i Auto Insurance 2013: 2014

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

5 Stocks Giving Their Shareholders A Raise With Higher Dividends

Dividend stocks are sometimes referred to as defensive stocks since many investors flee to them in an economic downturn. Their dividends, if sustainable, provide a minimum level of positive return. This cushions the downward pressure from the market. Better yet, great dividend companies not only sustain their dividends in a downturn - they actually raise them.

Below are several stocks displaying confidence in the future by increasing their cash dividends:Target Corporation (TGT) operates general merchandise stores in the United States and Canada. June 11th the company increased its quarterly dividend 21% to $0.52 per share. The dividend is payable September 10, 2014 to stockholders of record on August 20, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 3.6%.Caterpillar (CAT) manufactures and sells construction and mining equipment, diesel and natural gas engines, industrial gas turbines, and diesel-electric locomotives worldwide. June 11th the company increased its quarterly dividend 16.6% to $0.70 per share. The dividend is payable Aug 20, 2014 to stockholders of record on July 21, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.6%.Essex Property Trust (ESS) operates as a self-administered and self-managed real estate investment trust in the United States. June 11th the company increased its quarterly dividend 7.4% to $1.30 per share. The dividend is payable July 15, 2014 to stockholders of record on June 30, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.9%.Best Buy (BBY) operates as a multi-national, multi-channel retailer of technology products in the United States, Canada, China, and Mexico. June 10th the company increased its quarterly dividend 12% to $0.19 per share. The dividend is payable October 2, 2014 to stockholders of record on September 11, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 2.6%.Manhattan Bridge Capital (LOAN) provides short-term, secured, and non–banking loans to real estate investors to fund their acquisition and construction of properties in the New York Metropolitan area. June 10th the company increased its quarterly dividend 250% to $0.07 per share. The dividend is payable July 15, 2014 to stockholders of record on July 10, 2014. The yield based on the new payout is 9.3%. Selecting stocks with increasing dividends is critical for an income growth strategy. The above list contains stocks that recently raised their dividends; it is not a list of recommend buys. As always, due diligence should be performed before buying or selling any stock. For a list of stocks with a long string of consecutive cash dividend increases, see this list.Full Disclosure: No position in the aforementioned securities. See a list of all my dividend growth holdings here.Related Posts - 13 Dividend Growth Stocks With A Good Yield/Growth Mix - High Yield, High Risk Dividend Stocks - Dividend Stocks vs. Dividend ETFs - If Only I Had Known About These Dividend Stocks... - 10 Dividend Stocks Delivering The Secret To Success

About the author:Dividends4LifeVisit Dividends4Life at: http://www.dividend-growth-stocks.com/

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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

3 Industries That Need to Bounce Back in 2015

3dsystems.com With 2014 coming to a close, the market's setting itself up to post modest gains for the year. Naturally, a rising tide doesn't lift all ships. There are a few industries that have fallen out of favor this year despite the gains elsewhere. Let's take a look at three markets that have been battered in 2014. There's a lot riding on them bouncing back in the year ahead. 3-D Printing One of the hottest new industries of 2012 and 2013 was 3-D printing. 3D Systems (DDD) and Stratasys (SSYS) were two of Wall Street's biggest winners as investors got pumped about the prospects of printers that produce physical 3-D objects in a wide range of forms, colors, and textures. Reality hasn't been as kind as the romanticized vision of 3-D printing. There have been pricing and performance stumbling blocks. The machines are still too expensive and too slow. 3D Systems may have seen its stock more than triple in 2012 and more than double in 2013, but it's one of this year's most prolific laggards. Shares of 3D Systems have shed nearly two-thirds of their value. Adjusted earnings tumbled in its latest quarter, and 3D Systems warned of delays in new consumer products and a slowdown in metal printer sales. Stratasys initially held up well, but it has gone on to buckle along with 3D Systems and the other publicly traded 3-D printing specialists. It, too, had to hose down its guidance in its most recent financial report, and Stratasys stock has plunged 40 percent in 2014. Mobile Gaming We're in a mobile computing revolution, but the makers of mobile games aren't exactly feeling the love. We saw Zynga (ZNGA) implode in 2012 as gross bookings slipped at the company behind "Words With Friends" and "FarmVille"; after moving higher in 2013, it resumed its slide in 2014. Shares of Zynga have fallen 28 percent this year, and it's not alone. King Digital Entertainment (KING) went public earlier this year, hoping that it could parlay the success of its "Candy Crush Saga" casual game into a hot IPO. It didn't last. Shares of King have also gone on to shed more than a quarter of their value since the company went public at $22.50 in February. The problem with mobile gaming companies is that smartphone and tablet owners are too fickle. Games peak in popularity too quickly, and the barrier to entry is low. There's no shortage of hot apps that come and go. A perfect illustration of the quick spike and hard fall in this niche is Glu Mobile (GLUU). It soared this summer when a Kim Kardashian game raced up the Android and iOS app charts. However, it didn't stay there for long, and Glu has gone on to give back nearly all of its summertime gains. Energy The year is coming to a close with energy stocks attempting to stage a comeback after getting battered in recent weeks. With gasoline prices plunging, it's not a surprise to see everyone from offshore drillers to oil producers to pipeline operators taking a hit. Many consumers don't seem to mind. They're relishing the benefits of cheap gasoline, and that goes beyond simply making it cheaper to get around. Cheaper fuel makes it less expensive to produce goods and transport them to end users. There may be deflationary concerns if energy prices stay low for too long, but for now the market's not in a hurry to see this particular market bounce back. More from Rick Aristotle Munarriz
•Sony Blows 'The Interview,' Its Reputation, Its Future •5 Stock Predictions for 2015 •Will Facebook Score a Touchdown With the NFL?

Monday, December 29, 2014

â€˜Captain America: The Winter Soldierâ€™ Box Office Is Going to Be Huge

Will Walt Disney's (NYSE: DIS ) Marvel Studios nab a big win at the Captain America: The Winter Soldier box office? The newest Marvel movie opened in 3,938 U.S. cinemas this weekend. In this episode of 1-Up On Wall Street, The Motley Fool's web show in which we talk about the big-money names behind your favorite movies, toys, video games, comics, and more, host Ellen Bowman asks Fool analysts Nathan Alderman and Tim Beyers if the new Captain America epic exhibits the blockbuster bonafides we've come to expect from a Marvel movie.

Chris Evans as Captain America and Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Credit: Marvel Entertainment.

Nathan predicts a strong opening, citing excellent reviews for the movie and a $75.2 million initial haul in its overseas debut, an admirable performance when viewed in context. Captain America: The Winter Soldier opened in 32 territories outside the U.S. a week ago.

Tim agrees, noting that the source material -- from writer Ed Brubaker and artist Steve Epting -- is widely acclaimed. Meanwhile, the worldwide success of The Avengers has given every Marvel sequel since a noticeable bump at the box office. Thor: The Dark World earned about 41% more than Thor, while Iron Man 3 nearly doubled the box office take of its predecessor. Tim says it wouldn't be surprising to see The Winter Soldier outperform Captain America: The First Avenger in similar fashion.

Now it's your turn to weigh in. Will you be at the Captain America: The Winter Soldier box office this weekend? What's your prediction for how much the movie will earn? Please watch the video to get the full story, and then leave a comment to let us know where you stand. And be sure to check back here often for more 1-Up On Wall Street segments.

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Sunday, December 28, 2014

The first thing you should do in 2014

With 2013 come and gone, millions of people will resolve to make the most of their money in the coming year. Yet with the stock market moving sharply lower to begin the new year, many investors might well miss out on taking a vital step toward ensuring their long-term financial security by opening an IRA for 2014 as soon as possible.

One of the most important things you can do to start 2014 off on the right foot is to start thinking about saving for retirement. That's a tall order for many people, especially those with decades to go before they can even start dreaming of retiring. But if you want to retire rich, you have to look ahead, and having an IRA is a vital tool you can use to bring that goal closer to reality.

Why it's important to act now

Those who've followed this column know that I traditionally beat on the IRA soapbox at the beginning of most years. Last year, uncertainty about recently enacted tax rates gave some investors good reasons to wait on funding their IRA. But now that the tax-law picture has firmed up, IRAs look more attractive than ever in many ways.

In particular, the fiscal-cliff compromise that took effect at the beginning of 2013 raised tax rates on high-income taxpayers, reestablishing the 39.6% tax bracket and adding new taxes of 3.8% on investment income and 0.9% on wage income above certain high-income thresholds. Even preferential rates on capital gains rose from 15% to 20% for top-bracket taxpayers. As a result, the tax deferral benefits from IRAs are more valuable than ever for many.

Now it's true that you have plenty of time to make an IRA contribution for 2014. Indeed, you can still make a contribution to an IRA for 2013 until April 15. But the bull market of the past five years has emphasized just how important it is to put time on your side by getting money into an IRA sooner rather than later. At the same time, IRAs also make it easier for you to manage your risk than taxable accounts.

The value of high-growth stocks in IRAs

Investing in high-growth stocks within an IRA highlights the full potential that tax-deferred retirement accounts provide. For instance, Max Levchin, a well-known entrepreneur in the technology industry who was the co-founder of eBay's PayPal division, demonstrated the value of a Roth IRA a couple years ago when the social-network company Yelp came public. SEC filings showed that Levchin's Roth IRA owned more than 13.25 million shares of Yelp, and based on valuations at the time, the Roth IRA likely earned a gain of about $100 million when Yelp went public. Since then, Yelp has tripled in price, meaning potentially greater gains for any shares that Levchin has kept in his Roth.

Yet the other side of the coin gives another advantage of IRAs: You can sell your shares of high-flying growth stocks at any time without tax consequences. That can help IRA investors avoid traps that others traditionally fall into after long bull markets.

For instance, during the 1990s tech boom, millions of investors rode tech stocks to riches. Yet for those who held those stocks in taxable accounts, the prospect of losing a huge chunk of their capital gains to taxes led many to avoid selling shares. As a result, many investors ended up riding tech stocks all the way back down, never reaping any profit from the boom at all. By contrast, investors in an IRA were free to sell whenever they decided the tech boom was over, with no immediate tax consequences.

Some investors see similar signs of overpricing in today's market. In particular, tech and social-media stocks have become a target of those arguing that a new bubble has formed. In particular, Twitter (ticker: TWTR) has enjoyed phenomenal gains in the couple of months since it went public, more than doubling from its IPO price and climbing substantially higher from where it traded on its first day as a public company. Similarly, Facebook (FB) and LinkedIn (LNKD ) have produced stellar growth in boosting advertising revenue, especially with Facebook having ! demonstra! ted its success in the mobile ad space. Yet with these stocks carrying pricey valuations that reflect investors' high expectations for their future, anything short of perfection going forward could cause dramatic corrections -- corrections that those investing in taxable accounts will fear protecting themselves from because of the tax liability involved.

Don't wait

Obviously, if you don't yet have an IRA with winning stocks in it, then you can't take full advantage of every opportunity that IRAs give you. But the sooner you establish an IRA, the sooner you'll be able to consider all of these winning strategies while leaving yourself able to take action if downturns change your investing mindset.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news, analysis and commentary designed to help people take control of their financial lives. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

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Saturday, December 27, 2014

Syria, a Country Without Oil, Pushes Oil Prices Up

Syria’s oil reserves rank 35th in the world. However, the anxiety index among oil traders ignores that, almost certainly because of worry that the conflict in Syria will spill over to its oil-rich neighbors. However, Syria is not very close to most oil-rich nations geographically, other than Iraq. And Iraq has oil export problems of its own, which makes it an unlikely choice as a major source of supply. Years of war and infrastructure failures have kept Iraq’s capacity at low levels compared to its reserves.

Put another way, the Syrian situation is unlikely to interrupt supply from the largest oil-producing nations. All have governments that are stable and will not be shaken by the Syrian civil war.

The largest exports of oil from the Middle East region have had virtually no unrest among their populations. This includes particularly Saudi Arabia, Qatar, United Arab Emirates and Kuwait.

The supplies from the world’s other largest oil producers continue to be steady. There is no reason to think production in the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Canada or Brazil will change at all.

October NYMEX crude has reached more than $106 and has made a quick assault on $107. The level is extraordinary, given that less than three months ago the price was just above $90. The war premium, which appears to be the single greatest cause, has pressed the price 17% higher over the period.

Oil prices really ought to be dropping. The economies of Europe remain weak, with the exception of Germany. The Chinese economy has cooled. Oil research firm Platts recently reported:

Despite a new oil product pricing mechanism introduced by the central government in March, China’s state refiners continued to suffer in the downstream in the second quarter because of poor domestic demand, their interim results showed.

Downstream margins have improved considerably since last year, largely due to more timely domestic retail oil product price adjustments by the National Development and Reform Commission that closely track oil price changes, along with relatively lower crude prices. However, poor domestic demand continues to weigh on the companies, analysts said this week.

In particular, gasoil demand, which makes up the largest slate in China’s oil product mix, has been weak.

While demand for oil in the United States has been moderately strong, it has not been remarkably high, which additionally begs the question about price.

Syria’s troubles are unique. There is no evidence they will spread, at least in a fashion that will affect supply. So why an increase in prices?

Thursday, December 25, 2014

E-House (China) Holdings Posts a Surprise Profit

E-House (China) Holdings (NYSE: EJ ) reported earnings on May 16. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), E-House (China) Holdings crushed expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

Compared to the prior-year quarter, revenue grew significantly. Non-GAAP earnings per share grew. GAAP loss per share shrank.

Margins grew across the board.

Revenue details
E-House (China) Holdings logged revenue of $116.6 million. The three analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ predicted sales of $90.8 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 97% higher than the prior-year quarter's $59.1 million.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Dollar amounts in millions. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

EPS details
EPS came in at $0.03. The two earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ predicted -$0.12 per share. Non-GAAP EPS were $0.03 for Q1 against -$0.21 per share for the prior-year quarter. GAAP EPS were -$0.05 for Q1 versus -$0.33 per share for the prior-year quarter.

Source: S&P Capital IQ. Quarterly periods. Non-GAAP figures may vary to maintain comparability with estimates.

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 55.4%, much better than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was -8.9%, much better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -4.7%, much better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $137.2 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.04.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $593.4 million. The average EPS estimate is $0.33.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a two-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 556 members out of 590 rating the stock outperform, and 34 members rating it underperform. Among 97 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 83 give E-House (China) Holdings a green thumbs-up, and 14 give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on E-House (China) Holdings is outperform, with an average price target of $5.10.

Can your portfolio provide you with enough income to last through retirement? You'll need more than E-House (China) Holdings. Learn how to maximize your investment income and "Secure Your Future With 9 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks." Click here for instant access to this free report.

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Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Harlem Globetrotters Brand Grows as Consumer Spending Strengthens

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- The Harlem Globetrotters mix sports, comedy and theatre into a "family wholesome" event, explained CEO Kurt Schneider.

The Globetrotters brand, which has been around since 1926, continues to gain steam. Last year, the company saw record revenue and for 2015, Schneider is looking for an even better year.

Right now, there's a generational engagement boost occurring. Parents can relate to some of the familiar characters of the team from their childhood. Brands are resonating with the kids, thanks to the company's efforts on Google's (GOOGL) YouTube, Facebook's (FB) Instagram, TV shows and other media outlets to connect with the younger generation.

As a result of the recovering economy, fans have more money to spend on merchandise. A purchase that was once just a headband has now turned into a jersey, which are a lot more expensive, Schneider says. Jersey sales have tripled over the past three years. XLY Chart
Consumer Discretionary Select Sector SPDR ETF XLY data by YCharts The Globetrotters are also benefiting from lower gas prices, which puts more disposable income back into the pockets of consumers. The average ticket price is less than $30, which is why it's appealing to a wide range of families. It's also why the company was able to grow during the great recession in 2008 and 2009, while most other businesses floundered. And while the Harlem Globetrotters are known for traveling internationally and domestically for their shows, a "home base" in China isn't out of the question, he said. They are working with partners in China to set up an office in the country, in an attempt to replicate the same model that has been so successfully operated out of the U.S. -- Written by Bret Kenwell Follow @BretKenwell

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

JC Penney Drops 3.2% on Mixed 3Q Earnings

Investors aren't pleased with J.C.Penney's (JCP).

The department store chain fell 3.2% to $7.51 during after-hours trading, retreating from big gains during the day, after posting mixed fiscal third-quarter financial results. In short, the department store chain's third-quarter sales missed already reduced expectations but its earnings loss was smaller than expected. The press release can be read here.

The stock had surged 7.78% before the closing bell to close Wednesday at $7.76.

As Marketwatch reports:

Net loss narrowed to $188 million, or 62 cents a share, from $489 million, or $1.94 a share, in the year-earlier period. That beat the 81-cent FactSet consensus loss estimate. Sales dipped 0.5% to $2.76 billion, just shy of the $2.81 billion consensus estimate. Comparable-store sales were flat. That missed the 2.2% gain analysts surveyed by Retail Metrics were looking for. Analysts already cut their sales estimates after the company warned in October that sales would fall short. Gross margin widened by 7.1 percentage points.

JC Penney has made headlines in the past for its major ups and downs. Analysts are at odds over whether the company can pull off a major turnaround, with some arguing that long-term goals are too bullish.

"A first-half sales bounce appears to be fading, and the company's chances of hitting its long-term financial goals look wobblier than canned cranberry sauce," wrote Jack Hough in last weekend's issue of Barron's (see Ahead of the Crowd, "Penney's Turnaround Gets Tougher," Nov. 8).

In today's press release, JC Penny said it sees same-store sales rising 2% to 4% in the fourth quarter and rising 3.5% to 4.5% for the full fiscal year.

The company maintained its liquidity target for the full year at $2.1 billion and expects positive free cash flow.

At its Oct. 8 analyst day, Penney set a goal of $1.2 billion in Ebitda by 2017. The path for getting there includes lifting sales at longstanding stores by 5.4% a year, boosting gross margins, and holding spending flat.

Monday, December 22, 2014

Cheap Gas Prices Can Only Help Retailers So Much

Matt Rourke/AP Gas is cheap! And U.S. retailers are cheering. Over the past six months, global oil prices have fallen 45 percent. Gas prices are plunging in tandem (sort of), with the price of petrol off more than 30 percent over the same time period. And to hear the pundits tell it, that must mean good things for retail store sales this year -- and perhaps retailer stocks year. After all, if all you had in your wallet in June was $50 and a hankering to go shopping, that might have been enough to fill up your gas tank and get you to the store -- but you'd have no money left to shop with. By Black Friday, though, that same tankful of gas cost only $40 -- and it's just $35 today. All of which suggests that this Christmas season, shoppers should have significantly more post-gas station cash in their wallets. Big Savings = Big Spending? For a while, that's how things seemed to be working out. While "Black Friday" numbers weren't all that had been hoped for, retail sales for all of November climbed 5 percent over November 2013 levels. And the good times could keep on rolling. Citing data from the National Retail Federation, the Los Angeles Times recently reported that with spending on gas purchases down 0.8 percent year over year, Black Friday spending on electronics and appliances was up an almost-equal 0.9 percent. Department store sales rose a full 1 percent, building materials and garden supplies jumped 1.4 percent, and overall, spending increased in 11 out of 13 categories. Quoting an analyst at the Economist Intelligence Unit, the Times predicted that if gas prices continue to fall, U.S. consumers could save as much as $100 billion on their automotive fuel bills next year. As much as "half of that windfall" could be pumped into the consumer economy. Nearer-term, Experian (EXPN) Consumer Services (a unit of the credit ratings giant) just issued a report showing that 36 percent of shoppers expect to spend more this holiday season than last, versus only 25 percent who expect to cut back on spending. On average, Experian found that shoppers are planning to spend about $758 apiece on Christmas presents, up 5 percent from last year. Big Numbers and Littler Numbers But hold on just a sec -- gas is 30 percent cheaper, but retail sales were up only percent in November? And Experian's saying the whole holiday shopping season will see only a similar 5 percent rise? Maybe we shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth, but a 5 percent shift in shopping patterns doesn't seem like a lot to get excited about, relative to the big drop in gasoline. So what's going on? The answer could be that, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics' Consumer Expenditure Survey, the average U.S. household spent about $2,600 on gasoline in 2013. On one hand, that was near an all-time high for gasoline costs. On the other hand, it amounts to only about 5 percent of U.S. median household income ($51,900 in 2013, according to the Census Bureau). As a result, even when gasoline prices fall 30 percent or more, this only adds, at most, 1.5 percent (30 percent of 5 percent) of household income to the average shopper's total disposable income. And if The Economist is right, and only half these gas savings will make it into the consumer economy -- then we're talking about just a fraction of 1 percent of household income becoming true disposable income. Where Does the Money Go? What's more, according to gas price information specialist GasBuddy.com, even The Economist's view might be too rosy: "A GasBuddy survey of more than 100,000 respondents finds that 83 percent of us say we will save or pay off debt with the extra savings, while only 14 percent say we'll spend it on holiday presents." So is it possible that retail sales will jump like the analysts predict, generating a big boom in consumer spending and leading to massive profits for investors in retail stocks? Sure, it's possible. But so far, it doesn't seem to be happening. More from Rich Smith
•Is the Recession Over for the Poorest Americans? •Even More Than Men, Women Love Their Jobs, Hate Their Pay •Do Loyalty Card Programs Really Generate Loyalty?

Dow Down 0.6%; CarMax Shares Fall After Q2 Results

Related BZSUM Ascena Retail Drops On Downbeat Earnings; CF Industries Shares Gain Markets Mixed; Carnival Profit Tops Street View

Toward the end of trading Tuesday, the Dow traded down 0.60 percent to 17,069.87 while the NASDAQ gained 0.35 percent to 4,511.69. The S&P also fell, declining 0.49 percent to 1,984.48.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

In trading on Tuesday, basic materials shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.02 percent. Top gainers in the sector included AuRico Gold (NYSE: AUQ), up 4.9 percent, and CF Industries Holdings (NYSE: CF), up 6.5 percent.

Non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares fell 0.76 percent on Tuesday. Top losers in the sector included Diamond Foods (NASDAQ: DMND), down 4.2 percent, and Omega Protein (NYSE: OME), off 3.6 percent.

Top Headline

Carnival (NYSE: CCL) reported better-than-expected fiscal third-quarter earnings and raised its FY14 forecast.

The Miami, Florida-based company posted a quarterly fiscal third-quarter profit of $1.25 billion, or $1.60 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $934 million, or $1.20 per share.

Its revenue climbed to $4.95 billion from $4.73 billion. On an adjusted basis, Carnival earned $1.58 per share in the quarter. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $1.44 per share on revenue of $4.93 billion.

Equities Trading UP

Salix Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SLXP) shares shot up 4.52 percent to $167.05 on report of takeover talks with Allergan. Allergan (NYSE: AGN) is set to acquire Salix Pharmaceuticals in a deal probably worth more than $10 billion, according to Dow Jones Newswires.

Shares of Sangamo Biosciences (NASDAQ: SGMO) got a boost, shooting up 3.16 percent to $11.11 after dropping 5.90% on Monday. Jefferies initiated coverage on Sangamo BioSciences with a Buy rating and a $22.00 price target

CF Industries Holdings (NYSE: CF) shares were also up, gaining 6.60 percent to $272.66 on confirmation of merger talks with Yara International ASA (OTC: YARIY).

Equities Trading DOWN

Shares of Ascena Retail Group (NASDAQ: ASNA) were down 17.66 percent to $13.61 after the company reported downbeat fourth-quarter earnings and issued a weak outlook.

Avanir Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: AVNR) shares tumbled 2.24 percent to $10.96 after the company announced an offering of $200 million of common stock.

CarMax (NYSE: KMX) was down, falling 10.21 percent to $47.42 after the company reported downbeat fiscal second-quarter profit.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded up 0.84 percent to $91.63, while gold traded up 0.46 percent to $1,223.50.

Silver traded up 0.06 percent Tuesday to $17.79, while copper fell 0.10 percent to $3.04.

Eurozone

European shares were lower today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 declined 1.38 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index fell 1.33 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index declined 1.56 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX fell 1.58 percent and the French CAC 40 fell 1.87 percent while UK shares dropped 1.44 percent.

Economics

The ICSC-Goldman Store Sales Index rose 0.1% in the week ended Saturday versus the earlier week.

The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index declined 0.6% in the first three weeks of September versus August.

The FHFA house price index gained 0.1% in July, versus a 0.3% growth in June.

The flash reading of US Markit manufacturing PMI came in unchanged at 57.9 in September, versus economists’ expectations for a reading of 58.

The Richmond Fed manufacturing index rose to 14.00 in September, versus a prior reading of 12.00. However, economists were expecting a reading of 10.00.

Posted-In: Earnings News Guidance Eurozone Futures Commodities M&A Markets

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Sunday, December 21, 2014

Are labor unions on the rise?

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) After decades of losing members, legislative defeats and a declining return on labor, American unions have stopped looking within for the answer.

Now they're looking to you.

Once focused mostly on the narrow goals of its members, unions of late have sought to spark broader civic movements. Big unions like the SEIU are funding groups like OUR Walmart and Fight for 15, which advocate for workers' rights — though not many Wal-Mart or fast-food workers seem to show up at their demonstrations. Others are taking workers' battles up the supply chain — in some cases, all the way to Wall Street, whose banks they accuse of charging employers predatory fees. And some unions have found creative ways to enlist parents and citizens in their battles, so that when contract negotiations roll around, they're armed with reinforcements and can't be easily labeled as greedy.

Call these methods hacks, call them alt-labor, call them workarounds: They all aim at getting labor out of the corner that it says it's been painted into for the past 40 years.

"Fixing what's wrong with the labor movement is the responsibility of more than the labor movement and requires the involvement of more than the unions themselves," says Joseph McCartin, a Georgetown historian who directs the Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and the Working Poor. In May, the Initiative held a conference called Bargaining for the Common Good to discuss ways to open the labor movement beyond employers and employees. Unions actively participated, says McCartin, having "seen that the future for them has to be reaching out to allies and communities, and bargaining differently and in ways that include those allies."

By most accounts, organized labor in the United States has been on the outs for decades. Last week's Supreme Court decision, Harris v. Quinn, chipped away at a cornerstone of union operations — agency fees — and though the decision was narrow, the Court signaled it'd take a wrecking ball! to the whole edifice if given the chance. Many in the labor movement had been preparing for worse.

There's no doubt that traditional unions have not kept up with the shifting economy or our politics. For years after the Wagner Act of 1935, which regulated employer-union relationships, most unionists worked in manufacturing. Membership peaked in 1954, at 28.3 percent. Some years later began the long slide of globalization. As factory jobs moved overseas and the American workforce shifted to service-economy jobs, manufacturing lost leverage and unions lost members. Despite pouring millions of dollars into luring new members, the movement never made much of a dent in the service economy.

Public-sector workers are a different story. Some 35 percent are unionized, and most can't be offshored. Many provide vital services, like home care, trash collection, teaching and policing. In many ways, they're the heart of the union movement, which Harris hurt so much.

It's also one reason that alt-labor considers public unions promising ground: The public has a clearer stake in teachers' working conditions and sanitation workers' wages than, say, auto workers' wages.

Alt-labor won a key victory in February during teacher-contract negotiations in St. Paul, Minnesota, by rallying community members to the teachers' cause and pushing negotiation limits. The teachers' union had spent the previous year on a listening campaign: Think "house parties, book discussions and focus groups" for parents and community members. All those house parties generated a list of demands that went well outside the usual — salary, hours — and into a vision for the school system. The resulting contract hikes teacher salaries, but also invests $6 million in pre-K education; hires 42 professional support staff, like librarians and social workers; limits class size; and reduces class time devoted to standardized testing.

Such strategies might not work everywhere. They likely breached "management prer! ogative,"! a practice that prevents unions from bargaining for much outside wages and hours. But just as important, such demands might be too narrow in appeal. Seeking community involvement and forming qualitative demands are strengths of alt-labor. But they're also liabilities; it's hard to come up with unified demands.

Another alt-labor strategy bargains up the labor supply chain. It's a recognition that "the entitity that decides how much people are going to get paid is rarely the direct employer," says Stephen Lerner, who organized the Justice for Janitors campaign. Employers these days are often middlemen, squeezed and lacking much room to maneuver themselves.

Beginning in the 1980s, Justice for Janitors organized custodians not against their direct employers — cleaning companies — but against the real power players: the building owners who hired the cleaning companies. Like the Mexican crawfish pickers who forced Wal-Mart to sunder ties with their employer, or the Florida tomato pickers who organized a boycott of Taco Bell, such methods try to locate responsibility somewhere.

As supply chains have lengthened, workers are bargaining all the way up to Wall Street. Last week saw the start of what is likely to be a protracted negotiation between Los Angeles and its city employees, including its trash collectors. The trash collectors don't want just a raise; they also want the city to stop paying "predatory fees" to Wall Street bondholders. They've driven circles around City Hall, honking their horns and clanging cowbells.

Citing all this, Lerner refuses to get down about the labor movement. "I am not a member of the union death cult," he says. Unions' best chance of success, he says, is "embracing the notion that acting together is the only way to take on concentrated power — and I'm optimistic, because you see the seeds of this starting to be planted."

Then again, he adds, "people just aren't excited about joining a movement that says there's no hope."

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Diamond Hill Small Cap Fund Second Quarter 2014 Commentary

The Fund increased 6.16% (Class I) during the quarter, compared to a 2.05% increase in the Russell 2000 Index.

During the quarter, the Fund's holdings in the industrials, energy, and financial sectors provided the largest contribution to absolute return. No sectors detracted from return.

The Fund's outperformance relative to the Russell 2000 Index was primarily the result of security selection in the industrials, financial, and health care sectors as well as an overweight position in the energy sector.

Best Performers

•Auto rental company Avis Budget Group, Inc. (CAR) reported strong quarterly results, and pricing appeared to be in line with management's plans in the important summer months. We estimate the company could generate $4 per share in free cash flow per share in 2015. In addition, competitor Hertz announced a multi-period earnings restatement, potentially reducing the probability that one of Avis's two main competitors will take more aggressive pricing actions.

•Oil and gas exploration and production company Rosetta Resources, Inc. (ROSE) rose in anticipation of an ease in regulations on the exportation of condensate, an ultra-light oil that undergoes minimal processing. This could allow the condensate to be exported at higher prices, alleviating a potential condensate glut in the U.S. and benefitting Rosetta.

•Oil and gas exploration and production company Cimarex Energy Co. (XEC) rose as a result of an improving outlook for domestic oil prices as well as continued strong operational results in core areas. In addition, the company continued to see strong results as it tests the resource potential associated with its acreage position in the Delaware Basin.

•Railroad service company Trinity Industries, Inc. (TRN) reported better than expected revenue and profitability based on continued strength in demand for tank cars coupled with a meaningful positive impact from a large new customer (Element Financial).

•Freight transportation management company Hub Group, Inc. (HUBG) rose as investors began to focus on margin improvement opportunities due to indications of improving intermodal pricing as well as company-specific cost improvement initiatives.

Worst Performers

•Online auction marketplace service provider Liquidity Services, Inc. (LQDT) lost a 2015 rolling stock Department of Defense contract but was the winner of the non-rolling stock contract. However, its winning bid of 4.35% was much higher than the historical contracted rate of 1.8%. This will considerably raise the cost of goods sold of its non-rolling stock segment, thus having a material impact on its profitability.

•Consumer products and services company Steiner Leisure Ltd. (STNR) declined after the company reported its first quarter earnings. The company did not repurchase shares during the quarter despite declines in its stock price following the late 2013 announcement of a non-renewal by Celebrity Cruise Lines. In addition, the quarter reflected continued weakness in the company's Ideal Image laser hair removal business. Later in the quarter, the company announced a 10b5-1 plan under which the company can repurchase shares according to a pre-set plan.

•Shares of oil and gas exploration and production company Contango Oil & Gas Co. (MCF) fell, reflecting disappointing results from an exploration well in the Gulf of Mexico.

•Lift truck manufacturer Hyster-Yale Materials Handling, Inc. (HY) declined after the company provided qualitative guidance for the remainder of 2014 that may have been viewed negatively by some investors. Revenues and pre-tax income both increased during the quarter, but after-tax net income declined as a result of a higher tax rate.

•Information processing company DST Systems, Inc. (DST) declined as the company conducted a secondary offering of common stock for a selling shareholder, Argyros Group.

New Positions

We initiated a new position in Aircastle Ltd. (AYR), an aircraft leasing company with a flexible business model and a rational capital allocation philosophy. We took advantage of an opportunity to purchase shares in the heavily capitalized Georgia bank State Bank Financial Corp. (STBZ) as the depressed stock price reflected investors' lack of patience with a slower than expected pace of capital deployment. We like State Bank's management team led by Georgia banker Joe Evans. This management team has experience successfully building and selling other Georgia banks. We also received shares of transportation infrastructure company XPO Logistics, Inc. (XPO) as a result of its acquisition of holding Pacer International, Inc.

Eliminated Positions

Pacer International, Inc. (PACR) was acquired by XPO Logistics, Inc. which remains in our portfolio. We eliminated our position in specialty pharmaceutical company Actavis PLC (ACT) as the price to intrinsic value relationship narrowed. We originally received shares when Actavis bought portfolio holding Warner Chilcott. We eliminated our position in convenience store distributor Core- Mark Holding Co., Inc.( CORE) as the stock rose almost 40% over the last year and reached our estimate of intrinsic value.

Continue reading here.

Also check out: Diamond Hill Capital Undervalued Stocks Diamond Hill Capital Top Growth Companies Diamond Hill Capital High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Diamond Hill Capital keeps buying

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Friday, December 19, 2014

Not everyone is a fan of 'Serial'

'Serial' is hottest podcast ever NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Even if you aren't a big public radio fan, you've heard all about the podcast "Serial" in the past few months.

Millions of people have downloaded the 12 episodes to hear reporter Sarah Koenig lay out her own investigation of a murder that happened 15 years ago.

But with such popularity comes opinions and - surprise - not everyone is such a big fan. And at the heart of some conversations is the issue of race.

The victim, Hae Min Lee, is the daughter of Korean immigrants. And the ex-boyfriend who is behind bars for the murder, Adnan Syed, comes from a Pakistani Muslim family. Both were seniors at a high school in Baltimore County, Maryland at the time. On the other hand, the reporter and her team -- producers from the show This American Life -- are white.

At the crux of the debate is whether or not Koenig, or any white journalist, can fairly and accurately report on people of other races and cultures.

"I am still disturbed by the thought of Koenig stomping around communities that she clearly does not understand," wrote Jay Caspian Kang in The Awl.

Rabia Chaudry, a civil rights attorney who grew up near Syed and tipped Koenig off to the story, backed up Kang's point.

"I explained to her that anti-Muslim sentiment was involved in framing the motive in this case, and that Muslims can pick up on it, whereas someone like her, who hasn't experienced this kind of bigotry doesn't quite get it."

Adnan Syed is behind bars for the murder of his former girlfriend Hae Min Lee.

Others argued that race isn't an issue.

"But ho! w much does she need to 'get' in order to accurately and thoroughly report a who-done-it, and to treat her subjects and their community with dignity and respect?" asked Sarah Miller in Cafe, a digital news magazine.

Some even think that the way Koenig reported the story could serve as a model for other reporters.

"Koenig has very consciously forefronted her ethno-cultural ignorance, the things that compromise her as a reporter and an actor in this drama, in ways that I think very few white journalists choose to do," wrote Quartz's Jeff Yang.

The final show was released this week and (spoiler alert!) no, we didn't find out who did it.

AbbVie: Here’s How It Could Differentiate Itself From Gilead

By early next week, AbbVie (ABBV) is widely expected to get approval for its hepatitis-c treatment, one that will compete with Gilead Sciences’ (GILD) Harvoni and Sovaldi. UBS analyst Marc Goodman says the only question is the treatment duration and the price:

Approval is not really a debate, in our view, given the quality of the data from the 6 Phase III trials with >2,300 patients. One potential opportunity to differentiate vs [Gilead's] Harvoni is the duration of therapy: if it is approved for 12 wks vs. 24wks for Harvoni, in GT-1b cirrhotic treatment-experienced patients. However, the FDA may require 24wks for all cirrhotics, since TURQUOISE-2 data for 12wks or 24wks resulted in SVR of 92% and 97%, respectively, vs. we understand to be the 95% bar for approval of new regimens. Within that, GT1b cirrhotics did well (99% SVR) based on a subgroup of 68 patients. Hence, it's possible the triple regimen is prescribed for 24wks in cirrhotics, with the option “to consider” 12wks in patients with low risk characteristics (well-compensated GT1b, non-null, non-TT). Our models assume this in the AbbVie label.

Goodman thinks AbbVie could trade at $72 in 12 months, assuming that it charges $76,000 for a 12-week regiment of its treatment and have about $1.5 billion in sales next year.

Shares of AbbVie have gained 1% to $67.24 at 1:10 p.m., while Gilead Sciences has jumped 2.5% to $104.96.

Thursday, December 18, 2014

4 Biotech Stocks Under $10 to Watch for Breakout Trades

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- At Stockpickr, we track daily portfolios of stocks that are the biggest percentage gainers and the biggest percentage losers.

Stocks that are making large moves like these are favorites among short-term traders because they can jump into these names and try to capture some of that massive volatility. Stocks that are making big-percentage moves either up or down are usually in play because their sector is becoming attractive or they have a major fundamental catalyst such as a recent earnings release. Sometimes stocks making big moves have been hit with an analyst upgrade or an analyst downgrade.

Regardless of the reason behind it, when a stock makes a large-percentage move, it is often just the start of a new major trend -- a trend that can lead to huge profits. If you time your trade correctly, combining technical indicators with fundamental trends, discipline and sound money management, you will be well on your way to investment success.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at a several stocks under $10 that are making large moves to the upside.

ArQule

ArQule (ARQL), a clinical-stage biotechnology company, researches and develops cancer therapeutics. This stock closed up 3.4% to $1.49 in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $1.44-$1.54

52-Week Range: $1.29-$2.94

Thursday's Volume: 908,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 567,811

From a technical perspective, ARQL jumped higher here right above some near-term support at $1.40 with above-average volume. This move briefly pushed shares of ARQL back above its 50-day moving average of $1.53, before the stock closed just below that level at $1.49. This move is starting to push shares of ARQL within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if ARQL manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.54 to $1.60 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ARQL as long as it's trending above some near-term support levels at $1.40 or at $1.35 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 567,811 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ARQL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.66 to $1.78, or even $1.90 to $2.

Onconova Therapeutics

Onconova Therapeutics (ONTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, focuses on discovering and developing small molecule drug candidates to treat cancer. This stock closed up 2.5% to $5.15 in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $4.97-$5.19

52-Week Range: $4.10-$31.13

Thursday's Volume: 132,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 216,102

From a technical perspective, ONTX trended modestly higher here with lighter-than-average volume. This stock has been uptrending over the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $4.10 to its recent high of $5.52. During that uptrend, shares of ONTX have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of ONTX within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if ONTX manages to take out Thursday's intraday high of $5.19 to some more key overhead resistance at $5.52 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ONTX as long as it's trending above some near-term support levels at $4.80 or at $4.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 216,102 shares. If that breakout gets underway soon, then ONTX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $5.83 to $6.27. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give ONTX a chance to tag $7.

Mast Therapeutics

Mast Therapeutics (MSTX), a biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing therapies for serious or life-threatening diseases. This stock closed up 2.1% 65 cents per share in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $0.63-$0.67

52-Week Range: $0.40-$1.10

Thursday's Volume: 1.11 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.88 million

From a technical perspective, MSTX spiked modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average of 61 cents per share with decent upside volume. This stock has been trending sideways and consolidating for the last month, with shares moving between 60 cents on the downside and 72 cents on the upside. Shares of MSTX are now starting to push higher and into range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern. That trade will hit if MSTX manages to clear some near-term overhead resistance levels at 68 to 72 cents per share with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MSTX as long as it's trending above some key near-term support at 60 cents per share and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.88 million shares. If that breakout materializes soon, then MSTX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at 80 to 85 cents per share, or even 93 cents per share.

22nd Century Group

22nd Century Group (XXII), a plant biotechnology company, focuses on tobacco harm reduction and smoking cessation products produced from modifying the nicotine content in tobacco plants through genetic engineering and plant breeding. This stock closed up 2.7% to $3.75 a share in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $3.60-$3.75

52-Week Range: $0.67-$6.36

Thursday's Volume: 671,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 686,284

From a technical perspective, XXII spiked notably higher here right above some near-term support at $3.36 with decent upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last month, with shares moving higher from its low of $2.26 to its recent high of $3.87. During that uptrend, shares of XXII have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of XXII within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if XXII manages to take out some key overhead resistance levels at $3.87 to $4 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in XXII as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $3.36 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 686,284 shares. If that breakout gets set off soon, then XXII will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $5 to $6, or even its 52-week high of $6.36.

To see more stocks that are making notable moves higher, check out the Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

Monday, November 10, 2014

Guru Stocks at 52-Week Lows: IBM, SNY, SAN, RIO, E

According to GuruFocus list of 52-week lows, these Guru stocks have reached their 52-week lows.International Business Machines Corp (IBM) Reached the 52-Week Low of $162.07The prices of International Business Machines Corp (IBM) shares have declined to close to the 52-week low of $162.07, which is 19.7% off the 52-week high of $199.21. International Business Machines Corp is owned by 35 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 15 have added to their positions during the past quarter. 14 reduced their positions.International Business Machines Corp was incorporated in the State of New York on June 16, 1911. International Business Machines Corp has a market cap of $160.39 billion; its shares were traded at around $162.07 with a P/E ratio of 13.30 and P/S ratio of 1.71. The dividend yield of International Business Machines Corp stocks is 2.62%. International Business Machines Corp had an annual average earnings growth of 11.10% over the past 10 years. GuruFocus rated International Business Machines Corp the business predictability rank of 4-star.IBM recently reported its third quarter 2014 financial results. The company announced diluted earnings for the quarter from continuing operations of $3.46 per share, compared with diluted earnings of $3.77 per share in the third quarter of 2013, a decrease of 8%.Brian Rogers (Trades, Portfolio) bought 750,000 shares in the quarter that ended on 06/30/2014, which is 0.48% of the $26.89 billion portfolio of T Rowe Price Equity Income Fund. Joel Greenblatt (Trades, Portfolio) owns 146,846 shares as of 06/30/2014, an increase of 712.29% from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.33% of the $7.99 billion portfolio of Gotham Asset Management, LLC. David Dreman (Trades, Portfolio) owns 11,540 shares as of 06/30/2014, a decrease of 25.5% of from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.16% of the $1.33 billion portfolio of Dreman Value Management.Chairman, Pres. and CEO Virginia M Rometty sold 10,819 shares of IBM stock on 08/27/2014 at the average price! of 191.86. Virginia M Rometty owns at least 131,394 shares after this. The price of the stock has decreased by 15.53% since.Sanofi (SNY) Reached the 52-Week Low of $45.69The prices of Sanofi (SNY) shares have declined to close to the 52-week low of $45.69, which is 22.5% off the 52-week high of $57.42. Sanofi is owned by 19 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 9 have added to their positions during the past quarter. 7 reduced their positions. Sanofi was incorporated under the laws of France in 1994 as a form of limited liability company. Sanofi has a market cap of $120.7 billion; its shares were traded at around $45.69 with a P/E ratio of 23.50 and P/S ratio of 2.89. The dividend yield of Sanofi stocks is 4.18%. Sanofi had an annual average earnings growth of 3.90% over the past 10 years.Sanofi recently reported its third quarter 2014 financial results. The company announced that group sales were up 5.1%, to EUR8.78 billion. Business EPS increased 10.3% at CER to EUR1.47.Bill Nygren (Trades, Portfolio) owns 4,950,000 shares as of 06/30/2014, an increase of 90.38% from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 1.9% of the $13.96 billion portfolio of Oak Mark Fund. Chris Shumway (Trades, Portfolio) owns 892,762 shares as of 12/31/2010, an increase of 27.47% from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.39% of the $7.45 billion portfolio of Shumway Capital Partners LLC. John Hussman (Trades, Portfolio) sold out his holdings in the quarter that ended on 06/30/2014.Banco Santander SA (SAN) Reached the 52-Week Low of $8.27The prices of Banco Santander SA (SAN) shares have declined to close to the 52-week low of $8.27, which is 24.7% off the 52-week high of $10.75. Banco Santander SA is owned by 10 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 6 have added to their positions during the past quarter. 5 reduced their positions. Banco Santander SA was established on March 21, 1857. Banco Santander Sa has a market cap of $99.14 billion; its shares were traded at around $8.27 with a P/E ratio of 14.60 and P/S ! ratio of ! 1.59. The dividend yield of Banco Santander Sa stocks is 7.61%.Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio) owns 3,250,900 shares as of 09/30/2014, an increase of 27.39% from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.94% of the $39.18 billion portfolio of Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio). Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio) owns 2,551,898 shares as of 06/30/2014, an increase of 13.59% from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.72% of the $39.18 billion portfolio of Vanguard Health Care Fund (Trades, Portfolio).Rio Tinto PLC (RIO) Reached the 52-Week Low of $48.37The prices of Rio Tinto PLC (RIO) shares have declined to close to the 52-week low of $48.37, which is 22.8% off the 52-week high of $60.61. Rio Tinto PLC is owned by 9 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 7 have added to their positions during the past quarter. 3 reduced their positions. Rio Tinto PLC Rio Tinto PLC is incorporated on March 30, 1962. Rio Tinto Plc has a market cap of $89.47 billion; its shares were traded at around $48.37 with a P/E ratio of 25.40 and P/S ratio of 1.82. The dividend yield of Rio Tinto Plc stocks is 4.25%.David Dreman (Trades, Portfolio) bought 840 shares in the quarter that ended on 06/30/2014, which is 0.0035% of the $1.33 billion portfolio of Dreman Value Management. Ken Fisher (Trades, Portfolio) owns 10,525 shares as of 06/30/2014, a decrease of 29.15% of from the previous quarter. This position accounts for 0.0012% of the $47.56 billion portfolio of Fisher Asset Management, LLC.Senior Officer De Mola, Eduardo Loret bought 5,000 shares of RIO stock on 06/10/2014 at the average price of 1.8. De Mola, Eduardo Loret owns at least 18,094 shares after this.Eni SpA (E) Reached the 52-Week Low of $41.02The prices of Eni SpA (E) shares have declined to close to the 52-week low of $41.02, which is 28.4% off the 52-week high of $55.70. Eni SpA is owned by 2 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 2 have added to their positions during the past quarter. 4 reduced their positions.E! ni SpA th! e former Ente Nazionale Idrocarburi, a public law agency, established on February 10, 1953. Eni Spa has a market cap of $74.54 billion; its shares were traded at around $41.02 with a P/E ratio of 11.70 and P/S ratio of 0.52. The dividend yield of Eni Spa stocks is 5.80%. Eni Spa had an annual average earnings growth of 5.40% over the past 10 years.Charles Brandes (Trades, Portfolio) owns 2,859,795 shares as of 06/30/2014, which accounts for 1.9% of the $8.27 billion portfolio of Brandes Investment. Tom Gayner (Trades, Portfolio) sold out his holdings in the quarter that ended on 06/30/2014.Director, Senior Officer Leonard Jaroszuk, bought 41,000 shares of E stock on 09/26/2014 at the average price of 0.73. Leonard Jaroszuk, owns at least 5,148,568 shares after this. Also check out: Vanguard Health Care Fund Undervalued Stocks Vanguard Health Care Fund Top Growth Companies Vanguard Health Care Fund High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Vanguard Health Care Fund keeps buying David Dreman Undervalued Stocks David Dreman Top Growth Companies David Dreman High Yield stocks, and Stocks that David Dreman keeps buying

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Friday, November 7, 2014

Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg on News Feed, Messenger, & the Gray T-Shirt

SAN DIEGO, CALIF. (The Street) -- A week after being peppered by Wall Street analysts, Facebook (FB) Chief Executive Mark Zuckerberg answered to a more important audience -- the 1.35 billion people who use his social network each month -- and revealed something the world has always wanted to know.

Why does Zuckerberg wear the same gray t-shirt every day? For starters, it's not the exact same shirt, he insisted with back up from COO Sheryl Sandberg, as he owns more than one, but more to the point, the Facebook CEO said he'd rather focus all of his energy on Facebook.

"I want to clear my life, so I have to make as few decisions as possible," he said.

Must Read: Are Facebook and Twitter Your Next Impulse Shopping Destination? The revelation was made during Facebook's first-ever public question-and-answer session, streamed live Thursday evening to viewers from a special Facebook event page. In the week preceding the event, Zuckerberg fielded questions through a new Facebook event page called "Q&A with Mark, " and also took audience questions from a small crowd gathered at the company's Menlo Park, Calif., headquarters. Zuckerberg addressed some of Facebook members' biggest concerns, including questions as to when businesses can expect better distribution for their stories and why Facebook is forcing its users to install Messenger as a separate mobile application. Arguably, the most material disclosure came in response to a question on information overload. Zuckerberg used the query as an opportunity to promise more controls for News Feed. Facebook, he said, is working on tools to help members "tune" their News Feed, though he didn't reveal specifics. "This is something we've heard very loud and clear from a lot of people in our community, that it's very important to you," he said. Ultimately, the company wants News Feed to be "the perfect personalized newspaper for every person in the world." As for Facebook's controversial decision to separate Messenger from the main Facebook app, Zuckerberg wasn't exactly apologetic, but he was empathetic, saying he understood that it was "a big ask" to get people to install another application. "The reason we wanted to do this is because we really believe this is a better experience," he said. "We know messaging is one of the few things that people actually do more than social networking .... Even though it was a short-term, painful thing ... we knew we could never deliver the quality of experience inside the tab of the main Facebook app." The decision, despite being incredibly unpopular, has led to Messenger being the top downloaded app on Apple's App Store and Google Play for several weeks running. Unfortunately, Zuckerberg did not offer encouraging news for businesses who operate Facebook Pages and rely on the organic reach of their status updates -- a.k.a. free distribution to fans through News Feed -- to make an impression on customers. The executive, who made certain to stress that his company provides a "free" way to communicate with customers, said that Facebook will always default to optimizing the feed for members over businesses. The average person could see up to 1,500 stories per day, but only actually gets to 100 or so, he said, which means that only the "highest quality content" will get through. Zuckerberg's question-and-answer session comes a little more than a week after Facebook reported better-than-expected third quarter revenue of $3.2 billion and adjusted earnings per share of 42 cents. The social network company, however, spooked investors by talking up its plans to spend heavily in future quarters. CFO Dave Wehner guided Wall Street with the glum revelation that total costs in 2015 would increase between 55% and 75% over 2014. Facebook shares closed up Thursday around half a percent at $75.26, but remain discounted by more than 6% from prices before the company reported third-quarter results last week. Must Read: 3 Biggest Takeaways from Facebook's Third-Quarter Earnings Report --Written by Jennifer van Grove in San Diego, Calif. >Contact by Email. Follow @jbruin

Mid-Day Market Update: Genworth Declines On Downbeat Earnings; Sierra Wireless Shares Spike Higher

Related BZSUM Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Edge Lower; DirecTV Profit Tops Estimates #PreMarket Primer: Thursday, November 6: Obama, McConnell Prepare For Rocky Road Ahead

Midway through trading Thursday, the Dow traded up 0.17 percent to 17,514.94 while the NASDAQ declined 0.08 percent to 4,617.14. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.03 percent to 2,024.24.

Leading and Lagging Sectors

In trading on Thursday, industrials shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.66 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Alamo Group (NYSE: ALG), up 27.5 percent, and PMFG (NASDAQ: PMFG), up 7.8 percent.

Utilities shares fell by 0.86 percent on Thursday. Top losers in the sector included The AES (NYSE: AES), down 5.7 percent, and Exterran Partners, L.P. (NASDAQ: EXLP), off 2.6 percent.

Top Headline

DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) reported upbeat profit for the third quarter.

The El Segundo, California-based company reported a quarterly profit of $611 million, or $1.21 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $699 million, or $1.28 per share. Excluding non-recurring items, DirecTV’s adjusted earnings came in at $1.33 per share.

Its revenue climbed 6% to $8.37 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $1.30 per share on revenue of $8.3 billion.

Equities Trading UP

Sierra Wireless (NASDAQ: SWIR) shares shot up 23.06 percent to $32.66 after the company reported upbeat Q3 results and issued a strong Q4 forecast.

Shares of Polypore International (NYSE: PPO) got a boost, shooting up 21.98 percent to $52.38 after the company reported upbeat Q3 earnings. Polypore and Panasonic signed a letter of intent for Lithium-Ion battery separator development.

Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM) shares were also up, gaining 10.40 percent to $44.15 after the company beat fourth-quarter expectations and lifted its quarterly dividend by a penny.

Equities Trading DOWN

Shares of Genworth Financial (NYSE: GNW) were down 35.89 percent to $9.02 following Wednesday's earnings miss.

Web.com Group (NASDAQ: WWWW) shares tumbled 21.63 percent to $15.87 after the company reported Q3 earnings of $0.63 per share on revenue of $143.80 million and announced a $100 million stock repurchase authorization. JP Morgan downgraded Web.com Group from Overweight to Neutral and lowered the price target from $35.00 to $20.00.

Tangoe (NASDAQ: TNGO) was down, falling 16.46 percent to $12.23 after the company reported weaker-than-expected quarterly results and issued a downbeat outlook. Analysts at Raymond James downgraded Tangoe from Strong Buy to Market Perform and removed the price target of $19.

Commodities

In commodity news, oil traded down 1.19 percent to $77.74, while gold traded down 0.12 percent to $1,144.30.

Silver traded down 0.19 percent Thursday to $15.41, while copper rose 0.42 percent to $3.02.

Eurozone

European shares were mostly higher today. The eurozone’s STOXX 600 climbed 0.21 percent, the Spanish Ibex Index dropped 0.15 percent, while Italy’s FTSE MIB Index declined 0.73 percent. Meanwhile, the German DAX rose 0.66 percent and the French CAC 40 jumped 0.46 percent while UK shares climbed 0.18 percent.

Economics

US initial jobless claims dropped 10,000 to 278,000 in the week ended November 1. However, economists were expecting claims to reach 285,000 in the week.

US productivity rose at an annual pace of 2% in the third quarter, versus economists’ expectations for a 1.5% rise. Unit-labor costs rose 0.3% in the quarter.

Data on money supply will be released at 4:30 p.m. ET.

Posted-In: Earnings News Guidance Eurozone Futures Commodities M&A Econ #s

Related Articles (AES + ALG) Mid-Day Market Update: Genworth Declines On Downbeat Earnings; Sierra Wireless Shares Spike Higher Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Edge Lower; DirecTV Profit Tops Estimates

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Investing In The Smart Home Boom

The corporate race is on to dominate the rapidly expanding market for smart homes, dwellings in which appliance, heating, entertainment and security systems communicate with each and can be controlled remotely via smart phones and other digital devices.

Consumers want to save time, energy and money, and the automated home market could reach by $71 billion by 2018 — up from $33 billion in 2013, according to a recent study by Juniper Research.

Platform wars

How best to invest in the smart home boom? The real winners will be the companies that win the platform wars.

[Related -How the Chinese Slowdown Will Impact Your Investments]

Rival corporate alliances are vying to control the communication protocols and software standards to allow different home systems to talk to each other.

There are various smartphone apps out there that control a single functions such as the Google (GOOG) Nest smart thermostats, the LG (LGEPF) Smart ThinQ refrigerators and Sonos speakers.

Trouble is, these systems don't speak to the same language.

Google and Apple

To change all that, Google Nest recently purchased Revolv, a hub that let's consumers control all of their automated home devices from one master app on their smartphones.

[Related -Most Investors Will Miss This Powerful Buy Signal on Amazon's Chart]

Apple (AAPL) is preparing a new software platform dubbed HomeKit that centers around the iPhone that would work with with security systems, lights and household appliances that might enhance demand for its franchise smartphone.

Not to be outdone, Samsung is working on its Smart Home platform that would sync with its Galaxy line-up.

Other contenders include Belkin's WeMo, which is making a serious run to be the dominant player in the connected home with wireless technology that will control power and appliances.

It recently introduced Belkin's WeMo Smart LED Bulbs that will bring it into competition with other brands such as Philips Hue Personal Wireless Lighting and General Electric's (GE) Link lighting products.

Microsoft

For its, part Microsoft (MSFT) has chosen startup 10 companies, including Chai Energy, Heatworks, and Red Balloon Security, to participate in its accelerator program, in which companies receive investments and technical training to develop commercially viable strategies.

Amazon.com (AMZN) is reaching out to developers for various smart home projects and has devoted $55 million for such research at its Silicon Valley engineering center, Lab126.

There's the possibility that open standards such as SmartThings and ZigBee could prevail, which could through the market wide open.

And the telcos are in the race as well. Take the Time Warner Cable's Intelligent Home program that offers energy management and 24-hour video security services.

Much will ride on how enthusiastically consumers embrace these technologies.

A survey by research firm icontrol networks published earlier this suggested that tech enthusiasts are most likely to be interested in automated homes.

These younger consumers are most interested in family security and the convenience of automating the functions inside their homes.

Click to Enlarge

Sunday, November 2, 2014

The Surprising Trick to Becoming a Great Negotiator

For many people, negotiation is the worst part of a transaction, whether it's buying a car, getting a new job, or entering into a business partnership.

But it doesn't have to be. You can become a truly great negotiator by cultivating a single tool: the power of a positive attitude.

You might roll your eyes here -- but wait! Academic research has demonstrated that positivity is the key to great negotiations. As the paper I just hyperlinked to notes, "The single best predictor of negotiation performance is positive expectations."

So how can you develop it?

Practice, practice, practice
By practicing negotiations, you can help yourself develop the belief that you will succeed in future negotiations. This is a key part of a positive attitude: simple self-belief.

Whether it's attending a class, seeking out new negotiation scenarios, or even preparing for and "acting out" an upcoming negotiation with a trusted colleague, find ways to practice the skill. The more you do it, the less intimidating it will become -- and before you know it, you might feel like a pretty good negotiator.

Once you've developed that confidence, a positive attitude about the potential outcomes will follow.

Think of all the potential outcomes -- not just the bad ones
We can borrow another tool for cultivating positivity from behavioral psychology.

Think about a tough negotiation you had. Were you mired down thinking about how everything might go wrong? Were you worried about overpaying for the car, getting a lower salary than your colleagues, or having the wool pulled over your eyes in that big business deal?

Those situations are all a bummer, and they can be hard not to think about. However, the worst possible outcome is never the only possible outcome.

Next time you enter into a negotiation, think to yourself, what is the best possible outcome for this negotiation? What will maximize my own interests? Then think about all the other potential outcomes. Maybe you'll overpay a little for the car, or maybe they'll throw in the maintenance plan for free.

In other words, think about all the possible outcomes. This will help you come up with ideas about the different combinations of trades that you can make -- maybe there are several that would leave both parties happy at the end of the day.

Match your negotiation to your personality
Do you prefer to cooperate rather than compete, or maybe the opposite? In either case, try to favor negotiations that best suit your personality. This is an easy way to build up your confidence and your positivity.

For example, a more cooperative negotiating style might be the most appropriate way to deal with your child's baby sitter, while a competitive approach could be better suited for buying the new car. The same holds in business: A new client might call for a more cooperative style, while a supplier relationship could be best cemented with tougher tactics.

To the extent possible, use your existing personality characteristics by engaging in negotiations that fit with your character. This will not only help you build tools in accordance with your existing traits, it could help you find the confidence and optimism that will make you even better in the future.

But remember, personality isn't destiny
That being said, being a cooperative person doesn't mean you can't succeed in a competitive negotiation. Remember, the most important factor in success isn't your personality, it's your attitude.

So how can you adapt?

It's all about learning everything you can. Find a colleague with a different negotiating style and see if you can act as a shadow to observe and learn some new techniques. How does your colleague frame an opening offer? Respond to a counteroffer? Protect their self-interest?

By breaking down your colleague's style into a set of tactics and strategies, you'll be able to build a tool kit that works for different scenarios and negotiations outside of your comfort zone.

From there, practice and prepare. Try out your new tools on your friends and loved ones (with their consent, perhaps), and test different frameworks on each negotiating situation you find yourself in. Brainstorm ideas that fit more easily with your personality, and then do the same thing using your "second" toolbox.

It will require practice, but you'll find that, with time, it will become easier to find the most appropriate tools for a given negotiation.

And then, suddenly, you might notice that you've become that person everyone comes to for help -- being, as you are, a great negotiator.

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