Friday, November 28, 2014

Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now

Natural gas vehicles, or NGVs, hold tremendous promise for both the U.S. and the world's future. Not only is natural gas significantly cheaper than oil on an energy-equivalent basis right now, vehicles running on liquefied natural gas (LNG) or compressed natural gas (CNG) release about 25% less carbon dioxide on average than their gasoline and diesel-powered counterparts.

While the nation as a whole seems energetic about the concept of using alternative fuels to power their vehicles, one state is expected to be a clear standout in facilitating the shift toward NGVs over the next year and a half ��Texas.

Texas to lead the way in NGV fueling stations
According to Lynn Lyons, a spokeswoman for the Texas Clean Transportation project, the Lone Star State leads the way in the number of proposed fueling stations for natural gas vehicles. Over the next six to 18 months, the number of refueling stations in Texas supplying LNG, CNG, or both is projected to double, from a little over 60 currently to more than 120. �

Top 10 Japanese Stocks To Buy Right Now: SuperValu Inc.(SVU)

SUPERVALU INC., together with its subsidiaries, operates retail food stores in the United States. Its stores offer grocery, general merchandise, health and beauty care, pharmacy, and fuel products. The company operates stores under the Acme, Albertsons, Cub Foods, Farm Fresh, Hornbacher?s, Jewel-Osco, Lucky, Shaw?s, Shop ?n Save, Shoppers Food & Pharmacy, and Star Market banners, as well as in-store pharmacies under the Osco and Sav-on banners. It operates approximately 2,394 traditional and hard-discount retail food stores, including 899 licensed Save-A-Lot stores. The company also offers supply chain services, which include wholesale distribution of products to independent retailers, including single and multiple grocery store independent operators, regional and national chains, mass merchants, and the military customers, as well as provides logistics support services. SUPERVALU was founded in 1871 and is based in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Andrew Marder]

    Coming from the world of retail, I'm happy for someone to market to me when that marketing is good. The unexpected purchase that comes along only because a good sales person really gets me fired up is a purchase that I love to make. But sometimes what the company thinks is exciting strikes me as odd. In its last earnings release, as one of a mere five lead points, SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) highlighted that sales fell less quickly this quarter. Huzzah!

  • [By Jeremy Bowman]

    What: SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) was looking like a steal today, climbing as much as 12% after reporting quarterly earnings this morning.

    So what: The once-battered supermarket stock has come roaring back in the past several months, gaining more than 250% at today's peak from its bottom last fall. SUPERVALU actually opened the day lower as its adjusted earnings fell to negative $0.14 a share from a gain of $0.02 a share in the quarter a year ago. Without adjustments, the company actually lost $6.65 per share this quarter. Still, the stock jumped on comments from management about prospects for its Save-A-Lot chain,�and plans to revamp SUPERVALU's cost structure under the direction of new CEO Sam Duncan. Duncan talked up the steps the company's taken to "right-size" corporate overhead and decentralize leadership in the earnings release.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Down, down, down Supervalu (SVU) goes and where it stops, no one knows. Not even Goldman Sachs, which cut Supervalu’s shares to Sell from Neutral, though it does have a guess.

    Goldman Sachs analysts Stephen Grambling and Christopher Prykull explain their thinking:

    SVU shares are up 183% year-to-date (vs. S&P 500 +26%) as management�� initiatives have slowed the top-line deterioration at the company�� retail banners and Save-A-Lot. As the market has started to factor in stable-to-improving EBITDA on a highly levered equity base, the stock has re-rated from 4.5X EV/EBITDA to 6.1X EV/EBITDA. With the shares now trading above the historical average and roughly in line with peers, we expect future downward revisions to consensus estimates will likely drive a rerating of the shares to a more normalized level.

    While we have been encouraged by the new management team�� success in effecting change, we believe cuts to food stamps (SNAP benefits), potential reductions to the transition service agreement, and encroaching competition will likely overwhelm operational improvements…

    Shares of Supervalu have dropped 8.3% to $6.31 at 2:59 p.m., within spitting distance of Goldman’s $6 target price, while competitors Family Dollar Stores (FDO) has gained 0.2% to $70.16,�Dollar General�(DG) has fallen 0.4% t0 $59.02,�Dollar Tree (DLTR) is off 1% to $59.33 and Wal-Mart (WMT) is little changed at $79.19.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Amazon.com (AMZN) might be bringing Amazon Fresh to a city near you–and hammering your grocery stock in the process. Deutsche Bank sees tough times for Supervalu�(SVU) and Safeway�(SWY)� if an when Amazon expands its grocery delivery service beyond its three current test markets, while Kroger (KR) and Whole Foods Markets (WFM) should be able to thrive.

Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Flowserve Corp (FLS)

Flowserve Corporation, incorporated on May 1, 1912, is a manufacturer and aftermarket service provider of flow control systems. The Company develops and manufacture precision-engineered flows control equipment integral to the movement, control and protection of the flow of materials in its customers' critical processes. The Company operates in three segments: Engineered Product Division (EPD), which includes long leads time, custom and other engineered pumps and pump systems, mechanical seals, auxiliary systems and replacement parts and related services, Industrial Product Division (IPD), which includes pre-configured engineered pumps and pump systems and related products and services, and Flow Control Division (FCD), which includes engineered and industrial valves, control valves, actuators and controls and related services. Effective December 10, 2013, Flowserve Corp acquired Innovative Mag-Drive LLC.

Through the Company's manufacturing platform and global network of Quick Response Centers (QRCs), the Company offers an array of aftermarket equipment services, such as installation, advanced diagnostics, repair and retrofitting. The Company's product portfolio of pumps, valves, seals, automation and aftermarket services supports global infrastructure industries, including oil and gas, chemical, power generation and water management, as well as certain general industrial markets where the Company's products and services add value. The Company sells its products and services to more than 10,000 companies, including some of the engineering, procurement and construction firms (EPC), original equipment manufacturers, distributors and end users.

Engineered Product Division

The Company designs, manufactures, distributes and services engineered pumps and pumps systems, mechanical seals, auxiliary systems, replacement parts and related equipment. The business primarily consists of long lead time, engineered, configured products, which require extensive test requirements a! nd project management skills. EPD products and services are primarily used by companies that operate in the oil and gas, power generation, chemical, water management and general industries. The Company markets its pump and mechanical seals products through its global sales force and its regional QRCs and service and repair centers or through independent distributors and sales representatives. A portion of the Company's mechanical seal products are sold directly to original equipment manufacturers for incorporation into rotating equipment requiring mechanical seals. The Company's pump products are manufactured in a range of metal alloys and with a variety of configurations to meet the critical operating demands of the Company's customers.

The Company also manufactures a gas-lubricated mechanical seal that is used in high-speed compressors for gases pipelines and in the oil and gas production and process markets. The Company's products are manufactured at 29 plants worldwide, nine of which are located in Europe, 11 in North America, four in Asia Pacific and five in Latin America. The Company also conducts business through strategic foreign joint ventures. The Company has six unconsolidated joint ventures that are located in China, India, Japan, Saudi Arabia, South Korea and the United Arab Emirates, where a portion of its products are manufactured, assembled or serviced in these territories. The Company manufactures more than 40 different active types of pumps and approximately 185 different models of mechanical seals and sealing systems.

The Company's EPD products include between bearings pumps, which include single case- axially split, single case- radially split, double case; overhung pumps, which includes api process; positive displacement pumps, which includes multiphase, reciprocating and screw; mechanical seals and seal support systems, which includes gas barrier seals and dry-running seals, and specialty products, which includes nuclear pumps, nuclear seals, cryogenic p! umps, cry! ogenic liquid expander, hydraulic decoking systems, and API slurry pumps. The Company�� EPD Brand Names include BW Seals, Byron Jackson, Calder Energy Recovery Devices, Cameron, Durametallic, Five Star Seal, Jeumont-Schneider, and Interseal. EPD Services includes provision of engineered aftermarket services through its global network of 128 QRCs, some of which are co-located in manufacturing facilities, in 41 countries. Its EPD service personnel provide a comprehensive set of equipment services for flow management control systems, including installation, commissioning, repair, advanced diagnostics, re-rate and retrofit programs, machining and comprehensive asset management solutions. The Company provides asset management services and condition monitoring for rotating equipment through special contracts with many of its customers that reduce maintenance costs.

Industrial Product Division

The Company designs , manufactures, distributes and services pre-configured engineered pumps and pumps systems, including submersible motors, for industrial markets. IPD's standardized, general purpose pump products are primarily utilized by the oil and gas, chemical, water management, power generation and general industries. The Company's products are manufactured in 12 manufacturing facilities, three of which are located in the United States and six in Europe. IPD operates 20 QRCs worldwide, including 11 sites in Europe, three in the United States , five in Asia Pacific and one in Latin America. The Company manufactures approximately 40 different active types of pumps available in a wide range of metal alloys and non-metallics with a variety of configurations. The products includes Overhung, which includes Chemical Process ANSI and ISO, Industrial Process , and Slurry and Solids Handling ; Specialty Products, which includes Molten Salt VTP Pump, Submersible Pump, Thruster, Geothermal Deepwell, and Barge Pump; Between Bearings, which includes Single Case- Axially Split and Single Case- Radia! lly Split! ; Vertical, which includes Wet Pit, Deep Well Submersible Motor, Slurry and Solids Handling, and Sump; Positive Displacement, which includes Gear. The Company�� brands include Aldrich, Durco, IDP, Pacific, Pleuger, Scienco, Sier Bath, Western Land Roller, TKL, Worthington, and Worthington-Simpson. The Company markets its pump products through its worldwide sales force and its regional service and repair centers or through independent distributors and sales representatives. The Company provide an array of aftermarket services including product installation and commissioning services, spare parts, repairs, re-rate and upgrade solutions, advanced diagnostics and maintenance solutions through its global network of QRCs.

Flow Control Division

The Company�� FCD designs, manufactures, distributes and services a portfolio of industrial valve and automation solutions, including isolation and control valves, actuation, controls and related equipment. In addition, FCD offers energy management products, such as steam traps, boiler controls and condensate and energy recovery systems. FCD products are used to control, direct and manage the flow of liquids and gases and are an integral part of any flow control system. The Company's valve products are often customized and engineered to perform specific functions within each customer's unique flow control environment. The Company's flow control products are primarily used by companies operating in the chemical (including pharmaceutical), power generation (nuclear, fossil and renewable), oil and gas, water management and general industries (including aerospace, pulp and paper and mining). FCD has 58 sites worldwide, including 25 principal manufacturing facilities ( five of which are located in the United States and 13 of which are located in Europe) and 33 QRCs, including three consolidated joint ventures. A small portion of the Company's valves are also produced through an unconsolidated joint venture in India.

The Company's pr! oducts ar! e used in a variety of applications, from general service to the severe and demanding services, including those involving high levels of corrosion, extreme temperatures and/or pressures, zero fugitive emissions and emergency shutdown. The Company's smart valve and diagnostic technologies integrate sensors, microprocessor controls and software into high performance integrated control valves, digital positioners and switchboxes for automated on/off valve assemblies and electric actuators. These technologies permit real-time system analysis, system warnings and remote indication of asset health. These technologies have been developed in response to the growing demand for reduced maintenance, improved process control efficiency and digital communications at the plant level. The Company's valve automation products encompass a range of pneumatic, electric, hydraulic and stored energy actuation designs to take advantage of whatever power source the customer has available.

The Company�� products includes valve automation systems, control valves, ball valves, gate valves, globe valves, check valves, lined plug valves, lubricated plug valves, diagnostic software, digital positioners, pneumatic positioners, intelligent positioners, pneumatic actuators, hydraulic actuators, diaphragm actuators, direct gas and gas-over-oil actuators. steam traps, boiler controls, digital communications, and valve and automation repair services. The Company�� brands include Accord, Anchor/Darling, Argus, Atomac, Durco, Edward, Flowserve, Gestra, Kammer, Limitorque, McCANNA/MARPAC, NAF, NAVAL, Noble Alloy, Norbro, Nordstrom, PMV, Serck Audco, Schmidt Armaturen, Valbart, Valtek, Vogt, and Worcester Controls. The Company provides equipment maintenance services for flow control systems, including advanced diagnostics, repair, installation, commissioning, retrofit programs and field machining capabilities.

The Company competes with Sulzer Pumps, Ebara Corp., SPX Corp., Eagle Burgmann, A. W. Chesterton Co. an! d AES Cor! p, John Crane Inc., and Weir Group Plc, ITT Industries, KSB Inc., Sulzer Pumps, Pentair Ltd., Cameron International Corp., Emerson Electric Co., General Electric Co. and Crane Co.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Charles Carlson]

    If you are new to DRIP investing, treat yourself to a few DRIPs this holiday season. Trust me��t'll change your life.

    American Water Works (AWK)��ielding 2.7% with a DRIP minimum of $100

    Cincinnati Financial (CINF)��ielding 3.2% with a DRIP minimum of $25

    CVS Caremark (CVS)��ielding 1.4% with a DRIP minimum of $100

    Dominion Resources (D)��ielding 3.4% with a DRIP minimum of $40

    Domino's Pizza (DPZ)��ielding 1.2% with a DRIP minimum of $65

    Eaton (ETN)��ielding 2.3% with a DRIP minimum of $100

    Flowserve (FLS)��ielding 0.8% with a DRIP minimum of $100

    Kellogg (K)��ielding 3.0% with a DRIP minimum of $50

    New Jersey Resources (NJR)��ielding 3.7% with a DRIP minimum of $100

    Quest Diagnostics (DGX)��ielding 2.0% with a DRIP minimum of $100

    Tim Hortons (THI)��ielding 1.7% with a DRIP minimum of $25

    Subscribe to Dow Theory Forecasts here��/p>

  • [By Jim Jubak]

    So, why did shares of Flowserve (FLS) soar 5.7%, yesterday?

    Sure, the maker of all things that move water and other fluids beat Wall Street earnings projections for the fourth quarter by 6 cents a share (after excluding one-time charges) and revenue climbed 4.6% year over year, matching analyst estimates.

  • [By Damon Churchwell]

    Increasing sales and margins
    A second, even larger, flow technology company to consider is Flowserve (NYSE: FLS  ) . The company's flow control systems are utilized by a wide range of industries, led by oil & gas, chemicals, and power generation.

Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: A-Cap Resources Ltd (ACB)

A-Cap Resources Limited is an Australia-based mineral exploration company. The Company�� principal activity during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), is exploration of its tenement portfolio in Botswana and the ongoing feasibility studies into the Letlhakane Uranium Project. The Company focuses on investment in Botswana in Southern Africa, where it holds over 5000 square kilometer of exploration licenses. The Company�� projects include Botswana project, Letlhakane project, Mea-Coal project, Bolau-Coal project and Southern Pans project. The Company�� 100% owned Letlhakane Uranium Project is located in northeast Botswana. In July 2012, A-Cap announced the discovery of two new coal projects in Botswana, transforming the Company into a multi-commodity exploration outfit. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Heinzl]

    You'll notice that these numbers don't add up to $1.4988. That's because the 2012 distribution also contained a hefty chunk of return of capital (70.489 cents). ROC isn't taxable immediately; rather, it is subtracted from the adjusted cost base (ACB) of the units, which gives rise to a larger capital gain, or smaller capital loss, when the units are ultimately sold. Many REITs and mutual funds also distribute ROC. ROC can be a bit of a headache for investors. If you hold BIP in a non-registered account, you (or your accountant), will need to track those ROC payments in order to keep your ACB up to date. Knowing the ACB is necessary to calculate your capital gain, or loss, when it comes time to sell.

Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: ProShares UltraShort FTSE China 25 (FXP)

ProShares UltraShort FTSE/Xinhua China 25 (the Fund) seeks daily investment results that correspond to twice (200%) the inverse (opposite) of the daily performance of the FTSE/Xinhua China 25 Index (the Index). The Index consists of 25 of the largest and most liquid Chinese stocks listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange (HKEX). This free float-adjusted Index caps the weight of any of constituent stock at 10% to ensure broad representation of the Chinese economy. The Fund takes positions in securities and/or financial instruments that, in combination, should have similar daily return characteristics as -200% of the daily return of the Index. The Index is a price return index. The Fund�� investment advisor is ProShare Advisors LLC. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By pamatlarge]

    Three short ETFs are designed to profit from China�� economic downward slide. The ProShares Short FTSE China 25 (YXI), an unleveraged ETF, holds shares in iShares FTSE China Large-Cap (FXI) swaps. Investors looking to magnify their returns can choose from two leveraged short ETFs: ProShares Ultra Short FTSE China 25 (FXP) and Direxion Daily China Bear 3x Shares (YANG). Both ProShares Ultra Short and Direxion Daily hold shares that increase in value three times faster than an unleveraged ETF. The downside is that the per share price of these leveraged ETFs also drops three times faster.

Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Premiere Opportunities Group Inc (PPBL)

Premiere Opportunities Group, Inc., formerly Premiere Publishing Group, Inc., incorporated on March 25, 2005, was a magazine publishing company. The Company�� primary objective is to identify an operating company with a view to achieving long-term growth.

The Company had operated principally through two wholly owned subsidiaries Sobe Life LLC and Poker Life LLC. The Company has discontinued all publishing activities. As of December 31, 2011, it had not generated any revenues.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonathan Yates]

    For investors, there are three reasons to be bullish about luxury item stocks, ranging from well-known brands such as Ralph Lauren (NYSE: RL) and Coach (NYSE: COH), to promising small caps like Premier Opportunities Group (OTC: PPBL).

Best US Stocks To Watch Right Now: Air France KLM SA (AFLYY.PK)

Air France-KLM SA (Air France-KLM), incorporated on April 23, 1947, is an airline engaged in the business of passenger transportation. It has four segments: Passenger, Cargo, Maintenance and Other. The Company�� primary business is to hold direct or indirect interests in the capital of air transport companies and, more generally, in any companies in France or elsewhere whose purpose is related to the air transport business. Air France-KLM activities also include cargo, aeronautics maintenance and other air-transport related activities including, principally, catering and charter services. At March 31, 2011, the Air France-KLM group fleet consists of 609 aircraft, of which 593 were operational. At March 31, 2011, 274 aircraft were fully owned (45% of the fleet), 117 aircraft were under finance lease representing 19% of the fleet and 218 under operating lease representing 36% of the fleet.

Passenger

Passenger operating revenues primarily come from passenger transportation services on scheduled flights with the Company�� airline code, including flights operated by other airlines under code-sharing agreements. They also include commissions paid by SkyTeam alliance partners, code-sharing revenues, revenues from excess baggage and airport services supplied by the Company�� to third party airlines and services linked to information technology (IT) systems.

Cargo

Cargo operating revenues come from freight transport on flights under the companies��codes, including flights operated by other partner airlines under code-sharing agreements. Other cargo revenues are derived principally from sales of cargo capacity to third parties. During the fiscal year ended March 31, 2011, the Company transported more than 1.5 million tons of cargo, of which 66% in the bellies of passenger aircraft and 33% in the cargo fleet, to a network of approximately 254 destinations in approximately 111 countries. Air France-KLM Cargo has a product range organized around four prod! uct families, Equation, Cohesion, Variation and Dimension.

Maintenance

Maintenance operating revenues are generated through maintenance services provided to other airlines and customers globally. The Company�� two engine shops are located in Amsterdam and Paris. CFM56 engine shops support the fleet of CFM56-5 power plants in the world, with nearly 400 engines operated by numerous airlines. CF6-80E1 provides full-service maintenance. KLM Engineering & Maintenance (AFI KLM E&M) provides an alternative to the manufacturer�� services in terms of overhaul and services on this engine with its offering supported by technological infrastructure.

Other

The revenues from this segment come primarily from catering supplied by the Company to third-party airlines and to charter flights operated primarily by Transavia. The catering business is regrouped around Servair, an Air France subsidiary which generates more than 90% of the revenues of this activity, and KLM Catering Services, a subsidiary of KLM.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By El Torero]

    The airline will undoubtedly pounce on the likely failings of rival companies, though this is also an area where easyJet will be eager to move in. Spanair is gone as is Malev Zrt, two former Ryanair rivals. Air France-KLM (AFLYY.PK) and Iberia are in trouble, among other European airlines. Ryanair will take advantage of such weaknesses in its aim of becoming Europe's out-and-out dominant short-haul carrier. As other airlines cut routes, airports are now looking to Ryanair to take up the newly available airport space. As a result of this, with "opportunities opening up in Germany, Scandinavia and Central Europe" in particular, Ryanair's deputy chief executive, Howard Millar sees the Irish company increase its market share from 15 percent to 20 percent before the end of the decade.

Friday, November 21, 2014

Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Invest In Right Now

It might seem ridiculous to consider buying a stock that's run up 200% since the beginning of 2012 and now trades hands at 1,330 times earnings. But this month, LinkedIn (NYSE: LNKD  ) is on the short list of stocks I'm considering to add to my Roth IRA.

I've been calling out one company per month for almost two years now, and the portfolio has returned 21%, beating the S&P 500 by almost 5 percentage points!

Here are three big reasons why I think investing in the company is a good idea right now:

1. The network effect is very powerful here
For those who might not be familiar, the network effect works like this: every time a user joins a service, the value of that service increases. The clearest example of this today would be Facebook (NASDAQ: FB  ) . It wouldn't be worth joining Facebook if no one else was. But because there are over 500 million users, it's the "It" place to meet with others online.

The same thing is happening with LinkedIn. There are two sides to the equation: individual users joining LinkedIn and posting their resumes, and businesses signing up with LinkedIn to recruit potential hires. Take a look at how the two have been growing over time.

Hot Railroad Companies To Own For 2015: Trulia Inc (TRLA)

Trulia, Inc. is a real estate search engine company. The Company helps in finding homes for sale and provides real estate information. The Company is also a tool for real estate professionals to market their listings, view real estate data and promote their services. It provides local information, community insights, market data and national listings. Effective August 20, 2013, Trulia Inc acquired the entire interest of Market Leader Inc.

Trulia.com is an online real estate site focused on buyers, sellers and renters with tools to help them find the right home. The Company�� Website, www.trulia.com, is a search engine for buying and renting homes, advising homes and mortgages. The Company is headquartered in downtown San Francisco and is backed by Accel Partners and Sequoia Capital.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Shaun Currie, CFA]

    Competition in this segment includes Zillow (Z) and Trulia (TRLA). The company differentiates itself from the competition in multiple ways:

    The focus is on serious customers, defined as those who expect to purchase or sell a home within the next six to eighteen months. ZIPR does not have the reach or traffic that Zillow or Trulia has, but they have a higher conversion rate from users. The company is also known for having the most up-to-date listings in the industry, which improves customer satisfaction with serious customers.The focus is more geared towards real estate agents than the other sites. This allows the company to better foster relationships and convert a higher percentage of users. The company provides a more user-friendly platform that its competition.The platform creates a competitive advantage for the third party users. ZIPR not only helps to generate online leads on their behalf, but also provides them access to an enterprise cloud-based application that better enables them to turn client leads into closed transactions. Zap offers these brokers crystal-clear, real-time visibility on their transaction pipeline, brokerage operations and financials, while facilitating a paperless transaction environment. Because Zap is a cloud-based application, third parties benefit from a rapid innovation cycle without the burden of expensive IT maintenance and software upgrade costs.

    We have talked about the inflection point of the company as it restructured its traditional business and launched its software-as-a-service business. Let's now talk more about other catalysts for the stock…

Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Invest In Right Now: Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation(CDE)

Coeur d'Alene Mines Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership, operation, exploration, and development of silver and gold mining properties located primarily in South America, Mexico, the United States, and Australia. The company also explores for lead and zinc ores. Its properties include the Palmarejo mine located in the state of Chihuahua, northern Mexico; San Bartolome mine located near Potosi, Bolivia; Kensington mine located north-northwest of Juneau, Alaska; Rochester mine located in northwestern Nevada; Martha mine located in Santa Cruz, Argentina; and the Endeavor mine in New South Wales, Australia, as well as Joaquin, Tornado, and Satelite properties in Santa Cruz, Argentina. The company was founded in 1928 and is based in Coeur d?Alene, Idaho.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Coeur Mining (NYSE: CDE) shares touched a new 52-week low of $8.97 after the company reported its Q1 production results and maintained its 2014 production outlook.

  • [By Tim Melvin]

    Once again, rather than making a wish on burning match bets, I prefer to buy out of favor companies at a steep discount to their asset and business value. And a�look at the silver miners shows deep discounts to the value of corporate assets that could lead to significant profits.

    Pan American Silver (PAAS) trades at just 65% of book value and has fallen by about 75% over the past few years. Couer Mines (CDE) is fetching just 54% of book and has fallen by around 80% since 2006. Silver Standard Resources (SSRI) trades at 55% of book and for less than the value of the cash the company has in the bank.

    In reality, silver just needs to stop falling in price for these stocks to start to recover. If the analysts are right and silver hits a new high in the next decade, these could easily be the best investments you ever make in your lifetime.

  • [By Garrett Cook]

    In trading on Wednesday, basic materials shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.93 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Aluminum Corporation Of China (NYSE: ACH), AuRico Gold (NYSE: AUQ), and Coeur Mining (NYSE: CDE).

Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Invest In Right Now: LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA (LVMH)

LVMH Moet Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA, (LVMH), is a France-based luxury goods company. It owns a portfolio of luxury brands and its business activities are divided into five segments: Wines and Spirits, Fashion and Leather Goods, Perfumes and Cosmetics, Watches and Jewelry, and Selective Retailing. The activities of the wines and spirits sector include the Champagne and Wines branch, and the Cognac and Spirits branch. The Fashion and Leather Goods group includes Louis Vuitton, Kenzo and Rossimoda among others. LVMH is present in the perfume and cosmetics sector through the French Houses Christian Dior and other brands. Watches and Jewelry sells such products as TAG Heuer, Zenith, Dior Watches, Chaumet and Fred, among others. Selective Retailing businesses operate in two segments: travel retail and the seleLVMH ctive retail concepts represented by Sephora and Le Bon Marche. In September 2013, the Company acquired majority stake in Nicholas Kirkwood, a British shoe designer company. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Holly LaFon]

    TR: It�� a one-off isn�� it? That�� why we said ��what could be the source of new ideas? We��e got Richemont, you have Louis Vuitton Mo毛t Hennessy (LVMH).

Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Invest In Right Now: Leap Wireless International Inc.(LEAP)

Leap Wireless International, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides digital wireless services under the ?Cricket? brand name in the United States. The company offers unlimited local and the U.S. long distance services from various Cricket service area and unlimited text messaging services, as well as mobile Web, 411 services, navigation, and data back-up. It also provides BridgePay, a flexible payment option for customers to use and pay for the company?s cricket wireless service; handsets and devices with various features; cricket broadband service, an unlimited mobile broadband service that allows customers to access the Internet through their computers; Cricket PAYGo Service, a pay-as-you-go unlimited prepaid wireless service designed for customers who prefer the flexibility and control offered by traditional prepaid services; and Muve Music Service, an unlimited music download service for mobile handsets in select cricket markets. In addition, the company off ers voice and data roaming services. It markets its cricket handsets and services, primarily through company-owned retail stores and kiosks, as well as through authorized dealers and distributors, including premier dealers, local market authorized dealers, national mass-market retailers, and other indirect distributors. As of December 31, 2010, the company offered services in 35 states and the District of Columbia to approximately 5.5 million customers. Leap Wireless International, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By mitu77]

    GE as of late announced it was building another plant in Lafayette which will produce its new line of motors called LEAP Engines. Leading Edge Aviation Propulsion (LEAP) Engine was produced by CFM International, which is a joint wander of GE Aviation and Snecma, a France based organization. Jump Engine's configuration is a more current form of low weight turbine of SAFRAN which was utilized as a part of Genx Engine.

Best Net Payout Yield Companies To Invest In Right Now: Crosstex Energy Inc.(XTXI)

Crosstex Energy, Inc., through its partnership interests in Crosstex Energy, L.P., engages in the gathering, transmission, processing, and marketing of natural gas, natural gas liquids (NGLs), and crude oil in the United States. The company connects the wells of natural gas producers in its market areas to its gathering systems; processes natural gas for the removal of NGLs; fractionates NGLs; and markets and transports natural gas and NGLs. It also purchases natural gas from natural gas producers and other supply sources; and sells that natural gas to utilities, industrial consumers, other marketers, and pipelines. In addition, the company operates processing plants that process gas transported to the plants by interstate pipelines or from its own gathering systems. Further, it purchases natural gas from producers not connected to its gathering systems for resale, as well as sells natural gas on behalf of producers; and through its crude oil terminal facilities in south L ouisiana provides access for crude oil producers. As of February 8, 2012, the company operated approximately 3,300 miles of pipeline, 9 processing plants, and 3 fractionators. Crosstex Energy, Inc. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Stocks on the Move: Crosstex Energy Inc. (NASDAQ: XTXI) is up 71.5% at $35.33 on a merger with Devon Energy Corp. (NYSE: DVN). Crosstex Energy LP (NASDAQ: XTEX) is up 33.9% at $27.25 on the same news. Voxeljet AG (NYSE: VJET) is up 22.7% at $35.34. J.C. Penney Co. Inc. (NYSE: JCP) is down 8.4% at $6.42, after posting another record low today.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Utilities sector was the only decliner in the US market today. Top losers in the sector included UIL Holdings (NYSE: UIL), off 2.1 percent, and Crosstex Energy (NASDAQ: XTXI), down 2.2 percent.

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

10 Best Undervalued Stocks To Invest In Right Now


Also check out: Warren Buffett Undervalued Stocks Warren Buffett Top Growth Companies Warren Buffett High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Warren Buffett keeps buying
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CHLORINE GAS TRANSPORTATION SAFETY First Responders ask federal administrations to consider adding secondary containment to rail tank cars used to transport chlorine gas, providing lifesaving safety to First Responders and the public they serve. See First Responders Comments at PETITION C KIT.

Best Gas Companies To Invest In 2015: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Matt Thalman]

    Despite having recently been upgraded by Longbow Research from "neutral" to "buy," shares of�Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) are down 0.35% today. The main reason shares are falling today is the poor earnings report released by Cummins (NYSE: CMI  ) this morning. The company reported that sales dropped 19% in the company's engine and turbine unit. Cummins also blamed the poor results on weak oil, gas, and mining demand -- areas in which Caterpillar also operates.�

  • [By John Maxfield]

    Shares of older, industrial companies like Alcoa (NYSE: AA  ) and Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) are leading the Dow lower this afternoon. One reason could be speculation that the Federal Reserve will taper its monthly bond purchases by the end of the year. According to The Wall Street Journal, "more than half of the 49 economists who participated in the latest ... forecasting survey" believe that it will do so.

  • [By Matt Thalman]

    Despite my colleague Dan Caplinger's prediction that Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) will announce an increase to its dividend on Wednesday, shares of the Cat are down 0.9% today. The company is also one of the Dow's most hated stocks: Short interest in the company is at 4%, and Sean Williams explained over the weekend why investors don't much care for the stock right now, knocking its price down 6.2% year to date to make it the worst-performing component on the blue-chip index. Sean noted that weak coal and precious-metal prices have really hurt the heavy-equipment manufacturer, but Sean feels Caterpillar is a good bet for the long-term investor, and I must agree with him.�

10 Best Undervalued Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ted Cooper]

    Family Dollar (NYSE: FDO  ) reported sales growth even as earnings per share fell amid a tough operating environment and ongoing merger preparations. The company expects to close on a takeover offer proposed by Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR  ) within the next few quarters. The merger-related restructuring charges and fees hurt the company's bottom line, but earnings fell even after adding back those expenses. Here's what it could mean for shareholders.

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Analysts at BMO Capital downgraded Dollar Tree (NASDAQ: DLTR) to Market Perform from Outperform with a price target lowered to $59 from a previous $69. Also, analysts at Jefferies maintained a Hold rating on Dollar Tree with a price target raised to $56 from a previous $51. Shares lost 0.78 percent, closing at $54.44.

  • [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

    Retail Stocks to Watch No. 4: Family Dollar Stores Inc. (Nasdaq: FDO)
    One-year retail sales growth: 11.4%
    Total 2013 U.S. sales: $10.4 billion
    The poor economy has been good to Family Dollar, which has gained customers seeking the lowest possible prices. To accommodate such demand, FDO added 1,000 new items, many of them groceries. It also added 506 new stores to bring its total to 7,916. Although it has agreed to sell itself to Dollar Tree Inc. (Nasdaq: DLTR) for $8.5 billion, Dollar General Corp. (NYSE: DG) keeps making new offers. FDO is up 36.8% over the past three months as a result. FDO closed at $80.22.

10 Best Undervalued Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Everyone is familiar with�the Tupperware brand from�consumer products stock Tupperware Brands Corporation (NYSE: TUP) and you are probably familiar with the brands�of mid cap stock Jarden Corp (NYSE: JAH) along with small cap stocks Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT); but what about the stocks themselves? Chances are, their brands or products are right under your nose at home and you probably don�� know anything about the mid cap or small cap stock behind them.

  • [By James Brumley]

    CSCO stock might be one of the market’s dark-horse stories of 2014; the dividend yield is the icing on the cake.

    Dividend Stocks to Buy: Tupperware Brands (TUP)

    Dividend Yield: 3.2%

10 Best Undervalued Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Kell]

    Schlumberger Ltd.(SLB) reported its fourth-quarter income rose a bigger-than-expected 22% as oil-field services revenue jumped in the Middle East and Asia. Shares edged up 1.3% to $89.79 premarket.

  • [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

    Schlumberger is best of breed in its industry, but the industry�� potential might not be as strong as advertised. There is a theory that decreasing energy prices will lead to increased demand, but that�� like saying someone flushed the toilet and then went to the bathroom. The truth is that global demand is on shaky ground, and if it falters, it will lead to a chain reaction that won�� benefit Schlumberger. In a somewhat related matter of importance, Schlumberger�� stock was hit hard during the financial crisis. The fact that it was deemed the financial crisis isn�� important in this case. What�� important is that it was a deflationary environment and Schlumberger couldn�� maintain its strength in that�environment. If the Federal Reserve removed all monetary stimulus, would a deflationary environment present itself once again? Nobody knows for sure, but it�� a possibility. In the meantime, potential rewards outweigh downside risks for Schlumberger. Therefore, Schlumberger is an OUTPERFORM.

  • [By David Smith]

    Another angle
    Without taking hindsight issue with that statement, I'm forced to compare it to the assessment of the same subject on the same day by Schlumberger's (NYSE: SLB  ) CEO Paal Kibsgaard, who observed during his company's call that "... the main concern in North America land remains the pricing, where the downwards trend in drilling, wireline, and coiled tubing seen in the fourth quarter continued in Q1. In addition, we also saw further downward pricing pressure on a number of hydraulic fracturing bids during the quarter, adding further uncertainty to the North America land market outlook."�

Monday, November 17, 2014

Analysts, Investors Get Their Wish as Hasbro Purchase of DreamWorks Looks Less Likely

When news broke last week that Hasbro (HAS) was in talks to purchase DreamWorks Animation (DWA), analysts all but begged the toy maker to say it ain’t so.

DreamWorks Animation/Associated Press

MKM Partners’ Eric Handler said he had significant reservations about a potential acquisition:

This combination makes no sense to us at all. There is no doubt that Hasbro wants to turn a number of its franchise properties into feature films, but its risk profile would substantially change entering into the volatile movie production business with a company that has not generated positive FCF in several years and has had trouble making profitable animated films. In addition, a business transformation of this magnitude could have negative implications for Hasbro in its relationship with Disney (DIS).

BTIG’s Richard Greenfield and Brandon Ross wrote “Dear Hasbro, Why You Should Not Buy DreamWorks Animation.” They continue:

We expect 2015 to be a very tough year for DreamWorks Animation after an already disappointing 2014. We can understand why DreamWorks is in a rush to sell; we just can't see why Hasbro or anyone else would be in a rush to buy. If DreamWorks’ track record of creating original IP, or transforming existing IP, was notably better, a transaction with Hasbro could make more sense. Families now have access to a tremendous amount of content available anytime/anywhere; in turn, the bar to getting families to pay to see your movies in the theater or wanting to own the content at home is moving higher and higher. While film quality was always critical to success, it is becoming even more important in today's increasingly access-based media landscape. DreamWorks’ content is simply not good enough to warrant an acquisition anywhere near the current valuation. And it is certainly not worthy of a highly dilutive deal for Hasbro shareholders.

It looks like the analysts got their wish as reports indicated that a DreamWorks/Hasbro hookup is looking far less likely. Investors in Hasbro seem relieved too. Its shares have gained 4% to $56.19 at 12:47 p.m., even as DreamWorks has tumbled 14% to $22.31.

Sunday, November 16, 2014

Hot US Companies To Own In Right Now

Midway through trading Wednesday, the Dow traded down 0.38 percent to 16,468.39 while the NASDAQ surged 0.31 percent to 4,165.85. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.01 percent to 1,837.71.

Top Headline
Monsanto Co (NYSE: MON) reported a rise in its fiscal first-quarter profit.

Monsanto's quarterly profit surged to $368 million, or $0.69 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $339 million, or $0.63 per share.

Its net sales jumped to $3.14 billion from $2.94 billion. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $0.64 per share on sales of $3.07 billion. Monsanto reaffirmed full-year 2014 earnings of $5.02 to $5.22 per share.

Top Paper Companies To Invest In Right Now: NRG Energy Inc.(NRG)

NRG Energy, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a wholesale power generation company. The company engages in the ownership, development, construction, and operation of power generation facilities. It also involves in the transacting in and trading of fuel and transportation services; the trading of energy, capacity, and related products in the United States and internationally; and the supply of electricity, energy services, and cleaner energy and carbon offset products to retail electricity customers in deregulated markets. The company operates natural gas- fired, coal- fired, oil-fired, nuclear, solar, and wind power plants. As of December 31, 2010, it had power generation portfolio of 193 operating fossil fuel and nuclear generation units with an aggregate generation capacity of approximately 24,570 megawatt (MW), as well as ownership interests in renewable facilities with an aggregate generation capacity of 470 MW. The company portfolio also includes appr oximately 24,035 MW generation capacity in the United States, and 1,005 MW generation capacity in Australia and Germany. In addition, it has a district energy business with steam and chilled water capacity of approximately 1,140 megawatts thermal equivalent. NRG Energy, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Princeton, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Garrett Cook]

    In trading on Monday, utilities shares fell by 0.31 percent. Top losers in the sector included Exelon (NYSE: EXC), down 2.3 percent, and NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG), off 1.6 percent.

  • [By Richard Stavros]

    The only company that comes close to Dominion is NRG Energy Inc (NYSE: NRG), a firm that presumably would have a higher multiple as it is one of the largest US independent power producers, has substantial unregulated revenue, and is on the cutting edge of implementing new renewable technologies.

  • [By Travis Hoium]

    Another way to profit from high electricity usage is to buy companies that profit from electricity prices by owning power-generating assets. NRG Energy (NYSE: NRG  ) has both utility and power generation assets and is one of the largest solar power owners in the world. Exelon (NYSE: EXC  ) is another power generator that pays investors back with a solid 4% dividend yield. As power usage rises and prices go up these companies make money for those who own their stocks.

  • [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

    In fact, that's what makes last week's announcement so encouraging. NRG Energy Inc. (NYSE: NRG), the largest independent power provider in the United States, has acquired Goal Zero. Goal Zero produces portable solar generators and chargers for industrial and residential use, and the generators can be "chained" together to provide as much power as needed almost anywhere the sun shines.

Hot US Companies To Own In Right Now: Nordstrom Inc.(JWN)

Nordstrom, Inc., a fashion specialty retailer, offers apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories for women, men, and children in the United States. It offers a selection of brand name and private label merchandise. The company sells its products through various channels, including Nordstrom full-line stores, off-price Nordstrom Rack stores, Jeffrey? boutiques, treasure & bond, and Last Chance clearance stores; and its online store, nordstrom.com, as well as through catalog. Nordstrom also provides a private label card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards, and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. The company?s credit and debit cards feature a shopping-based loyalty program. As of September 30, 2011, it operated 222 stores, including 117 full-line stores, 101 Nordstrom Racks, 2 Jeffrey boutiques, 1 treasure & bond store, and 1 clearance store in 30 states. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Steve Symington]

    What's more, competitors like Macy's (NYSE: M  ) and Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN  ) �seemed to be firing on all cylinders last quarter�by�increasing�same-store sales, boosting dividends, and instituting huge share repurchase programs.

Hot US Companies To Own In Right Now: iShares Residential Real Estate Capped ETF (REZ)

iShares FTSE NAREIT Residential Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the FTSE NAREIT Residential Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the residential real estate sector of the United States equity market.

The Fund will concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent as the Index is so concentrated. A significant number of the real estate investment trusts (REITs) included in the Index may make direct investments in real estate. These REITs are referred to as equity REITs. Equity REITs invest primarily in real property and earn rental income from leasing those properties. The Fund invests in equity REITs that primarily have exposure to residential real estate. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Susan J. Aluise]

    Riding the growth in multifamily homes, NYMT is up 13% this year. Because mREITs use leverage to invest in mortgage debt, they tend to be riskier than property-based REITs –�they’re more vulnerable to interest rate fluctuations. A rising rate environment is anathema to mREITs, and NYMT is no exception …�but I think the growth in the multifamily sector plus the hefty dividend will provide solid rewards for investors willing to stomach a little more risk.

    REIT ETF:�FTSE NAREIT Residential Index Fund�(REZ)

    If you��e looking for exposure to the multifamily rental housing boom, but want to diversify beyond either single housing stocks or REITs, an ETF like FTSE NAREIT Residential Index Fund�(REZ)�might be just what you��e looking for.

Hot US Companies To Own In Right Now: Revive Therapeutics Ltd (RVV)

Revive Therapeutics Ltd., formerly Mercury Capital II Limited, is focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing treatments for major market opportunities such as sleep apnea, gout and rare diseases. The Company is focused on underserved medical needs such as opioid-induced respiratory depression in high risk patients with sleep apnea, gout, and Rett Syndrome. The Company is also developing a next generation analog of REV-001, which is an improvement of the original compound and it will have the potential to treat new diseases that would otherwise remain untreated with the original compound, such as rare diseases, breathing disorders, and cognitive dysfunction. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Holly LaFon]

    Whitney George is Director of Investments, Managing Director, and a Portfolio Manager of Royce & Associates, LLC, investment advisor to The Royce Funds. He serves as portfolio manager for Royce Premier Fund (RPR), Royce Low-Priced Stock Fund (RLP), Royce Global Value Fund (RGV), Royce SMid-Cap Value Fund (RSV), and Royce Focus Trust (FUND). He also serves as assistant portfolio manager for Royce Micro-Cap Fund (RMC), Royce Value Fund (RVV), Royce Value Plus Fund (RVP), Royce Focus Value Fund (RFV), and Royce Capital Fund ��Micro-Cap Portfolio (RCM). Mr. George's thoughts in this interview concerning the stock market are solely his own and, of course, there can be no assurance with regard to future market movements.

Hot US Companies To Own In Right Now: Reaves Utility Income Fund (UTG)

Reaves Utility Income Fund (the Fund) is a non-diversified, closed-end management investment company. The Fund's investment objective is to provide dividend income and capital appreciation. W.H. Reaves & Co., Inc. (Reaves) serves as the Fund's investment adviser. ALPS serves as the Fund's administrator. The Fund intends to invest at least 80% of its total assets in dividend-paying common and preferred stocks, and debt instruments of companies within the utility industry. The remaining 20% of its assets may be invested in other securities, including stocks, money market instruments and debt instruments, as well as certain derivative instruments in the utility industry or other industries.

During the fiscal year ended October 31, 2005 (fiscal 2005), the common stock of electric utilities averaged about 47% of the Fund's portfolio. The telephone sector, particularly rural telecom, was a significant source of dividend income for the Fund, with an average yield of 5.75% in fiscal 2005. Telecommunications common holdings averaged about 19% of the Fund's portfolio during fiscal 2005. Preferred stock holdings, yielding 6.9%, accounted for 8.5% of the Fund's portfolio as of October 31, 2005. The top five holdings of the Fund, as of October 31, 2005, were Duke Energy (7.1%), Ameren Corporation (5.8%), Altria Group (5.4%), Great Plains Energy (5.1%) and AT&T (4.1%).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Harry Domash, Publisher, DividendDetective and Winning Investing]

    Harry Domash: Well, one that's really good for us has been Reaves Utility Income. It holds primarily US utility and telecom stocks and it's been a pretty good dividend raiser. The ticker is (UTG), paying about a 6.1% yield now and it's a good serial dividend increaser so it's a very good one.

    If you're worried about rising interest rates then Invesco Dynamic Credit Opportunities, ticker (VTA), invests in below investment-grade floating rate bank loans. In other words, these are called senior loans.

    They're bank loans that adjust their payouts based on prevailing interest rates, so if interest rates go up, these loans will pay higher dividends, so this is a good hedge if you are concerned about rising interest rates.

    Another one that's really performed, and it's paying a 6.9% yield right now, Guggenheim Strategic Opportunities, ticker (GOF), that's actually Claymore Guggenheim, holds corporate and government backed, that it's mostly investment-grade and it's paying a 10.1% yield right now, which is pretty high. Those are three that I could recommend right now.

    Steven Halpern: Well, we really appreciate you joining us today and sharing your expertise. Thank you.

    Harry Domash: You're welcome.

    Subscribe to the Dividend Detective here...

Hot US Companies To Own In Right Now: J.D. HUTT Corp (JABA)

J.D. Hutt Corporation, formerly Gold Standard Mining Corp. incorporated on December 11, 2007, packages water supplies for worldwide distribution to areas affected by emergencies or disasters. As of October 15, 2012, the Company had the equipment and resources to supply and package two gallon boxes of water on a large scale and on short notice to emergencies anywhere in the world. In August 2013, J.D. Hutt Corporation announced the acquisition of Sea Treasure Recovery Corp.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company was in the process of reaching out to federal emergency management agency (FEMA), the Red Cross, and other charities and foundations that provide aid during emergencies. The Company focuses to contract with sources of water to enable the Company to respond to disasters and emergencies.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonathan Yates]

    The timing for JD Hutt's (OTCBB: JABA) acquisition of Sea Treasure Recovery Corp. could not have been better as the news channels are filled today with the recovery of $350,000 in sunken treasure off the Florida coast.

Friday, November 14, 2014

Top Gold Companies To Own In Right Now

The retirement crisis in America is not contained to any one generation. Across the country, people of all ages are struggling with stagnant wages, rising living expenses, and an overall sluggish economy. Some are closer to their golden years than others, but one thing is clear: There are three unique generations with very different retirements ahead of them.

Many workers are simply trying to recover from the financial meltdown that took place more than five years ago. According to the 15th Annual Transamerica Retirement survey, one of the largest and longest-running national surveys of its kind, 35% of workers believe the Great Recession has not yet ended. That figure rises to 40% among Baby Boomers. Meanwhile, 65% of workers believe the recession has ended, but they have mixed views about the strength of the recovery. Only 14% say they have fully recovered financially from the historic downturn.

Hot Asian Stocks To Own 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 Company�� 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 Company�� Relief Canyon properties totals approximately 25,000 acres and consists of approximately 940 owned unpatented 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).

Top Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: Sibanye Gold Ltd (SBGL)

Sibanye Gold Limited (Sibanye Gold), formerly GFI Mining South Africa (Pty) Limited, incorporated on December 12, 2002, is a producer of gold in South Africa. Sibanye Gold is primarily engaged in underground and surface gold mining and related activities, including extraction, and processing. Sibanye Gold�� operations are located in South Africa. Its principal mining operations include Kloof-Driefontein Complex (KDC) and Beatrix. Exploration activities are focused on the extension of existing ore bodies and identification of new ore bodies at existing sites. As of January 10, 2013, Sibanye Gold mined only gold, with silver as a by-product.

KDC Operation

The KDC mine is located in the Gauteng Province of South Africa in the Far West Rand mining district, some 60 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg. KDC consists of the Driefontein and Kloof mines. As of January 10, 2013, KDC is consisted of 13 producing shaft systems that mine different contributions from pillars and open ground and five gold plants of which two process mainly underground ore and three process mainly surface material. Driefontein is situated some 70 kilometers west of Johannesburg. Kloof is situated in the Magisterial District of Westonaria, some 60 kilometers west of Johannesburg.

Beatrix Operation

The Beatrix operation is located in the Free State Province of South Africa, some 240 kilometers southwest of Johannesburg, near Welkom and Virginia, and consists of the Beatrix mine. Beatrix operates under mining rights covering a total area of approximately 16 800 hectares. As of January 10, 2013, Beatrix had four shaft systems, with five ventilation shafts to provide additional up-cast and down-cast ventilation capacity and is serviced by two metallurgical plants. It is a shallow to intermediate-depth mining operation, at depths between 700 meters and 2 200 meters below surface. The mine has a refrigeration and cooling infrastructure in both its North and West Sections. Beatrix is man! aged as three operational sections: the North Section (consists of Shaft No. 3), the South Section (consists of Shaft No. 2 and Shaft No. 1) and the West Section (consists of Shaft No. 4).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Gold: This industry jumped 1.20% by 11:40 am. The top performer in this industry was Sibanye Gold (NYSE: SBGL), which rose 3.2%. Gold futures gained 0.44% to trade at $1,281.00 an ounce.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Gold: This industry rose 0.65% by 10:25 am ET. The top performer in this industry was Sibanye Gold (NYSE: SBGL), which gained 4.9%. Gold futures fell 0.17% to trade at $1,216.70 an ounce.

Top Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: NEW GOLD INC.(NGD)

New Gold Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of mineral properties. The company primarily explore for gold, silver, and copper deposits. Its operating properties include the Mesquite gold mine in the United States; the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in Mexico; and the Peak gold-copper mine in Australia. The company also has development projects, including the New Afton gold, silver, and copper project in Canada; and a 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile. The company was formerly known as DRC Resources Corporation and changed its name to New Gold Inc. in June 2005. New Gold Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    One group of stocks not feeling the optimism today: Gold miners. With fewer concerns that a U.S. attack on Syria will be disruptive and more evidence that tapering will begin this month, the price of the precious metal has dropped 1.6% to $1,388.90 an ounce–and gold stocks are falling with it. New Gold (NGD), for one, has dropped 3% to $6.55, while Barrick Gold (ABX) has fallen 1.3% to $19.25.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Hamed singles out Goldcorp (GG) and Yamana Gold (AUY) as two companies that have strong production growth, falling costs, declining capital obligations and less debt than competitors. New Gold (NGD), meanwhile, should have the lowest all-on costs in the group at $731 an ounce, but its capital spending is likely to notes, Hamed says. Hamed rates Goldcorp and Yamana Overweight, while New Gold is rated Equal Weight.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    On an adjusted basis, Eldorado Gold (EGO) has the longest reserve/resource life amongst our coverage companies (39 years) with Goldcorp (GG) having the longest reserve/resource life (23 years) amongst the senior producers versus the group average of 22 years. Kinross Gold (KGC) and Iamgold (IAG) have the shortest adjusted reserve/resource lives amongst the senior and mid-tier producers (18 and 14 years respectively). On a percentage basis, the companies most affected by the adjustment are New Gold (NGD) and Iamgold which both saw reserve/resource lives fall by 47% however, we note that despite the adjustment,�New Gold still has the second longest reserve/resource life in our group (37 years). Newmont Mining was the least affected by the adjustments with reserve/resource life declining by only 12% to 22 years from 25 years.

Top Gold Companies To Own In Right Now: Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc.(TC)

Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in mining, milling, processing, and marketing molybdenum products in the United States and Canada. The company?s principal properties include the Thompson Creek Mine and mill in Idaho; a metallurgical roasting facility in Langeloth, Pennsylvania; and a joint venture interest in the Endako Mine, mill, and roasting facility in British Columbia. It also holds interests in development projects comprising the Davidson molybdenum property and the Berg copper-molybdenum-silver property located in northern British Columbia; the Howard?s Pass property, a lead and zinc project situated in the Yukon territory-northwest territories border; and the Maze Lake property, a gold project located in the Kivalliq district of Nunavut. The company produces molybdenum products, primarily molybdic oxide and ferromolybdenum, as well as soluble technical oxide, pure molybdenum tri-oxide, and high purity molybdenum disulfide. As o f December 31, 2010, its consolidated recoverable proven and probable ore reserves totaled 462.2 million pounds of contained molybdenum in the Thompson Creek Mine and the Endako Mine. The company was formerly known as Blue Pearl Mining Ltd. and changed its name to Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. in May 2007. Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. is based in Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Selena Maranjian]

    The biggest new holdings are Chesapeake Energy�puts, and shares of Discovery Communications. Other new holdings of interest include Halcon Resources (NYSE: HK  ) , and Thompson Creek Metals (NYSE: TC  ) . Oil and gas company Halcon, operating in the promising Bakken region, as well as Texas's productive Eagle Ford shale region, among others, is expected to grow by 30% annually over the coming years. It recently reported 2012 net daily production 128% higher than year-ago levels, and proven reserves up 417%. Halcon was recently one of my colleague Joel South's top two energy holdings, and analysts at Stifel recently upped its rating�from Hold to Buy.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Top losers in the sector included Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF), down 4 percent, and Thompson Creek Metals Company (NYSE: TC), off 3 percent.

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Bet on These Data Storage Companies For Long-Term Returns

Expanded development in both organized and unstructured information is driving interest for information storage. The worldwide information data storage business sector is expected to climb at an CAGR of 7.83% from 2012 to 2016. In this article, I will discuss two organizations which is set to have a larger share of this market. Keeping in mind the end goal, these organizations are improving their portfolios through propelling new product launches and acquisitions.

Improving top line with procurement and unveiling new products

Sandisk (SNDK) will aquire Smart Storage System, a venture for solid state drive, or SSD, deployed on Serial advance technology attachment (SATA), and SAS storage convention, for around $307 million. Smart Storage System's acquisition will help Sandisk to open doors in the $1.6 billion market of SATA products and will extend its SAS portfolio. This acquisition also empowers SanDisk to establish its authority position in the SSD market. Further, this obtaining will reinforce Sandisk's "NAND streak memory" which will enhance its execution and unwavering quality.

Sandisk has attained the qualification of being eligible SSD supplier and with shipment of 19 Nanometer MLC-based undertaking SATA SSDs, equipped for supporting 10 full drives writes in a day. It endeavors SATA SSDs to be a solid donor to the revenue in the current fiscal. To continue increasing its earnings and margins, it introduced the world's fastest 64GB micro SDXC card mainly for 4G smartphones, tablets, and action cameras. The growth of high-end smartphones, which require high memory bandwidth, will help SanDisk grow further.

10 Best Wireless Telecom Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Strongest quarter till date

SanDisk reported strong year-over-year revenue growth of 13% to $1.51 billion in the first quarter. Revenues from commercial and retail channels were strong, aided by higher mobile embedded and SSD sales. This was the strongest first quarter to date for SanDisk Q1 revenue and record Q1 non-GAAP operating margin of 31.5%.

Analysts estimate the revenue to be around $6.65 billion for the current fiscal and is expected to reach $7.7 billion is next fiscal year. EPS is expected to reach $1.62 in the next quarter growth by $0.12 from the current quarter.

Acquisition generating growth opportunities For Fusion-io

To enhance its equipment business, Fusion-io (FIO) acquired Nexgen Storage that pioneers in storage devices, for $119 million. Nexgen drive enabled with Fusion ioMemory will serve small and medium-size businesses. The mix of both the organization's products on x86 servers will make hybrid storage that will offer flash storage devices at a lower cost.

This bundled package will boost the system's data writing and reading capacity by up to 250 times, compared to a SSD-based system, and enhance system performance almost by 3 times. It is looking to attract new customers as well as retain its existing ones by integrating new features into its storage drives. The company expects to deliver year-over-year revenue growth of 21.4% to $525 million in the current fiscal, compared to $436.3 million in the fiscal year ended on June 2013.

Further

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Best Income Companies For 2014

Although we don't believe in timing the market or panicking over market movements, we do like to keep an eye on big changes -- just in case they're material to our investing thesis.

What: Shares of Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE: CLF  ) jumped 17% today after the company released earnings.

So what: Revenue fell 6%, to $1.14 billion, and net income dropped 74%, to $97.1 million, or $0.60 per share after adjusting for one-time items. Analysts expected earnings of $0.32 per share, so the company did far better than expected, which is why the stock jumped.�

Now what: Cliff's may have beaten estimates, but the industry trends still aren't working in its favor. Global iron ore volumes fell 10% in the quarter and prices are down, which is why profit was so low. I'm not betting on an industry in decline and would sell the bump today.

Interested in more info on Cliffs Natural Resources? Add it to your watchlist by clicking here.

5 Best Healthcare Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: Cerus Corporation(CERS)

Cerus Corporation, a biomedical products company, engages in the development and commercialization of the INTERCEPT Blood System. The company?s INTERCEPT system is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in donated blood components intended for transfusion. It markets the INTERCEPT system for platelets and plasma primarily in Europe, the Russian Federation, and the Middle East. The company is also developing INTERCEPT Blood System for red blood cells or red blood cell system, which is designed to inactivate blood-borne pathogens in donated red blood cells for transfusion. Cerus Corporation has collaboration agreements with Baxter International, Inc.; and BioOne Corporation, as well as the United States Armed Forces. The company was founded in 1991 and is based in Concord, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Cerus (Nasdaq: CERS  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on April 30. 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 Cerus's revenues will expand 15.0% and EPS will remain in the red.

Best Income Companies For 2014: Employers Holdings Inc (EIG)

Employers Holdings, Inc. (EHI), incorporated on March 9, 2005, is a holding company. The Company is a provider of workers compensation insurance focused on select small businesses in low to medium hazard industries. It employs a disciplined, conservative underwriting approach designed to individually select specific types of businesses, predominantly those in the lowest four of the seven workers' compensation insurance industry defined hazard groups, that it believe will have fewer and less costly claims relative to other businesses in the same hazard groups. Workers' compensation is provided for under a statutory system wherein employers are required to provide coverage for their employees' medical, disability, vocational rehabilitation, and/or death benefit costs for work-related injuries or illnesses. It operates as a single reportable segment and conduct operations in 31 states and the District of Columbia, with a concentration in California, where over one-half of its business is generated.

Workers' compensation provides insurance coverage for the statutorily prescribed benefits that employers are required to provide to their employees who may be injured or suffer illness in the course of employment. The level of benefits varies by state, the nature and severity of the injury or disease, and the wages of the injured worker. Each state has a statutory, regulatory, and adjudicatory system that sets the amount of wage replacement to be paid, determines the level of medical care required to be provided, establishes the degree of permanent impairment, and specifies the options in selecting healthcare providers. These state laws generally require two types of benefits for injured employees: medical benefits, including expenses related to the diagnosis and treatment of an injury, disease, or both, as well as any required rehabilitation and (indemnity payments, which consists of temporary wage replacement, permanent disability payments, and death benefits to surviving family members.

Disciplined Underwriting

The Company focuses on disciplined underwriting and continues to pursue profitable growth opportunities across market cycles. It carefully monitor market trends to assess new business opportunities that it expects will meet its pricing and risk standards. It prices its policies based on the specific risks associated with each potential insured rather than solely on the industry class in which a potential insured is classified. Its disciplined underwriting approach is a critical element of its culture and its believe that it has allowed them to offer competitive prices, diversify its risks, and out-perform the industry.

It executes its underwriting processes through automated systems and experienced underwriters with specific knowledge of local markets. It has developed automated underwriting templates for specific classes of business that produce faster quotes when certain underwriting criteria are met. Its underwriting guidelines consider many factors, such as type of business, nature of operations, and risk exposures, and are designed to minimize or prevent underwriting of certain undesirable classes of business.

Loss Control

Its loss control professionals provide consultation to policyholders to assist them in preventing losses and containing costs once claims occur. They also assist its underwriting personnel in evaluating potential and current policyholders and are an important part of its underwriting discipline.

Premium Audit

It conducts premium audits on substantially all of its policyholders annually upon the policy expiration. Premium audits allow them to comply with applicable state and reporting bureau requirements and to verify that policyholders have accurately reported their payroll and employee job classifications. It also selectively perform interim audits on certain classes of business or if unusual claims are filed or concerns are raised regarding projected annual payrolls, whi! ch could ! result in substantial variances at final audit.

Claims and Medical Case Management

The role of its claims department is to actively and efficiently investigate, evaluate, and pay claims, and to aid injured workers in returning to work in accordance with applicable laws and regulations. It has implemented rigorous claims guidelines and control procedures in its claims units and have claims operations throughout the markets it serves. It also provides medical case management services for those claims that it determines will benefit from such involvement. utilize medical provider networks affiliated with Anthem Blue Cross of California (Anthem) and Coventry Health Care, Inc. and make every appropriate effort to direct injured workers into these networks for medical treatments.

In addition to its medical networks, it work closely with local vendors, including attorneys, medical professionals, and investigators, to bring local to its reported claims. It pays special attention to reducing costs and have established discounting arrangements with the aforementioned service providers. It uses preferred provider organizations, bill review services, and utilization management to closely monitor medical costs. It actively pursues fraud and subrogation recoveries to mitigate claims costs. Subrogation rights are based upon state and federal laws, as well as the insurance policies it issues. Its fraud and subrogation efforts are handled through dedicated units.

The Company competes with The Hartford Financial Services Group, Inc., Travelers Insurance Group Holdings, Inc., Zurich Insurance Group Ltd., and Berkshire Hathaway Homestate Companies.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Employers Holdings (EIG) is a provider of worker's compensation insurance focused on select small businesses engaged in low to medium hazard industries. This stock closed up 2.9% at $28.48 in Thursday's trading session.

    Thursday's Volume: 252,000

    Three-Month Average Volume: 119,789

    Volume % Change: 75%

    From a technical perspective, EIG jumped notably higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $26.48 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last five months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $21.03 to its recent high of $29.12. During that move, shares of EIG have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of EIG within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if EIG manages to take out its 52-week high at $29.18 with high volume.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in EIG as long as it's trending above Thursday's low of $27.65 or above its 50-day at $26.48 and then once it sustains a move or close above its 52-week high at $29.18 with volume that's near or above 119,789 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then EIG will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $33 to $35.

Best Income Companies For 2014: Eaton Vance Senior Floating-Rate Trust (EFR)

Eaton Vance Senior Floating-Rate Trust (the Fund) is a closed-end management investment company. The Fund�� investment objective is to provide a high level of current income and preservation of capital by investing primarily in senior, secured floating rate loans (Senior Loans). Eaton Vance Senior Floating-Rate Trust invests in various industries, including healthcare, publishing, cable and satellite television, chemicals and plastics, and business equipment and services.

The Fund invests at least 80% of its total assets in Senior Loans. The Fund may also invest in second lien loans and high yield bonds. Eaton Vance Management serves as the investment advisor of the Fund.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Dowdee]

    The following 10 funds satisfied all of these conditions:

    BlackRock Float Rate Strategies (FRA). This CEF sells at a discount of 3%, which is low compared to an average premium of 2% over the past year. The distribution has been managed at 6.1% and a small amount (less than 10%) has been return of capital (ROC). However, this has not negatively affected net asset value (NAV) so has not been destructive. The fund holds 447 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. FRA utilizes 27% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.7%, including interest payments. Eaton Vance Floating Rate (EFR). This CEF sells at a 1% premium, which is low compared to an average premium of 5% over the past year. The distribution is 6.2%, none of which was ROC. The fund holds 800 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. About 85% of the securities are from U.S. companies. EFR utilizes 35% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.8% including interest payments. ING Prime Rate Trust (PPR). This CEF sells for a premium of 2%, which is below the average premium of 5%. It has a distribution of 6.8%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 350 holdings, virtually all in senior loans and from US companies. PPR utilizes 29% leverage and has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Dynamic Credit Opportunities (VTA). This CEF sells for a discount of 5%, which is below the average discount of 1%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 495 holdings, with 76% in floating rate loans. About 25% of the loans are from non-US companies. VTA utilizes a relatively low 20% leverage but still has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Senior Income (VVR). This CEF sells for a discount of 1%, which is below the average premium of 3%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has over 500 holdings, with 89% in floating rate loans. Almost all (95%) securities are from US companies. VVR ut

Best Income Companies For 2014: Whitestone REIT (WSR)

Whitestone REIT is a real estate investment trust (REIT) engaged in owning and operating commercial properties in culturally diverse markets in the metropolitan areas. The Company is internally managed and owns a real estate portfolio of 36 properties containing approximately three million square feet of leasable space, located in Texas, Arizona and Illinois. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had one property, which accounted for more than 10% of the total gross revenue and leasing of the properties. In December 2011, the Company announced that it had closed on the purchase of Phase I of Pinnacle of Scottsdale, a 113,108 square foot 100% leased Class A Community Center in North Scottsdale. In December 2011, it purchased shops at Starwood. In August 2012, the Company closed on the purchase of Paradise Plaza, a 125,898 square foot 100%-leased Community Center in Paradise Valley. In September 2012, the Company purchased Village Square at Dana Park, a 310,979 square foot Community Center located in the Mesa submarket of Phoenix, plus six developed pads (total of 2.9 acres) and the adjacent 4.7 acre parcel of development land to add another 200,000 square feet of leasable space. In December 2012, the Company closed on the off-market purchase of The Shops at Pecos Ranch. In April 2013, it closed on the off-market purchase of Headquarters Village, a 89,134 square foot (sf) Community Center located within the Preston Road retail corridor in Plano, Texas. Effective July 1, 2013, Whitestone REIT acquired Anthem Marketplace. In October 2013, Whitestone REIT completed the purchase of Fountain Hills Plaza, retail center in Fountain Hills, Arizona. In December 2013, Whitestone REIT purchased Market Street at DC Ranch in Scottsdale.

As of December 31, 2009, the Company owned a 64.7% interest in Whitestone REIT Operating Partnership, L.P. (the Operating Partnership). As of December 31, 2009, the Company owned a real estate portfolio consisting of 36 properties located in three states. As of December 3! 1, 2009, the occupancy rate at the operating properties was 82% based on leasable square footage.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Charles Sizemore]

    Returning to U.S. shores, the next of our monthly dividend stocks is Whitestone REIT (WSR), a smaller REIT that specializes in shopping centers.

    I should start by making one point very clear: while I like Whitestone, it is a very different kind of REIT than Realty Income or American Realty Capital Properties. Its property portfolio is far less geographically diversified (with properties in just three states), and it is a much smaller company by market cap ($290 million).

  • [By Reuben Brewer]

    And, sometimes, being small is actually a good thing. Take, for example, Whitestone REIT (NYSE: WSR  ) . This company operates a portfolio of roughly 60 properties in Texas, Arizona, and Illinois. That said, it only has one property in Illinois, so it's really focused around just two markets.

Best Income Companies For 2014: Matrix Service Company(MTRX)

Matrix Service Company provides construction, and repair and maintenance services primarily to the energy and energy related industries in the United States and internationally. The company operates in two segments, Construction Services, and Repair and Maintenance Services. The Construction Services segment offers aboveground storage tanks for the bulk storage/terminal industry, capital construction for the downstream petroleum industry, and specialty construction, as well as electrical/instrumentation services, such as civil/structural, mechanical, piping, electrical and instrumentation, millwrighting, and fabrication for various industries. This segment focuses on renovations, retrofits, modifications, and expansions to existing facilities, as well as construction of new facilities. The Repair and Maintenance Services segment provides aboveground storage tank repair and maintenance services, including tank inspection, cleaning, and American Society of Mechanical Enginee rs code repairs; planned major and routine maintenance for the downstream petroleum industry; specialty repair and maintenance services; and electrical and instrumentation repair and maintenance. It serves integrated oil companies, independent petroleum refiners, power companies, engineering firms, general contractors, and petrochemical and industrial gas companies, as well as pipeline, terminal, and oil and gas marketing companies. The company was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Travis Hoium]

    What: Shares of energy service provider Matrix Service (NASDAQ: MTRX  ) jumped 10% today after an analyst upgraded the stock.

    So what: Analysts at Sidoti upgraded the stock from "neutral" to "buy" today. This was the only news out about the stock and drove traders to push volume to nearly twice its three-month average. �

Best Income Companies For 2014: Brooks Macdonald Group PLC (BRK)

Brooks Macdonald Group plc is an integrated wealth management group, consists of three principal companies: Brooks Macdonald Asset Management Limited; Brooks Macdonald Financial Consulting Limited, which provides a bespoke, fee based, investment management service to private high net worth individuals, charities and trusts, and also provides in-house custody, nominee and dealing services; Brooks Macdonald Funds Limited, which provides fee-based, independent advice to high net worth individuals, families and businesses, and Brooks Macdonald Financial Consulting Limited, which acts as fund manager to its regulated open ended investment Companies, under the name Brooks Macdonald Funds, as well as providing specialist funds in the property and structured return sectors. It also manages property assets on behalf of the funds and other clients. Its segments include investment management, financial planning, and fund and property management. On July 1, 2012, it acquired JPAM Limited. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By David Sterman]

    Insurance companies are some of the best deals on the market right now, as many of them still trade below tangible book value. And considering that book value will rise more quickly as interest rates (and interest income) move higher in coming years, Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK) could afford to pay up to 1.25 times book value and still garner excellent long-term returns. Here's a quick list of insurers that fit the bill: