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.
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