Saturday, July 5, 2014

Hot Companies To Buy For 2014

Even as the federal government enters its second week of shutdown, health insurance exchanges created as part of 2010’s health care reform continue to enroll new patients. These exchanges are the crux of what the House GOP bitterly opposes, but the shutdown that they precipitated ironically won’t stop their implementation.

Technical glitches have prevented many patients from creating exchange accounts, because thanks to the shutdown there aren’t enough information technology workers available to correct many of the problems. Nonetheless, it’s estimated that about 8 million people have visited the federal exchange site healthcare.gov, which covers 36 states. When you include visitors to the sites that separately cover 14 additional states, it’s estimated that the number of unique visitors rises to about 15 million.

While the official enrollment push doesn’t begin until November and many visitors haven’t been able to set up accounts as of yet, each day that enrollment continues will make it that much more difficult to defund health care reform without creating disruptions in many Americans’ insurance coverage down the road.

Best Gas Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sinclair Broadcast Group Inc.(SBGI)

Sinclair Broadcast Group, Inc., a television broadcasting company, owns or provides certain programming, operating, or sales services to television stations in the United States. The company broadcasts free over-the-air programming, such as network provided programs, news produced locally, local sporting events, programming from program service arrangements, and syndicated entertainment programs. It owns or provides programming and operating services pursuant to local marketing agreements, or provides sales services pursuant to outsourcing agreements to 58 television stations in 35 markets. The company was founded in 1952 and is based in Hunt Valley, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Westcott Rochette]

    Assuming all of its announced mergers are completed (as we anticipate), Maryland-based Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI) will soon own or operate some 162 stations in 77 markets that, together, reach about 40% of US television households.

  • [By Jesse Solomon]

    The Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBGI), which owns and operates almost 170 stations and reaches roughly 40% of all U.S. television households, shot up 15% after the ruling.

Hot Companies To Buy For 2014: Chesapeake Energy Corporation(CHK)

Chesapeake Energy Corporation engages in the acquisition, development, exploration, and production of natural gas and oil properties in the United States. It also provides marketing and other midstream services. The company?s properties are located in Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. As of December 31, 2010, it had interests in approximately 45,800 gross productive wells. The company?s proved reserves include 17.096 trillion cubic feet of natural gas equivalent. Chesapeake Energy Corporation was founded in 1989 and is based in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Matt DiLallo]

    Another company I'm looking at is Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK  ) . Like SandRidge it's been weighed down by debt as the bursting of the gas bubble forced an expensive transition from gas to liquids. However, things are looking up as the company is making very good progress in its turnaround plan. Further, a big cloud of uncertainty was recently removed as it�finally announced a successor to its embattled former CEO, Aubrey McClendon. I think that the future looks very promising and Chesapeake's stock is one I am very interested in owning.

Hot Companies To Buy For 2014: The Marcus Corp (MCS)

The Marcus Corporation, incorporated in August 2005, is engaged in two segments: movie theatres, hotels and resorts. As of May 26, 2011, the Company�� theatre operations included 55 movie theatres with 684 screens throughout Wisconsin, Ohio, Illinois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa, including two movie theatres with 11 screens in Wisconsin and Nebraska owned by third parties but managed by the Company. As of May 26, 2011, its hotels and resorts operations included eight owned and operated hotels and resorts in Wisconsin, Missouri, Illinois and Oklahoma. It also manages 10 hotels, resorts and other properties for third parties in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Ohio, Texas, Missouri, Nevada and California. As of May 26, 2011, it owned or managed over 4,700 hotel and resort rooms. In September 2010, it purchased a 16-screen theatre in Appleton, Wisconsin from Regal Entertainment Group. During the fiscal year ended May 26, 2011 (fiscal 2011), the Xona Resort Suites in Scottsdale, Arizona was sold by its owners and its management contract for this resort was terminated.

Theatre Operations

During fiscal 2011, the Company owned or operated 55 movie theatre locations with a total of 684 screens in Wisconsin, Illinois, Minnesota, Ohio, North Dakota, Nebraska and Iowa. The Company�� 53 owned facilities include 33 megaplex theatres (12 or more screens), representing 75% of its total screens, 19 multiplex theatres (two to 11 screens) and one single-screen theatre. During fiscal 2011, it operated 663 first-run screens, 11 of which are operated under management contracts, and 21 budget-oriented screens. It owns land in six different communities that may be used for new theatres at a future date, including land in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin. It owns a minority interest in MovieTickets.com, a joint venture of movie and entertainment companies that was created to sell movie tickets over the Internet and represents a large majority of the top 50 market theatre screens throughout the United ! States and Canada.

As of May 26, 2011, the Company offered digital three dimensional (3D) systems at 101 screens, including 11 UltraScreens, at 35 of its theatre locations in seven states. As of May 26, 2011, there were approximately 35 3D films. It sells food and beverage concessions in all of its movie theatres. The Company also own a family entertainment center, Funset Boulevard, adjacent to the 14-screen movie theatre in Appleton, Wisconsin. Funset Boulevard features a 40,000 square foot Hollywood-themed indoor amusement facility that includes a restaurant, party room, laser tag center, virtual reality games, arcade, outdoor miniature golf course and batting cages.

Hotels and Resorts Operations

The Company owns and operates the Pfister Hotel, which is located in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Pfister Hotel is a full service luxury hotel and has 307 guest rooms (including 82 luxury suites and 176 tower rooms), two restaurants, three cocktail lounges and a 275-car parking ramp. It also has 24,000 square feet of banquet and convention facilities. The Pfister�� banquet and meeting rooms accommodate up to 3,000 people and the hotel features two large ballrooms, including one of the ballrooms in the Milwaukee metropolitan area, with banquet seating for 1,200 people. It owns and operates the 729-room Hilton Milwaukee City Center. The Hilton Milwaukee City Center also features Paradise Landing, an indoor water park and family fun center that features water slides, swimming pools, a sand beach, lounge and restaurant. The hotel also has two cocktail lounges, two restaurants and an 870-car parking ramp. It owns and operates the 240-room Hilton Madison at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin. The Hilton Madison is connected by skywalk to the Monona Terrace Community and Convention Center, has four meeting rooms totaling 2,400 square feet, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness center, a lounge and a restaurant.

The Company owns and operates the Grand Geneva ! Resort & ! Spa in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The resort is located on 1,300 acres and includes 355 guest rooms, over 60,000 square feet of banquet, meeting and exhibit space, over 13,000 square feet of ballroom space, three specialty restaurants, two cocktail lounges, two championship golf courses, several ski hills, two indoor and five outdoor tennis courts, three swimming pools, a spa and fitness complex, horse stables and an on-site airport. The Company owns and operates the Hotel Phillips, a 217-room hotel in Kansas City, Missouri. The Hotel Phillips has conference rooms totaling 5,600 square feet of meeting space, a 2,300 square foot ballroom, a restaurant and a lounge. The Company owns and operates the InterContinental Milwaukee in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The InterContinental Milwaukee has 220 rooms, 12,000 square feet of flexible banquet and meeting space, on-site parking, a fitness center, a restaurant and a lounge and is located in the heart of Milwaukee�� theatre and financial district.

The Company is the operator of the Skirvin Hilton hotel in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The hotel has 225 rooms, including 20 one-bedroom suites and one Presidential Suite. The Skirvin Hilton has a restaurant, lounge, fitness center, indoor swimming pool, business center and approximately 18,500 square feet of meeting space. The Company operates the Four Points by Sheraton Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile, a 226-room (including 130 suites) hotel in Chicago, Illinois. The Four Points by Sheraton Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile has affordable, well-appointed guest rooms and suites, 3,000 square feet of high-tech meeting rooms, an indoor swimming pool and fitness room and an on-site parking facility. The hotel leases space to two area restaurants. It manages the Crowne Plaza-Northstar Hotel in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Crowne Plaza-Northstar Hotel is located in downtown Minneapolis and has 226 guest rooms, 13 meeting rooms, 6,370 square feet of ballroom and convention space, a restaurant, a cocktail lounge and an ! exercise ! facility.. It manages Beverly Garland�� Holiday Inn in North Hollywood, California. The Beverly Garland has 257 guest rooms, including 12 suites, meeting space for up to 600, including an amphitheater and ballroom, an outdoor swimming pool and lighted tennis courts.

The Company also provides hospitality management services, including check-in, housekeeping and maintenance, for a vacation ownership development adjacent to the Grand Geneva Resort & Spa owned by Orange Lake Resort & Country Club of Orlando, Florida. It manages the Hilton Garden Inn Houston NW/Chateau in Houston, Texas. The Hilton Garden Inn has 171 guest rooms, a ballroom, a restaurant, a fitness center, a convenience mart and a swimming pool. It manages and owns a 15% minority interest in the Sheraton Madison Hotel in Madison, Wisconsin. The Sheraton Madison features 237 rooms and suites, an indoor heated swimming pool, whirlpool, fitness center, a restaurant, lounge and 18,000 square feet of meeting space.

The Company manages and owns a 15% minority interest in the Westin Columbus in Columbus, Ohio. The Westin Columbus is an AAA four-diamond full-service historic hotel, which includes 186 rooms and suites and offers more than 12,000 square feet of meeting, banquet and ballroom space, a restaurant and a cocktail lounge. It manages the Sheraton Clayton Plaza Hotel in St. Louis, Missouri, which offers 257 rooms and suites, an indoor swimming pool, a fitness facility, and a business center. It manages the Hilton Minneapolis/Bloomington in Bloomington, Minnesota. It manages the Timber Ridge Lodge, an indoor/outdoor waterpark and condominium complex in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. The Timber Ridge Lodge has meeting rooms totaling 3,640 square feet, a general store, a restaurant-cafe, a snack bar and lounge, a fitness center and an entertainment arcade. It manages the Platinum Hotel & Spa, a condominium hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada just off the Las Vegas Strip, and owns the hotel�� public space. The Platinum Hotel & Spa ! has 255 on! e and two-bedroom suites.

The Company competes with AMC Entertainment, Cinemark, Regal Cinemas, Carmike Cinemas, Hyatt Corporation, Marriott Corporation, Ramada Inns and Holiday Inns.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    The Marcus (NYSE: MCS) rose 6.92% to touch a new 52-week high of $15.60 on Q3 results. Marcus reported its quarterly earnings of $0.15 per share on revenue of $109.80 million.

  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Movie theater and hotel and resorts operator Marcus Corporation (MCS) raised its quarterly dividend 11.8% to 9.5 cents per share payable May 15 to shareholders of record April 23.
    MCS Dividend Yield: 2.20%

Hot Companies To Buy For 2014: AMREP Corp (AXR)

AMREP Corporation, incorporated on August 7, 1987, through its subsidiaries, is engaged in four business segments: the Subscription Fulfillment Services business operated by Palm Coast Data LLC (Palm Coast), the Newsstand Distribution Services business, the Product Services and Other businesses operated by Kable Media Services, Inc. and its subsidiaries (Kable) (the businesses operated by Palm Coast and Kable are collectively referred to as Media Services), and the real estate business operated by AMREP Southwest Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, AMREP Southwest). The Company, through its Palm Coast subsidiary, conducts its Subscription Fulfillment Services business, in which it performs subscription fulfillment and related services for publishers and other customers; through its Kable Newsstand Distribution Services subsidiary distributes periodicals nationally and in Canada and in other foreign countries, and through its Kable Product Services, Specialty Packaging Services and Staffing Resources subsidiaries, provides Internet order processing and shipment for e-commerce retailers, packaging design, procurement and product fulfillment services and temporary staffing services. In January 2013, the Company's subsidiary, had acquired certain assets of FulCircle, Inc.

Subscription Fulfillment Services

The Subscription Fulfillment Services business performs fulfillment and fulfillment-related activities, principally magazine subscription fulfillment services and ancillary services. During the fiscal year ended April 30, 2012 (fiscal 2012), it accounted for approximately 75% of Media Services revenues. In the magazine subscription fulfillment services operation, Palm Coast maintains subscriber lists and databases, processes new orders, receives and accounts for payments, prepares and transmits to each publisher�� printer the labels or tapes containing the names and addresses of subscribers for mailing each issue, handles subscriber telephone inquiries and correspondence,! prepares renewal and statement notifications for mailing, generates marketing and statistical reports, processes Internet orders and prints forms and promotional materials. List services clients are publishers for whom Palm Coast maintains client customer lists, selects names for clients who rent their lists, merges rented lists with a client�� lists to eliminate duplication for the client�� promotional mailings, and sorts and sequences mailing labels. Palm Coast performs subscription fulfillment services for approximately 450 different magazine titles for approximately 110 clients and maintains databases of approximately 41 million active subscribers for its client publishers and membership organizations.

Newsstand Distribution Services

In the Company�� Newsstand Distribution Services business, Kable distributes over 450 publications for approximately 200 publishers. Among the titles are special interest magazines, including hobbyist, celebrity, puzzle, automotive, comics, women�� service and sports magazines. In a typical month, Kable distributes approximately 47 million copies of various titles to wholesalers. Kable coordinates the movement of the publications from its publisher clients to approximately 100 independent wholesalers in North America and to wholesalers in over 80 countries globally. The wholesalers in turn sell the publications to retail chains and independent retail outlets. During fiscal 2012, the Newsstand Distribution Services business accounted for approximately 11% of Media Services revenues. Kable generates and delivers to each publisher�� printer shipping instructions with the addresses of the wholesalers and the number of copies of product to be shipped to each.

Product Services and Other

Together, Kable Product Services and Kable Specialty Packaging Services (collectively, Product Services) offer an integrated approach to electronic and traditional commerce for consumer products manufacturers, including both publ! ishing an! d non-publishing customers. The business unit provides account management by customer; design, procurement, and packaging of retail packs and point-of-purchase displays; front-end processing, including customer out-reach through e-commerce, direct mail and phone; order capturing through electronic mediums, as well as traditional call center operations, mail capture and entry; warehousing and pick/pack/ship functions, including analysis of shipping methods, and billing, as well as collection of payments tendered by credit cards, checks and cash.

As an adjunct to the Subscription Fulfillment Services business, Product Services offers fulfillment services to their publishers, including shipment of premiums (free gifts) provided to subscribers, shipment of replacement copies of newly issued magazines or purchased copies of older editions and shipment and payment processing for product advertised for sale in their publishers��magazines or associated Websites. Kable Staffing Resources (Staffing Resources) operates as a separate business, which provides temporary employees to local companies in the Fairfield, Ohio area, including its affiliate Product Services. During fiscal 2012, together, they accounted for approximately 14% of Media Services revenues in 2012.

Real Estate Operations

The Company conducts its Real Estate business through AMREP Southwest, with these activities occurring in the City of Rio Rancho and adjoining areas of Sandoval County, New Mexico. Rio Rancho consists of 91,049 acres in Sandoval County near Albuquerque, of which approximately 74,100 acres have been platted into approximately 114,680 residential and commercial lots, approximately 16,500 acres are dedicated to community facilities, roads and drainage and the remainder is unplatted land. As of April 30, 2012, approximately 91,000 of these residential and commercial lots had been sold by AMREP Southwest net of lots repurchased and those returned to AMREP Southwest by deeds in lieu of foreclosu! re. As of! April 30, 2012, AMREP Southwest owns approximately 17,350 acres in Rio Rancho, of which approximately 4,415 acres are in several areas of contiguous properties, which are being developed or are suitable for development, and approximately 2,000 acres are in areas with a concentration of ownership, where AMREP Southwest owns more than 50% of the lots in the area.

At Rio Rancho, AMREP Southwest develops both residential lots and sites for commercial and industrial use as demand warrants, and also secures entitlements for development tracts for sale to homebuilders. AMREP Southwest also owns two tracts of land in Colorado, consisting of one property of approximately 160 acres planned for approximately 400 homes that AMREP Southwest focuses to offer for sale upon obtaining all necessary entitlements, and one property of approximately 10 acres zoned for commercial use.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Damian Illia]

    As we can see, the firm has a higher ROE than Amrep Corporation (AXR) but is well below the one registered by US Ecology Inc. (ECOL) and Cintas Corporation (CTAS).

Hot Companies To Buy For 2014: Northeast Utilities(NU)

Northeast Utilities, a public utility holding company, provides electric and natural gas energy delivery services to residential, commercial, and industrial customers in Connecticut, New Hampshire, and western Massachusetts. The company engages in the purchase, delivery, and sale of electricity; and owns and operates approximately 1,200 megawatts of primarily fossil-fueled electricity generation assets. As of December 31, 2010, it served approximately 1.2 million customers in 149 cities and towns in Connecticut; 497,000 retail customers in 211 cities and towns in New Hampshire; and 206,000 retail customers in 59 cities and towns in western Massachusetts. The company also operates a natural gas distribution system in Connecticut and serves approximately 206,000 customers in 71 cities and towns. It offers gas supply to commercial and industrial customers; and to residential customers for heating, hot water, and cooking needs, as well as provides gas transportation services t o commercial and industrial customers. In addition, the company offers electric transmission services. Northeast Utilities was founded in 1927 and is headquartered in Hartford, Connecticut.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Public energy utility holding company Northeast Utilities (NU) raised its quarterly dividend 8.2% to 39.75 cents per share, payable on Mar. 31 to shareholders of record as of Mar. 3.
    NU Dividend Yield: 3.67%

Hot Companies To Buy For 2014: Stewart Enterprises Inc.(STEI)

Stewart Enterprises, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides funeral and cemetery products and services in the death care industry in the United States and Puerto Rico. The company also offers a range of funeral merchandise and services, as well as cemetery property, cremation, merchandise, and services. Its funeral homes provide various services and products, including the family consultation, removal and preparation of remains, usage of funeral home facilities for visitation, worship and funeral services, transportation services, flowers, and caskets. The company also sells cemetery property and related merchandise, which includes lots, lawn crypts, family and community mausoleums, monuments, markers, and burial vaults; and provides burial site openings and closings and inscriptions. In addition, it maintains cemetery grounds under cemetery perpetual care contracts and local laws. As of January 31, 2011, the company owned and operated 218 funeral homes and 141 cemeterie s. Stewart Enterprises, Inc. was founded in 1910 and is based in Jefferson, Louisiana.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chris Katje]

    Service Corporation (SCI), the largest funeral home operator in the United States, made news last week with its large acquisition of Stewart Enterprises (STEI). The acquisition was well received by investors, as shares rose 8% on the day of the announcement. Together, the two companies will see huge cost savings advantages and a backlog that is currently undervalued.

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