Sunday, May 31, 2015

Zillow’s Zing

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American homeowners might not actually be listing their homes for sale – but they want to. Why? Because it's a tale of two markets in the U.S., with home prices rising, but inventory thin, as homeowners just aren't sure they want to let their properties go when they're once again climbing up in terms of home value.

According to CoreLogic, which tracks home prices on a monthly basis, U.S. home prices increased by 11.1 percent from March 2013 to March 2014. That represents 25 straight months of year-over-year price appreciation growth for U.S. homeowners, after four years of no or low growth.

It's a strange dichotomy, as higher prices would normally lead to a stronger real estate market, as more owners sought to capitalize on higher prices. But the Great Recession took such a heavy toll on the housing market that homeowners seem to okay with waiting  awhile while their homes regain lost pricing value.

"March data on new and existing home sales was weaker than expected and is a cause for concern as we enter the spring buying season," says Dr. Mark Fleming, chief economist for CoreLogic. "Interest rate-disenfranchised potential sellers are adding to the existing shadow inventory, while buyers who can’t find what they want to buy are on the sidelines creating a new kind of ‘shadow demand.’ This supply and demand imbalance continues to drive home prices higher, even though transaction volumes are lower than expected."

In such a downright weird real estate market, how can investors make money on the housing sector, even with prices high and sales transactions low. Here's one idea – choose an industry stock that makes money when homeowners even  think about selling their property.

That's where Zillow (NYSE: Z) pops into the picture. Besides its standard, and increasingly profitable Premier Agent, Mortgage Marketplace and Zillow Rentals services (p! rimarily geared toward real estate and lending professionals), Zillow also caters to a growing number of buyers and sellers who seek more information on the housing market before pulling any triggers.

Here's how Zillow explains that end of its business: "The company offers information products and services that enable consumers to make decisions about homes comprising home value and rental price estimates; Zillow Digs, a home improvement marketplace for home shoppers and homeowners to find visual inspiration and local cost estimates; and a rich set of home-related information for consumers and real estate professionals, as well as services for sale and rental listings.

Further, it provides consumers with ratings and contact information for the listing agent and local buyer's agents alongside home profiles and listings for homes to assist for evaluating and selecting the real estate agent. In addition the company provides home-related advice and discussions through Zillow Advice section of its Zillow.com Website that captures questions and discussion topics from consumers and real estate, rental, mortgage, and home improvement professionals, as well as operates mobile real estate applications."

That leads to tens of millions of clicks on Zillow's site, which is manna from heaven for advertisers, real estate firms and mortgage lenders. Zillow is trading at $97 per share as of May 9, 2014, and shows every sign of going higher. The stock has been on something of a roller coaster ride through 2014, gyrating between $85 and $110 per share over the past four months.

Sure, nobody likes that kind of volatility – especially a stock that's already in a volatile sector in the first place. But Zillow is showing major signs of stabilizing, and heading northward for good, in the $115-to-$120 range in the next few months.

That's the sentiment from two Wall Street analysts – Pacific Crest (upped its outlook from $105 to $115) and Susquehanna (from $115 to $120.) In ad! dition, s! ome pretty savvy investors are beefing up their Zillow positions.  Hedge fund Tiger Global Management revealed a 9.5 percent stake in Zillow, with 3.13 million shares, on April 29. That news alone boosted Zillow's share price by 5 percent.

Another factor that should stabilize, and drive, Zillow's stock is an especially strong first quarter of 2014, especially in terms of revenue growth. Zillow reported revenues grew to $66.2 million in Q1, ahead of consensus estimates of $63 million. It's also a 70 percent positive growth rate compared to the first quarter of 2013. There was a net loss of 6.26 percent for the quarter, but Zillow executives have a good, forward thinking explanation for that.

“We're spending tens of millions of dollars in online and off-line advertising, because we feel the size of this opportunity warrants it," said Zillow CEO Spencer Rascoff. "We are investing very heavily to feed this growth.”

As noted above, site visits to Zillow.com are off the charts, standing at 79 million user visits alone in April, 2014. That's a 50% hike from April, 2013. Zillow is also consolidating real power in the mobile sector, with 460 million home views by U.S. smart phone users.

Zillow also expects to make hay with its new Zestimate forecast tool, released on May 8, 2014. By and large, the service predicts what a home will sell for one year from now.

The company explains the new service like this: If a home at 123 Main St. has a current Zestimate of $200,000, the Zestimate forecast for that home in one year might be $210,000, which means Zillow is predicting that home’s value will increase by 5 percent. That helps homeowners, homebuyers, and real estate professionals get a better handle on the market – one year in the future.

That's another reason why Zillow has such a compelling story to tell investors – it knows what's happening now, and knows what will happen one year from now in the U.S. residential real estate market.! In an in! dustry where data is king, that's a valuable commodity for investors, who should find a new home for Zillow in their portfolios as it heads toward $120 per share.

Brian O'Connell is an investment analyst at Investing Daily. He has appeared as an expert financial commentator on CNN, NPR, Fox News, Bloomberg, CNBC, C-Span, CBS Radio, and many other media broadcast outlets.

5 Best Healthcare Technology Stocks To Own Right Now

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Thursday, May 28, 2015

Producer Prices Up; Consumer Sentiment Hits 9-Month High

Producer Prices J Pat Carter/AP WASHINGTON -- U.S. producer prices recorded their largest increase in nine months in March as the cost of food and trade services surged, pointing to some pockets of inflation at the factory gate. Other data Friday showed consumer sentiment hit a nine-month high in April, strengthening views economic activity was regaining momentum after a weather-induced lull early this year. The Labor Department said its seasonally adjusted producer price index for final demand increased 0.5 percent last month, the largest increase since June last year, after slipping 0.1 percent in February. Economists, who has expected prices received by the nation's farms, factories and refineries to gain only 0.1 percent, were puzzled by the increase last month. The government has revamped the PPI series to include services and construction. The series' short history makes it difficult to gauge a trend. "It could be that the difficult weather over the past few months has distorted prices, and wholesale inflation will settle down in April," said Gus Faucher, a senior economist at PNC Financial Services in Pittsburgh. "But there is also the possibility that inflation may be picking up, as firms raise prices given the recent limited acceleration in wage growth and stronger demand." Producer prices excluding volatile food and energy costs rose 0.6 percent, the biggest rise since March 2011. The so-called core PPI for final demand had declined 0.2 percent in February. The broader PPI will over time track closely the Consumer Price Index. Inflation has been running very low, allowing the Federal Reserve to maintain its expansionary monetary policy to nurse the economy. A separate report showed the Thomson Reuters/University of Michigan's consumer sentiment index rose to 82.6 in early April, the highest since July, from 80 in March. "We suspect that improving weather conditions and a more optimistic outlook on the economy and labor markets contributed to the rebound in consumer optimism," said Gennadiy Goldberg an economist at TD Securities in New York. U.S. financial markets were little moved by the data. Pork, Sausage Prices Soar Last month, food prices jumped 1.1 percent, the largest increase since May, after rising 0.6 percent in February. Food prices were pushed up by a surge in the cost of pork, which saw its largest rise since August 2008. Sausage, deli meat and boxed meat prices rose by the most since August 1980. Food prices have now risen for a third straight month, in part reflecting a drought in the West. Services for final demand spiked 0.7 percent, the largest gain since January 2010, after falling 0.3 percent in February. In the 12 months through March, producer prices advanced 1.4 percent. That was the largest increase in seven months and followed a 0.9 percent rise in February. Another gauge of core producer prices - final demand less foods, energy, and trade services - rose 0.3 percent after ticking up 0.1 percent. In the 12 months through March, core PPI for final demand rose 1.4 percent after increasing 1.1 percent in February. -

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015

After rising 67% in the past 52-weeks, it is understandable that the price targets for First Financial Bankshares (FFIN) are slightly under the bank's current market price of $57.69 per share. But, the premium paid for these shares appear to be warranted.

First Financial is one of the fastest growing regional banks in Texas (though all appear to be very fast growing) but it is one that has a very unique strategy that I believe gives the bank a competitive advantage that isn't found in most of the its regional peers.

I'm timid of the current market valuation of FFIN because it is getting a premium well above the industry average but, the bank is setting up for long-term growth and isn't showing any signs of slowing down anytime soon. With that said, below I have outlined why I like First Financial's strategy and financial position, followed by a review of the company's current valuation.

Strategy

A lot of times we see a growing regional bank increase deposit share and assets by purchasing other regionals in an area where they are weak and need more exposure. This makes sense for obvious reasons but other than increased visibility and access to the local markets, investors rarely understand why that particular location was chosen for growth over any of the other areas the bank occupies. With First Financial, this is absolutely not an issue and, to be honest, I'm extremely surprised that any bank in Texas has been able to dominate any area as much as FFIN has.

Hot Small Cap Stocks To Watch Right Now: Juno Therapeutics Inc (JUNO)

Juno Therapeutics, Inc. (Juno) is a United States-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in developing cell-based cancer immunotherapies based on its chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), and high-affinity T cell receptor (TCR), technologies to genetically engineer T cells to recognize and kill cancer cells. Through genetic engineering, the Company inserts a gene for a particular CAR or TCR construct into the T cell that enables it to better recognize cancer cells. Its CAR technology directs T cells to recognize cancer cells based on the expression of specific proteins located on the cell surface, whereas its TCR technology provides the T cells with a specific T cell receptor to recognize protein fragments derived from either the surface or inside the cell.

To provide treatment, the Company harvests blood cells from a cancer patient, separate the appropriate T cells, activate the cells, insert the gene sequence for the CAR or TCR construct into the cells��Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), and grow these modified T cells to the desired dose level. The modified T cells can then be infused into the patient or frozen and stored for later infusion. Once infused, the T cells are designed to multiply, through a process known as cell expansion, when they encounter the targeted proteins and to kill the targeted cancer cells.

CD19-Directed Product Candidates

The Company�� product candidates, such as JCAR015, JCAR017, and JCAR014, which use CAR technology to target CD19, a protein expressed on the surface of almost all B cell leukemias and lymphomas. The Company has rights to commercialize each of these product candidates across the world. The Company�� JCAR015 is an advanced development product candidate, and it has demonstrated clinically meaningful complete remission rates in adult patients with r/r ALL. JCAR015 uses the CD28 costimulatory domain and CD3 enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), which requires fewer process steps for! manufacture than its defined cell composition product candidates. JCAR015 is being tested in a Phase I open label clinical trial of patients with r/r ALL for the treatment of refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

JCAR017 also targets CD19, but differs from JCAR015 in several important respects. JCAR017 uses the 4-1BB costimulatory domain and a defined cell composition of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. JCAR017 is in development for pediatric patients with r/r ALL. JCAR017 is being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial in pediatric r/r ALL.

JCAR014 also targets CD19. JCAR014 uses the 4-1BB costimulatory domain and is composed of CD8+ central memory T cells and CD4+ T cells in a defined ratio. JCAR014 is being evaluated in a Phase I/II trial as a treatment for a number of B cell malignancies in patients relapsed or refractory to standard therapies.

Additional Product Candidates

The Company is exploring the potential of its CAR and TCR technologies against targets that have the potential to treat cancers not targeted by CD19-directed products, in particular, difficult-to-treat solid organ tumors, such as certain breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers, as well as B cell malignancies that do not express CD19. The Company�� CD22 is a cell surface protein widely expressed on B lymphocytes. It is expressed by B cell malignancies, including non-Hodgkin�� lymphoma (NHL), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The Company�� L1CAM, also known as CD171, is a cell-surface adhesion molecule that plays an important role in the development of a normal nervous system. It is overexpressed in neuroblastoma, and there is increasing evidence of aberrant expression in a variety of solid organ tumors, including glioblastoma and lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers.

The Company�� MUC-16 is a protein overexpressed in the ovarian cancers, but not on the surface of normal ovary cells. CA-125 is a protein found in the ! blood of ! ovarian cancer patients that results from the cleavage of MUC-16. CA-125 levels in the blood are a common test for ovarian cancer progression because they correlate with cancer progression. Its MUC-16/IL-12 product candidate uses its armored CAR technology. IL-12 is a cytokine that can help overcome the inhibitory effects that the tumor micro-environment can have on T cell activity.

The Company�� ROR-1 is a protein expressed in the formation of embryos, but in normal adult cells its surface expression is predominantly found at low levels on adipocytes, or fat cells, and briefly on precursors to B cells, or pre-B cells, during normal B cell maturation. ROR-1 is overexpressed on a variety of cancers including a subset of non-small cell lung cancer, triple negative breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer. It is expressed on B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma. The Company�� high-affinity TCR T cell product candidate targets WT-1, an intracellular protein that is overexpressed in a number of cancers, including adult myeloid leukemia, or AML, and non-small cell lung, breast, pancreatic, ovarian, and colorectal cancers.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap cancer drug stock Kite Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: KITE) has surged after announcing a�strategic research collaboration and license agreement with Amgen, Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN)�involving Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) ��meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock, which had an IPO last June,�along with potential peers�Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: BLCM) and Juno Therapeutics (NASDAQ: JUNO) which are players in the CAR therapies space and had more recent IPOs.

Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015: Reed Elsevier NV (ENL)

Reed Elsevier NV offers professional information solutions in North America and Europe. The company�s Scientific, Technical & Medical segment publishes research, reference, and education content; and offers database and workflow solutions for scientists, research leaders and administrators, doctors, nurses, health professionals, and students, as well as hospitals, academic and research institutions, health insurers, managed healthcare organizations, research corporations, and governments. It also provides abstract and citation database of research literature; an oil and gas exploration tool that packages research-relevant geological content and tags that content to enable search functionality; and solutions for synthetic chemists. In addition, this segment offers software and tools that enhance research outcomes of academic institutions and researchers; and Web-based tools for the engineering community. Its Risk Solutions segment provides data and analytics to property an d casualty personal and commercial, and life insurance carriers; and risk and identity management, fraud detection, credit risk management, and compliance solutions for financial institutions, as well as offers risk-related information to the legal industry. The company�s Business Information segment provides data services, such as information and pricing services for the chemicals, fertilizers, and energy sectors; payment routing data and anti-money laundering services, as well as compliance information to the banking and corporate sectors; online regulatory guidance, practices, and tools for HR professionals; and online construction data and information to the construction industry. Its Legal segment offers legal, regulatory, news and business, and analysis services to legal, corporate, government, and academic customers. The company�s Exhibitions segment organizes exhibitions and conferences in various industries. Reed Elsevier NV was founded in 1903 and is based in Ams terdam, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Vanina Egea]

    Reed Elsevier NV (ENL) is a diversified publisher and information provider. It works on a wide range of market segments that include scientific, technical and medical (STM); legal; risks solutions and business information and exhibitions. The key of the company�� growth, however, lies almost exclusively in two brands: Elsevier and LexisNexis.

Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015: Layne Christensen Company(LAYN)

Layne Christensen Company provides drilling, water treatment, and construction services, and related products to water infrastructure and mineral exploration markets. The company?s Water Infrastructure division offers a range of water-related products and services, including soil stabilization, hydrological studies, well design, drilling and development, pump installation, sewer rehabilitation, pipeline construction, and well rehabilitation services; and environmental drilling services to assist in assessing, investigating, monitoring, and characterizing water quality and aquifer parameters. This division also provides water treatment equipment engineering services; systems for the treatment of regulated and nuisance contaminants, such as iron, manganese, hydrogen sulfide, arsenic, radium, nitrate, perchlorate, and volatile organic compounds; wastewater pipeline and structure rehabilitation services; and geotechnical construction services to the heavy civil, industrial, a nd commercial construction markets, as well as designs and constructs water and wastewater treatment plants, and pipeline installations. Its Mineral Exploration division offers exploratory and definitional drilling services for the global mineral exploration industry. The company?s Energy division involves in the acquisition, exploration, development, and production of oil and natural gas primarily in the Midwestern United States. As of January 31, 2011, Layne Christensen Company had approximately 244,000 gross acres under lease and 643 gross producing wells. It also provides energy services. The company offers its services to municipalities, investor-owned water utilities, industrial and mining companies, consulting engineering firms, heavy civil construction contractors, oil and gas companies, and agribusiness. It has operations in North America, Africa, Australia, Europe, and Brazil. Layne Christensen Company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Mission Woods, Kan sas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    Mission Woods, Kansas-based Layne Christensen (NASDAQ: LAYN  ) has a new Chief Financial Officer.

    On Friday, the heavy construction company announced it has hired former SEH Offshore Ventures CFO, and Seahawk Drilling CEO, James R. Easter to become its own new CFO. A graduate of University of Texas, Austin, with an M.B.A. from the Thunderbird American Graduate School of International Management, Easter will replace outgoing CFO Jerry Fanska, who announced his retirement in December.

Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015: Medifocus Inc (MDFZF)

Medifocus Inc.(Medifocus) is a Canada-based company. The Company is engaged in the business of development and commercialization of minimally invasive, focused-heat tumor targeted cancer treatment devices and systems. Medifocus operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Celsion (Canada) Limited (Celsion). Celsion had purchased from Celsion Corporation (United States), all of the assets relating to breast cancer Microfocus APA 1000 System (System), consisting of the microwave machine, the adaptive phased array (APA) technology licensed from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). The Company focuses on breast cancer treatment by using microwave heating to enhance neoadjuvant chemotherapy to provide tumor shrinkage and control. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By EquityOptionsGuru]

    Over the past few years, and especially months, biotechnology stocks have been soaring on heightened investor expectations. Investors looking for a unique opportunity to participate in a massive bull rally over the next few years might want to pay special attention to one small but growing company called Medifocus (OTCMKTS:MDFZF).

  • [By Peter Graham]

    Small cap stocks KBridge Energy Corp (OTCMKTS: BMMCF), Medifocus Inc (OTCMKTS: MDFZF) and Inscor Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters and some of it is deserved as the first stock sank 35% on Friday, the second one recently released its financials (which did show a big improvement, but there is also a big catch for investors) and the third one has been the subject of a very aggressive promotional campaign. But are any of these three small caps really all that hot for investors? Here is a quick reality check:

Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015: Western Gas Equity Partners LP (WGP)

Western Gas Equity Partners, LP, incorporated on September 11, 2007, was formed to own three types of partnership interests in Western Gas Partners, LP (WES). WES is a limited partnership formed by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, acquire and develop midstream energy assets. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had no independent operations. On January 13, 2012, WES acquired 100% interest of Mountain Gas Resources LLC (MGR). On August 1, 2012, WES acquired 24% interest of Chipeta Processing LLC (Chipeta).

WES is engaged in the business of gathering, processing, compressing, treating and transporting natural gas, condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil for Anadarko, as well as third-party producers and customers. The assets of WGP, through its partnership interests in WES, include thirteen gathering systems, seven natural gas treating facilities, ten natural gas processing facilities, two NGL pipelines, one interstate gas pipeline, one intrastate gas pipeline, and three separate interests in Fort Union, White Cliffs Pipeline, LLC (White Cliffs) and Rendezvous Gas Services, LLC (Rendezvous). These assets are located in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Utah and Wyoming), and the Mid-Continent (Kansas and Oklahoma). WES also has facilities under construction in South Texas and northeast Colorado. During the year ended December 31, 2011, WES completed the construction of a cryogenic processing train at its Chipeta facility , which had a designed capacity of approximately 300 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and was placed into service in October 2012.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonas Elmerraji]

    The exact same setup is potentially giving traders a reason to jump into shares of $8.5 billion midstream gas company Western Gas Equity Partners (WGP). Just like Flotek, WGP is forming a textbook channel up. And this week, Western Gas is testing trendline support.

    It's a little too early to call WGP's trendline buyable here. At some point, all trends eventually fail -- and when this one does, you don't want to be left holding the bag. A bounce this week will be a good indication that WGP can still catch a bid at this price level. When and if that happens, I'd recommend keeping a tight protective stop in place just below WGP's most recent swing low at $38.

    While the 50-day moving average has been crossing paths with WGP quite a bit in the last month, I'd recommend ignoring it. The average hasn't acted as a meaningful support or resistance level to date. In the case of this particular name, it's just not technically relevant.

Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015: IsoRay Inc (ISR)

IsoRay, Inc. (IsoRay), incorporated on June 15, 2004, develops, manufactures and sells isotope-based medical products and devices for the treatment of cancer and other malignant diseases. IsoRay International LLC (International) is a wholly owned subsidiary of the Company. IsoRay obtained clearance from the Food and Drug Association (FDA) for treatment for all solid tumor applications using Cesium-131. Such applications include prostate cancer; ocular melanoma; head, neck and lung tumors; breast cancer; liver cancer; brain cancer; colorectal cancer; gynecological cancer; esophageal cancer, and pancreatic cancer. The seed may be used in surface, interstitial and intracavity applications for tumors with known radio sensitivity. The Company has an existing distribution agreement with UralDial LLC (UralDial) that allows UralDial to distribute Proxcelan Cs-131 brachytherapy seeds in Russia. The Company, through UralDial, has regulatory approval to sell Cs-131 seeds in Russia.

IsoRay markets the Proxcelan Cesium-131 brachytherapy seed for the treatment of prostate cancer; lung cancer; ocular melanoma; head and neck cancers; colorectal cancer, brain cancer; and gynecological cancer. The Company focuses to market Cesium-131 for the treatment of other malignant disease, such as breast cancer, in the near future through the use of existing technologies that have received FDA-clearance. Cesium-131 is a radioactive isotope that can be produced by the neutron bombardment of Barium-130 (Ba-130). When placed into a nuclear reactor and exposed to a flux of neutrons, Ba-130 becomes Ba-131, the radioactive material that is the parent isotope of Cesium-131. The radioactive isotope Cesium-131 is normally produced by placing a quantity of stable non-radioactive barium (ideally barium enriched in isotope Ba-130) into the neutron flux of a nuclear reactor. The irradiation process converts a small fraction of this material into a radioactive form of barium (Ba-131). The Ba-131 decays by electron capture to the ! radioactive isotope of interest (Cesium-131).

As of June 30, 2011, IsoRay had agreements with several independent radiopharmacies to assay, preload, and sterilize loose seeds. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, the Company loaded approximately 90% of Mick cartridges in the Company's own facility, which accounted for approximately 61% of seeds sold. Approximately 33% of seeds sold are strand configurations, including strands preloaded in needles and the remaining 6% of seeds are sold as loose seeds.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Vanina Egea]

    Strengthening portfolio and business stability is to be reinforced by the introduction of new products. Last December, Textron announced the successful first flight of the Scorpion Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)/Strike aircraft. ��he Scorpion compares very favorably to more costly aircraft currently used for low-threat missions,��pilot Dan Hinson said. The new product is expected to accommodate the budget constraints and shifting mission requirements of the US Department of Defense. The same department has granted the firm an additional contract worth $22.5 million to "deprocess" Mobile Strike Force vehicles and train the Afghan Army.

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    I hate to be the one to say I told you so, but, I told you so. Back on February 26th I suggested IsoRay, Inc. (NYSEMKT:ISR) shares were a budding breakout play. The 48% rally that's played out for ISR in the meantime unfurled right on cue. While overbought in the very short run, this small cap stock looks like it's earning the right to be compared to the likes of bigger brothers in the cancer-treatment space... names like Roche Holding Ltd. (OTCMKTS:RHHBY) or Theragenics Corporation (NYSE:TGX).

Top 10 Regional Bank Stocks To Buy For 2015: Icahn Enterprises L.P. (IEP)

Icahn Enterprises L.P., through its subsidiaries, engages in investment, automotive, gaming, railcar, food packaging, metals, real estate, and home fashion businesses in the United States and internationally. Its Investment segment provides investment advisory, and administrative and back office services to the investment funds. The company�s Automotive segment offers powertrain energy, powertrain sealing and bearings, vehicle safety and protection, and aftermarket products for original equipment manufacturers. Icahn Enterprises L.P.�s Gaming segment owns and operates casino gaming properties. It has 9 casino facilities with 7,485 slot machines, 226 table games and 6,048 hotel rooms in Nevada, Mississippi, Indiana, Louisiana, New Jersey, and Aruba. The company�s Railcar segment designs, manufactures, sells, and leases hopper and tank railcars; custom designed railcar parts and other industrial products, primarily aluminum and special alloy steel castings; and provides r epair and maintenance services for railcar fleets. Icahn Enterprises L.P.�s Food Packaging segment produces and sells cellulosic, fibrous, and plastic casings for the processed meat and poultry industry. The company�s Metals segment collects, processes, and sells ferrous and non-ferrous metals, as well as processes and distributes steel pipe and plate products. Icahn Enterprises L.P.�s Real Estate segment engages in the rental of retail, office, and industrial properties; construction and sale of single-family and multi-family homes, lots in subdivisions and planned communities, and raw land for residential development; and golf and resort activities. The company�s Home Fashion segment manufactures, sources, distributes, markets, and sells home fashion consumer products, including bed, bath, basic bedding, and kitchen textile products. Icahn Enterprises G.P. Inc. serves as the general partner of the company. Icahn Enterprises L.P. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Alex Planes]

    Super investor Carl Icahn of Icahn Enterprises (NASDAQ: IEP  ) has presented his own $15 per-share offer, but this would keep Dell public while Icahn acquired up to 58% of the company's outstanding shares. Icahn already owns 10% of Dell's shares, and Icahn loyalists hold another 5%. He looks poised to raise that stake significantly over the next few trading days: Icahn Enterprises has been cleared to bypass the standard waiting period to raise an investor's stake up to 25%. Icahn now presents a significant roadblock to the Dell buyout, as his long history of activist investing portends a fight for control.

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Top Chemical Stocks To Own For 2016

Top Chemical Stocks To Own For 2016: LCY Chemical Corp (1704.TW)

LCY Chemical Corporation is principally engaged in the manufacture and distribution of polypropylene (PP), solvents and other chemical products. The Company provides methanol products, including methanol, formaldehyde, paraformaldehyde and dimethyl ether, among others; solvents, including ethyl acetate, isopropyl alcohol and methyl isobutyl ketone, as well as electronic chemical products, PP related products, thermoplastic rubber and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). Its products are applied in the manufacture of resins, agricultural pesticides, catalysts, medicines, paintings, inks, artificial leather products, shoes, industrial products, electronic components, toys and electrical appliances, among others. On June 23, 2014, it acquired a certain shares of TECHNOLOGY CORP. After that, it holds 86.65% stake of LCY TECHNOLOGY CORP. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Anna Prior]

    Kraton Performance Polymers Inc.'s(KRA) board is no longer pushing for the company’s stockholders to approve its plans to combine with LCY Chemical Corp.'s(1704.TW) styrenic block copolymer operations.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-chemical-stocks-to-own-for-2016.html

Monday, May 25, 2015

Top 5 Valued Companies To Invest In Right Now

How appropriate that just before Valentine's Day that Comcast would step up as a suitor for Time Warner Cable.

Time Warner Cable, the No. 2 pay TV operator in the U.S., has been fending off advances from No. 4 operator John Malone's Charter Communications for months.

But now TWC has made a better match with No. 1.

ANY LEGAL ROADBLOCKS? Probably not, antitrust experts say

In a deal that would combine the two largest pay-TV operators, Comcast plans to announce Thursday that it will pay $159 per share of Time Warner Cable stock in an all-stock deal valued at about $45 billion. That trumps Charter's earlier offer of about $132.50 per share and is closer to TWC's asking price of $160.

MEDIA DEAL: Comcast to buy Time Warner Cable for $45 billion

The deal makes sense for shareholders because Comcast's price would also be a premium over the company's current market value by about 18%, based on TWC's Wednesday closing price of $135.31.

Top US Stocks To Own For 2016: Tupperware Corporation(TUP)

Tupperware Brands Corporation operates as a direct seller of various products across a range of brands and categories through an independent sales force. The company engages in the manufacture and sale of kitchen and home products, and beauty and personal care products. It offers preparation, storage, and serving solutions for the kitchen and home, as well as kitchen cookware and tools, children?s educational toys, microwave products, and gifts under the Tupperware brand name primarily in Europe, Africa, the Middle East, the Asia Pacific, and North America. The company provides beauty and personal care products, which include skin care products, cosmetics, bath and body care, toiletries, fragrances, nutritional products, apparel, and related products principally in Mexico, South Africa, the Philippines, Australia, and Uruguay. It offers beauty and personal care products under the Armand Dupree, Avroy Shlain, BeautiControl, Fuller, NaturCare, Nutrimetics, Nuvo, and Swissgar de brand names. The company sells its Tupperware products directly to distributors, directors, managers, and dealers; and beauty products primarily through consultants and directors. As of December 26, 2009, the Tupperware distribution system had approximately 1,800 distributors, 61,300 managers, and 1.3 million dealers; and the sales force representing the Beauty businesses approximately 1.1 million. The company was formerly known as Tupperware Corporation and changed its name to Tupperware Brands Corporation in December 2005. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Orlando, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Shares of Herbalife have gained 0.9% to $79.51 this morning in pre-open trading. Its shares have gained 139% this year, a nice gain, but lagging Nu Skin Enterprises 271% rise. Avon Products�(AVP), another multi-level marketer, has gained 21% so far this year, while Tupperware Brands�(TUP) has risen 49%.

  • [By Arie Goren]

    After running this screen on May 21, 2013, before the markets' open, I discovered the following eight stocks: Sunoco Logistics Partners LP (SXL), Leggett & Platt Inc (LEG), Copa Holdings SA (CPA), RPC Inc. (RES), Tupperware Brands Corp. (TUP), Herbalife Ltd. (HLF), John Wiley & Sons Inc. (JW.A) and C.H. Robinson Worldwide Inc. (CHRW).

  • [By Teresa Rivas]

    We think KMB will be perceived as the safest of the multinationals. Its sales outside the US are about 55% of total; this compares to 65%-70% for Procter & Gamble (PG) and Coty (COTY) and 80%-90% for Colgate (CL), Avon and Tupperware (TUP). In general, its risk to the most volatile currencies is below average (its exposure to Eastern Europe is less than 2% of sales), though it is still translating results in Venezuela (about 3% of sales and profit) at the official rate of 6.3 VEF/$ (the parallel rate just hit 175 VEF/$) and Argentina (also 3% of sales) may devalue again. The cost of important raw materials has started to weaken; as they follow oil�� decline they could boost gross margins in 2H15. Of note, polypropylene and natural gas are off 17% 4Q-to-date; pulp prices, while not declining much, seem manageable.

Top 5 Valued Companies To Invest In Right Now: Schlumberger N.V.(SLB)

Schlumberger Limited, together with its subsidiaries, supplies technology, integrated project management, and information solutions to the oil and gas exploration and production industries worldwide. The company?s Oilfield Services segment provides exploration and production services; wireline technology that offers open-hole and cased-hole services; supplies engineering support, directional-drilling, measurement-while-drilling, and logging-while-drilling services; and testing services. This segment also offers well services; supplies well completion services and equipment; artificial lift; data and consulting services; geo services; and information solutions, such as consulting, software, information management system, and IT infrastructure services that support oil and gas industry. Its WesternGeco segment provides reservoir imaging, monitoring, and development services; and operates data processing centers and multiclient seismic library. This segment also offers variou s services include 3D and time-lapse (4D) seismic surveys to multi-component surveys for delineating prospects and reservoir management. The company?s M-I SWACO segment supplies drilling fluid systems to improve drilling performance; fluid systems and specialty tools to optimize wellbore productivity; production technology solutions to maximize production rates; and environmental solutions that manages waste volumes generated in drilling and production operations. Its Smith Oilfield segment designs, manufactures, and markets drill bits and borehole enlargement tools; and supplies drilling tools and services, tubular, completion services, and other related downhole solutions. The company?s Distribution segment markets pipes, valves, and fittings, as well as mill, safety, and other maintenance products. This segment also provides warehouse management, vendor integration, and inventory management services. Schlumberger Limited was founded in 1927 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Tyler Crowe]

    Surprisingly, our energy boom could help China, but not in the way you might think. The energy sector in the U.S. has been an incubator for innovative drilling techniques and technologies over the past few years. Now we have a near monopoly on the technology. Like the U.S., China has massive shale gas deposits, and the technology we possess could help them develop domestic sources and allow them to become more energy self-sufficient. We're starting to see it happen. Royal Dutch Shell (NYSE: RDS-A  ) has signed a deal with PetroChina (NYSE: PTR  ) to spend $1 billion a year to develop shale resources there. Also, fracking�specialists�Haliburton (NYSE: HAL  ) and Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) are partnering with various Chinese companies to supply the country with hydraulic fracturing equipment and specialty fluids.�

  • [By Matt DiLallo]

    Investors may wonder if peers like�Halliburton� (NYSE: HAL  ) �and�Schlumberger� (NYSE: SLB  ) �were pressured this quarter as well. Both companies have waded through the sluggish North American market by relying on growth overseas. If that trend continues, it should continue to mute some of the weakness Nabors experienced.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Schlumberger (NYSE: SLB  ) reported earnings on July 19. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Schlumberger met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

  • [By Lee Jackson]

    Schlumberger Ltd. (NYSE: SLB) is another mega cap oil field services stock to buy for 2014. Strong offshore drilling activity combined with a seasonal rebound in Western Canadian activity have driven Schlumberger’s recent growth. Going into 2014, Schlumberger sees five markets providing strong growth: Russia, Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East, China and Australia. Shareholders are paid a 1.4% dividend. The Deutsche Bank price target is $124, and the consensus is lower at $110. Schlumberger closed Monday at $89.17.

Top 5 Valued Companies To Invest In Right Now: Caterpillar Inc.(CAT)

Caterpillar Inc. manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. It operates through three lines of businesses: Machinery, Engines, and Financial Products. The Machinery business offers construction, mining, and forestry machinery, including track and wheel tractors, track and wheel loaders, pipelayers, motor graders, wheel tractor-scrapers, track and wheel excavators, backhoe loaders, log skidders, log loaders, off-highway trucks, articulated trucks, paving products, skid steer loaders, underground mining equipment, tunnel boring equipment, and related parts. It also manufactures diesel-electric locomotives; and manufactures and services rail-related products and logistics services for other companies. The Engines business provides diesel, heavy fuel, and natural gas reciprocating engines for Caterpillar machinery, electric power generation systems, marine, petrol eum, construction, industrial, agricultural, and other applications. It offers industrial turbines and turbine-related services for oil and gas, and power generation applications. This business also remanufactures Caterpillar engines, machines, and engine components; and offers remanufacturing services for other companies. The Financial Products business provides retail and wholesale financing alternatives for Caterpillar machinery and engines, solar gas turbines, and other equipment and marine vessels, as well as offers loans and various forms of insurance to customers and dealers. It also offers financing for vehicles, power generation facilities, and marine vessels. The company markets its products directly, as well as through its distribution centers, dealers, and distributors. It was formerly known as Caterpillar Tractor Co. and changed its name to Caterpillar Inc. in 1986. Caterpillar Inc. was founded in 1925 and is headquartered in Peoria, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT) released negative November stats which included a 12 percent overall decline in retail sales. The worst performing region was Asia/Pacific, with a decline of 24 percent. Shares lost 0.71 percent, closing at $87.54.

  • [By Rich Duprey]

    China's manufacturing sector is contracting at an alarming rate, and Caterpillar's (NYSE: CAT  ) stock may not be able to surmount the obstacles the collapse is throwing in its path.

  • [By Lee Jackson]

    Caterpillar Inc. (NYSE: CAT) was started as Equal Weight at Morgan Stanley

    Deere & Co. (NYSE: DE) was started as Underweight with a $72 price target (versus $84.48 close) by Morgan Stanley.

  • [By Dan Carroll]

    Komatsu has seen its sales fall in China, where the company leads the manufacturing industry. However, despite China's recent slowdown, Komatsu leadership still sees demand picking up between 5% and 10% in the world's second-largest economy as the Chinese government contemplates its own stimulus plans. The weak yen will mean that Komatsu's sales matter all the more, particularly as top competitor Caterpillar (NYSE: CAT  ) , which has been hammered by the mining industry's decline, ramps up its own China operations. Caterpillar lags Komatsu in China, but it increased its Chinese sales year over year in the first quarter.

Top 5 Valued Companies To Invest In Right Now: Dollar Tree Inc.(DLTR)

Dollar Tree, Inc. operates discount variety stores in the United States and Canada. Its stores offer merchandise primarily at the fixed price of $1.00. The company operates its stores under the names of Dollar Tree, Deal$, Dollar Tree Deal$, Dollar Giant, and Dollar Bills. Its stores offer consumable merchandise, including candy and food, and health and beauty care, as well as household consumables, such as paper, plastics, household chemicals, in select stores, and frozen and refrigerated food; variety merchandise, which includes toys, durable housewares, gifts, party goods, greeting cards, softlines, and other items; and seasonal goods, such as Easter, Halloween, and Christmas merchandise. As of April 30, 2011, it operated 4,089 stores in 48 states and the District of Columbia, as well as 88 stores in Canada. The company was founded in 1986 and is based in Chesapeake, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    Consumers and cooks have an expectation that mayonnaise should both taste and perform like mayonnaise.

    "Consumers and cooks have an expectation that mayonnaise should both taste and perform like mayonnaise. Just Mayo does neither," the complaint states, noting that the Hampton Creek product's oils separate when heated. Unilever holds the biggest share of the U.S. mayonnaise market, which is estimated to be worth $2 billion annually, according to market-research firm Euromonitor. That's more than twice the size of the ketchup market. Hampton Creek didn't return calls from The Associated Press seeking comment Tuesday morning. The company told The Wall Street Journal that it doesn't mislead consumers because it advertises the absence of eggs as a benefit. But a marketing professor hired by Unilever to survey consumers found in an online survey that more than half of thought Just Mayo was mayonnaise when they saw the label. The professor said in a document filed last week that 822 consumers participated in the research. Just Mayo is the first product from Hampton Creek, a San Francisco-based startup that touts the backing of Microsoft (MSFT) founder Bill Gates and Li Ka-shing, Asia's wealthiest person. Just Mayo is available at Dollar Tree (DLTR), Whole Foods Market (WFM) and Kroger (KR) stores, among other locations. Hellmann's celebrated its 100th anniversary last year. Mayonnaise originated in France in the 1700s, when a chef seeking to make a creamy sauce combined oil and egg yolks.

Best Promising Stocks To Invest In 2016

Best Promising Stocks To Invest In 2016: Digital Ally Inc.(DGLY)

Digital Ally, Inc. engages in the production and sale of digital video imaging, audio/video recording, storage, and other products for use in law enforcement and security applications. Its digital audio/video recording and storage product line comprises an in-car digital audio/video system that is integrated into a rear view mirror; an all-weather mobile digital audio/video system designed for motorcycle, ATV, and boat uses; a miniature body-worn digital audio/video camera; a hand-held speed detection system based on light detection and ranging (LIDAR); a hand-held thermal imaging camera used for improved night vision; and a digital audio/video system, which is integrated into a law-enforcement style flashlight. The company?s products make self-contained video and audio recordings onto flash memory cards that are incorporated in the body of the digital video rear view mirror, officer-worn video, and audio system and flashlight. Digital Ally, Inc. sells its products to law enforcement agencies and other security organizations, as well as for consumer and commercial applications through direct sales and third-party distributors. The company is based in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    Back on August 29th, I had the unfortunate job of explaining that the Digital Ally, Inc. (NASDAQ:DGLY) rally had likely run most - if not all - of its course, and DGLY shares were poised to move lower..... soon, and a lot. It wasn't a particularly popular idea to float to the investing public, many of whom had just purchased Digital Ally on the way up, in the wake of the St. Louis riots. That social unrest put the spotlight on the need for security tools like the ones supplied by DGLY, and once thrust into the limelight, the sky was the limit with new-found notoriety. Anyone who even suggested the st! ock could do anything but go up from there was clearly a lunatic.

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Digital Ally (NASDAQ: DGLY) said that a police department in Tennessee placed an order for the company's wearable cameras, in-car systems, motorcycle video systems and VuLink connectivity devices. Shares gained 8.79 percent, closing at $12.50.

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    There's no denying Tesla Motors Inc. (NASDAQ:TSLA) has been one of year's top investment stories, with shares running up from less than $40 to more than $194 in just a few short months. But, as one might imagine, that 385% runup from TSLA creates something of a disconnect between the company and its share price. Time to head for the exit. Instead, a better use of that now-considerably-greater capital is a position in Digital Ally, Inc. (NASDAQ:DGLY) ... a stock that's also had a pretty good 2014, but has suffered more than a small setback since mid-September. Specifically, DGLY has pulled back from a peak price of $17.47 to a low of $9.88 as of Friday. But, it looks like that correction may have already come to an end.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-promising-stocks-to-invest-in-2016.html

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Hot Construction Material Stocks To Buy Right Now

Hot Construction Material Stocks To Buy Right Now: CEMEX SAB de CV (CX)

CEMEX, S.A.B. de C.V. (CEMEX), incorporated on January 20, 1931, is a global cement manufacturer with operations in North America, Europe, South America, Central America, the Caribbean, Africa, the Middle East and Asia. The Company is a holding company engaged through the operating subsidiaries in the production, distribution, marketing and sale of cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and clinker. As of December 31, 2009, the Company's cement production facilities were located in Mexico, the United States, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Poland, Croatia, Latvia, Colombia, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Panama, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, Egypt, the Philippines and Thailand.

The Company manufactures cement through a closely controlled chemical process, which begins with the mining and crushing of limestone and clay, and, in some instances, other raw materials. The clay and limestone are then pre-homogenized, a process which consists of combining diffe rent types of clay and limestone. The mix is typically dried, then fed into a grinder, which grinds the various materials in preparation for the kiln. The raw materials are calcined, or processed, at a very high temperature in a kiln, to produce clinker. Clinker is the intermediate product used in the manufacture of cement.

Ready-mix concrete is a combination of cement, fine and coarse aggregates, admixtures (which control properties of the concrete including plasticity, pumpability, freeze-thaw resistance, strength and setting time), and water. The Company is a supplier of aggregates primarily the crushed stone, sand and gravel, used in virtually all forms of construction.

Mexican Operations

During the year ended December 31, 2009, the Mexican operations represented approximately 21% of the Company's net sales. ! CEMEX Mexico is a direct subsidiary of CEMEX and is both a holding company for some of the operating companies in Mexico a nd an operating company involved in the manufacturing and ma! rketing of cement, plaster, gypsum, groundstone and other construction materials and cement by-products in Mexico. CEMEX Mexico, indirectly, is also the holding company for the international operations. The Company owns Tolteca, Monterrey, Maya, Anahuac, Campana, Gallo, and Centenario brands in Mexico. As of December 31, 2009, the Company owned 100% of CEMEX Mexico.

The Company competes with Holcim Ltd., Sociedad Cooperativa Cruz Azul, Cementos Moctezuma, Grupo Cementos Chihuahua and Lafarge Cementos in Mexico.

U.S. Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company's operations in the United States represented approximately 19% of the Company's net sales. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX, Inc. As of December 31, 2009, CEMEX had a cement manufacturing capacity of approximately 17.9 million tons per year in the United States operations. As of December 31, 2009, the Company operated 14 cement plants located in Al abama, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Texas. As of December 31, 2009, it also had 48 rails or water served active cement distribution terminals in the United States. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had 336 ready-mix concrete plants located in the Carolinas, Florida, Georgia, Texas, New Mexico, Nevada, Arizona, California, Oregon and Washington and aggregates facilities in North Carolina, South Carolina, Arizona, California, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, New Mexico, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, and Washington.

Spanish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the operations in Spain represented approximately 5% of the Company's net sales. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held approximately 99.8% of CEMEX Espana, the main operating subsidiary in Spain. The cement activities ! in Spain ! are conducted by CEMEX Espana. The ready-mix concrete activities in Spain are conducted by Hormicemex, S.A., a subsidiar y of CEMEX Espana, and the aggregates activities in Spain ar! e conduct! ed by Aricemex S.A., also a subsidiary of CEMEX Espana.

U.K. Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company's operations in the United Kingdom represented approximately 8% of the Company's net sales. As of December 31, 2009, it held 100% of CEMEX Investments Limited, the holding subsidiary in the United Kingdom. The Company is a provider of building materials in the United Kingdom with vertically integrated cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and asphalt operations. It is also a provider of concrete and precast materials solutions, such as concrete blocks, concrete block paving, roof tiles, flooring systems and sleepers for rail infrastructure.

The Company competes with Lafarge, Heidelberg, Tarmac, and Aggregate Industries in the United Kingdom.

German Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the operations in the Rest of Europe consisted of the operations in Germany, France, Ireland, Poland, Croatia, the Czech Republic, Latvia, Austria and Hungary, as well as the other European assets. The Company is a provider of building materials in Germany, with vertically integrated cement, ready-mix concrete, aggregates and concrete products operations (consisting mainly of prefabricated concrete ceilings and walls). It maintains a network for ready-mix concrete and aggregates in Germany. As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Deutschland AG, the holding subsidiary in Germany.

The Company competes with Heidelberg, Dyckerhoff, Lafarge, Holcim and Schwenk in Germany.

French Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX France Gestion (S.A.S.), the holding subsidiary in France. It is a ready-mix concrete producer and aggregate producer in France. As of December 31, 2009, th! e Company! operated 239 ready-mix concrete plants in France, one maritime cement terminal located in LeHavre, on the northern coast of Franc e, 20 land distribution centers and 42 aggregates quarries.

The Company competes with Lafarge, Holcim, Italcementi, Vicat, Lafarge, Italcementi, Colas (Bouygues) and Eurovia (Vinci) in France.

Irish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held approximately 61.2% of Readymix Plc, the operating subsidiary in the Republic of Ireland. The operations in Ireland produce and supply sand, stone and gravel, as well as ready-mix concrete, mortar and concrete blocks. As of December 31, 2009, we operated 43 ready-mix concrete plants, 27 aggregates quarries and 15 block plants located in the Republic of Ireland, Northern Ireland and the Isle of Man. The Company imports and distributes cement in the Isle of Man.

The Company competes with CRH, the Lagan Group and Kilsaran in the Republic of Ireland.

Polish Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Polska Sp. z.o.o. (CEMEX Polska), the holding subsidiary in Poland. It is a provider of building mat erials in Poland serving the cement, ready-mix concrete and aggregates markets. As of December 31, 2009, CEMEX operated two cement plants and one grinding mill in Poland, with a total installed cement capacity of three million tons per year. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated 39 ready-mix concrete plants and nine aggregates quarries in Poland. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated 10 land distribution centers and two maritime terminals in Poland.

The Company competes with Heidelberg, Lafarge, CRH and Dyckerhoff in Poland.

Southeast European Operations

As of December 31, 2009, the Company held 100% of CEMEX Hrvatska d.d. (Hrvatska), the operating subsidiary in Croatia. As of December 31, 2009, it operated three cement plants in Croatia, with an installed capacit! y of 2.4 ! million tons per year. As of December 31, 2009, the Company also operated ten land distribution centers, three maritime cement terminals, e ight ready-mix concrete facilities and one aggregates quarry! in Croat! ia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Slovenia, Serbia and Montenegro.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By GuruFocus]

    George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) just reported his first quarter portfolio. He buys Citrix Systems Inc, Baker Hughes Inc, Comcast Corp, Spansion Inc, etc during the 3-months ended 03/31/2014, according to the most recent filings of his investment company, Soros Fund Management LLC. As of 03/31/2014, Soros Fund Management LLC owns 305 stocks with a total value of $10.1 billion. These are the details of the buys and sells.New Purchases: BHI, CODE, CTRP, CLI, AVB, COMM, CNQ, AGO, AUY, ATML, ASH, BXMT, CSTM, AEM, CMA, ARE, CHKP, AUQ, BEAV, CX, ADSK, AALCP, BLK, AIG, BIIB, ADEP, AMRI, ARWR, ATHX, BALT, BCRX, BEAT, CFX, CLFD, CUR, CODE,Added Positions: CTXS, CMCSA, CNP, ALTR, BRCD, CBS, CRM, CHTR, CCJ, CIEN, BIDU, ALLE, ABT, CDNS, ACT,Reduced Positions: AAPL, CCI, AMT, ABBV, AAL, BITA, AL, ANGI, ARIA, CBST, BA, BIRT, EXAR,Sold Out: C, BAC, CRI, AMZN, AGN, CF, BRCM, COTY, BMY, AMCX, CAR, A, ADBE, AFL,For the details of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)'s stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=George+SorosThis is the sector weightings of his portfolio:Technology18.9%Energy14%Healthcare8.3%Consumer Defensive8.2%Communication Services8.1%Consumer Cyclical5.4%Industrials5.1%Basic Materials4.9%Financial Services2.5%Real Estate1.9%Utilities0.5%These are the top 5 holdings of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)1. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA) - 10,310,041 shares, 5.4% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 10.67%2. Herbalife Ltd (HLF) - 4,901,337 shares, 2.8% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 52.9%3. EQT Corp (EQT) - 2,573,814 shares, 2.5% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 3.27%4. Adecoagro SA (AGRO) - 25,915,076 shares, 2! .1% of th! e total portfolio.5. Halliburton Co (HAL) - 3,596,353 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 20.73%New Purchase: Baker Hughes Inc (BHI)George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) initiated holdings in Baker Hughes Inc. His purchase prices were between $51.82 and $65.2 7, with an estimated

  • [By Monica Wolfe]

    Cemex SAB de CV (CX)

    As of the close of the third quarter there were nine guru owners of Cemex. These gurus held a combined weighting of 5.30%. During the third quarter, there were three gurus making buys and nine making sells of their stake in CX.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Shares of Vulcan have gained 7.6%, and given a lift to other cement makers today, including Martin Marietta Materials (MLM), which has risen 4.9% and reports earnings on Thursday, Cemex (CX), which has advanced 1.5%, and Texas Industries (TXI), which is up 4.9%.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Even now, though, it's far from clear whether the recent rebound has staying power. Earlier this month, peer Vulcan Materials (NYSE: VMC  ) reported 5% lower shipments of aggregates, although rising prices helped offset the impact, and the company noted double-digit-percentage increases in shipments to hot housing areas including Arizona, California, and Florida. Similarly, Cemex (NYSE: CX  ) posted a substantial loss for its March quarter on with 5% lower revenue, but the Mexican company pointed to strength in the U.S. and Asian markets as offsetting weakness in Mexico, Europe, and Latin America.

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-construction-material-stocks-to-buy-right-now.html

Saturday, May 23, 2015

Top 10 European Companies To Invest In 2016

Top 10 European Companies To Invest In 2016: BP p.l.c.(BP)

BP p.l.c. provides fuel for transportation, energy for heat and light, retail services, and petrochemicals products. Its Exploration and Production segment engages in the oil and natural gas exploration, field development, and production; midstream transportation, and storage and processing; and marketing and trading of natural gas, including liquefied natural gas (LNG), and power and natural gas liquids (NGL). This segment has exploration and production activities in Angola, Azerbaijan, Canada, Egypt, Norway, Russia, Trinidad and Tobago, the United Kingdom, and the United States, as well as in Asia, Australasia, South America, North Africa, and the Middle East. This segment also owns and manages crude oil and natural gas pipelines; processing facilities and export terminals; and LNG processing and transportation, as well as NGL extraction facilities. BP p.l.c. has interests in the Trans-Alaska pipeline system, the Forties pipeline system, the Central Area transmission sys tem pipeline, the South Caucasus Pipeline, and Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, as well as in LNG plants located in Trinidad, Indonesia, and Australia. The company?s Refining and Marketing segment involves in the supply and trading, refining, manufacturing, marketing, and transportation of crude oil, petroleum, and petrochemicals products and related services to wholesale and retail customers primarily under the BP, Castrol, ARCO, and Aral brands. Its Other Businesses and Corporate segment produces and markets rolled aluminum products, as well as generates energy through wind, solar, biofuels, hydrogen, and carbon capture and storage sources; and engages in shipping activities. The company was founded in 1889 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Syme thinks BG (BRGYY), Total (TOT), ConocoPh! illips (COP) and BP (BP) make better bets. He explains why:

    What works in this environment? We see the best opportunities around companies with strong growth credentials (BG, Total, ConocoPhillips) and those that are quick to align with the needs of shareholders at this point in the cycle (BG, BP, Total and ConocoPhillips) – all Buys.

  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    We're in the same shoes as the consumer, the cost of fuel is less for us.

    "We're in the same shoes as the consumer, the cost of fuel is less for us," says Kevin Beyer, who owns Performance Fuels, a filling station and convenience store in Smithtown, New York. That means profits for Beyer and the nation's 127,000 filling stations are rising. Before they sell gas to you, station owners buy gas on the wholesale market. When the wholesale price of gasoline falls quickly the difference between the cost of wholesale gasoline (including taxes) and the price at the pump gets wider, boosting profits for stations. The steeper the drop, the better. "It's completely antithetical to what people believe," says Tom Kloza, chief oil analyst at the Oil Price Information Service. That difference has stretched to 21.7 cents a gallon this year, the highest ever, according to an OPIS analysis of 16,000 U.S. stations. That compares to an average of 17.1 cents over the last five years. On a percentage basis, station profitability is at its highest since 2005. And profits on diesel sales are even higher. "They are off the charts," Kloza says. Yes, that means you could be paying even less for gasoline than you are. But before you cry foul, you should know that after all the ups and downs in a year, gas stations do not make much money from selling gasoline. After credit card fees and other operating costs, net profit for gasoline sales averages 3 cents a gallon, according the National Association of Convenience Stores. Scraping By When gas prices soar, and drivers think they're being gouged, stations are barely scraping by or ! even losi! ng money. When the wholesale price is soaring, like it did in 2008, 2011 and 2012, station owners can't increase the price at the pump as fast as their costs are going up or they risk losing customers to competitors. When the wholesale price is going down, like now, there isn't the same pressure to lower the price. Drivers are so happy to se
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    HSBC’s Gordon Gray and team think it’s time to start buying big oil companies like Total (TOT), Chevron (CVX) and BP (BP). In a report released yesterday, they explained why:

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    The combination of low oil prices and the possibility for an oil spill settlement have made oil giant BP (BP) a takeover target say Oppenheimer analysts Fadel Gheit and Luis Amadeo. They explain:

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-european-companies-to-invest-in-2016.html

Wednesday, May 20, 2015

10 Best Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now

With shares of Seagate Technology Public Limited Company (NASDAQ:STX) trading at around $36.84, is STX an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

C = Catalyst for the Stock�� Movement

There�� a lot of bullishness�sentiment ahead of earnings. While it�� definitely possible that all these optimists are correct, it�� a bit frightening. However, it doesn�� matter. The reason it doesn�� matter will be explained in the Trends section. For now, here�� a quick look at positives and negatives for the company.

NEW! Discover a new stock idea each week for less than the cost of 1 trade. CLICK HERE for your Weekly Stock Cheat Sheets NOW!

Positives:

4.20 percent yield (higher than peers) Beat expectations last quarter Strong cash flow Margins still strong despite recent contractions Dominant HDD position Strong storage demand from enterprises

Negatives:

Best Cheap Companies To Own For 2016: Siemens AG (SI)

Siemens AG (Siemens), incorporated on August 28, 1996, is a globally operating technology company with core activities in the fields of energy, healthcare, industry and infrastructure. Siemens business activities focus on four sectors, Energy, Healthcare, Industry and Infrastructure & Cities. These sectors form four of Siemens reportable segments. In addition to the four sectors, Siemens has two additional reportable segments: Equity Investments and Siemens Financial Services (SFS). The Energy sector comprises four divisions: Power Generation, Wind Power, Power Transmission and Energy Service. The Healthcare Sector includes four divisions: Imaging & Therapy Systems, Clinical Products, Diagnostics and Customer Solutions; and one sector-led Business Unit, Audiology Solutions. The Industry sector consists of three divisions: Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services; and one sector-led Business Unit, Metals Technologies. The Infrastructure & Cities sector consists of five divisions: Rail Systems, Mobility and Logistics, Low and Medium Voltage, Smart Grid, and Building Technologies. In July 2013 Siemens sold its stake in the Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) joint venture to Nokia and OSRAM Licht AG was spun off from Siemens.

Industry

The Industry Sector offers a broad spectrum of products, solutions and services that help customers use resources and energy. The Sector�� integrated technologies and holistic solutions primarily address industrial customers, particularly those in the process and manufacturing industries. The portfolio spans industry automation, industrial software, drive products and services, system integration, and solutions for industrial plant businesses. The Industry Sector consists of three Divisions: Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services. The Sector also includes a sector-led Business Unit, Metals Technologies. In addition to its Sector-level financial results, Industry also breaks out financial results for the Indust! ry Automation Division and the Drive Technologies Division. The Industry Automation Division offers a range of standard products and system solutions for automation technologies used in the manufacturing and process industries. The Division�� offerings include automation systems and software, motor controls, machine-to- machine communication products, sensors, product and production lifecycle management products, and software for simulating and testing mechatronic systems. The Drive Technologies Division offers products and comprehensive systems across the entire drive train. These offerings are customized to the respective application and include numerical control systems, inverters, converters, motors (geared and gearless), drives and couplings. In addition, Drive Technologies supplies integrated automation systems for machine tools and production machines. The Division also offers integrated lifecycle solutions and services for industries such as shipbuilding, cement, mining, and pulp and paper. The Customer Services Division offers a comprehensive portfolio of services and supports industrial customers.

Energy

The Energy Sector offers a spectrum of products, solutions and services for generating and transmitting power, and for extracting, converting and transporting oil and gas. The Fossil Power Generation Division offers products and solutions for fossil-based power generation. The Division concentrates on products and solutions for gas and steam turbines, turbo generators, heat recovery steam generators including control systems, with an emphasis on combined-cycle power plants. It also develops solutions for instrumentation and control systems for all types of power plants and for use in power generation. The Wind Power Division manufactures wind turbines for onshore and offshore applications, including both geared turbines and direct drive machines. The product portfolio is based on four product platforms, two for each of the onshore and offshore applications. The Oil ! & Gas Div! ision has a comprehensive portfolio of rotating machinery (gas turbines, steam turbines, compressors with associated equipment) and electrical, instrumentation and telecommunication (EIT) solutions. The Power Transmission Division provides customers with turnkey power transmission solutions as well as discrete products, systems and related engineering and services. It covers high-voltage transmission solutions, power and distribution transformers, high-voltage switching and non-switching products and systems, and alternating and direct current transmission systems. The Energy Service Division offers comprehensive services for products, solutions and technologies, covering performance enhancements, maintenance services, customer trainings and consulting services for the Divisions Fossil Power Generation, Wind Power and Oil & Gas. The Wind Power Division is active in both the onshore and the offshore market segments globally. Power Transmission Division is expanding infrastructure in emerging countries, equipment replacement and modernization in mature economies, and integration of renewable energies.

Healthcare

The Healthcare Sector offers customers a comprehensive portfolio of medical solutions across the treatment chain-ranging from medical imaging to in-vitro diagnostics to interventional systems and clinical information technology systems-all from a single source. In addition, the Sector provides technical maintenance, professional and consulting services, and, together with Financial Services (SFS), financing to assist customers in purchasing the Sector�� products. The Healthcare Sector includes four Divisions: Imaging & Therapy Systems, Clinical Products, Diagnostics and Customer Solutions. The Sector also includes one sector-led Business Unit, Audiology Solutions. In addition to its Sector-level financial results, Healthcare also separately breaks out financial results for the Diagnostics Division.

The Imaging & Therapy Systems Division provides large-scale! medical ! devices for diagnostic imaging and for image-guided therapies. Imaging equipment includes computed tomographs, magnetic resonance imaging equipment, angiography systems for diagnostics, and positron emission tomography. The Clinical Products Division mainly comprises the business with ultrasound and X-ray equipment including mammography. The Diagnostics Division offers products and services in the area of in-vitro diagnostics. The Division�� product portfolio represents a comprehensive range of diagnostic testing systems and consumables, including offerings for clinical chemistry and immunodiagnostics, molecular diagnostics, hematology, hemostasis, microbiology, point-of-care testing and clinical laboratory automation solutions. The Customer Solutions Division provides healthcare information technology (HIT) systems. It is responsible for the Sector�� service business and customer relationship management on a global level.

Equity Investments

The Equity Investments comprises equity stakes held by Siemens that are accounted for by the equity method, at cost or as current available-for-sale financial assets and for strategic reasons are not allocated to a Sector, SFS, Centrally managed portfolio activities, Siemens Real Estate (SRE), Corporate items or Corporate Treasury. Its main investments within Equity Investments are its stake of 50% in BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgerate GmbH (BSH), its stake of 17% in OSRAM Licht AG (OSRAM) as well as its 49% stake in Enterprise Networks Holdings B.V. (EN).

Financial Services

Financial Services provides a variety of financial services and products to other Siemens units and their customers and to third parties. SFS has three strategic pillars: supporting Siemens units with finance solutions for their customers, managing financial risks of Siemens and offering third-party finance services and products. SFS��business can be divided into capital business and fee business. The Commercial Finance Business Unit offers! a compre! hensive range of solutions for equipment financing, leasing, rental and related financing for equipment supplied by Siemens or third-party providers. The Venture Capital Business Segment�� main task, together with Siemens��Sectors, is to identify and finance young companies worldwide. The Treasury Business Unit operates the global Corporate Treasury of the Siemens Group, with SFS employee�� thereby managing liquidity, cash and financial risks (interest, foreign exchange, commodities) on behalf of Corporate Treasury. The Financing & Investment Management Business Unit manages fee-based receivables and offers investment management services. The Insurance Business Unit acts primarily as an insurance broker for Siemens and external customers.

Infrastructure & Cities

The Infrastructure & Cities Sector offers a range of technologies for the sustainability of metropolitan centers and urban infrastructures worldwide, such as integrated mobility solutions, building and security systems, power distribution equipment, smart grid applications and low and medium-voltage products. The Sector consists of five Divisions: Rail Systems; Mobility and Logistics; Low and Medium Voltage; Smart Grid; and Building Technologies. The Rail Systems Division comprises Siemens��rail vehicle business, encompassing the entire spectrum of rolling stock-including high-speed trains, commuter trains, passenger coaches, metros, people movers, light rail vehicles, locomotives, bogies, traction systems and rail-related services. The Mobility and Logistics Division primarily provides products, solutions (including IT solutions) and services for rail transportation operating systems, such as central control systems, interlockings and automated controls. The Division also provides offerings for road traffic, including traffic detection, information and guidance systems.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Dan Carroll]

    This all adds up to a risky bet for the German economy, which hangs on to growth by a thread. Leading German manufacturers are also in danger while exports are at risk. Siemens' (NYSE: SI  ) stock plunged more than 5% this week, as the global conglomerate's own Chinese business risks falling on the nation's downturn. Just a few years ago, Siemens' Chinese prospects were soaring, helped by the country's mass urbanization and need for manufactured goods and electronics. Now, however, the company's CEO says he sees "no momentum" from China, and the company has cut its sales outlook for this year. That's a bad omen for Germany from a diversified company often seen as a bellwether of the nation's economy.

  • [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

    Siemens provides a range of valuable technology products and services to a number of industries around the world. The company reported earnings that showed losses, although they were less then expected. The stock has struggled in recent years but is now trading near highs for the year. Over the last four quarters, earnings have been decreasing while revenues are mixed, which has produced conflicting feelings among investors in the company. Relative to its peers and sector, Siemens has been a weak year-to-date performer. WAIT AND SEE what Siemens does this quarter.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) announced its plans to lower 15,000 jobs over the next year, according to news reports. Siemens shares fell 0.12% to close at $121.78 on Friday.

  • [By Tyler Crowe]

    Of the major wind turbine producers in the world, only General Electric (NYSE: GE  ) and Siemens (NYSE: SI  ) are publicly traded on the U.S. exchanges. Fortunately, they also are the two largest manufacturers in terms of U.S. market share. Combined, the two companies possess just over 58% of the U.S. wind turbine market. The two companies are also No. 1 and No. 3 in terms of global market share, with Danish company Vestas squeezing between the two in the global market.�

10 Best Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KWHIY)

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (KHI), incorporated on October 15, 1896, is a global manufacturer of transportation equipment and industrial goods. KHI manufactures ships, rolling stock, aircraft and jet engines, gas turbine power generators, environmental and industrial plants, and range of manufacturing equipment and systems. KHI also produces consumer products, such as Kawasaki-brand motorcycles and personal watercraft. KHI�� business is divided into seven operations: shipbuilding, rolling stock and construction machinery, aerospace, gas turbines and machinery, plant and infrastructure engineering, consumer products and machinery, and hydraulic machinery.

Kawasaki Shipbuilding Corporation, which is the company of this segment, is engaged in building gas carriers and submarines, which require advanced design and construction technologies. It offers

a range of liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers, extending from small carriers with cargo tank capacities of 19,000 cubic meters to large carriers with capacities of 177,000 cubic meters. It also developed and offered in its lineup a pressure build-up type LNG carrier for short distance and small-volume transportation. The Company�� shipbuilding operations include products, such as LNG carriers, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) carriers, container ships, very large crude carriers (VLCCs) and other types of tankers, bulk carriers, high speed vessels, submarines, maritime application equipment.

KHI�� rolling stock production systems are located in Hyogo and Harima in Japan and in Lincoln, Nebraska, and Yonkers, New York, in United States. Kawasaki completed its light rail vehicle (LRV), dubbed SWIMO. It also is developing efSET (Environmentally Friendly Super Express Train) which achieves a service speed of 350 kilometers per hour (km/h). Regarding the construction machinery business, Kawasaki has arranged a business alliance with Hitachi Construction Machinery Co., Ltd., and TCM Corporation. As of April 1, 2009, the Compa! ny split off its construction machinery business as a wholly owned subsidiary of KHI, KCM Corporation.

KHI is the prime contractor for the development of the MOD�� large-scale XP-1 and C-X aircraft. In the commercial aircraft field, KHI delivered a test model of Boeing�� 787 Dreamliner passenger aircraft. KHI is a partner corporation in the development and production of the 787 Dreamliner.

The Gas Turbines & Machinery segment has a range of products for the energy and transportation equipment field. KHI focuses to expand its global business by offering solutions for its customers that include a lineup of in-house developed gas turbines together with product support and maintenance. During the year ended December 31, 2008, the 8MW-class power-generating capacity Kawasaki Green Gas Engine had 4,000 hours of operational testing.

The plant and infrastructure engineering segment encompasses the operations of Kawasaki Plant Systems, Ltd. (K Plant), which undertakes projects to supply energy-related, industrial infrastructure, environmental preservation systems and equipment, and the operations of the parent company�� Industrial Facilities and Tunneling Equipment Division, which mainly focuses on LNG tanks and diverse other storage tanks along with shield machines and tunnel-boring machines. The Anhui Conch Kawasaki Energy Conservation Equipment Manufacturing Co., Ltd. (CKM) is engaged in the manufacturing of PH boiler parts that are employed in waste heat power plants. CKM has commenced the manufacturing and sales of environmental preservation related products, including cement plant components, such as vertical mills, boilers for waste heat recovery power generation systems, and waste gasification systems and sewage treatment systems that can be integrated with cement kilns to enable municipal waste recycling.

The consumer products and machinery segment includes the manufacture of motorcycles, all terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility vehicles, personal! watercra! ft, general purpose gasoline engines and industrial robots. In the motorcycle line, Kawasaki launched the ZRX1200 DAEG and the Ninja ZX-6R. In the cruiser segment, Kawasaki launched its Vulcan 1700 series with developed engine and chassis. This series includes the Vulcan 1700 Voyager, a full-dress V-twin engine tourer with a load of long-distance touring equipment. In the utility vehicle category, KHI equipped the Teryx 750 series with an electronic fuel injection system, mainly for recreational use. The MULE utility-oriented vehicle series was restyled with the launch of the MULE 4010 series.

The hydraulic machinery operations include Kawasaki Precision Machinery Ltd. (KPM). It has five manufacturing and marketing facilities, which comprises KPM�� headquarters plant and the facilities

of Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.K.) Limited; Kawasaki Precision Machinery (U.S.A.), Inc.; China based Kawasaki Precision Machinery (Suzhou) Ltd.; and Korea-based Flutek, Ltd.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japanese stocks have ended with losses in every session this week, and sure enough, the Nikkei Average (JP:NIK) was down 0.6% in early Friday trade, though off an opening 0.8% defecit, while the Topix carried a 0.7% loss. Overnight losses for the U.S. and further strength in the yen (with the dollar falling to 楼101.28 from 楼101.56 a day earlier) helped drag the market lower, as did results from Fast Retailing Co. (JP:9983) (FRCOF) , the shares of which hold the heaviest weighting on Nikkei Average. Fast Retailing said that while its Uniqlo brand was doing great business, weakness for its J Brand luxury demin label helped send September-May profit down 4% and prompted another cut to Fast's full-year outlook. Consequently, its shares traded 0.7% lower, though rivals Takashimaya Co. (JP:8233) and J. Front Retailing Co. (JP:3086) (JFROF) also saw losses of 0.6% and 0.5%, respectively. Among other decliners, Sony Corp. (JP:6758) (SNE) lost 0.7%, Toshiba Corp. (JP:6502) (TOSYY) fell 2.1%, Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd. (JP:7012) (KWHIY) fell 1.5%, Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) and Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201)

10 Best Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd (MHVYF)

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd. is a diversified manufacturer. The Energy and Environment segment offers boilers, turbines, gas turbines, diesel engines, water wheels, windmills, nuclear power equipments, nuclear power peripheral devices, among others. The Traffic and Transportation segment offers various ships, including cruise ships, liquefied natural gas (LNG) ships, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) ships, car ferry, special purpose vessels, automobile carriers, oil tankers, container ships and others, as well as marine structures, among others. The Defense and Space segment offers ships, fighters, helicopters, aircraft fuselage parts, defense aircraft engines, induction flying objects, torpedoes, among others. The Machinery and Equipment systems segment offers waste treatment and exhaust gas treatment equipments, transportation equipments, steel machinery, compressors, bridges, among others. As of March 31, 2014, the Company had 290 subsidiaries and 39 associated companies. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By WWW.MARKETWATCH.COM]

    LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Japan's Nikkei Average (JP:NIK) traded 0.5% higher in the early minutes Tuesday, extending the previous day's 0.9% advance, with the market getting some support from overnight gains for U.S. shares and a slightly weaker yen (dollar at 楼101.56 vs. 楼101.40 at Monday's open). Among the gainers, Toshiba Corp. (JP:6502) (TOSYY) rose 1.7%, Hitachi Ltd. (JP:6501) (HTHIF) gained 1.5%, NEC Corp. (JP:6701) (NIPNF) improved by 2.5%, Bridgestone Corp. (JP:5108) (BRDCF) added 2.7% to extend gains over the past couple weeks following the company's purchase of U.S.-based Masthead Industries, and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. (JP:7011) (MHVYF) traded 1.1% higher as a Wall Street Journal report said the industrial major's Mitsubishi Aircraft unit had reached a tentative deal to sell 40 jets for the planned revival of defunct U.S. carrier Eastern Air Lines Group Inc. Auto makers were firmer as well, with Nissan Motor Co. (JP:7201) (NSANY) up 1.3%, Toyota Motor Corp. (JP:7203) (TM) up 0.5%, and Honda Motor Co. (JP:7267)

10 Best Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: ThyssenKrupp AG (TKA)

ThyssenKrupp AG is a Germany-based technology holding company operating in seven business areas. The Steel Europe division produces carbon steel flat products. The Steel Americas division is engaged in production, processing and marketing of high-grade carbon steels. The Materials Services division is engaged in global distribution of materials and the provision of complex technical services for the production and manufacturing sectors. The Elevator Technology division is engaged in the area of passenger transportation systems. The Plant Technology division focuses on specialty and large-scale plant construction. The Components Technology division is engaged in manufacturing components for the automotive, construction and engineering sectors as well as for wind turbines. The Marine Systems division focuses on naval and civil shipbuilding. Apart from its business areas, it provides business services, which are diversified into Business Services and Information Technology (IT) Services. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Corinne Gretler]

    ThyssenKrupp AG (TKA) slumped 9.3 percent after Germany�� largest steelmaker raised 882.3 million euros ($1.21 billion) through a share sale. Standard Chartered Plc lost 8.1 percent. Sage Group (SGE) Plc, the U.K.�� biggest software maker, rose 6.8 percent after reporting revenue growth that exceeded analysts��estimates. AZ Electronic Materials SA surged 43 percent after Merck KGaA (MRK) agreed to buy it for about 1.6 billion pounds ($2.6 billion).

  • [By Corinne Gretler]

    Telekom Austria (TKA) slid 1.6 percent to 5.63 euros. Second-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization fell to 330.3 million euros ($439 million) from 364.8 million euros a year earlier. That compared with the average 332.7 million-euro analyst estimate.

10 Best Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: Wartsila Oyj Abp (WRT1V.HE)

Wartsila Oyj Abp is a Finland-based company. Its operations are divided into four segments: Power Plants, Ship Power, Services and PowerTech. The Power Plants segment offers multi-fuel solutions for power generation markets, such as gas power plants, dual-fuel power plants, oil power plants and liquid biofuel power plants, among others. The Ship Power segment offers a range of products and services to both shipyards and ship owners, such as medium-speed and low-speed engines, seals and bearings, automation systems, ship design and ballast water treatment systems, among others. The Services segment offers solutions, such as basic support, installation and commissioning, performance optimization and upgrades, among others. The PowerTech segment comprises research and development for medium-speed engines and other operations, with a focus on gas, environmental solutions and Smart Power Generation drives. It has operations in more than 160 locations in over 70 countries around the world. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Robert Wall var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(fu]

    The British company tried to strengthen its maritime engine business through a $10 billion takeover of Finland�� W盲rtsil盲 Oyj (WRT1V.HE) which rebuffed Rolls-Royce’s preliminary approach. The attempted acquisition of a company of that size surprised investors who hadn�� realized expansion was on management�� agenda so soon after its full takeover of Tognum, a German engineering company originally acquired in partnership with Daimler.

10 Best Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: Siemens AG (SIEGY)

Siemens AG (Siemens), incorporated on August 28, 1996, is a globally operating technology company with core activities in the fields of energy, healthcare, industry and infrastructure. Siemens business activities focus on four sectors, Energy, Healthcare, Industry and Infrastructure & Cities. These sectors form four of Siemens reportable segments. In addition to the four sectors, Siemens has two additional reportable segments: Equity Investments and Siemens Financial Services (SFS). The Energy sector comprises four divisions: Power Generation, Wind Power, Power Transmission and Energy Service. The Healthcare Sector includes four divisions: Imaging & Therapy Systems, Clinical Products, Diagnostics and Customer Solutions; and one sector-led Business Unit, Audiology Solutions. The Industry sector consists of three divisions: Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services; and one sector-led Business Unit, Metals Technologies. The Infrastructure & Cities sector consists of five divisions: Rail Systems, Mobility and Logistics, Low and Medium Voltage, Smart Grid, and Building Technologies. In July 2013 Siemens sold its stake in the Nokia Siemens Networks (NSN) joint venture to Nokia and OSRAM Licht AG was spun off from Siemens.

Industry

The Industry Sector offers a broad spectrum of products, solutions and services that help customers use resources and energy. The Sector�� integrated technologies and holistic solutions primarily address industrial customers, particularly those in the process and manufacturing industries. The portfolio spans industry automation, industrial software, drive products and services, system integration, and solutions for industrial plant businesses. The Industry Sector consists of three Divisions: Industry Automation, Drive Technologies and Customer Services. The Sector also includes a sector-led Business Unit, Metals Technologies. In addition to its Sector-level financial results, Industry also breaks out financial results for the Indust! ry Automation Division and the Drive Technologies Division. The Industry Automation Division offers a range of standard products and system solutions for automation technologies used in the manufacturing and process industries. The Division�� offerings include automation systems and software, motor controls, machine-to- machine communication products, sensors, product and production lifecycle management products, and software for simulating and testing mechatronic systems. The Drive Technologies Division offers products and comprehensive systems across the entire drive train. These offerings are customized to the respective application and include numerical control systems, inverters, converters, motors (geared and gearless), drives and couplings. In addition, Drive Technologies supplies integrated automation systems for machine tools and production machines. The Division also offers integrated lifecycle solutions and services for industries such as shipbuilding, cement, mining, and pulp and paper. The Customer Services Division offers a comprehensive portfolio of services and supports industrial customers.

Energy

The Energy Sector offers a spectrum of products, solutions and services for generating and transmitting power, and for extracting, converting and transporting oil and gas. The Fossil Power Generation Division offers products and solutions for fossil-based power generation. The Division concentrates on products and solutions for gas and steam turbines, turbo generators, heat recovery steam generators including control systems, with an emphasis on combined-cycle power plants. It also develops solutions for instrumentation and control systems for all types of power plants and for use in power generation. The Wind Power Division manufactures wind turbines for onshore and offshore applications, including both geared turbines and direct drive machines. The product portfolio is based on four product platforms, two for each of the onshore and offshore applications. The Oil ! & Gas Div! ision has a comprehensive portfolio of rotating machinery (gas turbines, steam turbines, compressors with associated equipment) and electrical, instrumentation and telecommunication (EIT) solutions. The Power Transmission Division provides customers with turnkey power transmission solutions as well as discrete products, systems and related engineering and services. It covers high-voltage transmission solutions, power and distribution transformers, high-voltage switching and non-switching products and systems, and alternating and direct current transmission systems. The Energy Service Division offers comprehensive services for products, solutions and technologies, covering performance enhancements, maintenance services, customer trainings and consulting services for the Divisions Fossil Power Generation, Wind Power and Oil & Gas. The Wind Power Division is active in both the onshore and the offshore market segments globally. Power Transmission Division is expanding infrastructure in emerging countries, equipment replacement and modernization in mature economies, and integration of renewable energies.

Healthcare

The Healthcare Sector offers customers a comprehensive portfolio of medical solutions across the treatment chain-ranging from medical imaging to in-vitro diagnostics to interventional systems and clinical information technology systems-all from a single source. In addition, the Sector provides technical maintenance, professional and consulting services, and, together with Financial Services (SFS), financing to assist customers in purchasing the Sector�� products. The Healthcare Sector includes four Divisions: Imaging & Therapy Systems, Clinical Products, Diagnostics and Customer Solutions. The Sector also includes one sector-led Business Unit, Audiology Solutions. In addition to its Sector-level financial results, Healthcare also separately breaks out financial results for the Diagnostics Division.

The Imaging & Therapy Systems Division provides large-scale! medical ! devices for diagnostic imaging and for image-guided therapies. Imaging equipment includes computed tomographs, magnetic resonance imaging equipment, angiography systems for diagnostics, and positron emission tomography. The Clinical Products Division mainly comprises the business with ultrasound and X-ray equipment including mammography. The Diagnostics Division offers products and services in the area of in-vitro diagnostics. The Division�� product portfolio represents a comprehensive range of diagnostic testing systems and consumables, including offerings for clinical chemistry and immunodiagnostics, molecular diagnostics, hematology, hemostasis, microbiology, point-of-care testing and clinical laboratory automation solutions. The Customer Solutions Division provides healthcare information technology (HIT) systems. It is responsible for the Sector�� service business and customer relationship management on a global level.

Equity Investments

The Equity Investments comprises equity stakes held by Siemens that are accounted for by the equity method, at cost or as current available-for-sale financial assets and for strategic reasons are not allocated to a Sector, SFS, Centrally managed portfolio activities, Siemens Real Estate (SRE), Corporate items or Corporate Treasury. Its main investments within Equity Investments are its stake of 50% in BSH Bosch and Siemens Hausgerate GmbH (BSH), its stake of 17% in OSRAM Licht AG (OSRAM) as well as its 49% stake in Enterprise Networks Holdings B.V. (EN).

Financial Services

Financial Services provides a variety of financial services and products to other Siemens units and their customers and to third parties. SFS has three strategic pillars: supporting Siemens units with finance solutions for their customers, managing financial risks of Siemens and offering third-party finance services and products. SFS��business can be divided into capital business and fee business. The Commercial Finance Business Unit offers! a compre! hensive range of solutions for equipment financing, leasing, rental and related financing for equipment supplied by Siemens or third-party providers. The Venture Capital Business Segment�� main task, together with Siemens��Sectors, is to identify and finance young companies worldwide. The Treasury Business Unit operates the global Corporate Treasury of the Siemens Group, with SFS employee�� thereby managing liquidity, cash and financial risks (interest, foreign exchange, commodities) on behalf of Corporate Treasury. The Financing & Investment Management Business Unit manages fee-based receivables and offers investment management services. The Insurance Business Unit acts primarily as an insurance broker for Siemens and external customers.

Infrastructure & Cities

The Infrastructure & Cities Sector offers a range of technologies for the sustainability of metropolitan centers and urban infrastructures worldwide, such as integrated mobility solutions, building and security systems, power distribution equipment, smart grid applications and low and medium-voltage products. The Sector consists of five Divisions: Rail Systems; Mobility and Logistics; Low and Medium Voltage; Smart Grid; and Building Technologies. The Rail Systems Division comprises Siemens��rail vehicle business, encompassing the entire spectrum of rolling stock-including high-speed trains, commuter trains, passenger coaches, metros, people movers, light rail vehicles, locomotives, bogies, traction systems and rail-related services. The Mobility and Logistics Division primarily provides products, solutions (including IT solutions) and services for rail transportation operating systems, such as central control systems, interlockings and automated controls. The Division also provides offerings for road traffic, including traffic detection, information and guidance systems.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Garrett Cook]

    Dresser-Rand Group (NYSE: DRC) shares were also up, gaining 2.60 percent to $81.99 after Siemens AG (OTC: SIEGY) announced its plans to acquire Dresser-Rand for $7.6 billion.

  • [By Garrett Cook]

    Shares of Dresser-Rand Group (NYSE: DRC) got a boost, shooting up 10.24 percent to $80.50 on report of a $85 per share bid from Siemens (OTC: SIEGY).

10 Best Industrial Conglomerate Stocks To Watch Right Now: Toshiba Corp (TOSBF)

TOSHIBA CORPORATION is a Japan-based manufacturer that operates in five business segments. The Digital Product segment manufactures and sells cellular phones, hard disc devices, optical disc devices, televisions among others. The Electronic Device segment provides general logic integrated circuits (ICs), optical semiconductors, power devices, large-scale integrated (LSI) circuits, among others. The Social Infrastructure segment manufactures and sells various generators, power distribution systems, water and sewer systems, transportation systems and station automation systems, among others. The Home Appliance segment provides refrigerators, drying machines, washing machines, cooking utensils, cleaners and lighting equipment, among others. The Others segment is involved in the provision of logistics services. In January 2014, Toshiba Corp purchased substantially all assets of OCZ Technology Group, and launched new subsidiary, OCZ Storage Solutions. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bruce Kennedy]

    On Monday, U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced indictments against five officers in China's People's Liberation Army (PLA) for ��erious cybersecurity breaches��against six American firms: Westinghouse Electric, a division of Toshiba (OTC: TOSBF) , Alcoa (NYSE: AA),�Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI), U.S. Steel (NYSE: X), the United Steelworkers Union and SolarWorld (OTC: SRWRY).

  • [By Dan Carroll and Max Macaluso, Ph.D.]

    Panasonic's (NASDAQOTH: PCRFY  ) not the first company you may think of in the health-care field, but this Japanese electronics maker's a player in blood glucose monitors and other fields. With Panasonic's sales under fire across the board, however, this company's looking to sell off its health-care business to refocus on its core segments. Toshiba (NASDAQOTH: TOSBF  ) reportedly has expressed interest in a buy, and private equity-firms are also in the hunt to get on board with Asia's health-care rise.