Monday, March 30, 2015

Is IMAX Among the Best Stocks to Invest in Now?

Iron Man 3 is a huge hit everywhere, especially in China, where IMAX (NYSE: IMAX  ) booked $1.8 million in gross receipts -- a new record -- as Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS  ) set a high watermark of its own.

If you're wondering if that makes IMAX one of the best stocks to invest in now, you aren't alone, says Tim Beyers of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova. More than 1,600 Fools have rated the stock in our CAPS investor intelligence database, giving it four out of five stars.

5 Best Energy Stocks To Own Right Now

They've good reason to be confident. Even as 3-D too often falls flat, audiences have taken to the widescreen IMAX format and the additional footage that often comes with it. For Iron Man 3, the company collected a record-breaking $28.6 million at the gate during this past weekend's U.S. opening and $39.3 million since its international debut. The best part? It's only May. IMAX could be well on its way to the biggest summer movie season in its history, Tim says.

Do you agree? Please watch the video to get Tim's full take, and then let us know whether you think IMAX is one of the best stocks to invest in now using the comments box below.

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Sunday, March 29, 2015

Top 5 New Companies To Buy For 2015

Top 5 New Companies To Buy For 2015: Solazyme Inc (SZYM)

Solazyme, Inc. (Solazyme), incorporated on March 31, 2003, makes oil. The Companys technology transforms a range of plant-based sugars into oils. Its renewable products can replace or enhance oils derived from the worlds three existing sources-petroleum, plants and animal fats. The Company is focused on commercializing its products into three target markets: fuels and chemicals, nutrition, and skin and personal care. In 2010, the Company launched its products, the Golden Chlorella line of dietary supplements. In March 2011, the Company launched its Algenist brand for the luxury skin care market through marketing and distribution arrangements with Sephora S.A. (Sephora International), Sephora USA, Inc. (Sephora USA), and QVC, Inc. (QVC).

The Company is engaged in development activities with multiple partners, including Chevron U.S.A. Inc., through its division Chevron Technology Ventures (Chevron), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Ecopetrol S.A. (Ecopetro l), Qantas Airways Limited (Qantas) and Conopoco, Inc., doing business as Unilever (Unilever).

In 2010, the Company entered into a 50/50 joint venture with Roquette Freres, S.A. (Roquette). In November 2010, the Company entered into a joint venture and operating agreement for Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals with Roquette. In December 2010, the Company entered into an exclusive distribution relationship with Sephora International, and in January 2011, the Company entered into a distribution relationship with Sephora USA. Under the arrangements, each of Sephora International and Sephora USA will distribute the Algenist product line in their respective territories.

In Fuels and Chemicals market its renewable oils can be refined and sold as drop-in replacements for marine, motor vehicle and jet fuels, as well as replacements for chemicals that are traditionally derived from petroleum or other conventional oils. The Company work with its refining par! tne r Honeywell UOP to produce Soladiesel (renewable diesel), So! ladiesel renewable diesel for United States Naval vessels, and Solajet renewable jet fuel for both military and commercial application testing. In nutrition market the Company has developed microalgae-based food ingredients, including oils and powders that enhance the nutritional profile and functionality of food products while reducing costs for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. In Skin and Personal Care market the Company hs developed a portfolio of branded microalgae-based products. Its ingredient is Alguronic Acid, which the Company has formulated into a range of skin care products with anti-aging benefits. The Company is also developing algal oils as replacements for the oils used in skin and personal care products.

The Company competes with BP p.l.c., Royal Dutch Shell plc, and Exxon Mobil Corporation, jatropha, camelina, SALOV North America Corporation, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, Incorporated, DSM Food Specialties and Danisco A/S

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Travis Hoium]

    What: Shares of Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM  ) fell as much as 20% today after it agreed to dissolve a promising joint venture.

    So what: Solazyme and Roquette, a starch and starch-derivatives company, agreed to dissolve a joint venture formed in 2010 to create alternative foods from microalgae. The companies couldn't decide on a manufacturing and marketing strategy so they decided to go their separate ways.

  • [By Robert Rapier]

    There's a company called Solazyme (SZYM) who actually makes fuel out of algae; but they couldn't make it very economically so they shifted into neutroceuticals and pharmaceuticals and making oils for cosmetics and things like that.

  • [By Alyce Lomax]

    Alternative oils play Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM  ) may have just gotten riskier; apparently, many investors think so. Unlike many stocks today, Solazyme's trip! to the w! oodshed is hinged on actual news and, unfortunately, it's one of the market's biggest decliners as of this writing. Today we learned that one of its partnerships will be dissolved within weeks.

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-5-new-companies-to-buy-for-2015-3.html

Top Wireless Telecom Companies To Own In Right Now

Top Wireless Telecom Companies To Own In Right Now: CalAmp Corp (CAMP)

CalAmp Corp. (CalAmp) develops and markets wireless technology solutions that deliver data, voice and video for critical networked communications and other applications. The Company has two business segments: Wireless DataCom, which serves commercial, industrial and government customers, and Satellite, which focuses on the North American Direct Broadcast Satellite (DBS) market. In May 2012, CalAmp Corp announced that it has entered into a five-year supply agreement to provide fleet tracking products to Navman Wireless. As part of the transaction, CalAmp has acquired certain products and technologies from Navman Wireless and established a research and development center in Auckland, New Zealand. The assets acquired by CalAmp include technology for Mobile Display Terminals (MDT) and an MDT product line marketed to telematics original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) globally. In March 2013, it completed the acquisition of the operations of Wireless Matrix Corporation.

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Wireless DataCom

The Wireless DataCom segment provides wireless technology, products and services for industrial Machine-to-Machine (M2M) and Mobile Resource Management (MRM) market segments for a range of applications, including optimizing and automating electricity distribution and ancillary utility functions; facilitating communication and coordination among emergency first-responders; increasing productivity and optimizing activities of mobile workforces; improving management control over valuable remote and mobile assets, and enabling emerging applications in a wirelessly connected world.

The Company's Wireless DataCom segment is comprised of a Wireless Networks business and an MRM business. CalAmp's Wireless Networks business provides products, systems and services to industrial, utility, energy and transportation enterprises and state and local governmental entities for deployment where the ability to communicate ! with mobile personnel o r to command and control remote assets is crucial. Utilities, oil and gas, mining, railroad and security companies rely on CalAmp products for wireless data communications to and from outlying locations, permitting real-time monitoring, activation and control of remote equipment. Applications include remotely measuring freshwater and wastewater flows, pipeline flow monitoring for oil and gas transport, automated utility meter reading, remote Internet access and perimeter monitoring. CalAmp is among the leaders in the application of wireless communications technology to Smart Grid power distribution automation for electric utilities.

MRM wireless solutions include global positioning system (GPS) location, cellular data modems and programmable events-based notification firmware as key components, allowing customers to know where and how their assets are performing, no matter where those mobile assets are located. Commercial organizations, vehicle finance providers , city and county governments, and a range of other enterprises rely on CalAmp products and systems to optimize delivery of services and protect valuable assets. Applications include fleet management, asset tracking, student and school bus tracking and route optimization, stolen vehicle recovery, remote asset security, remote vehicle start, and machine-to-machine communications. In addition to functioning as an OEM supplier of location and communications hardware for MRM applications, CalAmp is a total solutions provider of turn-key systems incorporating location and communications hardware, cellular airtime and Web-based remote asset management tools and interfaces.

The Company competes with Motorola Solutions, GE-MDS, Freewave, Sierra Wireless, GenX, Spireon, Novatel Wireless-Enfora and Xirgo.

Satellite

The Satellite segment develops, manufactures and sells DBS outdoor customer premise equipment and whole home video networking devices for digital and high definitio! n satelli! te television (TV) reception. CalAmp's satellite products are sold primarily to EchoStar, an affiliate of Dish Network.

The Company's DBS reception products are installed at subscriber premises to receive television programming signals transmitted from orbiting satellites. These DBS reception products consist principally of outdoor electronics that receive, process, amplify and switch satellite television signals for distribution over coaxial cable to multiple set-top boxes inside the home that can acquire, recognize and process the signal to create a picture.

The Company competes with Sharp, Wistron NeWeb Corporation, Microelectronics Technology, Pro Brand and Global Invacom.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Wallace Witkowski]

    CalAmp (CAMP) fell late Monday after its outlook for the current quarter fell short of Wall Street estimates.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap Machine-to-Machine (M2M) stock CalAmp Corp (NASDAQ: CAMP) has given investors a relatively flat performance since spiking earlier this year but shares are still up some538.5% over the past five years (according to Google Finance) meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of other M2M stocks like Digi International Inc (NASDAQ: DGII), Numerex Corp (NASDAQ: NMRX) and Sierra Wireless, Inc (NASDAQ: SWIR). I should mention that we recently added CalAmp Corp to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio based aroundourongoingInternet of Things growth theme plus the company appears well positionedin the M2M space for the next few years.

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-wireless-telecom-companies-to-own-in-right-now.html

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks For 2014

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 Stocks Insiders Love Right Now

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.

>>5 Stocks Set to Soar on Bullish Earnings

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

10 Best Quality Stocks To Watch Right Now: Hemp Inc (HEMP)

Hemp, Inc. is a United States-based company that focuses primarily on the industrial hemp (over 25,000 products made from hemp that the hemp plant offers). Hemp, Inc.'s primary focus is on industrial hemp and the myriad of uses (over 25,000 products made from hemp that the hemp plant offers) in creating a new, clean green American agricultural and industrial revolution.

The Industrial Hemp and Medical Marijuana Consulting Company (IHMMCC) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company that pulls industry information from a vast network of specialists. On September 25, 2014, its wholly owned subsidiary, Industrial Hemp Manufacturing, LLC (IHM), purchased and secured its permanent facility for the Temafa decortication line of equipment located in Spring Hope, NC, the facility encompasses two buildings totaling nearly 70,000 square feet that spans almost seven acres.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James E. Brumley]

    A week and a half ago when I suggested Latteno Food Corp. (OTCMKTS:LATF) was an effective way of getting into the medical marijuana craze for anyone who missed the big runups (the first or the second time) from names like Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA) or Hemp, Inc. (OTCMKTS:HEMP), not many people agreed with my assessment. That's the nice way of saying I received some "colorful counter-opinions" to my bullishness on LATF. Indeed, some readers were downright enraged I would dare compare the company to stocks like MJNA or HEMP, citing reasons ranging from the possibility that it's a complete scam to the possibility that the capital structure as amazingly unfair to current shareholders.

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    Wow. That didn't take long. It was only two days ago that marijuana stocks like Growlife Inc. (OTCBB:PHOT), Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA), Cannabis Science Inc. (OTCMKTS:CBIS), Medbox Inc. (OTCMKTS:MDBX), and Hemp, Inc. (OTCMKTS:HEMP) were all the rage, flying high on the heels of a new year... a new year in which marijuana was legalized (for one reason or another) in two more states. HEMP was up as much as 700% in less than three weeks at one point. MDBX gained 300% at the beginning of the year, when recreational marijuana began to be legally sold in Colorado. CBIS jumped 400% off of its December low. MJNA nearly doubled on the advent of new marijuana venues. PHOT soared more than 130% since the end of last year on the legalization of marijuana. It was, truthfully, some of the fastest big money that traders have ever made in the market.

  • [By Dan Burrows]

    Just look at Hemp Inc. (HEMP). HEMP stock rallied as much as 60% Tuesday on anticipation of the Senate’s approval of the�farm bill that would effectively legalize the cultivation of hemp. And hemp isn’t something you even smoke. This close cousin of marijuana cannabis can be refined into a wide-range of goods, including hemp oil, rope, cloth, paper and fuel. But it doesn’t have medical or recreational uses like marijuana does.

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks For 2014: Enanta Pharmaceuticals Inc (ENTA)

Enanta Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated on July 25, 1995, is a research and development-focused biotechnology company. The Company uses its chemistry-driven approach and drug discovery capabilities to create small molecule drugs in the infectious disease field. The Company is discovering and developing novel inhibitors designed for use against the hepatitis C virus (HCV). These inhibitors include members of the direct acting antiviral (DAA) inhibitor classes-protease (partnered with AbbVie, the former research-based pharmaceutical business of Abbott Laboratories), NS5A (partnered with Novartis) and nucleotide polymerase, as well as a host targeted antiviral (HTA) inhibitor class targeted against cyclophilin. ABT-450, discovered through its collaboration with AbbVie, is a protease inhibitor that has demonstrated in vitro potency against known resistant HCV mutants.

In Phase I studies, ABT-450 co-administered with ritonavir, a commonly used boosting agent to increase the blood concentrations of many protease inhibitors, was shown to be safe and well tolerated. Co-administration of ABT-450 with ritonavir, which it refers to together as ABT-450/r, has enabled once-daily dosing of ABT-450. Phase II studies have demonstrated the efficacy of ABT-450/r in patients with chronic HCV, and other interferon-free Phase II studies of ABT-450-containing regimens continue. AbbVie is developing a next-generation protease inhibitor discovered within the Enanta-AbbVie collaboration. EDP-239 is the NS5A inhibitor discovered by the Company. The Company also has a program to develop nucleotide inhibitors to HCV NS5B polymerase, which is another DAA mechanism considered to have a barrier to resistance. The Company�� Bicyclolide antibiotic product candidate is EDP-788, which it is developing for use as an intravenous drug in the hospital setting and for oral dosing in the home setting. EDP-788 is a prodrug, which means that it is inactive until it is converted in the body into an active compound. EDP-788 is! a water-soluble molecule which, when administered in preclinical models, is cleanly and rapidly converted into the active compound.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    The next big thing in treating hepatitis-C
    The other currently experimental therapy very likely to make it onto the FDA's desk before the midpoint of 2014 is AbbVie's (NYSE: ABBV  ) direct-acting antiviral combo drug. In similar fashion to Sovaldi, this DAA-combo therapy, which includes ABT-450 from Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA  ) , is running six confirmatory late-stage trials on various genotypes. There are, however, two primary differences between AbbVie's DAA-combo therapy and Sovaldi.

  • [By George Budwell]

    Normally, such strong efficacy results would be hailed as a major achievement. However, these results are actually less impressive than those by competing drug's developed by AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) , Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA  ) and Gilead. Bristol-Myers' therapy also has a treatment duration double that of Gilead's drug Sovaldi for genotype 1 patients. So, while these results are impressive in their own right, the therapy's commercial prospects may be limited due to the presence of superior competitors in the market.�

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks For 2014: Central Garden & Pet Company (CENTA)

Central Garden & Pet Company produces and sells various products for the pet, and lawn and garden supplies markets in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Pet, and Lawn and Garden. The Pet segment supplies products for dogs and cats comprising edible bones, edible and non-edible chews, dog and cat food and treats, toys, pet carriers, grooming supplies, and other accessories; and food, cages and habitats, toys, chews, and related accessories for birds, small animals, and specialty pets. It also offers animal and household health, and insect control products; aquariums, furniture and lighting fixtures, pumps, filters, water conditioners, food and supplements, and information and knowledge resources for fish, reptiles, and other aquarium-based pets; and products for horses and livestock. This segment sells its products to independent pet distributors, retail chains, grocery stores, mass merchants, and bookstores under various brand names, which include Ada ms, Aqueon, Avoderm, BioSpot, Farnam, Four Paws, Kaytee, Nylabone, Pinnacle, TFH, Zilla, Altosid, Comfort Zone, Coralife, Interpet, Kent Marine, Oceanic Systems, Pet Select, Pre-Strike, Super Pet, and Zodiac. The Lawn and Garden segment provides grass seeds; wild bird feed, bird feeders, bird houses, and other birding accessories; weed, grass, ant and other herbicide, insecticide, and pesticide products; and decorative outdoor lifestyle and lighting products, such as comprising potteries, trellises and other wood products, and holiday lighting products. This segment sells its products to retail chains, independent garden distributors, grocery stores, nurseries, and garden supply retailers under the AMDRO, GKI/Bethlehem Lighting, Ironite, Pennington, Sevin, Grant�s, Lilly Miller, Matthews Four Seasons, New England Pottery, Norcal Pottery, Over-N-Out, Smart Seed, and The Rebels brand names. The Company was founded in 1955 and is based in Walnut Creek, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    Green paw
    The month of May has been one to forget for shareholders of Central Garden & Pet (NASDAQ: CENT  ) (NASDAQ: CENTA  ) . The maker of pet products as well as seeds and herbicides for lawn care tumbled after it missed Wall Street's earnings estimates for a second straight quarter. The biggest downside pressure came from its lawn care segment, which saw expenses rise as fertilizer margins fell. However, now could be the time to consider jumping on board this interesting pet/lawn care hybrid company, as it has the potential to unlock shareholder value in a number of ways.

Top 5 Heal Care Stocks For 2014: Dragonwave Inc(DRWI)

Dragonwave Inc. provides wireless Ethernet equipment for emerging Internet protocol networks worldwide. It designs, develops, markets, and sells carrier-grade microwave radio frequency networking equipment that wirelessly transmit broadband voice, video, and other data between two points. The company?s products have application in the backhaul function in a wireless communications network, as well as in point-to-point transport in private networks, including municipal and enterprise applications. It markets its wireless carrier-Ethernet links under the Horizon trade name. The company also offers service delivery unit solution products based on pseudowire technology. It markets its products to communications service providers comprising cellular service providers and broadband wireless access service providers; wireless extension of fixed-line networks to directly connect high-bandwidth end-customers to the core network; and private networks of large multi-site organizatio ns directly, as well as through distributors and regional value-added resellers. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Ottawa, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    DragonWave (NASDAQ: DRWI) soared 32.08% to $2.10 in the pre-market trading after the company reported that it has been selected as a microwave solutions provider for backhaul connectivity by Gogo (NASDAQ: GOGO).

  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    I hate to be the one to day I told you so, but, I told you so. Back on January 3rd I suggested DragonWave, Inc. (NASDAQ:DRWI) was on the verge of a rally, and only needed to clear one more hurdle to get the ball rolling to the point where it wouldn't stop. Well, DRWI did the deed two trading days later, and sure enough the stock's advanced 6% since then (and was up as much as 16% at one point earlier today).� Better still, it looks like the bulls have only begun to do their thing.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Stocks to Watch: Eli Lilly, Monsanto, J.C. Penney

Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Eli Lilly (LLY) & Co., Monsanto Co.(MON) and J.C. Penney Co.(JCP)

Eli Lilly offered an outlook for this year that fell below analysts’ expectations, while the pharmaceutical company unveiled a growth strategy reliant on treatments for diabetes and cancer patients, as well as for animals. Shares rose 1.5% to $70.74 in premarket trading.

Monsanto said results in its November quarter topped expectations on strength in its soybean segment, but warned that fewer acres of corn globally would weigh on its current quarter. Shares increased 1.3% to $117.30 premarket.

J.C. Penney on Tuesday said sales at its existing stores rose 3.7% over the holiday period from a year ago and should hit 4% for the quarter. Analysts at Retail Metrics had projected same-store sales to increase 2.7% in the fourth quarter. Shares surged 20.6% to $7.91 premarket.

Greenbrier Cos.(GBX) agreed to buy a 19.5% stake in South American railcar maker Amsted-Maxion Hortolandia as it moves to capitalize on growing demand in Brazil. The deal came as Greenbrier posted quarterly earnings that topped expectations and raised its outlook for the year. Shares jumped 9.7% to $54.10 premarket.

Alkermes (ALKS) PLC said its investigational oral treatment for schizophrenia continued to show effectiveness in a Phase 2 study, with patients in the study showing significantly less weigh gain on average than those using an established antipsychotic drug. Shares were up 3% to $62.75 premarket.

Sirius XM Holdings Inc.(SIRI) said Wednesday it expects revenue for last year to surpass its guidance as the satellite radio company added more subscribers than it had expected. However, the company’s revenue guidance for this year came in shy of analysts’ views. Shares gained 1.5% to $3.40 premarket.

RPM International Inc.(RPM) reported fiscal second-quarter results that fell below analysts’ estimates. The company also reduced its earnings-per-share guidance for fiscal 2015 and trimmed the high end of its initial forecast for fiscal 2016. Shares dropped 3.2% to $47.50 premarket.

Supervalu Inc.(SVU) said its third-quarter earnings more than doubled as the supermarket operator posted sales growth in all three of its business segments for the first time in years. Shares advanced 5% to $9.65 premarket.

BGC Partners Inc.(BGCP) on Wednesday said it again extended its unsolicited offer for fellow broker-dealer GFI Group Inc.(GFIG) until the date of a special meeting when shareholders will vote on GFI’s deal with CME Group Inc.(CME) Shares of BGC and GFI were inactive premarket.

T-Mobile US Inc.(TMUS) said Wednesday that it added 1.3 million of the most lucrative wireless customers in the fourth quarter, the vast majority of whom were phone customers.

Boeing Co.(BA) on Tuesday reported record annual orders and deliveries of its commercial jetliners alongside a drop in deal cancellations, easing investor concerns about a market bubble as the company prepares for another boost in production.

Micron Technology Inc.(MU) said its earnings surged as the memory-chip maker benefited from stronger sales and margins, as well as lower costs, during its quarter ended Dec. 4. But the company offered weak guidance for the current quarter and said its expects production in 2015 to come in below the market largely due to product and technology transition.

U.S. Steel Corp.(X) said it will idle plants in Ohio and Texas and lay off 756 workers, becoming one of the first big U.S. industrial casualties of the recent collapse in global oil prices.

Keurig Green Mountain Inc.(GMCR) signed a deal with Dr Pepper Snapple Group Inc.(DPS) to sell capsules that make its sodas in Keurig’s planned cold-drink machine, giving the maker of coffee and brewing machines two of the top three soda companies on a platform central to its long-term expansion plans.

Audio-equipment maker Monster LLC and its chief executive sued Apple Inc.'s(AAPL) Beats Electronics LLC, its co-founders Jimmy Iovine and Dr. Dre, and Taiwanese smartphone maker HTC Corp.(2498.TW) for allegedly conspiring to dupe Monster out of a deal with Beats before the company was sold to Apple for $3.2 billion last year.

Hertz Global Holdings Inc.(HTZ) on Tuesday named Jeff Foland, United Continental Holdings Inc.'s(UAL) chief marketing and strategy officer, as the global car-rental company’s chief revenue officer, effective later this month.

Meru Networks Inc.(MERU), which makes networking products used to provide Wi-Fi service, said it would evaluate its options, including a potential sale, as it unveiled a restructuring plan.

Manitowoc Co.(MTW) unveiled a series of management changes Tuesday, moves the crane and foodservice company said are part of its long-term succession plan process.

Pioneer Natural Resources Co.(PXD) said its drilling and production operations in the Spraberry/Wolfcamp shale area were hurt by severe winter weather, and it likely will be several weeks before the full effect is determined.

SM Energy Co.(SM) plans to exit the Mid-continent region by mid year as it focuses on core development areas, including the Eagle Ford shale in South Texas and North Dakota’s Bakken and Three Forks formations.

Higher sales driven by limited-time-offer sales at Sonic Corp.'s(SONC) fast-food drive-ins drove a 23% increase in first-quarter profit, the company said Tuesday.

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

Best Transportation Stocks To Own Right Now

Even as Federal Reserve policymakers seemed unsure of the immediate direction of the global economy, debating whether disinflation could be an issue in the short term at their meeting March 18-19, most of them expected inflation would return to 2 percent in the next few years, according to minutes of the gathering released April 9.

But just when within the next two years inflation would start rising has been a point of debate, and the fact that producer prices exceeded economist expectations this week reinforced the idea that policymakers, for all their good intentions, may not time interest rates correctly to contain runaway inflation, as historically has been the case.

And this situation also clearly calls for the need to have investments that can simultaneously enhance earnings and protect against inflation, which can appear more suddenly than policymakers have forecasted. Energy infrastructure or midstream Master Limited Partnerships (MLPs) can deliver this investment flexibility, offering investors exposure to the shale boom or commodity price rises, tax benefits, and most MLPs’ contracts are protected against the producer price increases we saw this month.

The prices businesses receive for their goods and services rose in March, defying a long stretch of subdued inflation across the U.S. economy, according to the Wall Street Journal. The producer price index for final demand, which measures changes in prices for everything from food and machinery to warehousing and transportation services, rose a seasonally adjusted 0.5% from February, the Labor Department reported on April 11. The index rose 0.6%, excluding the volatile categories of food and energy.

Economists surveyed by the Wall Street Journal had expected the index to rise a more modest 0.1%, and predicted a 0.2% increase excluding food and energy. The index fell 0.1% in February, unchanged from the Labor Department’s initial estimate. The PPI for final demand was up 1.4% in March from a year earlier! , the biggest year-over-year increase since last August.

The PPI measures the prices businesses receive from buyers such as governments, consumers and other businesses. The Labor Department overhauled the report this year to measure a much broader swath of the U.S. economy.

Top 5 Small Cap Companies To Buy Right Now: Snam SpA (SRG)

Snam SpA is an Italy-based company engaged in the management of natural gas services. The Company is diversified into four operating segments. The Transportation segment covers transportation-related gas services, including capacity management and transportation of the gas at the entry points of the gas network to the redelivery points. It owns transportation infrastructures of gas pipelines. The Regasification segment is focused on extraction activities of natural gas, its liquefaction for transport by ship and subsequent regasification. The Storage segment covers deposits, gas treatment plants, compression plants and the operational dispatching system. The Distribution segment engages gas distribution through local transportation networks from delivery points at the metering and reduction stations to the gas distribution network redelivery points at the end customers. Additionally, Snam SpA as the parent company, focuses on planning, management, coordination and control of the group. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Victor Selva]

    The Specialty Restaurant Group (SRG), which includes Bahama Breeze and The Capital Grille, has grown over the last couple of quarters. Eddie V's Restaurants and Yard House might be meaningful long-term drivers, as we think most of the growth in the next years will come from the acquisition of those restaurants.

  • [By Tom Stoukas]

    Snam SpA (SRG) dropped the most in almost a year as Eni SpA sold an 11.7 percent stake in the owner of Italy�� biggest natural-gas network. Wm Morrison Supermarkets Plc tumbled the most in more than 14 months. Experian Plc jumped to a record after the world�� largest credit-checking company raised its dividend and announced a share buyback.

Best Transportation Stocks To Own Right Now: KNOT Offshore Partners LP (KNOP)

KNOT Offshore Partners LP, incorporated on February 21, 2013, is a limited partnership formed to own, operate and acquire shuttle tankers under long-term charters. Its initial fleet of shuttle tankers contribute to the Company by Knutsen NYK Offshore Tankers AS (KNOT), which is jointly owned by TS Shipping Invest AS, (TSSI), and Nippon Yusen Kaisha (NYK). NYK is a Japanese public company with a fleet of approximately 800 vessels, including bulk carriers, containerships, tankers and specialized vessels. The Company is a holding entity and is conduct its operations and business through subsidiaries KNOT is an independent owner of crude oil shuttle tankers. Its general partner is KNOT Offshore Partners GP LLC. In August 2013, KNOT Offshore Partners LP's wholly owned subsidiary KNOT Shuttle Tankers AS completed its acquisition of all interests in Knutsen Shuttle Tanker 13 AS that owns and operates the Carmen Knutsen from KNOT Offshore Tankers AS.

The Company's initial fleet consists of four shuttle tankers, which are vessels designed to transport crude oil and condensates from offshore oil field installations to onshore terminals and refineries. The shuttle tankers include , Fortaleza Knutsen, Recife Knutsen, Bodil Knutsen and Windsor Knutsen. Its shuttle tankers are equipped with loading systems and dynamic positioning systems that allow the vessels to load cargo safely and reliably from oil field installations, even in harsh weather conditions.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Aimee Duffy]

    But this too is starting to shift. If you look at the most-recent IPOs on the New York Stock Exchange, you'll find many corners of the energy industry represented:

    Tallgrass Energy Partners�-- Natural gas midstream, debuted May 14 KNOT Offshore Partners (NYSE: KNOP  ) -- Shuttle tankers, debuted April 10 SunCoke Energy Partners (NYSE: SXCP  ) -- Coal/coke making, debuted Jan. 18 CVR Refining (NYSE: CVRR  ) -- Mid-continent refining, debuted Jan. 17

    There have also been a few MLP-related funds to hit the market this year, including Global X Junior MLP ETF�and Neuberger Berman MLP Income Fund.

Best Transportation Stocks To Own Right Now: YRC Worldwide Inc.(YRCW)

YRC Worldwide Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various transportation services worldwide. The company?s YRC National Transportation unit offers a range of services for the transportation of industrial, commercial, and retail goods, such as apparel, appliances, automotive parts, chemicals, food, furniture, glass, machinery, metal, metal products, non-bulk petroleum products, rubber, textiles, wood, and other manufactured products. It serves manufacturing, wholesale, retail, and government customers. As of December 31, 2009, it had 11704 owned tractors, 1239 leased tractors, 50083 owned trailers, and 3244 leased trailers. Its YRC Regional Transportation unit?s service portfolio includes regional delivery, which comprises next-day local area delivery and second-day services, consolidation/distribution services, protect-from-freezing and hazardous materials handling, and various specialized offerings; expedited delivery, that comprises day-definite, hour-definite, and time definite capabilities; inter-regional delivery; cross-border delivery; and operation of my.yrcregional.com and NewPenn.com, which are e-commerce Websites offering online resources to manage transportation activity. The company?s YRC Logistics units? service portfolio consists of distribution services that include flow through and pool distribution, dedicated warehousing, and value-added services; global services, which comprise international freight forwarding, customs brokerage, and value-added services; and transportation services, such as truckload brokerage, domestic freight forwarding, and transportation management. Its YRC Truckload unit provides customized truckload services on regional and national level through the use of company and team-based drivers. The company was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    One under-$10 trucking player that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is YRC Worldwide (YRCW), which, through its subsidiaries, provides various transportation services primarily in North America.. This stock has been hit hard by the bears over the last three months, with shares off sharply by 50%.

    If you take a look at the chart for YRC Worldwide, you'll notice that this stock has been downtrending badly for the last five months, with shares plunging lower from its high of $33.89 to its recent low of $7.06 a share. During that downtrend, shares of YRCW have been making mostly lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of YRCW have now started to stabilize and the stock has formed a triple bottom chart pattern over the last month, at $7.06, $7.20 and $7.44 a share. Shares of YRCW have now reversed its downtrend and started to uptrend, with the stock moving higher from $7.06 to its recent high of $10.50 a share. That move has now pushed shares of YRCW within range of triggering a big breakout trade.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in YRCW if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $10.63 a share to its 50-day moving average of $10.87 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 826,789 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then YRCW will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels $12.38 to $15 a share. Any high-volume move above $15 will then give YRCW a chance to tag $16 to $18 a share.

    Traders can look to buy YRCW off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right around some key near-term support levels at $9.20 or at $8.35 a share. One can also buy YRCW off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply us

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    But one reason why trucking stocks have done so well is that investors are starting to see the potential for consolidation in the industry. Long-beleaguered YRC Worldwide (NASDAQ: YRCW  ) apparently made an offer to buy out peer Arkansas Best (NASDAQ: ABFS  ) in May, and although Arkansas Best rebuffed the bid, it still points to the efficiency gains that smaller trucking and logistics companies could gain from combining forces.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    Costs have been another big concern for YRC Worldwide (NASDAQ: YRCW  ) which has been unprofitable on an annual basis since 2006. Rather than go bankrupt, YRC diluted shareholders into oblivion, ultimately saving it from Chapter 11 but destroying nearly all shareholder value. In order to cut down on its own expenses, YRC has considered merging with Arkansas Best.

Best Transportation Stocks To Own Right Now: Saia Inc.(SAIA)

Saia, Inc., an asset-based trucking company, provides transportation and supply chain solutions primarily to the retail, chemical, and manufacturing industries in the United States. The company, through it subsidiary, Saia Motor Freight Line, LLC, offers regional and interregional less than truckload (LTL) services, selected national LTL, and time-definite services. It was formerly known as SCS Transportation, Inc. Saia, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Wunderlich’s Nicholas Bender thinks FedEx’s results bode well for Old Dominion (ODFL), Con-way (CNW) and Saia (SAIA):

    We expect all less-than-truckload carriers to benefit in 2Q14 from the same trends that carried FedEx Freight to a banner 4Q14. This includes Hold-rated Old Dominion, which will continue to grow at well above market rates, and Buy-rated Con-way, which we believe can leverage a strong 2Q14 to prime the pump on margin enhancement efforts. Our favorite name in the space remains Saia (SAIA-$42.92, Buy), which will once again see accelerating tonnage growth in 2Q14. Though tonnage growth will moderate in� 2H14 due to steeper comps, there remains considerable potential for the company to boost yield and continue winning incremental business with new accounts.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Despite what can best be described as a�soft economy, small cap trucking stocks YRC Worldwide, Inc (NASDAQ: YRCW), Arkansas Best Corporation (NASDAQ: ABFS), Frozen Food Express Industries, Inc (NASDAQ: FFEX), Saia Inc (NASDAQ: SAIA) and USA Truck, Inc (NASDAQ: USAK) have been trucking some pretty impressive returns since the start of the year. In fact, these small cap trucking stocks are up anywhere from 72% to 150% or so since the start of the year despite the slow economy. Certainly trucking stocks provide a good indicator of how the economy is doing, but might investors be�jumping the gun by pushing up these trucking stocks?

Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Hot Food Stocks To Buy For 2015

Hot Food Stocks To Buy For 2015: J&J Snack Foods Corp (JJSF)

J & J Snack Foods Corp. (J & J), incorporated in 1971, manufactures nutritional snack foods and distributes frozen beverages, which it markets nationally to the food service and retail supermarket industries. The Companys principal snack food products are soft pretzels marketed under the brand name SUPERPRETZEL and frozen juice treats and desserts marketed under the LUIGIS, WHOLE FRUIT, ICEE and MINUTE MAID brand names. In June 2012, the Company acquired the assets of Kim & Scotts Gourmet Pretzels, Inc., a manufacturer and seller of a brand soft pretzel. In October 2013, J & J Snack Foods Corp. acquired the assets of New York Pretzel.

J & J is a manufacturer of soft pretzels in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Other snack food products include churros (an Hispanic pastry), funnel cake, dough enrobed handheld products and bakery products. The Companys principal frozen beverage products are the ICEE brand frozen carbonated beverage and the SLUSH PUPPIE brand frozen uncarbonated beverage. The Companys Food Service and Frozen Beverages sales are made to food service customers, including snack bar and food stand locations in chain, department, discount, warehouse club and convenience stores; malls and shopping centers; fast food outlets; stadiums and sports arenas; leisure and theme parks; movie theatres; independent retailers, and schools, colleges and other institutions. The Companys retail supermarket customers are supermarket chains. The Company operates in three business segments: Food Service, Retail Supermarkets and Frozen Beverages.

The products sold by the food service segment are soft pretzels, frozen juice treats and desserts, churros, dough enrobed handheld products and baked goods. Its customers in the food service segment include snack bars and food stands in chain, department and discount stores; malls and shopping centers; casual dining restaurants; fast food outlets; stadiums and s por! ts arenas; leisure and theme parks; convenience stores; movie theatres; warehouse club stores; schools, colleges, and other institutions. The products sold to the retail supermarket channel are soft pretzel products, including SUPERPRETZEL, frozen juice treats and desserts, including LUIGIS Real Italian Ice, MINUTE MAID Juice Bars and Soft Frozen Lemonade, WHOLE FRUIT frozen fruit bars and sorbet, ICEE Squeeze-Up Tubes and dough enrobed handheld products, including PATIO burritos. The Company sells frozen beverages to the food service industry primarily under the names ICEE, SLUSH PUPPIE, PARROT ICE and ARCTIC BLAST in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It also provides repair and maintenance service to customers for customers owned equipment.

Soft Pretzels

The Companys soft pretzels are sold under many brand names, which are SUPERPRETZEL, PRETZEL FILLERS, PRETZELFILS, GOURMET TWISTS, MR. TWISTER, SOFT PRETZEL BITES, SOFTSTIX, SOFT PR ETZEL BUNS, TEXAS TWIST, CINNAPRETZEL and SERIOUSLY TWISTED!; and under private labels. Soft pretzels are sold in the Food Service and Retail Supermarket segments. During fiscal year ended September 29, 2012 (fiscal 2012), soft pretzel sales amounted to 18% of the Companys revenue.

Soft pretzels, ranging in size from one to ten ounces in weight, are shaped and formed by the Companys twister machines. These soft pretzel tying machines are for twisting dough into the traditional pretzel shape. In addition, it makes soft pretzels, which are extruded or shaped by hand. The Companys marketing program in the Food Service segment includes supplying ovens, mobile merchandisers, display cases, warmers and similar merchandising equipment to the retailer to prepare and promote the sale of soft pretzels.

Frozen Juice Treats and Desserts

The Companys frozen juice treats and desserts are marketed primarily under the LUIGIS, WHOLE FRUI T, ICEE and MINUTE MAID brand names. Frozen juice treats and desserts are sold in t! he Food S! ervice and Retail Supermarkets segments. During fiscal 2012, frozen juice treats and dessert sales were 13% of the Companys revenue.

The Companys school food service MINUTE MAID and WHOLE FRUIT frozen juice bars and cups are manufactured from an apple or pineapple juice concentrate to which water, sweeteners, coloring (in some cases) and flavorings are added. The juice bars are produced in various flavors and are packaged in a sealed push-up paper container referred to as the Milliken M-pak. The balance of the Companys frozen juice treats and desserts products are manufactured from water, sweeteners and fruit juice concentrates in various flavors and packaging, including cups, tubes, sticks, M-paks, pints and tubs.

Churros

The Companys churros are sold under the TIO PEPES and CALIFORNIA CHURROS brand names. Churros are sold to th e Food Service and Retail Supermarkets segments. During fiscal 2012, Churro sales were 6% of the Companys sales. Churros are Hispanic pastries in stick form, which the Company produces in several sizes. The churros are deep fried, frozen and packaged. At food service point-of-sale they are reheated and topped with a cinnamon sugar mixture. The Company also sells fruit and creme-filled churros. The Company supplies churro merchandising equipment.

Handheld Products

The Company's dough enrobed handheld products are marketed under the PATIO, HAND FULLS, HOLLY RIDGE BAKERY, VILLA TALIANO, TOP PICKS brand names and under private labels. Handheld products are sold to the Food Service and Retail Supermarket segments. During fiscal 2012, handheld product sales amounted to 6% of the Company's sales.

Bakery Products

The Companys bakery products are marketed under the MRS. GOODCOOKIE, READI-BAKE, COUNTRY HOME, MARY BS, DADDY R AYS and JANAS brand names, and under private labels. Bakery products include biscuits, fig and fruit bars, cookies, breads, rolls, crumb, muffins and donuts. Bakery product! s are sol! d to the Food Service segment. During fiscal 2012, bakery products sales amounted to 32% of the Companys sales.

Frozen Beverages

The Company markets frozen beverages primarily under the names ICEE, SLUSH PUPPIE, PARROT ICE and ARCTIC BLAST in the United States, Mexico and Canada. During fiscal 2012, frozen beverages are sold in the Frozen Beverages segment. During fiscal 2012, frozen beverage sales amounted to 16% of revenue in fiscal 2012.

Under the Companys principal marketing program for frozen carbonated beverages, it installs frozen beverage dispensers for its ICEE and ARCTIC BLAST brands at customer locations and thereafter services the machines, arranges to supply customers with ingredients required for production of the frozen beverages, a nd supports customer retail sales efforts with in-store promotions and point-of-sale materials. During fiscal 2012, the Company also provided repair and maintenance service to customers for customers owned equipment and sells equipment in its Frozen Beverages segment, revenue from which amounted to 7% of sales. The Company sells frozen un-carbonated beverages under the SLUSH PUPPIE and PARROT ICE brands through a distributor network and through its own distribution network.

Each new frozen carbonated customer location requires a frozen beverage dispenser supplied by the Company or by the customer. Company-supplied frozen carbonated dispensers are purchased from outside vendors, built new or rebuilt by the Company. The Company provides managed service and/or products to approximately 87,000 Company-owned and customer-owned dispensers.

Other Products

Other products sold by the Company include soft drinks, funnel cakes sold under the FU NNEL CAKE FACTORY brand name and smaller amounts of various other food products. These products are sold in the Food Service and Frozen Beverages segments.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var p! opups = d! ojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

    Hologic Inc.(HOLX) named Eric Compton as its chief operating officer, a newly created position, amid a handful of leadership changes at the medical-equipment maker. Mr. Compton most recently worked as the world-wide president of Johnson & Johnson’s Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics. J&J(JJSF) in January agreed to sell theblood-testing business for $4.15 billion to Carlyle Group L.P(CG).

  • [By Geoff Gannon] out the performance numbers on those three stocks over the last 10-13 years (I bought them at different times). Youll notice that if I just never sold those stocks I wouldnt need to do anything else. Those three stocks wouldve made a fine portfolio for the next decade or so.

    Well, I did sell those stocks. And I did a lot else. And some of it worked very well and some of it worked very badly. But, almost without fail, the net result was never better than what would have happened if Id kept those three stocks.

    Thats not an accident. It took me a very, very long time to buy stocks when I was a kid. I bought six stocks in my first five years as an investor. Thats not quite a 20 punches approach but its pretty close.

    Why did I only buy one stock a year?

    Because I didnt know anything about stocks. And I didnt think I knew anything about stocks.

    My investment style was formed from a combination of extreme ignorance and extreme confidence. I was totally ignorant about stocks. And I was totally confident that I could learn all I needed to know about the stocks I needed to know about.

    That combination led to focusing on a few very specific stocks. Stocks I was comfortable with.

    When I was 14, there were only two places my money went. Into my brokerage account. Or into video games. So its not a surprise I bought Activision. At the time the video game industry had a much clearer future than it does today. And there was no better CEO of a video game company than Bobby Kotick. The balance ! sheet was! pristine. When you backed out cash, the stock was cheap relative to sales. I looked at everything I could about video game companies and I decided sales were pretty profitable and pretty cash generative in this industry. All you needed was sensible capital allocation. All you needed was management that was going to run the place like a business. And I thought you had that.

    I work ed as a cashier at Vi

  • [By Suravi Thacker]

    Food industry is one of the safest options to invest in since food can never be out of vogue. Moreover, even snack making industry is quite a lucrative one with some of the prominent players being Kellogg (K), Mondelez International (MDLZ) and J&J Snack Foods (JJSF). However, it is important to understand which among these will be the best pick for any investor.

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/hot-food-stocks-to-buy-for-2015-2.html

Monday, March 23, 2015

Top 10 Recreation Stocks For 2015

Top 10 Recreation Stocks For 2015: Smith & Wesson Holding Corp (SWHC)

Smith & Wesson Holding Corporation (Smith & Wesson), incorporated on June 17, 1991, is a manufacturer of firearms. The Company manufactures a range of handguns, modern sporting rifles, hunting rifles, black powder firearms, handcuffs, and firearm-related products and accessories for sale to a range of customers, including gun enthusiasts, collectors, hunters, sportsmen, competitive shooters, individuals desiring home and personal protection, law enforcement and security agencies and officers, and military agencies in the United States and globally. It sell its products under the Smith & Wesson brand, the M&P brand, the Thompson/Center brand, and the Walther brand. The Company manufactures its firearm products at its facilities in Springfield, Massachusetts and Houlton, Maine. On July 26, 2012, it sold all of the assets of Smith & Wesson Security Solutions, Inc.

Firearms

During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company introdu ced multiple new handgun and modern sporting rifle models, and one new bolt action rifle platform. The Company's rifle introductions included the addition of the M&P15 300 Whisper to the Company's line of modern sporting rifles. As of April 30, 2012, the Company participated in three categories of the long-gun market and both core categories of the handgun market.

Handguns

The Company manufactures an variety of handgun models that include revolvers and pistols. A revolver is a handgun with a cylinder that holds the ammunition in a series of rotating chambers that are successively aligned with the barrel of the firearm during each firing cycle. There are two general types of revolvers: single-action and double-action. The Company's small-frame revolvers have been carried by law enforcement personnel and personal defense-minded citizens. The Company's revolvers are available in a variety of models and calibers, with applications ! in virtually all profe ssional and personal markets.

The Companys M! &P15 Series of modern sporting rifles are designed to satisfy the functionality and reliability needs of global military, law enforcement, and security personnel. These rifles are also popular as sporting target rifles and are sold to consumers through the Company's sporting good distributors, retailers, and dealers. The Company has a range of product portfolio of modern sporting rifles, which includes a lower price-point, sport model, a .22 caliber model, and a fully automatic model designed for the exclusive use of military and law enforcement agencies throughout the world.

Hunting Firearms

The Company manufactures three lines of bolt-action rifles under its Thompson/Center brand consisting of several models in each line. The Company's hunting rifles are offered in 16 different calibers. Bolt-action rifles operate by the cycling of a bolt handle that allows for both the loading and unloading of rounds through a magazine fed system.

D uring fiscal 2012, the Company introduced the Dimension bolt action rifle platform. Under the Company's Thompson/Center brand, the Company also offers seven models of American-made single shot black powder, or muzzle loader, firearms. The Company offers eight models of interchangeable, single shot firearm systems that deliver numerous gun, barrel, caliber configurations, and finishes. These systems can be configured as a center-fire rifle, rim-fire rifle, shotgun, black powder firearm, or single-shot handgun for use across the entire range of big- and small-game hunting.

Handcuffs

The Company manufactures handcuffs and restraints in the United States. The Company fabricates these products from the carbon or stainless steel.

Smith & Wesson Academy

Through the Smith & Wesson Academy, the Company offers instruction designed to meet the training needs of law enforcement and security customers worldwi! de. Class! es are conducted at the Company's facility in Springfield, Massachusetts or o! n locatio! n around the world.

Specialty Services

The Company's services include forging, heat treating, finishing, and plating. It provides services to third-party customers.

The Company competes with Ruger,Taurus, Beretta, Glock, Heckler & Koch, Sig Sauer, Springfield Armory, Bushmaster, Rock River, Stag Arms, DPMS, Browning, Marlin, Remington, Ruger, Savage, Weatherby, CVA, Traditions, and Winchester.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Smith & Wesson (NASDAQ: SWHC  ) and Lennar (NYSE: LEN  ) have a lot more in common than you may think.

    The firearms maker and homebuilder may toil away in completely different industries, but both companies are slated to report fresh quarterly results tomorrow.

  • [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

    Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Navistar International Corp.(NAV), Smith & Wesson Holding Corp.(SWHC) and USEC Inc.(USU)

  • [By Jim Woods]

    An expression of such confidence was seen today when gun-maker Smith & Wesson Holding (SWHC) announced plans to buy back up to $15 million of its stock.

  • [By James O'Toole]

    Smith & Wesson (SWHC) shares surged 6% in after-hours trading Tuesday following another strong quarterly earnings report from the gun maker, which said its handgun sales had grown 27% versus a year prior.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-10-recreation-stocks-for-2015-3.html

Thursday, March 19, 2015

Alfa Romeo 4C - Italian with attitude

Alfa Romeo is back with style!   Alfa Romeo is back with style! NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The Alfa Romeo 4C is, without question, the worst car I've ever loved.

I spent a full day driving it until, literally, my butt was sore. Along the way, I racked up a list of complaints that grew by the mile. But when I woke up the next morning I wanted to go drive it some more.

It was noisy, like being in a chain factory. It rode hard. Steering it, especially at slow speeds, was an NFL-level workout. But, put that all together, and you get an experience that involves your senses intimately in the act of driving a car. It's the kind of thing you don't get much anymore in this age of computerized power everything.

The emphasis is on light weight, not raw power. Instead of a big V6 or V8 engine, it's got a 237 horsepower turbocharged 4-cylinder engine that lives in glass-roofed little house behind the two occupants. The body is made largely from carbon fiber and aluminum to keep the car light and nimble. The 4C is not the most powerful or the fastest car I've ever driven but it is one of the most fun.

Gallery - 707-horsepower Dodge Challenger Hellcat

Now, that said, there is one thing that gets left out of driving this new Alfa Romeo sports car. That would be your left foot. The 4C is actually a very modern car and that means there is no manual transmission. It's not even an option because the car simply wasn't designed for it. You put the car in Drive or Reverse using push buttons and you can shift gears up and down using steering wheel mounted paddles. No clutch needed. You can't even get one if you want it.

2015 alfa romeo 4c Gallery - Inside the Alfa Romeo 4C

The transmission shifts crisply, though, and its shifts are well timed when left to work on its own. You can use a switch in the center to choose between more and less aggressive shifting styles.

The 4C looks like an exotic car, it drives like an exotic car and, no surprise, it turns heads like an exotic car. The one I was driving drew admiring gazes everywhere I went and people were always surprised to hear its price. Once it's in full production later this year, you'll be able to get one at prices starting at roughly $54,000.

Still, Alfa Romeo doesn't plan on selling a very large number of these cars in the United States. That's probably a good thing. While it has ample charm to woo a certain type of buyer there are, after all, only so many of that type. But those few should thoroughly enjoy themselves, at least until their butts start to hurt.

Monday, March 16, 2015

Top Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2014

Technology continues to be a top sector to buy at the major Wall Street firms that we cover at 24/7 Wall Street. One of the top areas that could show strong upside this year is the applied and emerging technology subsector. While many of the names are well known, and leaders in their respective categories, they often seem to be overshadowed by the mega-cap technology names.

In a new report from J.P. Morgan, the analysts focus on the stocks that have groundbreaking technology and applications. These are companies that may have the ability to grow earnings and margins far faster than some of their mega-cap brethren. They are also the companies that some of the huge players may have their eye on. Here are some of the top applied and emerging technology stocks to buy at J.P. Morgan with strong upside potential.

Cubic Corp. (NYSE: CUB) makes the list at J.P. Morgan. It has three major business segments. Cubic Transportation Systems is a leading integrator of payment and information technology and services for intelligent travel solutions. Cubic Defense Systems is a leading provider of realistic combat training systems and secure communications. Mission Support Services is a leading provider of training, operations, maintenance, technical and other support services for the United States and allied nations. Investors are paid a small 0.5% dividend. The J.P. Morgan price target is $57. The Thomson/First Call estimate is $56.20. The stock closed Tuesday at $52.51.

Best Specialty Retail Stocks To Buy For 2015: LendingClub Corp (LC)

LendingClub Corporation, incorporated on October 2, 2006, provides online marketplace connecting borrowers and investors. The Company operates an online market that connects borrowers looking for loans with individuals with the money to fund them. It lends money to help consumers pay off credit-card bills, consolidate debt and take vacations. Its platform enables customers in investing in and obtaining personal loans by providing financial data and credit information.

The Company provides search algorithm, credit decisioning, a secondary market, and a choice of loan durations. The Company serves the professional fixed income investors, such as family offices and insurance companies.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rana Pritanjali]

    Lending Club's (NYSE: LC  ) stock is up a stellar 66% since the company went public in December. The peer-to-peer lending specialist offers an alternative to the traditional banking system with an online platform for borrowers and lenders. It has a leading 40% share of the�peer-to-peer lending market, far outstripping No. 2 player�Prosper.com and its 8% market share.�

Top Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: AVG Technologies NV (AVG)

AVG Technologies N.V. (AVG), incorporated on March 3, 2011, provides software and online services. The Company is primarily engaged in the development and sale of Internet security software and online service solutions branded under the AVG name. The Company�� solutions include software and online services, include security, personal computer (PC) management, online backup and other products. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had approximately 15 million subscription users. AVG�� portfolio consists of Anti-Virus suite, Internet Security suite, Premium Security suite, AVG Mobilation, AVG Threatlabs, Family Safety, TuneUp Utilities and PC Tuneup, LiveKive and MultiMi. On January 4, 2011, the Company acquired DroidSecurity Ltd. On March 3, 2011, the Company established AVG Holding Cooperatief U.A. On May 18, 2011, the Company acquired iMedix Web Technologies Ltd. In August 2011, it acquired TuneUp Software GmbH. On August 19, 2011, AVG Technologies GER GmbH acquired TuneUp Software GmbH. On October 31, 2011, AVG Technologies Holdings B.V. acquired AVG Distribution Switzerland AG. In November 2011, the Company acquired Bsecure Solutions, Inc. On January 13, 2012, AVG Technologies USA, Inc. acquired OpenInstall, Inc. In May 2013, AVG Technologies NV acquired online privacy organisation PrivacyChoice.

The Company�� products include AVG Internet Security, AVG Anti-Virus, AVG Email Server Edition, AVG File Server Edition, AVG Linux Server Edition, AVG Rescue CD and AVG Remote Administration. The Company�� subsidiaries include AVG Technologies USA Inc., AVG Technologies CZ, s.r.o., AVG Technologies UK Ltd, AVG Exploit Prevention Labs, Inc., AVG Technologies GER, GmbH, AVG Technologies FRA SAS, AVG Technologies HK, Limited, AVG (Beijing) Internet Security Technologies Company Limited, AVG Mobile Technologies Ltd, AVG Netherlands B.V., AVG Ecommerce CY Ltd, AVG Technologies Holding B.V., TuneUp Software GmbH, TuneUp Distribution GmbH, TuneUp Corporation and AVG Distribution Switzerland AG! .

The Company competes with Microsoft, Google, Apple, Qihoo, Tencent, Facebook, UniBlue, Symantec, Trend Micro, Avast!, Avira, Symantec, Carbonite, Dropbox, Intel Corporation, Trend Micro, Eset, Kaspersky Labs, Panda Software, Sophos, Rising, Kingsoft, Check Point and F-Secure.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MONEYMORNING]

    For instance, in the March 15 Private Briefing report, "Double Your Money With this Cyber-Hacking of America Stock," we recommended AVG Technologies NV (NYSE: AVG), an Amsterdam-based cybersecurity whose shares we believed were good for a 100% gain in a year.

Top Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Petroleo Brasileiro S.A.- Petrobras(PBR)

Petroleo Brasileiro S.A. primarily engages in oil and natural gas exploration and production, refining, trade, and transportation businesses. The company?s Exploration and Production segment involves in the exploration, production, development, and production of oil, liquefied natural gas (LNG), and natural gas in Brazil. This segment supplies its products to the refineries in Brazil, as well as sells surplus petroleum and byproducts in domestic and foreign markets. Its Supply segment engages in the refining, logistics, transportation, and trade of oil and oil products; export of ethanol; and extraction and processing of schist, as well as holds interests in companies of the petrochemical sector in Brazil. The Gas and Energy segment involves in the transportation and trade of natural gas produced in or imported into Brazil; transportation and trade of LNG; and generation and trade of electric power. In addition, the segment has interests in natural gas transportation and d istribution companies; and thermoelectric power stations in Brazil, as well engages in fertilizer business. The Distribution segment distributes oil products, ethanol, and compressed natural gas in Brazil. The International segment involves in the exploration and production of oil and gas, as well as in supplying, gas and energy, and distribution operations in the Americas, Africa, Europe, and Asia. Further, the company involves in biofuel production business. Petroleo Brasileiro was founded in 1953 and is based in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Matt DiLallo]

    That makes Petrobras (NYSE: PBR  ) one of the best pure-play stocks to buy if you want to invest in the growth of oil production. The company is investing heavily to explore and develop these massive oil fields with a goal to produce 1 million barrels of oil per day by 2016. But it's not the only company operating offshore: Seadrill (NYSE: SDRL  ) is another potential stock play here. One of the interesting things it's doing is looking at spinning off part its Brazilian business. This will help the company navigate the country's regulations while retaining upside as offshore oil production grows. It will also help the company to continue producing income to keep its top-tier dividend flowing back to investors.�

  • [By Arjun Sreekumar]

    But over the past few years, the world's largest integrated oil companies have also joined the party. For instance, Brazilian oil major Petrobras (NYSE: PBR  ) is preparing to drill exploration wells offshore Tanzania, where it holds 50% stakes in two offshore exploratory blocks, while ExxonMobil (NYSE: XOM  ) has turned its attention to exploratory prospects off the coast of South Africa, where it acquired a 75% stake in blocks owned by Impact Oil & Gas late last year.�

Top Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Tidewater Inc.(TDW)

Tidewater Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides offshore service vessels and marine support services to the offshore energy industry through the operation of a fleet of marine service vessels. It provides services in support of offshore exploration, field development, and production, including towing of and anchor handling for mobile offshore drilling units; transporting supplies and personnel necessary to sustain drilling, workover, and production activities; offshore construction and seismic support; and various specialized services, such as pipe and cable laying. The company?s vessels include platform supply vessels, and anchor handling towing supply vessels that are used in transporting supplies and equipment from shore bases to deepwater and intermediate water depth offshore drilling rigs, platforms, and other installations; towing-supply and supply vessels used in intermediate and shallow waters; and crewboats and utility vessels that are chartered for transporti ng personnel and supplies from shore bases to offshore drilling rigs, platforms, and other installations. It also operates offshore tugs used for towing floating drilling rigs; assisting in the docking of tankers; towing barges; assisting in pipe laying, cable laying, and construction barges; and commercial towing operations, including towing barges carrying various bulk cargoes and containerized cargo. In addition, the company operates inshore tugs; production, line-handling, and various other special purpose vessels. Further, it operates two shipyards, which construct, modify, and repair vessels. As of March 31, 2011, the company had 378 vessels serving the global offshore energy industry. The company has operations in the United States, Gulf of Mexico, the Persian/Arabian Gulf, and areas offshore Australia, Brazil, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Trinidad, Venezuela, and West Africa. Tidewater Inc. was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in New Orleans, Louisi ana.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Garrett Cook]

    Energy shares fell around 0.95 percent in Monday’s trading. Top losers in the sector included Goodrich Petroleum (NYSE: GDP), down 5.1 percent, and Tidewater (NYSE: TDW), off 5.3 percent.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Tidewater (NYSE: TDW  ) .

  • [By CRWE]

    Tidewater Inc. (NYSE:TDW) reported that Jeffrey M. Platt, President and CEO, Quinn P. Fanning, Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer and Joseph M. Bennett, Executive Vice President and Chief Investor Relations Officer, will present at the 2012 Barclays CEO-Energy Conference in New York, New York on Thursday, September 6, 2012, at approximately 8:25 a.m. Eastern time.

Top Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Liberty Media Corp (LMCA)

Liberty Media Corporation, formerly Liberty Spinco, Inc., incorporated on August 10, 2012, focuses on the media, communications and entertainment industries through its ownership of interests in subsidiaries and other companies. Its businesses and assets include consolidated subsidiaries, Atlanta National League Baseball Club, Inc. and TruePosition, Inc., its equity affiliates Sirius XM Radio Inc. and Live Nation Entertainment, Inc. and minority investments in public companies such as Barnes & Noble, Inc., Time Warner Inc., Time Warner Cable, Inc., Viacom Inc. and Sprint Nextel Corporation. On January 11, 2013, Liberty Media Corporation and Starz announced the completion of the spin-off of Liberty from Starz. In connection with the spin-off, Liberty changed its name from Liberty Spinco, Inc. to Liberty Media Corporation. In January 2013, the Company announced that it held approximately 50.7% interest of Sirius XM Radio Inc. In May 2013, Liberty Media Corp acquired a 27.38% stake in Charter Communications Inc.

Atlanta National League Baseball Club, Inc., or ANLBC, a wholly owned subsidiary, owns and operates the Atlanta Braves Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise and five minor league baseball clubs (the Gwinnett Braves, the Mississippi Braves, the Rome Braves, the Danville Braves and the GCL Braves). TruePosition is a wholly owned subsidiary that develops and markets technology for locating wireless phones and other wireless devices enabling wireless carriers, application providers and other enterprises to provide E-911 services domestically and other location-based services to mobile users both domestically and worldwide. Sirius XM Radio Inc. (Sirius) broadcasts its music, sports, entertainment, comedy, talk, news, traffic and weather channels in the United States on a subscription fee basis through its two satellite radio systems. Subscribers can also receive certain of its music and other channels over the Internet, including through applications for mobile devices.

Sir! ius XM Radio Inc. satellite radios are primarily distributed through automakers (OEMs), retail locations nationwide, and through its Website. Sirius offers a dynamic programming lineup of commercial-free music, sports, entertainment, talk, news, traffic and weather. The channel line-ups for its services vary in certain respects and are available at siriusxm.com. Sirius offers a selection of music genres, ranging from rock, pop and hip-hop to country, dance, jazz, Latin and classical. Within each genre it offers a range of formats, styles and recordings. Sirius offers a range of national, international and financial news, including news from BBC World Service News, Bloomberg Radio, CNBC, CNN, FOX News, HLN, MSNBC, NPR and World Radio Network. Barnes & Noble, Inc., is a content, commerce and technology company providing customers easy and convenient access to books, magazines, newspapers and other content across its multi-channel distribution platform. As of April 28, 2012, Barnes & Noble operated 1,338 bookstores in 50 states, including 647 bookstores on college campuses, operates one of the Internet's e-Commerce sites and develops digital content products and software.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Shake it up
    Liberty Media (NASDAQ: LMCA  ) is doing some more boardroom touchup work. Liberty Media CEO Greg Maffei is now taking over as Sirius XM's chairman.

Top Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Lakes Entertainment Inc.(LACO)

Lakes Entertainment, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, finances, and manages Indian owned casino properties. It has development and management or financing agreements with three separate tribes for casino operations in Michigan and California. The company manages the Red Hawk Casino for the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians situated in El Dorado County, California, which features 2,200 slot machines, 70 table games, 7 poker tables, 5 restaurants, 4 bars, retail space, a parking garage, and a child care facility and arcade. It also develops and finances a casino to be built on the reservation of the Jamul Indian Village located to the east of San Diego, California. In addition, Lakes Entertainment, Inc. engages in developing, financing, and managing non-Indian casino projects in Florida, Maryland, Mississippi, and Ohio. The company was formerly known as Lakes Gaming, Inc. and changed its name to Lakes Entertainment, Inc. in 2002. Lakes Entertainment, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is based in Minnetonka, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Emerson]

    I will conclude Part one of Reflections from 20 Years of Investing (2001- 2008) with the discussion of three more sizable winners: Forward Industries (FORD), Lake Gaming (LACO) and Fairchild (FA).

Top Dow Dividend Companies To Own For 2014: Vistaprint NV (VPRT)

Vistaprint N.V., incorporated on June 5, 2009, is an online provider of coordinated portfolios of customized marketing products and services to micro businesses worldwide. The Company offers a range of brand identity and promotional products, marketing services and digital solutions. While the Company focuses on micro business marketing products and services, consumers also purchases its products, such as invitations and announcements, greeting cards, photo books and calendars. Customers visiting the Company's Websites can select the type of product they wish to design from its range of available products and services for the business and home and family markets, including paper based, non-paper based, and digital and marketing services. Paper based products include brochures, business cards, data sheets, desk and wall calendars, envelopes, flyers, folded business cards, folded cards, holiday cards, and invitations and announcements. Its non-paper based products include banners, bottle openers, calculators, car door magnets, decals, drink koozies, embroidered apparel, hats, iphone cases, key chains, lawn signs, letter openers and luggage tags. Its digital and marketing services include blogs, custom Facebook pages, design tools and content, e-mail marketing services and logos.

When a product type has been selected, the customer can initiate the design process by using the Company's predefined industry styles and theme categories, by entering one or more keywords in its image search tool, or by uploading the customer's own design. If the customer chooses to do a keyword search, the Company's automated design logic will, in real time, create and display to the customer a variety of product templates containing images related to the customer's keyword. When the customer chooses a particular template for personalization, the Company's user-friendly, browser-based application enables the customer to quickly and easily perform a wide range of design and editing functions on the selected design,! for example, cropping images or entirely replacing images with other images or uploading customer images or logos.

Once customers choose a pre-designed template or upload their own content for a product, they can instantly see what their design looks like on a range of other Vistaprint products and related services, including signage, Websites and e-mail marketing, business identity, direct mail services, apparel and promotional gifts. Customers who need help with their design or ordering process are able to reach the Company's customer service agents through phone, e-mail, and chat. The Company has six customer service facilities: Montego Bay, Jamaica; Berlin, Germany; the Hague, the Netherlands; Tunis, Tunisia; Sydney, Australia; and Mumbai, India. These centers provide phone, email and chat support for customers who speak English, Dutch, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Czech, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish, Danish, Turkish, Japanese and Hindi. Using the Company's design software applications, combined with voice over Internet protocol telephone transmission technology and call center management tools, its agents and designers provide customer service. Customers purchasing products check out either through a standard e-commerce self-service shopping basket or by providing their order and payment information through telephone to one of the Company's service agents.

The Company's design creation technologies enable customers, by themselves or together with the assistance of the Company's design support staff, to design and create marketing materials from their homes or offices. The Company's document model architecture and technology employs Internet-compatible data structures to define, process and store product designs as a set of separately searchable, combinable and modifiable component elements. The Company's auto-matching design software generates customized product designs in real-time based on key-word searches. VistaStudio is the Company's product ! design an! d editing software suite, which is downloaded to its customer's computer from its server and runs in the customer's browser. This browser-based software provides real-time client-side editing capabilities. A range of layouts, color schemes and fonts are provided and a selection of photographs and illustrations are available for use by customers in product design. Customers can also upload their own images and logos for incorporation into their product designs. The Company's Internet-based, remote, real-time, co-creativity and project management application and database enables customers and the Company's design agents to design a product across the Internet in real-time, while engaging in voice communication.

Albumprinter Downloadable and Online Editors enable the creation of a range of photo products, such as calendars, canvas prints, and greeting cards through an intuitive user interface. These editors allow the Company's customers the choice of creating their personalized products on their own computer or utilizing their preferred browser and enable functionality, such as auto generated layouts, creation of content, and font selection. Features available to the Company's customers include adding personal images, maps, electronic payment processing, downloadable files and contact forms. Pagemodo offers small businesses to create a professional looking custom Facebook page. Pagemodo allows customers to select from a range of templates to create custom tabs for their Fanpage, including welcome tabs, lead capture tabs and video tabs. Pagemodo also offers a template driven cover image designer, which lets customers create cover images for their Facebook pages through a simple click and edit interface.

The Company's pre-production and production technologies process and aggregate customer orders, prepare orders for high-quality production and manage production, addressing and shipment of these orders. DrawDocs is the Company's automated pre-printing press technology that prepares ! customer ! documents received over the Internet for high-resolution printing. The Company's VistaBridge technology allows the Company to store and process. The Company's aggregation software scans these pending jobs and analyzes a range of production characteristics, including quantity, type and format of raw material, color versus black and white, single or double-sided print, delivery date, shipping location, type of production system being used and type of product. For printed products, the VistaBridge software then automatically aggregates orders with similar production characteristics from multiple customers into a single document image that is transferred to either a digital press or to an automated plating system that produces offset printing plates. Viper is the Company's workflow and production management software for tracking and managing its global production facilities on a networked basis. Viper monitors and manages bar-code driven production batch and order management, pick and pack operations, and addressing and shipping of orders.

The Company uses its marketing technologies to generate and display additional products incorporating the customer's initial designs, facilitating the cross-sale of related products and services. VistaMatch Software generates and displays one or more additional customized product designs based upon a customer's existing design. Design elements and customer information are automatically transferred to the additional design.

Automated Cross-Sell and Up-Sell technology permits the Company to show a customer, while the customer is in the process of purchasing a product, marketing offers for one or more additional or related products. Localization/Language Map is the Company's content management system that permits all of its localized Websites, and the changes to those Websites, to be managed by the same software engine. Text and image components of the Company's Web pages are separated, translated and stored in its managed content database.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jon C. Ogg]

    Vistaprint N.V. (NASDAQ: VPRT) was started with an Underweight rating and a $48 price target (versus $54.21 close) at Barclays.

    Friday’s analyst upgrades had many more names than the downgrades.

Sunday, March 15, 2015

10 Best Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now

10 Best Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now: MTR Gaming Group Inc.(MNTG)

MTR Gaming Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in racing, gaming, and entertainment businesses in the United States. It owns and operates Mountaineer Casino, Racetrack & Resort, which is a diverse gaming, entertainment, and convention complex in Chester, West Virginia that consists of approximately 2,132 slot machines, 14 poker tables, and 45 casino table games; 357 hotel rooms, including 256-room Grande Hotel at Mountaineer; a convention space; a live thoroughbred horse racing facility; the Woodview Golf Course; a theater and events center; a fitness center; and an on-site pari-mutuel wagering facility. The company also operates Presque Isle Downs & Casino property, which comprises 2,070 slot machines, 44 casino table games, and 9 poker tables; and provides live thoroughbred horse racing and on-site pari-mutuel wagering services in Erie, Pennsylvania. In addition, it operates Scioto Downs Casino & Racetrack, a live harness racing track in Columbus, Ohio; and Ra celinebet.com, a national account wagering service that offers online and telephone wagering on horse races. The company was formerly known as Secamur Corporation and changed its name to MTR Gaming Group, Inc. in 1996. MTR Gaming Group, Inc. was founded in 1988 and is based in Chester, West Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    MTR Gaming Group Inc.(MNTG) and privately held Eldorado Resorts LLC have amended their merger agreement to increase the amount of cash paid to MTR shareholders, preventing a possible bidding war for the gaming company. MTR shares surged 13% to $5.92 premarket, approaching the raised bid price $6.05 a share.

  • [By Equities Lab]

    The stocks that currently pass the stock screen in order of market cap are Frontier Communications Corp , Crown Media Holdings (CRWN), ! Vonage Holding (VG), MCG Capital Corp (MCGC), 1-800-FLOWERS.COM (FLWS), MTR Gaming Corporation (MNTG), Alaska Communications (ALSK), and Enzon Pharmaceuticals (ENZN).

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-life-sciences-stocks-to-watch-right-now-4.html

Saturday, March 14, 2015

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch For 2014

I just got back from the Hennessy Fund’s grand reveal of the new portfolio for its Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund (HFMDX), which gets rebalanced once a year.

The fund uses a quantitative screen to select 30 stocks with low valuation and high momentum, and last year it loaded up on companies that would be using their cash balance sheets for buybacks, dividends and acquisitions.

That portfolio has done well. The Hennessy Cornerstone Mid Cap 30 Fund has returned 12.3% so far this year, easily topping the 7.8% return in the S&P MidCap 400 and nearly equal to the S&P 500′s 12.4% return.

This year, portfolio managers Neil Hennessy and Brian Peery think companies will be doing their spending on capital improvements and hiring, rather than buybacks, dividends and acquisitions, as the United States economy continues to grow at a slow and steady pace. There’s nothing that can hurt the U.S. economy “short of a catastrophe,” Hennessy said. “Any pullback [in the stock market] is a buying opportunity.”

Top Construction Material Stocks To Own For 2015: Brown & Brown Inc. (BRO)

Brown & Brown, Inc., a diversified insurance agency, engages in the marketing and sale of insurance products and services in the United States. Its Retail division provides insurance products and services to commercial, public and quasi-public entity, professional, and individual customers. This division offers property insurance relating to physical damage to property, and resultant interruption of business or extra expense caused by fire, windstorm, or other perils; casualty insurance relating to legal liabilities, workers� compensation, and commercial and private passenger automobile coverage; fidelity and surety bonds; group and individual life, accident, disability, health, hospitalization, medical, and dental insurance, as well as provides risk management and loss control surveys and analysis, and consultation services. The company�s National Programs division offers professional liability and related package insurance products for dentists, lawyers, accountants, o ptometrists, opticians, insurance agents, financial service representatives, benefit administrators, real estate brokers, real estate title agents, and escrow agents. This division also markets its products and services to specific industries, trade groups, public and quasi-public entities, and market niches through independent agents. The company�s Wholesale Brokerage division markets and sells excess and surplus commercial insurance products and services to retail insurance agencies; and reinsurance products and services to insurance companies. Its Services division offers insurance-related services, including third-party claims administration and comprehensive medical utilization management services for the workers� compensation and various liability arenas; medicare set-aside services; and social security disability and medicare benefits advocacy services. Brown & Brown, Inc. was founded in 1939 and is headquartered in Daytona Beach, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Diversified insurance company Brown & Brown (BRO) raised its quarterly dividend 11.1% to 10 cents per share, payable Nov. 13 to shareholders of record as of Oct. 30. This is the 20th consecutive annual increase in BRO’s dividend.
    BRO Dividend Yield: 1.21%

  • [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

    We also added a new position in insurance broker Brown & Brown (BRO) when the stock fell below $29 in February. The company's business model generates high operating margins and strong free cash flow. We expect management to remain disciplined acquirers of culturally compatible companies. In the meantime, Brown & Brown would benefit from an increase in insurable exposure units in the middle-market economy. Said more simply, as "Main Street" recovers, Brown & Brown should do well.From Wallace Weitz (Trades, Portfolio)'s first quarter 2014 report.Also check out: Wallace Weitz Undervalued Stocks Wallace Weitz Top Growth Companies Wallace Weitz High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Wallace Weitz keeps buying Currently 0.00/512345

    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes)

  • [By Eric Volkman]

    Brown & Brown's� (NYSE: BRO  ) �Q1 results have been released. For the quarter, net profit notched a new quarterly record at just over $60 million ($0.41 per diluted share), up 22% from the $49 million ($0.34) in the same period the previous year. Total revenue also improved over that time frame, coming in at $335 million against Q1 2012's figure of $302 million.

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch For 2014: Limelight Networks Inc.(LLNW)

Limelight Networks, Inc. provides content delivery network services in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It offers content delivery services to deliver media files, such as video, music, games, and software, or live streaming of corporate or entertainment events; video content management services, which enable organizations to publish, manage, syndicate, analyze, and monetize video content through a cloud-based service; Web content management services that enable content publishers to create, manage, and publish Web content through a cloud-based service; and mobility and monetization services that help publishers to deliver content to media-enabled mobile handsets or tablets. The company also provides Web acceleration services, which enhance Web experiences for content, online commerce transactions, and Web applications; cloud storage services that comprise customer services for the storage of media and enterprise content; and global con sulting and technical services that enable customers optimize their publishing, e-commerce, mobility, or content distribution workflows, as well as to provide support for network architecture design, storage infrastructure, Web application development, creative design, live event execution, and design, deployment, and management of infrastructure. In addition, it offers reporting and analytics services that help customers to manage and configure content delivery and presentation. The company offers its services to traditional and emerging media companies or content providers, including businesses operating in the television, music, radio, newspaper, magazine, movie, videogame, software, and social media industries; and enterprises, technology companies, and government entities doing business online. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Tempe, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    For Google, the shift in the way the justice system looks at and handles patent infringement claims meant its subsidiary, Motorola Mobility, unsuccessfully bid to convince U.S. courts that Apple Inc. (NASDAQ:AAPL) was illegally using Google's/Motorola's approach for sending data to a mobile device. For Akamai Technologies, it means that the technology company will need to re-explain - and ultimately re-prove - to an appellate court that Limelight Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ:LLNW) infringed on an Akamai patent even though a lower court had already ruled in favor of AKAM. And for Soverain Software, the legal system's new attitude meant it wouldn't even bother hearing its appeal for a case it lost against Newegg last year... a case it's tried against several companies, losing every time.

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch For 2014: GrowLife Inc (PHOT)

GrowLife, Inc., formerly, Phototron Holdings, Inc., incorporated on March 7, 2001, sells and distributse mini-hydroponic greenhouses (Phototron Units) and horticultural seeds, mineral nutrient solutions, growing mediums and germination kits. On February 14, 2011, the Company entered into an agreement and plan of merger (Merger Agreement) with PHI Merger Corporation and its wholly owned subsidiary (MergerCo), and Phototron, Inc., (Phototron). On March 9, 2011, MergerCo was merged with and into Phototron and Phototron became its wholly owned subsidiary. In May 2011, it announced the launch of its wholly owned direct selling hydroponic gardening subsidiary, GrowLife Inc. In April 2012, it merged with SG Technologies Corp. A newly formed subsidiary of the Company was merged with and into SG Technologies Corp. On July 23, 2012, the Company acquired Greners.com, related to the online retail business operated by Greners.

The Company designs and manufactures indoor mini-hydroponic greenhouses capable of growing almost any herb, vegetable, flower, fruit or terrestrial plant better, stronger and faster than traditional farming methods. Its Phototron Units, consisting of 21 inch x 39 inch units and 21 inch x 51 inch units, provide between 18,900 and 36,000 lumens of light. Phototron Units also allow users to control what a plant receives, grow crops densely, avoid using pesticides, increase yields and automatically water plants.

The Company also formulates and sells horticultural seeds, mineral nutrient solutions, growing mediums and germination kits to facilitate hydroponic gardening through the use of its Phototron Units. In addition, it designs and manufactures replacement parts for its Phototron Units to facilitate customization of the units. It owns a mailing list and have a customer base exceeding 50,000 people. Its re-order program, which involves the sale of nutrients and related products and replacement parts for Phototron Units, represents 50% of its revenue.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Its been a rather eventful week for news from the marijuana sector and small cap marijuana stocks like GW Pharmaceuticals PLC (NASDAQ: GWPH), Tranzbyte Corp (OTCMKTS: ERBB) and Growlife Inc (OTCMKTS: PHOT) as one of these stocks gets endorsed by Morgan Stanley while another appears on CNBC���more signs of legitimacy for an investment�sector that�� full of pumps, dumps and other unsavory types of activities. Just consider the following small cap marijuana stock or pot industry news:

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Shares of Growlife (OTC: PHOT) on April 10 were halted by the SEC for a period of two weeks due to ��uestions that have been raised about the accuracy and adequacy of information in the marketplace and potentially manipulative transactions in PHOT's common stock.��/p>

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    Wow. That didn't take long. It was only two days ago that marijuana stocks like Growlife Inc. (OTCBB:PHOT), Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS:MJNA), Cannabis Science Inc. (OTCMKTS:CBIS), Medbox Inc. (OTCMKTS:MDBX), and Hemp, Inc. (OTCMKTS:HEMP) were all the rage, flying high on the heels of a new year... a new year in which marijuana was legalized (for one reason or another) in two more states. HEMP was up as much as 700% in less than three weeks at one point. MDBX gained 300% at the beginning of the year, when recreational marijuana began to be legally sold in Colorado. CBIS jumped 400% off of its December low. MJNA nearly doubled on the advent of new marijuana venues. PHOT soared more than 130% since the end of last year on the legalization of marijuana. It was, truthfully, some of the fastest big money that traders have ever made in the market.

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch For 2014: Research in Motion Limited(RIMM)

Research In Motion Limited (RIM) designs, manufactures, and markets wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. The company, through the development of integrated hardware, software, and services, provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to time-sensitive information, including email, phone, short messaging service, and Internet and Intranet-based applications and browsing. Its products and services principally comprise the BlackBerry wireless platform, the RIM Wireless Handheld product line, software development tools, and other software and hardware. The company?s BlackBerry smartphones use wireless, push-based technology that delivers data to mobile users? business and consumer applications. Its BlackBerry smartphone portfolio includes BlackBerry Bold series, the BlackBerry Torch, BlackBerry Curve series, the BlackBerry Style, BlackBerry Storm series, the BlackBerry Tour, BlackBerry Pearl series, and the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. T he company?s BlackBerry enterprise solutions comprise BlackBerry enterprise server, BlackBerry enterprise server express, BlackBerry mobile voice system, and hosted BlackBerry services. Its technology also enables third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services through software development kits, wireless connectivity to data, and third-party support programs. In addition, the company offers BlackBerry technical support services, non-warranty repairs, and nonrecurring engineering services. Further, it provides BlackBerry App World that offers BlackBerry smartphone users an electronic catalogue that aids in the discovery and download/purchase of applications directly from their BlackBerry smartphone. The company markets and sells its BlackBerry wireless solutions primarily through global wireless communications carriers, and third party distribution channels. Research In Motion Limited was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Waterloo, Canad a.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Trustamind]

    Technology is disruptive. It changes everyone�� daily life. But it also may cause unpleasant financial consequences to investors. Technology brings dramatic economic growth which is, unfortunately, less predictable. In Buffett�� own words when asked in the interview if he would buy other tech companies: �� look at everything but most things I decide I can't figure out their future.��For some examples, just look at Research In Motion (RIMM) versus Apple (AAPL), Yahoo! (YHOO) versus Google (GOOG), and Kodak versus all the other digital camera makers. The last one is especially ironic because it is Kodak that invented the digital camera in the first place.

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch For 2014: Lenovo Group Ltd (LNVGF.PK)

Lenovo Group Limited is principally engaged in investment holding. It is a personal technology company serving customers in more than 160 countries. The Company is a personal computer (PC) vendor. The Company develops, manufactures and markets technology products and services. Its product lines include Think-branded commercial PCs and Idea branded consumer PCs, as well as servers, workstations, and a family of mobile Internet devices, including tablets and smart phones. It offers a range of commercial desktops and notebooks to businesses of all sizes that feature cutting-edge technology, customer-centric innovation and productivity features. It operates in three segments: China, Emerging Markets (excluding China) and Mature Markets. Lenovo has research centers in Yamato, Japan; Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen, China; and Raleigh, North Carolina, the United States. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Investometrica]

    x86: With regards to the specific x86 server business, it seems that IBM is considering the possibility of fully divesting it. According to Morgan Stanley, the server business generated about $4.9 billion of the company's $15.4 billion in server sales last year. This enormous volume is due to the fact that IBM may be producing the overall market's highest volumes, at the lowest profit level; which suggests this segment is doomed. Finally, IBM has a history of aggressive shifts to areas with better growth prospects and margins. For example, the company agreed to sell off the PC business to Lenovo (LNVGF.PK) at a moment where the PC still seemed attractive.

Best Mid Cap Stocks To Watch For 2014: ExactTarget Inc (ET)

ExactTarget, Inc. is a global provider of cross-channel, interactive marketing software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions. The Company�� solutions provide marketers with a suite of integrated applications. The Company�� suite of cross-channel, interactive marketing applications include e-mail, mobile, social media and sites, is built on its flexible multi-tenant SaaS platform. These channel applications are integrated with its campaign management, calendaring, dashboard, integrated reporting, marketing automation and data management tools. The Company also provides open application programming interfaces (APIs) and developer tools that allow third parties to embed its technology into their solutions and build applications on its platform. The Company generates revenue through the sale of subscriptions to its suite of cross-channel, interactive marketing SaaS solutions and the delivery of professional services. It serves a range of clients across many industries and sizes. Professional services revenue consists primarily of fees associated with training, implementation, integration, deliverability, campaign services and strategic consulting. In October 2012, it acquired iGoDigital.

The Company�� direct client base consisted of over 4,700 organizations as of June 30, 2012, ranging from enterprises to small businesses in numerous industries, including retail and e-commerce, media and entertainment, travel and hospitality, financial services and insurance, technology, daily-deal and flash-sale and marketing service providers. Among its direct clients are the United States-based companies, such as Ally Financial, Inc., Angie�� List, Inc., CareerBuilder, LLC, Groupon, Inc., Microsoft Corporation, Nationwide Mutual Insurance Company, Oakley, Inc., OneAmerica Financial Partners, Inc., One King�� Lane, Inc., Papa John�� International, Inc., priceline.com Incorporated, The Scotts Miracle-Gro Company, Tommy Hilfiger Group, WellPoint, Inc. and Zappos.com, Inc. Companies also include Abril Gro! up (Brazil), Fairfax Media Limited (Australia), Icelandair Group (Iceland) and Telegraph Media Group Limited (United Kingdom).

Interactive Marketing Hub

The Interactive Marketing Hub provides marketers with a solution to engage in cross-channel marketing. The Interactive Marketing Hub integrates its e-mail, mobile, social media and sites Channel Applications with data management and marketing automation Hub Applications. Built on its cloud-based FUEL platform, these applications integrate with Hub Tools, which include a calendar, campaigns, dashboards and integrated reporting. Channel Applications provide interactive marketing engagement solutions to plan, automate, deliver and optimize messages across e-mail, mobile, social media and sites. The Company�� core edition is designed for small and medium-sized organizations, as well as departments within enterprises and provides content management tools, segmentation tools and reporting, such as opens, clicks, bounces and other performance metrics.

The Advanced Edition includes content syndication, dynamic content, relational data, advanced marketing automation, triggered and transactional communications for e-statements, alerts and order confirmations and advanced reporting. The Advanced Edition also provides full access to its FUEL platform�� open integration framework and developer tools that facilitates integration with other business systems and applications. Enterprise Edition is built for large, distributed enterprises that need centralized control and compliance for e-mail marketing communications. The Enterprise Edition includes international sending, advanced role and permission administration, content locking and sharing, and enterprise analytics and reporting. The Enterprise Edition can also include its Xpress Sending interface that enables non-technical users within distributed marketing organizations to create and send e-mails using pre-approved content via defined templates.

The Company� �s mobil! e applications enable marketers to create, automate, deliver personalized inbound and outbound short message service (SMS) mobile messages and support messaging in more than 80 countries worldwide. Through these applications, clients can easily create polls, quizzes, surveys, contests, mobile tickets, coupon redemption, SMS alerts and mobile opt-in for e-mail campaigns. Its social media applications provide solutions to manage engagement on social networks, such as Twitter and Facebook and integrate social data and interactions into cross-channel campaigns. SocialEngage (powered by CoTweet) provides a social media management application that enables teams to manage multiple social media accounts with administrator-defined user permissions and roles.

SocialPages provides a drag and drop interface that allows marketers to create, publish and manage branded Facebook pages and tabs that display content and incorporate engaging features, such as forms, YouTube videos, Flickr galleries and the Facebook Like button. The Company�� sites application provides a solution to drag and drop interface microsites into cross-channel marketing campaigns. Hub Applications provide capabilities for advanced cross-channel marketing automation, data management, customer data segmentation and analysis. Audience Builder provides a drag-and-drop interface that enables marketers to explore multiple data scenarios through filtering and segmentation to create target audiences in for any campaign or automated messaging series.

Automation Studio provides a drag and drop interface to plan, create and execute complex, multi-stage, recurring cross-channel campaigns based on consumer behavior, time or custom attributes. Automated communications can be triggered by events, such as product purchases, online registrations or Website browsing behavior. The Company�� Hub Tools enable integrated planning, cross-channel campaign management and reporting. Calendar provides a single view of planned and completed camp! aigns, ev! ents and interactions across e-mail, mobile, Facebook, Twitter and Websites. Campaigns enables marketers to define interactive marketing campaigns and associated content and interactions across e-mail, mobile, Facebook, Twitter and Websites.

Pulse provides dashboards that display information, such as the number of Facebook fans, Twitter followers, e-mail subscribers and current status of automated programs and engagement metrics, such as opens, clicks and conversions. Integrated Reporting provides contextual and reporting throughout its Interactive Marketing Hub. The Company�� applications are built and delivered on its cloud-based FUEL platform. FUEL provides an open integration framework, enabling clients and third-party application providers to integrate data from systems, such as customer relationship management (CRM), Web analytics, and e-commerce through its partner ecosystem of productized integrations with providers, such as Microsoft Dynamics CRM, salesforce.com, inc., SAP, and Adobe Omniture.

Common Data Model creates a cross-channel view of each consumer by aggregating online behavioral data, channel engagement history, communication preferences and other online or offline data. Security provides a single sign-on environment for all Interactive Marketing Hub applications secured by multiple technologies, including but not limited to two-factor authentication, Internet protocol (IP) whitelisting and IP blocking, and enables monitoring and alerting of system activity.

Developer Tools provide a library of user interface controls and APIs that enable developers to build applications with a common look and feel on its cloud-based platform. Integration Framework provides a suite of integration capabilities that include its open APIs, CRM and Web analytics integrations, Embedded/Xpress Marketing and HubExchange. Its Embedded/Xpress Marketing solution enables independent software vendors and developers to embed the functionality of its e-mail and mobile applic! ations di! rectly into their technology offerings. The Company�� HubExchange enables marketing technology providers to develop and sell applications built on its platform.

Services

The Company complements its suite of cross-channel, interactive marketing SaaS solutions with a range of professional services. Its collaborative and full-service offerings include Training, Implementation, Integration, Deliverability, Campaign Services and Strategic Consulting. The Company offers a variety of methods of introduction to its products, including self-help resources, Web-based and on-site training, enterprise workshops and train the trainer programs. Clients who purchase implementation services are assigned an implementation consultant who works with them to adopt and deployment its solutions. Through its platform�� integration framework, the Company�� applications can be integrated with CRM, Web analytics, e-commerce and other business systems. It provides consulting and program management to help clients define, develop and implement interactive communication strategies.

The Company competes with Aprimo, Inc., CheetahMail Inc., e-Dialog Inc., Eloqua Limited, Epsilon Data Management, LLC, Marketo, Inc., Responsys, Inc., Silverpop Systems Inc., StrongMail Systems, Inc., Unica Corporation, Yesmail, Buddy Media, Inc. and Radian6 Technologies, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    What: Shares of ExactTarget (NYSE: ET  ) soared 52% today after cloud technologist salesforce.com (NYSE: CRM  ) agreed to acquire the marketing software company for $2.5 billion.

  • [By The GeoTeam]

    Our recent 2013 articles on SaaS companies Selectica (SLTC), E2open (EOPN), Responsys (MKTG), Vocus (VOCS), and ExactTarget (ET) highlighted such opportunities. The average return since the inception of our coverage currently stands at around 34% (55% at their highs).