Sunday, May 31, 2015

10 Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now

WASHINGTON ��Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose for a third straight week as new data showed a surprisingly strong pace of new-home sales last month. Rates still remain near historically low levels.

Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate for the 30-year loan increased to 4.37% from 4.33% last week. The average for the 15-year mortgage rose to 3.39% from 3.35%.

A report Wednesday from the Commerce Department boosted expectations that the spring home buying season will be solid enough to lift the overall economy.

Sales of new homes rebounded in January to the fastest rate in more than five years. The strength in purchases followed a slowdown that had been linked to higher mortgage rates and severe winter weather.

Mortgage rates have risen about a full percentage point since hitting record lows roughly a year ago. The increase was driven by speculation that the Federal Reserve would reduce its $85 billion-a-month bond purchases. Deeming the economy to be gaining strength, the Fed proceeded last month with planned reductions of its bond purchases, which have helped keep long-term interest rates low.

Top Quality Companies To Watch For 2016: TTM Technologies Inc.(TTMI)

TTM Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides printed circuit board (PCB) products and backplane assemblies worldwide. Its PCB products include conventional, high density interconnect, flexible, and rigid-flex PCBs, as well as backplane assemblies and IC substrates. The company also offers various services, such as design for manufacturability support during new product introduction stages, PCB layout design, simulation and testing services, quick turnaround production, and drilling and routing services. Its customers include original equipment manufacturers and electronic manufacturing service companies that primarily serve the networking/communications, aerospace/defense, high-end computing, cell phone, and medical/industrial/instrumentation end markets of the electronics industry. TTM Technologies, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    What: Shares of printed circuit board specialist TTM Technologies (NASDAQ: TTMI  ) soared 17% today after its quarterly results topped Wall Street expectations.

  • [By Garrett Cook]

    Shares of Viasystems Group (NASDAQ: VIAS) got a boost, shooting up 35.81 percent to $15.89 after TTM Technologies (NASDAQ: TTMI) announced its plans to buy Viasystems for a total value of $16.46 per share.

  • [By alicet236]

    TTM Technologies Inc (TTMI) Reached $5.98

    The prices of TTM Technologies shares have declined to $5.98, which is only 4.7% above the 5-year low of $5.70. It is now 71% off the 5-year high of $19.64. TTM Technologies is owned by three Gurus we are tracking. Among them, one has added to their position during the past quarter, while three reduced their positions. TTM Technologies is a global provider of time-critical and technologically complex printed circuit board (PCB) products and backplane assemblies (PCBs populated with electronic components), which serve as the foundation of sophisticated electronic products. Ttm Technologies has a market cap of $498.3 million; its shares were traded at around $5.98 with and P/S ratio of 0.40.

10 Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Stericycle Inc (SRCL)

Stericycle, Inc., incorporated on March 21, 1989, is in the business of managing regulated waste and providing an array of related and complementary services. The Company operates in the United States, Argentina, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ireland, Japan, Mexico, Portugal, Romania, Spain, and the United Kingdom. The regulated waste services the Company provides include medical waste disposal, its Steri-Safe medical waste and compliance program, its Clinical Services program, its Bio Systems reusable sharps disposal management services, pharmaceutical waste disposal, and hazardous waste disposal. In addition to the Company's regulated waste services, the Company offers regulated recall and returns management services, patient communication services, and medical safety products. The Company's regulated recall and returns management services consist of a number of solutions for a variety of businesses but consist primarily of managing the recall, withdrawal or return of expired or recalled products and pharmaceuticals. During the year ended December 31, 2012, it completed 41 acquisitions, of which 17 were domestic businesses and 24 were international businesses in Latin America, Europe, and Japan. In August 2013, Stericycle Inc acquired Eclipse Marketing.

The Company also provides communication services to healthcare providers to improve office productivity and communications with patients. As of December 31, 2012, the Company's worldwide networks included a total of 153 processing facilities, 141 transfer sites, and 64 recall and returns or communication services facilities. The Company serves approximately 541,000 customers worldwide, of which approximately 16,500 are large-quantity generators, such as hospitals, blood banks and pharmaceutical manufacturers, and approximately 524,500 are small-quantity generators, such as outpatient clinics, medical and dental offices, long-term and sub-acute care facilities, veterinary offices, municipalities and retail pharmacies. For large-quantity generat! ors of regulated waste such as hospitals and for pharmaceutical companies and distributors, the Company offers its regulated waste management services; its Bio Systems reusable sharps disposal management services; its pharmaceutical waste services; its Integrated Waste Stream Solutions (IWSS) program; a variety of products and services for infection control; its regulated recall and returns management services for expired or recalled products and pharmaceuticals, and variety of patient communication services. For small-quantity generators of regulated waste such as doctors' offices or retail pharmacies, the Company offers its Steri-Safe OSHA, HIPAA compliance, and clinical services programs.

The Company supplies specially designed reusable leak-resistant and puncture-resistant plastic containers to most of its large-quantity customers and many of its larger small-quantity customers. The Company collects containers or corrugated boxes of regulated waste from its customers depending upon customer requirements, contract terms and volume of waste generated. The waste is then transported directly to one of the Company's processing facilities or to one of its transfer stations where it is combined with other regulated waste and transported to a processing facility. The Company collects some expired or recalled products, but more typically, customer ships them directly to its processing facilities. Upon arrival at a processing facility, containers or boxes of regulated waste are typically scanned to verify that they do not contain any unacceptable substances like radioactive material. The regulated waste is then processed using one of the Company's various treatment or processing technologies. Upon completion of the particular process, the resulting waste or incinerator ash is transported for resource recovery, recycling or disposal in a landfill owned by an unaffiliated third party. The Company provides complete documentation to its customers for all regulated waste that the Company collect in ac! cordance ! with applicable regulations and customer requirements.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jonas Elmerraji]

    We're seeing the exact same setup in shares of Stericycle (SRCL), but with one big difference: This stock hasn't broken out yet. Stericycle is another ascending triangle pattern, in this case with a resistance level at $120. A breakout above that $120 price ceiling is the signal that it's time to take this trade.

    Whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to think in terms of buyers and sellers. Triangles and other pattern names are a good quick way to explain what's going on in a stock, but they're not the reason it's tradable – instead, it all comes down to supply and demand for shares.

    That $120 resistance level is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a place where sellers have been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above it so significant -- the move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level.

    Don't be early on the SRCL trade.

  • [By Jonas Elmerraji]

    First up is $10 billion medial waste disposal company Stericycle (SRCL). While SRCL has more or less only kept pace with the broad market in 2013, shares are at the point where they're looking primed to pop into December trading. Here's why.

    Stericycle is currently forming an ascending triangle setup, a bullish price pattern that's formed by a horizontal resistance level above shares at $120 and uptrending support to the downside. Basically, as SRCL bounces in between those two technically-important price levels, it's getting squeezed closer and closer to a breakout above the $120 level. When that breakout happens, we've got a buy signal.

    Whenever you're looking at any technical price pattern, it's critical to think in terms of those buyers and sellers. Triangles and other pattern names are a good quick way to explain what's going on in a stock, but they're not the reason it's tradable – instead, it all comes down to supply and demand for shares.

    That $57 resistance level is a price where there has been an excess of supply of shares; in other words, it's a place where sellers have been more eager to step in and take gains than buyers have been to buy. That's what makes a breakout above it so significant -- the move means that buyers are finally strong enough to absorb all of the excess supply above that price level.

    Since HSBC is a longer-term pattern, the 200-day moving average is the spot to keep a stop loss after buying. It's been a pretty good proxy for support on the way up.

  • [By Jason Moser]

    I owe my love of investing to my father. And with that in mind, I give you the Father's Day Portfolio. These are 10 stocks that remind me of my dad, and together they will form a formidable, market-beating team that will offer investors outstanding returns for years to come.

    Dick's Sporting Goods� (NYSE: DKS  ) is a family affair. CEO Edward Stack is the son of founder Richard Stack, and he owns close to 18%�of the shares outstanding. I like what this company has done and where it's headed. It controls 8.5% of the tremendous sporting-goods market. Boston Beer� (NYSE: SAM  ) �seems an appropriate call here. Having a beer with your dad is one of the great moments in life, and given that this company sold more than 50 beer varieties under the Samuel Adams brand in 2012, chances are pretty darn good that there may be a Sam Adams in Dad's fridge. My dad drives a�Ford� (NYSE: F  ) Expedition, and he's owned a few other Fords in his life. Every time I see the blue oval I think of him, and I think this company will play a big part in the fast-changing automobile market.� I smile so wide it looks like I have a coat hanger in my mouth when I see my dad using his iPhone and iPad, courtesy of�Apple. The guy turned 71 this Father's Day (happy birthday, Dad!) and he's embraced technology like a 15-year-old. We all know that if you have a question these days you can just ask�Google. These guys do a lot of things well, but search and maps are their specialty. It's not just iDevices for my dad, either. He loves his new Kindle Paperwhite from Amazon.com, not to mention the fact that he can order just about anything from the e-commerce giant. My dad's a doctor, and�St. Jude Medical� (NYSE: STJ  ) is a device company that has a wonderfully diverse product mix. From heart devices to strokes, Parkinson's, and migraines, �this company is playing a big role in up-and-coming medical technology. Shout-out No. 1 to our Ge
  • [By WWW.GURUFOCUS.COM]

    Stericycle (SRCL) alone operates globally and generates close to $2 billion in annual revenues. Despite Stericycle's strong business performance during the recently reported quarter, the stock detracted from performance, partially driven by headlines of rumored regulatory action related to one of the Company's incinerators. We believe the issue is not meaningful to results and we would be willing to add to shares on pullbacks related to this. Stericycle's stock trades in the mid to high-颅��eens EBITDA range, but the company routinely purchases smaller competitors for just 3X-颅��X EBITDA. This accretion is a byproduct of Stericycle's competitive positioning and we believe it paves a multi-颅��ear runway for double-颅��igit growth.From David Rolfe (Trades, Portfolio)'s Wedgewood Partners first quarter 2014 commentary.
    Also check out: David Rolfe Undervalued Stocks David Rolfe Top Growth Companies David Rolfe High Yield stocks, and Stocks that David Rolfe keeps buying
    Currently 0.00/512345

    Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes)

10 Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Saratoga Investment Corp(SAR)

Saratoga Investment Corp. is a business development company specializing in buyout, acquisition, growth, recapitalization, and note financing transactions of private middle market companies. It structures its investments as debt and equity by investing through first and second lien loans, mezzanine debt, select high yield bonds, senior secured bonds, unsecured bonds, and preferred and common equity. It seeks to invest in the United States. The firm primarily invests in companies having EBITDA between $5 million and $50 million. It invests through direct lending as well as participation in loan syndicates. The firm was formerly known as GSC Investment Corp. Saratoga Investment Corp. is based in New York, New York with an additional office in Florham Park, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Laura Brodbeck]

    Monday

    Earnings Releases Expected:  Citigroup Inc. (NYSE: C), Saratoga Investment Corp. (NYSE: SAR), Bank of the Ozarks (NASDAQ: OZRK) Economic Releases Expected: Japanese industrial production, eurozone industrial production

    Tuesday

10 Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Hanwha SolarOne Co. Ltd.(HSOL)

Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd., an investment holding company, engages in the manufacture and sale of silicon ingots, silicon wafers, and PV cells and modules. The company also offers mono crystalline and multi crystalline silicon cells; and provides PV module processing services. It sells its products to solar power system integrators and distributors primarily in Germany, Italy, Australia, the United States, the Czech Republic, Spain, and China. The company was formerly known as Solarfun Power Holdings Co., Ltd. and changed its name to Hanwha SolarOne Co., Ltd. in December 2010. Hanwha Solarone Co., Ltd. was founded in 2004 and is based in Qidong, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Travis Hoium]

    News and notes
    Hanwha SolarOne (NASDAQ: HSOL  ) announced another $100 million in financing this week, this time a term loan from the Export-Import Bank of Korea. �

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Big Earnings Movers: Hanwha SolarOne Co. (NASDAQ: HSOL) is down 13.9% at $4.36. D.R. Horton Inc. (NYSE: DHI) is up 4.7% at $18.91 on good earnings boosted by land sales.

10 Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sky-mobi Limited(MOBI)

Sky-mobi Limited engages in the operation of a mobile application store in the People?s Republic of China. It works with handset companies to pre-install its Maopao mobile application store on handsets and with content developers to provide users with applications and content titles. The users of its Maopao store could browse, download, and purchase a range of applications and content, such as single-player games, mobile music, and books. The company?s Maopao store enables mobile applications and content to be downloaded and run on various mobile handsets with hardware and operating system configurations. It also operates a mobile social network community, the Maopao Community, where it offers localized mobile social games, as well as applications and content with social network functions to its registered members. The company owns proprietary mobile application technology in the cloud computing, the MRP format, and SDK development environment. As of March 31, 2011, it had entered into cooperation agreements with approximately 523 handset companies to pre-install Maopao. The company was formerly known as Profit Star Limited and changed its name to Sky-Mobi Limited in October 2010. Sky-mobi Limited was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Sky-mobi (NASDAQ: MOBI) is projected to report its Q2 results.

    Perfect World Co (NASDAQ: PWRD) is estimated to post its Q2 earnings at $0.41 per share on revenue of $150.56 million.

10 Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT)

Permian Basin Royalty Trust (the Trust), incorporated in 1980, is an express trust. The Trust's principal assets are net overriding royalties conveyed to the Trust, including a 75% net overriding royalty carved out of Southland Royalty�� fee mineral interests in the Waddell Ranch in Crane County, Texas (the Waddell Ranch properties), and a 95% net overriding royalty carved out of Southland Royalty�� major producing royalty interests in Texas (the Texas Royalty properties). Bank of America, N.A. is the Trustee for the Trust.

Waddell Ranch Properties

The mineral interests in the Waddell Ranch, from which such net royalty interests are carved, vary from 37.5% (Trust net interest) to 50% (Trust net interest) in 78,715 gross (34,205 net) producing acres. A majority of the proved reserves are attributable to six fields: Dune, Sand Hills (Judkins), Sand Hills (McKnight), Sand Hills (Tubb), University-Waddell (Devonian) and Waddell. At December 31, 2012, the Waddell Ranch properties contained 889 gross (400 net) productive oil wells, 64 gross (30 net) productive gas wells and 177 gross (506 net) injection wells.

Burlington Oil & Gas Company LP (BROG) is the operator of the Waddell Ranch properties. As of December 31, 2012, six major fields on the Waddell Ranch properties account for more than 80% of the total production. In the six fields, there are 12 producing zones ranging in depth from 2,800 to 10,600 feet. Most prolific of these zones are the Grayburg and San Andres, which produce from depths between 2,800 and 3,400 feet. Also productive from the San Andres are the Sand Hills (Judkins) gas field and the Sand Hills (McKnight) oil field, the Dune (Grayburg/San Andres) oil field, and the Waddell (Grayburg/San Andres) oil field.

The Dune and Waddell oil fields are productive from both the Grayburg and San Andres formations. The Sand Hills (Tubb) oil fields produce from the Tubb formation at depths averaging 4,300 feet, and the University Waddell (Devo! nian) oil field is productive from the Devonian formation between 8,400 and 9,200 feet. The Waddell Ranch properties are producing properties, and all of the major oil fields are being waterflooded for the purpose of facilitating enhanced recovery. As of December 31, 2012, there were no drill wells and 13 workovers in progress on the Waddell Ranch properties.

Texas Royalty Properties

The Texas Royalty properties consist of royalty interests in mature producing oil fields, such as Yates, Wasson, Sand Hills, East Texas, Kelly-Snyder, Panhandle Regular, N. Cowden, Todd, Keystone, Kermit, McElroy, Howard-Glasscock, Seminole and others located in 33 counties across Texas. The Texas Royalty properties consist of approximately 125 separate royalty interests containing approximately 303,000 gross (approximately 51,000 net) producing acres.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lawrence Meyers]

    Permian Basin Royalty Trust (PBT) is a royalty trust, meaning it pools together royalty rights for various energy-producing properties. �I prefer trusts that are widely diversified.� In this case, Permian holds a 75% net overriding royalty interest in six properties in Crane County, Texas; and a 95% net overriding royalty interest in fields spread across 33 other counties in Texas.� In total, we��e talking 400 oil wells, 30 gas wells, and 500 injection wells. �That�� plenty diversified.� Yeehaw for its 8.3% yield!

10 Best Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: ABS-CBN Corp (ABS)

ABS-CBN Corporation is primarily involved in television and radio broadcasting, as well as in the production of television and radio programming for domestic and international audiences and other related businesses. The Company operates through three business segments. Broadcasting segment is principally involved in the television and radio broadcasting activities, which generates revenue from sale of national and regional advertising time. Cable and satellite business primarily develops and produces programs for cable television, including delivery of television programming outside the Philippines through its direct-to-home (DTH) satellite service, cable television channels and blocked time on television stations. Other businesses include movie production, consumer products and services. The Company�� subsidiaries include ABS-CBN Publishing, Inc., Star Recording, Inc., Roadrunner Network, Inc., Star Songs, Inc., Sarimanok News Network, Inc. and ABS-CBN Interactive, Inc. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Emerson]

    During the housing bubble, lending standards were becoming relaxed and the practice of bundling subprime loans into collateralized debt obligations (CDOs) became a mainstream practice. These securities were backed by highly inflated credit ratings even though the quality of the underlying assets was highly questionable. By 2007, the worldwide demand for this type of asset-backed security (ABS) was beginning to wane and the mortgages which provided the collateral for the securities were starting to come into question.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

Top 10 Safest Stocks To Invest In 2016

Top 10 Safest Stocks To Invest In 2016: Hanmi Financial Corporation(HAFC)

Hanmi Financial Corporation operates as the holding company for Hanmi Bank that provides general business banking products and services in the United States. Its deposit product line comprises business and personal checking accounts, savings accounts, negotiable order of withdrawal accounts, money market accounts, and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio includes real estate loans, such as commercial property, construction, and residential property loans; commercial and industrial loans comprising commercial term loans, commercial lines of credit, small business administration loans, and international trade finance; and consumer loans consisting of automobile loans, secured and unsecured personal loans, home improvement loans, home equity lines of credit, overdraft protection loans, and unsecured lines of credit and credit cards. It also offers various insurance products, such as life, commercial, automobile, health, and property and casualty. The company serves the Korean-American community, as well as other communities in the multi-ethnic populations of Los Angeles County, Orange County, San Bernardino County, San Diego County, the San Francisco Bay area, and the Silicon Valley area in Santa Clara County. As of December 31, 2010, it operates a branch network of 27 full-service branch offices in California and one loan production office in Washington. Hanmi Financial Corporation was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Los Angeles, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By GuruFocus]

    Hanmi Financial Corporation (HAFC): President and CEO Chong Guk Kum Bought 1,821 Shares

    President and CEO of Hanmi Financial Corporation (HAFC) Chong Guk Kum bought 1,821 shares on 09/20/2013 at an average price of $16.27. Hanmi Financial Corporation has a market cap of $513.615 million; its shares were traded at around $16.27 with a P/E ratio of 10.95 and P/S ratio of 3.82. The div! idend yield of Hanmi Financial Corporation stocks is 0.43%.

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-10-safest-stocks-to-invest-in-2016.html

Thursday, May 28, 2015

Top Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Top Bank Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Credicorp Ltd (BAP)

Credicorp Ltd. (Credicorp), incorporated on October 20, 1995, is a financial services holding company. The Company is organized in four operating segments: Banking, Insurance, Pension funds and Brokerage and other. Credicorp is engaged principally in banking (including commercial and investment banking), insurance (including commercial property, transportation and marine hull, automobile, life, health and underwriting insurance), pension funds (including private pension fund management services), and brokerage and other (including the structuring and placement of primary market securities issues and the execution and trading of secondary market transactions.). Its four operating subsidiaries are : Banco de Credito del Peru (BCP), Atlantic Security Bank (ASB), El Pacifico-Peruano Suiza Compania de Seguros y Reaseguros, and Prima AFP.

Banking segment

Banking includes handling loans, credit facilities, deposits and current accounts, and providing in vestment banking services, including corporate finance, both for corporate and institutional customers. Banking also includes handling deposits consumer loans and credit cards facilities for individual customers. The Company conducts banking activities in Bolivia through BCP Bolivia, a service commercial bank. Its banking business is organized into wholesale banking activities, which are carried out by BCPs wholesale banking group (which includes the corporate banking operations of ASB), and retail banking activities, which are carried out by BCP's retail banking group. Its deposit-taking operations are managed by BCP's retail banking group and and ASB's private banking group.

Insurance

Credicorps insurance segment includes commercial property, transportation and marine hull, automobile, life, health and pension fund underwriting insurance. Private hospital services are also included under this operating segment. The Company conducts its! in surance operations Grupo Pacifico and its subsidiaries, which provide a broad range of insurance products. Grupo Pacifico property and casualty insurance through Pacifico Seguros, life and pension insurance through Pacifico Vida, and health care insurance through Pacificosalud EPS.. Grupo Pacifico sells its products both directly and through independent brokers and agents.

Pension funds

Credicorps pension funds segment provides private pension fund management services to customers. Credicorp conducts all of its pension fund activities through its private pension fund administrator Prima AFP. Credicorp through its subsidiary Prima AFP, focuses mainly on obtaining new affiliates, by providing permanent information and diverse channels of communication.

Brokerage and other

The Companys brokerage and others segment includes the structuring and placement of primary market issues and the execution and trading of secondary market transactions. This segment also includes offers of local securitization structuring to corporate entities, management of mutual funds and other services. The majority of its trading and brokerage activities are conducted through BCP, ASB and Credicorp Securities Inc. Its asset management business is carried out by BCP in Peru, through its subsidiary Credifondo, and by ASB. It offers Brokerage and other services through BCP and ASB. BCP offers clients a range of such products and services, such as brokerage, mutual funds and custody services through its branch network in Lima and throughout the rest of Peru. In addition, ASB also offers brokerage and other services.

The Company competes with BCP, BBVA Banco Continental, Scotiabank Peru, Interbank and Banco Interamericano de Finanzas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chuck Carnevale]

    Credit Corp. Limited (BAP)

    My first featured aggressive financial candidate is Credit Corp. Limited, a Bermuda-based financial services holding company, and! the larg! est financial holding company in Peru. Although the company is headquartered in Bermuda and operates in Peru, its long-term track record is exceptional. Once again, I will let the F.A.S.T. Graphs speak for themselves, other than to say in addition to a great track record, this ADR is expected to offer above-average growth and appears to be very attractively valued at todays levels.

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-bank-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Best Asian Stocks For 2015

Asian stocks dropped, with the regional benchmark index retreating from the highest level in 20 months, after Chinese economic growth and industrial production expanded less than economists��estimated.

Jiangxi Copper Co., China�� largest copper producer, slid 4.9 percent in Hong Kong. Nissan Motor Co. (7201), a Japanese carmaker that gets 32 percent of sales from North America, slid 3.9 percent, pacing declines among exporters after U.S. retail sales unexpectedly fell. Mando Corp. tumbled 15 percent in Seoul as Midas International Asset Management Ltd. said it will sell its holdings after the auto-parts maker said it will bail out an unprofitable construction affiliate.

The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 0.7 percent to 137.22 as of 8:25 p.m. in Tokyo, with about three shares sliding for each that rose. Chinese gross domestic product expanded 7.7 percent in the first quarter, missing economists estimates, data released today showed.

��hile the medium-term outlook is OK, people are having to digest the fact that some of this short-term news flow isn�� quite as good,��Angus Gluskie, managing director at Sydney- based White Funds Management, which oversees more than $350 million, said before the release of the Chinese data. ��here�� no doubt China�� growth over the next five or six years is going to be at a more mature pace than it was over the last decade. We should be expecting lesser rates of growth.��

Top 10 Prefered Stocks To Own Right Now: Toyota Motor Corp Ltd Ord(TM)

Toyota Motor Corporation engages in the design, manufacture, assembly, and sale of passenger cars, minivans, and commercial vehicles. It offers conventional engine vehicles, including subcompact and compact cars under the Corolla, Yaris, micropremium iQ, Passo, Ractis, Vitz, and Etios brand names; mini-vehicles, passenger vehicles, commercial vehicles, and auto parts under Toyota brand name; mid-size cars under the Camry, REIZ, Avensis, and Mark X brand names; luxury cars under the Lexus and Crown brands; Century limousine; sports cars under the Scion tC and Lexus brands; sport-utility vehicles under the Sequoia, 4Runner, RAV4, Highlander, FJ Cruiser, and Land Cruiser brands; pickup trucks under the Tacoma and Tundra brands; minivans under the Alphard, Vellfire, Corolla Verso, Wish, Hiace, Regius Ace, Estima, Noah, Voxy, Sienta, Isis, Passo Sette, and the Sienna brands; cabwagons; large, medium, and small trucks; and large, small, and micro-buses. The company also provides hybrid cars under Prius and Crown brands. In addition, it offers a range of financial services comprising retail financing, retail leasing, wholesale financing, and insurance; and credit cards and housing loans. Further, the company designs and manufactures prefabricated housing, as well as involves in the information technology related businesses, such as an e-commerce marketplace known as GAZOO.com; and sales promotions for KDDI communication related products, primarily the au brand. It sells its vehicles in approximately 170 countries and regions, including Japan, North America, Europe, and Asia. The company was founded in 1933 and is headquartered in Toyota City, Japan.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By SmartStops]

    It's a tough time to be a global automaker. While China's car market continues to provide robust business activity for the time being, companies that deal in international markets are facing a number of pressures that make operations an increasingly expensive proposition. There are few vehicle makers facing issues quite like Toyota (TM), which, while currently positioned as the world's largest manufacturer of cars and trucks by some accounts, could be in for some tough times ahead if the global economic environment deteriorates further.

  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    Justin Sullivan/Getty Images NEW YORK and DETROIT -- U.S. banks looking to get in on a booming market for financing new-car sales have run into a formidable competitor: the auto manufacturers themselves. Financing arms of car companies, including Toyota Motor (TM), Honda Motor (HMC) and Ford Motor (F), made half of all new U.S. car loans in the first quarter, up from 37 percent a year earlier and the largest percentage of the market in four years, according to credit data firm Experian (EXPR). These companies also write the vast majority of leases, which contributed a record 26 percent of new car sales in the quarter, up from 23 percent last year and 20 percent in 2012. The financing arms are providing subsidies from the manufacturers, lowering monthly payments and extending loan terms to make it easier for buyers to drive away in a shiny, new vehicle. As a result, major banks are increasingly moving into riskier parts of the market to make loans. U.S. Bancorp (USB), for example, for the first time ever decided to start financing used cars, an area of the market that the automakers' finance companies have little interest in. It also started offering loans to less creditworthy borrowers. And Wells Fargo (WFC) has been leveraging off a nationwide deal with General Motors (GM) to provide loans subsidized by the No. 1 U.S. automaker. Wells sees this as a way to gain more of the used car loan business at GM dealerships. The aggressive push by car companies is beginning to raise questions among industry analysts and consultants about whether it is sustainable. If interest rates rise, the automakers could find the incentives too costly unless they are prepared to take a hit to profits -- with any pullback in the deals being offered customers running the risk of hurting demand. And, if used car prices weaken, the financing units could be hit with losses on vehicles coming back from leases and repossessions. The automakers' financing companies are doing sub

  • [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]

    In recent years, Toyota (NYSE: TM  ) has been incredibly successful in the U.S. car market, with models like the Camry, Corolla, and Prius all becoming best-sellers. However, Toyota has had trouble competing with the likes of�Ford (NYSE: F  ) and�General Motors (NYSE: GM  ) in the full-size-truck market. Truck buyers tend to be very loyal to their favorite brands, which makes it hard for competitors to unseat Ford and GM.

  • [By Quoth the Raven]

    Regardless, through July of this year, Fusion was on pace to beat its 2012 numbers significantly.

    RankCarJuly
    2013
    YTD% ChangeJuly
    2013% Change#1Toyota (TM) Camry242,406- 0.6%34,780+ 16.3%#2Honda (HMC) Accord218,367+ 18.8%31,507+ 10.0%#3Nissan (NSANF.PK) Altima197,321+ 7.4%29,534+ 11.0%#4Honda Civic191,120+ 1.9%32,416+ 29.6%#5Toyota Corolla/Matrix183,435+ 4.6%24,463+ 3.5%#6Ford Fusion181,668+ 13.4%20,522

    - 12.0%

Best Asian Stocks For 2015: Canada Bread Company Ltd (CBY)

Canada Bread Company, Limited is a manufacturer and marketer of flour-based products in its various markets, including fresh bread in Canada, frozen partially baked bread in the United States and Canada, specialty bakery products, including fresh pasta and sauces, sweet goods and snack cakes in Canada, and bagels, croissants and other specialty baked goods in the United Kingdom. It operates in two segments: Fresh Bakery business includes pantry breads, rolls, flatbreads, artisan breads, sweet goods and snack cakes sold under a number of brands, including Dempster��, Villaggio, POM, Bon Matin and Ben��, and Frozen Bakery segment consists of frozen par-baked bakery products sold in North America and the United Kingdom bakery business, which specializes in bagels, croissants, and specialty breads. In November 2013, the Company clearanced and closed the sale of Olivieri Foods, to Ebro Foods SA. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Gerrit De Vynck]

    The Toronto-based food producer, which owns 90 percent of Canada Bread Co. (CBY), said in October it would explore options for the stake, including a possible sale as it divests assets to focus on its meat business. With several suitors evaluating the company, a sale is looking more likely, said one of the people, who asked not to be named because the talks are private. Maple Leaf hired Centerview Partners LLC and Royal Bank of Canada to look for buyers, the people said.

Best Asian Stocks For 2015: Alliant Energy Corporation (LNT)

Alliant Energy Corporation operates in electric and gas utility businesses in the United States. The company, through its subsidiary, Interstate Power and Light Company, engages in the generation and distribution of electric energy; and the distribution and transportation of natural gas in Iowa and southern Minnesota. As of December 31, 2009, it supplied electric and gas service to approximately 525,334 and 233,841 retail customers. Alliant Energy Corporation also provides steam services, and various other energy-related products and services to customers in Iowa. The company, through its other subsidiary, Wisconsin Power and Light Company (WPL), involves in the generation and distribution of electric energy; and the distribution and transportation of natural gas primarily in south and central Wisconsin markets. As of December 31, 2009, WPL supplied electric and gas service to 453,573 and 177,968 retail customers. In addition, Alliant Energy Corporation has investments in environmental consulting, and engineering and renewable energy services businesses. It also engages in transportation business, which includes a short-line railway for the provision of freight services between Cedar Rapids and Iowa City in Iowa; barge terminal and hauling services on the Mississippi River; and other transfer and storage services. The company was founded in 1917 and is based in Madison, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Alliant Energy (NYSE: LNT  ) is expected to report Q1 earnings on May 3. Here's what Wall Street wants to see:

    The 10-second takeaway
    Comparing the upcoming quarter to the prior-year quarter, average analyst estimates predict Alliant Energy's revenues will contract 0.0% and EPS will grow 24.0%.

  • [By Eric Volkman]

    Alliant Energy (NYSE: LNT  ) is staying true to form and pumping out its usual reward for shareholders. The company has announced it will distribute a dividend of $0.47 per share of its common stock on May 15 to shareholders of record as of April 30. This matches the firm's previous distribution, which was dispensed at the end of January. Previous to that, Alliant had paid $0.45 per share.

  • [By Eric Volkman]

    The lights of Alliant Energy (NYSE: LNT  ) are continuing to burn brightly, at least as far as the utility operator's shareholder payouts are concerned. The company has declared a quarterly common stock dividend of $0.47 per share, to be paid on Aug. 15 to holders of record as of July 31. That amount matches both of the firm's previous two disbursements, the most recent of which was paid in May. Before that, Alliant Energy handed out 2 cents less at $0.45 per share.

Best Asian Stocks For 2015: Dover Motorsports Inc (DVD)

Dover Motorsports, Inc. is a marketer and promoter of motorsports entertainment in the United States. The Company, through its subsidiaries, owned and operated Dover International Speedway in Dover, Delaware and Nashville Superspeedway near Nashville, Tennessee. During the year ended 2011, the Company�� facilities promoted 10 events under the auspices of the sanctioning body, the National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR). During 2011, the Company promoted 2 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events, 4 NASCAR Nationwide Series events, 3 NASCAR Camping World Truck Series events, and 1 NASCAR K&N Pro Series East event.. On January 31, 2011, the Company sold its Memphis Motorsports Park facility.

Dover International Speedway

The Company has promoted NASCAR-sanctioned racing events at Dover International Speedway. As of December 31, 2011, it promoted six NASCAR-sanctioned events at the facility annually. Two races are in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series professional stock car racing circuit, two races are in the NASCAR Nationwide Series racing circuit, one race is in the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series racing circuit and one race is in the NASCAR K&N Pro Series East racing circuit. Each of the NASCAR Nationwide Series events and the Camping World Truck Series event at Dover International Speedway are conducted on the days before a NASCAR Sprint Cup Series event. Dover International Speedway is one of only seven speedways in North America that presents two NASCAR Sprint Cup Series events and two NASCAR Nationwide Series events each year. Additionally, it is one of only five tracks to host three NASCAR events at one facility on the same weekend.

Dover International Speedway, known as the Monster Mile, is a high-banked, one-mile, concrete superspeedway with permanent seating capacity of approximately 132,000. The superspeedway facility also features the Monster Bridge. The climate controlled bridge spans across the width of the superspeedway at a height of 29 feet ! and houses 50-luxury seats, a refreshment bar and other amenities.

Nashville Superspeedway

Nashville Superspeedway (Nashville) is a motorsports complex approximately 35 miles from downtown Nashville in Wilson County, Tennessee. The 1.33-mile concrete superspeedway has 25,000 permanent grandstand seats with an infrastructure in place to expand to 150,000 seats as demand requires. Additionally, construction included lights at the superspeedway to allow for nighttime racing and the foundation work for a dirt track, short track and drag strip. Nashville Superspeedway promoted two NASCAR Nationwide Series events and two NASCAR Camping World Truck Series event, during 2011. The facility also hosted other regional and national touring events, as well as track rentals.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    Dover Motorsports, Inc. (NYSE:DVD) Board of Directors today declared an annual cash dividend on both classes of common stock of $.04 per share. The dividend will be payable on December 10, 2012 to shareholders of record at the close of business on November 10, 2012. Due to the seasonal nature of our business, we will evaluate dividends annually.

Best Asian Stocks For 2015: Laredo Petroleum Inc (LPI)

Laredo Petroleum, Inc., formerly Laredo Petroleum Holdings, Inc., incorporated in August 12, 2011, is an independent energy company focused on the exploration, development and acquisition of oil and natural gas in the Permian and Mid-Continent regions of the United States. The Company�� activities are primarily focused in the Wolfberry and deeper horizons of the Permian Basin in West Texas and the Anadarko Granite Wash in the Texas Panhandle and Western Oklahoma, where it has assembled 134,680 net acres and 37,850 net acres, respectively, as of December 31, 2011.

Permian Basin

The Permian Basin, located in west Texas and southeastern New Mexico, is an onshore oil and natural gas producing regions in the United States. The Company�� Permian activities are centered on the eastern side of the basin approximately 35 miles east of Midland, Texas in Glasscock, Howard, Reagan and Sterling Counties. As of December 31, 2011, it held 134,680 net acres in over 300 sections with an average working interest of 96% in wells drilled as of that date. The overall Wolfberry interval, the principal focus of its drilling activities, is an oil play that also includes a liquids-rich natural gas component. Its production/exploration fairway extends approximately 20 miles wide and 80 miles long. While exploration and drilling efforts in the southern half of its acreage block has been centered on the shallower portion of the Wolfberry (Spraberry, Dean and Wolfcamp formations) the emphasis in the northern half has been on the deeper intervals, including the Wolfcamp, Cline Shale, Strawn and Atoka formations.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company had drilled and completed approximately 600 gross vertical wells and had defined the productive limits on its acreage throughout the trend. It has expanded its drilling program to include a horizontal component targeting the Cline and Wolfcamp Shales. The Company has drilled four gross horizontal Wolfcamp Shale wells as of December 31, 2011. A! s of December 31, 2011, it had drilled a total of 27 gross horizontal wells in the Wolfcamp and Cline formations, of which 23 are in the Cline Shale and four in the Wolfcamp Shale. It had over 5,600 total gross identified drilling locations (both vertical and horizontal) in the Permian, all of which are within the Wolfberry and Cline Shale interval during the year ended December 31, 2011.

Anadarko Granite Wash

Straddling the Texas/Oklahoma state line, its Granite Wash play extends over a large area in the western part of the Anadarko Basin. As of December 31, 2011, it held 37,850 net acres in Hemphill County, Texas and Roger Mills County, Oklahoma. The Company�� play consists of vertical and horizontal drilling opportunities targeting the liquids-rich Granite Wash formation. As of December 31, 2011, it had drilled and completed over 150 gross vertical wells. During 2011, its horizontal Granite Wash program was in the development phase. As of December 31, 2011, it had approximately 100 gross identified potential drilling locations for the horizontal Granite Wash, which included both its Texas and Oklahoma acreage.

Other areas

The Company, in addition to its Permian Wolfberry and Anadarko Granite Wash plays, evaluated opportunities in three other areas within its core operating regions during 2011. The Dalhart Basin is located on the western side of the Texas Panhandle. As of December 31, 2011, the Company held 83,295 net acres in the Dalhart Basin. As of December 31, 2011, it had drilled two gross vertical wells in the Dalhart Basin. The second area is centrally located in the Central Texas Panhandle, where its operations were conducted through its joint venture with ExxonMobil as of December 31, 2011. As of December 31, 2011, it held 46,915 net acres in the Central Texas Panhandle. The third area is located in the eastern end of the Anadarko Basin, in Caddo County, Oklahoma. As of December 31, 2011, the Company held 33,306 net acres in the Eastern An! adarko. Advisors' Opinion:

  • [By Robert Rapier]

    Laredo Petroleum (NYSE: LPI) is a smallish (~$4 billion market capitalization) oil and natural gas producer in the booming Permian Basin, where it holds leases on ~144,000 net acres.

  • [By Tony Daltorio]

    Other companies already drilling in the Cline include Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA), Gulfport Energy Corp. (Nasdaq: GPOR), and another pioneer in the region, Laredo Petroleum Holdings Inc. (NYSE: LPI).

  • [By Tyler Crowe]

    Who's doing it the best?
    It can be pretty handy to evaluate the entire industry on how efficiently it's replacing reserves, but reserve replacement costs can be more effective in evaluating individual companies. The lower the costs, the better it is. According to Ernst & Young, the most effective company at controlling reserve replacement costs is private company�Antero Resources, with a three-year average reserve replacement cost of about $2.88 per barrel of oil equivalent. Antero, and four of the other top five companies on Ernst & Young's list, are almost pure natural gas plays. If we've learned one thing over the past couple of years, it's that oil reserves and natural gas reserves are two totally different things when it comes to value. The five following companies have more than 50% liquids on�their�reserves and had the lowest reserve replacement costs for 2012.

    Company % Liquids in�Portfolio Oil Production Replacement Rate (3 Years) Reserve Replacement Costs (3-Year Average) Per boe Rosetta Resources� (NASDAQ: ROSE  ) 57% 846% $6.99 Continental Resources� (NYSE: CLR  ) 72% 827% $12.61 Laredo Petroleum� (NYSE: LPI  ) 52% 1,042% $13.51 SM Energy� (NYSE: SM  ) 53% 392% $14.67 SandRidge Energy� (NYSE: SD  ) 58% 704% $14.85

    Sources: Ernst & Young and S&P Capital IQ; author's calculations.

Best Asian Stocks For 2015: BG Group PLC (BRGXF.PK)

BG Group plc (BG Group) is a natural gas company. The Company is engaged in the exploration, development and production of natural gas and oil. It operates in three business segments: Exploration and Production (E&P), Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) and Transmission and Distribution (T&D). Effective January 1, 2012, the Company was managed across three regions: Americas and Europe; Africa, Central and South Asia, and Australia and East Asia, supported by Global Energy Marketing and Shipping (GEMS) and BG Advance. The Company has interests in 25 countries on five continents. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company acquired an interest in, and operatorship of, offshore blocks L10A (BG Group 40%) and L10B (BG Group 45%) in Kenya. During 2011, the Company acquired additional Marcellus shale properties in partnership with EXCO Resources, Inc. (EXCO). In June 2013, BG Group PLC announced that it has completed the sale of its 65.12% holding in Gujarat Gas Company Limited (GGCL). Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Heather Ingrassia]

    On Thursday, August 15, GasLog (GLOG) announced that it had ordered two new 174K cbm Tri-Fuel Diesel Electric LNG carriers from Samsung Heavy Industries. These carriers are expected to be delivered in 2016 which is the same year the company will begin seven-year charters with BG Group (BRGYY.PK) (BRGXF.PK).

Top 10 Heal Care Companies To Own For 2016

Top 10 Heal Care Companies To Own For 2016: MicroChannel Technologies Corp (MCTC)

MicroChannel Technologies Corporation, incorporated on February 28, 2005, is a development-stage company. The Company is focused on the identification, acquisition, and development of new and potentially commercial opportunities.

As of August 31, 2013, the Company is not engaged in any business operations. As of August 31, 2013, the Company had no revenues.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Peter Graham]

    Small cap stocks Bonamour Inc (OTCBB: BONI), Firstin Wireless Technology Inc (OTCMKTS: FINW) and Microchannel Technologies Corp (OTCBB: MCTC) have been attracting attention from variosu investment newsletters lately with at least two of these stocks being the subject of paid promotions. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions or investor relation types of activities as its up to investors and traders alike to do their due diligence. So how hot are these small cap stocks? Here is a quick reality check that might cool your appetite:

  • source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-heal-care-companies-to-own-for-2016.html

Monday, May 25, 2015

Top 5 Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now

The Federal Reserve Board's surprising change of heart about reducing the pace of the five-year-long quantitative-easing program is seen by some advisers as creating new investment opportunities.

While it is difficult to argue against a positive outlook for risk assets like stocks as long as U.S. monetary policy favors a low-interest-rate environment, there is also a solid argument for a near-term rally in bonds.

“We are very likely at this point to have another bond market rebound,” said Sam Jones, president of All Season Financial Advisors Inc.

Best Oil Service Companies To Watch For 2016: Holcim Ltd (HOLN)

Holcim Ltd (Holcim) is a Switzerland-based holding company that specializes in the manufacture, distribution and marketing of building materials. The Company operates four business segments, including Cement, Aggregates, Other construction materials and services, and Corporate. The Cement segment is engaged in the development of cement and comprises clinker and other cementitious materials, among others. The Aggregates business segment includes crushed stone, gravel and sand. The Other construction materials and services business segment comprises ready-mix concrete, concrete products, asphalt, construction and paving, and trading, among others. Additionally, other construction materials and services segment provides environmental services, including waste management, among others. The Corporate segment is engaged in holding activities and general management. It operates through subsidiaries in Asia Pacific, Latin America, Europe, North America, Africa and Middle East regions. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sofia Horta e Costa]

    Holcim Ltd. (HOLN) lost 0.9 percent to 68.15 francs in Zurich. Bank of America Corp.�� Merrill Lynch unit cut its rating on the world�� largest cement maker to underperform, similar to a sell recommendation, from neutral. Merrill Lynch cited the company�� exposure to emerging markets.

Top 5 Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: MarketAxess Holdings Inc (MKTX)

MarketAxess Holdings Inc. (MarketAxess), incorporated on April 11, 2000, operates an electronic trading platform that allows investment industry professionals to trade corporate bonds and other types of fixed-income instruments. The Company�� over 1000 active institutional investor clients (firms that executed at least one trade in the United States or European fixed-income securities through its electronic trading platform, during the year ended December 31, 2012) include investment advisers, mutual funds, insurance companies, public and private pension funds, bank portfolios, broker-dealers and hedge funds. The Company�� 87 broker-dealer, market-maker clients provide liquidity on the platform and include most of the broker-dealers in global fixed-income trading. Through its Corporate BondTicker service, MarketAxess provides fixed-income market data, analytics and compliance tools that help its clients make trading decisions. In addition, it provides Financial Information eXchange (FIX) message management tools, connectivity solutions and ancillary technology services that facilitate the electronic communication of order information between trading counterparties. The Company�� revenues are primarily generated from the trading of the United States high-grade corporate bonds. In March 2013, it announced acquisition of Xtrakter Limited.

The majority of the Company's revenues are derived from monthly distribution fees and commissions for trades executed on its platform that are billed to its broker-dealer clients on a monthly basis. The Company also derives revenues from technology products and services, information and user access fees, investment income and other income. During 2012, the Company�� broker-dealer clients accounted for approximately 95% of the underwriting of newly-issued United States corporate bonds and approximately 72% of the underwriting of newly issued European corporate bonds. MarketAxess�� electronic trading platform provides access to the liquidity provide! d through the participation on its platform of 87 broker-dealer market making clients, including all of the broker-dealers in global fixed-income trading, and over 1000 active institutional investor firms. In addition to services directly related to the execution of trades, the Company offers its clients several other services, including information services, straight-through processing, and technology products and services. MarketAxess offers Application Programming Interface (API) services to its broker-dealer clients for pre-trade, trade negotiation and post-trade services.

The United States High-Grade Corporate Bonds

The United States corporate bond market consists of three categories of securities: investment-grade debt (so-called high-grade); debt rated below investment-grade (so-called high-yield), and debt convertible into equity (so-called convertible debt). The Company�� United States high-grade corporate bond business consists of the United States dollar-denominated, investment-grade debt issued by corporations for distribution in the United States. Both domestic and foreign institutional investors have access to the United States high-grade corporate bond trading on its electronic trading platform. During 2012, its broker-dealer clients accounted for approximately 95% of the underwriting of newly-issued the United States corporate bonds. The Company offers its institutional investor clients access to a range of inventory of the United States high-grade corporate bonds, which is provided and updated daily by its broker-dealer clients.

Eurobonds

The European high-grade corporate bond market consists of a range of products, issuers and currencies. MarketAxess Europe Limited, its wholly owned subsidiary, offers European secondary trading functionality in the United States dollar- and Euro-denominated European corporate bonds to its broker-dealer and institutional investor clients. The Company also offers its clients to trade in other European! high-gra! de corporate bonds, including bonds issued in Pounds Sterling, floating rate notes, European government bonds and bonds denominated in non-core currencies. In the Eurobond credit market, defined as including European high-grade, high yield and government bonds, 23 broker-dealers utilize the Company�� platform.

Emerging Markets Bonds

Emerging markets bond market includes the United States dollar, Euro or local currency denominated bonds issued by sovereign entities or corporations domiciled in a developing country. These issuers are located in Latin America, Asia, or Central and Eastern Europe. The agency bond market includes debt issued by a United States government-sponsored enterprise. 59 of the Company�� United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade emerging markets bonds. During 2011, 414 institutional investor clients utilized its electronic trading platform to trade emerging markets bonds. These institutional investor clients are located in the United States and Europe. MarketAxess also allows its institutional investor clients to transact Euroclear-eligible local currency denominated bonds issued by sovereign entities or corporations in countries that include Argentina, Brazil and Mexico.

Crossover and High-Yield Bonds

59 of the Company�� United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade crossover and high-yield bonds. Trading in crossover and high-yield bonds uses many of the same features available in its United States high-grade corporate bond offering.

Agency Bonds

41 of the Company�� United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade agency bonds. Trading in agency bonds uses many of the same features available in the Company�� United States high-grade corporate bond offering.

Credit Default Swaps

MarketAxess offers trading on its platform for CDS indices and single-names in both the United States and Europe through its traditional RFQ proto! col. Nine! of the Company�� broker-dealer clients are providing streaming, executable CDS index prices. In addition, it incorporated the request-for-market protocol and the streaming markets/click-to-trade protocol into an updated single-screen user interface, giving clients their means of execution.

Asset-Backed Securities

12 of its United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade asset-backed securities. Trading in asset-backed securities uses many of the same features available in the Company�� United States high-grade corporate bond offering.

Preferred Securities

17 of the Company�� United States broker-dealer clients use its platform to trade preferred securities. Trading in preferred securities uses many of the same features available in its United States high-grade corporate bond offering.

Corporate BondTicker

Corporate BondTicker provides TRACE data and enhances it with MarketAxess trade data and analytical tools to provide professional market participants with a set of corporate bond price information. The data include trade time and sales information, including execution prices, as well as MarketAxess-estimated, spread-to-Treasuries, for trades disseminated by the TRACE system. The data also include actual execution prices and spread-to-Treasury levels for United States high-grade corporate bond trades executed on the MarketAxess platform. Corporate BondTicker is integrated directly into the MarketAxess electronic trading platform and can be accessed, either when viewing securities inventory or when launching an inquiry. Corporate BondTicker is also available through the Internet for non-trading professional market participants, including, among others, research analysts and rating agencies, who can log in and access the information via an easy-to-use browser-based interface.

The Company provides Corporate BondTicker as an ancillary service to its trading clients and also to other industry parti! cipants. ! It derives revenues from its Corporate BondTicker service by charging for seat licenses per user at its broker-dealer and institutional investor clients, through distribution agreements with other information service providers and through bulk data sales to third parties. The Company also offers a set of reports designed to review and monitor credit trading activity for institutional investor clients. Its compliance product provides a printed history of each inquiry submitted through the MarketAxess trading platform.

Technology Services

Through MarketAxess�� Greenline Financial Technologies, Inc. (Greenline) subsidiary, it provides integration, testing and management solutions for FIX-related products and services. The FIX protocol is a messaging standard developed for the electronic exchange of securities transaction information. It also provides technology consulting and customized development services to its clients. In addition, the Company provides gateway adapters to connect order management and trading systems to fixed-income trading venues.

The Company competes with Thomson TradeWeb, Bloomberg and The New York Stock Exchange

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Alex Dumortier, CFA]

    MarketAxess (NASDAQ: MKTX  ) published its third-quarter results�(link opens a PDF) this morning, and as the following table shows, the numbers were disappointing -- by Wall Street's standards. The fixed-income trading platform missed on both revenues and earnings per share. Those misses have short-term investors spooked today, and shares are down around 5.5%. Long-term investors, on the other hand, ought to be a little more sanguine. I don't see any signs that the business franchise is impaired, and, although investors will need to continue monitoring potential competitors and, particularly, structural developments in the bond markets, the latest set of results are well within the bounds of normal business fluctuations.

Top 5 Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Chesapeake Gold Corp (CHPGF.PK)

Chesapeake Gold Corp. is a mineral exploration company focusing on the discovery and development of gold-silver deposits in North and Central America. The Company�� primary asset is the Metates gold-silver project (Metates) located in Durango State, Mexico. The Company also has a portfolio of exploration properties in Mexico comprising 57,067 hectares in the states of Durango, Sinaloa, Oaxaca and Veracruz. The Escorpion property is located 85 kilometers by paved road southeast of Guatemala City. The Metates property is the undeveloped disseminated gold and silver deposits in Mexico. The property is consists of 14 mineral concessions totaling 14,727 hectares. Talapoosa property is a low-sulphidation gold/silver property in the Walker Lane gold trend of western Nevada, approximately 45 kilometers east of Reno. The property consists of 535 unpatented lode mining claims and seven additional fee land sections which cover 10,780 hectares. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Hebba Investments]

    Therefore the situation is still very bullish for investors in physical gold and the gold ETFs (GLD, CEF, and PHYS). Investors interested in leveraging this situation into higher potential profits may also consider buying gold miners such as Randgold (GOLD), Goldcorp (GG), Yamana Gold (AUY), and any of the other gold miners. Finally, those willing to shoulder much larger risks may consider some of the exploration and micro-cap companies that offer significant profits at a high risk such as Chesapeake Gold (CHPGF.PK), Pretium Resources (PVG), Western Copper (WRN), or any other of the junior exploration companies. Though investors should keep in mind that gold mining companies and explorers do not always rise with a rising gold price - do your research before you invest in the miners.

Top 5 Rising Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ecotality Inc.(ECTY)

ECOtality, INC., through its subsidiaries, provides clean electric transportation and storage technologies in the United States and internationally. It offers electric vehicle supply equipment for on-road vehicular applications under the Blink name; and advanced fast-charge systems for material handling, airport ground support equipment, and various motive applications under the Minit-Charger name, as well as engages in the development, manufacture, assembly, and sale of specialty solar products, advanced battery systems, and hydrogen and fuel cell systems. The company also provides testing, engineering, and consulting services, including the advanced vehicle testing activities; the EV Micro-Climate process, a planning and consulting program for municipal planning organizations and utilities; bridge power manager systems; and EV network management and software solutions. In addition, it offers energy engineering services comprising hydrogen, solar, battery, coal gasificati on, and energy delivery infrastructure; hydrogen internal combustion engine vehicle conversions; industrial battery systems; specialty solar solutions; specialty thin-sealed lead battery products; and third-party hydrogen and education related products. Further, the company operates an online retail store that provides a range of fuel cell products, such as fuel cell stacks, systems, component parts, and educational materials. It serves commercial, industrial, institutional, governmental, and utility sector consumers. The company was formerly known as Alchemy Enterprises, Ltd. and changed its name to ECOtality, Inc. in November 2006. ECOtality, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By CRWE]

    About ECOtality

    ECOtality, Inc. (Nasdaq:ECTY), headquartered in San Francisco, California, is a leader in clean electric transportation and storage technologies. Through innovation, acquisitions, and strategic partnerships, ECOtality accelerates the market applicability of advanced electric technologies to replace carbon-based fuels. For more information about ECOtality, please visit www.ecotality.com.

    Forward-Looking Statements

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now

As warm weather thaws in the Northern states, something inside investors' minds snaps. Perhaps with more�barbecues going on, investors don't want to spend time following stocks, so they sell out of the market. Either way, the phrase "sell in May and go away" gets passed around once every year. What should you do with your stocks in May?

First, don't sell. As Fool Alex Dumortier demonstrated by analyzing the returns of the�S&P 500� (SNPINDEX: ^GSPC  ) from 1926 to 2012, buying and holding returned 1.6% more compared to selling in May and buying back in October. And depending on transaction fees and taxes, the outperformance of "buy and hold" compared to selling in May could be even higher.

Second, if you're still worried, take a look at these defensive stocks that have held up well from Mother's Day to Memorial Day and beyond, and those looking relatively cheap headed into May.

Stalwart stocks
One of the most resilient stocks in tough times is�General Mills� (NYSE: GIS  ) , maker of Cheerios and other such staples. While the�S&P dipped more than 6% last May, General Mills lost only 1.6%. Throughout the Great Recession, when the S&P dropped more than 50%, General Mills took less than a 10% hit. And even with a steady business of cereal, the company doesn't rest on its laurels. Last year it acquired Food Should Taste Good, which brought several organic and natural food brands into the fold; a stake in Yoplait, which gives General Mills a piece of the growing yogurt market; and Brazilian Yoki Alimentos, which increases the company's emerging-market presence.

Top High Tech Stocks To Own Right Now: Myriad Genetics Inc (MYGN)

Myriad Genetics, Inc. (Myriad) is a molecular diagnostic company. The Company is focused on developing and marketing predictive medicine, personalized medicine and prognostic medicine tests. It performs all of its molecular diagnostic testing and analysis in its own reference laboratories. These technologies include the cornerstone technologies of biomarker discovery, high-throughput deoxyribo nucleuc acid (DNA) sequencing, ribo nucleic acid (RNA) expression and multiplex protein analysis. The Company uses this information to guide the development of new molecular diagnostic tests that are designed to assess an individual's risk for developing disease later in life (predictive medicine), identify a patient's likelihood of responding to drug therapy and guide a patient's dosing to ensure optimal treatment (personalized medicine), or assess a patient's risk of disease progression and disease recurrence (prognostic medicine).

As of June 30, 2012, the Company had launched nine commercial molecular diagnostic tests. The Company markets these tests through its own approximate 385-person sales force in the United States. The Company also markets its BRACAnalysis, COLARIS, and COLARIS AP tests through its own European sales force and have entered into marketing collaborations with other organizations in selected Latin American, European and Asian countries. The Company also generates revenue by providing companion diagnostic services to the pharmaceutical, and biotechnology industries and medical research institutions utilizing its multiplexed immunoassay technology.

Molecular Diagnostic Tests

The Company's molecular diagnostic tests are designed to analyze genes, their mutations, expression levels and proteins to assess an individual's risk for developing disease later in life, determine a patient's likelihood of responding to a particular drug, assess a patient's risk of disease progression and disease recurrence and measure a patient's exposure to drug therapy to ensu! re optimal dosing and reduced drug toxicity. The Company's BRACAnalysis test is a analysis of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes for assessing a woman's risk of developing hereditary breast and ovarian cancer. BRACAnalysis accounted for 81.7% of the Company's total revenue during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2012. Its The Company's COLARIS test is an analysis of the MLH1, MSH2, MSH6 and PMS2 genes for assessing a person's risk of developing colorectal cancer or uterine cancer.

The Company's COLARIS AP test detects mutations in the APC and MYH genes, which cause a colon polyp-forming syndrome known as Familial Adenomatous Polyposis (FAP), a more common variation of the syndrome known as attenuated FAP, and the MYH-associated polyposis signature (MAP). The Company's MELARIS test analyzes mutations in the p16 gene to determine genetic susceptibility to malignant melanoma. The Company's OnDose test is a nanoparticle immunoassay that is designed to assist oncologists in optimizing 5-FU (fluorouracil) anti-cancer drug therapy in colon cancer patients on an individualized basis. The Company's PANEXIA test is a comprehensive analysis of the PALB2 and BRCA2 genes for assessing a person's risk of developing pancreatic cancer later in life. The Company's PREZEON test is an immunohistochemistry test that analyzes the PTEN gene and assesses loss of PTEN function in many cancer types.

The Company's Prolaris test is a 46-gene molecular diagnostic assay that assesses whether a patient is likely to have a slow growing, indolent form of prostate cancer that can be safely monitored through active surveillance, or a more aggressive form of the disease that would warrant aggressive intervention, such as a radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy. The Company's TheraGuide 5-FU test analyzes mutations in the DPYD gene and variations in the TYMS gene to assess patient risk of toxicity to 5-FU (fluorouracil) anti-cancer drug therapy.

Companion Diagnostic Services and Other Revenue

! Through M! yriad RBM Inc., the Company provides biomarker discovery and companion diagnostic services to the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, and medical researches industries utilizing its multiplexed immunoassay technology. The Company's technology enables the Company to screen large sets of clinical samples from both diseased and non-diseased populations against the Company's menu of biomarkers. The Company's companion diagnostic services consist of Multi-Analyte Profile (MAP), Multiplexed Immunoassay Kits and TruCulture.

The Company has compiled a library of over 550 individual human and rodent immunoassays for use in its multi-analyte profile (MAP) testing services. The Company has also developed RodentMAP, a panel for use in pre-clinical animal studies and OncologyMAP, which measures cancer-related proteins to assists researchers accelerate the pace of discovery, validation and translation of cancer biomarkers for early detection, patient stratification and therapeutic monitoring. The Company has developed multiplexed immunoassay kits that enable its customers to leverage its technology services with their in-house capabilities. The Company's internally developed multiplexed immunoassay kits include all of the components necessary for a customer to perform a test on their own Luminex instrument. TruCulture is a simple, self-contained whole blood culture that can be deployed to clinical sites around the world for acquiring cell culture data without specialized facilities or training.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) issued downside first quarter guidance. The company expects its non-GAAP EPS to be $0.25 on revenue of $168 million. The company noted that its revised estimates are due to an increase in costs and turnaround time for its myRisk Hereditary Cancer test. The company also reaffirmed its fiscal 2015 outlook of non-GAAP EPS of $1.90 to $2.00 and revenue of $800 million to $820 million. Shares lost 7.23 percent, closing at $35.03.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Myriad Genetics (NASDAQ: MYGN) was also up, gaining 13.04 percent to $39.74 after the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services updated pricing for the sequencing of the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes.

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: LSI Logic Corporation (LSI)

LSI Corporation designs, develops, and markets storage and networking semiconductors worldwide. It offers integrated circuits for hard disk and tape drive solutions, which are used to store and retrieve data in personal computers, corporate network servers, archive/back-up devices, and consumer electronics products. The company�s storage electronics products include systems-on-a-chip, read channels, pre-amplifiers, serial physical interfaces, and hard disk controllers, as well as custom firmware required to read, write, and protect data. It also offers pre-amplifiers, which are used to amplify the initial signal to and from the drive disk heads; and solutions that transmit data between a host computer and storage peripheral devices. In addition, the company provides custom and standard networking solutions that include chips, such as network processors, digital signal processors, content-inspection processors, traffic shaping devices, and physical layer devices, as well a s software, evaluation systems, and reference designs for office, home office, and small-to-medium business applications; flash storage processors; server storage semiconductor products, and server RAID adapters and software; and high-speed interface intellectual property that combine with customers� intellectual property to provide a connection to the SAN, memory systems, and host buses. Further, it offers networking solutions include communication processors, network processors, media processors, content-inspection processors, and physical layer devices, as well as software tools and segment specific applications, evaluation systems, and reference designs. The company was formerly known as LSI Logic Corporation and changed its name to LSI Corporation in April 2007. The company was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Milpitas, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    It might not be obvious to the casual observer, but right now, today, LSI (NASDAQ: LSI  ) stock offers one of the best values available in the semiconductor industry. Why?

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: Enpro Industries (NPO)

EnPro Industries, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets engineered industrial products primarily in the United States and Europe. The company operates through three segments: Sealing Products, Engineered Products, and Engine Products and Services. The Sealing Products segment provides metallic, non-metallic, and composite material gaskets; dynamic seals; compression packing; resilient metal seals; elastomeric seals; expansion joints; heavy-duty truck wheel-end component systems, including brake products; flange sealing and isolation products; pipeline casing spacers/isolators; casing end seals; sealing systems for sealing pipeline penetrations; hole forming products; manhole infiltration sealing systems; safety-related signage for pipelines; bellows and bellow assemblies; pedestals for semiconductor manufacturing; polytetrafluoroethylene products; and sheeted rubber products. Its products are used in various industries, including chemical and petrochemical proc essing, petroleum extraction and refining, pulp and paper processing, heavy-duty trucking, power generation, food and pharmaceutical processing, primary metal manufacturing, mining, water and waste treatment, aerospace, medical, filtration, and semiconductor fabrication. The Engineered Products segment offers bearing products and aluminum bushing blocks for use in automotive, pump and compressor, construction, power generation, and general industrial markets; and components for reciprocating compressors and engines in refining, petrochemical, natural gas gathering, and storage and transmission markets. The Engine Products and Services segment manufactures, sells, and services heavy-duty, medium-speed diesel, natural gas, and dual fuel reciprocating engines for shipyards, municipal utilities, institutional and industrial organizations, sewage treatment plants, nuclear power plants, and offshore oil and gas platforms. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Cha rlotte, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lisa Levin]

    EnPro Industries (NYSE: NPO) shares rose 25.20% to $74.13. The volume of EnPro Industries shares traded was 2661% higher than normal. EnPro's Garlock won a trial on Asbestos liability. CL King upgraded the stock from Neutral to Buy.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on EnPro Industries (NYSE: NPO  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: Super Micro Computer Inc.(SMCI)

Super Micro Computer, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops and provides high performance server solutions based on modular and open-standard architecture. The company offers a range of rackmount, workstation, storage, graphic processing unit, and blade server systems, as well as subsystems and accessories used by distributors, original equipment manufacturers, and end customers to assemble server systems. It provides server options with single, dual, and quad CPU capability supporting Intel Pentium and Xeon multi-core architectures; and server systems based on AMD dual and quad Opteron. The company also offers server subsystems and accessories, including server boards, and chassis and power supplies. In addition, it sells other system accessories, such as microprocessors, memory, and disc drives. The company sells its server systems, and server subsystems and accessories through distributors, including value added resellers, system integrators, and original equip ment manufacturers, as well as through its direct sales force primarily in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Super Micro Computer, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.

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

    Super Micro Computer (NASDAQ: SMCI) shares were also up, gaining 11.50 percent to $21.13 after the company reported upbeat FQ3 results and issued a strong Q4 forecast.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Super Micro Computer (Nasdaq: SMCI  ) reported earnings on April 23. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended March 31 (Q3), Super Micro Computer missed estimates on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Super Micro Computer Inc.'s(SMCI) fiscal second-quarter profit more than doubled as the servers maker reported a double-digit jump in sales and higher gross margins. The latest results topped Super Micro’s expectations and the company issued a rosy outlook for the fiscal third quarter. Shares surged 12% to�$20.79 premarket.

  • [By John Kell var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(func]

    Shares of Super Micro Computer Inc.(SMCI) jumped 17% to $22.09 premarket after the servers maker reported better-than-expected profit and sales growth for the fiscal third-quarter. Super Micro also issued a rosy outlook for the fiscal fourth quarter.

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: Fidelity National Information Services Inc (FIS)

Fidelity National Information Services, Inc. (FIS), incorporated on March 2, 2001, is a global provider of banking and payments technologies. The Company operates in four segments: Financial Solutions Group (FSG), Payment Solutions Group (PSG), International Solutions Group (ISG) and Corporate and Other Segment. The Company is engaged in payment processing and banking solutions, providing software, services and outsourcing of the technology. The Company offers financial institution core processing, card issuer and transaction processing services, including the NYCE Network, a national electronic funds transfer (EFT) network. FIS serves more than 14,000 institutions in over 100 countries. In February 2011, FIS acquired GIFTS Software, Inc., a provider of integrated funds transfer, Web-based cash management systems and anti-money laundering (AML) solutions. In April 2012, it acquired ICS Risk Advisors and Memento, Inc. In August 2012, the Company completed the sale of its Healthcare Solutions business to an investment fund affiliated with Lightyear Capital LLC. In March 2013, it announced the acquisition of mFoundry.

Financial Solutions Group

FSG is to provide the software and services for the core processing, customer channel, treasury, cash management, wealth management and capital market operations of its financial institution customers in North America. The Company services the core and related ancillary processing needs of North American banks, credit unions, automotive financial companies, commercial lenders, and independent community and savings institutions. FIS offers a selection of in-house and outsourced solutions to banking customers that span the range of asset sizes. Its solutions in this segment include Core Processing and Ancillary Applications, Channel Solutions, Decision and Risk Management Solutions, Syndicated Loan Applications, Global Commercial Services and Strategic Consulting Services.

The Company�� processing software applications are de! signed to run banking processes for its financial institution clients, including deposit and lending systems, customer management, and other central management systems. The Company also offers a number of services that are ancillary to the primary applications listed above, including branch automation, back office support systems and compliance support. In addition, its wealth management services offer a set of Internet-enabled services to financial services providers that address the specific needs of markets, as well as commercial clients. These solutions address asset and liability aggregation, trust and investment account management, client and regulatory reporting, and employee retirement benefit services. The Company also offers an application suite that assists automotive finance institutions in evaluating loan applications and credit risk, and allows automotive finance institutions to manage their loan and lease portfolios.

The Company�� suite of retail delivery applications enables financial institutions to integrate customer-facing operations and back-office processes, thereby improving customer interaction across all channels (branch offices, Internet, automated teller machine (ATM), call centers). Its Consumer Electronic Banking and Business Internet Banking both provide a set of cash management capabilities, enabling customers to manage banking and payments through the Internet, mobile devices, accounting software and telephone. Corporate Electronic Banking solutions provide commercial treasury capabilities, including cash management services and multi-bank collection and disbursement services that address the specialized needs of corporate customers. FIS systems provide accounting and reconciliation for such transactions, serving as the system of record and providing regulatory compliance, risk assessment and fraud management tools.

The Company�� decision solutions offers a spectrum of options that cover the account lifecycle from helping to identify qualified! account ! applicants to managing mature customer accounts and fraud. Its applications include know-your-customer, new account decisioning, new account opening, account and transaction management, fraud management and collections. Its risk management services utilize its risk management models and data sources to assist in detecting fraud and assessing the risk of opening a new account or accepting a check at either the point-of-sale, a physical branch location, or through the Internet. Its systems utilize a combination of advanced authentication procedures, predictive analytics, artificial intelligence modeling and shared databases to assess and detect fraud risk for deposit transactions for financial institutions.

The Company�� syndicated loan applications are designed to support wholesale and commercial banking requirements necessary for all aspects of syndicated commercial loan origination and management. Its global commercial services include solutions, both onshore and offshore, designed to meet the technology challenges facing principally Unites States based clients, large or small. Its technology solutions range in scope from consulting engagements to application development projects and from operations support for a single application to management of information technology infrastructures. The Company also provides outsourcing teams todeliver customer service. With the The Capital Markets Company NV (Capco) acquisition, it provides integrated consulting, technology and transformation services. Capco specializes in banking; capital markets; wealth and investment management; finance, risk and compliance, and technology. Capco's North American operations are included in FSG.

Payment Solutions Group

PSG provides a set of software and services for the EFT, card processing, item processing, bill payment, and government and healthcare payments processing needs of its customers in North America. PSG is focused on servicing the payment and electronic funds transfer needs o! f North A! merican headquartered banks and credit unions, commercial lenders, independent community and savings institutions and healthcare and government institutions. Its solutions in this segment include Electronic Funds Transfer, Item Processing and Output Services, Credit Card Solutions, Government and Healthcare Payments Solutions, ePayment Solutions and Check Authorization.

The Company�� electronic funds transfer and debit card processing businesses offer settlement and card management solutions for financial institution card issuers. It provides traditional ATM- and personal identification number (PIN)-based debit network access and emerging real-time payment alternatives through NYCE. It is also a provider of prepaid card services, which include gift cards and reloadable cards, with end-to-end solutions for development, processing and administration of stored-value programs.

The Company�� item processing services furnish financial institutions with the equipment needed to capture data from checks, transaction tickets and other items; image and sort items; process exceptions through keying, and perform balancing, archiving and the production of statements. Its item processing services are utilized by more than 1,500 financial institutions. Its solutions include distributed ( non-centralized) data capture, check and remittance processing, fraud detection, and document and report management. Its Endpoint Exchange Network enables United States financial institutions to clear their check-based transactions by allowing for the exchange of check images between member institutions. The Company offers a number of output services that are ancillary to the primary solutions it provide, including print and mail capabilities and card personalization fulfillment services. Its CSF Designer document composition software is used by many clients in various industries to furnish printed or electronically produced invoices and statements for customized customer communication. Its print and mail! services! offers computer output solutions for the creation, management and delivery of print and fulfillment needs. The Company provides its card personalization fulfillment services for branded credit cards and branded and non-branded debit and prepaid cards. More than 5,200 financial institutions utilize a combination of its technology and/or services to issue VISA, MasterCard or American Express branded credit and debit cards or other electronic payment cards for use by both consumer and business accounts. Its services range from card production and activation to a range of fraud management services to value-added loyalty programs designed to increase card usage and fee-based revenues.

FIS healthcare payments solutions facilitate the exchange of information and funds among patients, payers, providers and financial institutions. With Web-enabled tools, a Health Savings Account (HSA) platform, multi-purse benefit debit cards that cover multiple spending accounts with a single card and combined eligibility/payment cards, FIS enables consumers and third-party benefits administrators to have integrated benefit account management of HSAs, Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA), Health Reimbursement Agreements (HRA) and dependent care and transportation accounts. It also provides customized electronic service applications for government agencies, including Internal Revenue Service (IRS) payment services. It also facilitates the collection of state income taxes, real estate taxes, utility bills, vehicle registration fees, driver�� license renewal fees, parking tickets, traffic citations, tuition payments, court fees and fines, hunting and fishing license fees, as well as various business licenses.

The Company provides bill publishing and bill consolidation technology for its customers, generating millions of monthly bills and servicing both billers and financial institution customers. Online bill payment functionality includes credit and debit card-based expedited payments. Its end-to-end prese! ntment an! d payment solution provides an all-in-one solution to meet billers��needs for the distribution and collection of bills and other customer documents. FIS also provides automated clearing house (ACH) processing. Its check authorization business provides check risk management and related services to businesses accepting or cashing checks. Its services assess the likelihood (and often provide a guarantee) that a check will clear.

International Solutions Group

The Company provides core banking applications, channel solutions, card and merchant services, item processing and check risk management solutions to financial institutions, card issuers and retailers. Its international operations leverage existing applications and provide services for the specific business needs of its customers in targeted international markets. Services are delivered from 28 operations centers around the world. Its payment solutions services include outsourced card-issuer services and customer support, payment processing and switching services, prepaid and debit card processing, item processing, software licensing and maintenance, outsourced ATM management and retail point-of-sale check warranty services. Its financial solutions services include fully outsourced core bank processing arrangements, application management, software licensing and maintenance, facilities management and consulting services, including Capco's international operations.

Corporate and Other Segment

The Corporate and Other segment consists of the corporate overhead costs that are not allocated to operating segments. These include costs related to human resources, finance, legal, accounting, domestic sales and marketing, merger and acquisition activity and amortization of acquisition-related intangibles and other costs that are not considered when management evaluates operating segment performance.

The Company competes with Fiserv, Inc., Jack Henry and Associates, Inc., Open Solutions, Inc., In! ternation! al Business Machines Corporation (IBM), Accenture Ltd., Alliance Data Systems Corporation, DST Systems, Harland Financial Solutions, Inc., SEI Investments Company, S1Corporation, SunGard Data Systems, Inc., Alnova Technologies Corporation, Oracle Financial Services Software Limited, Misys plc, Infosys Technologies Limited, Temenos Group AG, MasterCard Incorporated, Visa Inc., First Data Corporation, Total System Services, Inc., HP Enterprise Services, Payment Systems for Credit Unions (PSCU), Heartland Payments Systems, Inc. and Global Payments, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Marc Bastow]

    Banking and payments services and support company Fidelity National Information Services (FIS) raised its quarterly dividend 9% to 24 cents per share, payable on Mar. 31 to shareholders of record as of Mar. 17.
    FIS Dividend Yield: 1.90%

Best Defensive Companies To Own In Right Now: Synalloy Corporation(SYNL)

Synalloy Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells pipes and piping systems in the United States and internationally. It operates in two segments, Metals and Specialty Chemicals. The Metals segment manufactures pipe and piping systems from stainless steel, carbon, chrome, and other alloys for use in the chemical, petrochemical, pulp and paper, waste water treatment, LNG, mining, power generation, water treatment, brewery, food processing, petroleum, alternative fuels, and pharmaceutical sectors. The Specialty Chemicals segment produces specialty chemicals and dyes for the carpet, chemical, paper, metals, mining, agricultural, fiber, paint, textile, automotive, petroleum, cosmetics, mattress, furniture, janitorial, and other industries. Synalloy Corporation sells its metal products through outside and inside sales employees, manufacturers? representatives, and authorized stocking distributors, as well as directly to engineering firms, construction companies, and project owners. It markets its specialty chemicals directly to various industries through outside sales employees and manufacturers' representatives. The company was formerly known as Blackman Uhler Industries, Inc. and changed its name to Synalloy Corporation in July 1967. Synalloy Corporation was founded in 1945 and is headquartered in Spartanburg, South Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By GuruFocus]

    New Purchase: Synalloy Corporation (SYNL)

    Tom Gayner initiated holdings in Synalloy Corporation. His purchase prices were between $13.36 and $16, with an estimated average price of $14.21. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.27%. His holdings were 485,343 shares as of 06/30/2013.