the CC49 master working c ell bank, as well as the initial steps in re-validating the commercial production process for the biologic agent used in RIGScan CR. The company was founded in 1983 and is based in Dublin, Ohio.

Top Biotech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Scancell Holdings PLC (SCLP)

Scancell Holdings PLC is a United Kingdom-based company. The Company�� principal activity of the consists of the discovery and development of monoclonal antibodies and vaccines for the treatment of cancer. In April 2012, the Company completed recruitment to the Phase 1 clinical trial of SCIBI. In May 2012, the Company commenced recruitment and treatment of the first patient in the second part of it Phase 1/2 clinical trial of SCIBI. The Phase 2 part of the trial is conducted in five United Kingdom centers in Nottingham, Manchester, Newcastle, Leeds, and Southampton. On August 15, 2012, the Company announced the development of a platform technology, Moditope.

Top Biotech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Celgene Corp (CELG)

Celgene Corporation is a global biopharmaceutical company primarily engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies designed to treat cancer and immune-inflammatory related diseases. The Company is engaged in the research and development, which is designed to bring new therapies to market, and is engaged in research in several scientific areas that may deliver therapies, focusing areas, such as intracellular signaling pathways in cancer and immune cells, immunomodulation in cancer and autoimmune diseases, and therapeutic application of cell therapies. The Company�� primary commercial stage products include REVLIMID, VIDAZA, THALOMID, ABRAXANE and ISTODAX. Additional sources of revenue include a licensing agreement with Novartis, which entitles it to royalties on FOCALIN XR and the entire RITALIN family of drugs, the sale of services through its Cellular Therapeutics subsidiary and other miscellaneous licensing agreements. In March 2012, it acquired Avila Therapeutics.

The Company invests in research and development, and the drug candidates in its pipeline at various stages of preclinical and clinical development. These candidates include pomalidomide and apremilast, its oral anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents, PDA-001, its cellular therapy, oral azacitidine, CC-223 and CC-115 for hematological and solid tumor malignancies, CC-122, its anti-cancer pleiotropic pathway modifier, and ACE-011 and ACE-536 biological products for anemia in several clinical settings of unmet need. Celgene product candidates include Pomalidomide (CC-4047), Oral Anti-Inflammatory: Apremilast (CC-10004), CC-11050, Kinase Inhibitors:Tanzisertib (CC-930), Cellular Therapies: PDA-001, Activin Biology: Sotatercept (ACE-011) ACE-536, and Anti-tumor Agents: CC-22, CC-115, CC-122 and Oral Azacitidine. It owns and operates a manufacturing facility in Zofingen, Switzerland. The Company also owns and operates a drug product manufacturing facility in Boudry, Switzerland.

Commercial! Stage Products

REVLIMID (lenalidomide) is an oral immunomodulatory drug marketed in the United States and many international markets, in combination with dexamethasone, for treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. It is also marketed in the United States and certain international markets for the treatment of transfusion-dependent anemia due to low- or intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) associated with a deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality with or without additional cytogenetic abnormalities. REVLIMID is distributed in the United States through contracted pharmacies under the RevAssist program, which is a risk-management distribution program. Internationally, REVLIMID is distributed under mandatory risk-management distribution programs.

REVLIMID continues to be evaluated in numerous clinical trials worldwide either alone or in combination with one or more other therapies in the treatment of a range of hematological malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MDS) various lymphomas, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) other cancers and other diseases. VIDAZA (azacitidine for injection) is a pyrimidine nucleoside. VIDAZA is a Category 1 recommended treatment for patients with intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS and is marketed in the United States for the treatment of all subtypes of MDS. In Europe, VIDAZA is marketed for the treatment of intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS, as well as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with 30% blasts and has been granted orphan drug designation for the treatment of MDS and AML.

THALOMID (thalidomide) is marketed for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and for the acute treatment of the cutaneous manifestations of moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) an inflammatory complication of leprosy and as maintenance therapy for prevention and suppression of the cutaneous manifestation of ENL recurrence. THALOMID is distributed in the United States under its System f! or Thalid! omide Education and Prescribing Safety (S.T.E.P.S.) program. Internationally, THALOMID is also distributed under mandatory risk-management distribution programs. ABRAXANE (paclitaxel albumin-bound particles for injectable suspension) is a solvent-free chemotherapy treatment option for metastatic breast cancer, which was developed using its nab technology platform. This protein-bound chemotherapy agent combines paclitaxel with albumin. As of December 31, 2011, ABRAXANE was in various stages of investigation for the treatment of expanded applications for metastatic breast; non-small cell lung; malignant melanoma; pancreatic; bladder and ovarian.

ISTODAX (romidepsin) has received orphan drug designation for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's T-cell lymphomas, which includes CTCL and PTCL. The Company has licensed the worldwide rights (excluding Canada) regarding certain chirally pure forms of methylphenidate for FOCALIN and FOCALIN XR to Novartis. It also licensed to Novartis the rights related to long-acting formulations of methylphenidate and dex-methylphenidate products which are used in FOCALIN XR and RITALIN LA.

Preclinical and Clinical-Stage Pipeline

The product candidates in the Company�� pipeline are at various stages of preclinical and clinical development. Pomalidomide is a small molecule that is orally available and modulates the immune system and other biologically important targets. Pomalidomide is being evaluated in a phase III clinical trial for the treatment of myelofibrosis and a phase III clinical trial evaluating pomalidomide as a treatment for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma is accruing patients.

The Company is developing a product, ORAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENTS, which is orally available small molecules that target PDE4, an intracellular enzyme that modulates the production of multiple pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, including interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-10, IL-12, IL-23, INF-gamma, TNF-a, leukotrienes,! and nitr! ic oxide synthase. Its investigational drug, apremilast (CC-10004), is used for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis and is being evaluated in a phase II trial for rheumatoid arthritis and six phase III multi-center international clinical trials. In addition, it is investigating its oral PDE4 inhibitor, CC-11050, which is an anti-inflammatory compound that treat a variety of chronic inflammatory conditions, such as Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE).

The Company�� oral kinase inhibitor platform includes inhibitors of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) mTOR kinase, spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) c-fms tyrosine kinase (c-FMS) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNAPK). Its oral Syk, c-FMS and DNAPK kinase inhibitors are being investigated in pre-clinical studies. The Company�� new second generation JNK inhibitor, tanzisertib (CC-930), is being evaluated in a phase II trial for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and a phase II trial for the treatment of discoid lupus is accruing patients. Amrubicin is a third-generation fully synthetic anthracycline molecule with potent topoisomerase II inhibition.

At Celgene Cellular Therapeutics (CCT), it is researching stem cells derived from the human placenta, as well as from the umbilical cord. CCT is the Company�� research and development division. Stem cell based therapies provide disease-modifying outcomes for serious diseases, which lack adequate therapy. It has developed technology for collecting, processing and storing placental stem cells with broad therapeutic applications in cancer, auto-immune diseases, including Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, neurological disorders, including stroke and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), graft-versus-host disease, and other immunological / anti-inflammatory, rheumatologic and bone disorders.

The Company has collaborated with Acceleron Pharma, Inc. (Acceleron) to develop sotatercept. Two phase I clinical studies have been co! mpleted. ! An additional phase II clinical study has been initiated and is ongoing related to treatments for end-stage renal anemia and to evaluate effects on red blood cell mass and plasma volume.

The Company competes with Abbott Laboratories, Amgen Inc. (Amgen), AstraZeneca PLC., Biogen Idec Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Eisai Co., Ltd., F. Hoffmann-LaRoche Ltd., Johnson and Johnson, Merck and Co., Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer, Sanofi and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Takeda).

Advisors' Opinion:

[By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]
Celgene provides products that are seeing increased demand from a growing customer base around that world. The company released a new arthritis drug and is expecting high sales from the treatment. The stock has been surging higher over the last couple of years and is currently trading near highs. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been decreasing while revenues have been rising, leaving investors with conflicting feelings. Relative to its peers and sector, Celgene has led its peers and sector in year-to-date performance by a wide margin. Look for Celgene to continue to OUTPERFORM.
[By John Udovich]
Cramer Talks Up Biotech and Cancer Biotech in Particular. For what his opinion might be worth, MSNBC�� Mad Money host Jim Cramer recently commented that the 25 best-performing small cap stocks this year are "almost entirely biotech." He went on to point out that Celldex Therapeutics has been "just incredible��and that other companies to watch include Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG), ImmunoGen, Inc (NASDAQ: IMGN) and Onyx Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: ONXX), which all have promising cancer products on the way. He also added that:�
[By Lauren Pollock]
OncoMed and Celgene Corp.(CELG) agreed to jointly develop and commercialize up to six potential anti-cancer stem cell treatments from OncoMed’s pipeline, providing OncoMed with an infusion of cash to study the treatments. OncoMed shares surged 68% to $23.48 premarket, while Celgene was inactive.

Top Biotech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Inergetics Inc (NRTI)

Inergetics, Inc., formerly Millennium Biotechnologies Group, Inc., incorporated on November 9, 2000, is a holding company for its sole operating subsidiary, Millennium Biotechnologies, Inc. (Millennium). The Company through its subsidiary Millennium, engages in the research, development, and marketing of specialized nutritional supplements as an adjunct to medical treatments for select medical conditions, as well as for athletes seeking improved recovery and advanced performance. The Company markets products, which are targeted toward immuno-compromised individuals undergoing medical treatment for diseases, such as cancer, as well as wound healing and post-surgical healing and geriatric patients in long-term care facilities among other conditions. In January 2013, the Company acquired Bikini Ready and SlimTrim brands from Whole Products Group.

The Company�� product portfolio include, Resurgex Select, Ready-To Drink Resurgex Essential and Ready-To-Drink Resurgex Essential Plus. Resurgex Select is a whole foods-based, calorically dense, high-protein powdered nutritional formula developed for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy or radiation treatments. Resurgex Essential and Resurgex Essential Plus represent Millennium�� Ready-to-Drink product line and are being sold into the Long-Term Care geriatric markets.

Resurgex Select

Resurgex Select is a whole foods-based nutritional product that is designed to be used throughout the course of cancer treatment (chemotherapy, radiation, etc.), as many times patients lose weight and cannot consume adequate nutrition. This product combines dietary fiber (3 g), low sugar (5 g), and high protein (15 g) with no added antioxidants to be a high-calorie (350 calorie) supplement. It is available in three flavors (Vanilla Bean, Chocolate Fudge, and Fruit Smoothie) and each can be mixed with water, milk, juices, or in soft cold foods, such as yogurt, apple sauce or pudding.

Surgex

Surgex (www.surgexspor! ts.com), is a nutritional support formula that aims to address the concerns of many elite athletes who suffer from symptoms, such as fatigue, lean muscle loss, lactic acid buildup, oxidative stress, and stressed immune systems. This formula is designed to improve recovery parameters in efforts to enhance the performance of professional and collegiate athletes.

Resurgex Essential

The Essential line is a ready-to-drink alternative to Ensure and Boost designed to be marketed into the long-term care channel. Resurgex Essential has 250 whole food calories containing no corn syrup or corn oil. The product also contains fruit and vegetable extracts, and FOS Fiber to provide calories and taste.

The Company competes with Nestle and Abbott Laboratories Inc.

Top Biotech Stocks To Watch For 2014: Medivation Inc.(MDVN)

Medivation, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on the development of small molecule drugs for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer, Alzheimer?s disease, and Huntington disease. The company?s product candidates under clinical development include MDV3100, which is in Phase 3 development for the treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer; and dimebon, which is in Phase 3 clinical trial for the treatment of Alzheimer?s disease and Huntington disease. It has collaboration agreements with Pfizer Inc. to develop and commercialize dimebon; and Astellas Pharma Inc. to develop and commercialize MDV3100. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Dan Carroll]
Medivation (NASDAQ: MDVN ) shares also were hit hard this week, falling 7.8% over the past five days. Shares fell 8% alone on Monday, after Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ) agreed to purchase Aragon Pharmaceuticals in a $1 billion deal. It wasn't a game-changer for J&J, considering Aragon's developmental prostate cancer therapy ARN-509 is in phase 2 trials, although if the company can advance the drug to a regulatory victory down the road, it could one day fill in for J&J's current blockbuster oncology drug Zytiga after its patent expires.

Friday, December 20, 2013

5 Dividend Stocks Ready to Pay You More in 2014

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- Yes, you've heard it before: 2013 has been a great year for stocks. And it's been an especially stellar year has been for dividend stocks in particular. In the last 12 months, the S&P 500's dividend payouts have increased by 9.6% to new all-time highs.

>>4 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars

For the first time in the last 40 years, the S&P 500's dividend payout is actually above the yield you can get from five-year Treasuries. That really speaks to the income-investability of equities right now.

And the stage is set for even more dividend hikes in 2014.

As I write, the companies that make up the S&P 500 currently hold more cash than they ever have before -- around $1.25 trillion at last count. Even better, they added a whopping $102 billion to their coffers just last quarter; that's more than any other quarter since 2009. And with limited options to deploy those mammoth cash reserves right now, dividends continue to be an obvious choice.

To take advantage of that trend today, we're focusing on dividend stocks that look ready to hike their payouts. So instead of chasing yield, we'll try to step in front of the next round of stock payout hikes.

>>5 Cash-Rich Stocks That Could Pay Triple the Gains in 2014

For our purposes, that "crystal ball" is composed of a few factors: namely a solid balance sheet, a low payout ratio and a history of dividend hikes. While those items don't guarantee dividend announcements in the next month or three, they do dramatically increase the odds that management will hike their cash payouts.

Without further ado, here's a look at five stocks that could be about to increase their dividend payments in the next quarter.

Comcast

2013 has been a good year for Comcast (CMCSA) -- the entertainment and communications company has rallied more than 35% since the calendar flipped over to January. Comcast has undergone a big shift in the last few years, acquiring 100% of media giant NBCUniversal from General Electric (GE) in a deal that closed in March. That makes Comcast the largest cable TV utility in the country, and one of the biggest content producers.

>>5 Big Trades for Post-Taper Gains

Comcast owns a huge cable network that reaches 53 million households across 40 states and Washington, D.C. Nearly half of those are paying Comcast subscribers to video, Internet or phone service. Because cable has significant bandwidth, Comcast has been able to ramp up its offerings without having to lay new cable, so while next-gen fiber optic offerings such as Verizon's (VZ) FiOS can offer incrementally faster speeds, the return on investment is a lot harder to justify than Comcast's in-the-ground cables.

By buying NBCUniversal, Comcast transitioned from effectively being a content reseller to owning that content. The move gives the firm a tighter integration between content creation and distribution that should help to boost margins and increase promotional opportunities for new films and shows. Comcast operates two capital-intense businesses, but it generates enough cash to comfortably service its debt load -- and with nearly $6 billion in the bank now, Comcast looks ready for a dividend hike.

At present, Comcast pays out a 19.5-cent quarterly dividend that amounts to a 1.54% yield...

Cisco Systems

IP networking behemoth Cisco Systems (CSCO) already sports a pretty hefty dividend payout. The firm's 17-cent quarterly distribution works out to a 3.23% yield at current price levels, enough to make CSCO one of the better income options in the tech sector. But after keeping its payout flat for the last four quarters, Cisco looks ready to give shareholders a raise.

>>2 Tech Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

Cisco is the world's largest supplier of the equipment and software used to connect devices. As you read these words, there's a pretty good chance a Cisco product was involved in getting this sentence from the servers to your screen. That scale gives CSCO some palpable advantages. Switching costs are exceptionally high for Cisco's customers; because Cisco's gear is designed to plug-and-play with other Cisco components, IT departments that buy Cisco products can often see much lower integration and ongoing technical support costs. That gives Cisco an important economic moat right now, even if competition is trying to move in on its business.

From a financial perspective, Cisco's balance sheet is a thing of beauty. As of last quarter, the firm carries a net cash position of $32.8 billion, enough to cover nearly a third of the blue chip giant's market capitalization today. With a history of dumb acquisitions, Cisco's management is likely to be more gun-shy about growth-through-acquisition. A dividend hike looks like a better option.

Home Depot

Most investors don't think of $112 billion home improvement chain Home Depot (HD) as a "dividend stock" -- and rightfully so. With a dividend yield that currently comes in at 1.95%, HD's payout is nothing special for the retail sector. But even if Home Depot isn't an income super-star, a dividend hike could help spur shares into new high territory. That's reason enough to take a closer look.

>>3 Hot Stocks to Trade (or Not)

Home Depot is the biggest home improvement chain in the country, with more than 2,250 big-box stores across North America. Those stores sell tools and materials for home construction, remodeling and maintenance. As homeowners continue to spend money on home improvements into 2014, HD will continue to benefit. Retail isn't HD's only focus; the firm also has a thriving wholesale construction business that provides a revenue multiplier when housing is strong.

HD made some big mistakes coming into 2008. The firm's store footprint was overextended, and so was its balance sheet. But a restructuring effort in the wake the Great Recession transformed the firm into one of the most profitable retail operations on the public markets. With considerable cash coming off that income statement, there's room for a boost to the company's 39-cent quarterly dividend in the coming months.

United Parcel Service

Investors in United Parcel Service (UPS) got a bit of a scare late last month when Amazon.com's (AMZN) Jeff Bezos revealed that his firm was working on autonomous drones that could provide same-day delivery, which could potentially eat away at UPS' share of the market. But I don't think the big brown trucks are going away anytime soon.

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UPS is the largest package delivery company, with a fleet of 500 aircraft and 100,000 vehicles that deliver a combined 16.2 million shipments per day to homes and businesses around the world. With mind-numbing network replication costs, barriers to entry are massive in the delivery business, and so UPS operates in a near-duopoly with FedEx (FDX).

Not all of UPS' revenues come from the conventional package delivery that consumers are most familiar with. More that 15% of sales come from freight forwarding and logistics services, a business that's becoming more and more important (and profitable) as fuel costs rise for UPS' customers. Despite a very capital-intense business, UPS actually sports a pretty attractive balance sheet, replete with the ability to afford a dividend hike in the next few months. For now, UPS pays out a 62-cent quarterly dividend for a 2.4% yield.

BlackRock

2013 has been a phenomenal year for BlackRock (BLK). Shares of the asset manager have rallied more than 49% since January. But you didn't really need to look at a chart to know that; as the biggest investment management firm in the world, BLK is, in many ways, a leveraged bet on the performance of the stock market. With the S&P 500 up more than 25% year-to-date, great performance from BLK was pretty much a given.

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And from where I sit, 2014 looks pretty good too for BlackRock.

BlackRock manages more than $4.1 trillion in assets, good enough to make it the single biggest money manager in the world. And bigger is definitely better for money management firms. BlackRock gets paid based on how much cash it has under its umbrella, so as this bull market swells the account balances in BlackRock accounts, the firm collects bigger checks. Not long ago, BlackRock's payout wouldn't have been as big – the firm was known as primarily a fixed-income shop until the 2009 acquisition of Barclays Global Investors, a move that fortuitously boosted BLK's equity exposure just a few months after stocks bottomed after the crash. Timing has proven to be everything at BlackRock, and that good timing continues to be worth watching now.

New product launches aimed at retail investors should provide whatever growth the market doesn't in 2014. One big inroad comes from ETFs, which BlackRock offers under its iShares banner. The firm's decision to partner up with major retail brokers to offer commission-free ETFs should help spur an increase in retail AUM during a period when retail participation has been lacking.

Right now, BlackRock pays out a $1.68 quarterly dividend that adds up to a 2.18% yield, but the firm has the wherewithal to give shareholders a raise in the new year.

To see these dividend plays in action, check out the at Dividend Stocks for the Week portfolio on Stockpickr.   

-- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Bernanke on Fed Taper

Source: CNNMoney

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Wednesday, December 18, 2013

Stores welcome holiday shopping procrastinators

With just one week until Christmas, retailers are rolling out shopper-baiting strategies to lure procrastinators, deal-hunters and people who just want a few extra stocking stuffers.

Tactics include offering extended shopping hours, free shipping, last-minute-shopping ad campaigns and social media reminders that time is ticking away.

The week leading up to Christmas is usually when consumers open their wallets wide — the Saturday before the holiday traditionally being the biggest spending day behind Black Friday, according to shopper analytics firm ShopperTrak. Four of the 10 busiest holiday shopping days will occur between Dec. 20 and Dec. 24, ShopperTrak predicts.

"All the procrastinators are going to come out," says ShopperTrak founder Bill Martin.

HOLIDAY SHOPPING: All the latest news, tips for the shopping season

This holiday shopping season is shorter than last, with six fewer days — translating into just four weekends instead of five.

The final two weeks of the year account for as much as 30% of holiday season sales, the National Retail Federation says.

In-store retail sales for the week of Dec. 9 to Dec. 15 were down about 1% from the same week last year, according to ShopperTrak data released on Tuesday. Snowstorms in the Midwest and Northeast kept people from shopping, Martin says.

There will be "high levels of in-store shopper activity" the weekend before Christmas, he says.

Here's how retailers are trying to get the attention of gift buyers:

•Going social in their countdown warnings. Companies are using social media to remind customers that Christmas is looming and to offer gift suggestions. Best Buy is using the Twitter hashtag #LastMinuteGifts to promote its goods and on Tuesday evening hosted a Google+ Hangout chat with the last-minute gift theme.

•Targeting procrastinators. On Wednesday, J.C. Penney launches a "men in panic" TV ad. In it, a desperate man darts through a store as a small choir sings "point him to t! he jewelry so he won't buy a vacuum."

•Offering free shipping. Many retailers, including J.C. Penney, have embraced Wednesday as "Free Shipping Day" — no minimum order, and delivery by Christmas Eve is guaranteed. FreeShippingDay.com has a list of nearly 900 participating merchants.

•Extending store hours. Nordstrom, Target and Toys R Us all have longer hours now or coming up.

Toys R Us will be open around the clock for 87 uninterrupted hours beginning at 6 a.m. Saturday, Dec. 21, through 9 p.m. Christmas Eve. "Expanded hours at this time of year have proven to be very popular with customers in the past, but with the shortened shopping window between Thanksgiving and Christmas, and no time left to procrastinate, we expect to see larger crowds at all hours," says company spokeswoman Linda DeNotaris.

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

5 Things to Watch on Wall Street This Week

Top 5 Biotech Stocks To Own For 2014

Duff Capital Advisors LP Offices Bloomberg via Getty ImagesSteelcase, a leading maker of office furniture, reports this week; its earnings are a bellwether of how corporate America is faring. You can never know in advance all the news that will move the market in a given week, but some things you can see coming. From a pair of leading office furniture companies reporting on the same day to a popular used-car seller showing off its showroom, here are some of the things that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- New Energy for the New Week: The new trading week kicks off with FuelCell Energy (FCEL) reporting. The builder of fuel cell power plants reports its latest quarterly results after the market closes on Monday. It's been 10 years since FuelCell completed its first commercial fuel cell plant installation. Business is starting to pick up, as it has as many orders over the past two years combined as it did during the eight previous years combined. Revenue should continue to grow as FuelCell grows closer to profitability. Tuesday -- Lone Wolf: Disney's (DIS) "The Lone Ranger" was a flop earlier this year. It failed to break $90 million in domestic box office receipts, and the $260 million it amassed in gross ticket sales worldwide wasn't enough to offset its massive production budget and cinematic distribution. Disney had fared well with Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski before. The two teamed up for the blockbuster success of Disney's "The Pirates of the Caribbean" movie series. It convinced a jaded audience to return to the local multiplex for a movie about swashbucklers. But it couldn't revive the Western genre this time around. Despite being a box office bomb, "The Lone Ranger" will get a chance at new life in the home market. It comes out on Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday. Wednesday -- Office Space: When it comes to stocks, it's safe to say that Steelcase (SCS) and Herman Miller (MLHR) aren't exactly the busy bees of the exchanges. On a typical day you will see roughly 250,000 to 400,000 shares traded. However, when both companies step up to report quarterly results on Tuesday, you can bet that a lot more than just their investors will be tuning in. As leading makers of office furniture -- Herman Miller is actually credited with inventing the cubicle, for better or worse -- checking out how the two companies are doing is a smart way for investors to take the pulse of corporate America. Spoiler alert: Wall Street sees both companies posting improving sales and earnings on Tuesday. Thursday -- Olive Garden and Red Lobster Have a Lot to Prove: Darden Restaurants (DRI) has been struggling as the hungry avoid its flagship casual-dining concepts. Olive Garden and Red Lobster experienced a dip in comparable-restaurant sales in Darden's most recent quarter, and now it's up again. Darden reports on Wednesday. Darden's tried to offset the sting with its meaty dividend and expanding its smaller concepts, but until it fixes the fading popularity of Olive Garden and Red Lobster, it's going to be hard for investors to get excited about the restaurateur. Friday -- I Want to Sell You a Used Car: Being called a used-car salesman used to be an insult along the lines of selling snake oil, but CarMax (KMX) has cleaned things up. CarMax has been growing its huge showrooms selling spruced-up secondhand cars in a clean and haggle-free environment. CarMax will also buy your car, even if you're not there to buy another one. CarMax reports on Friday, and investors aren't likely to suffer sticker shock. Analysts see healthy double-digit percentage growth on both ends of the income statement for the quarter. Both new and used car sales in this country have been strong lately, and that's good news for investors revving up in CarMax stock.

Monday, December 16, 2013

The Truth About Amazon's Drones

BALTIMORE (Stockpickr) -- The day before Cyber Monday, Amazon.com (AMZN) CEO Jeff Bezos announced that his company was working on delivery technology that would disrupt the industry: autonomous drones that fly your Amazon orders right to your door.

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Amazon shareholders should be thrilled about the announcement -- but not because Amazon Prime Air could change how customers receive packages from Amazon. Instead, shareholders should be thrilled because Bezos & Co. generated some incredible buzz for Cyber Monday just by showing off some pricey toys.

The truth is, that's just about all Amazon's drones really are at this point. And for Amazon, that's probably a good thing; after all, introducing drone delivery introduces a host of problems.

I'm not just speaking as a stock analyst here; I'm also an active, licensed pilot. From both a regulatory and a practical viewpoint, Amazon Prime Air doesn't add up -- at least not the way that it was shown to us on TV.

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So today, I'll show you the truth about Amazon's drones. More important, I'll show you why Amazon has a much easier path to disrupting the delivery business after all.

Regulatory Hurdles

The most obvious barrier to drone delivery is regulatory. Recall, it took about two decades for the Federal Aviation Administration to OK the use of Angry Birds during all phases of flight on airlines. The FAA is probably the slowest-moving government agency -- and it's by design.

The FAA doesn't want any surprises when it enacts a new rule.

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That means that any big changes to the Federal Aviation Regulations are drawn out. While the FAA is mandated to integrate unmanned aircraft into the national airspace system by 2015, the agency is behind schedule, and most of the focus has centered around remotely controlled UAVs, not autonomous ones like the ones Amazon is touting.

The amount of additional testing required to demonstrate that Amazon's octocopters can safely self-navigate to the FAA's standards is going to be immense -- and very costly. Couple that with the fact that many of the more densely populated U.S. cities are blanketed with restrictive Special Flight Rules Areas (in New York and Washington D.C.) and heavily trafficked Class B airspace, and suddenly the regulatory challenges increase.

The best example probably comes from Amazon's Prime Air promo clip shown on 60 Minutes: Amazon and the FAA both confirmed that Amazon's drones are currently illegal here at home, so the firm had to shoot its video clip overseas.

Will the System Work?

All of the regulatory challenges assume that Amazon's Prime Air will work as advertised in the first place.

Amazon's presentation gave us a pretty good idea of the niche that Prime Air would be used for: shipping small items under five pounds within a 10-mile radius of a distribution center within 30 minutes. It certainly sounds like an attractive service, especially when you consider the fact that it covers around 86% of the items Amazon delivers.

But the logistics seem a little questionable.

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For an Amazon drone to make the 10-mile trek one way in 30 minutes, it would need to be traveling at a brisk 20 miles per hour, and that assumes a direct flight path from the distribution center to the destination. If the FAA allows drones to fly "highways in the sky," it could add significant mileage to a trip. That also doesn't factor in shipment preparation times. If it takes 10 minutes for Amazon's teams to prepare an order, we're talking about a 30 mile-per-hour ground speed to make a 30-minute delivery.

For a two-foot-square aircraft, that's a scale speed of around 300 miles per hour for a full-scale helicopter. On a breezy day, scale speeds of 500 miles per hour may be necessary to hit that same 30-minute delivery time.

We don't know how much Amazon's drones are going to cost. Package delivery firm DHL is testing drones of its own that currently run $54,900 each -- and that's for a vehicle with half the payload of Amazon's octocopters. It's reasonable to think that Amazon will be able to acquire a fleet of octocopters in a few years for much less than that -- until you amortize R&D costs for FAA certification across each aircraft.

Because Prime Air can only carry one item at a time, Amazon needs at least one aircraft for every order that it receives from the time one drone gets sent out to the time it returns for another pickup (longer if we add recharging to the equation).

The costs will be material, and so will the load on the airspace system; it would take around 1,500 drones to replace every semi trailer that comes out of an Amazon distribution center.

That means that margins are also a consideration. While AMZN's five-pound payload covers the majority of its shippable offerings, it doesn't cover the majority of the offerings that have the most margin available to cede to a costly new shipping method. Amazon's highest-margin products are things that don't get delivered at all, such as eBooks and Amazon Web Services.

Capture the Drone

We shouldn't forget about the challenges along the trip.

Some drones will be intentionally damaged and stolen. Weather will ground others. And accidents will take out more of them.

When drones reach their destinations, will Amazon be on the hook for maiming children and animals with eight sets of spinning rotors? Or will it add cost and decrease payload by adding guards to its octocopters?

Since Amazon Prime Air will be marketed toward customers who live in densely populated areas (10 miles from a distribution center), what happens when someone who lives in an apartment on a busy street makes a Prime Air order? Does it get dropped 10 yards from the door to the building?

A System That Works

All of the drone talk seems even crazier when you consider the fact that Amazon is investing huge amounts of money in its own present-day delivery infrastructure. Amazon Fresh, a grocery delivery service, sports a growing fleet of trucks making same-day deliveries to customers in Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle.

We already have a mature road infrastructure in the U.S., with increasingly fuel-efficient trucks that can carry hundreds of packages in a single run. Better yet, by keeping delivery in-house with its own trucks, Amazon can also handle hassles (like returns) more easily than ever before. If Amazon is thinking about moving its distribution centers closer to cities, cutting out the middleman with Amazon Fresh makes far more sense than drones ever did.

In fact, if the firm is so bent on cutting humans out of the delivery process, autonomous delivery trucks make a lot more sense than drones do too. After all, our road system is meticulously mapped, road conditions are far more predictable and consistent than air conditions are, and trucks don't need to return home after every delivery.

But autonomous vehicles, like drones, aren't investible right now. They're too pie-in-the-sky to be on your radar as an Amazon investor. In the meantime, it makes sense for Amazon to continue to build on its Amazon Fresh service in additional markets, human drivers and all.

There's no question that Amazon is a "castle in the sky" stock. It hasn't had a P/E ratio under 100 since 2011, and less than 2% of the firm's market cap is covered by cash on its balance sheet. Translation: AMZN isn't cheap by any stretch of the imagination. But momentum is still very much intact, and that means that the time is right for Amazon to make meaningful investments while costs of capital are low and its valuation is rich.

Don't expect to see drones making dropoffs at your house by 2015 -- but same-day delivery still looks like a promising enhancement for AMZN.

-- Written by Jonas Elmerraji in Baltimore.