Given its 144% gain since the end of last year, with 7% of that move coming today, it wouldn't be tough to get excited about Fresh Healthy Vending International Inc. (OTCBB:VEND) ... excited enough to jump into a VEND position. Unfortunately, there are a bunch of tell-tale signs that today is a major (albeit short-term) top today, and we're very likely headed for a sizable correction beginning tomorrow.
For those not familiar, VEND is an owner/operator of a vending machine business. Specifically, Fresh Healthy Vending International Inc. offer franchise opportunities to establish a vending machine business that provides healthy snacks and drinks. Given the migration away from sugary snacks and drinks, it's not a bad concept. The market seems to agree, bidding up the stock quite nicely since the idea was unveiled (in earnest) in November.
Top 10 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Own Right Now: Fox Factory Holding Corp (FOXF)
Fox Factory Holding Corp incorporated on December 28, 2007, is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of suspension products used primarily on mountain bikes, side-by-side vehicles, or side-by-sides, on-road vehicles with off-road capabilities, off-road vehicles and trucks, all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), snowmobiles, specialty vehicles and applications, and motorcycles. The Company designs and markets its products to original equipment manufacturers (OEM��) in its markets, and to consumers through the aftermarket channel.
The Company offers upper mid-end and high-end front fork and rear suspension products designed for cross-country, trail, all-mountain, free-ride and downhill riding in its mountain bike product category. It also offers ride-height adjustable seat post product. Its remote adjustable seat pos allows to adjust his or her seat position for uphill, rolling trail or downhill riding without having to stop the mountain bike to adjust the seat. Its mountain bike products are sold in three series: evolution series, performance series and factory series.
In its powered vehicle product category, the Company offers high-end suspension products for side-by-sides, on-road vehicles with off-road capabilities, off-road vehicles and trucks, ATVs, snowmobiles, specialty vehicles and applications, and motorcycles. Products for these vehicles are designed for trail riding, racing and performance. It products in the powered vehicle category range from two inch aluminum bolt-on shocks to its patented position sensitive internal bypass shocks. The Company sells its mountain bike suspension products to more than 150 domestic and international bike OEMs. It sells its suspension products for the powered vehicles industry to OEMs
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Fox Factory Holding Corp. (NASDAQ: FOXF) saw its quiet period end: started as Outperform with a $23 price target at Baird, started as Overweight with a $21 price target at Piper Jaffray and started as Buy with a $23 price target at SunTrust. Shares are down about 0.5% at $18.05 as the implied upside is not that stellar for recent IPO coverage.
10 Best International Stocks To Own For 2014: NetQin Mobile Inc. (NQ)
NetQin Mobile Inc. operates as a software-as-a-service provider of consumer-centric mobile Internet services focusing on security and productivity in the People?s Republic of China and internationally. It provides a suite of mobile Internet services that protect mobile users from security threats and enhance their productivity. It offers mobile security services, including mobile malware scanning, Internet firewall, account and communication safety, anti-theft, performance optimization, hostile software rating and reporting, and other services to protect users from mobile malware threats, data theft, and privacy intrusion. The company also provides mobile productivity services comprising screening incoming calls, filtering unwanted spam, SMS messages, protecting communication privacy, and managing calendar activities, as well as cloud-side synchronization of personal data, including address books, text messages, and calendars to enhance time and relationship management. In addition, it provides personalized intelligent cloud services that utilize synchronized user information to provide tailored user experience and extend the functionalities of its core services. Further, the company offers security forums and download services for third-party mobile applications. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
On Wednesday, the telecommunications services sector proved to be a source of strength for the market. Leading the sector was strength from Internet Gold Golden Lines (NASDAQ: IGLD) and NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ).
- [By Garrett Cook]
Telecommunications services shares fell around 0.65 percent in trading on Monday. Top losers in the sector included NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), down 4 percent, and ORBCOMM (NASDAQ: ORBC), off 5 percent.
- [By Garrett Cook]
In trading on Monday, telecommunications services shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 0.48 percent. Top losers in the sector included Telecom Argentina SA (NYSE: TEO), down 6.1 percent, and NQ Mobile (NYSE: NQ), off 6.8 percent.
10 Best International Stocks To Own For 2014: Diageo plc(DEO)
Diageo plc engages in producing, distilling, brewing, bottling, packaging, distributing, developing, and marketing spirits, beer, and wine products worldwide. It offers a range of brands, including Johnnie Walker scotch whiskies, Smirnoff vodka and Smirnoff ready to drink products, Baileys Original Irish Cream liqueur, Crown Royal Canadian whisky, Captain Morgan rum and rum based products, Jose Cuervo tequila, JeB scotch whisky, Buchanan?s scotch whisky, Windsor Premier scotch whisky, Ketel One vodka, Ciroc vodka, Tanqueray gin, Bushmills Irish whiskey, and Guinness stout. The company also provides other spirits brands that comprise Gordon?s gin and vodka, Old Parr scotch whisky, Bell?s scotch whisky, The Classic Malts scotch whiskies, Seagram?s 7 Crown whiskey and Seagram?s VO whisky, Cacique rum, White Horse scotch whisky, Don Julio tequila, and Bundaberg rum. In addition, it offers beer under various brands, such as Malta Guinness non-alcoholic malt, Harp lager, Tu sker lager, Smithwick?s ale, Senator lager, and Red Stripe lager; and wine under a range of brands, including Blossom Hill, Sterling Vineyards, Beaulieu Vineyard, Navarro Correas, Acacia Vineyard, Rosenblum Cellars, Piat d?Or, Chalone Vineyard, and Santa Rita. Further, Diageo plc owns the distribution rights for the Jose Cuervo tequila brands in North America and internationally. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in London, the United Kingdom.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Bellman]
An Indian court has annulled the sale of some shares of United Spirits Ltd. (532432.BY) to Diageo PLC (DEO) , further delaying what was originally supposed to be a $2 billion deal to give the British company control of some of India's most popular booze brands.
- [By Philip Springer]
Growth Portfolio holding Diageo (DEO) is the world's largest producer of premium spirits and offers numerous wine and beer brands, with total annual sales of $18 billion.
- [By Roland Head]
Today, I'm going to take a look at the PE10 of drinks giant Diageo (LSE: DGE ) (NYSE: DEO ) .
Is Diageo a buy?
Diageo has been one of the great big-cap growth stories of the last 10 years. Since 2003, its share price has grown by 179%, and its dividend has increased by 69%, giving the firm an army of loyal shareholders. - [By Philip Springer]
What’s this week’s big story for investors?
Candidate #1: RadioShack (NYSE: RSH) said it will close up to 1,100 of its nearly 5,200 US stores amid widening losses. The company also announced that revenue in the fourth quarter of 2013 fell 20 percent from year-earlier levels.
It doesn’t matter whether the latest announcement is in addition to or merely an expansion of the company’s Feb. 5 statement that it would close 500 stores. That, in turn, shortly followed the beleaguered company’s $4 million expenditure for a widely praised but clearly ill-timed 30-second ad during the Super Bowl.
Also this week, Radio Shack agreed to pay its top executives “retention” bonuses, saying their skills are critical to the company�� comeback plan. CEO Joe Magnacca will get a $500,000 payment, while other executives will receive $187,500 to $275,000.
The stock currently trades around $2, down from its 1999 peak of $61.
No, that’s not the week’s big story. But it was too good to ignore.
Candidate #2: The current bull market celebrates its fifth birthday this week, with the Standard & Poor’s 500 delivering a total return of about 175 percent during that time.
Since 1921, the median bull market has been 50 months long and has delivered 115 percent in price appreciation. So this market is older and better than most. Still, the conditions aren’t yet present to suggest the end is near. Indeed, Wednesday’s advance, the best of the year to date, was exceptional for both its breadth and heavy volume.
The five-year anniversary also means that stocks, mutual funds, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds and so on will boast very good five-year returns. Don’t be overly impressed. Reason: Almost everybody will be a winner. (Other than Radio Shack.) But you should dig deeper: Comparisons will be useful to sort out leaders and laggards for potential investme
10 Best International Stocks To Own For 2014: Kemper Corp (KMPR)
Kemper Corporation (Kemper), formerly Unitrin, Inc., incorporated in 1990, is a diversified insurance holding company, with subsidiaries that provide life, health, automobile, homeowners and other insurance products to individuals and small businesses. The Company is engaged, through its subsidiaries, in the property and casualty insurance, life and health insurance and automobile finance businesses. The Company conducts its operations through four operating segments: Kemper Preferred (Preferred), Unitrin Specialty (Specialty), Unitrin Direct (Direct) and Life and Health Insurance. On September 14, 2011, its subsidiary, Fireside Bank sold its loan portfolio to a subsidiary of Consumer Portfolio Services, Inc.
Property and Casualty Insurance Business
The Company's property and casualty insurance business operations are primarily conducted through the Preferred, Specialty and Direct segments. In addition, the Life and Health Insurance segment�� career agents also sell property insurance to its customers. Its insurance subsidiaries operating in the Preferred, Specialty and Direct segments provide automobile, homeowners, fire, and other types of property and casualty insurance to individuals and commercial automobile insurance to businesses. During the year ended December 31, 2011, automobile insurance in these segments accounted for 54% of its consolidated insurance premiums earned from continuing operations, and 47% of its consolidated revenues from continuing operations. During 2011, homeowners insurance in these segments accounted for 14% of its consolidated insurance premiums earned from continuing operations, and 11% of its consolidated revenues from continuing operations.
Preferred and Specialty segments distribute their products through independent agents who are paid commissions for their services. Direct segment distributes its products directly to consumers and through employer-sponsored voluntary benefit programs and other affinity relationships.! Preferred, based in Jacksonville, Florida, conducts business in 38 states and the District of Columbia. During 2011, the states, which provided over half of the premium revenues in Preferred segment included New York (19%), California (12%), North Carolina (13%) and Texas (10%). Preferred segment primarily sells preferred and standard risk automobile and homeowners insurance. During 2011, Preferred�� insurance products accounted for 53% of the aggregate insurance premium revenues of the Company�� property and casualty insurance business. Its products are marketed by approximately 2,700 independent insurance agents. Specialty, based in Dallas, Texas, conducts business in 21 states, principally in the southwest and western United States. During 2011, the states, which provided more than three-fourths of the premium revenues in Specialty segment included California (42%), Texas (18%), Washington (8%), Louisiana (4%) and Oregon (3%). Specialty provides personal and commercial automobile insurance. During 2011, Specialty�� insurance products accounted for 28% of the aggregate insurance premium revenues of the Company�� property and casualty insurance business. Specialty�� products are marketed through approximately 8,000 independent agents and brokers.
Direct, based in Chicago, Illinois, markets personal automobile, homeowners and renters insurance through a range of direct-to-consumer Websites, including its own Websites, marketing partners, employer and other affinity-sponsored relationships. The Direct segment�� automobile insurance products are available in 48 states and the District of Columbia. During 2011, the states, which provided approximately two-thirds of the premium revenues in Unitrin Direct segment included Florida (12%), New York (15%), California (10%), Texas (5%), Connecticut (5%), Michigan (8%), Pennsylvania (5%) and Georgia (5%). During 2011, Direct�� insurance products accounted for 14% of the aggregate insurance premium revenues of its property and casualty i! nsurance ! business.. Direct also offers homeowners and renters insurance across 47states and the District of Columbia, complementing its direct automobile insurance business. The Company manages its exposure to catastrophes and other natural disasters through a combination of geographical diversification, restrictions on the amount and location of new business production in certain regions, and reinsurance. To limit its exposures to catastrophic events, the Company maintains various primary catastrophe reinsurance programs for its property and casualty insurance businesses.
Life and Health Insurance Business
The Company�� Life and Health Insurance segment consists of Kemper�� wholly owned subsidiaries, United Insurance Company of America (United Insurance), The Reliable Life Insurance Company (Reliable), Union National Life Insurance Company (Union National Life), Mutual Savings Life Insurance Company (Mutual Savings Life), United Casualty Insurance Company of America (United Casualty), Union National Fire Insurance Company (Union National Fire), Mutual Savings Fire Insurance Company (Mutual Savings Fire) and Reserve National Insurance Company (Reserve National). As discussed below, United Insurance, Reliable, Union National Life, Mutual Savings Life, United Casualty, Union National Fire and Mutual Savings Fire (the Kemper Home Service Companies) distribute their products through a network of employee, or career, agents. Reserve National distributes its products through a network of exclusive independent agents. Both these career agents and independent agents are paid commissions for their services. During 2011, the states, which provided approximately two-thirds of the Life and Health Insurance segment�� premium revenues included Texas (21%), Louisiana (11%), Alabama (7%), Mississippi (6%), Illinois (4%), Florida (4%), Georgia (4%), Missouri (4%), and North Carolina (4%). During 2011, life insurance accounted for 18% of the Company�� consolidated insurance premiums earned from ! continuing! operations, and 16% of its consolidated revenues from continuing operations.
The Kemper Home Service Companies, based in St. Louis, Missouri, focus on providing individual life and health insurance products to customers of modest incomes who desire basic protection for themselves and their families. Their product is ordinary life insurance, including permanent and term insurance. Face amounts of these policies are lower than those of policies sold to higher income customers by other companies in the life insurance industry. Approximately 79% of the Life and Health Insurance segment�� premium revenues are generated by the Kemper Home Service Companies. The Life and Health Insurance segment�� career agents also distribute certain property insurance products. Reserve National, based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, is licensed in 35 states throughout the south, southwest and midwest, and specializes in the sale of Medicare Supplement insurance and limited health insurance coverages, such as fixed indemnity, dental and vision, and accident-only plans, primarily to individuals in rural areas where access to a multitude of health plan options is less prevalent.
The Company's life and health insurance companies utilize reinsurance arrangements. Included among the segment�� reinsurance arrangements is excess of loss reinsurance coverage specifically designed to protect against losses arising from catastrophic events under the property insurance policies distributed by the Kemper Home Service Companies��agents and written by Kemper�� subsidiaries, United Casualty, Union National Fire and Mutual Savings Fire, and reinsured by Kemper�� subsidiary, Trinity Universal Insurance Company (Trinity), or written by Capitol County Mutual Fire Insurance Company (Capitol), a mutual insurance company owned by its policyholders, and its subsidiary, Old Reliable Casualty Company (ORCC), and reinsured by Trinity.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
The property and casualty business of insurance company Kemper� (NYSE: KMPR ) has a new bean counter.
On Monday, the Chicago-based insurance company�announced�that Elizabeth "Libbie" Bock�will take on the role of CFO for the P&C division, where she would be�responsible for all aspects of operations, reporting, control, planning and analysis, financial management, and competitive analysis.
10 Best International Stocks To Own For 2014: Chesapeake Granite Wash Trust (CHKR)
Chesapeake Granite Wash Trust (the Trust) is a trust formed to own royalty interests for the benefit of Trust unitholders conveyed to the trust by Chesapeake Energy Corporation (Chesapeake). The royalty interests held by the Trust (Royalty Interests) are derived from Chesapeake�� interests in specified oil and natural gas properties located in the Colony Granite Wash play in Washita County in the Anadarko Basin of western Oklahoma. Chesapeake conveyed the Royalty Interests to the Trust from its interests in 69 existing horizontal wells (Producing Wells) and Chesapeake�� interests in 118 horizontal development wells (Development Wells) to be drilled on properties within the Area of Mutual Interest (AMI). The AMI is limited to only the Colony Granite Wash formation, where Chesapeake held approximately 45,400 gross acres (29,300 net acres) as of December 31, 2011. The Colony Granite Wash is located at the eastern end of a series of Des Moines-age granite wash fields that extend along the southern flank of the Anadarko Basin, approximately 60 miles into the Texas Panhandle. The Colony Granite Wash is a formation encountered at depths between approximately 11,500 feet and 13,000 feet that lies between the top of the Des Moines formation (or top of Colony Granite Wash A) and the top of the Prue formation (or base of Colony Granite Wash C). Colony Granite Wash is primarily a natural gas and natural gas condensate reservoir based on reserve volumes.
As of December 31, 2011, the all of the Producing Wells were completed, 66 Producing Wells were producing and approximately 11.5 Development Wells were completed and producing. As of December 31, 2011, the remaining three Producing Wells were temporarily offline. As of July 1, 2011, Chesapeake owned on average a 52.8% net revenue interest in the Producing Wells, and Trust received an average 47.5% net revenue interest in the Producing Wells, and Chesapeake on average owned a 52.0% net revenue interest in the Development Wells. As of March 15, 2012! , Chesapeake owned 61,100 net acres (of which 29,300 net acres are subject to the Royalty Interests). As of March 15, 2012, Chesapeake operated 95% of the Producing Wells and the completed Development Wells.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lawrence Meyers]
CYS seems to be approaching the business carefully and is on top of things. That makes me feel a little bit more secure about its 15% dividend yield.
Chesapeake Granite Wash Trust (CHKR)Dividend Yield: 24.4%
- [By Matt DiLallo]
Chesapeake Granite Wash Trust (NYSE: CHKR )
Created by Chesapeake Energy, the Granite Wash Trust owns royalty interests in 69 currently producing wells and 118 wells that are still to be drilled in Oklahoma in an area of mutual interest. The wells within the trust are producing out of the Granite Wash formation of the Anadarko Basin.�As you can see on the map below, the trust has a very focused area of interest.
10 Best International Stocks To Own For 2014: Ecopetrol S.A.(EC)
Ecopetrol S.A. operates as an integrated oil company in Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and the U.S. Gulf Coast. The company engages in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas. As of December 31, 2010, its proved reserves of crude oil and natural gas consisted of 1,714.0 million barrels of oil equivalent. The company also transports crude oil, motor fuels, fuel oil, and other refined products, as well as mixture of diesel and palm oil. It owns transportation network consisting of 3,003 kilometers of crude oil pipeline directly, as well as an additional 2,178 kilometers of crude oil pipeline with its business partners; and 3,017 kilometers of multi-purpose pipelines for transportation of refined products from refinery to wholesale distribution points. As of the above date, Ecopetrol S.A. owned 58 stations with a nominal storage capacity of 19 million barrels of crude oil and 6 million barrels of refined products. In addition, the company owns and o perates refineries that produce a range of refined products, including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, aviation fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, sulfur, heavy fuel oils, motor fuels, and petrochemicals, including paraffin waxes, lube base oils, low-density polyethylene, aromatics, asphalts, alkylates, cyclohexane and aliphatic solvents, and refinery grade propylene, as well as provides industrial services to third parties. Further, it markets various refined and feed stock products, including regular and high octane gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, natural gas, and petrochemical products. The company was formerly known as Empresa Colombiana de Petroleos and changed its name to Ecopetrol S.A. in June 2003. Ecopetrol S.A. was founded in 1948 and is based in Bogota, Colombia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt Smith]
What are some of the best bargains?
Growing resource nationalism, continuing government interference in the energy sector, falling crude prices and the pessimistic economic outlook has seen investors shy away from investing in Latin American energy companies. This has seen many of the region's major energy companies including Colombian government controlled Ecopetrol (NYSE: EC ) , Brazilian government controlled Petrobras and Argentine government controlled YPF fall to new 52 week lows. - [By Garrett Cook]
Energy services shares dropped around 0.63 percent in the US market on Tuesday. Top decliners in the sector included Ecopetrol SA (NYSE: EC), down 4 percent, and Petróleo Brasileiro Petrobras SA (NYSE: PBR), off 2.28 percent.
10 Best International Stocks To Own For 2014: Camden Property Trust (CPT)
Camden Property Trust is a real estate investment trust (REIT). The Company is engaged in the ownership, management, development, acquisition, and construction of multi-family apartment communities. As each of its communities has similar economic characteristics, residents, amenities, and services, its operations have been aggregated into one segment.
In April 2011, it sold one of its land parcels to one of the Funds. In June 2011, it sold another land parcel to the Fund. In August 2011, the Company acquired 30.1 acres of land located in Atlanta, Georgia. In December 2011, it acquired 2.2 acres of land in Glendale, California. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it sold two properties consisting of 788 units located in Dallas, Texas. During 2011, the Funds acquired 18 multifamily properties totaling 6,076 units located in the Houston, Dallas, Austin, San Antonio, Tampa and Atlanta. In January 2012, one of the Funds acquired one multifamily property consisted of 350 units located in Raleigh, North Carolina.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned interests in, operated, or were developing 206 multifamily properties comprising 69,794 apartment homes across the United States. Of these 206 properties, 10 properties were under development. In addition, it owns land parcels, which it focuses on developing into multifamily apartment communities.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael Lewis]
Take Camden Property Trust (NYSE: CPT ) , for example. The stock is up around 16% over two years -- respectable, but incongruent with the industry trends. Since 2010, operating cash flow has increased more than 30%. The company pays a 3.5% dividend and trades at 16.5 times projected one-year earnings. For comparison, Lennar trades at 18 times earnings, while KB Homes trades at more than 20 times forward earnings.
No comments:
Post a Comment