| Analyst EPS Estimate Top Retail Stocks To Buy Right Now: Costco Wholesale Corporation(COST) Costco Wholesale Corporation operates membership warehouses that offer a selection of branded and private label products in a range of merchandise categories in no-frills, self-service warehouse facilities. The company's product categories include candy, snack foods, tobacco, alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, and cleaning and institutional supplies; appliances, electronics, health and beauty aids, hardware, office supplies, garden and patio, sporting goods, toys, seasonal items, and automotive supplies; dry and institutionally packaged foods; apparel, domestics, jewelry, house wares, media, home furnishings, cameras, and small appliances; meat, bakery, deli, and produce; and gas stations, pharmacy, food court, optical, one-hour photo, hearing aid, and travel. It also provides business and gold star (individual) membership services. As of April 26, 2011, the company operated 581 warehouses, including 425 in the United States and Puerto Rico, 80 in Canada, 22 in the Uni ted Kingdom, 7 in Korea, 6 in Taiwan, 8 in Japan, 1 in Australia, and 32 in Mexico. It also has Costco Online, an electronic commerce Web site, at costco.com in the United States and at costco.ca in Canada. The company was formerly known as Costco Companies, Inc. and changed its name to Costco Wholesale Corporation in August 1999. Costco Wholesale Corporation was founded in 1976 and is based in Issaquah, Washington. Advisors' Opinion: - [By Jonas Elmerraji]
Investors should love Costco Wholesale (COST) in 2013 -- and not just when they're trying to buy ketchup by the gallon. Costco isn't the biggest club warehouse in terms of locations, but it is the best. Costco's 430 locations boast much higher revenues per square foot than competitors like BJ's or Sam's Club (around twice as much, in fact) thanks to a niche of selling bargain-priced big-ticket items. That niche also keeps Costco's customer mix skewed towards "mass affluent" consumers. Costco operates a membership model, which means that only the firm's 64 million members can shop in its stores. That membership restriction provides Costco with a recurring revenue stream, and (more significantly), a very loyal and sticky customer base. Because consumers are less likely to carry memberships from competing wholesale clubs, Costco's existing base of higher-spending customers gives the firm a shallow economic moat vs. its peers. Because COST earns the majority of its profits from those membership fees, it's able to charge very low prices for its merchandise. Financially, Costco is in stellar shape. The firm carries close to a billion dollars in net cash, a hefty amount of dry powder for a retailer. As consumers keep spending in 2013, Costco should keep rallying.
Top Retail Stocks To Buy Right Now: Radioshack Corporation(RSH) RadioShack Corporation engages in the retail sale of consumer electronic goods and services through its RadioShack store chain and kiosk operations. Its products include postpaid and prepaid wireless handsets and communication devices, such as scanners and global positioning system (GPS) products; home entertainment, wireless, music, computer, video game, and GPS accessories; media storage, power adapters, digital imaging products, and headphones; home audio and video end-products, personal computing products, residential telephones, and voice over Internet protocol products; digital cameras, digital music players, toys, satellite radios, video gaming hardware, camcorders, and general radios; general and special purpose batteries and battery chargers; and wires and cables, connectivity products, components and tools, and hobby products. The company also provides consumers access to third-party services, such as prepaid wireless airtime and extended service plans in its ser vice platform. In addition, it manufactures various products, including telephones, antennas, wires, and cable products, as well as various hard-to-find parts and accessories for consumer electronics products; and provides repair services. As of March 31, 2011, the company operated 4,467 company-operated retail stores under the RadioShack brand name in the United States; and 1,304 kiosks located in Target and Sam?s Club stores. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 211 company-operated stores under the RadioShack brand, 9 dealers, and 1 distribution center in Mexico; a network of 1,207 RadioShack dealer outlets, including 34 located outside of North America; and 4 distribution centers in the United States. Further, the company sells its products through its Website, radioshack.com. RadioShack Corporation was founded in 1899 and is based in Fort Worth, Texas. Advisors' Opinion: - [By David Sterman]
Perhaps the closest catalyst is for this consumer-electronics retailer, which will commence a new sales agreement with Verizon (NYSE: VZ) on Thursday, Sept. 15. Verizon controls roughly 40% of the wireless market, so the new relationship is bound to bring a lot more foot traffic than past relationships with other carriers such as Sprint (NYSE: S) and T-Mobile.
And for this type of business, foot traffic is the name of the game. RadioShack needs people to visit stores and browse for hot products. These customers may not make their intended purchase that day, but they often leave with other items such as batteries, Bluetooth headsets, GPS devices, etc. If investors take note of any uptick in RadioShack's traffic, then they may stick around long enough to notice this stock's financials are hugely appealing. Sure, growth has been anemic, but RadioShack has still managed to generate very strong free cash flow in the $165 million range during the past five years. As a result, the company's share count has fallen from 180 million in 2003 to about 120 million today. Ongoing buybacks will take this number even lower, so per-share profits are bound to rise even if overall net income stays flat.
I'm guessing the Verizon deal will be a real plus for the stock, helping net income to grow at a moderate pace and earnings per share (EPS) to grow even more robustly (thanks to that shrinking share count). Analysts expect EPS to rise about 15% in 2012 to roughly $1.80, yielding a price-to-earnings (P/E) multiple below seven. On an enterprise-value basis, this stock is absurdly cheap, trading for less than four times earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA). - [By Roberto Pedone]
One final under-$10 stock that looks ready to trigger a major breakout trade is RadioShack (RSH), which is involved in the retail sale of consumer electronics goods and services through its RadioShack store chain. This stock has been red hot so far in 2013, with shares up a whopping 72%. If you take a look at the chart for RadioShack, you'll notice that this stock recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at around $3.03 to $2.97 a share. Following that bottom, shares of RSH have ripped higher back above its 50-day moving average at $3.28 a share and it broke out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.33 to $3.34 a share. That move is now quickly pushing shares of RSH within range of triggering an even bigger breakout trade. Traders should now look for long-biased trades in RSH if it manages to break out above some key overhead resistance levels at $3.87 to $4.17 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.38 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then RSH will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $5 to $6 a share. Traders can look to buy RSH off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits just below its 50-day at $3.28 a share, or right below $3 a share. One can also buy off strength once RSH clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop right below $3.40 to $3.30 a share. This stock is a favorite target of the bears, since the current short interest as a percentage of the float for RSH is extremely high at 36.1%. If RSH triggers that breakout soon, then this stock has explosive upside potential due to this high short interest. We could easily get a monster short-squeeze, so be ready to play the breakout if it triggers for shares of RSH.
Hot Chemical Stocks To Invest In 2014: Sonic Automotive Inc.(SAH) Sonic Automotive, Inc. operates as an automotive retailer in the United States. It engages in the sale of new and used cars, light trucks, and replacement parts; provision of vehicle maintenance, warranty repair, paint, and collision repair services; and arrangement of extended service contracts, financing, insurance, and other aftermarket products. As of December 31, 2011, the company operated 119 dealerships representing 30 brands of cars and light trucks, and 23 collision repair centers in 15 states. The company was founded in 1997 and is based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Top Retail Stocks To Buy Right Now: Family Dollar Stores Inc.(FDO) Family Dollar Stores, Inc. operates a chain of self-service retail discount stores primarily for low and middle income consumers in the United States. The company offers consumables, including household chemicals, paper products, candy and snack products, health and beauty aids, hardware and automotive supplies, and pet food products and supplies; and home products, which comprise domestics, housewares, giftware products, and home decor products. It also provides apparel products and accessories consisting of men?s and women?s clothing products, boys? and girls? clothing products, infants? clothing products, shoes, and fashion accessories; and seasonal products and electronics, such as toys, stationery and school supplies, seasonal goods, and personal electronics. As of August 11, 2011, the company operated approximately 7,000 stores in rural and urban settings across 44 states. Family Dollar Stores, Inc. was founded in 1959 and is headquartered in Matthews, North Carolina . Advisors' Opinion: - [By Sy_Harding]
My second retail value stock is clearly a value stock: Family Dollar Stores (FDO -0.20%, news). Operating in the intensely competitive discount retail segment at a time when its customer base was feeling the brunt of the slow recovery, Family Dollar managed to grow same-store sales 4.8% in fiscal 2011, with a 5% to 7% increase projected for fiscal 2012 and to improve its market position by shifting its merchandise mix and moving into urban neighborhoods. The stock trades at about 18 times trailing 12-month earnings per share and just about 13 times forward projected earnings. Wall Street analysts are looking for 23.6% earnings growth in the quarter that ends in February 2012.
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, biopharmaceutical company AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking. With that in mind, let's take a closer look at AbbVie and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now. AbbVie facts | Headquarters (Founded) | North Chicago, Ill. (2012) | | Market Cap | $72 billion | | Industry | Pharmaceuticals | | Trailing-12-Month Revenue | $18.5 billion | | Management | Chairman/CEO Richard Gonzalez
CFO William Chase | | Trailing-12-Month Return on Equity | 71.4% | | Cash/Debt | $7.5 billion / $15.2 billion | | Dividend Yield | 3.5% | | Competitors | Gilead Sciences
Merck
Pfizer | Sources: S&P Capital IQ and Motley Fool CAPS. On CAPS, 97% of the 151 members who have rated AbbVie believe the stock will outperform the S&P 500 going forward. Just last week, one of those Fools, cschweit, tried to calm a few concerns surrounding the AbbVie opportunity: This stock will be quite [volatile] for the next few years, but its pipeline is strong. ... 2016 is the "big" year according to many analysts because of Humira patent protection loss, but this is an overhyped notion based on trends in the pharmaceutical market in general, not specifically based on the type of product it is. ... The "patent cliff" is typically more important when it comes to small molecule drugs because generics are much easier to develop for these types of medicines. ... The next few years will be crucial, though, for this young company -- especially with the race with [Gilead] over Hepatitis C medicines. In the pharma business, great success comes with a caveat. AbbVie is a perfect example, as investors in the new company are left wondering what the future holds once the company's golden goose, Humira, is cooked. The Fool's brand new premium report on the company answers the high-profile questions that AbbVie investors are asking. Simply click here now to claim your copy today. #pitch{ margin-bottom: 15px; } More Expert Advice from The Motley Fool The Motley Fool's chief investment officer has selected his No. 1 stock for the next year. Find out which stock in our brand-new free report: "The Motley Fool's Top Stock for 2013." I invite you to take a copy, free for a limited time. Just click here to access the report and find out the name of this under-the-radar company.
Visual effects have become virtually indistinguishable from the real thing in recent years. But now technology is conspiring to (small f) fool even the most discerning of experts. At last week's annual conference of the National Association of Broadcasters, data storage specialist Fusion-io (NYSE: FIO ) introduced a 1.6 terabyte version of its ioFX solid-state drive, which integrates with Hewlett-Packard's (NYSE: HPQ ) Z class workstations for fast design and editing of visual effects. Why should investors care? �Like Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) before it, Fusion-io is occupying niches such as creative design where its specialized technology can have a huge impact. It's a short leap from there to mass market adoption, especially with data volumes growing as fast as they have been, says Tim Beyers of Motley Fool Rule Breakers and Motley Fool Supernova in the following video. 5 Best Tech Stocks To Invest In 2014: Meru Networks Inc.(MERU) Meru Networks, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides wireless local area network (LAN) solutions in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and the Asia Pacific. It offers a virtualized wireless LAN solution based on its System Director Operating System, which runs on its controllers and access points to enable enterprises to deliver business-critical applications over wireless networks. The company?s System Director Operating System provides centralized coordination and control of various access points on the network; controllers synchronize access points to optimize the user experience and manage traffic on the network; and Wi-Fi certified access points to provide network connectivity for wireless devices. It also offers Meru Networks E(z)RF application suite comprising E(z)RF Network Manager, E(z)RF Service Assurance Manager, E(z)RF Location Manager, E(z)RF OnTheGo, Spectrum Manager, and wired and wireless management solutions, which enable enterprises to configure, monitor, troubleshoot, secure, and operate virtualized wireless LAN solution. In addition, the company provides Identity Manager that simplifies enterprise network access and identity management; Wireless Intrusion Prevention System to recognize and mitigate threats; Compliance Manager to reduce the risk of security breach by protecting customer and employee personal information by extending security to the wireless network; AirFirewall to intercept and block unwanted communications as they transmit over the air, stopping them before they reach the network; and Security Gateway SG1000 to meet the demands of the Federal Information Processing Standard, 140-2 Level 3 security required by federal government agencies and other security-conscious organizations. It serves the education, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, technology, finance, government, telecom, transportation, and utility markets. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. 5 Best Tech Stocks To Invest In 2014: Lam Research Corporation(LRCX) Lam Research Corporation designs, manufactures, markets, refurbishes, and services semiconductor processing equipments used in the fabrication of integrated circuits. The company offers etch products that remove portions of various films from the wafer in the creation of semiconductor devices. Its etch products include dielectric etch, conductor etch, three-dimensional integrated circuit etch, MEMS devices, CMOS image sensors, and power devices for etching process. Lam Research Corporation also provides wafer cleaning steps that comprise post-etch and post-strip cleans, and pre-diffusion and pre-deposition cleans; and single-wafer wet clean and plasma-based bevel clean systems. The company offers its products to semiconductor manufacturers. It operates in the United States, Europe, Taiwan, Korea, Japan, and the Asia Pacific. Lam Research Corporation was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Fremont, California. Raven Industries, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures various products for industrial, agricultural, energy, construction, and military/aerospace markets primarily in North America. It operates in four segments: Applied Technology, Engineered Films, Aerostar, and Electronic Systems. The Applied Technology segment designs, manufactures, sells, and services precision agriculture products and information management tools enabling growers to enhance farm yields. Its products include field computers, application controls, GPS-guidance and assisted-steering systems, automatic boom controls, and yield monitoring planter controls, as well as an integrated real time kinematic and information platform called Slingshot. This segment sells its products to original equipment manufacturers, as well as through after market distributors. The Engineered Films segment produces rugged reinforced plastic sheeting for industrial, construction, geomembrane, and agricultural appli cations. It sells plastic sheeting to independent third-party distributors through its sales force. The Aerostar segment sells high-altitude research balloons and tethered aerostats for government and commercial research. It produces military parachutes, uniforms, and protective wear for the U.S. government agencies as a subcontractor; and other sewn and sealed products on a contract basis. The Electronic Systems segment provides electronics manufacturing services for commercial customers. It manufactures assemblies, including avionics, communication, environmental controls, and other products. The company was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota. 5 Best Tech Stocks To Invest In 2014: Neratelecommunications Ltd (N01.SI) Nera Telecommunications Ltd designs, engineers, sells, distributes, installs, services, and maintains telecommunication systems and products in transmission networks, and satellite communications and information technology networks. Its Telecommunications segment offers wireless infrastructure network solutions, including in-building, outdoor coverage enhancement, RF access network optimization, benchmarking, 3G/LTE base stations, and point-to-point and point-to-multi-point microwave solutions; and undertakes various projects that comprise planning, designing, installation, commissioning, testing, and post sales support and services for various market sectors, such as ISPs, broadcasters, enterprises, government organizations, offshore, and utilities. This segment also provides satellite communications products comprising land and marine terminals, land earth stations/gateways, broadband satellite networks for B2B applications, satellite airtime, on-board marine service, an d after sales services to satellite service providers, ISPs, government/aid/rescue organizations, enterprises, media, and marine/offshore/oil and gas industries. Its Infocomm segment offers IP network infrastructure products, such as routers, switches, security and application performance products, and access controlling products; digital TV broadcast network infrastructure products, networks, and services to the broadcasters and service providers; and optical network platform solutions to service providers, mobile carriers, business enterprises, multi-service operators, government, transport, and utilities. This segment also provides point-of-sale payment terminals; terminal/application software; and wireless, contact-less, and IP products to network devices. It serves customers in Singapore, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, and other Asian countries. The company is based in Singapore. 5 Best Tech Stocks To Invest In 2014: Rdm Corporation Com Npv (RC.TO) RDM Corporation develops and provides specialized software and hardware products for the electronic commerce and payment processing markets primarily in Canada and the United States. It offers remote check deposit systems and Web-based image management, and transaction processing services for retailers, banks, financial institutions, payment processors, and government agencies, as well as print quality control and image quality systems. The company provides remote deposit capture (RDC) software products, including the image and transactions management system (ITMS) WebClient for medium to large check volume customers; ITMS Branch Capture to enable the conversion of checks from paper to a digital format; Simply Deposit for small check volume customers; Simply Deposit Mobile for mobile deposit applications; Synergy Deposit for all‐in‐one RDC and card‐based payments in retail applications; and Image Cash Letter deposit services, as well as check scanners and payment terminals. It also offers document archive and retrieval solutions; and magnetic ink character recognition (MICR) test services to organization involved in the printing or processing of checks and/or MICR documents. In addition, the company provides RDC, MICR quality control, and image quality control training services; and professional services, including the implementation and deployment of RDC solutions and ITMS platforms. It serves various vertical markets, such as accounting firms, banking and financial services, check cashing, community banks, credit unions, daycare centers, education, healthcare, insurance, legal, membership clubs, mobile banking, motor freight, property management, retail, and utilities. It distributes its solutions through direct sales force, financial institutions, or value-added resellers. The company was formerly known as Mindflight Corporation and changed its name to RDM Corporation in June 1998. RDM Corporation was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Waterloo, Canada.
The world is expanding, but unfortunately it's not the global economy whose waistline needs to go up a size. The rate of worldwide obesity has been marching higher at an extraordinary rate for more than three decades now. According to the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, known as the OECD, fewer than one in 10 people were considered obese in 1980. As of 2011, 19 of the 34 OECD countries have a majority of their population that's either overweight (defined as a body mass index above 25) or obese (a BMI of more than 30). A growing problem
The reason for higher obesity rates is pretty simple among the world's economic powerhouses: living conditions, education, and incomes have been improving. Certainly the diverse eating habits of different cultures has some bearing on this as well, but the trend has been unmistakably higher across all OECD countries. As of the OECD's most recent data available, here are the nine most obese countries in the world: 
Source: OECD health data 2011. Obesity rate in adults.
The concern with obesity is that it puts people at higher risk of developing certain cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and even certain types of cancer. Even more than that, it can affect those around you vis-a-vis health care costs. Obesity-related costs are responsible for 1%-3% of all health expenditures in most countries, with that figure jumping to somewhere in the 5%-10% range for the U.S. which tops the list of most obese nations. Furthermore, if you add in the lost production caused by obesity-related ailments on top of these health care costs, obesity costs are more than 1% of the total U.S. GDP! These nine countries and their inhabitants really have two choices: be proactive or reactive. The proactive response
Being proactive is the simple act of people making a conscientious choice to live a healthier lifestyle. This approach is accomplished by exercising on a regular basis and eating more nutritious foods, as well as by government agencies encouraging healthier lifestyles for its citizens. You might think that gyms would offer an interesting investment opportunity in a situation like this, but customer loyalty is historically very poor. The smart way to play a proactive lifestyle change from an investment perspective is to target organic and natural food companies. Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM ) , for instance, has built its success upon offering locally grown natural and organic foods to consumers. Although organic foods cost more than what you'd find at your traditional grocery store, they are often more nutritious. You'll also find that consumers are more than willing to pay more for food if they know it's better for them. But, it isn't just grocers that are making the difference. Fresh-Mex chain Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG ) offers a full line of meats that are free of antibiotics and synthetic hormones under its Food with Integrity pledge. It's another way of supporting local farmers and a big move toward encouraging healthier eating habits among its consumers. The reactive response
Understandably, proper diet and exercise will not work for everyone. You can blame it on genetics if you'd like, but the reactive response is where medication approved by the Food and Drug Administration steps in. Over the past year, we've had two new potential chronic weight management drugs approved by the FDA: Qsymia by VIVUS (NASDAQ: VVUS ) and Belviq by Arena Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ARNA ) . Keep in mind that these aren't wonder drugs, but they did show significant promise in trials. Belviq, for example, induced weight-loss in excess of 5% in 38% of patients during trials while also providing better glycemic balance in patients with type 2 diabetes. VIVUS' Qsymia delivered comparatively intriguing results with 62% of recommended dosage patients losing at least 5% of their body weight in trials. Unfortunately, chronic weight management drugs aren't magic pills. Qsymia has quite a few restrictions attached to it, including recommendations by the FDA not to use it if you're pregnant or if you've had a recent history of unstable heart disease. Similarly, Belviq isn't recommended for those who are pregnant and should be closely monitored in patients with congestive heart failure. These concerns were enough to keep Qsymia (known as Qsiva in Europe) and Belviq from being approved by the European Medicines Agency (essentially the FDA of the EU) because of unique safety concerns attached with each drug. However, there still exists plenty of promise within the U.S. and abroad for both drugs -- if they can harness that potential, that is! Arena, I've long thought, has a one-up on VIVUS in that it's chosen to partner with pharmaceutical giant Eisai Pharmaceuticals to handle its marketing and distribution, whereas VIVUS is going it alone. Eisai's experience could be the factor that makes Belviq the better selling anti-obesity drug. Arena and Eisai's collaborative deal covers most of North and South America, including the U.S., Mexico, and Canada -- the first, second, and sixth most-obese nations -- according to the OECD. Arena also has a marketing and distribution partnership in place in South Korea with Ildong Pharmaceuticals. However, South Korea is the least obese country of all, coming in at just 3.8% of the population, so that partnership is far less important than its tie-ins with Eisai. Another name worth keeping an eye on here is Orexigen Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: OREX ) , which is in the process of developing its own chronic weight management drug known as Contrave. The drug was rejected in 2011 because of long-term cardiovascular concerns, but Orexigen has run extended safety trials and could resubmit its new drug application before the year is out. The battle against obesity rages on
With Qsymia only recently becoming available in the U.S. and with Belviq still awaiting final labeling from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency before it can find its way onto pharmacy shelves, the reactive side of the business really hasn't had much chance to shine. Hopefully, within the next three to five years we'll see the start of a decline in nationwide obesity trends among these nine most-obese countries; but it'll also take a conscientious effort by the people living there to lead healthier lives. I do feel there's ample hope down the road for a slimmer global population and plenty of potential for fatter stock prices for some of the companies mentioned here. As the United States continues to change it's approach to healthcare, obesity is sure to maintain its status as a high profile topic. What other high profile health topic was Warren Buffett referring to when he said "this is the tapeworm that's eating at American competitiveness"? Find out in our free report: What's Really Eating At America's Competitiveness. You'll also discover an idea to profit as companies work to eradicate this efficiency-sucking tapeworm. Just click here for free, immediate access.
On Wednesday April 24th, Corning Inc. (GLW) announced a quarterly dividend increase of $0.01/share to bring its upcoming dividend payout to $0.10/share. It should be noted that this increase represents a 10% rise from its prior dividend of $0.09/share which was paid on January 30th. In the wake of Corning's dividend increase I wanted to examine several of the catalysts behind my decision to establish a long-term position in this particular stock. Overview: Shares of GLW, which currently possess a market cap of $20.04 billion, a P/E ratio of 11.42, a forward P/E ratio of 10.42, and a PEG ratio of 0.95, settled at $13.88/share at the end of Wednesday's session. (click to enlarge) Top 5 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: America First Tax Exempt Investors L.P.(ATAX) America First Tax Exempt Investors, L.P. engages in acquiring, holding, selling, and dealing with a portfolio of federally tax-exempt mortgage revenue bonds. As of March 31, 2011, it held 20 tax-exempt mortgage bonds secured by 20 multifamily apartment properties containing a total of 3,606 rental units. America First Capital Associates Limited Partnership Two serves as the general partner of the company. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Omaha, Nebraska. Top 5 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: NGP Capital Resources Company(NGPC) NGP Capital Resources Company is a business development company specializing in investments in small and mid size and middle market companies. The firm typically invests in acquisitions, buyouts, growth and development, revitalization, restructuring, recapitalizations, and special situations. It invests in energy companies with a focus on oil and gas exploitation, development, and production business; upstream businesses that acquire, develop, and produce oil, natural gas, and coal; midstream businesses that gather, process, store, and transport oil and natural gas; power generation and distribution; oil field services and other energy services; and alternative energy and other similar energy related businesses. The firm primarily invests between $10 million and $100 million in its portfolio companies. It invests in the form of secured, senior, and subordinate debt; convertible debt; preferred equity; project equity; production payments, net profits interests, and similar investments; and mezzanine loans and may receive equity investments in portfolio companies in connection with such investments. The firm makes asset and project based investments in private companies and can also invest in public companies. NGP Capital Resources Company was founded in 2004 and is based at Houston, Texas. It is a subsidiary of NGP Energy Capital Management. Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund is a closed-ended equity fund of fund launched and managed by Cornerstone Advisors, Inc. The fund invests funds investing in the public equity markets of the United States. It invests in stocks of companies operating across diversified sectors. Cornerstone Progressive Return Fund was formed on April 26, 2007 and is domiciled in the United States. Top 5 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Spectra Energy Corp(SE) Spectra Energy Corp, through its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership and operation of a portfolio of complementary natural gas-related energy assets in the United States and Canada. The company operates in four segments: U.S. Transmission, Distribution, Western Canada Transmission and Processing, and Field Services. The U.S. Transmission segment engages in the transportation and storage of natural gas for customers in various regions of the northeastern and southeastern United States and the Maritime Provinces in Canada. Its natural gas pipeline systems consist of approximately 19,000 miles of transmission pipelines; and storage capacity comprises 305 billion cubic feet in the United States and Canada. The Distribution segment engages in the natural gas storage, transmission, and distribution in Western Canada and the United States. This segment has approximately 37,600 miles of distribution main and service pipelines serving approximately 1.3 million residential, comme rcial, and industrial customers. The Western Canada Transmission and Processing segment provides natural gas transportation, and gas gathering and processing services; and provides services to natural gas producers to remove impurities from the raw gas stream including water, carbon dioxide, hydrogen sulfide, and other substances. This segment serves local distribution companies, end-use industrial and commercial customers, marketers, and exploration and production companies. The Field Services segment gathers and processes natural gas, as well as fractionates, markets, and trades natural gas liquids. It engages in gathering raw natural gas through gathering systems located in nine natural gas producing regions consisting of the Mid-Continent, Rocky Mountain, east Texas-north Louisiana, Barnett Shale, Gulf Coast, South Texas, Central Texas, Antrim Shale, and Permian Basin. The company is headquartered in Houston, Texas. Top 5 Dividend Stocks To Own Right Now: Dreyfus Municipal Income Inc.(DMF) Dreyfus Municipal Income, Inc. is a close ended mutual fund launched and managed by The Dreyfus Corporation. It invests in the fixed income markets. It primarily invests in municipal bonds. Dreyfus Municipal Income, Inc. is domiciled in United States.
Lots of us want to invest in the stock market, but many have not done so yet. Why? Well, some think they don't have enough money to invest yet, and some think it's not the right time, and others just aren't sure how to invest. Let's get all of these excuses out of the way, shall we? -- because stocks are one of the best ways to build a nest egg for retirement. Don't have enough?
If you're not bothering to learn how to buy stock because you think you're not rich enough, think again. You really don't need a lot of money to start investing. You don't have to buy at least 100 shares of a stock, either. You can usually buy as little as one share of a stock, though you do want to keep your commission costs under control. Paying, say, $10 to buy a $10 stock is a bit much. Low trading rates abound, and with a $10 fee, you can spend $500 on a stock or fund and only be paying 2% in commissions. Plenty of brokerages charge relatively low fees (such as $10 or less per trade) and have low minimum investment requirements to open an account, too -- sometimes just $500 or even no minimum at all. It's too soon or too late?
If you're thinking you don't need to worry about how to buy stock because you're too young or too old to invest, you're wrong. Young folks may not have much money, but they're rich in something most of us are far poorer in: time. If you invest just $1,000 at age 15 and it grows for 50 years at 10% annually, you'll end up with more than $117,000 at 65. If you start with $5,000 at age 25, it can turn into almost $600,000 by age 75. Add more along the way and you'll be even richer. Meanwhile, many people make it to age 90 or beyond. If you're 65 today, you might still have a good 25 years ahead of you, if not 35! You don't know how to buy stock?
If you don't know how to buy stock, you're not alone. Few of us are ever taught much about investing. Fortunately, the basics are pretty simple. You might, for example, just park most of your nest egg in a few low-cost broad-market index fundsSPDR S&P 500 ETF (NYSEMKT: SPY ) (which tracks the S&P 500) or Vanguard mutual funds or ETFs. (ETFs are exchange-traded funds, and are kind of like a cross between a stock and a fund.) You can include bonds easily, too. With most mutual funds, you can open an account directly with the mutual fund company -- such as Fidelity or Vanguard. Click over to their website and you'll be able to either fill out account application forms online or download them to print, fill out, and mail in -- with a check to fund the account. You can open regular accounts or IRA accounts, which offer tax advantages and come in traditional and Roth forms. You can also buy most stocks and a wider range of mutual funds through regular brokerages, which try to make the account-opening process simple via their websites. Learning how to buy stock is pretty easy, but figuring out what to invest in can take a little more time. Consider keeping it simple, with index funds, at least until you're comfortable with fancier fare, such as individual stocks. Are you prepared for retirement?
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If you already own stock in Tesla Motors (NASDAQ: TSLA ) , you probably wish you owned more of it. Tesla stock is up more than 150% year to date. At the time of this writing, shares of the electric-vehicle maker were trading around $90 a pop. However, with as much as 86% of that upside occurring this month, is it too late for investors to get in on the action? Who wants to know?
Whether or not Tesla stock remains a buy at its current valuation depends largely on how you invest. Buy and hold investors with an eye to the future and a stomach for volatility should see the stock climb higher from here in the years ahead. However, not all analysts share my enthusiasm for the stock's long-term growth potential. Fellow Fool Sean Williams sees the stock's recent run-up as an opportunity to sell shares of Tesla short. He's certainly not alone. More than 37% of the company's free float remains sold short, even after the flood of good news out of the company this month. Still, it's important not to forget that the high short interest in Tesla stock was a major contributor to the steep rise in Tesla's value this month. If that short squeeze has taught us anything, it's not to bet against Tesla or the company's outspoken CEO Elon Musk. Valuing the big picture
On Wednesday, Musk gave investors yet another reason to get behind Tesla stock: He put more skin in the game. That's right, Musk said he would personally buy $100 million worth of Tesla stock, following the company's announcement Wednesday night that Tesla will raise additional funds through a stock and convertible-bond offering. The takings will be used in part to pay back the $465 million owed to the Department of Energy. This means Tesla will not only be paying back its loan early, but it will also be doing so ahead of auto giants including Ford (NYSE: F ) and Nissan -- although, to be fair, Tesla had the smallest DOE loan of the bunch. In fact, Ford borrowed a whopping $5.9 billion in green tech funding, while Nissan claimed $1.4 billion in taxpayer financing. Ultimately, I think a secondary offering was the right move for Tesla as it cuts the political chains once and for all. Not to mention, Musk's additional investment in the company offers further proof that he is in Tesla stock for the long haul. For these reasons, I don't think it's too late for investors that can buy and hold shares of Tesla for the next five to 10 years. I certainly plan to add to my position going forward. Near-faultless execution has led Tesla Motors to the brink of success, but the road ahead remains a hard one. Despite progress, a looming question remains: Will Tesla be able to fend off its big-name competitors? The Motley Fool answers this question and more in our most in-depth Tesla research available for smart investors like you. Thousands have already claimed their own premium ticker coverage, and you can gain instant access to your own by clicking here now.
LONDON -- In its final results for the year to March 31, SABMiller (LSE: SAB ) (NASDAQOTH: SBMRY ) , the global beverage-brewer and bottler with more than 200 beer brands and Coca-Cola bottling operations, saw group revenue increase by 10% to $34.5 billion and EBITA rise 14% to $6.4 billion, while pre-tax profit fell 16% to $4.7 billion. The fall in profit before tax was attributed to the previous year being bolstered by exceptional gains. Constant-currency group revenue was up 7%, with revenue per hectoliter up 3% and lager volume up 3%. Growth was seen in all divisions except North America. Constant-currency EBITA growth was 9%, and the profit margin rose to 18.6%. The strong revenue growth was spearheaded by its developing-market operations in Africa, Latin America, Asia-Pacific, and South Africa. The beverage volume growth of 4% was driven by new product innovations and benefited from investments in new capacity, particularly in Africa. The integration of the Foster's acquisition in Australia is progressing ahead of schedule. Basic earnings per share fell by 23% to $2.06, although adjusted EPS rose 11% to $2.39. The dividend was increased by 11% to $1.01 per share. Free cash flow rose by 6% to $3.2 billion, and net debt decreased by $2.1 billion to $15.7 billion. John Manser, acting chairman, commented: I am delighted to report another year of significant progress and strong results for the group. Through a combination of innovation, effective brand development and good commercial execution we continued to develop the beer category and widen the appeal of our products. Strong growth in our developing markets was supported by investments in additional capacity, commercial capability and distribution reach. Group revenue grew by 10% and the focus on operating efficiencies helped us achieve growth in profit margins. Looking forward, SABMiller is looking to continue developing beer and soft-drink brand portfolios and tinker with price increases to maximize profit. The group is also looking to focus on cost-saving initiatives including further synergies in Australia. The share price has fallen 2.3% as of 10:30 a.m. EDT, though this is against a backdrop of a 2% fall for the wider market, indicating a fairly neutral response from investors. The long-term prospects of SABMiller remain promising and point to strong growth prospects. Indeed, SABMiller has been a growth success story with a 45% gain in the last 12 months. If you are interested in tapping into similar opportunities, then take a look at this free report, which could help you on your way. The report explains how taking a contrarian view and backing unloved companies can be vital steps on the path to the magic £1 million milestone. Maybe one day a resurgent SABMiller could be the share that transforms your wealth. Just click here to download the report today, but hurry -- all Fool reports are free for a limited time only.
LONDON -- We've been getting a few quarterly updates recently for the period ending March 31. But things will be heating up next week as we start to get annual results from companies with March as their year-end. We'll have quite a few FTSE 100 companies reporting throughout the month. Here are three for next week. Sainsbury (LSE: SBRY )
Wednesday will bring us full-year results from J Sainsbury, and it's looking like they should be pretty decent. In its fourth-quarter trading statement, released in March, the supermarket chain told us that like-for-like sales were up 4.2% for the quarter and 2.1% over the whole year (3.6% and 1.8%, respectively, excluding petrol). Current forecasts suggest a 6% rise in earnings per share, with a dividend yield of 4.4% on a share price of 386 pence. That would need a 4% rise in the dividend over 2012, and with the first-half dividend having already been lifted by 6.7% to 4.8 pence per share, that seems like a reasonable expectation. Best Supermarket Companies To Own In Right Now: LiveDeal Inc.(LIVE) LiveDeal, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, delivers local customer acquisition services for small and medium-sized businesses. It provides online marketing Internet directory services. The company offers InstantProfile, which distributes small businesses? key contact and service information to Internet destinations, including the search engines, Internet directories, and social media networks that enable advertisers to manage their business information in one location and enhance their reach to various destinations a consumer may search for local business services. It also provides online listing services. The company was formerly known as YP Corp. and changed its name to LiveDeal, Inc. in August 2007. LiveDeal, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. Best Supermarket Companies To Own In Right Now: ADDvantage Technologies Group Inc.(AEY) ADDvantage Technologies Group, Inc., through its subsidiaries, distributes and services a range of electronics and hardware products for the cable television industry. The company provides new, surplus-new, and refurbished products in various brands, including Cisco, Motorola and Arris Solutions for use in connection with video, telephone and internet data signals. It offers headend products, including digital and analog satellite receivers, integrated receiver/decoders, demodulators, modulators, antennas and antenna mounts, amplifiers, equalizers, and processors for signal acquisition, processing, and manipulation for further transmission; fiber products comprising optical transmitters, fiber-optic cable, receivers, couplers, splitters, and compatible accessories for transmitting the output of cable system headend to virus locations using fiber-optic cables; and access and transport products, such as transmitters, receivers, line extenders, broadband amplifiers, direction al taps and splitters for use in permiting signals to travel from the headend to their destination in a home, apartment, hotel room, office or other terminal location. The company also provides customer premise equipment consisting of digital converter boxes and modems to receive, record, and transmit video, data, and telephony signals; and hardware equipment, such as test equipment, connector, and cable products. In addition, it offers Fujitsu Frontech North America encoders, decoders, and other media solutions products primarily for use in the broadcast industry. The company markets and sells its products to franchise and private MSOs, telephone companies, system contractors, and other resellers primarily in the United States, Canada, Central America, Mexico, and rest of South America. ADDvantage Technologies Group, Inc.was founded in 1989 and is based in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma. Best Oil Stocks To Buy For 2014: Sanmina-SCI Corporation(SANM) Sanmina-SCI Corporation provides integrated electronics manufacturing services worldwide. It offers product design and engineering services, including initial development, detailed design, prototyping, validation, preproduction, and manufacturing design; volume manufacturing of complete systems, components, and subassemblies; final system assembly and testing services; direct order fulfillment and logistics services; and after-market product service and support services. The company also manufactures various system components and subassemblies consisting of printed circuit boards, printed circuit board assemblies, backplanes and backplane assemblies, enclosures, cable assemblies, precision machine components, optical components and modules, and memory modules. It provides its services to original equipment manufacturers primarily in the communication, enterprise computing and storage, multimedia, industrial and semiconductor capital equipment, defense and aerospace, medica l, clean technology, and automotive industries. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in San Jose, California. Advisors' Opinion: - [By Sam Collins]
Sanmina-SCI Corporation (NASDAQ: SANM ) is independent global provider of customized, integrated electronics manufacturing services. The stock has been in an intermediate downtrend since April, but recent accumulation and a host of buy recommendations from more than 20 analysts puts this stock back in the spotlight. SANM recently crossed over its 50-day moving average, and its stochastic flashed a buy. Since it is technically still in a downtrend, stop-loss orders at $10 should be entered. The average target of the fundamental analysts is $24, and S&P rates the stock a "five-star buy" with a 12-month target of $20.
Best Supermarket Companies To Own In Right Now: Senomyx Inc.(SNMX) Senomyx, Inc. engages in the discovery and development of novel flavor ingredients in the savory, sweet, salt, bitter, and cooling areas using proprietary taste receptor-based assays and screening technologies. The company has product discovery, development, and commercialization collaborations with seven food, beverage, and ingredient companies, including Ajinomoto Co., Inc.; Firmenich SA; Kraft Foods, Inc.; Nestle SA; and PepsiCo, Inc. Senomyx, Inc. licenses flavor ingredients to its collaborators on an exclusive or co-exclusive basis. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in San Diego, California.
General Electric (NYSE: GE ) unveiled today its most efficient wind turbine to date, and NextEra Energy (NYSE: NEE ) wants in. As the nation's leading producer of renewable energy, the utility will purchase 59 new turbines for a Michigan wind farm to add on to its current 10,000 net MW of wind capacity. "GE is a trusted partner and a leader in wind turbine technology and innovation," said NextEra Energy Resources President and CEO Armando Pimental in a statement today. "Wind turbine innovation is key to the continued growth of the wind industry." "Our highest capacity factor turbines are the flagship products in our portfolio," said Keith Longtin, GE's General Manager for wind products. "The 1.7-100 is the latest evolution of our advanced wind turbine technology and was designed to ensure consistent performance, reliability, and efficiency." Top Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Communications Systems Inc.(JCS) Communications Systems, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells modular connecting and wiring devices, digital subscriber line filters, structured wiring systems, and media and rate conversion products primarily in North America, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa. The company?s Suttle segment manufactures and markets copper and fiber connectivity systems, enclosure systems, XDSL filters and splitters, and active technologies for voice, data, and video communications under the Suttle brand name; and residential structured wiring products under the SOHO Access brand name. This segment offers its products directly and through distributors to communication companies, smaller telephone companies, electrical/low voltage contractors, home builders, cable customers, and original equipment manufacturers. Its Transition Networks segment designs, assembles, and markets network interface devices, media converters, network interface cards, Ethernet switches, sma ll form factor pluggable modules, and other connectivity products under the Transition Networks and MILAN brand names. This segment sells its products through distributors, resellers, integrators, and original equipment manufacturers. The company?s JDL Technologies segment offers information technology (IT) solutions, including network design and integration IT service management, network security, desktop virtualization, and managed network operation center services. This segment serves educational clients, IT value added resellers, and managed service providers, as well as healthcare, enterprise, and government markets. Its Austin Taylor segment provides telephony and data networking products to telecommunications companies, distributors, and installers. This segment designs and manufactures external metal cabinets and internal metal boxes to industry standards and to customer specifications. The company was founded in 1969 and is headquartered in Minnetonka, Minnesota. Top Net Payout Yield Stocks To Invest In Right Now: China TechFaith Wireless Communication Technology Limited(CNTF) China Techfaith Wireless Communication Technology Limited, together with its subsidiaries, operates as an original developed products provider that is focused on the original design and sale of mobile phones in the People's Republic of China and internationally. Its original developed products include multimedia phones, and dual mode dual card handsets of multiple wireless technology combinations; Windows-based smartphones and Pocket PC phones; and handsets with interactive online gaming and professional game terminals with phone functionality. The company also provides gaming content to the motion, mobile, and online PC gaming markets through its Web sites. In addition, it develops Middleware Application MMI/UI software packages on 2G/2.5G, 3G, and 3.5G communication technologies. The company was founded in 2002 and is based in Beijing, the People's Republic of China. Core Laboratories N.V. engages in the provision of reservoir description, production enhancement, and reservoir management services to the oil and gas industry worldwide. The company�s reservoir description services comprise the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock, fluid, and gas samples; and provision of analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and petroleum products. Its production enhancement products and services relate to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulations, and production, as well as include integrated services to evaluate the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions to increase the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects. The company�s reservoir management services consist of the combination and integration of information from reservoir description and production enhancement services to increase production and enhance recovery of oil and gas from clients' reservoirs. Core Laboratori es N.V. markets and sells its services and products through sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows, and print advertising, as well as through direct sales force, technical experts, operating managers, sales representatives, and distributors in various markets. The company was founded in 1936 and is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
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