Although business headlines still tout earnings numbers, many investors have moved past net earnings as a measure of a company's economic output. That's because earnings are very often less trustworthy than cash flow, since earnings are more open to manipulation based on dubious judgment calls.
Earnings' unreliability is one of the reasons Foolish investors often flip straight past the income statement to check the cash flow statement. In general, by taking a close look at the cash moving in and out of the business, you can better understand whether the last batch of earnings brought money into the company, or merely disguised a cash gusher with a pretty headline.
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Boulder Brands (Nasdaq: BDBD ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top 5 Warren Buffett Companies To Own For 2015: Heico Corporation (HEI)
HEICO Corporation, through its subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and sells aerospace, defense, and electronic related products and services in the United States and internationally. The company�s Flight Support Group segment provides jet engine and aircraft component replacement parts; thermal insulation blankets and parts; and specialty components for aerospace and industrial original equipment manufacturers, and the United States government. This segment also distributes hydraulic, pneumatic, mechanical, and electro-mechanical components for the commercial, regional, and general aviation markets; and offers repair and overhaul services for jet engine and aircraft component parts, avionics, instruments, composites, and flight surfaces of commercial airlines, as well as for avionics and navigation systems, subcomponents, and other instruments utilized on military aircrafts. Its Electronic Technologies Group segment provides a range of electronic, microwave, and electro -optical products, including infrared simulation and test equipment, laser rangefinder receivers, electrical and back-up power supplies, power conversion products, underwater locator beacons, electromagnetic and radio frequency interference shielding, capacitor charging power supplies, amplifiers, traveling wave tube amplifiers, photo detectors, amplifier modules, and microwave power modules. This segment also offers flash lamp and laser diode drivers, arc lamp power supplies, cable assemblies, high voltage power supplies, high voltage interconnection devices and wires, high voltage energy generators, and high frequency power delivery systems. Its products link devices, such as telemetry receivers, digital cameras, high resolution scanners, simulation systems, and test systems to computer for the U.S. and foreign military agencies, prime defense contractors, and commercial and defense satellite and spacecraft manufacturers. The company was founded in 1949 and is headquartere d in Hollywood, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, jet engine replacement parts manufacturer HEICO (NYSE: HEI ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
Top Forestry Companies To Own For 2014: Synovus Financial Corp.(SNV)
Synovus Financial Corp., a diversified financial services and bank holding company, provides commercial and retail banking, financial management, insurance, and mortgage services in Georgia, Alabama, South Carolina, Florida, and Tennessee. Its retail banking services include accepting customary types of demand and savings deposits; mortgage, installment, and other retail loans; investment and brokerage services; safe deposit services; automated banking services; automated fund transfers; Internet based banking services; and bank credit card services, including mastercard and visa services. The company?s commercial banking services comprise cash management and asset management services, capital markets services, and institutional trust services, as well as commercial, financial, and real estate loans. It also provides various other financial services, which include the portfolio management for fixed-income securities, investment banking, the execution of securities transac tions as a broker/dealer, and the provision of individual investment advice on equity and other securities; trust services; mortgage services; and financial planning services. Synovus Financial Corp. was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Southeastern regional bank�Synovus Financial (NYSE: SNV ) �announced this morning�its second-quarter dividend of $0.01 per share, the same rate it's paid since 2009.
Top Forestry Companies To Own For 2014: Manning & Napier Inc (MN)
Manning & Napier, Inc., incorporated on June 22, 2011, is an independent investment management firm. The Company provides a range of investment solutions through separately managed accounts, mutual funds and collective investment trust funds. The Company offers equity and fixed income portfolios as well as a range of blended asset portfolios, such as life cycle funds, that use a mix of stocks and bonds. The Company focuses on building an internal organization of specialists to provide additional consultative services beyond investment management. Effective June 2014, Manning & Napier Inc acquired 2100 Xenon Group LLC.
The Company serves clients, including individuals and institutions, which include 401(k) plans, pension plans, Taft-Hartley plans, and endowments and foundations. The Company�� operations are based principally in the United States. The Company�� operating subsidiaries include Manning & Napier Advisors, LLC, Exeter Advisors, LLC, Manning & Napier Investor Services, Inc., Manning & Napier Alternative Opportunities, LLC and Exeter Trust Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael Hamlett Jr.]
Manning and Napier Inc. (MN) is an investment management firm involved in providing financial solutions for individual and institutional clients. Since 1970, MN has been offering portfolios with different asset classes, such as equity and fixed income, to clients with various accounts including seperately managed accounts, 401(k) plans, pension plans, endowments, and even foundations. For these services, clients pay a fee, and this is the way MN generates revenue.
Top Forestry Companies To Own For 2014: Expedia Inc.(EXPE)
Expedia, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as an online travel company in the United States and internationally. It provides travel products and services to leisure and corporate travelers, offline retail travel agents, and travel service providers through a portfolio of brands, including Expedia.com, hotels.com, Hotwire.com, Expedia Affiliate Network, Classic Vacations, Expedia Local Expert, Expedia CruiseShipCenters, Egencia, eLong, Inc., and Venere Net SpA. The company?s travel offerings consist of airline tickets, hotel rooms, car rentals, destination services, cruises, and package travel provided by various commercial airlines, lodging properties, car rental companies, destination service providers, cruise lines, and other travel product and service companies on a stand-alone and package basis. It also facilitates the booking of hotel rooms, airline seats, car rentals, and destination services from its travel suppliers; and acts as an agent in the transa ction, passing reservations booked by its travelers to the relevant travel provider. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Bellevue, Washington.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]
Expedia (EXPE) �shares skidded 6.2%. The stock was downgraded to hold from buy and its target price slashed to $51 from $66 by analyst Ross Sandler at Deutsche Bank. ��Expedia��] challenges in 2013 are fairly well documented, its brands are facing much more intense competition in the U.S. market and customer acquisition costs are inflating,��said Sandler in his note.
- [By Teresa Rivas]
As for companies with the most upside, Marathon Petroleum (MPC) tops the list, with 63.6%, followed by Autodesk (ADSK), Ventas (VTR), salesforce.com (CRM) and American Tower (AMT). Outside the top five, the list also includes big names like Schlumberger (SLB), Halliburton (HAL), Expedia (EXPE) and General Motors (GM).
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