Quarterly Contest: What Stocks Did Warren Buffett Buy?

What stocks did Warren Buffett buy in the second quarter? It's anybody's guess. Think you know? Post three stocks in the comments section below.

Last quarter, there were four winners: Chihin, Errold, Luishernandez and Clemo69. They correctly guessed that Buffett bought DaVita (DVA), Wells Fargo (WFC) and IBM (IBM). Congratulations!

When the portfolio is revealed, winners will get an investing book of their choice:
Joel Greenblatt: The Little Book That Still Beats the Market (Little Books. Big Profits)[ Enlarge Image ]
Joel Greenblatt: You Can Be a Stock Market Genius: Uncover the Secret Hiding Places of Stock Market Profits[ Enlarge Image ]
Benjamin Graham: The Intelligent Investor: The Definitive Book on Value Investing. A Book of Practical Counsel (Revised Edition)[ Enlarge Image ]Martin Whitman: The Aggressive Conservative Investor Peter Lynch: Beating the Street[ Enlarge Image ]Peter Lynch: One Up On Wall Street : How To Use What You Already Know To Make Money In The Market[ Enlarge Image ]Benjamin Graham: Security Analysis: The Classic 1934 Edition[ Enlarge Image ]
David Dreman: Contrarian Investment Strategies - The Next Generation[ Enlarge Image ]The Snowball: The Snowball: Warren Buffett and the Business of Life[ Enlarge Image ]Howard Marks: The Most Important Thing: Uncommon Sense for the Thoughtful Investor (Columbia Business School Publishing)[ Enlarge Image ]

We host the same contest every quarter. What would Warren Buffett do? Happy guessing!

Top 10 Penny Companies To Watch In Right Now

Related links:Warren BuffettDVAWFCIBMJoel GreenblattMartin WhitmanDavid DremanHoward Marks

CNX Downgraded to Underperform - Analyst Blog

On Jul 9, 2013, we downgraded our recommendation on energy company CONSOL Energy Inc. (CNX) to Underperform from Neutral. CONSOL Energy currently has a Zacks Rank #5 (Strong Sell).

Why the Downgrade?

A number of negative factors, including over-reliance on a limited group of customers for bulk sales, an unexpected incident at the Blacksville No. 2 Mine and slow progress in the coal market have led us to downgrade our recommendation on the stock.

These factors also affected the Zacks Consensus Estimate. Over the past 90 days, the consensus estimate for second-quarter 2013 has decreased by 3 cents to 18 cents reflecting an estimated decline of 40.7% year over year.

Cause for Concern

CONSOL Energy depends on a limited group of customers for selling coal in bulk amounts. If the company fails to ink new deals or/and retain existing customers, its future performance will be affected.

We note that coal mining in Blacksville No. 2 Mine was suspended for nearly two months, when smoke was detected at the Orndoff shaft near Wayne in Greene County. Though CONSOL Energy has resumed operations at the mine after implementing the necessary measures, the incident has once again raised questions regarding the safety of underground mining.

In addition, CONSOL Energy temporarily closed its low-volume Buchanan mine and will continue to idle the low-volume Amonate mines due to weak market conditions. This will lower or negatively impact the company's near-term financial results.

Other Stocks to Consider

Stocks in the industry that are worth considering include Alliance Resource Partners LP (ARLP), Companhia Paranaense de Energia (ELP) and DTE Energy Company (DTE), each with a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy).

These Companies Are Scrambling To Buy Back $20 Billion ...

As earnings season reaches the halfway point, we're once again seeing stunningly large share buyback announcements.

Yet investors are scratching their heads. These buybacks are often seen in tandem with share prices hitting fresh multi-year lows. Gone are the days when companies would resort to buybacks only when their stock was deeply out of favor, far from its 52-week high.

Why are these companies "buying at highs"? In almost every instance, they appear to have little other use for their cash. They could go out and complete acquisitions that boost the top and bottom lines. Or they could seek to offer up very high dividends. Instead, they simply are managing their business with an eye toward maximizing cash flow, and using buybacks as a primary way to reward investors.

Here's a look at companies that have recently initiated or extended share buyback programs that could shrink the numbers of shares outstanding by more than 10%.



You might notice that one company doesn't meet the 10% threshold. PulteGroup (NYSE: PHM) is included in this list, despite a share shrinkage potential of just 6%, for a pair of reasons.

First, Pulte is one of the few companies buying back shares after those shares have fallen notably from the 52-week high. Pulte, along with other homebuilders, has drifted out of favor recently as mortgage rates begin to rise and investor fears of a short-circuited housing recovery grow.

Pulte's move to buy back shares right now is also noteworthy because the homebuilding industry presumably intends to build many more homes in coming years than has been the case in recent years. One might think that Pulte would have preferred to deploy its cash on new real estate and construction. Perhaps land prices have rebounded so quickly that Pulte thinks its stock represents greater relative value than before.

Analysts at UBS, who boosted their rating on! the stock this week to "buy" (with a $22 price target), note that the buyback was not the result of a sudden change of heart regarding growth strategies. "About 24 months ago, Pulte outlined a plan to focus more on risk-adjusted returns through the cycle, with an emphasis on maximizing (return on invested capital) and returning cash to shareholders where appropriate," they said, adding: "Management has deliberately been slowing down the sales pace to focus on price and maximizing profitability. We believe this is a prudent strategy given land scarcity in better locations."

The PR Spin?
Companies are sometimes accused of using buybacks as a way to call attention to their stock after a bit of controversy or near-term sales weakness. Indeed, the $1.5 billion buyback program for Intuitive Surgical (Nasdaq: ISRG) is sure to generate its own controversy. The maker of robotic surgery equipment has experienced a hefty plunge in its share price after a quarterly shortfall.

If ISRG's problems are short-lived, as management contends, then this buyback will have proved to be a good use of shareholder funds. But if the recent quarterly weakness is a sign of longer-term growth challenges, as I suggested recently, then this buyback will have looked foolhardy considering that shares still trade for more than 20 times projected 2014 profits.

The Proven Share Count Shrinker
It may have been easy to overlook the moderately sized $300 million buyback announcement from apparel licensing firm Iconix Brands (Nasdaq: ICON). But this is a company that is fast on its way to a much smaller share count.

Thanks to previous buybacks, the share count has fallen from 76 million in the third quarter of 2011 to a recent 59 million, and the just-announced buyback plan should take that figure below 52 million by the end of this year (even after accounting for some offsetting stock options). That works out to be a 32% drop in the share count, which has the direct impact of boosting earnings per share (EP! S) by a c! ommensurate amount.

Iconix Brands has never been especially popular among Wall Street analysts, due to a lack of organic growth. Management aims to acquire existing strong brands and milk them for profits, but it often does little to boost the growth profile of those brands. Yet the dual strategy of acquisitions and buybacks is making for some nifty financial engineering. EPS is on track to rise from around $1.50 in 2012 to $2.50 by 2015, according to consensus forecasts. Were it not for those buybacks, projected EPS growth would be a lot more muted.

The Book Value Play
Lastly, I can't resist the urge to take note of insurance firm Platinum Underwriters Holdings (NYSE: PTP).

The company's current market value is $1.7 billion while tangible book value stands at $1.9 billion. As I've noted before, any share buybacks completed while shares trade below book value is a no-brainer, as they can shrink book value per share at an accelerated pace. Platinum's new buyback $250 million buyback program comes on the heels of many other similarly sized buybacks. Shares outstanding stood at 66.4 million at the end of 2007 but will likely fall below 30 million this quarter.

Risks to Consider: These buyback plans are being pursued at a time when the major market averages have risen sharply in recent years. If the market pulls back, some of these buybacks will have appeared to be ill-timed.

Action to Take --> As these examples show, you want to focus on companies that are either buying back stock that trades below book value, or have a proven track record of share count shrinkage that gives a solid lift to EPS. Considering almost all of the stocks in the table above are pursuing double-digit buybacks, the resulting impact on EPS could be equally impressive.

Microsoft Up 6% Today, but as for Tomorrow …

Microsoft (MSFT) said early Friday that CEO Steve Ballmer will retire over the next 12 months.

That seemed to be just the news many investors were looking for, as it shares rose about 6% to trade at about $34.40 at midday on the Nasdaq, which was shut down for several hours Thursday due to technical glitches.

And while some observers were pointing out how “flat” the stock has performed under Ballmer’s leadership, it’s worth noting that – recently, at least – Microsoft has done better than the Dow and market darlings like Google (GOOG).

In the past 30 days, for instance, Microsoft shares have risen 2%, while the Dow has declined 2%. Hewlett-Packard (HPQ), which has seen renewed investor interest since Meg Whitman became CEO in September 2011, dropped 14% in the past month.

Two ETFs that track technology, the iShares Dow Jones U.S. Technology ETF (IYW) and the Vanguard IT ETF (VGT), are up 3% for the 30-day period, while the Tech Select Sector SPDR (XLK) is up about 1.5%.

For the past six months, Microsoft has risen nearly 18% versus roughly 9% for the Dow. Vanguard’s IT ETF has improved 11%, while the other two IT-focused ETFs have failed to keep up with the Dow, moving up about 7.5% on average.

Year to date, HP stormed ahead with a 60% gain, but Microsoft boosted a 22% improvement versus around 17% for the Dow. The three IT-themed ETFs managed to produce returns of roughly 10% to 14%.

One stock facing challenges similar to those of Microsoft — Cisco (CSCO) — is also up 20% year to date. Both, however, are being surpassed by Google, which has ticked up roughly 25%. Oracle (ORCL), however, has traded completely flat for the year so far, and Apple (AAPL) is down about 5%.

On a 12-month basis, Microsoft — up about 7% — is lagging Google (up 30%) and the Dow, which has gained nearly 18%. And when you push the data out five years, of course, Microsoft — though up about 20% — isn’t keeping up with the Dow, which has improved 30%, or Oracle (up 50%) or Apple (up 200%).

Top Small Cap Stocks To Buy For 2014

Future Shock

The challenge for Ballmer’s replacement is a tough one.

"We have embarked on a new strategy with a new organization,” the departing CEO said in a press release. “My original thoughts on timing would have had my retirement happen in the middle of our company's transformation to a devices and services company. We need a CEO who will be here longer term for this new direction."

Transforming Microsoft into something other than a software company will be incredibly challenging, observers say. And leadership changes, as HP and Apple have learned, are no guarantee of success at slaying such a dragon.

Ballmer, 57, started at the company when he was 24. He became CEO in January 2000, several years before the iPhone, iPad, YouTube, Facebook, Google, cloud computing and other technology came to dominate much of the industry.

"As this work continues, we are focused on selecting a new CEO to work with the company's senior leadership team to chart the company's course and execute on it in a highly competitive industry," said John Thompson, the lead independent director of the software giant’s board.

Investors and others will be sure to watch the selection process closely in the hopes that such leadership can bring Microsoft into the forefront of a rapidly changing but still highly lucrative field.

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Check out 10 Ways to Connect With Clients Using Your iPad on ThinkAdvisor.

Santa Fe Gold’s Annual Stockholder Meeting Scheduled (OTCMKTS:SFEG, OTCMKTS:EQLB)

Santa Fe Gold Corporation (SFEG)

Today, SFEG surged (+7.35%) up +0.009 at $.130 with 62,550 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:32AM EDT July 11, 2013).

Santa Fe Gold Corporation previously reported its Annual Stockholder Meeting is scheduled to be held at 10:00 a.m. Mountain Time on Tuesday, August 6, 2013, at the Albuquerque Marriott Hotel located at 2101 Louisiana Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. Santa Fe Gold Corporation is a gold and silver producer with operations in New Mexico. Its Summit mine achieved commercial production in 2012. Summit produces high value gold-silver concentrates and silica flux products that are sold under contract to domestic and overseas smelters.

Santa Fe Gold Corporation (SFEG) 5 day chart:

EQ Labs, Inc. (EQLB)

Today (July 11), EQ Labs, Inc. (OTCMKTS:EQLB) (www.drinkeq.com) had surged (+18.18%) up +0.0010 at $.0065 with 42,000 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 9:37AM EDT July 11, 2013). Now at the current price of $.0065, EQLB would be considered to have experienced a (+983.33%) gain if compared to the 52 week low of $.0006.

EQ Labs, Inc. manufactures and markets energy drink products in the United States and Latin America. The company offers EQ Smart Energy Drink, in an effervescent tablet form that provides an instant energy drink once added to a beverage of choice. EQ Labs, Inc. distributes its products through national and regional distributors.

To view EQ Labs, Inc. video click link http://crwetube.com/media/eq-labs-has-entered-into-a-signed-agreement-with-l.

EQ Labs, Inc. (EQLB) 5d chart:

Can Industrial Biotech Fuel the Pentagon?

The Navy's F/A-18F Super Hornet strike fighter flew on a 50/50 blend of biofuel and conventional fuel. The stunt earned it the nickname "Green Hornet." Source: U.S. Navy.

Energy is an incredibly important necessity for Uncle Sam. Unfortunately, it also happens to be quite expensive. In 2011 the Department of Defense spent $20 billion on energy and consumed nearly 5 billion gallons of petroleum, according to Sharon Burke, assistant secretary of defense for operational energy plans and programs. Almost three-quarters of that consumption is tied up in the "training, moving, and sustaining military equipment and weapons."  

The armed forces are well aware of their dependence on a single source of energy -- petroleum -- for smooth operations, but with so much equipment relying on dinosaur sauce, it would be a logistical nightmare to retrofit every engine to run on alternative fuels. That is precisely why next-generation drop-in fuels are so important.

A disruptive future
You may not be enthusiastic about the feasibility of industrial biotech, but many companies in the nascent industry are finally reaching commercial-scale production of products. The driving force in the disruptive future of the field is the ability of each technology platform to create products that touch multiple unrelated industries such as food, cosmetics, flavors and fragrances, chemicals, and fuels. Thus, it's unfair to associate any of the following companies solely with fuels. The Pentagon is certainly eyeing the potential, however.

Top 5 Undervalued Stocks To Invest In 2014

Renewable-oils manufacturer Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM  ) began supplying the U.S. Navy with Naval marine diesel and Naval jet fuel in 2010. In all, the company delivered nearly 1 million liters of fuel under various contracts between 2009 and 2012. The company took a lot of heat for the $15-per-gallon price tag for the contract -- nearly four times the price of conventional jet fuel at the time -- but critics seemed to have dismissed the fact that those selling prices included costs for new equipment and non-commercial scale inefficiencies.

The company will have 120,000 metric tons of renewable oil capacity as soon as the beginning of 2015, which will go a long way toward greening supply chains of the global chemical markets. Successful commercial performance should also turn heads at the Pentagon. Would it make sense for the DoD to subsidize a Solazyme biorefinery for the sole use of fuels?

Mountains to move
The amount of renewable fuels needed to make a sizable dent in Uncle Sam's fuel requirements is enormous. Consider that a Solazyme biorefinery with a capacity of 100,000 metric tons would be able to produce about 33 million gallons of jet fuel each year. I imagine a dedicated fuel facility -- if constructed -- would be much larger to improve the economics.

Nonetheless, skeptics would probably criticize low annual production figures, even though a built-for-purpose facility could have process scheduling and cost advantages. To put it bluntly, the Pentagon would need 153 such facilities and tens of billions of dollars to completely replace its fuel consumption with the technology. Rather than file the problem away in the "too hard" category, I suggest we get started today. What do we have to lose?

Think the days of $100 oil are gone? The Pentagon is preparing for just such a scenario. In fact, the market is heading in that direction now. But for investors that are positioned to profit from the return of $100 oil, it can't come soon enough. To help investors get rich off of rising oil prices, our top analysts prepared a free report that reveals three stocks that are bound to soar as oil prices climb higher. To discover the identities of these stocks instantly, access your free report by clicking here now.

New Data on Biogen's Eloctate - Analyst Blog

Top 5 Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Biogen Idec (BIIB) and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum AB recently presented new data on their hemophilia A candidate, Eloctate, at the XXIV International Society on Thrombosis and Haemostasis (ISTH) Congress.

Data presented by Biogen and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum supported Eloctate's safety and efficacy profile.

According to the new data, a single injection of Eloctate helped control more than 87% of bleeds while more than 97% of bleeds could be controlled by two or fewer injections. Moreover, bleeding during and after 9 major surgeries were controlled by Eloctate in 9 patients with hemophilia A.

Biogen also presented data on Eloctate from a population pharmacokinetics (popPK) model as well as an evaluation based on the usage of two investigational hemostasis assays.

We note that Biogen and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum had initially presented positive top-line results on Eloctate from the global, multi-center, phase III A-LONG study last year. About 98% of bleeding episodes were controlled with one or two injections of Eloctate. Eloctate was found to be generally well-tolerated.

Eloctate is currently under US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review – a response regarding its approval status should be out early next year.

The company's hemophilia B candidate, Alprolix, is also under FDA review with a response expected by year end.

A convenient dosing schedule (supported by a longer duration of action and a suitable safety profile) could help Alprolix and Eloctate capture share from existing products in the hemophilia market.

Biogen currently carries a Zacks Rank #1 (Strong Buy). Avonex and Tysabri should continue contributing significantly to sales. Tecfidera should help drive long-term growth. We are also encouraged by Biogen's progress with its hemophilia candidates.

A few other companies that look e! qually well-positioned are Aeterna Zentaris (AEZS), Cytori Therapeutics, Inc. (CYTX) and Protalix BioTherapeutics, Inc. (PLX). All three are Zacks Rank #1 stocks.

If Alcatel Can Keep This Up, The Turnaround Can Work

These are still very early days, but if the second quarter is any sign, Alcatel-Lucent's (NYSE:ALU) latest restructuring efforts may bring this company (and stock) back into relevancy. There is still plenty than can go wrong, but the carrier spending environment is looking better by the month, and will likely put some significant tailwinds into Alcatel's sales. While I definitely missed out on the early jump in these shares, a pathway to $3.50 (or higher) for the shares is at least worth talking about today.

Solid Second Quarter Earnings, On A Relative Basis At Least
Alcatel-Lucent's second quarter results wouldn't have passed muster for a company like Cisco (Nasdaq:CSCO) or Huawei, but they weren't bad for a company that badly needs to re-establish its credibility with the Street.

Revenue rose 2% as reported (or 4% in constant currency) from last year, or 12% versus the first quarter. That was good for a 3% beat, as the company saw surprising strength in edge routing (leading to IP revenue growth above 20%) and better than expected results in LTE (leading wireless to 5% sequential growth.

Margins likewise improved. Gross margin increased only slightly from last year, but improved 250bp sequentially. More importantly, gross margin beat the average estimate by more than 150bp. Adjusted operating income was positive (unlike the year-ago and quarter-ago results), and Alcatel's slim positive operating margin was almost 300bp higher than expected.

SEE: A Look At Corporate Profit Margins

A New Focus On Growth Products, Just As The Cycle Turns Positive Again
There have been a lot of false dawns with predictions of better telecom carrier spending, but it looks like conditions are finally, legitimately, getting better. Other equipment providers like Ciena (Nasdaq: CIEN) and Infinera (Nasdaq: INFN) have been seeing demand improving, as have Juniper (Nasdaq:JNPR) and Cisco. Results haven't been quite as strong as Ericsson (Nasdaq:ERIC) or Nokia Siemens, but then there too are some margin/mix improvement stories at work.

SEE: How To Pick The Best Telecom Stocks

As seen with Ciena and Infinera (and in recent announced wins), 100G is pretty strong for Alcatel-Lucent right now, and I would expect this market to get better over the next year or two. I still have my doubts about Alcatel's ability to compete, but I also don't believe that the company has to gain share to still benefit from this growing market. Edge routing, too, is looking quite a bit stronger for Alcatel as data traffic grows. As with 100G, I have my doubts that Alcatel-Lucent can grow share against its rivals (in this case, Cisco, Juniper, and Huawei), but once again Alcatel-Lucent doesn't have to "win" edge routing to still benefit from it.

We'll see what happens in wireless. Although Alcatel gets a lot of flack from bears (myself included in the past) for its share losses in LTE, a global share of around 15% to 17% is still good enough to allow the company to benefit from upcoming rollouts. The real question here may be margin, though, and Alcatel management could well face some difficult decisions with respect to how it bids on business.

On a somewhat related note, I thought it was rather interesting that Qualcomm (Nasdaq: QCOM) chose to partner with, and invest in, Alcatel for 3G/4G small cells. Qualcomm seems to be turning into something of an angel investor these days (at least between investments in struggling companies with good IP like Sharp and now Alcatel), and these small cell products won't roll right away, but it's hard not to see this move as something of an affirmation of Alcatel's IP and ability to endure.

The Bottom Line
I have long been very critical and skeptical towards Alcatel-Lucent, in large part because prior management line-ups couldn't execute their way out of a broom closet. And again, this is only one quarter and one where most of Alcatel-Lucent's comparables have sounded pretty positive on the market trends. So there's still a great deal of work left to do (and much to prove), but it's a good start.

I now expect Alcatel to return to positive free cash flow in 2015, and although liquidity is going to be tight for some time, improving financial performance over the next two years ought to create additional refinancing opportunities (though likely with higher base interest rates).

I'm still looking for long-term revenue growth in the neighborhood of 3% from Alcatel, well below Ciena and Infinera, but only a bit below Cisco. I'm more optimistic, though, that Alcatel can pull long-term free cash flow margins back into the mid-to-high single digits, though, and that leads to a discounted fair value (even with an elevated discount rate) of about $3.50. That's enough to make these shares worthy of consideration (something I wasn't sure I'd say again) even after this big run, and if the company continues to execute, those targets could head higher as the turnaround continues.

Disclosure – At the time of writing, the author had no positions in any stocks mentioned.

Hot Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014

The following stocks meet the criteria that Warren Buffett has emphasized in the past.� As such, these stocks might satisfy the ��racle of Omaha.��/p>

How does Buffett make his picks? In short, he uses the following five investment criteria.

��Free cash flow of at least $250 million.

��Net profit margin of 15% or more.

��Return on equity of at least 15% for each of the past three years and the most recent quarter.

��One dollar�� worth of shareholder equity created for every dollar of retained earnings over the past five years.

��Market capitalization of at least $500 million.

Hot Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014: DXP Enterprises Inc.(DXPE)

DXP Enterprises, Inc. engages in distributing maintenance, repair, and operating (MRO) products, equipment, and services to industrial customers in the United States. Its Service Centers segment provides MRO products, equipment and services, including technical design expertise and logistics capabilities to industrial customers with the ability to provide same day delivery. This segment?s product categories comprise rotating equipment, bearing, power transmission, hose, fluid power, metal working, industrial supply, and safety products; and services consist of field safety supervision, in-house and field repair, and maintenance services. The company?s Supply Chain Services segment manages the supply-chain of its customers from various industries. This segment designs supply chain inventory management programs, including SmartAgreement, a procurement solution for MRO categories; SmartBuy, an on-site or centralized MRO procurement solution; SmartSource, an on-site procurem ent and storeroom management solutions; SmartStore, an e-catalog solution; SmartVend, an industrial dispensing solution; and SmartServ, an integrated service pump solution. Its Innovative Pumping Solutions segment fabricates and assembles custom-made engineered pump packages consisting of diesel and electric driven firewater, pipeline booster, potable water packages, pigging pump packages, LACT charge units, chemical injection pump packages wash down units, seawater lift pumps, jockey pumps, condensate pump packages, cooling water skids, and seawater/produced water injection packages. DXP Enterprises, Inc. distributes its products and services through service centers and distribution centers to customers in the oil and gas, food and beverage, petrochemical, transportation, mining, construction, chemical, municipal, agriculture, pulp and paper, and other general industrial industries. The company was founded in 1908 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Hot Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014: Western Digital Corp (WDC.O)

Western Digital Corporation (WD) is a provider of solutions for the collection, storage, management, protection and use of digital content, including audio and video. Its principal products are hard drives, which are devices that use one or more rotating magnetic disks (magnetic media) to store and allow access to data. Its hard drives are used in desktop and notebook computers, corporate and cloud computing data centers, home entertainment equipment and stand-alone consumer storage devices. In addition to hard drives, its other products include solid-state drives and home entertainment and networking products. The Company operates as the parent company of its hard drive business, Western Digital Technologies, Inc. Effective March 8, 2012, the Company acquired Viviti Technologies Ltd. In May 2012, the Company completed the divestiture of certain 3.5-inch hard drive assets to Toshiba Corporation. As part of its deal with Toshiba, WD also completed its purchase of Toshiba Storage Device (Thailand) Company Limited (TSDT), which manufactured hard drives.

The Company offers a line of storage devices. Its hard drives include 3.5-inch and 2.5-inch form factors, capacities ranging from 80 gigabytes to three terabytes, nominal rotation speeds up to 10,000 revolutions per minute, and interfaces, such as Serial Advanced Technology Attachment (SATA) and Serial Attached SCSI (Small Computer System Interface) (SAS). In addition, the Company offers a family of hard drives specifically designed to consume less power than standard drives, utilizing its WD GreenPower Technology. Its solid-state drives include 2.5-inch and Compact Flash form factors, capacities ranging from 1 gigabyte to 256 gigabytes, and interfaces, such as SATA and PATA.

Client Compute Storage Products

Client compute consists of hard drives and solid-state drives for desktop and mobile personal computers (PC��). During the fiscal year ended Jul y 1, 2011 (fiscal 2011), it shipped 151 million hard drive ! c! lient compute unit. Its client compute storage products include WD Caviar, WD Scorpio and WD Silicon Edge. WD Caviar family of hard drives is designed for use in desktop PCs. WD Scorpio family of hard drives is designed for use in mobile PCs. WD Silicon Edge family of solid-state drives is designed for both read-intensive client/consumer applications and write-intensive original equipment manufacturer (OEM) applications.

Client Non-Compute Storage Products

Client non-compute consists of branded products and consumer electronics products. Its hard drive client non-compute unit shipments were 46 million, during fiscal 2011.

Branded Products

Branded products consists of hard drives embedded into WD-branded external storage appliances with capacities ranging from 250 gigabytes to 8 terabytes and using interfaces, such as Universal Serial Bus (USB) 2.0, USB 3.0, external SATA, FireWire and Ethernet network connections. C ertain branded products models include software that assists customers with back up, remote access and management of digital content. Branded products also include its home entertainment and networking products. Its branded products include My Book and WD Elements Desktop family of storage appliances. My Passport and WD Elements Portable family of storage appliances include WD ShareSpace, WD TV and WD Livewire.

My Book and WD Elements Desktop family of storage appliances are designed to add external capacity to desktops and digital video recorders (DVRs), allow for the transfer and storage of videos directly from certain camcorders, and connect to networks to simplify storage for consumers. My Passport and WD Elements Portable family of storage appliances are designed for external portability weighing less than one-half of a pound and allow for the transfer and storage of videos directly from certain camcorders. WD ShareSpace is a network-attached storage system designed for home office or small office applications. ! WD T! V m! edia p! layers connect to a user�� television or home theater system and play digital movies, music and photos from an integrated hard drive, network hard drives, any of its WD-branded external hard drives, other USB mass storage devices or content services accessed over the Internet. WD Livewire, which enables consumers to use their existing electrical outlets to extend Internet connections throughout the home.

Consumer Electronics Products

WD AV family of hard drives is designed for use in products, such as DVRs and audio and video applications. WD AV drives deliver the characteristics CE manufacturers.

Enterprise Storage Products

Enterprise consists of hard drives for traditional enterprise and nearline storage applications, as well as solid-state drives for embedded applications. Its hard drive enterprise unit shipments were 10 million, for fiscal 2011. Its enterprise storage products include WD S25 hard drive, WD VelociRapt or, WD RE and WD SiliconDrive. WD S25 hard drive is designed for mission-critical enterprise server and storage applications, such as data centers and data arrays. WD VelociRaptor hard drive is designed for enterprise server and storage applications. This hard drive is also used in the high-end desktop PC market for applications including gaming, servers and advanced computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM) systems. WD RE family of hard drives is designed for nearline storage enterprise applications. WD SiliconDrive family of solid-state drives features fast read/write speeds in high capacities and is designed for embedded system OEM applications.

The Company competes with Hitachi Global Storage Technologies, Intel Corporation, Micron Technology, Inc., Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Seagate Technology, STEC, Inc. and Toshiba Corporation.

Top 10 Small Cap Companies To Buy For 2014: Premier Farnell(PFL.L)

Premier Farnell plc operates as a multi-channel distributor of electronic, electrical, and industrial products to design, maintenance, and repair sectors. The company operates in two divisions, Marketing and Distribution, and Industrial Products. The Marketing and Distribution division distributes a range of electronic components; equipment; maintenance, repair, and operations products; and software and technology solutions to commercial, industrial, and public sector markets in Europe, North America, and the Asia Pacific. Its customers include electronic design engineers, small-scale production units, purchasing professionals, and maintenance and repair engineers. This division also distributes consumer electronics in the United Kingdom and North America. The Industrial Products division involves in the manufacture and sale fire-fighting equipment for fire truck manufacturers, public fire services, and industrial facilities; and lighting and electrical control solutions. This segment sells its products through its own field sales force and distributors worldwide. The company?s multi-channel distribution approach includes call centers, Websites, field sales teams, and printed catalogues. Premier Farnell plc was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Why repaying debt should be a priority over new investments

Below is a verbatim transcript of the interview:

Q: If for example you are a salaried professional what should be your priority should it be debt repayment or should it be fresh investments?

A: This is the bonus season and so lots of people would have some lump-sum cash. For a salaried professional, debt is pretty expensive. The cheapest loan is probably a home loan at 10 percent, which is not cheap, unless it is tax deductible. A loan for a self-occupied house up to Rs 15 lakhs is tax deductible or it is fully tax deductible if it is for a rental house. All other loans are non-tax deductible and expensive. So, for a salaried professional, I would say if one gets a lump-sum amount, it makes sense for one to prepay your loan provided it is not tax deductible.

A very minor exception would be a very old home loan that one might have had at a very low fixed rate. There are people with home loans at fixed rates of 7.25-7.50 percent who were wise enough to take that in 2004-2005. If one has that then it does not make sense to prepay that but otherwise prepayment should always be a priority for a salaried professional when he is getting a lump-sum cash.

Caller Q: I want to invest Rs 8,000 in Systematic Investment Plan (SIP) for my retirement plan? Which SIP will be better for investment?

A: It is great that you are looking at a SIP rather than a lump-sum. Since the tenure over which you want to invest is long and you wanted to invest it for your retirement, depending on your risk profile I would advice one of the two. One is that if your risk profile is relatively conservative, I would advice a Balanced Fund, which would give you 70 percent equity and 30 percent debt.

You could look at any well performing Balanced Fund, ICICI Prudential Balanced Fund or HDFC Prudence Balanced Fund . However, you can have a profile that is little more aggressive, I would say put 90 percent in a largecap equity fund like a Franklin India Bluechip Fund , may be a Franklin India Index Fund , UTI Opportunities Fund and balance 10 percent in Public Provident Fund (PPF). Given the long-term nature of your investment, that should serve to get you a pretty decent nest egg.

Apple Hasn't Killed Pandora Yet

How do you like them apples, Pandora (NYSE: P  ) investors?

Shares of the leading music-streaming service tumbled 11% yesterday after reports surfaced that Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) was just one handshake away from rolling out its own rival music platform.

If I had a dime for every time that Pandora's stock took a hit on rumors of Apple introducing a competing service, I'd have nearly a dollar. The latest hit comes courtesy of reports that Apple has finalized negotiations with Warner Music, leaving just one of the major record labels to go.

Apple's iRadio is coming -- and the announcement may come as soon as next week's Apple WWDC powwow -- but we've known that since last year. Why don't we wait until it actually launches and succeeds before handing the streaming crows to Apple?

Apple certainly commands respect when it comes to digital music, but let's not assume that it's going to be a winner just because Apple's iTunes Music Store is the leading seller of downloads. Being the top dog in music retail didn't help when Ping -- Apple's short-lived social music experiment -- flopped.

Not everything Apple touches turns to iGold.

However, Pandora isn't necessarily doomed if iRadio is embraced by earbud-donning music fans. Spotify, Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) , and Pandora have all posted spectacular growth over the years in the face of growing competition.

There will come an inevitable shakeout, but it's hard to picture Pandora being the first to go. For that to happen, Apple would have to set its sights on iRadio as a free service, and that doesn't seem likely.

5 Best Dividend Stocks For 2014

Apple charges $25 a year for iTunes Match, a service that allows cloud-based access to your music library. After selling music and only offering a premium streaming platform, would iRadio really be a hub for freeloaders?

Pandora is exactly that. Just 2.5 million of Pandora's more than 70 million active monthly listeners are premium subscribers. That's a stark contrast to Sirius XM and Spotify, which rely largely on subscription revenue to stay in business. Apple launching a free service would mean diving into the audio advertising business, and that's just not the tech titan's strong suit.

It's easy to see why Apple and anyone else would be gunning for Pandora. Adjusted revenue soared 58% in its latest quarter. Yes, it also has a history of losing money, but analysts feel that this past quarter will be Pandora's last profitless period.

Apple will make a move in streaming beyond the seemingly unpopular iTunes Match service. That's a given. However, for Pandora to take a pounding every time Apple grows closer when we don't know what the product will be, how much it will cost, and how successful Apple can realistically be isn't fair.

If anything, Apple's entry may be the best thing that ever happened to Pandora. If iRadio fails to gain traction -- and that's certainly on the table given the death of Ping and the lack of resounding success with iTunes Match -- there will no longer be any talk about a potential Pandora killer.

The conversation will then become a bidding war for the streaming service that everyone else failed to beat.

And the beat goes on...?
Can Pandora translate success with its listeners into a prosperous business model that will deliver for investors? Learn about the key opportunities and potential pitfalls facing the upstart radio streamer in The Motley Fool's premium research report. All you have to do is click here now to subscribe to this invaluable investor's resource.

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More Expert Advice from The Motley Fool

The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock in our brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." I invite you to take a copy, free for a limited time. Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.

3 Big Biotech Stocks Rising 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.

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.

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

Santarus

Santarus (SNTS) is a specialty biopharmaceutical company focused on acquiring, developing and commercializing proprietary products that address the needs of patients treated by physician specialists. This stock closed up 9.6% to $27.26 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 6.36 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.44 million

Volume % Change: 396%

Shares of SNTS ripped higher on Wednesday after the company topped analysts' second-quarter estimates and raised its guidance. Sales rose 89% to $89 million, beating estimates by $6 million.

From a technical perspective, SNTS gapped sharply higher here into new all-time high territory with monster upside volume. This stock has been uptrending extremely strong for the last six months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $12.65 to its new all-time high of $28.10. During that move, shares of SNTS have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in SNTS as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $26.25 and then once it sustains a move or close above its all-time high at $28.10 with volume that hits near or above 1.44 million shares. If we get that move soon, then SNTS will set up to enter new all-time-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $35 to $37.

Amgen

Amgen (AMGN) is a biotechnology medicines company. It discovers, develops, manufactures and delivers innovative human therapeutics. This stock closed up 6.8% at $112.40 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 9.91 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 3.27 million

Volume % Change: 189%

Shares of AMGN ripped higher on Wednesday after news broke that the company is close to a deal to buy Onyx Pharmaceuticals (ONXX) for $130 a share, valuing the deal at around $9.5 billion.

From a technical perspective, AMGN spiked sharply higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $102.08 with heavy upside volume. This move pushed shares of AMGN into breakout territory, since it took out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $110 to $111.30. Shares of AMGN are now quickly moving within range of triggering another big breakout trade. That trade will hit if AMGN manages to take out Wednesday's high of $113.30 to its 52-week high at $114.95 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in AMGN as long as it's trending above $110 or $108 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 3.27 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then AMGN will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $120 to $125.

Jazz Pharmaceuticals

Jazz Pharmaceuticals (JAZZ) is a specialty pharmaceutical company, which is focused on developing and commercializing innovative products to meet unmet medical needs in neurology and psychiatry. This stock closed up 3.5% at $80.73 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 1.50 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 950,117

Volume % Change: 70%

From a technical perspective, JAZZ surged higher here right above some near-term support at $75 and into new 52-week-high territory with strong upside volume. This stock has been uptrending very strong for the last three months, with shares soaring higher from its low of $53.29 to its intraday high of $81.25. During that move, shares of JAZZ have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in JAZZ as long as it's trending above $75 and then once it sustains a move or close above its new 52-week high at $81.25 with volume that's near or above 950,117 shares. If we get that move soon, then JAZZ will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $85 to $90.

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

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now

Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, IT services specialist Syntel (NASDAQ: SYNT  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at Syntel and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

Syntel facts

Headquarters (founded)	Troy, Mich. (1980)
Market Cap	$2.74 billion
Industry	Information technology services 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own 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. 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: ANSYS Inc (ANSS.O) ANSYS, Inc. (ANSYS) develops and globally markets engineering simulation software and services used by engineers, designers, researchers and students across a range of industries and academia, including aerospace, automotive, manufacturing, electronics, biomedical, energy and defense. The Company distributes its ANSYS suite of simulation technologies through a global network of independent resellers and distributors (collectively, channel partners) and direct sales offices in global locations. The Company�� product portfolio consists of ANSYS Workbench, multiphysics product, structural mechanics, fluid dynamics, explicit dynamics, electromagnetic, system simulation, simulation process and data management, academic, high-performance computing (HPC), geometry interfaces, meshing and Apache design low-power electronic solutions. On August 1, 2011, the Company acquired Apache Design, Inc. ANSYS Workbench ANSYS Workbench is the framework upon whic h the Company�� suite of advanced engineering simulation technologies is built. The ANSYS Workbench platform delivers productivity, enabling Simulation Driven Product Development. Multiphysics The Company�� multiphysics product suite allows engineers and designers to create virtual prototypes of their designs operating under multiphysics conditions. ANSYS multiphysics software enables engineers and scientists to simulate the interactions between structural mechanics, heat transfer, fluid flow and electromagnetics all within a single, engineering simulation environment. Structural Mechanics The Company�� structural mechanics product suite offers simulation tools for product design. These tools have capabilities that cover a range of analysis types, elements, contacts, materials, equation solvers and coupled physics capabilities all focused towards understanding and solving complex design problems. Fluid Dy namics The Company�� fluid dynamics product! s! uite offers modeling of fluid flow and other related physical phenomena. Fluid flow analysis capabilities provide all the tools needed to design new fluids equipment and to troubleshoot already existing installations. The fluid dynamics product suite contains general-purpose computational fluid dynamics software and specialized products to address specific industry applications. Explicit Dynamics The Company�� explicit dynamics product suite simulates events involving short-duration, large-strain, large-deformation, fracture, complete material failure or structural problems with complex interactions. This product suite is used for simulating physical events that occur in a short period of time and may result in material damage or failure. Electromagnetics The Company�� electromagnetics product suite provides field simulation software for designing high-performance electronic and electromechanical products. The software streamlines the design process and predicts performance - all prior to building a prototype - of mobile communication and Internet-access devices, broadband networking components and systems, integrated circuits (IC) and printed circuit boards (PCB), as well as electromechanical systems such as automotive components and power electronics equipment. System Simulation The Company delivers the ability to perform complete simulation studies as a system for some of the product designs This is accomplished through a complete set of physics solutions that are integrated into a multiphysics capabilities set. A collaborative simulation environment provides modeling scalability for evaluating entire systems, including three dimensional (3-D) high-fidelity models, multibody dynamics, circuit reduced-order models, and any combination of these. Simulation Process and Data Management ANSYS Engineering Knowledge Manager (ANSYS EKM) is a solution for simulation-based process and data management! . A! NSYS! EKM ! provides solutions to all levels of a company, enabling an organization to address the issues associated with simulation data, including backup and archival, traceability and audit trail, process automation and intellectual property protection. Academic The Company�� academic product suite provides a portfolio of academic products based on several usage tiers: associate, research and teaching. Each tier includes various noncommercial products that bundle a range of physics and advanced coupled field solver capabilities. The academic product suite provides entry-level tools intended for class demonstrations and hands-on instruction. It provides flexible terms of use and more complex analysis suitable for doctoral and post-doctoral research projects. The Company also provides a product suitable for student use at home. High-Performance Computing The Company�� HPC product suite enables insight into product performance. The HPC product suite delivers cross-physics parallel processing capabilities for the full spectrum of the Company�� simulation software by supporting structural, fluids, thermal and electromagnetic simulations in a single HPC solution. Geometry Interfaces The Company offers geometry handling solutions for engineering simulation in an integrated environment with direct interfaces to all CAD systems, support of additional readers and translators. It also offers an integrated geometry modeler focused on analysis. Meshing Creating a mesh that transforms a physical model into a mathematical model is a critical and foundational step in almost every engineering simulation study. The Company�� meshing technology provides a means to balance these requirements, obtaining the right mesh for each simulation in the most automated way possible. Apache Design Low-Power Electronic Solutions The Company�� suite of Apache software delivers power analysis and optim! ization! ! platform! s along with integrated methodologies that provide capabilities for managing the power budget, power delivery integrity, and power-induced noise in an electronic design, from initial prototyping to system sign-off. These solutions deliver correlation to silicon measurement, and the capacity to handle an entire electronic system, including IC, package, and PCB. Top 10 Undervalued Companies To Invest In 2014: Active Control Technology Inc (ACT.V) Active Control Technology Inc. engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of wireless and fiber network solutions for mine communications, and commercial security and access control industries in Canada and the United States. Its products include ActiveMine, an integrated two-way voice communications and tracking network solution designed for harsh underground coal mining environments; and ActiveSecure, a family of wireless products for the access control industry that are used by security professionals for interior and exterior entry points, intrusion systems, and other building monitoring controls. The company is also involved in the design, manufacture, and integration of wireless battery equipped mobile platforms, including carts and other custom platforms that are used to cut the cord in retail settings, manufacturing processes, distribution centers, and hospitals. Active Control Technology Inc. is based in Mississauga, Canada. 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: Gartner Inc (IT) Gartner, Inc. (Gartner), incorporated on June 1, 1990, is an information technology (IT) research and advisory company. The Company operates in three business segments: Research, Consulting and Events. Research provides objective insight on critical and timely technology and supply chain initiatives for chief information officers (CIO), other IT professionals, supply chain leaders, technology companies and the investment community through reports, briefings, tools, access to its analysts, peer networking services and membership programs that enables its clients to make better decisions about their IT and supply chain investments. Consulting provides customized solutions to client needs through on-site, day-to-day support, as well as tools for measuring and improving IT performance with a focus on cost, performance, efficiency, and quality. Events provide IT, supply chain and business professionals the opportunity to attend various symposia, conferences and exhibitions to learn, contribute and network with their peers. Research Gartner delivers independent, objective IT research and insight primarily through a subscription-based, digital media service. Gartner Research is the fundamental building block for all Gartner services and covers all technology-related markets, topics and industries, as well as supply chain topics. The Company combines its research methodologies with industry and academic relationships to create Gartner solutions that address each role within an IT organization. The Company�� research agenda is defined by clients��needs, focusing on the critical issues, opportunities and challenges they face every day. Research analysts provide in-depth analysis on all aspects of technology, including hardware; software and systems; services; IT management; market data and forecasts; and vertical-industry issues. The Company�� research content is presented in the form of reports, briefings, updates and related tools, is delivered direc! tly to the client�� desktop via its Website and/or product-specific portals. Consulting Gartner Consulting deepens relationships with its research clients by extending the reach of its research through custom consulting engagements. Gartner Consulting brings together its research insight, benchmarking data, problem-solving methodologies and hands-on experience to improve the return on a client�� IT investment. Consulting solutions capitalize on Gartner assets that are invaluable to IT decision making, including: its research, which ensures that its consulting analyses and advice are based on a deep understanding of the IT environment and the business of IT; its market independence, which keeps its consultants focused on its client�� success. Gartner Consulting provides solutions to CIOs and other IT executives, and to those professionals responsible for IT applications, enterprise architecture, go-to-market strategies, infrastructure and operations, programs and portfolio management, and sourcing and vendor relationships. Consulting also provides targeted consulting services to professionals in specific industries. Finally, the Company provides actionable solutions for IT cost optimization, technology modernization and IT sourcing optimization initiatives. Events Gartner Symposium/ITxpo events and Gartner Summit events are gatherings of technology�� senior IT professionals, business strategists and practitioners. Gartner Events offers relevant and actionable technology sessions led by Gartner analysts to clients and non-clients. These sessions are augmented with technology showcases, peer exchanges, analyst one-on-one meetings, workshops and keynotes by technology�� top leaders. They also provide attendees with an opportunity to interact with business executives from the technology companies. Gartner Events attract high-level IT and business professionals who seek in-depth knowledge about technology products and serv! ices. Gar! tner Symposium/ITxpo events are strategic conferences held in various locations throughout the world for CIOs and other senior IT and business professionals. Gartner Summit events focus on specific topics, technologies and industries, providing IT professionals with the insight, solutions and networking opportunities to succeed in their job role. Finally, the Company offers targeted events for CIOs and IT executives, such as CIO Leadership Forum. 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: Majesco Entertainment Company(COOL) Majesco Entertainment Company develops and markets video game products primarily for family oriented mass-market consumers. The company publishes video games for various interactive entertainment hardware platforms, including Nintendo?s DS, DSi, and Wii; Sony?s PlayStation 3 and PlayStation Portable; Microsoft?s Xbox 360; and personal computers. It also publishes games for various digital platforms consisting of mobile platforms comprising iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch, as well as online platforms, including Facebook. The company sells its products primarily to retail chains, specialty retail stores, video game rental outlets, and distributors. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Edison, New Jersey. Advisors' Opinion: [By McWillams] Majesco Entertainment makes video games mainly for the family-oriented, mass-market consumer. Majesco's incredible run this year started on Jan. 11 when the company announced it had shipped more than 500,000 copies of its Zumba Fitness video game title for the Wii, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. In late January, the company announced that it regained compliance with the Nasdaq's minimum bid price requirement for continued listing. In early March, shares of Majesco climbed higher after the company posted better-than-expected fiscal first-quarter financial results, with revenue jumping to $48.5 million from $29.2 million in the same period a year earlier. Current Share Price: $3.20 (March 29) First Quarter Total Return: 315% Analyst Ratings: Majesco garners a lone "buy" rating from Needham & Co. and a "neutral" rating from Wedbush. Coincidentally, both research firms have a $2.50 price target on the stock. TheStreet Ratings has a "hold" recommendation on Majesco Entertainment. The research report from March 20 says revenue growth, a largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels and solid stock price performance are strengths that are countered by the company's weak cash flow from its operations. [By Louis] Majesco Entertainment (NASDAQ: COOL) is an innovative provider of video games for the mass market, developing a wide range of titles for Sony’s PlayStation, Microsoft’s Xbox and Nintendo’s WII systems. On June 7, COOL announced that it had signed a contract with the NBA to begin development of an original video-game basketball franchise. The stock rose an impressive 32% over the next five trading days while the broader market sold off. However, the stock is down today after reporting weaker-than-expected second-quarter earnings last night, missing consensus earnings estimates by 2 cents. Majesco reported net revenues of $32.1 million for the second quarter ended April 30, 2011, compared with $10.9 million reported for the same period in the previous year. The company’s operating income for the second quarter was $5.3 million, compared with an operating loss of $1.6 million reported for the same period in the previous year. So treat this sell-off as a buying opportunity. 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: Urban Communications Inc. (UBN.V) Urban Communications Inc., a telecommunications company, develops and operates telecommunications networks for the delivery of video, telephone, and Internet services to commercial and residential customers in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia. The company engages in the construction and maintenance of fiber, cable, and wireless residential and commercial telecommunications networks to national and regional service providers. It also provides Ethernet services; and broadband services, including entertainment content and gaming portals. The company was formerly known as Boulevard Capital Ltd. and changed its name to Urban Communications Inc. in June 2001. Urban Communications Inc. was incorporated in 1988 and is headquartered in Burnaby, Canada. 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: EntreMed Inc (ENMD) EntreMed, Inc. (EntreMed), incorporated in 1991, is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. EntreMed's drug candidate is ENMD-2076, an Aurora A and angiogenic kinase inhibitor for the treatment of cancer. ENMD-2076 has completed Phase I studies in patients with advanced solid tumors, multiple myeloma and leukemia and is completing data for a multi-center Phase II study in patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer. The Company�� other product candidates have includes MKC-1, ENMD-1198 and 2-methoxyestrdiol (2ME2, Panzem) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. ENMD-2076 is a novel orally-active, Aurora A/angiogenic kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Aurora A and multiple tyrosine kinases linked to cancer and inflammatory diseases. ENMD-2076 is relatively selective for the Aurora A isoform in comparison to Aurora B. Aurora kinases are key regulators of the process of mitosis, or cell division, and are often over-expressed in human cancers. ENMD-2076 exerts its effects through multiple mechanisms of action, including anti-proliferative activity and the inhibition of angiogenesis. ENMD-2076 has demonstrated significant, dose-dependent preclinical activity as a single agent, including tumor regression, in multiple xenograft models (such as breast, colon, leukemia), as well as activity towards ex vivo-treated human leukemia patient cells. 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: Ceragon Networks Ltd.(CRNT) Ceragon Networks Ltd. offers wireless backhaul solutions that enable cellular operators and other wireless service providers to deliver voice and data services. Its wireless backhaul solutions use microwave technology to transfer large amounts of telecommunication traffic between base stations and the core of the service provider?s network. The company offers Internet protocol (IP) based FibeAir IP-10E/IP-MAX2, a high-capacity Ethernet that is used in wireless backhaul for carriers, private networks, and metro area networks; FibeAir IP-10G/IP-MAX2, a high-capacity multi-service, which is used in wireless backhaul for carriers and private networks; FibeAir 2000/4800, an unlicensed multi-service for private networks and business access; FibeAir/1500R, a high-capacity SDH/SONET for wireless backhaul and metro area networks; and FibeAir 3200T, a high-capacity circuit-switched TDM for wireless backhaul and long distance networks. It also provides advanced pure IP/Ethernet solu tions to wireless broadband service providers, as well as to businesses and public institutions that operate their own private communications networks. In addition, the company offers turnkey project services, including network and radio planning, site survey, solutions development, installation, maintenance, and training services. It sells its products through various channels, including direct sales, original equipment manufacturers, resellers, distributors, and system integrators in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Asia Pacific, and Latin America. The company was formerly known as Giganet Ltd. and changed its name to Ceragon Networks Ltd. in September 2000. Ceragon Networks Ltd. was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Tel Aviv, Israel. 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: Sourcefire Inc.(FIRE) Sourcefire, Inc. provides intelligent Cybersecurity technologies to commercial enterprises and government agencies worldwide. The company?s network security products include Sourcefire appliances for detecting, blocking, and analyzing network traffic; Sourcefire IPS to examine network packets for threats; Sourcefire NGIPS to discover the characteristics and vulnerabilities of computing devices communicating on a network; Sourcefire NGIPS with Application Control to provide granular control of applications; Sourcefire NGFW that includes application control and firewall capabilities; and Sourcefire SSL Appliance, which decrypts SSL traffic for inspection by network security appliances. It also offers FireAMP, a malware protection solution that uses data analytics to discover, understand, and block malware outbreaks; and Sourcefire Defense Center that provides application programming interfaces to interoperate third-party systems, such as firewalls, routers, log management, security information event management, trouble ticketing, patch management systems, and other technologies. In addition, the company provides Sourcefire Virtual Appliance, an application to inspect communications between different virtual machines; Sourcefire Virtual Defense Center, which provides central management, event analysis, and reporting services; Snort, a traffic inspection engine used in intrusion prevention system; ClamAV, an open source anti-malware product; and Razorback, an open-source project that addresses threat detection and protection. Further, it provides customer support, professional, and education and certification services. The company serves financial institutions, defense contractors, health care providers, IT companies, telecommunication companies, and retailers, as well as national, state, and local government agencies. Sourcefire, Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Columbia, Maryland. 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: FairPoint Communications Inc.(FRP) FairPoint Communications, Inc. provides communications services in rural and small urban communities primarily in northern New England. The company offers an array of services, including high speed data, Internet access, voice, television, and broadband product offerings to residential, business, and wholesale customers. It provides local calling services, such as basic local lines, local private lines, and switched data services; data services comprising private line special access, fast packet, optical, Ethernet, and IP services; and Internet services, including IP addresses obtaining services, basic Web site design and hosting, domain name, content feeds, and Web-based email services, as well as carrier Ethernet services. In addition, the company offers network transport services, such as access services, which primarily include DS-1 and DS-3 services; and high speed digital services that primarily comprise Ethernet-based services provisioned over fiber and copper facil ities. Further, it provides billing and collection services for interexchange carriers; directories, which offer white page, yellow page, and community information listings; public (coin) telephone, and the sale and maintenance of customer premise equipment; and video services to its customers by reselling DirectTV content, and cable and IP TV video-over- digital subscriber lines. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated approximately 1.3 million access line equivalents in 18 states. It provides cellular backhaul connectivity to approximately 1,600 towers. FairPoint Communications, Inc. is headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina. Monday, August 5, 2013 2 Basic Materials Stocks Under $10 to Watch  DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- At Stockpickr, we track daily portfolios of stocks that are the biggest percentage gainers and the biggest percentage losers. Stocks that are making large moves like these are favorites among short-term traders because they can jump into these names and try to capture some of that massive volatility. Stocks that are making big-percentage moves either up or down are usually in play because their sector is becoming attractive or they have a major fundamental catalyst such as a recent earnings release. Sometimes stocks making big moves have been hit with an analyst upgrade or an analyst downgrade. Regardless of the reason behind it, when a stock makes a large-percentage move, it is often just the start of a new major trend -- a trend that can lead to huge profits. If you time your trade correctly, combining technical indicators with fundamental trends, discipline and sound money management, you will be well on your way to investment success. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at a several stocks under $10 that are making large moves to the upside today. BioFuel Energy BioFuel Energy (BIOF) is engaged in the production and sale of ethanol and its co-products through its two ethanol production facilities located in Nebraska and Minnesota. This stock closed up 9.4% to $4.04 in Tuesday's trading session. Tuesday's Range: $3.69-$4.04 52-Week Range: $2.70-$10.75 Tuesday's Volume: 152,000 Three-Month Average Volume: 57,949 From a technical perspective, BIOF soared higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $3.76 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of BIOF within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if BIOF manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.99 to $4.12 with high volume. At last check, BIOF hit an intraday high of $4.04 and volume was well above its three-month average action of 57,949 shares. Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BIOF as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $3.76 or above more near-term support at $3.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 57,949 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then BIOF will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 200-day of $4.63 to $5.19. Any high-volume move above $5.19 will then put $5.50 to $6 within range for shares of BIOF. North American Palladium North American Palladium (PAL) is a precious metals producer that operates Lac des Iles mine in Ontario, Canada. This stock closed up 2.5% to $1.19 in Tuesday's trading session. Tuesday's Range: $1.14-$1.19 52-Week Range: $0.91-$2.28 Thursday's Volume: 2.16 million Three-Month Average Volume: 1.71 million From a technical perspective, PAL trended modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average at $1.09 with above-average volume. This stock recently came out of a bad downtrend, which took shares from its high of $1.78 to its recent low of 91 cents per share. After tagging that low at 91 cents, shares of PAL saw its downside volatility stop and the stock has reversed course and entered an uptrend. That uptrend has taken PAL from 91 cents to its recent high of $1.20. Shares of PAL are now quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if PAL manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.20 to $1.34 with high volume. Traders should now look for long-biased trades in PAL as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $1.09 or above more support at $1 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.71 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then PAL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.45 to $1.70. To see more stocks that are making notable moves higher today, check out the Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher portfolio on Stockpickr. -- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis. Sunday, August 4, 2013 Groupon Is No Zynga Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN  ) reports on May 8, and investors are fearing the worst. Groupon joins Zynga (NASDAQ: ZNGA  ) as two of the most famous busted IPOs of the late 2011 class. The dot-com darlings went public with plenty of hype, but both the daily deals leader and the top dog in social gaming have been meandering in the single digits in recent months. In this video, longtime Fool contributor Rick Munarriz explains why Groupon deserves more respect. It's not Zynga, Rick argues, pointing out that Groupon is profitable, growing its top line, and has embraced industry changes to evolve into a viable business. 5 Best Blue Chip Stocks To Invest In Right Now Agree? Disagree? Share your perspective in the comment box below after checking out the video. Got Groupon? Get smart. The Motley Fool has published a premium research report with in-depth analysis on whether you should buy or sell Groupon right now, and why. Simply click here now to get started. Saturday, August 3, 2013 Will This Be a Huge Quarter for Ford? Ford's world headquarters in Dearborn, Mich. Photo credit: Ford Motor Company Ford (NYSE: F  ) is set to report first-quarter earnings before the bell on Wednesday. What should we expect? If analysts' estimates are on target, we should expect a record profit – at least in North America. According to Bloomberg, leading Wall Street auto analysts are forecasting a $2.7 billion first-quarter profit for Ford's North American division, driven by strong sales of pickups, the Focus compact, and the all-new Fusion. But despite that success – which is tremendous -- Ford's net income may fall short of the $0.39 a share it reported in the first quarter of 2012. Why? Because Ford is having a rough time overseas. Once again, Ford's strength at home will shine As I pointed out the other day, Ford has looked exceptionally strong in North America recently. Many of its factories are running two or even three shifts, a situation that suggests that profits will be very strong. The Wall Street crowd agrees, with analysts now saying that Ford's North American margins may have topped 12% in the quarter – a very strong number for a mass-market automaker. Top 10 Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now The product development approach that is part of CEO Alan Mulally's "One Ford" plan continues to pay big benefits here in the U.S. Ford's current vehicle lineup is probably its strongest and most competitive ever. Ford has been able to post steady sales gains and keep its factories humming while reducing its spending on "incentives", or discounts. That's why Ford's profits here will likely look strong. But the situation is different in Ford's other regional divisions. Challenges – and opportunities – in overseas divisions In South America, the company has already said it expects to lose $300 million on inflation pressures and unfavorable exchange-rate swings – though it expects to break even for the full year. In Europe, recessions have driven auto sales to lows not seen in two decades. That has hurt everybody, but it has hurt Ford more than some, because of the Blue Oval's reluctance to offer deep discounts and make low-profit sales to rental-car fleets. Europe is a mess, but as ace Morgan Stanley auto analyst Adam Jonas told Bloomberg, it's "a very controlled mess for Ford". I agree with that take: Ford is likely to lose a lot of money in Europe this year, but it is doing all the right things to turn that around in a couple of years – even if auto sales in Europe continue to be lousy. But this quarter will still be messy. I wouldn't be surprised if Ford posted a loss in Europe of $500 million for the first quarter, or even more. The story is different in Asia. Ford's sales are growing rapidly in China, as the company rolls out more of its global models to an increasingly savvy Chinese audience. Ford's Focus has already become one of China's best sellers, and its Escape (known as the Kuga in China) found a warm reception in March, its first full month on sale in the Middle Kingdom. But profits are likely to be slim for a while, because Ford is still making massive investments in Asia. The company has committed nearly $5 billion to a series of new factories and other facilities, hoping to double sales by mid-decade. Ford is near the peak of its investment cycle now, so it's likely that Asia's first-quarter results will be close to breakeven. But again, this should be a big bright spot for Ford in a couple years' time. The upshot: A good but subdued quarter is likely Ford's revenues will be up versus the year-ago quarter, but so will overseas losses. The upshot is that Ford's first quarter is likely to come in a bit lower than last year's. Wall Street analysts surveyed by Bloomberg expect net income to be about $0.37 a share – two cents lower than the first quarter of 2012. That seems about right. But we'll know for sure when Ford gives us the official word on Wednesday morning. Stay tuned. Is it too late to buy Ford stock? If you're concerned that Ford's turnaround has run its course, relax -- there's good reason to think that the Blue Oval still has big growth opportunities ahead. We've outlined those opportunities in detail, in the Motley Fool's premium Ford research service. If you're looking for some freshly updated guidance to Ford's prospects in coming years, you've come to the right place -- click here to get started now. Thursday, August 1, 2013 LDK Solar Is on the Brink LDK Solar (NYSE: LDK  ) is on the brink of failure after another terrible performance in the first quarter. The company is paying more than half of its revenue in interest payments and is begging creditors to refinance debt so that it can stay alive. For equity investors there is little upside given the company's high debt load and massive losses. Fool.com contributor Travis Hoium weighs in on LDK's situation. One way investors can play solar is by looking for companies with better balance sheets and downstream exposure. First Solar is one of only a few companies that fits that bill. If you're looking for continuing updates and guidance on the company whenever news breaks, The Motley Fool has created a brand-new report that details every must know side of this stock. To get started, simply click here now. #pitch{ margin-bottom: 15px; } More Expert Advice from The Motley Fool The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock in our brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." I invite you to take a copy, free for a limited time. Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) Blog Archive ►  2014 (176) ►  July (14) ►  June (52) ►  May (27) ►  April (27) ►  March (27) ►  February (10) ►  January (19) ▼  2013 (201) ►  December (21) ►  November (21) ►  October (29) ►  September (17) ▼  August (17) Quarterly Contest: What Stocks Did Warren Buffett ... CNX Downgraded to Underperform - Analyst Blog These Companies Are Scrambling To Buy Back $20 Bil... Microsoft Up 6% Today, but as for Tomorrow … Santa Fe Gold’s Annual Stockholder Meeting Sched... Can Industrial Biotech Fuel the Pentagon? New Data on Biogen's Eloctate - Analyst Blog If Alcatel Can Keep This Up, The Turnaround Can Work Hot Warren Buffett Stocks To Own For 2014 Why repaying debt should be a priority over new in... Apple Hasn't Killed Pandora Yet 3 Big Biotech Stocks Rising on Big Volume 10 Best Tech Stocks To Own Right Now 2 Basic Materials Stocks Under $10 to Watch Groupon Is No Zynga Will This Be a Huge Quarter for Ford? LDK Solar Is on the Brink ►  July (35) ►  June (35) ►  May (26) About Me Jonson Kong View my complete profile Watermark theme. Powered by Blogger.