Saturday, May 31, 2014

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015

Top Stocks To Watch For 2015: BioDelivery Sciences International Inc.(BDSI)

BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, focuses on developing and commercializing products in the areas of pain management and oncology supportive care. The company uses its patented BioErodible MucoAdhesive (BEMA) and Bioral cochleate drug delivery technologies in the development of its products. The BEMA technology is a small erodible polymer film for application to the buccal mucosa; and the Bioral cochleate drug delivery technology encapsulates a selected drug or therapeutic in a cochleate cylinder. Its pain franchise consists of products utilizing the patented BEMA technology, including ONSOLIS, a fentanyl buccal soluble film for the management of pain in opioid tolerant adult patients with cancer; and BEMA Buprenorphine, which is in the development stage for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain, as well as for the treatment of opioid dependence. The company also engages in developing product candidates utilizing the B EMA technology for conditions, such as nausea/vomiting. BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Kell]

    Shares of BioDelivery Sciences International Inc.(BDSI) jumped after the company disclosed favorable results for a Phase 3 study of a treatment for severe chronic pain. BioDelivery shares surged 45% to $9.04 premarket.

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

Top Defense Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top Defense Stocks To Watch Right Now: Airbus Group NV (EADSY)

Airbus Group NV, known as European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company EADS NV, is a Netherlands-based company active within the aerospace and defense sector. The Company manufactures aircrafts, helicopters, commercial space launch vehicles, missiles, satellites, defense systems and defense electronics, and offers services related to these activities. The Company oprates four divisions. The Airbus division comprises the Airbus Commercial and Airbus Military segments, which develop, manufacture, market and sell commercial jet aircrafts, military transport aircrafts and special mission aircrafts, among others. The Eurocopter division develops, markets and sells civil and military helicopters. The Astrium division develops, manufactures and sells satellites, orbital infrastructures and launchers, as well as provides space-related services. The Cassidian division develops, manufactures and sells missiles systems, military combat and training aircrafts, among others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Victor Selva]

    Alliant has developed a composite technology that brought in new customers such as Airbus Group NV (EADSY) and Boeing Co (BA). In addition, the company's composite material is required for the production of the F-35 jets. ATK produces around $1.8 million of the content in every F-35 jet that is constructed and generates $1.2 million worth of every A350.

  • [By Rich Smith]

    This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines include a pair of aerospace upgrades for European Aeronautic Defence and Space Company (NASDAQOTH: EADSY  ) and Hexcel (NYSE: HXL  ) . But it's not all good news, so let's start off by finding out why.

  • [By Dan Carroll]

    The KC-46 won't take over Boeing's defense division by itself -- not when the segment already earned ! more than $32.6 billion last year. However, the Air Force's need and the KC-46's strong developmental showing so far anchor the program as a foundation of the future and safeguard this stock against budget cut-related hits, should the KC-46 successfully progress to production and delivery. Also, the craft is another hit against Boeing's chief rival, EADS (NASDAQOTH: EADSY  ) , which lost out to Boeing on the next-generation tanker bid in 2011. While Boeing's low bid may mean that the first deliveries of KC-46s make little money, EADS' American rival is set to win out in the long term.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-defense-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

Friday, May 30, 2014

Google Moves To Comply on 'Right To Be Forgotten' Ruling

Google moves to comply on 'right to be forgotten' ruling Philippe Huguen, AFP/Getty Images Technology giant Google (GOOG) launched an online form Friday giving European users a chance to get personal information about themselves removed from search results. The move follows a ruling earlier in May by the Luxembourg-based European Union Court of Justice. This came after a Spanish man complained to the Spanish data protection agency that an auction notice of his repossessed home on Google's search results infringed his privacy. Google originally argued that forcing it to remove such data amounts to censorship, but the new form will be its first attempt at complying with the ruling. On the online form, Google states that certain users can ask for the removal of search results that include their name where those results are "inadequate, irrelevant or no longer relevant, or excessive in relation to the purposes for which they were processed." The company added that it would assess each individual request and attempt to balance the privacy rights of the individual with the public's right to know and distribute information. "When evaluating your request, we will look at whether the results include outdated information about you, as well as whether there's a public interest in the information -- for example, information about financial scams, professional malpractice, criminal convictions or public conduct of government officials," it said in the press release accompanying the new form. Users will need to include a copy of a valid form of photographic identification as well as a name and email address. They will also have to provide a link to the page that they wish to be removed from the search results, explain why it is about them and describe why it is "irrelevant, outdated or otherwise inappropriate." Google added that this new form is just the first step on the road to compliance and is working to finalize its implementation of removal requests under European data protection law as soon as possible.

Hot Promising Stocks For 2015

Hot Promising Stocks For 2015: Caplease Funding Inc (LSE)

CapLease, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT), focused on financing and investing in commercial real estate that is net leased primarily to single tenants with investment grade or near investment grade credit ratings. It provides private and corporate owners of net lease real estate with equity, debt, and mezzanine financing options. The company is organized to qualify as a REIT for federal income tax purposes and accordingly it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its stockholders. Capital Lease is based in New York City.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    What: Shares of CapLease (NYSE: LSE  ) , a REIT focused on investing in commercial real estate that is net-leased, soared as much as 23% after agreeing to be acquired by American Realty Capital (NASDAQ: ARCP  ) for $2.2 billion.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/hot-promising-stocks-for-2015.html

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Tyson Enters Meaty Brawl with Bid for Hillshire Brands

Tyson makes rival $6.2 billion bid for Hillshire Brands Toby Talbot/AP NEW YORK -- Hillshire Brands is at the center of a barnyard brawl. Tyson Foods, the largest U.S. meat processor, has made a $6.2 billion offer for the maker Jimmy Dean sausages and Ball Park hot dogs, topping a bid made two days earlier by rival poultry producer Pilgrim's Pride. Based in Greeley, Colorado, Pilgrim's Pride is owned by Brazilian meat giant JBS. The takeover bids for Hillshire Brands (HSH) by the two major meat processors are being driven by the desirability of brand-name processed products like Jimmy Dean breakfast sandwiches. The convenience foods are more profitable than fresh meat, such as chicken breasts, where there isn't as much wiggle room to pad prices. Selling more types of products also would give the companies a buffer from volatile price swings of fresh meat. When beef prices rise and shoppers turn to other meats, the companies can sell more chicken or bacon, for example. While both Tyson (TSN) and Pilgrim's (PPC) sell some prepared products like frozen fried chicken pieces, their main business has been as suppliers of fresh meat for supermarkets and restaurant chains. Both offers are contingent on Hillshire abandoning its plan to acquire Pinnacle Foods (PF), which makes Birds Eye frozen vegetables and Wish-Bone salad dressings. Hillshire had been trying to diversify its own portfolio by moving into other areas of the supermarket with the $4.23 billion acquisition. But some investors questioned whether combining with Pinnacle made sense, given the sharp differences in product categories and the outdated image of some Pinnacle brands, such as Hungry Man frozen dinners. Hillshire said earlier it strongly believes in its deal with Pinnacle Foods but would review Pilgrim's offer. In its latest statement Thursday, the Chicago-based company said it would review Tyson's offer as well and made no mention of its Pinnacle deal. Pilgrim's Pride said it is considering its options and will "update the markets in due course," making no mention of whether it planned to raise its offer. Pinnacle didn't respond to request for comment. Earlier this week, J.P. Morgan analyst Ken Goldman had noted other potential suitors for Hillshire could emerge, including Tyson and Cargill. Goldman suspended his ratings for Hillshire and Tyson on Thursday because of J.P. Morgan's role in the deal on behalf of Tyson. A representative for Cargill declined to comment. Tyson and other meat producers are facing changing consumer tastes and volatile meat prices. In addition to helping profit margins, moving more heavily into branded products is seen as helping to diversify portfolios and creating more stability in financial results. The offer by Tyson could also be a defensive move to prevent rival JBS from becoming an even bigger player. Tyson's offer of $50 a share. That's $5 a share higher then Pilgrim's Pride's bid. Hillshire has about 124 million shares outstanding, according to SEC filings. Tyson values the deal at $6.8 billion, including debt. Tyson's offer is a 35 percent premium to Hillshire's closing price May 9, the day before Hillshire announced its bid for Pinnacle. Shares of The Hillshire Brands jumped $7.69, or 17 percent, to $52.50, above the latest offer price. Meanwhile, Tyson Foods shares rose nearly 8 percent to $43.85. Shares of Pilgrim's Pride fell 1 percent to $25.01 and shares of Pinnacle Foods rose 1 percent to $31.80.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Top 5 Freight Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Top 5 Freight Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Agility Public Warehousing Co KSC (AGLTY)

Agility Public Warehousing Company KSC is a Kuwait-based company engaged, along with its subsidiaries, in the provision of global integrated logistics solutions. The Company is organized into two business segments: the Logistic and Related services segment provides logistics offering to its clients, including freight forwarding, transportation, contract logistics, project logistics and fairs and events logistics, and the Infrastructure segment provides other services, which include industrial real estate airport and airplane ground handling and cleaning services, customs consulting, private equity and waste recycling. The Company operates under the brand name of Agility. The Companys subsidiaries include Global Express Transport Co. WLL, PWC Transport Company WLL, Agility DGS Logistics Services KSCC and Gulf Catering Company for General, among others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Fiona MacDonald]

    The Kuwait SE Price Index rose for a sixth day, climbing 0.5 percent to 6,851.17 at the close. Kuwait Real Estate Co. (KRE) climbed to the highest level in a month. Agility (AGLTY) advanced 1.7 percent after winning a $190 million UN contract in Sudans Darfur region. The Bloomberg GCC 200 Index, which tracks the biggest 200 companies in the Gulf Cooperation Council, fell 0.1 percent.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-5-freight-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Top Analyst Upgrades and Downgrades: 3D, Hasbro, Dollar Tree, Tyson and More

This will be an interesting week for Wall Street analyst coverage as many traders, investors and analysts are out ahead of Labor Day. Still, we are seeing a surprising number of research calls from analysts now that stocks have pulled back from their recent all-time highs. Some investors want to know if they should sell or avoid certain stocks, while others are looking for stocks to buy.

24/7 Wall St. reviews dozens of Wall Street analyst research reports each day to find new ideas for investors. Some picks are growth, some are value, some are stocks to buy and some are stocks to sell. These are Monday’s top analyst upgrades, downgrades and initiations seen from Wall Street.

Citigroup has initiated coverage in the 3D printing market positively on Monday: 3D Systems Corp. (NYSE: DDD) was started as Buy with a $60 price target and Stratasys Ltd. (NASDAQ: SSYS) was started as Buy with a $125 price target.

Deutsche Bank is making a change in its coverage of dollar store themes on Monday: Dollar Tree Inc. (NASDAQ: DLTR) was raised to Buy from Hold and Family Dollar Stores Inc. (NYSE: FDO) was downgraded to Hold from Buy, but the price target was raised to $74 from $70.

Amgen Inc. (NASDAQ: AMGN) was raised to Overweight from Neutral at Piper Jaffray.

Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY) was reiterated as Hold as shares are perceived to be fully valued at Argus.

Big Lots Inc. (NYSE: BIG) was raised to Neutral from Underweight at J.P. Morgan.

Darling International Inc. (NYSE: DAR) was raised to Buy from Hold and the price target was raised to $25 from $22 at Canaccord Genuity.

Hasbro Inc. (NASDAQ: HAS) was raised to Buy all the way from Sell by Citigroup.

Peabody Energy Corp. (NYSE: BTU) may not be a formal upgrade, but shares are up 3% after Barron’s covered it over the weekend, calling for it to potentially double off of its lows. One analyst was quoted as saying that it could rise to $30 or $35, as business already hit a bottom and is poised to recover.

ResMed Inc. (NYSE: RMD) was raised to Buy from Neutral at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

Tyson Foods Inc. (NYSE: TSN) was downgraded to Neutral rom Buy at BofA/Merrill Lynch.

We saw the analyst quiet period end for American Homes 4 Rent (NYSE: AMH) and we have seen some mixed coverage in the name: BofA/Merrill Lynch was at Neutral, Goldman Sachs was at Neutral, Wells Fargo was at Market Perform and J.P. Morgan was at Overweight.

Credit Suisse has identified solid earnings winners that refuse to use smoke and mirrors in their reporting. Also, after seeing the Amgen-Onyx deal, we want readers to revisit superior growth companies via the 10 companies expected to double revenues in the next two to four years.

Krugman: Obama’s Economic Policy a ‘Horrifying Failure’

The rapidly approaching fifth anniversary of the Lehman Brothers bust is bringing with it reflections of how far we’ve come. Yet general agreement is it’s not far enough, especially in light of another disappointing jobs report for August.

Nobel laureate and political gadfly Paul Krugman wrote a particularly scathing piece in The New York Times on Thursday, calling President Barack Obama's economic policies since the 2008 collapse a “horrifying failure.” Playing off the old adage, when you’ve lost Paul Krugman, you’ve lost middle America.

“Set aside the politics for a moment, and ask what the past five years would have looked like if the U.S. government had actually been able and willing to do what textbook macroeconomics says it should have done — namely, make a big enough push for job creation to offset the effects of the financial crunch and the housing bust, postponing fiscal austerity and tax increases until the private sector was ready to take up the slack,” Krugman breathlessly began.

His back-of-the-envelope calculation of what such a program would have looked like revealed a stimulus about three times as large as the actual stimulus, “would have been much more focused on spending rather than tax cuts.”

Would such a policy have worked? All the evidence of the past five years says yes, he argued.

“The Obama stimulus, inadequate as it was, stopped the economy’s plunge in 2009. Europe’s experiment in anti-stimulus—the harsh spending cuts imposed on debtor nations—didn’t produce the promised surge in private-sector confidence. Instead, it produced severe economic contraction, just as textbook economics predicted. Government spending on job creation would, indeed, have created jobs.”

But what about debt, he asked before answering. According to his “rough calculation,” federal debt currently held by the public would have been about $1 trillion more than it actually is, and “alarmist warnings about the dangers of modestly higher debt have proved false.”

“Meanwhile, the economy would also have been stronger, so that the ratio of debt to GDP — the usual measure of a country’s fiscal position — would have been only a few points higher. Does anyone seriously think that this difference would have provoked a fiscal crisis?”

He concluded with a pox on both their houses, and noted it was important to realize how badly the country’s policy failed and continues to fail.

“Right now, Washington seems divided between Republicans who denounce any kind of government action — who insist that all the policies and programs that mitigated the crisis actually made it worse — and Obama loyalists who insist that they did a great job because the world didn’t totally melt down. Obviously, the Obama people are less wrong than the Republicans. But, by any objective standard, U.S. economic policy since Lehman has been an astonishing, horrifying failure.”

---

Check out Marc Faber: 3 Reasons a Crash Is Coming on ThinkAdvisor.

Monday, May 26, 2014

What If the Fed's Economic Recovery Plan Is Just Plain Wrong?

Yellen Charles Dharapak/APFederal Reserve Chairman Janet Yellen At the core of the Federal Reserve's credibility is its insistence that it can hold interest rates low enough for long enough to ensure a complete economic recovery. The reality may prove quite a bit different, particularly if current trends hold up. Those low yields are critical for both the public and private sector -- financing upwards of a trillion dollars a year in corporate borrowing as well as helping to contain financing costs for the government's $17.5 trillion debt. But after nearly five months of a decline in yields that caught market participants almost completely off guard, talk is increasing that inflationary pressures are building and that yields may begin to rise in a way that could put the Fed behind the curve of market forces. That could help undermine the position of a central bank that badly needs the market's confidence if it is to have any chance to unwind a nearly $4.4 trillion balance sheet and a historically lengthy time period of basement-level interest rates.

Stake Your Claim to $70 Billion of Global Growth

Emerging markets frequently promise better returns than their domestic counterparts.

Still, they come with a special set of (manageable) risks that we don't always find at home.

A profound reaction to the Fed's tapering, higher-than-comfortable inflation, current account deficits, and outright political instability have all made for a volatile 2014 in the emerging markets.

It's easy to see why. Investors are worried about how they'll be impacted by the tapering of the Federal Reserve's bond purchases. And now Brazil, India, Indonesia, Turkey, Russia, and South Africa are now experiencing inflation of 6% to 7%.

10 Best Shipping Stocks To Buy For 2015

Those same countries are facing current account deficits of between 4% and 7%, which places downward pressure on their currencies and upward pressure on inflation and interest rates.

And political volatility in Russia, Ukraine, Turkey, and elsewhere are contributing to uncertainty that's reflected in market performance.

But the truth is, for investors who know what they're holding, these emerging markets still hold outsize profit potential.

And taking your share of this growth has never been easier, thanks to these special securities...

A Tale of Two Funds

Here's a look at two of the largest emerging markets exchange-traded funds (ETFs), and how the same sector can offer widely varied risk exposure.  

The easiest way for investors to gain broad emerging markets exposure is through two large emerging market ETFs that dominate the landscape:

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Indx ETF (NYSE Arca: EEM); and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Market ETF (NYSE Arca: VWO).

The MSCI fund is roughly $40 billion in size, while the Vanguard is about $30 billion in size.

There are dozens of other emerging markets ETFs, but the next largest in size is only $3 billion.

These two ETFs have some similarities - they both have significant holdings in Chinese equities, for instance. But each offer investors very different exposures in terms of both companies and countries.

And, importantly, each offers investors a chance to own a significant chunk of the ultra-high growth happening in these markets.

Global Growth Play No. 1

iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index

The Emerging Markets Index holds Tencent Holdings Ltd., Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing (NYSE: TSM), China Mobile Ltd. (NYSE: CHL), and China Construction Bank Corp. (HKG: 0939)  among their top six holdings.

But EEM's largest exposure is to South Korea.

This is because Samsung Electronics is the fund's single biggest exposure, representing almost 4% of its total investments.

Interestingly, Samsung does not show up among VWO's top 10 holdings.

When considering Ukraine impact, EEM holds roughly 1% of their assets in Russia's energy interests.

EEM is investing more of its assets in Brazil, with positions in:

Itau Unibanco Holding SA (BVMF: ITUB4);

Companhia de Bebidas das Americas-AmBev (BVMF: AMBV3);

Banco Bradesco SA (BVMF: BBDC4); and

Petroleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA (BVMF: PETR4)

These companies are among the Emerging Market Index fund's 20 largest holdings.

Global Growth Play No. 2

Vanguard FTSE Emerging Market ETF

Vanguard also includes the same top six companies as the Emerging Markets Index. But, rather than South Korea, China is Vanguard FTSE's largest country exposure at about 17.5%.

Vanguard favors India with investments in Infosys Ltd. (NSE: INFY), Reliance Industries Ltd. (NSE: RELIANCE), and Housing Development Finance Corp. Ltd. (NSE: HDFC) ranking among its top 20.

The ETF has low exposure to Russian investments, with a much heavier focus on Asia.

The 21st Century's Biggest Opportunities

Investors seek out emerging markets because they offer higher growth prospects than developed markets.

The problems that have emerged in these markets in early 2014 come from huge inflows of capital - the result of central banks printing enormous amounts of money to rescue the global financial market from the 2008 financial crisis.

Unfortunately, much of this capital was not invested productively, leaving a legacy of high inflation and high capital account deficits.

But don't be dissuaded; these markets are home to important global companies that are still growing at impressive rates, beating the S&P 500 many times over.

An examination of iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Index and Vanguard FTSE Emerging Market ETF's holdings makes it clear that their managers are focused on Asian technology and media companies that, like their Western cousins, are capable of growing rapidly regardless of the issues facing their home markets.

These ETFs should continue to offer investors diversified plays on long-term Asian growth as well as an added benefit of technology and media-related growth from some of the most exciting companies in the world in the years ahead.

Up Next

As we've seen in emerging markets, volatility isn't necessarily something to be feared. It can walk hand-in-hand with fast, robust growth. Even better, there's a way for investors to profit immensely from volatility spikes. Learn More...

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Can Caterpillar Inc Continue to Push Higher?

There is no question that Caterpillar's (NYSE: CAT  ) performance so far this year has been impressive. The company's shares have surged, rising nearly 16%.

The company has also outperformed almost all of its peers, including smaller peer Joy Global (NYSE: JOY  ) , which has seen its shares go nowhere during the past five months.

The question is, will Caterpillar's impressive performance continue?

Impressive first quarter
Caterpillar's performance so far the year can be traced back to a solid set of first quarter numbers. The company's earnings per share for the first quarter came in at $1.61, beating forecasts for EPS of $1.23. What's more, the company revised full-year guidance higher.

Caterpillar now expects to earn $6.10 per share during 2014, up from the figure of $5.81 previously expected.

These good results are attributable to strong performance from Caterpillar's construction and power systems divisions. Unfortunately, the company's main business, manufacturing mining equipment, continues to perform poorly.

Indeed, Caterpillar's own management stated on the first quarter earnings call that the company continues to see low order rates for mining equipment:

The company expects mining orders will begin to improve at some point, but not likely in time to increase Resource Industries' sales in 2014

The power systems and construction side of Caterpillar's' business only account for around 23% of the company's overall revenue, the rest is dependent on mining equipment orders. So, while the company may be reaping the benefits from an economic recovery within the U.S. now, it will be unable to stage a full recovery until capital spending within the mining industry recovers.

Unfortunately, many analysts believe that the market for mining capital equipment will continue to contract at a rate of around 10% per annum in the near future. Some estimates claim that the market will return to growth during 2016, but there are some conflicting views on the matter; ultimately the mining industry is dependent on global economic growth.

While this is bad news for Caterpillar, the company's power and construction businesses are taking up some of the slack. Joy Global, however, is more of a pure-play mining equipment producer, and the company is likely to suffer more than its larger peer.

Bad news for Joy
Not only is Joy Global a pure-play mining equipment company, the company also specializes in the production of equipment for coal mining. With both the price of coal and demand for mining equipment slumping since the financial crisis, Joy has been hit hard.

5 Best Telecom Stocks To Buy Right Now

That being said, there are some signs developing within the coal market that point to a recovery, a relief for Joy. Actually, thanks to the harsh weather conditions in the U.S. this past winter, coal reserves have hit a low not seen since the 90's, and this should work in Joy's favor.

Indeed, when Joy reported its fiscal first quarter earnings results, management highlighted the fact that the global coal market was seeing a recovery in China and India, but the U.S. was yet to see a recovery. Hopefully, with inventories falling to low levels demand for coal mining equipment within the U.S. should rise, boosting Joy's outlook.

Still, even if the coal market is not ready to stage a cyclical upswing just yet, Joy's aftermarket services division is expected to generate $650 million per quarter for the company, easily enough to cover the company's dividend payout and stock repurchase program. Joy is planning to buy back $1 billion of stock, 17% of its outstanding shares over 36 months, and currently offers a 1.2% dividend yield.

Valuation
One thing that worries me about Caterpillar is the company's currently valuation. In particular, Caterpillar currently trades at a forward P/E of 17.2, based on the figures above.

A forward P/E of 17.2 is a relatively high valuation, especially considering the fact that Caterpillar's main market, the mining industry, is still contracting. Additionally, Caterpillar's smaller peers all trade at P/E ratios in the low-teens.

All in all, Caterpillar looks expensive considering the mining industry is still contracting and when compared to the valuation of its peers.

Foolish summary
So overall, Caterpillar's shares have put in a good year-to-date performance, but this may not continue. Firstly, the company will not be able to return to full health until mining industry capex begins to recover again. And secondly, the company is currently trading at a higher than average valuation.

Unless the company can continue to grow sales at its construction and power systems business faster than its mining business is contracting, it is likely that Caterpillar is due for a correction sometime soon.

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Saturday, May 24, 2014

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top Defensive Stocks To Watch Right Now: Nordson Corporation(NDSN)

Nordson Corporation manufactures equipment used for precision dispensing, testing and inspection, and surface preparation and curing. Its Adhesive Dispensing Systems segment manufactures equipment for applying adhesives, lotions, and liquids to disposable products; automated adhesive dispensing systems for the food and beverage, and packaged goods industries; hot melt and cold glue adhesive dispensing systems for the paper and paperboard converting industries; adhesive and sealant dispensing systems for bonding or sealing plastic, metal, and wood products; and laminating and coating systems to manufacture continuous-roll goods in the nonwovens, textile, paper, and flexible-packaging industries. The company?s Advanced Technology Systems segment comprises automated gas plasma treatment systems used to clean and condition surfaces for the semiconductor, medical, and printed circuit board industries; controlled manual and automated systems for applying materials in customer pr ocesses requiring precision and material conservation; ultraviolet equipment used in curing and drying operations for specialty coatings, semiconductor materials, and paints; and bond testing and automated optical and x-ray inspection systems used in the semiconductor and printed circuit board industries. Its Industrial Coating Systems segment provides automated and manual dispensing systems used for applying coatings, paint, finishes, sealants, and other materials. Nordson Corporation markets its products in the United States and internationally through a direct sales force, as well as through qualified distributors and sales representatives. It serves various markets, including the appliance, automotive, bookbinding, container, converting, electronics, food and beverage, furniture, life sciences and medical, metal finishing, non woven, packaging, and semiconductor ind! ustries. The company was founded in 1935 and is headquartered in Westlake, Ohio.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Nordson Corp.'s(NDSN) fiscal fourth-quarter earnings fell 12% on weaker demand, though the maker of dispensing equipment noted improvement in recent order trends.

  • [By Travis Hoium]

    What: Shares of industrial product manufacturer Nordson (NASDAQ: NDSN  ) dropped as much as 10% today after the company reported fiscal second-quarter earnings.

  • source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-defensive-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

Friday, May 23, 2014

Wall Street Bets on Bond Revival in Trader Hiring Spree

Wall Street firms are starting to bet on an end to the profit-eroding boredom in credit markets by building their trading desks.

Nomura Holdings Inc. (8604) has added 10 to its U.S. corporate debt team this year, an increase of about 10%, and plans to expand further, according to Michael Guarnieri, the bank’s global head of credit products in New York. The latest hires are high-yield debt traders Daniel Frommer and James Incognito, who joined this month.

Debt trading hasn’t been what it was before the 2008 crisis from a profit point of view for two main reasons: New rules have reduced the wagers banks can make with their own money, and near record-low yields are eroding returns. But with interest rates forecast to finally go up sometime soon, it’s poised to become more lucrative.

“Volatility and the so-called tail risks always sneak up on you and are always something you don’t think is coming,” Guarnieri said today in a phone interview. “We’re not blind to the fact that volumes are low, but we are investing over the long term.”

Others are trying the same tack. Deutsche Bank AG (DBK) just raised $11 billion in capital in part to bolster its debt-trading business, after earlier this month announcing four new members for its credit unit. Guggenheim Securities LLC this year hired a corporate-debt team from Lazard Capital Markets.

Trading Revenues

When the Federal Reserve starts raising benchmark rates as soon as next year, corporate-bond yields figure to move higher with them. The current 3.6% average yield on corporate debt is about 2 percentage points below the norm over the past decade, according to Bank of America Merrill Lynch index data.

Here’s why more volatility may translate into bigger profits for banks: Investors will probably pull money from bond funds as prices fall, leading managers to sell securities to come up with the cash. In that scenario, brokers stand to earn bigger commissions because there’s usually greater risk -- and potential reward -- involved in an unstable market.

Credit’s not a bad place for securities firms to hire in the meantime, anyway, because traders give a boost to teams of investment bankers trying to nab bond offerings. Banks need to maintain groups of traders and salespeople if they want to win lucrative assignments shepherding company debt into the hands of insatiable investors.

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Underwriting Fees

Underwriting corporate debt has been one of the bright spots on Wall Street, with firms earning about $10.6 billion to underwrite $1.5 trillion of the notes last year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. That’s up from $7.6 billion in 2011.

Nomura’s latest hires include Frommer, who joins as a managing director in high-yield trading and is formerly of UBS AG. (UBSN) He was registered at the Japanese bank as of May 12, Financial Industry Regulatory Authority records show. Incognito, a speculative-grade loan trader, began at Nomura as of May 19 after joining from BNP Paribas SA, according to the Finra records.

Credit trading may have lost some of its luster for the world’s biggest banks, but Wall Street is betting a bigger payday isn’t far away.

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Check out Schwab Founder: Indexing Is Not Passive on ThinkAdvisor.

JPMorgan Chase to invest $100M in Detroit

DETROIT -- Detroit's revitalization hopes are getting a boost from one of the deepest-pocketed players in U.S. finance.

JPMorgan Chase, the nation's biggest bank, will announce Wednesday that it is investing $100 million in Detroit over five years, strengthening the city's redevelopment efforts, speeding up blight removal, helping train city residents for new jobs, and making mortgage money available for home loans.

About half the cash will come in the form of loans and the rest in grants. Chase has been working for several months developing the program, which will be announced Wednesday at a luncheon featuring Gov. Rick Snyder, Mayor Mike Duggan and JPMorgan Chase Chairman and CEO Jamie Dimon.

Dimon told the Detroit Free Press that the idea started last fall when Detroit was going through its painful bankruptcy.

"Obviously Detroit was having issues," Dimon said. "I got together some of our senior people and said what can we do that's really neat, that could be really creative."

Chase is already a leading Detroit lender to consumers as well as to businesses.

Snyder hailed the commitment, calling it "very exciting."

"I think it really helps and it sends a great message that people see significant value in investing in Detroit and that there's a lot of upsides," he said.

Snyder added that Chase's commitment might help nudge state lawmakers to vote on the rescue plan for Detroit. That plan would see the state commit the equivalent of $350 million over 20 years toward a "grand bargain" to shore up Detroit pensions and protect artwork at the Detroit Institute for Arts from sale. It is currently being debated in the Legislature.

The successor company to the old National Bank of Detroit, which was founded in Detroit in the depths of the Great Depression, JPMorgan Chase has more than 1 million consumer customers in the region and more than 2,500 employees in southeast Michigan.

Dave Blaszkiewicz, president of the civic group Downtown Detroit Partnership! and head of the Invest Detroit fund for local development projects, said the Chase investments will be key in advancing Detroit's revitalization efforts.

"You couldn't ask for a better time to bring these dollars in," he said.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

Why Best Buy Shares Are Plunging Today

NEW YORK (TheStreet) - Best Buy (BBY) shares were sinking 5.7% to $23.91 early Thursday after the electronics retailer warned that same-store sales would be lower in its fiscal second and third quarters, as consumers pull back on purchasing electronics and also await new mobile phone product launches, namely from Apple (AAPL), which is rumored to be launching its latest iPhone model in August.

"As we look forward to the second and third quarters, we are expecting to seeongoing industry-wide sales declines in many of the consumer electronics categories in which we compete," Best Buy CFO Sharon McCollam said in this morning's earnings release. "We are also expecting ongoing softness in the mobile phone category as consumers eagerly await highly-anticipated new product launches. Consequently, absent any major product launches, we are expecting comparable sales to be negative in the low-single digits in both the second and third quarters."

Best Buy said that comparable sales in its fiscal 2015 first quarter fell 1.9% overall, compared to expectations of 0.8% decline. In its domestic segment comps declined 1.3%, offset by a 29.2% increase in comparable online sales, it said. Total revenue fell 3.3% in the May 3-ending quarter to $9.035 billion, also missing analysts' expectations.

On a GAAP basis, Best Buy reported earnings from continuing operations of $1.31 a share. Non-GAAP diluted earnings from continuing operations were 33 cents a share compared to 32 cents a share in the year-earlier quarter and consensus expectations of 30 cents a share, according to Thomson Reuters. Best Buy is holding a conference call at 8 am ET to discuss the results. --Written by Laurie Kulikowski in New York. Follow @LKulikowski >>Read More: Target's Big Miss: What Wall Street Thinks Staples' Restructuring Is 'Too Late,' Says Analyst Why JCP's Online Strategy Is Not That Bad

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Kodak spinoffs in major fight over microfilm

ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- We may live in a digital age, but online is not always the best place to store every piece of information.

Numerous publishers, libraries, museums and corporations keep archives on microfilm or microfiche. And a pair of Eastman Kodak Co. spinoffs are battling each in the business world — and in court — over a slice of that market.

Dallas-headquartered Eastman Park Micrographics Inc. is suing Kodak Alaris Inc. in New York state Supreme Court, alleging that Alaris is trying to pilfer EPM's customers in violation of an agreement between the two companies. EPM contracts with Alaris to provide the engineers needed to maintain and support its equipment in the United States and Canada.

The suit was filed last week in state Supreme Court in Monroe County — just days after Alaris bought EPM's business servicing equipment in Europe, Asia and Latin America. Financial details of that deal, which was effective April 30, were not made public. The two companies, in announcing the deal, said Alaris will continue to distribute EPM equipment and supplies in those markets.

Kodak sold its microfilm and microfiche business in 2011 to EPM, a company founded by former Kodak executive William Oates. While based in Dallas, EPM also operates out of Eastman Business Park in Rochester. Alaris is headquartered in the United Kingdom, but its principal location is also at Eastman Business Park.

Kodak continued to provide maintenance and support of equipment to EPM after the 2011 sale. And when Kodak's document imaging and personalized imaging businesses were sold in 2013, forming Kodak Alaris, Alaris then picked up the EPM service work.

But according to the suit, when EPM indicated to Alaris in December that it intended to end that service provider agreement in May 2014, Alaris began using confidential information to begin soliciting those customers, offering them deep discounts to jump ship. As part of the suit, EPM included Alaris brochures "that not only overtly solicit t! hose customers but also disparage EPM's ability to service those customers' micrographics equipment," the suit states.

EPM is seeking damages of upward of $1 million, plus a permanent injunction banning any further customer solicitation.

Alaris did not respond to a message seeking comment Monday.

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

6 Top Mobile Websites for Investors: Dalbar

Americans are increasingly accessing the web from their mobile phones, and investors who can’t get the information they need or perform the transactions they’re seeking may quickly migrate to more mobile-friendly rivals.

That’s why Boston-based research firm Dalbar rated 48 financial services company apps, according to 11 distinct evaluation categories including design, security, mobile optimization, ease of use, personalization/customization, support, interaction with the firm, interactivity, navigation, core content and behavior centric.

Just three mobile sites rated excellent, and another three rated very good — one of each in the mutual fund, insurance/annuity and retirement website categories.

 (Check out 10 Top Mobile Apps for Investors: Dalbar at ThinkAdvisor.)

"In order to remain 'in the customer's view,' financial firms must stay current and leverage the mobile Web," said Kathleen Whalen, managing director of Dalbar in a statement released Monday. She added, "These industry leaders have recognized this necessity by providing mobile optimized websites that will continue to attract mobile subscribers by creating a seamless mobile experience reminiscent of traditional desktop websites and by using innovative strategies for providing financial content for mobile consumption."

Here are six mobile sites that succeed in engaging the growing on-the-go segment of the population (starting with the three firms rated very good, followed by the three attaining excellent ratings).

Putnam Investments (Click to enlarge)

No. 2 in Mutual Fund Category: Putnam Investments

Score (out of 100): 72.88

The ability to interact for simple two-way communication between firm and investor is critical, and Putnam Investments excels particularly in Dalbar’s “interaction with the firm” category.

Be it an email form, links to official social channels, old-fashioned phone numbers or the ability to download forms and complete applications from one’s mobile device, Putnam Investments’ responsive design provides a user-friendly experience.

MetLife (Click to enlarge)

No. 2 in Life Insurance and Annuity Category: MetLife

Score (out of 100): 73.37

A potential deterrent to using an account on the go is the difficulty of remembering the account credentials for investors’ various accounts.

“Fortunately, MetLife includes the option to elect to have the site ‘Remember My Username.’ By simply sliding the pictured button to the Yes position, the site will recall a username and conveniently pre-fill this field on subsequent visits,” writes Dalbar, which ranks the firm as a standout in “personalization/customization.”

Great-West (Click to enlarge)

No. 2 in Retirement Firm Category: Great-West

Score (out of 100): 70.15

Not every mobile user wanting to use a financial site can do so without occasional support.

Great-West stands out in this category, offering “content-based help throughout its mobile site via small, interactive gray question mark icons. Once tapped, an overlay box appears with helpful, relevant information specific to that topic,” writes Dalbar.

American Century (Click to enlarge)

No. 1 in Mutual Fund Category: American Century

Score (out of 100): 86.36

Investors searching for market insights, fund information or wanting to perform a transaction are hardly likely to proceed if they don’t know where to go or can’t read the text. But American Century’s cleanly designed and well thought out user experience differentiate the firm’s mobile site from blurry competitors.

For example, the firm discretely provides users the option to to intentionally show a typed password as a means of avoiding klutzy typing errors, while maintaining a privacy default in case someone’s looking overhead.

“From a visual perspective, American Century’s mobile site continues to impress with ideal button sizes, an area for featured content and minimal, yet helpful, icon usage," Dalbar writes. "Even without logging in, users can find value in the firm’s mobile site as they offer both product and market-related information pre-login.”

USAA (Click to enlarge)

No. 1 in Life Insurance and Annuity Category: USAA

Score (out of 100): 83.47

USAA’s mobile site is a real head turner, says Dalbar, and highly functional.

“Receiving the maximum possible score in design, those keen on nifty designs will have a hard time looking away from USAA’s mobile site,” Dalbar writes. "There is, however, more to the site than shadow, gradient and coloring subtleties. In addition to looking good, USAA’s site is also highly functional when compared to other insurance sites. Account holders can easily check basic policy-related information such as the policy value, cash value as well as premiums. Furthermore, an on-site tool can be used to generate an instant quote.”

Dalbar’s report also praises USAA mobile site’s member community, which allows users to post articles or vote, comment and search those of others.

Nationwide Retirement Solutions (Click to enlarge)

No. 1 in Retirement Firm Category: Nationwide Retirement Solutions

Score (out of 100): 87.88

This highest-scoring mobile site won the hearts of Dalbar’s analysts in part as a result of its superior layout across multiple mobile devices.

“From account information to transactions, this mobile experience is simple, straightforward and easy to master as the roll out menu options appear exactly the same across various devices,” Dalbar writes.

The volume of such account information can be challenging to present, but Nationwide Retirement Solutions makes the details accessible through multiple tabs, each with its own drop-down menu accommodating viewable information such as account activity, balance history and more.

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Related stories on ThinkAdvisor:



Monday, May 19, 2014

Want to Play Renewable Energy? Focus on the New YieldCos

Twitter Logo Google Plus Logo RSS Logo Aaron Levitt Popular Posts: MLPs Are Absolutely Killing ItFirst Solar Crushes First-Quarter Earnings. Buy FSLR Stock at Will.SCTY Stock – SolarCity Continues to Confuse Recent Posts: Want to Play Renewable Energy? Focus on the New YieldCos The Rise in Coal Stocks Will Burn Up Quickly MLPs Are Absolutely Killing It View All Posts

Even oil & gas perma-bulls — like myself — have to respect the worldwide growth in renewable energy sources. All across the globe, more and more nations are turning to solar, wind and other alternative energy sources to fuel their energy needs. And given that torrid growth potential, many investors have plowed head-first in firms that provide the panels, turbines and other equipment needed to produce this energy.

Lightbulbs Want to Play Renewable Energy? Focus on the New YieldCosBut most alternative and renewable energy firms just haven't lived up to the hype.

A lack of profits and the reliance on government subsidies have made most stocks in the renewable energy category pretty poor performers over the years. Just check out the performance of the broad PowerShares WilderHill Clean Energy ETF (PBW). It has lost about 7.5% annually since its inception in 2005.

The problem is that investors are going about it all wrong. The key to future renewable energy gains don't lie within the firms that make solar panels or turbines, but in the companies that actually operate the plants. And with a recent trend, investors have the opportunity to make some serious dividends in the sector.

Bring On the YieldCos

While producing solar panels maybe sexy, the firms that own/operate the solar farms are the ones actually producing cash flows — see First Solar's (FSLR) latest earnings as an example. As utilities continue to build and add these things, they’re taking a page right out of the master limited partnership (MLP) and real estate investment trust (REIT) playbook. That is, offering high dividends to investors willing to take the plunge into the renewable energy space via new funding/security type called a YieldCo.

Essentially, a utility places existing power plants and projects into new subsidiary and then sells a stake in the firm to the public. The kicker is that the power projects in the new subsidiary are tied to long-term and predictable power purchase agreements. Most of the cash is distributed to shareholders through dividend payments — hence the term YieldCo.

Basically, utilities are getting a MLP- or REIT-like holding.

However, due to various legal and regulatory constraints, most utilities can't actually form a MLP or REIT. A YieldCo becomes the best option for utilities to raise much-needed cash, and since they still own a majority stake in the new firm, they still keep getting income from spun-off power plants. At the same time, the stable revenue from its holdings allows the YieldCo to buy additional plants from the parent utility.

And while the tax benefits of a YieldCo aren't as strong as a MLP or REIT, they still have some big advantages for issuing firms.

The biggest has to do with the fact that most renewable energy projects don't generate taxable income for many years, as deprecation often outstrips revenues. Without earnings or profits — on an accounting basis — a YieldCo's cash flows and distributions are considered nontaxable returns of capital to shareholders. Basically, issuing utilities can defer taxes on these projects for up to 20 years.

Mom-and-pop investors are treated to high growing dividends and a dose of capital appreciation. It's also the best way for them to play the renewable energy space. You get to leave the volatility and underperformance behind while siphoning off plenty of hefty cash flows.

Adding A Dose Of YieldCo’s Love

Top Transportation Stocks To Watch Right Now

Utility NextEra Energy (NEE) is the nation's largest solar and wind operator and just the latest firm to announce its intention to create a YieldCo. Moody's estimates that about 30 utilities across the globe have the ability to create a YieldCo today based on current power plant holdings. Aside from the utility space, the various solar panel producers that also own/build grid-scale operations have also expressed their intentions about starting YieldCos. These include SunPower (SPWR) and SunEdison (SUNE).

Many of these firms' initial public offerings (IPOs) are expected within the next year. So income investors should get ready to pounce.

For those investors looking to take the plunge today, utility NRG (NRG) was the first firm to actually do a YieldCo transaction. NRG Yield (NYLD) holds three natural gas plants, eight utility-scale solar and wind generation facilities and two portfolios of distributed solar facilities. All in all, that’s about 1,324 megawatts worth of generation capacity.

That portfolio of assets has managed to produce some stable cash flows, and NYLD has already raised its dividend in the short time it has been around. Back in January, NRG Yield raised its dividend 10 cents to 33 cents per share, and the stock currently yields 3.2%. And with a strong parent — NRG still owns about 65% of NYLD — willing to drop down assets, that dividend should continue to rise in the future.

At the end of the day, the rise of YieldCo's give income investors a chance to participate in renewable energy without many of the risks associated with unprofitable Chinese solar stocks and the like. Expect more of these firms to IPO within the next few years.

As of this writing, Aaron Levitt did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Top 10 Construction Stocks To Watch For 2015

Top 10 Construction Stocks To Watch For 2015: Chicago Bri dge & Iron Company NV (CBI)

Chicago Bridge & Iron Company N.V. (CB&I) is one of the integrated engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) services providers and process technology licensors, delivering solutions to customers primarily in the energy, petrochemical and natural resource industries. CB&I consist of three business sectors: Steel Plate Structures, Project Engineering and Construction, and Lummus Technology. Through these business sectors, the Company offers services both independently and on an integrated basis.

As of December 31, 2012, the Company had more than 900 projects in process in more than 70 countries. On February 13, 2013, it acquired The Shaw Group Inc. (Shaw).

Steel Plate Structures

Steel Plate Structures provides engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction services, including mechanical erection services, for the hydrocarbon, water and nuclear industries. Projects include above ground storage tanks, elevated stor age tanks, Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) tanks, pressure vessels, and other specialty structures, such as nuclear containment vessels. Customers include international energy companies, such as Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell; national energy companies, such as ADNOC (Abu Dhabi), CNOOC (China) and Saudi Aramco (Saudi Arabia); and regional energy companies, such as Kinder Morgan (United States) and Suncor (Canada).

Project Engineering and Construction

Project Engineering and Construction provides engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction services for upstream and downstream energy infrastructure facilities. Projects include LNG liquefaction and regasification terminals, gas processing plants, refinery units, petrochemical complexes and a wide range of other energy-related projects. Customers inclu! de international energy companies, such as British Petroleum, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell; national energy compani es, such as Ecopetrol (Colombia) and ORPIC (Oman); and regio! nal energy companies, such as Dominion (United States), Gazprom (Russia), Nexen (United Kingdom), and Woodside (Australia).

Lummus Technology

Lummus Technology provides licenses, services, catalysts and equipment for the hydrocarbon refining, petrochemical, and gas processing industries. Customers include international energy companies, such as Chevron and Shell; national energy companies, such as Pemex (Mexico), Petrochina (China), Rosneft (Russia) and Sabic (Saudi Arabia); and regional refiners and chemical and gas processing companies, such as China Coal (China), IRPC (Thailand), Kazakhstan Petrochemical (Kazakhstan), and Williams Energy Services (United States).

Power provides a range of services, including design, EPC, technology and consulting services, primarily to the fossil and nuclear power generation industries. Plant Services provides electric power refueling outage maintenance, turnaround maintenance, routine maintenance, o ffshore maintenance, modifications, capital construction, off-site modularization, fabrication, reliability engineering, plant engineering, plant support and specialty services. Additionally, it provides services to restore, rebuild, repair, renovate and modify industrial and electric power generation facilities, and offers predictive and preventive maintenance services. Environmental & Infrastructure (E&I) provides full-scale environmental and infrastructure services for government and private-sector clients. These services include program and project management, design-build, engineering and construction, sustainability and energy efficiency, remediation and restoration, science and technology, facilities management and emergency response and disaster recovery. Fabrication and Manufacturing is a worldwide supplier of fabricated piping s! ystems pr! imarily to the electric power, petrochemical and refinery industries, supporting both external clients and other Shaw business sec tors.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Myra Ramdenbourg]

    Chicago Bridge and Iron Company (CBI): Executive Vice President and CFO Ronald A Ballschmiede sold 18,471 Shares

    On 02/24/2014, Executive Vice President and CFO Ronald A Ballschmiede sold 18,471 shares at an average price of $80.38. The price of the stock has increased by 5.82% since. Chicago Bridge and Iron Company has a market cap of $9.13 billion and its shares were traded at around $85.06. The company has a P/E ratio of 20.60 and P/S ratio of 0.82 with a dividend yield of 0.26%. Over the past 10 years, Chicago Bridge and Iron Company had an annual average earnings growth of 24.30%. GuruFocus rated Chicago Bridge & Iron Company the business predictability rank of 2.5-star.

  • [By Aaron Levitt]

    That’s why the stocks to buy could be the construction and engineering firms that focus on building energy infrastructure. Here are three of the best stocks to buy for America’s upcoming infrastructure boom:

    3 Stocks To Buy Chicago Bridge & Iron Company (CBI)

    While it's not based in Chicago and it doesn't build bridges, Chicago Bridge & Iron Company (CBI) could be one of the best energy infrastructure stocks to buy for building out America's shale boom. The firm is a petrochemical construction powerhouse and has been involved in a variety petroleum-related projects — including the design and construction of some of the world's largest onshore and offshore pipeline projects, LNG facilities and refineries.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Winning a big contract is usually good news for a company like Chicago Bridge & Iron (CBI), and today was no exception, as the engineering company won contract to build a liquefied natural gas facility.

    Bloomberg News

    The New Orleans Times-Picayune has the details:

    Ne! therlands! -based energy infrastructure company Chicago Bridge & Iron Co. (CB&I) and Chiyoda International Corp., a Japan-based contractor that designs and constructs LNC plants, announced that they were contracted by Cameron LNC, LLC to construct the Cameron Liquefaction Project in Hackberry, La…

    The $6 billion contract will include procurement, engineering and construction of natural gas liquefaction and export facilities that will be added to the existing LNC regasification facility. It’s expected to create about 3,000 on-site jobs including several hundred jobs at CB&I’s fabrication facilities in Louisiana. Additionally, officials expect several hundred engineering and project management jobs at its Baton Rouge office that will support design, fabrication and construction of the new facilities.

    Deutsche Bank’s Vishal Shah and team consider the impact on Chicago Bridge & Iron, as well as Fluor (FLR), who had a competing bid:

    While the award of Cameron LNG is clearly a positive for [Chicago Bridge & Iron], we believe this project could provide upside of $1.6B to our current new award estimate of $13.6B for 2014. Additionally, this project win further supports [Chicago Bridge & Iron] as a leader in [liquefied natural gas] projects. The company is currently in the running for Golden Pass LNG ($10B), Anadarko Mozambique LNG ($15B, competing against FLR) and Russia Far East LNG ($15B), all of which will likely be awarded in 2015. As for [Fluor], our probability-weighted new award estimate for Cameron was $1.4B, which suggests that 2014 new awards could be $24.6B, vs. our current estimate of $26.0B.

    Shares

  • source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-construction-stocks-to-watch-for-2015.html

Friday, May 16, 2014

Wal-Mart Leads Dow's 1% Loss, but J.C Penney Soars

Stocks tumbled today on mostly weak earnings reports from retailers, as Wal-Mart  (NYSE: WMT  ) disappointed the market this morning, finishing down 2.4%. As nearly 10% of non-automotive consumer dollars are spent at Wal-Mart, the retailer tends to affect the broader market, and its drop led the blue chips down 1%, or 167 points, while the other major indexes fell nearly that much with the S&P 500 losing 0.9%, and the Nasdaq shedding 0.8%.

Today's selling came despite mostly strong economic data, as initial unemployment claims last week hit a seven-year low yesterday, at 297,000. The metric tends to be volatile, however, and the four-week moving average fell slightly, from 325,250 to 323,250. Continuing unemployment claims also dropped to a six-and-a-half year low, at 2.667 million, and the moving average fell below 2.7 million for the first time since 2007. Both figures indicate strong job growth continuing into May. Elsewhere, manufacturing reports out of New York and Philadelphia for May were much stronger than expected, but the Federal Reserve reported a surprising drop in industrial output last month, which fell 0.6% on flat expectations. Finally, consumer prices crept up 0.3% last month, or 2% on a year-over-year basis, its fastest growth since last summer. While that figure indicates inflation is still under control, rising prices are beginning to creep back under economists' radar.

In its earnings report today, Wal-Mart echoed other retailers, blaming the weather for slow sales in its first quarter, as well as a higher tax rate. The world's largest retailer turned in a per-share profit of $1.10, down from $1.14 a year ago, but said poor winter weather cost it $0.03 per share. Both figures were short of analyst estimates at $1.15, and sales increased 0.8%, to $114.2 billion, but that also missed expectations of $116 billion. Adjusting for currency translation, sales would have grown 2.1%, essentially matching estimates. There were some bright spots in the report, as comparable sales at its smaller Neighborhood Market format grew 5%, compared to a dip of 0.1% at Wal-Mart stores nationwide, and e-commerce sales jumped 27%, a faster pace than rival Amazon.com's, though Wal-Mart's are growing from a much smaller base. Finally, Wal-Mart's current-quarter guidance was weaker than projected, as the retail giant sees EPS of $1.15-$1.25 versus $1.24 last year, accounting for increasing health-care costs among other factors. Analysts had expected a profit of $1.28 per share.

10 Best Heal Care Stocks To Own Right Now

Source: Wikipedia

On the other side of the aisle, J.C. Penney  (NYSE: JCP  )  shares were flying after hours, up 19% after its earnings report soared past expectations. The struggling retailer showed signs of returning to health, as comparable sales rose 6.2% in the quarter, an indication that consumers are returning following a disastrous transformation effort under former CEO Ron Johnson. Overall sales were up 6.1%, to $2.8 billion, topping estimates at $2.71 billion, and the department-store chain saw improvements on the bottom line as gross margin jumped improved 230 basis points, to 33.1%, SG&A expenses fell 490 basis points, to 36%, and its operating loss decreased 49%, to $247 million. Finally, its net loss of $1.15 per share beat estimates of a $1.25 loss. Looking forward, the company sees mid-single-digit comparable sales increases for the rest of the year, a significant improvement in gross margin, and break-even free cash flow. The road back to profitability will certainly be a long one, but for now, J.C. Penney is on the right track.

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Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Cisco shares surge after hours; ExOne dives

Getty Images Cisco shares rally after quarterly results.

SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) — Cisco Systems Inc. shares rallied in the extended session Wednesday after the computer equipment giant topped Wall Street estimates for the fiscal third quarter.

/quotes/zigman/20039/delayed/quotes/nls/csco CSCO 22.81, -0.05, -0.22% Cisco 12-month stock price

Cisco (CSCO) shares surged 7% to $24.43 on very heavy volume after the company reported adjusted fiscal third-quarter earnings of 51 cents a share on revenue of $11.55 billion. Analysts surveyed by FactSet expected 48 cents a share on revenue of $11.36 billion.

Shares of Cisco were the most actively traded stock after-hours with more than 9.2 million shares exchanging hands after the market close.

In Cisco's conference call with analysts , the company said it expects revenue in the current quarter to decline by 3% to 1%, not as bad as the 6% decline analysts expected.

Shares of Agilent Technologies Inc. (A)  declined 0.5% to $55.60 on moderate volume after the measurement instruments company reported adjusted fiscal second-quarter earnings of 72 cents a share on revenue of $1.73 billion. Analysts estimated 73 cents a share on revenue of $1.73 billion.

Also, Agilent forecast third-quarter earnings of 72 cents to 74 cents a share on revenue of $1.74 billion to $1.76 billion. Analysts expect 79 cents a share on revenue of $1.75 billion.

/quotes/zigman/14150718/delayed/quotes/nls/seas SEAS 29.34, -0.57, -1.91% SeaWorld 12-month stock price

Shares of SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. (SEAS)  rose 0.6% to $29.50 after an initial decline as the theme-park operator posted weaker than expected results on lower attendance numbers.

Jack In The Box Inc. (JACK)  shares fell 0.9% to $53.50 on moderate volume after the fast-food chain reported adjusted third-quarter earnings of 51 cents a share on revenue of $340.9 million. Analysts estimated 52 cents a share on revenue of $338.9 million.

ExOne Co. (XONE)  shares fell 12% to $27.10 on moderate volume after the 3D printer company reported a first-quarter loss of 38 cents a share on revenue of $7.3 million. Analysts were expecting a loss of 12 cents a share on revenue of $9.7 million.

More must-reads from MarketWatch:

How to get stinking rich using secret offshore accounts

U.S. stocks fall; Dow breaks 5-day win streak

Millennials are not stock-market fans

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

Entrepreneurs, tech's a great tool — use it!

Hi, Gladys, Several months ago I was attending a network luncheon for entrepreneurs. The guest speaker was a man who gave a talk on the future of small business. According to him, within the next few years everyone would be shopping online. This would cause many small bricks-and-mortar businesses to shut down. I have owned a card and gift shop for many years, and so far we have been quite successful. How can I keep my small business thriving?

I have no idea what message the speaker was trying to convey but entrepreneurs created the technology world, and it's here to stay. And, the bricks-and-mortar world is not going away. However, you will need to find balance between the two worlds and use technology to your advantage. Computers, e-mail, Internet, websites, apps, tablets and various mobile devices have not only changed the way we do business it has enhanced the way we do business.

For instance, I belong to a gym and I have my days of being a slacker when it comes to exercising. The owners of the gym send a regular e-mail reminding their clients of the health benefits of exercise. They also include a healthy eating tips and sometimes an easy-to-prepare recipe. They understand that in order to keep customers and build new business they need to be in touch with us. And for me it works! All it takes is a computer, e-mail addresses of their current customers and the time to put the information together.

A successful business depends on the transfer of information and the gathering of knowledge. And it is easier now than ever. Tasks that once took hours or days now take minutes. We can respond to our customers' wants and needs more quickly and completely, and with fewer errors. We have at our fingertips educational resources, from up to date encyclopedias to in office learning programs never before available. Technology even allows us to be away from home and yet control the lights, temperatures, and security in our homes.

We can reach out to the entire world, makin! g it possible to expand our customer base and provide services and information that was never before available. Because of technology I can do workshops and individual consulting worldwide without leaving my office.

And technology is not just an advantage for business owners; everyone benefits. I often have dinner with my friend who lives 500 miles away via our devices. We set up our laptops on the dining room table and enjoy dinner and good conversation with each other over Skype. Without this technology we would just be voices on the phone.

Allow the world of technology to work for you. Take a look at all of the great possibilities that exist for you and your business to grow. Here are a few things to consider.

• Do you have the e-mail address of your customers so that you can alert them to specials and holiday sales?
• Do you have a website that works nicely with mobile devices. So that customers can read your offerings without difficulty?
• Can customers purchase items from your store online? This will allow customers to shop in your store 24/7
• Do you have a social media presence?

Many businesses both large and small have found that technology has been their path to success, enabling them to market their products and services. Give yourself the opportunity to learn as much as you can to help you continue to build your business.

I recently read Word of Mouse: 101 + Trends in How We Buy, Sell, Live, Learn, Work and Play, by Marc Ostrofsky. Marc says that we don't have to be intimidated by technology, and in some cases we may not completely understand how it works. But we do need to be aware of the many ways to use technology, so that we become and maintain success in business and in living.

In addition to Ostrofsky's book, there are many books, podcasts, websites, videos, etc. available that can help you learn how to make technology work to your advantage.

Gladys Edmunds, founder of Edmunds Travel Con! sultants ! in Pittsburgh, is an author and coach/consultant in business development. Her column appears Wednesdays. E-mail her at gladys@gladysedmunds.com. An archive of her columns is here. Her website is gladysedmunds.com.

Monday, May 12, 2014

3 Stocks Triggering Breakouts on Big Volume

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>5 Big Charts Ready to Break Out in May

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

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With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume recently.

Omnicom Group

Omnicom Group (OMC), together with its subsidiaries, operates as an advertising, marketing and corporate communications services company in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa and the Asia pacific. This stock closed up 2.2% to $67.66 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 12.28 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.81 million

Volume % Change: 670%

From a technical perspective, OMC ripped sharply higher here right above its recent low of $65.43 with heavy upside volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last two months, with shares moving lower from its high of $76.69 to its low of $65.43. During that move, shares of OMC have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of OMC are now starting to rebound off $65.43 with volume and it's quickly moving within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if OMC manages to take out its 200-day moving average of $68.41 with volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in OMC as long as it's trending above that recent low of $65.43 and then once it sustains a move or close above its 200-day at $68.41 with volume that hits near or above 1.81 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, the OMC will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 50-day moving average of $70.87 or at $72 to $74.

Gulfport Energy

Gulfport Energy (GPOR) engages in the exploration, development and production of oil and natural gas properties. This stock closed up 2.5% to $60.88 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 5.15 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.83 million

Volume % Change: 184%

From a technical perspective, GPOR jumped higher here with above-average volume. This stock recently gapped down sharply lower from close to $74 to under $60 with heavy downside volume. Following that move, shares of GPOR are now starting to rebound higher and move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if GPOR manages to take out its 200-day moving average of $61.82 with strong upside volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in GPOR as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $58.90 and then once it sustains a move or close above its 200-day at $61.82 with volume that hits near or above 1.83 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then GPOR will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap-down-day zone that started just near $74. Some possible upside targets if GPOR gets into that gap with volume are $66 to its 50-day moving average of $69.36.

Net 1 Ueps Technologies

Net 1 Ueps Technologies (UEPS) provides payment solutions and transaction processing services for various industries in South Africa, Korea, Europe and internationally. This stock closed up 8.7% to $10.09 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 800,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 203,073

Volume % Change: 280%

From a technical perspective, UEPS gapped up sharply higher here back above both its 50-day moving average of $9.73 and its 200-day moving average of $9.83 with strong upside volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of UEPS within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if UEPS manages to take out Friday's high of $10.49 to some more near-term overhead resistance at $10.90 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in UEPS as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $9.94 or above its 50-day at $9.73 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 203,073 shares. If that breakout gets underway soon, then UEPS will set up to re-test or possibly take out its nest major overhead resistance levels at $12.75 to its 52-week high at $13.

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To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.


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At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.