Tuesday, September 30, 2014

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014

On Tuesday, Artesian Resources (ARTNA) declared a quarterly dividend of 20.88 cents per share, a 1.5% increase from the company’s previous quarterly payout.

The Newark, Delaware-based water distribution company previously had a yearly payout of 82.28 cents, and will now pay 83.52 cents per year.

The dividend will be payable on November 22nd, 2013 to all shareholders of record on November 8th, 2013. The ex-dividend date is November 6th, 2013.

ARTNA shares were up 6 cents, or .27%, at Tuesday’s market close. The company’s stock is down just over 3% YTD.

Top 5 Defense Companies To Own For 2015: BancorpSouth Inc (BXS)

BancorpSouth, Inc., incorporated on February 17, 1982, is a financial holding company. Through its principal bank subsidiary, BancorpSouth Bank (the Bank), the Company conducts commercial banking and financial services operations in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri and Illinois. As of December 31, 2012, the Company and its subsidiaries had total deposits of $11.1 billion. The Bank conducts a general commercial banking, trust and insurance business through 284 offices in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Florida, Missouri and Illinois. The Bank and its subsidiaries provide a range of financial services to individuals and small-to-medium size businesses. On July 2, 2012, the Company purchased certain assets of The Securance Group, Inc.

The Bank operates investment services and insurance agency subsidiaries, which engage in investment brokerage services and sales of other insurance products. The Bank�� trust department offers a range of services, including personal trust and estate services, certain employee benefit accounts and plans, including individual retirement accounts, and limited corporate trust functions.

Lending Activities

The Bank�� lending activities include both commercial and consumer loans. The Bank offers a range of commercial loan services including term loans, lines of credit, equipment and receivable financing and agricultural loans. A range of short-to-medium term commercial loans, both secured and unsecured, are made available to businesses for working capital (including inventory and receivables), business expansion (including acquisition and development of real estate and improvements), and the purchase of equipment and machinery. The Bank also makes construction loans to real estate developers for the acquisition, development and construction of residential subdivisions.

The Bank�� lending activities consists of the origination of fixed and adjustable! rate residential mortgage loans secured by owner-occupied property located in the Bank�� primary market areas. In addition, the Bank offers construction loans, second mortgage loans and home equity lines of credit. The Bank finances the construction of individual, owner-occupied houses on the basis of written underwriting and construction loan management guidelines.

The Bank makes residential construction loans to individuals who intend to erect owner-occupied housing on a purchased parcel of real estate. The Bank sells its mortgage loans with terms of 15 years or more in the secondary market and either retains or releases the right to service those loans. Non-residential consumer loans made by the Bank include loans for automobiles, recreation vehicles, boats, personal (secured and unsecured) and deposit account secured loans. The Bank also issues credit cards.

Investment Activities

As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� held-to-maturity and available-for-sale securities included the United States Government agency securities, taxable obligations of states and political subdivisions, tax-exempt obligations of states and political subdivisions, government agency issued residential mortgage-backed securities, government agency issued commercial mortgage-backed securities, collateralized debt obligations and other securities. As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� available-for-sale securities totaled $ 2.4 billion. Investments in tax-exempt securities totaled $455.1 million as of December 31, 2012.

Source of Funds

Deposits originating within the communities served by the Bank are the primary source of funding. As of December 31, 2012, the Company and its subsidiaries had total deposits of $ 11.1 million. The Bank offered deposits, such as noninterest bearing demand deposits, interest bearing demand deposits, savings deposits and other time deposits. The Company had federal funds purchased and securities sold under agreement to repurc! hase of $! 414.6 million as of December 31, 2012.

Subsidiary Activities

The Bank�� insurance service subsidiary serves as an agent in the sale of title insurance, commercial lines of insurance and a full line of property and casualty, life, health and employee benefits products and services and operates in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Texas, Louisiana, Missouri and Illinois. The Bank�� investment services subsidiary provides brokerage, investment advisory and asset management services and operates in certain communities in Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama, Arkansas, Louisiana, Texas, Florida and Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Todd Campbell]

    Now, thanks to rebounding home prices, those same banks are back in growth mode again, suggesting an investment opportunity in market share leaders, such as BancorpSouth, Inc. (BXS).

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014: Global Digital Creations Holdings Ltd (GDC)

Global Digital Creations Holdings Limited is an investment holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the Company operates in three segments: computer graphics (CG) and production segment, which includes CG creation, production and exhibition of motion pictures and production of television series and movies, as well as property rental income; CG training courses segment, engaged in the provision of CG and animation training, and cultural park segment, engaged in the media entertainment and related commercial property development. The Company�� subsidiaries include GDC Holdings Limited, GDC Asset Management Limited, GDC China Limited, GDC Digital Cinema Network Limited, GDC Digital Cinema Network Limited, GDC International Limited and GDC Management Services Limited, among others. On September 6, 2011, it completed the disposal of interests in GDC Technology Limited and GDC Digital Cinema Network Limited. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Barel Karsan]

    If you follow Genesis Land (GDC), your head may be spinning by now. It's almost every day now that the current board and the activists trying to take it over are claiming some sort of injustice permeated by the other side. (To watch this battle in real-time, sign up for filing notifications for GDC here.) But surely, behind all the "Our directors are superior to yours" puffery, there are some differences in how each group would run the company differently.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014: Sharps Compliance Corp(SMED)

Sharps Compliance Corp. provides management solutions for medical waste, used healthcare materials, and unused dispensed medications in the United States. The company offers a range of product and service solutions, including sharps recovery system for the containment, transportation, treatment, and tracking of medical waste and used healthcare materials generated outside the hospital and health care facility settings. It also provides takeaway environmental return systems, complete needle collection and disposal systems, Rx takeaway recovery and reporting systems, sharps MWMS, takeaway recovery systems, and sharpstracer solutions. In addition, the company offers various other logistical solutions, such as pitch-it IV poles, trip lessystem, sharps pump and asset return boxes, sharps secure needle collection and containment systems, sharps recovery system needle collection and mailback disposal systems, isowash linen recovery systems, and biohazard spill clean-up kit and di sposal systems. It serves consumers in government, home health care, retail clinics and immunizing pharmacies, pharmaceutical manufacturers, professional offices, hospitality, commercial, industrial, and agriculture markets. Sharps Compliance Corp. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James Miller Phd]

    The firm is currently Zacks Rank # 3��old, and it also has a longer-term recommendation of ��eutral�� A Hold rating indicates that the stock, over the next one to three months, will perform at an annualized rate of 10.56%, very similar to the S&P 500. For investors looking for a better Zacks Rank, Sharps Compliance Corp. (SMED) is the option.

  • [By CRWE]

    Sharps Compliance Corp. (Nasdaq:SMED), a leading full-service provider of cost-effective solutions designed for the proper management of medical waste, used healthcare materials and unused dispensed medications, will release its fourth quarter and fiscal year end 2012 results (ended June 30, 2012) before the opening of financial markets on Wednesday, August 15, 2012.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014: Anaren Inc.(ANEN)

Anaren, Inc. engages in the design, development, and manufacture of components, assemblies, and subsystems primarily for the wireless communications, satellite communications, and space and defense electronics markets worldwide. The company?s products receive, process, and transmit microwave and radio frequency (RF) signals. It provides Xinger line of products that consist of off-the-shelf surface mount microwave components for use in equipment for cellular base stations, wireless local area network, Bluetooth, and satellite television; and resistive products, such as resistors, power terminations, and attenuators for use in high power wireless, industrial, and medical applications. The company also custom splitting and combining products comprising RF backplanes, ferrite based power combiners, low-power radio receive splitter assemblies, and custom ferrite components for distribution of signals in wireless base station applications. In addition, it designs and manufactur es microwave-based hardware consisting of radar countermeasure subsystems, beamformers, switch matrices, radar feed networks, analog hybrid modules, and mixed signal printed circuit boards for use in radar systems, jamming systems, smart munitions, electronic surveillance systems, and satellite and ground based communication systems. The company markets its products to original equipment manufacturers and other industry participants. Anaren, Inc. was founded in 1967 and is based in East Syracuse, New York

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Margins matter. The more Anaren (Nasdaq: ANEN  ) keeps of each buck it earns in revenue, the more money it has to invest in growth, fund new strategic plans, or (gasp!) distribute to shareholders. Healthy margins often separate pretenders from the best stocks in the market. That's why we check up on margins at least once a quarter in this series. I'm looking for the absolute numbers, so I can compare them to current and potential competitors, and any trend that may tell me how strong Anaren's competitive position could be.

  • [By Richard Moroney]

    Anaren (ANEN), a leading maker of microwave components for wireless communications and defense electronics, has bright growth prospects.

    The space and defense division is benefiting from strong demand for radar equipment. The wireless division is benefiting from increased demand for cellular infrastructure equipment.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014: Regulus Therapeutics Inc (RGLS)

Regulus Therapeutics Inc., incorporated on September 5, 2007, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing microRNAs to treat a range of diseases. microRNAs are naturally occurring ribonucleic acid (RNA), molecules that play a critical role in regulating key biological pathways. The Company uses its microRNA product platform to develop chemically modified, single-stranded oligonucleotides that the Company calls anti-miRs. As of December 31, 2012, the Company�� operations included acquiring and in-licensing intellectual property rights, developing its microRNA, undertaking basic research around microRNA targets and conducting preclinical studies for its initial programs.

The Company is developing RG-101 for the treatment of HCV and is advancing other microRNA therapeutics toward clinical development in several areas, including oncology, fibrosis and metabolic diseases. The Company intends to focus its resources on product opportunities in therapeutic areas where development and commercialization activities are appropriate for its size and financial resources, which the Company anticipates will include niche indications and orphan diseases.

The Company competes with Groove Biopharma, Inc., miRagen Therapeutics, Inc., Mirna Therapeutics, Inc., and Santaris Pharma A/S.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    A blast to the past
    It's occasionally very difficult to value biotech stocks, because of the wide range of outcomes possible given their pipelines. Other times, as in the case with Regulus Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RGLS  ) , I bang my head against a table and wonder what the heck investors are thinking.

  • [By Brian Orelli]

    Partners like this investment idea
    When Regulus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RGLS  ) went public last year, investors weren't the only ones buying the share offering; Regulus' partners and founders clearly thought it was a good investment idea, because they bought more shares. Lots of them. AstraZeneca, Biogen Idec, Sanofi, GlaxoSmithKline�and Isis combined to purchase more than 70% of the shares that raised nearly $81 million for the biotech.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    Regulus Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RGLS  )
    Since presenting at the Deutsche Bank Healthcare Conference two weeks ago, shares of Regulus Therapeutics have been absolutely on fire. A mixture of ASCO and IPO fever have revived the love for newer issues, and having big name pharmaceutical companies gobbling up a majority of its IPO'd shares certainly helps its cause.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014: Yandex N.V.(YNDX)

Yandex N.V., an Internet and technology company, operates an Internet search engine in Russia and internationally. It offers access to a range of information available online; localized homepages for specific geographic markets; and personalized and email services. The company also provides specialized search services comprising news aggregation and information services; and price comparison services, such as product information, price comparisons, and consumer-generated reviews of products and online retailers, as well as other specialized search services, including search services for images, videos, music, theatres, televisions, weather, jobs, transportation, cars, and real estate. In addition, it offers desktop applications consisting of specialized toolbar for Web browsers, Russian-to-English and English-to-Russian keyboard layout switcher, and customized browser versions; and server applications for indexing and searching files in various formats. Further, the compan y provides text-based advertising and display advertising services for advertisers on its Websites and Yandex ad network member Websites; and Yandex.Market, a price comparison service, which offers a platform for retailers to reach consumers in a targeted manner. Additionally, it provides services and tools for businesses comprising Yandex.Webmaster that allows Webmasters to control how their Website is seen by its search engine; Yandex.Metrica, a Web statistics analysis tool; Yandex Site Search, a search tool for Webmasters and Website owners; Yandex.Mail for Domain Owners that allows users to create email accounts with their own domain names; Yandex APIs and Widgets that enable developers to use its technologies in their own businesses; and Yandex.Money, an online payment system. Yandex N.V. was incorporated in 2004 and is based in The Hague, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    In trading on Thursday, technology shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.08%. Top decliners in the sector included KVH Industries (NASDAQ: KVHI), off 8.6%, and Yandex NV (NASDAQ: YNDX), down 7.3%.

  • [By James Brumley]

    With that as the backdrop, are U.S. investors right to be eyeing the Google of Russia — search engine Yandex�(YNDX) — as the next big search opportunity? Let’s take a look.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies For 2014: Omega Healthcare Investors Inc.(OHI)

Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States. The company invests in healthcare facilities, principally long-term healthcare facilities in the United States. It provides lease or mortgage financing to qualified operators of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), as well as to assisted living facilities (ALFs), independent living facilities (ILFs), and rehabilitation and acute care facilities. As of March 31, 2011, the company?s portfolio of real estate investments consisted of 400 healthcare facilities, including 370 SNFs, 10 ALFs, 5 specialty facilities, fixed rate mortgages on 13 SNFs, and 2 SNFs that are held-for-sale located in 35 states. Omega Healthcare Investors, Inc. has been qualified as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal corporate income taxes if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. The company was founded in 1992 and is bas ed in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Charles Sizemore]

    Omega Healthcare Investors (OHI) is a more focused option, getting virtually all of its revenues from skilled nursing an assisted living facilities. It also happens to pay one of the highest dividend yields on offer at 6.4% and has doubled its dividend over the past 7 years.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Because of the requirement to pay out the vast majority of their income, REITs often have extremely high dividend payouts. Mortgage REITs ARMOUR Residential (NYSE: ARR  ) and Chimera Investment (NYSE: CIM  ) use leveraged strategies to produce yields well in excess of 10%, while Omega Healthcare (NYSE: OHI  ) and Senior Housing Properties Trust (NYSE: SNH  ) , which specialize in long-term care facilities and other properties catering to older residents, both have yields between 5% and 6%.

  • [By Brad Thomas]

    REITs mentioned: (VTR), (OHI), (O), (DLR), (HCP), (HTA), (KIM), (FRT), (SPG), and (SKT).

    Note: This article is intended to provide information to interested parties. As I have no knowledge of individual investor circumstances, goals, and/or portfolio concentration or diversification, readers are expected to complete their own due diligence before purchasing any stocks mentioned or recommended.

Monday, September 29, 2014

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Buy Right Now

Large cap natural and organic foods supermarket giant Whole Foods Market, Inc (NASDAQ: WFM), otherwise known as ��hole Wallet��r ��hole Paycheck,��is not the only player in the natural or organics supermarket space for consumers and investors alike as mid cap Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (NASDAQ: SFM) and small caps Fairway Group Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: FWM) and Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc (NYSE: NGVC) are also players in the space. It should be mentioned that Whole Foods Market is down 15.7% since the start of the year and has a downward trending technical chart, but�shares are�still up 13% over the past year, up 426.3% over the past five years and up 3,108.6% since January 1992.

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Buy Right Now: Alexza Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALXA)

Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a pharmaceutical company, engages in the research, development, and commercialization of novel proprietary products for the acute treatment of central nervous system conditions worldwide. Its product candidates are based on a proprietary technology, the Staccato system, which vaporizes an excipient-free drug to form a condensation aerosol that, when inhaled, allows for rapid systemic drug delivery. The company?s lead product candidate includes ADASUVE (Staccato loxapine) for the acute treatment of agitation in adults with schizophrenia or bipolar disorder. Its other product candidates under development comprise AZ-007 (Staccato zaleplon), which has completed Phase I clinical trials for the treatment of insomnia; and Staccato nicotine that is in pre-Phase 1 clinical trials to help smokers quit by addressing both the chemical and behavioral components of nicotine addiction by delivering nicotine replacement through inhalation. The company was f ormerly known as Alexza Molecular Delivery Corporation and changed its name to Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in July 2005. Alexza Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Wolfe]

    Alexza Pharmaceuticals (ALXA)

    As Alexza Pharmaceuticals��price has continued to stay at a 10-year low price, President and CEO Thomas King decided to increase his holdings in the company.

  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Another under-$10 stock that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Alexza Pharmaceuticals (ALXA), which is focused on the research, development and commercialization of novel proprietary products for the acute treatment of central nervous system conditions. This stock hasn't done much so far in 2013, with shares up by just 5.6%.

    If you take a look at the chart for Alexza Pharmaceuticals, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month, with shares moving higher from its low of $4.23 to its recent high of $5.52 a share. Following that uptrend, shares of ALXA have now started to trend sideways and consolidate between $4.95 on the downside and $5.52 on the upside. Shares of ALXA are now starting to spike within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

    Market players should now look for long-biased trades in ALXA if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $5.40 to $5.52 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 action of 256,570 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ALXA will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $6.65 a share, or its next major overhead resistance level at $7.60 a share.

    Traders can look to buy ALXA off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day moving average at $4.77 a share, or near its 200-day moving average at $4.63 a share. One can also buy ALXA off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Buy Right Now: Connecticut Water Service Inc. (CTWS)

Connecticut Water Service, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a regulated water company in Connecticut. It operates in three segments: Water Activities, Real Estate Transactions, and Services and Rentals. The Water Activities segment supplies drinking water. The Real Estate Transactions segment involves in the sale or donation of its real estate holdings. The Services and Rentals segment provides contracted services to water and wastewater utilities and other clients, which include contract operations of water and wastewater facilities; Linebacker, an optional service line protection program that comprises repairing or replacing leaking or broken water service line, curb box, curb box cover, meter pit, meter pit cover, meter pit valve, and in-home water main shut off valve before the meter; and providing bulk deliveries of emergency drinking water to businesses and residences through tanker trucks. This segment also engages in leasing and renting residential and c ommercial properties. As of December 31, 2009, Connecticut Water Service, Inc. served 88,534 customers in 54 towns in Connecticut. The company was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Clinton, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By David Dittman]

    Answer: Our favorite water utilities–American Water Works, Aqua America Inc (NYSE: WTR), Connecticut Water Service Inc (NSDQ: CTWS)–are solid dividend growers throughout the cycle, and they all have pretty good growth prospects because of the abundance of small-scale municipal water utilities in their footprints.

  • [By David Dittman]

    Question: I like the H2O business. I��e owned American Water Works Co Inc (NYSE: AWK) for eons. Is there any compelling reason to own more than one water utility? At what point does is there no marginal benefit added? I do like Connecticut Water Service Inc (NSDQ: CTWS) and York Water Co (NSDQ: YORW) as slow, consistent growers.

    As Ben Franklin said, ��ittle strokes fell great oaks.��/p>

  • [By David Dittman]

    Note that water utilities and UF Portfolio Holdings American Water Works Co Inc (NYSE: AWK), Aqua America Inc (NYSE: WTR) and Connecticut Water Service Inc (NSDQ: CTWS) posted 2013 total returns of 16.1 percent, 18.8 percent and 23.1 percent, respectively, underperforming the broader S&P 500 but besting the traditional safe-haven subgroups.

Hot Information Technology Stocks To Buy For 2015: Pound/Rand(PX)

Praxair, Inc. engages in the production, distribution, and sale atmospheric and process gases, as well as surface coatings in North America, Europe, South America, and Asia. The company offers atmospheric gases, such as oxygen, nitrogen, argon, and rare gases; and process gases comprising carbon dioxide, helium, hydrogen, electronic gases, specialty gases, and acetylene. It also designs, engineers, and builds equipment that produces industrial gases; and manufactures precious metal and ceramic sputtering targets used primarily in the production of semiconductors. In addition, the company supplies surface coatings consisting of wear-resistant and high-temperature corrosion-resistant metallic and ceramic coatings and powders to the aircraft, energy, printing, textile, plastics, primary metals, petrochemical, and other industries. Further, it provides electric arc, plasma, and oxygen fuel spray equipment, as well as arc and flame wire equipment used for the application of wea r-resistant coatings; and distributes welding equipment purchased from independent manufacturers. The company sells its products primarily through independent distributors. It serves various industries, such as healthcare, petroleum refining, computer-chip manufacturing, beverage carbonation, fiber-optics, steel making, aerospace, chemicals, and water treatment industries. The company was founded in 1907 and is headquartered in Danbury, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonas Elmerraji]

    It doesn't get any more straightforward than what's going on in shares of industrial gas supplier Praxair (PX). Praxair has been bouncing higher in an uptrending price channel since all the way back in April, which is creating a buyable opportunity in shares this week.

    The uptrending channel in Praxair has done a good job of defining the high-probability range for shares since that time. Logically, then, it makes sense to become a buyer as close to trendline support as possible; in short, you want to "buy the bounce." And shares are certainly bouncing now.

    Buying off a support bounce makes sense for two big reasons: it's the spot where shares have the furthest to move up before they hit resistance, and it's the spot where the risk is the least (because shares have the least room to move lower before you know you're wrong). Remember, all trend lines do eventually break, but by actually waiting for the bounce to happen first, you're ensuring PX can actually still catch a bid along that line.

    The 50-day moving average has been a good proxy for support lately, so it's a solid place to put a protective stop if you decide to be a buyer at this point.

  • [By Tom Rojas and Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

    Praxair Inc.'s(PX) second-quarter earnings grew nearly 5% as new projects in North America and Asia helped drive overall sales growth, but the company sounded a cautious tone for the remainder of the year. Shares were inactive premarket.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    Industrial gas maker Praxair (NYSE: PX  ) announced today it is expanding its presence in southern Russia with the acquisition of Volgograd Oxygen Factory, an�industrial gas producer with�some 2,000 customers across the�steel, aerospace, health care, and food and beverage industries, which it says will offer "immediate synergies" with Praxair's newly built�air separation plant in�Volgograd.

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Buy Right Now: Planet Platinum Ltd (PPN)

Planet Platinum Limited is an Australia-based company engaged in the operation of Showgirls Bar 20 and the on-going rental of property in Elsternwick. The Company operates in two segments: hospitality and entertainment and property rental businesses. The Company�� hospitality and entertainment segment comprises operations of Showgirls Bar 20 in Melbourne and is engaged in the nightclub through the provision of beverages and adult entertainment. Property segment comprise maintaining of rental property at Home Street, Elsternwick. The Company continues to receive lease rentals from its Home Street property. The investment property is located at 12 Home Street, Elsternwick Victoria. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tabitha Jean Naylor]

    Americans consume a lot of chicken. It estimated that Americans consume about 81 pounds of poultry per year, per capita. With there being upwards of 310 million people living in the United States, it is no wonder why poultry production is big business. Two of the biggest names in poultry production are Tyson Foods (NYSE: TSN) and Pilgrim's Pride (NASDAQ: PPN).

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Buy Right Now: Select Medical Holdings Corporation(SEM)

Select Medical Holdings Corporation, through its subsidiary, Select Medical Corporation, operates specialty hospitals and outpatient rehabilitation clinics in the United States. The company?s Specialty Hospitals segment offers long term acute care hospital services and inpatient acute rehabilitative hospital care. This segment provides services for various medical conditions, such as respiratory failure, neuromuscular disorders, traumatic brain and spinal cord injuries, strokes, non-healing wounds, cardiac disorders, renal disorders, and cancer. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 110 long term acute care hospitals and 9 inpatient rehabilitation facilities in 28 states. The Outpatient Rehabilitation segment operates clinics; and provides physical, occupational, and speech rehabilitation services. It offers medical rehabilitation services on a contract basis at nursing homes, hospitals, assisted living and senior care centers, schools, and worksites. This segment also pro vides specialized programs, such as functional programs for work related injuries, hand therapy, and athletic training services. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 954 outpatient rehabilitation clinics in 32 states and the District of Columbia. Select Medical Holdings Corporation was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    A simple numbers game
    For hospital operators like Select Medical (NYSE: SEM  ) , the future is just a numbers game as long as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act gets implemented on Jan. 1, 2014.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    Today, I plan to introduce the sixth of 10 selections to the Basic Needs Portfolio: Select Medical (NYSE: SEM  ) .

    How it fits with our theme
    The first thing worth noting here is that not every company in a portfolio filled with stocks that take care of life's necessities needs to be worth $100 billion in market value. In fact, I'd be surprised if more than 10% of readers knew what Select Medical is, or what it does, off the top of their head. But, sometimes the best hidden gems are those companies that are yet undiscovered.

Sunday, September 28, 2014

Top Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now

LAS VEGAS ��Lee Roy Myers has everything you'd expect to find in the nation's porn capital in Southern California: sets of a classroom, hospital room, locker room and a bedroom, as well as a list of porn stars waiting to perform.

But his plywood universe is not in the San Fernando Valley. It's a few paces away from the glittery casinos of the Las Vegas Strip.

"Las Vegas is a fresh town, and it's where people need the business," said Myers, whose new studio is part of a boom in X-rated production in Sin City sparked by a Los Angeles law requiring male actors to wear condoms.

The rule and potential opportunities in Nevada were the talk of the Adult Entertainment Expo this week. The annual sex industry trade show culminates Saturday with an awards ceremony for adult films.

Top 10 Construction Companies To Buy For 2015: Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc (DDE)

Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment, Inc., incorporated in December of 2001, is a premier gaming and entertainment resorts. The Company�� operations consist of: Dover Downs Casino, a 165,000-square foot casino complex featuring table games, including craps, roulette and card games, such as blackjack, Spanish 21, baccarat, 3-card and pai gow poker, the latest in slot machine offerings, multi-player electronic table games, the Crown Royal poker room, a Race & Sports Book operation, the Dover Downs' Fire & Ice Lounge, the Festival Buffet, Doc Magrogan's Oyster House, Frankie's Italian restaurant, as well as several bars, restaurants and four retail outlets; Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center, a 500 room AAA Four Diamond hotel with a full-service spa/salon, conference, banquet, ballroom and concert hall facilities, and Dover Downs Raceway, a harness racing track with pari-mutuel wagering on live and simulcast horse races. All of its operations are located at its entertainment complex in Dover. Its two wholly owned subsidiaries include Dover Downs, Inc. and Dover Downs Gaming Management Corp.

Dover Downs Casino

The Company's casino had approximately 2,539 slot machines as of December 31, 2011. It is open for business around the clock. During the year ended December 31, 2011, that the facility was visited by approximately 2.6 million patrons. Its slot machines range from penny machines to $100 machines in the Premium Slots area and include games found in the country's major gaming jurisdictions. The Company operates with 40 tables, including blackjack, craps and roulette tables. The Crown Royal poker room has 12 poker tables. It has its Race and Sports Book operation featuring parlay sports wagering on NFL games and pari-mutuel wagering on live and simulcast horse races. Dover Downs, Inc. is authorized to conduct video lottery, sports wagering and table game operations. The Company's Capital Club, a slots players club and tracking system, allows it to identify customers and t! o reward their level of play through various marketing programs.

Dover Downs Hotel

The Company's luxury hotel facility, the Dover Downs Hotel and Conference Center, connects to the Company's casino. The facility includes 500 rooms, including 11 luxury spa suites, a multi-purpose ballroom/concert hall, a fine dining restaurant, swimming pool and a luxurious 6,000 square-foot full-service spa. It offers a range of entertainment options to its patrons, including concerts featuring prominent entertainers, live boxing, gourmet dining, spa facilities, trade shows and conferences. During 2011, hotel occupancy averaged 90%.

Dover Downs Raceway

The Company�� Dover Downs Raceway conducts live harness races from November until April and is simulcast to more than 300 tracks and other off-track betting locations across North America on each of the Company's more than 120 live race dates. The Company's harness racing track is a 5/8-mile track that is located on DVD's property and is on the inside of its one-mile motorsports superspeedway. Additional amenities include the Winners Circle Restaurant overlooking the horse racing track. Within the Company's Race & Sports Book operation is the simulcast parlor where the patrons can wager on harness and thoroughbred races received by satellite into its facility year round from numerous tracks across North America. Television monitors throughout the area provide views of all races simultaneously and the betting windows are connected to a central computer allowing bets to be received on all races from all tracks.

The Company has an agreement with the Delaware Standardbred Owner's Association, Inc. (DSOA) effective September 1, 2010 and continuing through August 31, 2014. DSOA's membership consists of owners, trainers and drivers of harness horses participating in harness race meetings at its facilities and elsewhere in the United States and Canada. Under the DSOA agreement, the Company is required to distrib! ute as pu! rses for races conducted at its facilities a percentage of its retained share of pari-mutuel revenues.

The Company competes with Harrington Raceway and Delaware Park.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Paul Ausick]

    The REIT is expected to spend as much as $500 million in acquisitions in 2014, according to Barron��, and some potential acquisition targets include Isle of Capri Casinos Inc. (NASDAQ: ISLE) which has a market cap of around $323 million or Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: DDE) with a market cap of around $47 million.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Stocks on the move: Vodafone Group PLC (NASDAQ: VOD) is up 8.1% at $31.80 on reports of discussions with Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE: VZ) that would result in the sale of Vodafone�� 45% stake in Verizon Wireless to the controlling shareholder. Dover Downs Gaming & Entertainment Inc. (NYSE: DDE) is up 10.8% at $1.54 after Wednesday�� launch of its online casino games that will soon be available to state residents to play for real money.

Top Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment PLC (BPTY)

bwin.party digital entertainment plc (bwin.party) is a holding company. The Company is an online gaming company. It operates in five segments: sports betting, casino & games, poker, bingo; and other (including network services, World Poker Tour, InterTrader.com, WIN.com, software services and the payment services business). Its sport betting segment includes bwin, betoto, Gamebookers, Gioco Digitale and PartyBets. It�� Casino & games segment includes PartyCasino, bwin and GD Casino. Its poker segment includes PartyPoker, bwin and GD Casino. Its Bingo segment includes Foxy Bingo, Cheeky Bingo, Gioco Digitale and Binguez. The Company�� subsidiaries include BES SAS, bwin Argentina SA, bwin Italia S.r.l., bwin.party Games AB and Cashcade Limited. Its subsidiaries are engaged in management and information technology (IT) services, marketing services, online gaming, transaction services, customer support services, marketing support services and Land-based poker events. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

    Bwin.Party Digital Entertainment Plc (BPTY) plunged 14 percent to 110 pence, the biggest drop since April 2011, after the online gaming company said 2013 sales will be 14 percent to 17 percent lower than last year�� figures. Analysts on average had forecast a sales drop of 9.2 percent.

Top Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now: PhilWeb Corp (WEB)

PhilWeb Corporation is a Philippines-based Internet gaming company. The Company focused its activities on building its Internet-based products and services. The Company is engaged in providing products and services within a particular economic environment. It operates in two geographical segments: domestic operations and foreign operations. Its subsidiaries include BigGame, Inc., operates Internet casino station operations; Premayo sa Resibo, Inc., develops and markets computer systems, applications, programs and operates gaming platforms; PhilWeb Casino Corporation, develops, engages and maintains gaming systems and applications for all types of casino operations; e-Magine Gaming Corporation, develops technology, and PhilWeb Leisure & Tourism Corporation, establishes, operates and maintains leisure and tourism-oriented activities. Effective December 13, 2013, ePLDT Inc, a wholly owned unit of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co acquired a 27.283% interest in Philweb Corp. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Geoff Gannon]

    Always touchable money is cash. For individuals, there's little reason for it not to be a simple bank account, money market fund, etc. For most investors, you can just let this stock sit in your brokerage account. Many brokers will sweep unused cash into a money market account ��or other form of savings ��where it can earn a tiny amount of interest for you while staying totally liquid. One advantage of keeping cash in this form is that you can look at your cash and stock positions on the same (web)page any time you want. So, for example, if you know you want to keep 10% of your portfolio in cash ��you can see that you have $12,000 in cash as part of your $120,000 brokerage account and that means you are right on target with your liquidity goal.

Top Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now: NanoTech Entertainment Inc (NTEK)

NanoTech Entertainment, Inc. (NanoTech), formerly Aldar Group, Inc., is a provider of gaming technology for the coin-op arcade, casino gaming and consumer gaming markets. The Company operates as a manufacturer, developing technology and games, and then licensing them to third parties for manufacturing and distribution. As of June 30, 2009, the Company�� products included MultiPin, Xtreme Rally Racing, NanoNET Online System, Pinball Wizard, Mot-Ion Adapter, Opti-Gun Adapter and Retr-IO Adapter. In April 2009, the Company acquired NanoTech Entertainment, Inc. In July 2013, NanoTech Entertainment Inc completed the acquisition of Clear Memories, Inc. of Napa California. Effective August 9, 2013, NanoTech Entertainment Inc acquired Worldwide Global Entertainment, a developer of prepackaged software.

The Company�� physics engine and motion sensors allow MultiPin to accurately recreate the experience of a mechanical pinball machine, while providing players with a variety of classic and modern pinball games to choose from. Xtreme Rally Racing is a driving machine that features three modes of game play: Xtreme Off-Road-Race Head to Head against other players and the computer to checkpoints while driving anywhere on the map with no preset course; Timed Rally Stages-Classic Rally Racing on real world courses. Players will be able to race in five different countries on real world rally courses, and Xtreme Stadium Racing-Custom Stadiums designed for Xtreme racing, including a figure eight multi-lap course with huge jumps. NanoNET Online System is remote operator control of machines, including diagnostics, accounting reports, and automatic software updates and enhancements downloaded over the net.

The Company has created the input device designed to give the pinball players a way to experience real pinball controls on their personal computer. Based on the technology developed for the MultiPin product it has built a controller that lets people play pinball using traditional controls and! the ability to shake and nudge the table. The Mot-Ion adapter is a universal serial bus (USB) adapter that allows do it yourself Pinball enthusiasts to build their own cabinet using real pinball controls providing analog inputs for nudging and bumping. The OptiGun adapter is a USB adapter that allows players to connect Arcade Light Guns to any USB based system. The Retr-IO adapters provide a standard JAMMA interface for USB based systems.

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

    Looking for a couple of near-term trades that have a decent shot at rallying even if the broad market feels like it might pull back? Then take a look at Liquidmetal Technologies Inc. (OTCBB:LQMT) and NanoTech Entertainment, Inc. (OTCMKTS:NTEK). Although both LQMT and NTEK will be dismissed by some traders simply because they're OTC-listed stocks, for those traders willing to look past the exchange and appreciate the opportunity, the risk-versus-reward ratio is actually quite compelling.

Top Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sands China Ltd (SCHYF)

Sands China Ltd. (Sands China) is an investment holding company. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is engaged in the development and operation of integrated resorts in Macao, which contain not only gaming areas, but also meeting space, convention and exhibition halls, retail and dining areas and entertainment venues. The Company operates in five segments: The Venetian Macao, Sands Macao, The Plaza Macao, Sands Cotai Central and ferry and other operations. The Venetian Macao, the Plaza Macao and Other developments derive their revenue primarily from casino, hotel, food and beverage, mall, convention, retail and others sources. Ferry and other operations derive their revenue from the sale of ferry tickets for transportation between Hong Kong and Macau. As of December 31, 2011, its properties included 3,554 hotel rooms and suites, 74 restaurants, 1.2 million square feet of retail, 1.2 million square feet of meeting space, two permanent theaters, a 15,000-seat arena and the casino. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks sold off early Thursday after the Federal Reserve decided to further taper stimulus, and after a final reading of China's manufacturing PMI contracted. The Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) sank 1.5% to 21,815.04 in holiday-shortened trading. Tech stocks retreated, as Chinese PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd. (HK:992) (LNVGF) dropped 5.3%, failing to get a lift from news that it plans to acquire the Motorola handset business from Google Inc. (GOOG) for $2.91 billion as Lenovo aims for a bigger presence in the U.S. market. Software developer Kingsoft Corp. (HK:3888) (KSFTF) fell 1.9% and Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. (HK:700) (TCTZF) dropped 1.5%. Casino stocks also declined. Sands China Ltds. (HK:1928) (SCHYF) , the Hong Kong-listed unit of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) , slipped 0.2%, despite financial results that showed Sands China's net income increased 40% year-on-year to $467 million in the fourth quarter. Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. (HK:6883) (MPEL) slumped 3.2%, and both Wynn Macau Ltd. (HK:1128) (WYNMF) and MGM China Holdings Ltd. (HK:2282)

  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks rose early Wednesday, with the Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) up 0.2% at 22,587.72. Hong Kong properties advanced, as the city's major developer Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd. (HK:16) (SUHJY) rose 0.7%, after the company launched new luxury Riva project and saw the first batch of 64 flats sold out on the first day of sale. Sino Land Co. (HK:83) (SNLAF) rose 1.1%, Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd. gained 0.9%, and Henderson Land Development Co. (HK:12) (BACHY) edged up 0.2%. Chinese auto maker Dongfeng Motor Group Co. (HK:489) resumed trading and fell 0.9%, after the company said it signed an agreement with French joint-venture partner PSA Peugeot Citroen to invest 800 million euros ($1.1 billion) for a stake in the company. Most Casino stocks were lower, after reports said Macau planned to cut the duration of operators' licenses to 5 years. Shares of MGM China Holdings Ltd. (HK:2282) (MCHVF) declined 1.6%, SJM Holdings Ltd. (HK:880) lost 1%, and Sands China Ltds. (HK:1928) (SCHYF) dropped 0.8%. On the mainland, the Shanghai Composite Index (CN:SHCOMP) traded flat at 2,119.77.

Top Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Monarch Casino & Resort Inc (MCRI)

Monarch Casino & Resort, Inc. (Monarch), incorporated in 1993, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Golden Road Motor Inn, Inc. (Golden Road), owns and operates the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa(the Atlantis), a hotel/casino facility in Reno, Nevada. Monarch�� other wholly owned subsidiaries, High Desert Sunshine, Inc. (High Desert) and Golden North, Inc. (Golden North), each own separate parcels of land located adjacent to the Atlantis. The Company owns and operates the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa, which is located approximately three miles south of downtown in the area of Reno, Nevada. The Atlantis features approximately 61,000 square feet of casino space; a hotel with 824 guest rooms and suites; ten food outlets; an enclosed year-round pool with waterfall; an outdoor pool; a health spa; two retail outlets offering clothing and resort gift shop merchandise; a full service salon for men and women; an 8,000 square-foot family entertainment center; and approximately 52,000 square feet of banquet, convention and meeting room space. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired 1.5 acre parcel of developable land contiguous to the Riviera Black Hawk Casino.

In April 2012, it acquired Riviera Black Hawk, Inc.

The Atlantis Casino offers approximately 1,450 slot and video poker machines; approximately 39 table games, including blackjack, craps, roulette and others; a race and sports book; keno and a poker room. The Atlantis includes three contiguous high-rise hotel towers with 824 rooms and suites. The Atlantis includes three contiguous high-rise hotel towers with a total of 824 rooms and suites. The first of the three hotel towers contains 160 rooms and suites in 13 stories. The 19-story second hotel tower contains 278 rooms and suites. The third tower contains 386 rooms and suites in 28 stories.

The Atlantis hotel rooms feature designs and furnishings consistent with the Northern Nevada market, as well as nine-foot ceilings (most standard hotel rooms have eig! ht-foot ceilings), which create an open and spacious feel. The third hotel tower features a four-story waterfall with an adjacent year-round swimming pool in a climate controlled, five-story glass enclosure, which shares an outdoor third floor pool deck with a seasonal outdoor swimming pool and year round whirlpool. A full-service salon (the Salon at Atlantis) overlooks the third floor sundeck and outdoor seasonal swimming pool and offers salon-grade products and treatments for hair, nails, skincare and body services for both men and women. A health spa is located adjacent to the swimming areas, which offers treatments and amenities. The hotel rooms on the spa floor are designated as spa rooms and feature decor that is themed consistent with the spa. Certain spa treatments are also available in spa floor hotel rooms. The hotel also features glass elevators rising the full 19 and 28 stories, of the respective towers providing views of the Reno area and the Sierra Nevada mountain range.

The Atlantis has eight restaurants, two gourmet coffee bars and one snack bar. It includes 160-seat Atlantis Steakhouse gourmet restaurant; the 200-seat upscale Bistro Napa featuring a centrally located wine cellar; the Oyster Bar restaurant in the Sky Terrace offering fresh seafood, soups and bisques made to order; the Sushi Bar, also in the Sky Terrace, offering a variety of fresh raw and cooked sushi specialties, including all-you-can-eat lunch and dinner selections. The Oyster Bar and Sushi Bar can accommodate up to 139 guests; The 178-seat 24-hour Purple Parrot coffee shop; the 122-seat Cafe Alfresco restaurant serving a full menu, pizzas prepared in a wood-fired, brick oven and a variety of gelato deserts; the 170-seat Manhattan Deli restaurant specializing in piled-high sandwiches, soups, salads and desserts; two gourmet coffee bars, offering specialty coffee drinks, pastries and desserts made fresh daily in the Atlantis bakery; a snack bar and soda fountain serving ice cream and arcade-style refreshmen! ts.

The Sky Terrace is a structure with a diamond-shaped, blue glass body suspended approximately 55 feet, and spanning 160 feet across, South Virginia Street. The Sky Terrace connects the Atlantis with additional parking on its 16-acre site across South Virginia Street from the Atlantis. The structure rests at each end on two 100-foot tall Grecian columns with no intermediate support pillars. The interior of the Sky Terrace contains the Oyster Bar, the Sushi Bar, a video poker bar, banks of slot machines and a lounge area with oversized leather sofas and chairs.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jeremy Bowman]

    What: Shares of Monarch Casino & Resort (NASDAQ: MCRI  ) were cooling off today, falling as much as 20% after the company's earnings report failed to impress.

Top Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Wynn Macau Ltd (WYNMF)

Wynn Macau, Limited is a holding company. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is a developer, owner and operator of destination casino gaming and entertainment resort facilities in Macau. Its operating subsidiary, Wynn Resorts (Macau) S.A. (WRM), owns and operates destination casino resort Wynn Macau in Macau. As of December 31, 2011, it had 265,000 square feet of casino space, offering 24-hour gaming with a range of games, and two luxury hotel towers with 1,008 spacious rooms and suites. It also offers eight casual and fine dining restaurants, 54200 square feet of stores and boutiques, such as Bvlgari, Chanel, Dior, Gucci, Hermes, Hugo Boss, Louis Vuitton, Miu Miu, Piaget, Prada, Rolex, Tiffany, Vacheron Constantin, Van Cleef & Arpels, Versace, Vertu and others, two health clubs and spas, a salon, a pool, and lounges and meeting facilities. As of December 31, 2011, its subsidiaries included Wynn Resorts International, Ltd., Wynn Resorts (Macau) Holdings, Ltd. and others. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MARKETWATCH]

    HONG KONG (MarketWatch) -- Hong Kong stocks sold off early Thursday after the Federal Reserve decided to further taper stimulus, and after a final reading of China's manufacturing PMI contracted. The Hang Seng Index (HK:HSI) sank 1.5% to 21,815.04 in holiday-shortened trading. Tech stocks retreated, as Chinese PC maker Lenovo Group Ltd. (HK:992) (LNVGF) dropped 5.3%, failing to get a lift from news that it plans to acquire the Motorola handset business from Google Inc. (GOOG) for $2.91 billion as Lenovo aims for a bigger presence in the U.S. market. Software developer Kingsoft Corp. (HK:3888) (KSFTF) fell 1.9% and Internet giant Tencent Holdings Ltd. (HK:700) (TCTZF) dropped 1.5%. Casino stocks also declined. Sands China Ltds. (HK:1928) (SCHYF) , the Hong Kong-listed unit of Las Vegas Sands Corp. (LVS) , slipped 0.2%, despite financial results that showed Sands China's net income increased 40% year-on-year to $467 million in the fourth quarter. Melco Crown Entertainment Ltd. (HK:6883) (MPEL) slumped 3.2%, and both Wynn Macau Ltd. (HK:1128) (WYNMF) and MGM China Holdings Ltd. (HK:2282)

Top Food Stocks To Invest In 2014

The share price of Santarus, Inc. (SNTS) reached a new 52-week high, touching $24.07 on Jul 8, 2013. The closing price (as of Jul 8) of this San Diego, Calif - based specialty biopharmaceutical company reflects a massive year-to-date return of 108.1%. The average volume of shares traded over the last three months stood at approximately 989K. The company had a market capitalization of $1.53 billion on Jul 8.

Furthermore, Santarus has delivered a massive average positive earnings surprise of 200.2% over the last four quarters. The long-term expected earnings growth rate for this stock is 26%.

Growth Drivers

Earlier this year, Santarus received a major boost when the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Uceris for the induction of remission in patients suffering from mild-to-moderate ulcerative colitis. The product was launched in the US in Feb 2013, earlier than the company�� initial launch date of Mar 2013. Santarus��shares were up significantly on the FDA approval of Uceris. We are positive on the Uceris launch - Uceris is off to a strong start and should continue performing well. Santarus reported Uceris sales of $6.6 million in the first quarter of 2013.

10 Best Diversified Bank Stocks For 2015: Etablissements Delhaize Freres et Cie le Lion SA (DEG)

Delhaize Group is Belgium-based food retailer, which operates in six countries and on three continents. The principal activity of the Company is the operation of food supermarkets in the United States, Belgium and Greece, with operations in Romania and Indonesia. The Company�� retail operations are conducted by its consolidated subsidiary, Delhaize America, LLC (Delhaize America); its businesses in Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg (Delhaize Belgium), and the business of Alfa Beta Vassilopoulos S.A. (Alfa Beta) in Greece. On May 12, 2010, Delhaize The Lion Nederland B.V. (Delned) acquired approximately 90.83% interest in Alfa Beta. On July 7, 2009, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, Mega Image closed the acquisition of four supermarkets in Romania previously operated under the Prodas name. On November 23, 2009, the Company, through Alfa Beta acquired the Greek retailer Koryfi, which operated 11 stores and a distribution center in the Northeast of Greece. On January 2, 2009, the Company completed the acquisition of Knauf Center Schmett SA and Knauf Center Pommerlach SA.

The store format consists of retail food supermarkets. The sales network also includes other store formats such as proximity stores and specialty stores. In addition to food retailing, the Company is engaged in food wholesaling and non-food retailing of products, such as pet products and prescription drugs. Delhaize Group SA is the parent company of a number of direct and indirect subsidiaries.

United States

The Company is engaged in one line of business in the United States, the operation of food supermarkets in the southeastern, mid-Atlantic and northeastern regions of the United States under the banners Food Lion, Hannaford, Sweetbay Supermarket, Bloom, Bottom Dollar Food, Reid�� and Harveys. During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Company opened 30 new stores in the United States, closed and relocated seven stores, and decided to close 17 other stores. As of De! cember 31, 2009, the Company operated 1,607 supermarkets in 16 states in the eastern United States. In 2009, it re-opened 53 supermarkets in the United States. It included 35 Food Lion renewals in the Columbia, South Carolina market and five in the Daytona Beach, Florida market.

The Company�� United States-based supermarkets sell a range of groceries, produce, meats, dairy products, seafood, frozen food, deli/bakery products and non-food items, such as prescriptions, health and beauty care and other household and personal products. The stores offered nationally and regionally advertised brand name merchandise as well as products manufactured and packaged under private brands. Food Lion offers between 15,000 and 20,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) in its supermarkets, Harveys between 15,000 and 20,000 SKUs, Bloom between 21,000 and 25,000 SKUs, Bottom Dollar Food between 6,500 and 8,000 SKUs, Sweetbay between 28,000 and 40,000 SKUs and Hannaford between 31,000 and 45,000 SKUs.

Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg

In Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg, the sales network consists of several banners, depending on the specialty, the store size and whether the store is company-operated, franchised or affiliated. At December 31, 2009, the sales network consisted of 792 stores in Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. The network included 369 supermarkets under the Delhaize Le Lion, AD Delhaize and Red Market banners, 287 stores primarily under the Proxy Delhaize, Delhaize City and Shop �� Go banners. It also included 136 pet food and products stores operated under the Tom & Co. banner. At December 31, 2009, the Company operated 41 stores in the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. In 2009, the Company divested its German operations, which consisted of four stores.

The supermarkets operated by the Company in Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg carry the Delhaize Le Lion banner. At December 31, 2009, there were 144 company-operated supermarket! s of whic! h 14 supermarkets were remodeled. The AD Delhaize supermarkets have an average size of 1,142 square meters and offer approximately 12,000 SKUs.

In 2009, the Company opened the first two Red Market stores. At December 31, 2009, the Company�� network of proximity stores in Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg consisted of 287 stores under the Delhaize City, Proxy Delhaize and Shop �� Go banners. Proxy Delhaize stores have an average selling area of approximately 500 square meters and offer approximately 6,500 SKUs.

Caddy-Home, the food products home delivery banner in Belgium, sells food products to customers for which orders can be placed by the Internet, telephone or fax. As of December 31, 2009, Caddy-Home delivered in 17 cities throughout Belgium, offering approximately 5,500 SKUs to customers. In 2009, Delhaize Belgium launched Delhaize Direct, allowing customers to order their groceries through the Internet and pick them up at their local store.

Tom & Co. is a specialty chain focusing on food and accessories for pets. At December 31, 2009, the stores were operated under franchise agreements with independent operators.

The supermarkets in Belgium and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg sell a range of groceries, produce, meats, dairy products, seafood, frozen food, deli/bakery products and nonfood items, such as health and beauty care and other household and personal products. Delhaize Belgium is also selling a basic offering of lottery and postal products in part of its network.

Greece

In 2009, the Company operated a total of 216 stores in Greece. As of December 31, 2009, Alfa Beta directly operated 142 supermarkets under the Alfa Beta banner, 10 cash and carry stores under the ENA banner, 13 AB City stores and served 39 affiliated stores operated under the AB Food Market and AB Shop & Go banners and 10 Koryfi stores.

Rest of the World

As of December 31, 2009, Mega Image operated 51 super! markets i! n Romania. The stores offer private brand ranges, including 365, Care and the house brands available at Delhaize Belgium and Alfa Beta. In 2009, Mega Image introduced a private brand for Romanian products called Gusturi Romanesti. As of December 31, 2009, the Company operated 66 stores in Indonesia.

The Company competes with Wal-Mart, Kroger, Harris Teeter, Bi-Lo, Lowes Food, Save-A-Lot, Supervalu, Price Chopper, DeMoulas, Royal Ahold, Publix, Winn-Dixie, Carrefour, Louis Delhaize-Cora, Aldi, Makro-Metro, Lidl, Intermarche, Colruyt and Mestdagh.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By patokehoe]

    Traditional grocers such as Kroger Co (KR) and Delhaize Group SA (DEG) are having an increasingly hard time dealing with competition from nontraditional grocers. Both of these firms have tried to adapt to the pressure stemming from rival discounters, with varying degrees of success. Whereas Kroger has been able to utilize its scale to leverage fixed costs, Delhaize has struggled to maintain margins, and is being forced to lower prices.
    Fending off competitors Investment gurus John Hussman of Hussman Economtrics Advisors and Joel Greenblatt of Gotham Capital own considerable positions in Kroger, one of the largest retailers in the U.S. The firm currently operates over 2,400 supermarkets, 750 convenience stores, and 325 jewellery stores across 31 states. Shareholders have reason to be optimistic, as the company recently acquired Harris Teeter Supermarkets Inc (HTSI). The $2.44 billion deal means Kroger will be looking at an 8% increase in its store base and a 4% boost in revenue.

  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    What: Shares of Brussels-based supermarket operator Delhaize Group (NYSE: DEG  ) climbed 10% today after its preliminary quarterly results and outlook topped Wall Street expectations.

Top Food Stocks To Invest In 2014: Rallye SA (RAL)

Rallye SA is a France-based holding company organized around two sectors of activity: large scale distribution to the food stores and supermarkets and distribution of sports items. The Company is present in France, Latin America, Poland, and Asia through its interests in brands, such as Geant, Monoprix, Leader Price, and United Grocers Cash & Carry, among others. It also has its interst in the Groupe Go Sport. Rallye SA is notably present in France, the United States, Luxembourg, Poland and Colombia, among others. The Company operates through its subsidiaries and affliated companies, such as Cobivia SAS, L��abitation Moderne de Boulogne, Magasins Jean SAS, Matignon Sablons SAS, MFD SA, Parande SAS, Casino Guichaqrd Perrachon DA, Groupe Go Sport, Sivigral SCI and French Develompent Venture SA. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Holly LaFon]

    A risk involved with the company is that its Republic Bank & Trust business derives 78% of its net income from TRS, which offers bank products that help get customers who electronically file their tax returns their payments. RB&T is only of the few financial institutions in the U.S. that provide the service. Under the program, the taxpayer may receive a Refund Anticipation Loan (RAL), which has been questioned by various governmental and consumer groups. In May 2011, RB&T received an order to cease and desist which could result in an order by the FDIC to terminate its RAL program. It has a hearing on Feb. 12, 2012 in Kentucky regarding the matter.

Top Food Stocks To Invest In 2014: CHS Inc (CHSCP)

CHS Inc. (CHS) is an integrated agricultural company. As a cooperative, the Company is owned by farmers and ranchers and their member cooperatives (members) across the United States. The Company buys commodities from and provide products and services to patrons (including its members and other non-member customers), both domestic and international. It provides a variety of products and services, from initial agricultural inputs, such as fuels, farm supplies, crop nutrients and crop protection products, to agricultural outputs, which include grains and oilseeds, grain and oilseed processing and food products. A portion of its operations are conducted through equity investments and joint ventures. The Company has three segments: Energy, Ag Business, and Corporate and Other. In February 2012, the Company acquired Solbar. In May 2012, the Company acquired a 51% interest in CZL Ltd. In August 2012, it acquired Atman. Effective July 28, 2013, CHS Inc, a unit of Hamilton Farm Bureau Co-Operative Inc, acquired a 50% interest in AgFarm Pty Ltd, from Ruralco Holdings Ltd.

During the fiscal year ended August 31, 2011 (fiscal 2011), the Company dissolved its United Harvest joint venture, which operated two grain export facilities in Washington that were leased from the joint venture participants. During fiscal 2011, the Company sold its 45% ownership interest in Multigrain to one of its joint venture partners, Mitsui & Co., Ltd. During fiscal 2011, the Company, through its wholly owned subsidiary, CHS Europe, S.A. acquired Agri Point Ltd.

The Company�� Energy segment derives its revenues through refining, wholesaling and retailing of petroleum products. Its Ag Business segment derives its revenues through the origination and marketing of grain, including service activities conducted at export terminals, through the wholesale sales of crop nutrients, from the sales of soybean meal and soybean refined oil and through the retail sales of petroleum and agronomy products, processed sunflow! ers, feed and farm supplies, and records equity income from investments in its grain export joint ventures and other investments. It includes other business operations in Corporate and Other. These businesses primarily include its financing, insurance, hedging and other service activities related to crop production. In addition, the Company�� wheat milling and packaged food operations are included in Corporate and Other.

Energy

The Company is the nation�� cooperative energy company based on revenues and identifiable assets. The Company�� operations include petroleum refining and pipelines; the supply, marketing (including ethanol and biodiesel) and distribution of refined fuels (gasoline, diesel fuel and other energy products); the blending, sale and distribution of lubricants; and the wholesale supply of propane. The Energy segment processes crude oil into refined petroleum products at refineries in Laurel, Montana (wholly owned) and McPherson, Kansas (an entity in which the Company has an approximate 74.5% ownership interest) and sells those products under the Cenex brand to member cooperatives and others through a network of approximately 1,400 independent retail sites, of which 57% are convenience stores marketing Cenex branded fuels.

The Company�� Laurel, Montana refinery processes medium and high sulfur crude oil into refined petroleum products that primarily include gasoline, diesel fuel, petroleum coke and asphalt. Its Laurel refinery sources approximately 85% of its crude oil supply from Canada, with the balance obtained from domestic sources, and the Company has access to Canadian and northwest Montana crude through its wholly owned Front Range Pipeline, LLC and other common carrier pipelines. Its Laurel refinery also has access to Wyoming crude via common carrier pipelines from the south. The Laurel facility processes approximately 55,000 barrels of crude oil per day to produce refined products that consist of approximately 43% gasoline, 37% die! sel fuel ! and other distillates, 5% petroleum coke, and 15% asphalt and other products. Refined fuels produced at Laurel are available via the Yellowstone Pipeline to western Montana terminals and to Spokane and Moses Lake, Washington, south via common carrier pipelines to Wyoming terminals and Denver, Colorado, and east via its wholly owned Cenex Pipeline, LLC to Glendive, Montana, and Minot and Fargo, North Dakota.

The McPherson, Kansas refinery is owned and operated by National Cooperative Refinery Association (NCRA), of which the Company owns approximately 74.5%. The McPherson refinery processes approximately 85% low and medium sulfur crude oil and 15% heavy sulfur crude oil into gasoline, diesel fuel and other distillates, propane and other products. NCRA sources its crude oil through its own pipelines as well as common carrier pipelines. The low and medium sulfur crude oil is sourced from Kansas, Oklahoma and Texas, and the heavy sulfur crude oil is sourced from Canada. The McPherson refinery processes approximately 85,000 barrels of crude oil per day to produce refined products that consist of approximately 49% gasoline, 45% diesel fuel and other distillates, and 6% propane and other products. Approximately 32% of the refined fuels are loaded into trucks at the McPherson refinery or shipped via NCRA�� products pipeline to its terminal in Council Bluffs, Iowa. The remaining refined fuel products are shipped to other markets via common carrier pipelines.

The Company�� renewable fuels marketing business markets and distributes ethanol and biodiesel products throughout the United States and overseas by contracting with ethanol and biodiesel production plants to market and distribute their finished products. It owns and operates a propane terminal, four asphalt terminals, seven refined product terminals and three lubricants blending and packaging facilities. The Company also owns and leases a fleet of liquid and pressure trailers and tractors, which are used to transport refined fu! els, prop! ane, anhydrous ammonia and other products.

The Company�� Energy segment produces and sells (primarily wholesale) gasoline, diesel fuel, propane, asphalt, lubricants and other related products and provides transportation services. It obtains the petroleum products that it sells from its Laurel and McPherson refineries, and from third parties. In fiscal 2011, the Company obtained approximately 55% of the refined products it sold from its Laurel and McPherson refineries, and approximately 45% from third parties.

Ag Business

The Company�� Ag Business segment includes crop nutrients, country operations, grain marketing and oilseed processing. The revenues in its Ag Business segment primarily include grain sales. Its wholesale crop nutrients business sells approximately 5.6 million tons of fertilizer annually. Primary suppliers for the Company�� wholesale crop nutrients business include CF Industries, Potash Corporation of Saskatchewan, Mosaic Company, Koch Industries, Petrochemical Industries Company (PIC) in Kuwait and Belrusian Potash Company. The Company�� wholesale crop nutrients business sells nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium and sulfate based products. During fiscal 2011, the primary crop nutrients products the Company purchased were urea, potash, UAN, phosphates and ammonia. The wholesale crop nutrients business sells product to approximately 2,000 local retailers from New York to the west coast and from the Canadian border to Texas. Its largest customer is its own country operations business, which is also included in its Ag Business segment.

The Company�� country operations business purchases a variety of grains from its producer members and other third parties, and provides cooperative members and customers with access to a range of products, programs and services for production agriculture. Country operations operates 401 locations through 67 business units, the majority of which have local producer boards dispersed throughout Colorado, ! Idaho, Il! linois, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, Oklahoma, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas and Washington. Most of these locations purchase grain from farmers and sell agronomy, energy, feed and seed products to those same producers and others, although not all locations provide every product and service.

The Company is one of the country elevator operators in North America based on revenues. Through a majority of the Company�� locations, its country operations business units purchase grain from member and non-member producers and other elevators and grain dealers. Most of the grain purchased is sold through its grain marketing operations, used for livestock feed production or sold to other processing companies. For the year ended August 31, 2011, country operations purchased approximately 582 million bushels of grain, primarily wheat, corn and soybeans. Of these bushels, 558 million were purchased from members and 417 million were sold through its grain marketing operations. Its country operations business units manufacture and sell other products, both directly and through ownership interests in other entities. These include seed, crop nutrients, crop protection products, energy products, animal feed, animal health products and processed sunflower products.

The Company is the cooperative marketer of grain and oilseed based on grain storage capacity and grain sales, handling over 2.1 billion bushels annually. During fiscal 2011, it purchased approximately 60% of its total grain volumes from individual and cooperative association members and its country operations business, with the balance purchased from third parties. The Company arranges for the transportation of the grains either directly to customers or to its owned or leased grain terminals and elevators awaiting delivery to domestic and foreign purchasers. It primarily conducts its grain marketing operations directly, but do conduct some of its business through joint ventures.

The Company��! grain ma! rketing operations purchases grain directly and indirectly from agricultural producers primarily in the midwestern and western United States. The purchased grain is contracted for sale for future delivery at a specified location, and it is responsible for handling the grain and arranging for its transportation to that location. The Company owns and operates export terminals, river terminals and elevators involved in the handling and transport of grain. Its river terminals are used to load grain onto barges for shipment to both domestic and export customers via the Mississippi River system. These river terminals are located at Savage and Winona, Minnesota and Davenport, Iowa, as well as terminals in which it has put-through agreements located at St. Louis, Missouri and Beardstown and Havana, Illinois.

The Company�� export terminal at Superior, Wisconsin provides access to the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway, and its export terminal at Myrtle Grove, Louisiana serves the Gulf of Mexico market. In the Pacific Northwest, it conducts its grain marketing operations through TEMCO, LLC (a 50% joint venture with Cargill) which operates an export terminal in Tacoma, Washington, and primarily exports corn and soybeans. The Company owns two 110-car shuttle-receiving elevator facilities in Friona, Texas and Collins, Mississippi that serve large-scale feeder cattle, dairy and poultry producers in those regions.

For sourcing and marketing grains and oilseeds through the Black Sea and Mediterranean Basin regions to customers worldwide it has offices in Geneva, Switzerland; Barcelona, Spain; Kiev, Ukraine; and Vostok, Russia. In addition, it opened grain merchandising offices in fiscal 2011 in Budapest, Hungary; Novi Sad, Serbia; Bucharest, Romania; Sofia, Bulgaria; and a marketing office in Amman, Jordan. The Company has a deep water port in Constanta, Romania, a barge loading facility on the Danube River in Giurgiu, Romania, and an inland grain terminal at Oroshaza, Hungary. In addition! , it has ! an investment in a port facility in Odessa, Ukraine. In the Pacific Rim area, it has offices in Hong Kong and Shanghai, China that serve customers receiving grains and oilseeds from its origination points in North and South America. In South America, the Company has a grain merchandising offices to source grains in Sao Paulo, Brazil and Buenos Aires, Argentina. It sells and markets crop nutrients from its Geneva, Switzerland; Sao Paulo, Brazil; and Buenos Aires, Argentina offices.

The Company�� grain marketing operations purchased approximately 2.1 billion bushels of grain during fiscal 2011, which primarily included corn, soybeans, wheat and distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS). Of the total grains purchased by its grain marketing operations, 866 million bushels were from its individual and cooperative association members, 417 million bushels were from its country operations business and the remainder was from third parties. The Company�� oilseed processing operations convert soybeans into soybean meal, soyflour, crude soybean oil, refined soybean oil and associated by-products. These operations are conducted at a facility in Mankato, Minnesota that can crush approximately 40 million bushels of soybeans on an annual basis, producing approximately 960 thousand short tons of soybean meal and 460 million pounds of crude soybean oil. The same facility is able to process approximately 1.1 billion pounds of refined soybean oil annually. Another crushing facility in Fairmont, Minnesota has a crushing capacity of over 50 million bushels of soybeans on an annual basis, producing approximately 1.2 million short tons of soybean meal and 575 million pounds of crude soybean oil.

The Company�� oilseed processing operations produce three primary products: refined oils, soybean meal and soyflour. Refined oils are used in processed foods, such as margarine, shortening, salad dressings and baked goods, as well as methyl ester/biodiesel production, and for certain industrial uses, ! such as p! lastics, inks and paints. Soybean meal has high protein content and is used for feeding livestock. Soyflour is used in the baking industry, as a milk replacement in animal feed and in industrial applications. It produces approximately 60 thousand tons of soyflour annually, and approximately 20% is further processed at its manufacturing facility in Hutchinson, Kansas. This facility manufactures unflavored and flavored textured soy proteins used in human and pet food products, and accounted for approximately 2% of its oilseed processing annual sales in fiscal 2011.

The Company�� soy processing facilities are located in areas with a strong production base of soybeans and end-user market for the meal and soyflour. It purchases virtually all of its soybeans from members. The Company�� oilseed crushing operations produce approximately 95% of the crude soybean oil that it refines, and purchases the balance from outside suppliers. Its customers for refined oil are principally large food product companies located throughout the United States. However, over 50% of its customers are located in the midwest. Its largest customer for refined oil products is Ventura Foods, LLC (Ventura Foods), in which it holds a 50% ownership interest. The Company�� sales to Ventura Foods accounted for 27% of its soybean oil sold during fiscal 2011. The Company also sells soymeal to approximately 325 customers, primarily feed lots and feed mills in southern Minnesota. In fiscal 2011, Interstate Commodities accounted for 12% of its soymeal sold. It sells soyflour to customers in the baking industry both domestically and for export.

Corporate and Other

The Company has provided open account financing to approximately 100 of its members that are cooperatives (cooperative association members). These arrangements involve the discretionary extension of credit in the form of a clearing account for settlement of grain purchases and as a cash management tool. CHS Capital, LLC makes seasonal and term! loans to! member cooperatives and individual producers. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, Country Hedging, Inc., is a registered Futures Commission Merchant and a clearing member of both the Minneapolis Grain Exchange and the Kansas City Board of Trade. Country Hedging provides full-service commodity risk management brokerage and consulting services to its customers, primarily in the areas of agriculture and energy.

The Company�� wholly owned subsidiary, Ag States Agency, LLC, is a full-service independent insurance agency. It sells insurance, including all lines of insurance including property and casualty, group benefits and surety bonds. Its approximately 2,000 customers are primarily agribusinesses, including cooperatives and independent elevators, energy, agronomy, feed and seed plants, implement dealers and food processors. Impact Risk Solutions, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Ag States Agency, LLC, conducts the insurance brokerage business of Ag States Group.

The Company�� primary focus in the foods area is Ventura Foods, LLC (Ventura Foods) which produces and distributes vegetable oil-based products, such as margarine, salad dressing and other food products. Ventura Foods is 50% owned by the Company. Ventura Foods manufactures, packages, distributes and markets bulk margarine, salad dressings, mayonnaise, salad oils, syrups, soup bases and sauces, many of which utilize soybean oil as a primary ingredient. Ventura Foods has 11 manufacturing and distribution locations across the United States. Ventura Foods sources its raw materials, which consist primarily of soybean oil, canola oil, cottonseed oil, peanut oil and other ingredients and supplies, from various national suppliers, including its oilseed processing operations. Agriliance LLC (Agriliance) is owned and governed by CHS (50%) and Land O��akes, Inc. (50%).

The Company competes with ConocoPhillips, Valero, BP Amoco, Flint Hills Resources, CVR Energy, Western Petroleum Company, Marathon, ExxonMo! bil, Citg! o, Flint Hills Resources, U.S. Oil, Delek US Holdings, HollyFrontier Corporation, Sinclair Oil Corporation, Tesoro, Chevron, Koch Industries, Agrium, Archer Daniels Midland (ADM), Cargill, Incorporated (Cargill), Simplot, Helena, Wilbur Ellis, Land O��akes Purina Feed, Hubbard Milling, Columbia Grain, Gavilon, Bunge, Louis Dreyfus, Ag Processing Inc., Unilever, ConAgra, ACH Food Companies, Smuckers, Kraft and CF Sauer, Ken��, Marzetti and Nestle.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Paul Ausick]

    ConAgra said on Wednesday that it will close two plants in New York by early 2015, cutting more than 400 employees. The company also expects to close its $4 billion flour mill merger in the second calendar quarter of 2014. Privately held Cargill and CHS Inc. (NASDAQ: CHSCP) will hold 44% and 12%, respectively, of Ardent Mills, while ConAgra will hold the other 44%. Combined sales of what will be the country’s largest milling operation total $4.3 billion.

Top Food Stocks To Invest In 2014: Koninklijke Ahold NV (AHONY)

Koninklijke Ahold N.V. (Ahold), incorporated on April 29, 1920, is engaged in the operation of retail food stores in the United States and Europe through subsidiaries and joint ventures. Ahold�� retail operations are presented in four segments: Stop & Shop/Giant-Landover, Giant-Carlisle, Albert Heijn and Albert/Hypernova. During the fiscal year ended January 3, 2010 (fiscal 2009), it operated 2,909 stores. On February 8, 2010, Ahold�� Giant-Carlisle acquired 25 stores from Ukrop�� Super Markets.

Franchisees operated 783 of the Albert Heijn, Etos and Gall & Gall stores, 463 of which were either owned by the franchisees or leased independently from Ahold. Of the 2,446 stores, 20% were company-owned and 80% were leased. Ahold�� stores range in size from 20 to over 10,000 square meters. Albert Heijn is a food retailer in the Netherlands. Etos is a health and beauty retailer in the Netherlands. Gall & Gall is a wine and liquor specialist in the Netherlands. Stop & Shop is a supermarket brand, operating in six states in the northeast United States. Giant-Landover is a supermarket brand, operating in four states in the mid-Atlantic United States. Peapod is an online grocery delivery service working in partnership with Stop & Shop and Giant-Landover. It also serves the metropolitan areas of Chicago, Illinois; Milwaukee and Madison, Wisconsin, and the northern areas of Indiana.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Duprey]

    As mentioned, Kroger is still swallowing Harris Teeter and has said it needs time to make more acquisitions. Royal Ahold (NASDAQOTH: AHONY  ) is also said to be leery about doing large acquisitions these days, while Cerberus recently finished acquiring the Albertsons and Acme chains from SUPERVALU (NYSE: SVU  ) �for $3.3 billion.

Saturday, September 27, 2014

Best Safest Stocks To Watch For 2015

Best Safest Stocks To Watch For 2015: Ishares Trust S & P Euro (IEV)

iShares S&P Europe 350 Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Standard & Poor's Europe 350 Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the stocks of companies in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the United Kingdom.

The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Fund's investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MBM Research]

    Stock markets have shown a late-summer pullback off of their long-term (and even record) highs, as bullish investors sell late and capture some of their profits. Adding to the downside pressure is the market uncertainty that is created by geopolitical concerns in areas like the Ukraine, Gaza, and Iraq. These tensions affect all areas of the world, so it is not surprising to see declines in developed markets -- ie. the SPDR S&P 500 Trust ETF (SPY) and the iShares S&P Europe 350 Index (IEV) -- but also in emerging markets as well. This means the iShares MSCI Emerging Markets Asia ETF (EEM) has also been unable to escape the selling pressure. Here, we look at the latest technical developments in the broad regional stock measures: SPY, IEV, EEM.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-safest-stocks-to-watch-for-2015-2.html

Friday, September 26, 2014

Hot Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014

In this video, tech and telecom analyst Andrew Tonner discusses three areas Nokia (NYSE: NOK  ) investors need to watch. First, keep an eye on Nokia sales numbers, particularly for its new Lumia smartphones. A lot is riding on the success of this smartphone launched last December. Second, can Nokia keep a robust innovative product pipeline going? Apple and Google are good at this. Nokia will have to be in order to compete long term. Finally, investors must stay tuned to the joint venture with Siemens to build communications equipment. This has struggled in the past and how it pans out in the future will impact Nokia's earnings.

Nokia's been struggling in a world of Apple and Android smartphone dominance. However, the company has banked its future on its next generation of Windows smartphones. Motley Fool analyst Charly Travers has created a new premium report that digs into both the opportunities and risks facing Nokia to help investors decide if the company is a buy or sell. To get started, simply click here now.

10 Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2015: Research in Motion Ltd (BBRY)

Research In Motion Limited, incorporated on March 7, 1984, is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services, it provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to information, including e-mail, voice, instant messaging, short message service (SMS), Internet and intranet-based applications and browsing. The Company's technology also enables an array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services through software development kits, wireless connectivity to data and third-party support programs.Its portfolio of products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations and millions of consumers around the world and include the BlackBerry wireless solution, the RIM Wireless Handheld product line, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, software development tools and other software and hardware.

On March 25, 2011, the Company purchased 100% of the shares of a company whose technology is being incorporated into the Company�� developer tools. On April 26, 2011, the Company purchased certain assets of a company whose acquired technologies will be incorporated into the Company�� products. In June 2011, the Company acquired Scoreloop. On March 8, 2012, the Company acquired Paratek Microwave Inc. During the fiscal year ended March 3, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company purchased 100% interests of a company, whose technology will be incorporated into its technology; whose technology offers cloud-based services for storing, sharing, accessing and organizing digital content on mobile devices; whose technology is being incorporated into an application on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet; whose technology offers a customizable and cross-platform social mobile gaming developer tool kit, and whose technology will provide a multi-platform BlackBerry Enterprise Solution for managing and securing mobile devices for enterpris! es and government organizations.

On April 24, 2012, the Company launched BlackBerry 7 smartphone, the BlackBerry Curve 9220, for customers in Indonesia. April 18, 2012, it launched BlackBerry 7 smartphone, the BlackBerry Curve 9220, for customers in India. On April 17, 2012, it announced availability of the BlackBerry Bold 9790 smartphone in Spain. On April 3, 2012, it launched BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, and launched four BlackBerry smartphones powered by the BlackBerry 7 operating system (OS) in Cambodia, which included BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Bold 9790, BlackBerry Curve 9360 and BlackBerry Curve 9380. On April 2, 2012, it announced the availability of BlackBerry App World, the official application store for BlackBerry smartphones in Brunei, and it announced availability of the BlackBerry Bold 9790 and BlackBerry Curve 9380 smartphones for Cell C customers in South Africa. On March 27, 2012, it launched of the BlackBerry solution in Benin Republic. On March 15, 2012, it launched of BlackBerry services in China. On March 7, 2012, it launched the BlackBerry service in Angola.

The Company's primary revenue stream is generated by the BlackBerry wireless solution, consists of smartphones and tablets, service and software. BlackBerry service is provided through a combination of its global BlackBerry Infrastructure and the wireless networks of its carrier partners. On February 21, 2012, it released the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software. It generates hardware revenues from sales, primarily to carriers and distributors. During fiscal 2012, the Company launched the wireless fidelity (WiFi)-enabled BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in 44 markets around the world. On July 21, 2011, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet received Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 certification.

BlackBerry Smartphones and Tablets

BlackBerry smartphones uses wireless, push-based technology that delivers data to mobile users��business and consumer applications. BlackBerry s! martphone! s integrate messaging including instant messaging, email and SMS; voice calling; Webkit browser; multimedia capabilities; calendar, and other applications. During fiscal 2012, it introduced 10 new smartphones and launched software updates to both its smartphone and tablet platforms. BlackBerry smartphones are available from hundreds of carriers and indirect channels, through a range of distribution partners, and are designed to operate on a variety of carrier networks, including HSPA/HSPA+/UMTS, GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA/Ev-DO, and iDEN.

During fiscal 2012, its BlackBerry smartphone and tablet portfolio included BlackBerry Bold series, BlackBerry Torch series, BlackBerry Curve series and The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. Its BlackBerry Bold series includes BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 and BlackBerry Bold 9790. The Company�� BlackBerry Torch series include BlackBerry Torch 9810 and All-Touch BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860. The Company's BlackBerry Curve series include BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360/9370 and All-Touch BlackBerry Curve 9380 Smartphone. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet features the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0. The BlackBerry PlayBook offers a seven-inch high definition display, a dual core one gigahertz processor, dual high definition cameras, multitasking and a Web browsing.

BlackBerry Enterprise Solution

BlackBerry Enterprise Server is software that acts as the centralized link between BlackBerry smartphones, enterprise systems, business applications and wireless networks. BlackBerry Enterprise Server integrates with enterprise messaging systems including Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise to synchronize with BlackBerry smartphones to provide mobile users with wireless access to e-mail, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks. It also provides access to business applications and enterprise systems. In addition, it provides security features and offers administrative tools. BlackBerry Enterprise Server is required for certain other enterprise ! solutions! , such as BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (for bringing desk phone functionality to BlackBerry smartphones); BlackBerry Clients for Microsoft Office Communications Server, IBM Lotus Sametime and Novell GroupWise Messenger (for enterprise instant messaging); IBM Lotus Connections (for enterprise social networking); IBM Lotus Quickr (for document sharing and collaboration); and Chalk Pushcast Software (for corporate podcasting).

The Company�� BlackBerry Mobile Fusion provides a Web-based interface that allows enterprises to provision, audit, and protect mobile devices including BlackBerry smartphones, BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, and devices that use iOS and Android. BlackBerry Balance helps enterprises support the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is free server software that synchronizes BlackBerry smartphones with Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express works with Microsoft Exchange 2010, 2007 and 2003 and Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2008 and 2003 to provide users with wireless access to e-mail, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks, as well as other business applications and enterprise systems behind the firewall.

BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (BlackBerry MVS) allows organizations to converge office desk phones and BlackBerry smartphones. BlackBerry MVS is consists of three components: BlackBerry MVS Client, BlackBerry MVS Services, and BlackBerry MVS Server. It unifies fixed and mobile voice communications. Hosted BlackBerry services bring the BlackBerry Enterprise Server features, functionality, and security capabilities in a package that is managed for end users. Hosted BlackBerry services are conveniently handled and supported by a BlackBerry certified partner from the BlackBerry Alliance Program, giving small and medium -sized enterprise (SME) enterprises the support and convenience they need.

Service

The Company generates service rev! enues fro! m billings to RIM's BlackBerry subscriber account base. It generates service revenues primarily from a monthly infrastructure access fee charged to a carrier or reseller, which the carrier or reseller in turn bills the BlackBerry subscriber.

BlackBerry Technical Support Services

BlackBerry Technical Support Services are a suite of annual technical support and software maintenance programs. The programs are designed to meet the customer�� BlackBerry support needs by offering a contact for BlackBerry wireless solution technical support directly from the Company.

Non-Warranty Repairs

The Company generates revenue from its repair and maintenance program for BlackBerry smartphones that are returned to it by the carrier, the reseller, or the customer. It generates revenue for repair after the expiration of the contractual warranty period.

The Company competes with Apple Inc., Microsoft Inc., Nokia Corporation, Dell, Inc., Fujitsu Limited, General Dynamics Corporation, Hitachi America, Ltd., HTC Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, Mitsubishi Corporation, Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc., NEC Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, ZTE Corporation, IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Notify Technology Corporation, Openwave Systems Inc., Seven Networks, Inc., Sybase, Inc. and Good Technologies.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Steve Symington]

    We already knew the folks at�BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY  ) had plenty to prove at the company's annual meeting Tuesday, thanks largely to its posting a dismal earnings report two weeks ago that resulted in a one-day drop of more than 27%.�

  • [By Alistair Barr]

    Android is the world�� most popular mobile-operating system, but isn�� as popular within companies. This lucrative enterprise market used to be dominated by BlackBerry (CA:BB) �, (BBRY) �but Apple (AAPL) �, Google (GOOG) �and Microsoft (MSFT) �are making a big push to take share away from the troubled Canada-based company.

Hot Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: Alcatel Lucent SA (ALU)

Alcatel Lucent, incorporated on June 18, 1898, is engaged in mobile, fixed, Internet Protocol (IP) and Optics technologies, applications and services. The Company is a partner of service providers, enterprises, industries and governments worldwide. Alcatel-Lucent includes Bell Labs centres of research in communications technology. Its operations are in more than 130 countries. The Company operates in three business segments: networks, applications, and services. On December 31, 2010, the Company completed the sale of its Vacuum pump solutions and instruments business to Pfeiffer Vacuum Technology AG. In September 2010, the Company acquired OpenPlug, a mobile software and applications development tools vendor. In June 29, 2010, the Company acquired ProgrammableWeb.

During 2010, the Company launched the Digital Media Store, a multicontent digital storefront that allows service providers to deliver content to end-users. Launched during 2010, Optism is a permission-based mobile marketing solution. During 2010, it launched Alcatel-Lucent�� Mobile Wallet Service (MWS), which allows the mobile operator to leverage its secure network to deliver a mobile payment capability through a mobile handset. During 2010, it also launched Alcatel-Lucent�� Application Exposure Suite to facilitate the development of new services by third-party application developers and content providers.

Networks Segment

The Networks segment supplies a portfolio of products and offerings used by fixed, wireless and converged service providers, as well as enterprises and governments for their business communications. The Company�� IP portfolio consists of four product families that deliver multiple services, including broadband triple play for residential customers; Ethernet and IP Virtual Private Network (VPN) services for Enterprise customers, and wireless second-generation (2G), third-generation (3G) and long term evolution (LTE) broadband services for mobile operators. The main product fami! lies include Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) service routers, Carrier Ethernet service switche, Multi-service wide-area-network (or MS WAN) switches and Content Delivery Network (CDN) appliances.

Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) service routers direct traffic within and between carriers��national and international networks to enable delivery of a range of IP-based services (including Internet access, Internet Protocol TV (IPTV), Voice over IP (VoIP), mobile phone and data, and managed Enterprise VPN services) on a single common network infrastructure with superior performance, with application intelligence, and with scalability (such as the simultaneous support of many diverse types of traffic and customers); Carrier Ethernet service switches. Carrier Ethernet service switches enable carriers to deliver residential, business and wireless services, and these products are mainly used in metropolitan area networks; Multi-service wide-area-network (MS WAN) switches. Multi-service wide-area-network (MS WAN) switches enable fixed line and wireless carriers to transition their existing networks to support newer technologies and services, and Content Delivery Network (CDN) appliances. Content Delivery Network (CDN) appliances distribute and cache (store) Web and video content.

The Company�� Internet Protocol/Multiprotocol Label Switching (IP/MPLS) and Carrier Ethernet products are designed to facilitate the development and availability of applications for the more participatory and interactive Web 2.0 business and consumer services. Its service routers are particularly well suited to deliver complex services to business, residential and mobile end-users. Its IP/MPLS service routers and Carrier Ethernet service switches are often used in conjunction with its DSL and Gigabit Passive Optical Network (GPON) access products to deliver these newer triple-play services, or with its wireless access products to deliver LTE solutions, or w! ith its D! ense Wave Division Multiplexing (DWDM) and optical switching products to deliver converged backbone transformation solutions for optimizing IP transport. Its Optics division designs and markets equipment for the long distance transportation of data over fiber optic connections via land (terrestrial) and under sea (submarine), as well as for short distances in metropolitan and regional areas.

The Company�� transport portfolio also includes the microwave wireless transmission equipment. Its terrestrial optical products offer a portfolio designed to seamlessly support service growth from the metro to the network core. With its products, carriers manage voice, data and video traffic patterns based on different applications or platforms and can introduce a range of managed data services, including multiple service quality capabilities, variable service rates and traffic congestion management. These products allow carriers to leverage their existing network infrastructure to offer these new services. Its submarine cable networks can connect continents (using optical amplification required over long distances), a mainland and an island, several islands together, or many points along a coast. It offers a portfolio of point-to-point microwave radio products meeting both European telecommunications standards (ETSI) and American standards-based (ANSI) requirements.

The Company�� Wireless All Around message developed during 2010 is a combination of wireless and IP products. The version of CDMA technology, known as 1X EV-DO Revision A, enables operators to offer two-way, real-time, high-speed data applications, such as VoIP, mobile video, push-to-talk and push-to-multimedia. The introduction of High Speed Packet Access (HSPA) and HSPA+ (the latest evolutions of W-CDMA technology) on networks and devices has led to increases in data speeds available to broadband devices. The Company develops mobile radio products for the second generation (2G) Global System for Mobile communications (GS! M) standa! rd, including General Packet Radio Service / Enhanced Data Rates for GSM Evolution (GPRS/EDGE) technology upgrades to that standard.

LTE offers service providers a compelling evolution path from all existing networks (GSM, W-CDMA, CDMA or WiMAX) by simplifying the radio access network and converging on a common IP base. RFS designs and sells cable, antenna, tower systems and their related electronic components, providing an end-to-end suite of radio frequency products. RFS serves original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), distributors, system integrators, network operators and installers in the broadcast, wireless communications, microwave and defense sectors. Specific applications for RFS products include cellular sites, in-tunnel and in-building radio coverage, microwave links, television and radio. The Company offers products that extend from legacy switching systems to IP multimedia subsystem (IMS) solutions for fixed, mobile, and converged operators. It has deployed its next-generation network (NGN) products in more than 170 fixed NGN networks, and it has provided the core network for more than 66 full IMS fixed and mobile networks. Its fixed access solutions allow carriers to offer triple-play services over a single access line. Its carrier customers are offering both residential and business customers multiple services, such as a number of broadcast channels, video on demand, high definition television (HDTV), VoIP, high speed Internet, and business access services.

Applications Segment

The Applications segment develops software-based applications and solutions that contribute to the personal communications for users. The Applications group is divided into two businesses: Enterprise Applications and Network Applications. The Enterprise Applications business includes its IP-based communications and collaboration applications for enterprises, including the Genesys contact center business. The Network Applications business develops applications used by service pr! oviders t! o deliver a range of services to their customers, and also includes Motive, which provides software for service providers to remotely manage their customers��at-home networks, networked devices and broadband and mobile data services. During the year ended December 31, 2010, its Applications segment accounted 12% of its total revenue.

The Applications segment is investing resources in next generation collaboration and communications systems offered by its Enterprise Applications division; customer contact, customer engagement and service management areas addressed by its Genesys and Motive businesses; carrier applications, such as communication and messaging, next-generation telephony, digital media and multi-screen delivery of content and personalized advertising, device agnostic location based address book services, and technologies, such as Long Term Evolution (LTE), IP multimedia subsystem (IMS), and Application Enablement.

Services Segment

The Services segment is focused in helping the service provider and customers realize the potential of media, information technology (IT) and telecommunications services and technologies. These services address the lifecycle of its customers��networks and operations, and encompass business consulting, systems design and integration, maintenance and managed services. The service offerings are organized around four areas: network and system integration, managed and outsourcing solutions, multi-vendor maintenance, and product-attached services.

The Company competes with Avaya, Cisco Systems, Ericsson, Fujitsu, Huawei, ZTE and Nokia Siemens Networks.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

    Alcatel-Lucent is a provider of mobile and communications solutions to growing businesses and consumers worldwide. The stock seems to have established a price value zone and is now headed higher. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenue figures have been declining which has produced unhappy investors in the company. Relative to its peers and sector, Alcatel-Lucent has been a year-to-date performance leader. WAIT AND SEE what Alcatel-Lucent does in coming quarters.

  • [By Inyoung Hwang]

    EDF, Europe�� biggest power generator, and Alcatel-Lucent (ALU) SA, a French maker of phone equipment, jumped more than 7 percent as profit beat analysts��estimates. Barclays sank the most in 13 months after announcing a rights offering and saying income fell. K+S AG, Europe�� largest potash producer, plunged 24 percent as OAO Uralkali ended a deal that controlled supplies of the fertilizer ingredient from the former Soviet Union.

Hot Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: Envivio Inc (ENVI)

Envivio, Inc., incorporated on January 5, 2000, is a provider of Internet protocol (IP) video processing and distribution solutions, which enable the delivery of video to consumers. The Company�� solution is designed to enable service providers and content providers to offer video anytime, anywhere across a range of video formats, networks, consumer devices and operating systems. Its software-based solution runs on industry-standard hardware and includes encoders, transcoders, network media processors all controlled through its network management system. It enables service providers and content providers to deliver linear broadcast and on-demand video services to their customers through multiple screens, such as tablets, mobile handsets, netbooks, laptops, personal computers (PCs) and televisions. Its customers include mobile and wireline telecommunications service providers, cable multiple system operators (MSOs), direct broadcast satellite service providers (DBSs), and content providers, which includes broadcasters and content publishers, owners, aggregators and licensees.

Core Technologies

The Company�� software platform includes core technologies: modular software architecture and multi-core video compression. The Company�� core competencies are in developing advanced media compression and video over IP technologies, where it delivers a carrier grade, multi-screen solution. Its modular software architecture provides a common platform of capabilities and features, which allows its products to perform critical video processing and distribution functions, including ingestion, processing, packaging, protection and encryption, network optimizations and monitoring. In addition, its software-based architecture allows customers to enable features or add capacity through the input of a simple security or license key.

The Company Multi-core video compression has a set of video processing and compression algorithms designed to optimize performance on industry-stan! dard, multi-core hardware chipsets. These algorithms are central to all of its encoder and transcoder products.

Products

The Company�� unified video headend solution and unified delivery infrastructure for live and on-demand multi-screen video delivery are built on its encoding, transcoding and video distribution products. Its suite of products consists of Envivio 4Caster, Muse, Halo and 4Manager. Its 4Caster product delivers video to mobile, PC and television from a single platform. It has designed 4Caster to optimize live and on-demand workflows for video delivery commensurate with the characteristics of both legacy and current network infrastructures by encoding video input in multiple codecs, resolutions, bit rates and formats. 4Caster utilizes pre-processing techniques to clean and optimize video sources before encoding.

Envivio Muse is its new multi-screen software architecture designed for live or file-based video transcoding and distribution to multiple devices. Muse is available on industry-standard blade servers or its 4Caster appliances and enables service providers running large-scale operations to leverage their existing datacenter infrastructure to deliver enhanced video services. Muse also enables advanced functionality, such as ad-insertion and content protection for mobile devices that facilitates service monetization.

The Company�� Halo Network Media Processor performs final content adaptation for consumer devices, including protected adaptive bitrate streams compatible with Apple iOS, Android 3 and Microsoft Smooth Streaming enabled consumer devices. Its 4Manager network management system is specifically engineered to manage next generation video headends for mobile television, over-the-top (OTT) and Internet protocol television (IPTV), while continuing to support traditional broadcast distribution networks. 4Manager allows service providers to monitor and control all headend appliances. 4Manager is designed to maximize video he! adend ava! ilability and reliability by reporting system malfunctions and can automatically switch away from a defective unit, minimizing service disruption.

Services

The Company offers a range of services in support of its products, including on-site project assessment, systems integration, on-site delivery and operational and customer support. On-site project assessment include complete review of content sources, existing systems and middleware to determine the proper interface and adaptation equipment necessary for its customer to deliver an optimized consumer quality of experience. Systems integration configures all the equipment with its solution according to network design and plan. On-site delivery install all equipment and test the operational environment, including redundancy and system monitoring, as well as administer technical training to validate predefined use cases in an operational environment. Operational and customer support provides different grades of service level agreements and support contracts according to requirements.

The Company competes with Harmonic Inc., Cisco Systems, Inc., Elemental Technologies, RGB Networks, Inc., Google Inc. and Ericsson AB.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Leading and Lagging Sectors
    Technology stocks gained Thursday, with Infinera (NASDAQ: INFN) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included Envivio (NASDAQ: ENVI), with shares up 2.8 percent, and Adept Technology (NASDAQ: ADEP), with shares up 4.3 percent.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap video technology stocks Envivio Inc (NASDAQ: ENVI), Ku6 Media Co Ltd (NASDAQ: KUTV) and Tremor Video Inc (NYSE: TRMR) made some interesting moves today and in recent days or months���meaning its worth taking a closer look at all three to see if there might be opportunities for traders and investors alike:

Hot Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: ADT Corp (ADT)

The ADT Corporation (ADT), incorporated on January 18, 2012, is a provider of electronic security, interactive home and business automation, and monitoring services for residences and small businesses in the United States and Canada. The Company�� products and services include ADT Pulse interactive home and business solutions, and home health services. ADT provides business security intrusion detection, which protect the business from burglary, robbery and intruders. Its electronic access control limits unauthorized entry and employee access to the business, as well as complete access. Effective August 2, 2013, The ADT Corp acquired Devcon Security Services Corp, a provider of security protection services, from Devcon International Corp. In November 2013, Kastle Systems International announced that it had acquired Mutual Central Alarm Services and Stat-Land Security Systems from ADT Corporation.

The Company's video surveillance views events in multiple areas of facility, which has control over loss and oversees business. On October 1, 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Absolute Security.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Michael Lewis]

    Home and small-business security company ADT (NYSE: ADT  ) debuted on the markets in October of last year as a spinoff of conglomerate Tyco. While spinoffs are often misunderstood or neglected investment opportunities, this one came out priced high and covered well, eliminating the opportunity for a value play. Since its IPO, the stock has only ticked up around 6% while sales and profits continue to rise. In the past quarter, the company added more than 300,000 new customers, with plenty of room to grow. It's no doubt that ADT is an industry leader, but is the stock still too expensive to warrant a buy?

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Equities Trading DOWN
    Shares of The ADT (NYSE: ADT) were down 6.77 percent to $41.03 after the company announced the repurchase of 10.24 million shares held by Corvex at $44.01 per share.

Hot Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For 2014: Ubiquiti Networks Inc (UBNT)

Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. (Ubiquiti), incorporated on June 24, 2010, is a communications technology Company. designs, manufactures and sells broadband wireless solutions worldwide. The Company offers a portfolio of wireless networking products and solutions, including systems, high performance radios, antennas and management tools, designed for wireless networking and other applications in the unlicensed radio frequency (RF) spectrum. The Company offers solutions that incorporate its RF technology, antenna design and firmware technologies, which it refers to as AirTechnologies. It offers a portfolio of communications networking products and solutions and it recently introduced products in the video surveillance, wireless backhaul and machine-to-machine communication markets.

The Company�� business is driven by a community of network operators, service providers, distributors, value added resellers (VARs) and system integrators, which it refers to as the Ubiquiti Community. As of June 30, 2013, Ubiquiti�� AirTechnologies included, UBNT, airMAX, UniFi, mFi, EdgeMAX, airVision, airFiber, airOS, NanoStation, airGrid, NanoBridge, and a number of trademark applications and registrations in the United States and other countries. The Company technology enables it to provide end to end wireless networking solutions for network operators and service providers in underserved and underpenetrated markets. It designs its products and solutions using hardware and industry standard chipsets to enable these providers to deliver carrier class wireless broadband access and services to their subscribers.

Enterprise WLAN - UniFi

Unifi hardware utilizes MIMO technology, works with 802.11 standards, and uses a single cable for data transmission and power-over-ethernet. Unlike other enterprise Wi-Fi systems that utilize a hardware Wi-Fi switch, Unifi uses a virtual controller that allows for on-site management or remote management through the cloud. Each UniFi access point a! nd can be managed centrally with the UniFi Controller software. The UniFi Controller enables enterprise WLAN managers to centrally configure and administer a UniFi network and individual access points without any special training and through secure access from any Web browser. The UniFi Controller provides automatic UniFi access point detection, firmware updates, real-time status, map loading and advanced security options.

Video Surveillance - airVision

The H.264 cameras use a single cable for data transmission and power-over-ethernet. AirVision, its management controller software, can be used to manage multiple AirCam H.264 IP cameras as well as manage other digital video recorder devices. AirVision software is available for download at no cost on its Website and only manages Ubiquiti Network camera devices. Similar to its other network management products, airVision can be accessed securely from any Web browser, provides statistical reporting and analytics and provides a management console with camera settings and event recordings.

Machine-To-Machine Communication - mFi

In June 2012, the Company announced mFi, which includes hardware sensors, power devices, and management software that allows devices to be controlled remotely. For example, mFi allows users to manage and monitor their building temperature and power consumption. The management controller software is IP based and can be accessed from any browser locally or through the cloud. MFi software allows management to create rules using if/then statements to control numerous devices.

The Company competes with Motorola, Trango, Cisco Systems, Proxim, Mikrotikls, Senao, Ceragon Networks, DragonWave, Ruckus Wireless, TP-LINK Technologies CO., LTD, Andrew Corporation, PCTEL, Aruba Networks, Inc, Vivotek, Inc., Axis Communications AB , Mobotix Corp, Cambium Networks , SAF Tehnika, EnergyHub, Inc., AlertMe.com Ltd and Radio Waves Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Ubiquiti Networks (NASDAQ: UBNT) shares tumbled 25.81 percent to $30.69 on Q3 results. Ubiquiti reported its quarterly earnings of $0.50 per share on revenue of $148.30 million.

  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Another technology stock that insiders are active in here is Ubiquiti Networks (UBNT), which develops high-performance networking technology for service providers and enterprises. Insiders are buying this stock into big time strength, since shares are up a whopping 211% so far in 2013.

    Ubiquiti Networks has a market cap of $3.3 billion and an enterprise value of $3.4 billion. This stock trades at a fair valuation, with a trailing price-to-earnings of 31.65 and a forward price-to-earnings of 18.48. Its estimated growth rate for this year is 100%, and for next year it's pegged at 13.2%. This is a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $279.73 million and its total debt is $74.89 million.

    A director just bought 20,000 shares, or about $737,000 worth of stock, at $36.85 per share.

    From a technical perspective, UBNT is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been trending sideways for the last month and change, with shares moving between $36.30 on the downside and $44.80 on the upside. Traders should keep an eye on shares of UBNT for any high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent range, since that could trigger a big breakout for this stock.

    If you're in the bull camp on UBNT, then I would look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some near-term support at $36.30 and then once it breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $39.35 to $40.59 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 action of 905,311 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then UBNT will set up to re-test or possibly take out its all-time high at $44.80 a share. Any high-volume move above $44.80 will then give UBNT a chance to tag $50 to $55 a share.

  • [By Robert Eberhard]

    What:�Shares of�Ubiquiti Networks� (NASDAQ: UBNT  ) have climbed today by as much as 26% after the company reported earnings last night.

  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Thursday

    Earnings Expected From: Priceline.com Incorporated (NASDAQ: PCLN), Ubiquiti Networks, Inc. (NASDAQ: UBNT), Bristow Group Inc. (NYSE: BRS), Groupon, Inc. (NASDAQ: GRPN), Scotts Miracle Gro Company (NYSE: SMG) Economic Releases Expected: US GDP, US Consumer Credit

    Friday