Saturday, May 31, 2014

Hot Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch Right Now

Hot Warren Buffett Stocks To Watch Right Now: DIRECTV(DTV)

DIRECTV provides digital television entertainment in the United States and Latin America. The company provides direct-to-home (DTH) digital television services, as well as multi-channel video programming distribution services in the United States. It offers various channels of digital-quality video entertainment and CD-quality audio programming directly to subscribers' homes or businesses, as well as video-on-demand services; and approximately 160 national high-definition television channels and 4 3D channels. The company also provides premium professional and collegiate sports programming, such as the NFL SUNDAY TICKET package, which allows subscribers to view the NFL games. In addition, it offers DTH digital television services in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico. The company provides its local and international programming under the DIRECTV and SKY brand names. As of December 31, 2010, it served approximately 19.2 million subscribers in the United States; and 8.9 million subscribers in Latin America. The company was founded in 1990 and is based in El Segundo, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By , Zacks Investment Research]

    Universal Electronics (UEIC) makes a broad line of pre-programmed universal remote control products, audio-video accessories, and software that are marketed to enhance home entertainment systems. Its customers include subscription broadcasters (i.e., DirecTV (DTV)), original equipment manufacturers (“OEMs”), international retailers, private labels, and companies in the computing industry. Approximately 63% of its sales came from outside the U.S. in the first quarter of 2014. It has a market cap of $645 million.

  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Top Headline
    On Sunday, AT&T (NYSE: T) announced its plans to buy DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) for $48.5 billion, or $95 per share in a combination of stock and cash. The offer price of $9! 5 per DirecTV share represents a 10 percent premium to closing price of $86.18 on Friday. The deal has a total value of $67.1 billion, including DirecTV's net debt.

  • [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

    DirecTV is a digital television entertainment company that offers satellite services to consumers and companies across the nation. The company is attempting to jointly acquire Hulu in order to expand its offerings and user base. The stock has been trending higher for the last several years and is now trading near all-time high prices. Over the last four quarters, investors in the company have been excited as earnings and revenue figures have been steadily rising. Relative to its peers and sector, DirecTV is a year-to-date performance leader. Look for DirecTV to continue to OUTPERFORM.

  • [By Paul Ausick]

    Satellite providers like Dish Network Corp. (NASDAQ: DISH) and DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) saw a drop of 162,000 in the quarter and appear stuck at a total audience of around 34 million. The satellite companies actually haveseen a slight uptick in subscriber numbers over the past 12 months.

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/hot-warren-buffett-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

Hot High Dividend Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Hot High Dividend Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Banco Santander S.A.(STD)

Banco Santander, S.A. provides a range of banking and financial products. It accepts customer demand, time, and notice deposits, and international and domestic interbank deposits, as well as offers auto financing, personal loans, and credit cards; and automated cash dispensers, savings books updaters, telephone banking services, and electronic and Internet banking services. The company also engages corporate banking, treasury, and investment banking activities. It provides transaction banking services in cash management, trade finance, and basic financing; and corporate finance services for mergers and acquisitions, and asset and capital structuring, as well as involves in the origination activities and risk management, and distribution of structured products and debt in the credit markets; structuring and trading activities in financial markets of interest rate and exchange rate instruments; and activities relating to the equity markets. In addition, it engages in the des ign and management of mutual and pension funds, and life and general insurance products. The company operates primarily in Spain, the United Kingdom, other European countries, Brazil and other Latin American countries, and the United States. As of December 31, 2010, it had 6,063 branch offices in continental Europe; 1,416 branches in the United Kingdom; 5,882 branches in Latin America; and 721 branches in the United States. The company was formerly known as Banco Santander Central Hispano S.A. and changed its name to Banco Santander, S.A. in June 2007. Banco Santander, S.A. was founded in 1857 and is based in Madrid, Spain.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Chandan Dubey]

    This article will describe what a bank does. Then we will move on to reading the balance sheet of a bank. As an example, I take the balance sheet of one of my holdings, Banco Santander (STD).

  • [By Holly LaFon]

    Charlie: Yes, I have a! question. Do you think the opportunity is more in stocks or in debt, or both? If you look at Spain, the biggest companies in Spain, one is a bank, Bank Santander (STD). The other is Telefonica (TEF), a phone company. What other opportunities do you see there?

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/hot-high-dividend-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Friday, May 30, 2014

Top 5 Communications Equipment Stocks To Own Right Now

Top 5 Communications Equipment Stocks To Own Right Now: Research in Motion Ltd (BBRY)

Research In Motion Limited, incorporated on March 7, 1984, is a designer, manufacturer and marketer of wireless solutions for the worldwide mobile communications market. Through the development of integrated hardware, software and services, it provides platforms and solutions for seamless access to information, including e-mail, voice, instant messaging, short message service (SMS), Internet and intranet-based applications and browsing. The Company's technology also enables an array of third party developers and manufacturers to enhance their products and services through software development kits, wireless connectivity to data and third-party support programs.Its portfolio of products, services and embedded technologies are used by thousands of organizations and millions of consumers around the world and include the BlackBerry wireless solution, the RIM Wireless Handheld product line, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet, software development tools and other software and hardwa re.

On March 25, 2011, the Company purchased 100% of the shares of a company whose technology is being incorporated into the Companys developer tools. On April 26, 2011, the Company purchased certain assets of a company whose acquired technologies will be incorporated into the Companys products. In June 2011, the Company acquired Scoreloop. On March 8, 2012, the Company acquired Paratek Microwave Inc. During the fiscal year ended March 3, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company purchased 100% interests of a company, whose technology will be incorporated into its technology; whose technology offers cloud-based services for storing, sharing, accessing and organizing digital content on mobile devices; whose technology is being incorporated into an application on the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet; whose technology offers a customizable and cross-platform social mobile gaming developer tool kit, and whose technology will provide a multi-pl! atform BlackBerry Enterprise Sol ution for managing and securing mobile devices for enterpris! es and government organizations.

On April 24, 2012, the Company launched BlackBerry 7 smartphone, the BlackBerry Curve 9220, for customers in Indonesia. April 18, 2012, it launched BlackBerry 7 smartphone, the BlackBerry Curve 9220, for customers in India. On April 17, 2012, it announced availability of the BlackBerry Bold 9790 smartphone in Spain. On April 3, 2012, it launched BlackBerry Mobile Fusion, and launched four BlackBerry smartphones powered by the BlackBerry 7 operating system (OS) in Cambodia, which included BlackBerry Bold 9900, BlackBerry Bold 9790, BlackBerry Curve 9360 and BlackBerry Curve 9380. On April 2, 2012, it announced the availability of BlackBerry App World, the official application store for BlackBerry smartphones in Brunei, and it announced availability of the BlackBerry Bold 9790 and BlackBerry Curve 9380 smartphones for Cell C customers in South Africa. On March 27, 2012, it launched of the BlackBerry solution in Benin Republic. On March 15, 2012, it launched of BlackBerry services in China. On March 7, 2012, it launched the BlackBerry service in Angola.

The Company's primary revenue stream is generated by the BlackBerry wireless solution, consists of smartphones and tablets, service and software. BlackBerry service is provided through a combination of its global BlackBerry Infrastructure and the wireless networks of its carrier partners. On February 21, 2012, it released the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0 software. It generates hardware revenues from sales, primarily to carriers and distributors. During fiscal 2012, the Company launched the wireless fidelity (WiFi)-enabled BlackBerry PlayBook tablet in 44 markets around the world. On July 21, 2011, the BlackBerry PlayBook tablet received Federal Information Processing Standard 140-2 certification.

BlackBerry Smartphones and Tablets

BlackBerry smartphones uses wireless, push-base! d technol! ogy that delivers data to mobi le users business and consumer applications. BlackBerry s! martphone! s integrate messaging including instant messaging, email and SMS; voice calling; Webkit browser; multimedia capabilities; calendar, and other applications. During fiscal 2012, it introduced 10 new smartphones and launched software updates to both its smartphone and tablet platforms. BlackBerry smartphones are available from hundreds of carriers and indirect channels, through a range of distribution partners, and are designed to operate on a variety of carrier networks, including HSPA/HSPA+/UMTS, GSM/GPRS/EDGE, CDMA/Ev-DO, and iDEN.

During fiscal 2012, its BlackBerry smartphone and tablet portfolio included BlackBerry Bold series, BlackBerry Torch series, BlackBerry Curve series and The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet. Its BlackBerry Bold series includes BlackBerry Bold 9900 and 9930 and BlackBerry Bold 9790. The Companys BlackBerry Torch series include BlackBerry Torch 9810 and All-Touch BlackBerry Torch 9850 and 9860. The Company's BlackBerry Curve series includ e BlackBerry Curve 9350/9360/9370 and All-Touch BlackBerry Curve 9380 Smartphone. The BlackBerry PlayBook tablet features the BlackBerry PlayBook OS 2.0. The BlackBerry PlayBook offers a seven-inch high definition display, a dual core one gigahertz processor, dual high definition cameras, multitasking and a Web browsing.

BlackBerry Enterprise Solution

BlackBerry Enterprise Server is software that acts as the centralized link between BlackBerry smartphones, enterprise systems, business applications and wireless networks. BlackBerry Enterprise Server integrates with enterprise messaging systems including Microsoft Exchange, IBM Lotus Domino and Novell GroupWise to synchronize with BlackBerry smartphones to provide mobile users with wireless access to e-mail, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks. It also provides access to business applications and enterprise systems. In addition, it provides security features ! and offer! s administrative tools. BlackBerry Enterprise Server is required for certain other enterprise ! solutions! , such as BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (for bringing desk phone functionality to BlackBerry smartphones); BlackBerry Clients for Microsoft Office Communications Server, IBM Lotus Sametime and Novell GroupWise Messenger (for enterprise instant messaging); IBM Lotus Connections (for enterprise social networking); IBM Lotus Quickr (for document sharing and collaboration); and Chalk Pushcast Software (for corporate podcasting).

The Companys BlackBerry Mobile Fusion provides a Web-based interface that allows enterprises to provision, audit, and protect mobile devices including BlackBerry smartphones, BlackBerry PlayBook tablets, and devices that use iOS and Android. BlackBerry Balance helps enterprises support the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) trend. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express is free server software that synchronizes BlackBerry smartphones with Microsoft Exchange or Microsoft Windows Small Business Server. BlackBerry Enterprise Server Express works wit h Microsoft Exchange 2010, 2007 and 2003 and Microsoft Windows Small Business Server 2008 and 2003 to provide users with wireless access to e-mail, calendar, contacts, notes and tasks, as well as other business applications and enterprise systems behind the firewall.

BlackBerry Mobile Voice System (BlackBerry MVS) allows organizations to converge office desk phones and BlackBerry smartphones. BlackBerry MVS is consists of three components: BlackBerry MVS Client, BlackBerry MVS Services, and BlackBerry MVS Server. It unifies fixed and mobile voice communications. Hosted BlackBerry services bring the BlackBerry Enterprise Server features, functionality, and security capabilities in a package that is managed for end users. Hosted BlackBerry services are conveniently handled and supported by a BlackBerry certified partner from the BlackBerry Alliance Program, giving small and medium -sized enterprise (SME) enterpris! es the su! pport and convenience they need.

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Service

The Company generates service rev! enues fro! m billings to RIM's BlackBerry subscriber account base. It generates service revenues primarily from a monthly infrastructure access fee charged to a carrier or reseller, which the carrier or reseller in turn bills the BlackBerry subscriber.

BlackBerry Technical Support Services

BlackBerry Technical Support Services are a suite of annual technical support and software maintenance programs. The programs are designed to meet the customers BlackBerry support needs by offering a contact for BlackBerry wireless solution technical support directly from the Company.

Non-Warranty Repairs

The Company generates revenue from its repair and maintenance program for BlackBerry smartphones that are returned to it by the carrier, the reseller, or the customer. It generates revenue for repair after the expiration of the contractual warranty period.

The Company competes with Apple Inc., Microsoft Inc., Nokia Corporation, De ll, Inc., Fujitsu Limited, General Dynamics Corporation, Hitachi America, Ltd., HTC Corporation, Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd., LG Electronics Mobile Communications Company, Mitsubishi Corporation, Motorola Mobility Holdings, Inc., NEC Corporation, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., Sharp Corporation, Sony Corporation, ZTE Corporation, IBM Corporation, Microsoft Corporation, Notify Technology Corporation, Openwave Systems Inc., Seven Networks, Inc., Sybase, Inc. and Good Technologies.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Briefly in the news
    And now let's take a quick look at some of the other stories that shaped our week.

    BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY  ) has decided to shut down its BBM Music service. The platform gave BlackBerry owners a catalog of tunes that grew virally as more people signed up for the $5-a-month plan. Once again, a smartphone company missed the point in so! cial musi! c. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) CEO Tim Cook apologized for the company's poorly communicated warranty practices in China. Since China is Apple's largest market outside the U.S., it's more important to save sales than to save face. Zynga (NASDAQ: ZNGA  ) is ready to bet on a new revenue stream. Its partnership with an overseas partner for real-money wagering in the U.K. became a reality this week. Zynga-themed slots, poker, blackjack, and roulette will now help Zynga diversify from its meandering social- and casual-gaming business. The house always wins, but does that also apply to the FarmVille barn?

  • [By Rick Munarriz]

    Q2 revenue and profit that missed analysts' expectations, following weeks of speculation of slower-than-expected sales of the company's flagship Galaxy S4 smartphone.

    Shares of Android leader Samsung slipped in South Korea on Friday after preliminary quarterly results fell short of expectations. Samsung's new estimates are 3% below analyst estimates for revenue and 5% below the market's profit target. HTC doesn't get a lot of attention, but it, too, is coming up short. The Taiwanese smartphone maker posted quarterly revenue on Friday that fell 1% shy of analyst forecasts. A week earlier, BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY  ) shares were crushed after posting a surprising loss. The real stinker in the report was that BlackBerry cleared just 2.7 million Z10 and Q10 smartphones. These were supposed to be the handsets running BlackBerry's updated mobile operating system that was supposed to herald the pioneer's return to relevance. It didn't. Nokia (NYSE: NOK  ) has moved higher on buyout speculation and a shrewd acquisition, but its smartphone business remains a hot mess. Analysts see Nokia posting another deficit for the quarter that ended last week on a double-digit percentage dip in revenue.

    Suddenly Apple doesn't look so ugly.

  • source from USA Best Stocks:! http://ww! w.usabeststocks.com/top-5-communications-equipment-stocks-to-own-right-now-2.html

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Hot Building Product Companies To Invest In Right Now

Hot Building Product Companies To Invest In Right Now: Orion Marine Group Inc(ORN)

Orion Marine Group, Inc. operates as a marine specialty contractor serving the heavy civil marine infrastructure market. The company provides a range of marine construction and specialty services on, over, and under the water along the Gulf Coast, the Atlantic Seaboard, the West Coast, Canada, the Caribbean Basin, and the Pacific Northwest. The company?s marine construction services include construction of marine transportation facilities, marine pipelines, bridges and causeways, and marine environmental structures. Its marine transportation facility construction projects comprise public port facilities for container ship loading and unloading; cruise ship port facilities; private terminals; recreational use marinas and docks; and other marine-based facilities. Orion Marine Group?s marine pipeline service projects consist of the installation and removal of underwater buried pipeline transmission lines; installation of pipeline intakes and outfalls for industrial facilities ; construction of pipeline outfalls for wastewater and industrial discharges; river crossing and directional drilling; and creation of hot taps and tie-ins. Its bridge and causeway projects include the construction, repair, and maintenance of bridges and causeways, as well as the development of fendering systems in marine environments; and marine environmental structure projects primarily comprise the installation of concrete mattresses to ensure erosion protection, and the installation of geotubes for wetlands and island creation. In addition, the company offers dredging services; specialty services, including salvage, demolition, surveying, towing, diving and underwater inspection, excavation, and repair; and survey services comprising surveying pipelines and performing hydrographic surveys. Its customers include federal, state, and municipal governments, as well as private commercial and industrial enterprises. The company was founded in! 1994 and is headquartered in Hous t on, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    When judging a company's prospects, how quickly it turns cash outflows into cash inflows can be just as important as how much profit it's booking in the accounting fantasy world we call "earnings." This is one of the first metrics I check when I'm hunting for the market's best stocks. Today, we'll see how it applies to Orion Marine Group (NYSE: ORN  ) .

  • source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/hot-building-product-companies-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2015

With shares of Dell (NASDAQ:DELL) trading around $12, is DELL an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY? Let�� analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Dell is a global information technology company that offers its customers a range of solutions and services, which are delivered directly by Dell as well as other distribution channels. The company operates in four segments: Large Enterprise, Public, Small and Medium Business, and Consumer. Dell serves a wide range of customers: global and national corporate businesses; educational institutions; government, health care, and law enforcement agencies; small and medium-sized businesses; as well as end users. Through its four segments, Dell is able to provide information technology products to a growing user base around the world. As economies continue to develop, look for a company like Dell to provide important technology products for years to come.

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2015: UQM Technologies Inc (UQM)

UQM Technologies, Inc. (UQM), incorporated on December 7, 1967, is a developer and manufacturer of electric motors, generators and power electronic controllers for the automotive, aerospace, military and industrial markets. The Company's primary focus is incorporating its advanced technology into products for clean vehicles including propulsion systems for electric, hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and fuel cell electric vehicles. The Company makes propulsion system products, generators and related auxiliary components for electric vehicle (EVs), hybrid electric vehicle (HEVs), plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEVs) and fuel cell all-electric vehicles (FCEVs). The Company markets its products in many segments of the transportation sector including passenger vehicles and light trucks, commercial trucks and buses, off-road vehicles including agricultural and construction equipment, boats and military vehicles. The Company's principal products include propulsion motors and generators with power ratings from 25 kilowatts to 220 kilowatts, auxiliary motors and electronic controls, direct current (DC)-to-(DC) converters and DC-to-alternating current (AC) inverters that convert direct current to usable alternating current.

The Company's electric propulsion systems are powering development vehicles including the all-electric Audi A1 e-tron test fleet vehicles. In addition to these programs, the Company is supplying its electric propulsion systems and generators to various other international automakers and entrepreneurial automobile developers as part of their HEV, PHEV, EV and FCEV vehicle development programs. The Company has also developed electric power products for the aircraft and aerospace markets and the boat and marine market. In the boat market, the Company has developed generators for onboard power production in hybrid-electric boats as well as electric propulsion systems. The United States military purchases a range of ground vehicles each year, including combat vehicles such! as tanks, self-propelled artillery and armored personnel carriers, as well as a variety of light, medium and heavy-duty trucks for convoy and supply operations and for the transport of fuel used on the battlefield.

The Company competes Toyota, Honda, General Motors, Hitachi, Toshiba, Siemens, Delphi, Danaher, Enova, Continental, Magna, Remy, and Bosch.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    When most people think of electric vehicle stocks, they probably think of troubled Tesla Motors Inc (NASDAQ: TSLA) or one of the several Chinese stocks active in the space, but North America based large cap Magna International Inc (NYSE: MGA) and small caps Polypore International, Inc (NYSE: PPO), UQM Technologies Inc (NYSEMKT: UQM) and Green Automotive Company (OTCMKTS: GACR) are all players, one way or the other, in the electric vehicle space that most investors have probably overlooked or just aren�� aware of. Of course, we can argue�about whether or not purely electric vehicles or some sort of hybrid vehicles are the way of the future, but what cannot be argued about is the fact that the following electric vehicle stocks are at the forefront of EV or�hybrid technology and design:

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2015: Tim Participacoes SA (TIMP3)

TIM Participacoes SA (TIM) is a Brazil-based holding company engaged in the telecommunications segment. Through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, TIM Celular SA (TIM Celular) and Intelig Telecomunicacoes Ltda (Intelig), it provides telecommunication services throughout Brazil. TIM Celular and Intelig are active as Public Switched Telephony Network (PSTN) providers in the local and national and international long-distance modalities in all Brazilian states. Additionally, the Company provides multimedia communication services and personal mobile services, mobile data services and a third generation (3G) network, as well as international roaming agreements, multimedia messaging services, blackberry services and sale of related equipment. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Zahra Hankir]

    Brazil�� Ibovespa extended its weekly decline to 3.3 percent. Mobile carrier Tim Participacoes SA (TIMP3) sank after parent Telecom Italia SpA (TIT)�� chief executive officer said its Brazilian assets are strategic, damping speculation the local unit will be sold.

  • [By Inyoung Hwang]

    Telecom Italia climbed 5.2 percent to 64.2 euro cents, its highest price since May. The telecommunications operator would gain enough funds to improve its domestic business if it sells at least 4 billion euros ($5.4 billion) of shares or its stake in Tim Participacoes SA (TIMP3) in Brazil, according to Goldman Sachs.

  • [By Jonathan Morgan]

    Telecom Italia SpA (TIT) jumped 6.2 percent to 65.6 euro cents. The phone company that was stripped of its investment-grade rating is seeking at least 9 billion euros for its controlling stake in Brazilian wireless carrier Tim Participacoes SA (TIMP3), according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

Best Integrated Utility Stocks For 2015: WGL Holdings Inc (WGL)

WGL Holdings, Inc. (WGL Holdings) is a holding company. The Company own subsidiaries, which sells and delivers natural gas and/or provide a range of energy-related products and services to customers in the District of Columbia and the surrounding metropolitan areas in Maryland and Virginia. The Company operates in three subsidiaries: regulated utility segment, retail energy-marketing segment and design-build energy systems segment. The Company�� wholly owned subsidiaries include Washington Gas Light Company (Washington Gas), Washington Gas Resources Corporation (Washington Gas Resources), Hampshire Gas Company (Hampshire) and Crab Run Gas Company (Crab Run). Washington Gas is a regulated public utility that sells and delivers natural gas to customers in the District of Columbia and adjoining areas in Maryland, Virginia and several cities and towns in the northern Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Washington Gas Resources owns four subsidiaries include Washington Gas Energy Services, Inc. (WGEServices), Washington Gas Energy Systems, Inc. (WGESystems), Capitol Energy Ventures Corp. (CEV) and WGSW, Inc. (WGSW).

Regulated Utility Segment

The Company�� regulated utility segment consists of Washington Gas and Hampshire. Washington Gas delivers natural gas to retail customers. Washington Gas also sells natural gas to customers who have not elected to purchase natural gas from un-regulated third-party marketers. Washington Gas recovers the cost of the natural gas to serve firm customers through gas cost recovery mechanisms. Hampshire operates and owns full and partial interests in underground natural gas storage facilities, including pipeline delivery facilities located in and around Hampshire County, West Virginia. Washington Gas purchases all of the storage services of Hampshire and includes the cost of these services in the bills sent to its customers.

As of September 30, 2011, Washington Gas had 1.083 million active customer meters. During the fiscal year ! ended September 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), the Company delivered 1,772.5 million therms.

Washington Gas is responsible for acquiring sufficient natural gas supplies, interstate pipeline capacity and storage capacity. Washington Gas obtains natural gas supplies, which originate from multiple regions throughout the United States and Canada. It also obtains natural gas in the form of vaporized liquefied natural gas (LNG) through the Cove Point LNG terminal owned by Dominion Cove Point LNG, LP and Dominion Transmission, Inc. (collectively Dominion). As of September 30, 2011, Washington Gas had service agreements with four pipeline companies, which provided firm transportation and/or storage services directly to Washington Gas�� city gate.

Retail Energy-Marketing Segment

The retail energy-marketing segment consists of the operations of WGEServices, which sells the natural gas and electric commodity directly to residential, commercial and industrial customers. These commodities are delivered to retail customers through the distribution systems owned by regulated utilities, such as Washington Gas or other unaffiliated natural gas or electric utilities. Washington Gas delivers the natural gas sold by WGEServices, and unaffiliated electric utilities deliver all of the electricity sold. In addition, WGEServices bills its customers through the billing services of the regulated utilities, which deliver its commodities, as well as directly through its own billing capabilities. WGEServices owns multiple solar photovoltaic (Solar PV) power generating systems. As of September 30, 2011, WGEServices served approximately 172,000 residential, commercial and industrial natural gas customers accounts and approximately 183,000 residential, commercial and industrial electricity customers located in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, Pennsylvania and the District of Columbia.

Design-Build Energy Systems Segment

The design-build energy systems segment, which consists ! of the op! erations of WGESystems, provides design-build energy solutions to governmental and commercial clients. WGESystems focuses on upgrading the mechanical, electrical, water and energy-related systems of governmental and commercial facilities by implementing both traditional, as well as alternative energy technologies, in the District of Columbia, Maryland and Virginia.

Other Activities

Other activities consist of the operations of CEV, an unregulated, non-utility subsidiary of Washington Gas Resources, which engages in the acquisition, management and optimization of natural gas storage and transportation assets and WGSW, which was formed to invest in solar power generation and other energy efficiency solutions for customers. In addition other activities include the operation of Crab Run, a small exploration company, and administrative with WGL Holdings and Washington Gas Resources. WGSW, a wholly owned subsidiary of Washington Gas Resources, holds a 99% partnership interest in ASD Solar, LP.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Vanina Egea]

    Looking forward, Cabot Oil and Gas reported the execution of a definitive gas sale and purchase agreement with a subsidiary of WGL Holdings (WGL), and the execution of a binding precedent agreement with Transcontinental Gas Pipe Line for a new pipeline with committed takeaway capacity from the owned asset in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania. Most important, it holds a diversified asset portfolio spread between low-risk and long reserve-life Appalachian assets, and large-volume and rapid-payout Gulf Coast properties, with further variety from large prospect inventories in the Rocky Mountains and the Anadarko Basin that have a broad mix of production and payout profiles.

  • [By Shauna O'Brien]

    Brean Capital reported on Friday that it has upgraded natural gas utility company WGL Holdings Inc (WGL).

    The firm has raised its rating on WGL from “Hold” to “Buy,” and has given the company a $46 price target. This price target suggests a 12% increase from the stock’s current price of $40.62. The upgrade was primarily based on valuation and future investment opportunities.

    “Like many utilities in the gas LDC space, the shares of WGL Holdings have come off recent highs and are now trading at a level we consider attractive,” analyst Michael Gaugler comments. “Beyond valuation, we consider the recent announcement of conditional approval of Dominion’s Cove Point facility for LNG export as a positive development in terms of future investment opportunities, given the company’s one-third interest in the Commonwealth Pipeline project, which we believe will be revisited due to future increased demand.”

    WGL Holdings shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Friday. The stock has been mostly flat YTD.

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2015: Covanta Holding Corp (CVA)

Covanta Holding Corporation (Covanta), incorporated in April 16, 1992, is a holding company. The Company is a owner and operator of infrastructure for the conversion of waste to energy ( energy-from-waste or EfW), as well as other waste disposal and renewable energy production businesses. Covanta conduct all of its operations through subsidiaries which are engaged predominantly in the businesses of waste and energy services. The Company has one segment which is Americas and consists of waste and energy services operations primarily in the United States and Canada. The Company owns and holds interests in energy-from-waste facilities in China and Italy. The Company also has investments in subsidiaries engaged in insurance operations in California, primarily in property and casualty insurance. In 2011, it sold two landfill gas projects located in California. In May 2011, it acquired a metals processing facility located on its Dade energy-from-waste facility site.

As of December 31, 2011, it owned 85% interest of Taixing Covanta Yanjiang Cogeneration Co., Ltd. It operates and maintains the energy-from-waste facility located in and owned by the City and County of Honolulu, Hawaii. In December 2011, the Company amended the waste disposal agreement with the Union County Utilities Authority to extend their terms from 2023 to 2031 and to increase the Union County Utilities Authority�� waste disposal commitment. The Company�� EfW facilities earn revenue from both the disposal of waste and the generation of electricity, generally under long-term contracts, as well as from the sale of metal recovered during the energy-from-waste process. In the Americas, it processes approximately 19 million tons of solid waste annually. In total, these assets produce over 10 million megawatt hours of baseload electricity annually. The Company operates and/or has ownership positions in 46 energy-from-waste facilities, which are primarily located in North America, and 15 additional energy generation facilities, i! ncluding other renewable energy production facilities in North America (wood biomass and hydroelectric). The Company also operates a waste management infrastructure that is complementary to its core EfW business.

Energy-From-Waste Projects

Energy-from-waste projects have two purposes: to provide waste disposal services, typically to municipal clients who sponsor the projects, and to use that waste as a fuel source to generate renewable energy. The electricity or steam generated by the projects is generally sold to local utilities or industrial customers. The projects are capable of providing waste disposal services and generating electricity or steam. The Company provides these waste disposal services and sell the electricity and steam generated under contracts, which expire on various dates between 2012 and 2034. Many of its service contracts may be renewed for varying periods of time, at the option of the municipal client.

Tehe Company�� energy-from-waste projects generate revenue from three main sources: fees charged for operating projects or processing waste received; the sale of electricity and/or steam, and the sale of ferrous and non-ferrous metals that are recycled as part of the energy-from-waste process. Its customers for waste disposal or facility operations are principally municipal entities, though it also markets disposal capacity at certain facilities to commercial and special waste customers. Its facilities sell energy primarily to utilities at contracted rates or, in situations where a contract is not in place, at prevailing market rates in regional markets (primarily PJM, NEPOOL and NYISO in the Northeastern United States).

The Company operates, and in some cases has ownership interests in, transfer stations and landfills, which generate revenue from ash disposal fees or operating fees. In addition, it owns, and in some cases operates, other renewable energy projects in the Americas segment, which generate electricity from wood wast! e (biomas! s) and hydroelectric resources. The electricity from these other renewable energy projects is sold to utilities under contracts or into the regional power pool at short-term rates. For these projects, it receives revenue from sales of energy, capacity and/or cash from equity distributions and additional value from the sale of renewable energy credits.

The Company operates energy-from-waste projects in 16 states and one Canadian province, and are constructing an energy-from-waste project in a second Canadian province. Most of its energy-from-waste projects were developed and structured contractually as part of competitive procurement processes conducted by municipal entities. Its EfW projects can generally be divided into three categories, based on the applicable contract structure at a project: Tip Fee projects, Service Fee projects that the Company owns, and Service Fee projects that it do not own but operate on behalf of a municipal owner. At Tip Fee projects, it receives a per-ton fee for processing waste, and it typically retain all of the revenue generated from energy and recycled metal sales. The Company generally owns or leases the Tip Fee facilities. At Service Fee projects, it typically charge a fixed fee for operating the facility, and the facility capacity is dedicated either primarily or exclusively to the host community client, which also retains the majority of any revenue generated from energy and recycled metal sales. The Company also owns and/or operates 13 transfer stations and four ash landfills in the northeast United States, which it utilizes to supplement and manage more efficiently the fuel and ash disposal requirements at its energy-from-waste operations. The Company provides waste procurement services to its waste disposal and transfer facilities which have available capacity to receive waste.

Biomass Projects

The Company owns and operates seven wood-fired generation facilities and have a 55% interest in a partnership which owns another w! ood-fired! generation facility. The Company�� six facilities are located in California, and two are located in Maine. The combined gross energy output from these facilities is 191 megawatts. The Company generates income from its biomass facilities from sales of electricity, capacity, and where available, additional value from the sale of renewable energy credits. These facilities sell their energy output into local power pools or to local utilities at rates that are either fixed or float with the market.

Hydroelectric

The Company owns a 50% interest in two small run-of-river hydroelectric facilities located in the State of Washington, which sells energy and capacity to Puget Sound Energy under long-term energy contracts. The Company has a nominal investment in two hydroelectric facilities in Costa Rica.

Energy-From-Waste

The Company and Chongqing Iron & Steel Company (Group) Ltd. entered into an agreement to build, own, and operate a 1,800 metric ton per day energy-from-waste facility for Chengdu Municipality in Sichuan Province, People�� Republic of China. The Company also executed a 25 year waste concession agreement for this project. In connection with this project, it acquired a 49% interest in the project company. Construction commenced in 2009 and the facility began processing waste during the year ended December 31, 2011. The electrical output from these projects is sold at governmentally established preferential rates under short-term arrangements with local power bureaus. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 85% of Taixing Covanta Yanjiang Cogeneration Co., Ltd. which, in 2009, entered into a 25 year concession agreement and waste supply agreements to build, own and operate a 350 metric tons per day energy-from-waste facility for Taixing Municipality, in Jiangsu Province, People�� Republic of China. The Company will continue to operate its coal-fired facility.

The Company owns a 40% interest in Chongqing Sanfeng Covanta Environ! mental In! dustry Co., Ltd. (Sanfeng), a company located in Chongqing Municipality, People�� Republic of China. Sanfeng is engaged in the business of owning and operating energy-from-waste projects, providing design and engineering, procurement, construction services and equipment sales for energy-from-waste facilities in China. Sanfeng owns minority interests in two 1,200 metric tons per day, 24 megawatts mass-burn energy-from-waste projects (Fuzhou project and Tongqing project), and has a contract to operate the Chengdu project. Chongqing Iron & Steel Group Environmental Investment Co. Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Chongqing Iron & Steel Company (Group) Ltd., holds the remaining 60% interest in Sanfeng. The solid waste supply for the projects comes from municipalities under long-term contracts. The municipalities also have the obligation to coordinate the purchase of power from the facilities as part of the long-term contracts for waste disposal. The electrical output from these projects is sold at governmentally established preferential rates under short-term arrangements with local power bureaus.

The Company owns a 13% interest in a 500 metric tons per day, 18 megawatts mass-burn energy-from-waste project at Trezzo sull��dda in the Lombardy Region of Italy. The project is operated by Ambiente 2000 S.r.l., in which the Company owns 40%. The solid waste supply for the project comes from municipalities and privately-owned waste haulers under long-term contracts. The electrical output from the Trezzo project is sold at governmentally established preferential rates under a long-term purchase contract to Italy�� state-owned electricity grid operator, Gestore della Rete di Trasmissione Nazionale S.p.A.

Independent Power Projects

The Company has a majority interest in a 24 megawatts (gross) coal-fired cogeneration facility in Taixing City, Jiangsu Province, People�� Republic of China. The project entity, in which it holds a majority interest, operates this project. T! he party ! holding a minority position in the project is an affiliate of the local municipal government. While the steam produced at this project is focused to be sold under a long-term contract to its industrial host, in practice, steam has been sold on a short-term basis to either local industries or the industrial host, in each case at varying rates and quantities. The electric power is sold at an average grid rate to a subsidiary of the provincial power bureau.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Covanta Holding (NYSE: CVA  ) reported earnings on July 17. Here are the numbers you need to know.

    The 10-second takeaway
    For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Covanta Holding beat expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

  • [By Ian Wyatt, Publisher & Chief Investment Strategist, Wyatt Investment Research]

    Both of these stocks are overlooked, undervalued, and cash flow machines. The companies are Ascent Capital Group (ASCMA) and Covanta Holdings (CVA).

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Invest In 2015: Deluxe Corporation (DLX)

Deluxe Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, provides personalized printed products, promotional products, and merchandising materials in the United States, Canada, and Europe. Its Small Business Services segment offers printed products, including business checks, promotional products, marketing materials, and related services, as well as retail packaging supplies and a suite of business services comprising Web design and hosting, fraud protection, payroll, logo design, search engine marketing, business networking, and other Web-based services to small businesses. This segment also offers printed forms, such as billing forms, work orders, job proposals, purchase orders, invoices, and personnel forms; computer forms; and stationery, letterhead, envelopes, greeting cards and labels, and business cards in various formats and ink colors. It sells its products through mail and the Internet, referrals from financial institutions and telecommunications clients, independent distributors and dealers, and sales representatives. The company?s Financial Services segment provides check programs for personal and business checks, fraud prevention and monitoring services, customer acquisition campaigns, marketing communications, regulatory program services, and customer loyalty programs to banks, credit unions, and financial services companies primarily through direct sales force. Its Direct Checks segment sells personal and business checks, and related products and services directly to consumers through direct response marketing and the Internet. Deluxe also offers online financial management tools that provide banks with daily access to their financial position and general ledger information. The company was formerly known as Deluxe Check Printers, Incorporated and changed its name to Deluxe Corporation in 1988. Deluxe Corporation was founded in 1915 and is headquartered in Shoreview, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Eric Volkman]

    Deluxe (NYSE: DLX  ) is opening its checkbook for a fresh round of shareholder payouts. The company has declared its latest quarterly dividend, which is to be $0.25 per share, paid on September 3 to shareholders of record as of August 19.�This is in line with the firm's long-standing distribution policy; it has handed out that amount in every quarter stretching back to July 2006.

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Tiffany Raises Outlook, Looks to Post All-Time High

Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) reported second-quarter results before markets opened Tuesday morning. The luxury goods company posted diluted earnings per share (EPS) of $0.83 on revenues of $926 million. In the same period a year ago, Tiffany reported EPS of $0.72 on revenue of $886.57 million. Second-quarter results also compare to the Thomson Reuters consensus estimates for EPS of $0.74 and $941.37 million in revenue.

The company's Asia-Pacific region total sales jumped 20% year-over-year to $208 million, with same-store sales up 13% in the quarter. Sales in the European region were up 11% to $111 million, and same-store sales were up 7%. In the Americas, sales rose 2% to $444 million, and same-store sales were flat.

Tiffany raised its full-year EPS guidance from a previous range of $3.43 to $3.53 to a new range of $3.50 to $3.60. The company expects operating profits to rise faster than sales, gross margins to be flat with last year and expenses to be lower. The forecast excludes $0.05 per share in first-quarter cost reduction charges.

The company's CEO said:

Total sales growth met our objective due to solid performance in most regions, and with particular strength in our statement and fine jewelry product categories. … Looking forward, we are equally excited about the initiatives we are pursuing in product development, marketing communications and store expansion, all intended to further enhance Tiffany's strong brand position and take fuller advantage of its long-term growth opportunities in the global luxury market.

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The company's worldwide net sales rose 4%, but excluding currency exchange effects sales would have risen 8%. That is a big bite, and it could get bigger as the company continues to expand in Asia. Overall, though, Tiffany had a solid quarter and expects a good second half of the year.

Shares are up about 2.3% in premarket trading Tuesday morning, at $83.56 in a 52-week range of $55.83 to $82.84, so Tiffany is set to post a new 52-week high. Thomson Reuters had a consensus analyst price target of around $82.90 before today's results were announced.

Monday, May 26, 2014

10 best gifts for pets

Distinguished dogs and fine felines will appreciate these products:

1. Elegant bed. Pets spend so much time sleeping; it might as well be in style.

2. Chic collar or harness. Rack up panache points on a neighborhood stroll.

3. Socks and shoes.Cute way to protect paws indoors and outdoors.

4. Sporty backpack.Make hiking hounds feel useful on the trail.

5. My Talking Pet app. Animate your pet's photos and send messages to brighten someone's day.

6. Cooling bandana. A trendy way to keep hot dogs cool in the heat.

7. Doggie treadmill. Work off the treats without leaving home.

8. Classy necktie. Play dates will take on an air of sophistication.

9. Massage. Therapy meets pampering in a meaningful way.

10. Snazzy stroller/trailers. Disabled or spoiled pets welcome a push or pull.

See more 10Best lists at 10Best.com.

More Weekend Recommendations There's no escape: Prevalence of Lyme disease is on the rise, even in big cities like Chicago and New York. That's because when we take d... Protect your pet from Lyme disease Read More About Pet parents today face an imposing smorgasbord of food choices. Garden-variety cat foods have been joined on store shelves by a seemingly... Fancy food? Your cat is probably OK with the basic s... Read More About Homemade Peanut Butter and Banana Dog TreatsThe parsley in these treats makes them a secret breath freshener for your pooch; substitute d... Homemade Peanut Butter and Banana Dog Treats Read More About A growing number of women out-earn their partners. Farnoosh Torabi, a personal finance expert based in Brooklyn, N.Y., and author of When... Advice for when the woman of the house earns more Read More About The essays have been submitted and evaluated, the winning towns selected. Now get ready for some July 4 fun.USA WEEKEND and the Destinati... Two towns win special July 4 celebrations Read More About With the World Cup approaching, USA WEEKEND wants to know: Who's the greatest soccer player? Reader poll: Who's the greatest soccer player ever? Read More About JOIN THE CONVERSATIONReady for Your Dream Vacation?

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Saturday, May 24, 2014

Stocks to Watch: Aeropostale, Fresh Market, GameStop

Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday’s session are Aeropostale Inc.(ARO), Fresh Market Inc.(TFM) and GameStop Corp.(GME)

Aeropostale Inc.’s fiscal first-quarter loss widened as the youth-focused apparel retailer was unable to stem falling sales. Aeropostale, which operates children’s and teen retail chains, has faced challenges in its core basics business, especially with its graphic T-shirts and fleece offerings that haven’t resonated with fashion-conscious teen shoppers. Shares fell 18% to $3.69 premarket.

Fresh Market Inc.’s first-quarter earnings fell by more than half as higher costs masked a double-digit increase in sales that benefited from special promotions and the Easter holiday, partially offsetting the negative impact of harsh winter weather. Shares rose 8% to $31 premarket.

GameStop Corp. said its fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 25% as continued strong demand for Microsoft Corp.'s(MSFT) Xbox One and Sony Corp.'s(6758.TO) PlayStation 4 led sales growth. Shares rose 5.6% to $38.95 premarket.

Foot Locker Inc.(FL) on Friday said its fiscal first-quarter profit rose 17%, as sales and margins improved. The results handily topped analysts’ expectations. Shares rose 2.8% to $49.50 premarket.

Marvell Technology Group Ltd.'s(MRVL) earnings nearly doubled driven by better-than-expected demand in its LTE solutions segment, the company said. The chipmaker, which specializes in microprocessor architecture and digital-signal processing, has benefited from an uptick in demand from mobile, wireless and storage customers. However, its outlook for the current quarter was mostly below analysts’ expectations. Shares fell 1.2% to $15.40 premarket.

TiVo Inc.(TIVO) swung to a first-quarter profit as the maker of television set-top boxes reported the highest level of subscriptions in the company’s history and an increase in its service and technology revenues. Shares rose 4.6% to $12.48 premarket.

Gap Inc.(GPS) reaffirmed its full-year outlook as the apparel retailer reported a 22% decline in first-quarter earnings, hurt by weakening foreign currencies.

Hewlett-Packard Co.(HPQ) said its fiscal second-quarter profit rose 18%, but the computer maker recorded another quarter of lower revenue and said it plans to eliminate more jobs as part of an ongoing restructuring.

Hibbett Sports Inc.(HIBB) posted an 8.3% rise in fiscal first-quarter earnings, with the sporting-goods retailer saying it is benefiting from stronger demand in footwear and apparel.

Ross Stores Inc.'s(ROST) fiscal first-quarter earnings rose 4% as the off-price retailer benefited from sales growth as well as inventory and cost controls.

Shoe Carnival Inc.(SCVL) sales were hurt by harsh winter weather conditions and weak traffic, as the company reported a 4% earnings drop for the first quarter. The Indiana footwear and accessories chain’s results missed expectations, and the company issued a weaker projection for the current quarter.

Zumiez Inc.(ZUMZ) said its fiscal first-quarter earnings were essentially flat with the year-ago period, though the teen apparel and sports-equipment retailer saw net sales increase.

Friday, May 23, 2014

10 Best Solar Stocks To Own Right Now

10 Best Solar Stocks To Own Right Now: Ascent Solar Technologies Inc.(ASTI)

Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc., a development stage company, focuses on commercializing flexible photovoltaic (PV) modules using its proprietary technology. The company intends to manufacture roll-format PV modules that use copper-indium-gallium-diselenide (CIGS) on a plastic substrate. Its proprietary manufacturing process deposits multiple layers of materials, including a thin-film of CIGS semiconductor material on a plastic substrate and laser patterns the layers to create interconnected PV cells or PV modules through monolithic integration process. The company would serve the building applied photovoltaic (BAPV) and building integrated photovoltaic (BIPV) market, as well as specialty markets, such as defense, portable power, transportation, electronic integrated photovoltaic, and space and near-space. It has a strategic relationship with Norsk Hydro Produksjon AS to access customers in the BIPV/BAPV markets worldwide. Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc. was founded in 200 5 and is based in Thornton, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    Solar stocks have not exactly given buy and hold investors a smooth ride, but small cap GT Advanced Technologies Inc (NASDAQ: GTAT) could be an interesting materials play on the solar sector – meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with potential peers like Ascent Solar Technologies, Inc (NASDAQ: ASTI) and STR Holdings, Inc (NYSE: STRI) plus solar ETF Guggenheim Solar ETF (NYSEARCA: TAN). I should mention that just last week, we added GT Advanced Technologies to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio for both fundamentals and technical reasons and we are already up almost 9%.

  • source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-solar-sto! cks-to-own-right-now.html

Bank of America Corp Still Dominates the Murky Student Credit Card Market


Source: Flickr / Md saad andalib.

Sometime this year, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will be quizzing financial institutions about how open they are about the products they make available to college students – often through incentives offered to colleges and universities, as well as their alumni associations. 

Back in December, CFPB Director Richard Cordray encouraged banks and credit card companies to be more transparent about products like debit cards, prepaid accounts, and financial aid disbursement cards, to name a few. Currently, these companies publicly disclose credit card agreement information only. 

Cordray sent out a warning to these purveyors of student-targeted financial products, stating that "When financial institutions secretly give kickbacks to schools, they are engaging in risky practices."

Who are these institutions that are engaging in a quid-pro-quo with higher education in order to make money from the captive student population? JPMorgan Chase and Capital One are two well-known entities, but the lion's share of the market – almost 67% -- belongs to FIA Card Services, a subsidiary of Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) .

CARD Act has had a noticeable effect
In its year-end report to congress in December, the CFPB noted that the Credit Card Accountability Responsibility and Disclosure Act of 2009 has appreciably decreased the number of agreements between colleges and credit issuers each year since its implementation. Very likely, the CARD Act's prohibition against marketing cards to persons under 21 years of age without written proof of the applicant's ability to pay had something to do with the reduction in credit card agreements. 

Still, the change in the number of agreements is impressive: a mere 617 agreements in 2012, according to the CFPB, compared to a whopping 1,045 in 2009. Credit-card issuers paid colleges and their affiliates, such as alumni groups, a smidge over $50 million for the privilege of reaching student customers, down from $84 million in 2009. Bank of America's affiliate, FIA, paid out $35.5 million of those incentives in 2012. 

That isn't surprising, since FIA Card Services had the largest number of open accounts at the end of December, nearly 984,000 compared with JPMorgan Chase, which had only 83.3 million accounts.

New products taking the place of credit cards
The new transparency and the decrease in the number of accounts pushed onto financially unsophisticated young people is a great improvement, but problems remain. The CFPB notes that products not covered by the CARD Act are now being promoted on college campuses, offerings such as prepaid debit cards, checking accounts – as well as debit cards used to access financial aid, which often winds up costing students fees they should not have to pay. 

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While school officials say that 69% of debit card agreements between issuers and colleges are available for public scrutiny, the CFPB notes that finding them is very difficult to do, so all the players in this particular field are not known.

It appears that FIA may not be one, judging from a letter sent to financial institutions last fall from Congressional Democrats, asking whether or not they participated in this type of marketing behavior. Bank of America peers Citigroup and Wells Fargo were both on the mailing list, however .

One request by the CFPB to banks and card issuers will be that companies post debit card agreements on their websites, so that students and their parents can inform themselves about the terms of those agreements. So far, meetings between banks, universities, consumer groups, and the Department of Education have not produced an agreement, with industry groups unwilling to change a lucrative business venture. If the stalemate continues, students will continue to be the ones who pay the price. 

Big banking's little $20.8 trillion secret
There's a brand-new company that's revolutionizing banking, and is poised to kill the hated traditional brick-and-mortar banks. That's bad for them, but great for investors. And amazingly, despite its rapid growth, this company is still flying under the radar of Wall Street. To learn about about this company, click here to access our new special free report.

Thursday, May 22, 2014

How Will This Downgrade Affect Keurig Green Mountain (GMCR) Stock?

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Shares of Keurig Green Mountain Inc.  (GMCR) were downgraded to "neutral" from "buy" at Roth Capital which maintained its price target of $120.00.

The stock is down -1.18% to $112.46 in pre-market trade.

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Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates KEURIG GREEN MOUNTAIN INC as a Buy with a ratings score of B. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation:

"We rate KEURIG GREEN MOUNTAIN INC (GMCR) a BUY. This is driven by a few notable strengths, which we believe should have a greater impact than any weaknesses, and should give investors a better performance opportunity than most stocks we cover. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its revenue growth, largely solid financial position with reasonable debt levels by most measures, expanding profit margins, good cash flow from operations and impressive record of earnings per share growth. We feel these strengths outweigh the fact that the company has had somewhat disappointing return on equity." Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows: GMCR's revenue growth has slightly outpaced the industry average of 3.0%. Since the same quarter one year prior, revenues slightly increased by 9.8%. Growth in the company's revenue appears to have helped boost the earnings per share. GMCR's debt-to-equity ratio is very low at 0.08 and is currently below that of the industry average, implying that there has been very successful management of debt levels. Along with this, the company maintains a quick ratio of 2.84, which clearly demonstrates the ability to cover short-term cash needs. KEURIG GREEN MOUNTAIN INC has improved earnings per share by 18.4% in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. The company has demonstrated a pattern of positive earnings per share growth over the past two years. We feel that this trend should continue. During the past fiscal year, KEURIG GREEN MOUNTAIN INC increased its bottom line by earning $3.16 versus $2.28 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($3.74 versus $3.16). 47.54% is the gross profit margin for KEURIG GREEN MOUNTAIN INC which we consider to be strong. It has increased from the same quarter the previous year. Along with this, the net profit margin of 14.69% is above that of the industry average. Net operating cash flow has increased to $320.94 million or 19.95% when compared to the same quarter last year. The firm also exceeded the industry average cash flow growth rate of -20.80%. You can view the full analysis from the report here: GMCR Ratings Report STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12 months. Learn more.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Stocks open higher as Dow up about 100 points

Stocks were off to a good start Wednesday as the Dow Jones industrial average jumped more than 100 points at the open.

Investors are eagerly awaiting the minutes from the latest meeting of Federal Reserve policymakers to get clues on the potential timing for interest rate hikes.

The Dow Jones industrial average was up 0.8% and the Standard & Poor's 500 index gained 0.5%. The Nasdaq composite index rose 0.6%.

NEW: USA TODAY's live markets blog

The Fed releases the minutes of its April 29-30 meeting at 2 p.m, ET. After that meeting, the Fed said it would further cut its bond purchases because the U.S. job market needed less help.

It also reaffirmed its plan to keep short-term rates low to support the economy "for a considerable time" after its bond purchases end, likely late this year. It offered no specific timetable for a rate increase.

Retailers were in focus again Wednesday. Target said first-quarter profit fell 16% as losses in its Canadian operation and costs of last year's data breach took a toll, The results missed Wall Street estimates. Shares were up 0.1%.

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Lowe's stock fell 0.8% after the retailer missed Wall Street estimates.

Overseas, European markets were higher. Britain's FTSE 100 was up 0.1% and Germany's DAX was up 0.6%.

Asian markets were mixed. Japan's Nikkei index fell 0.2% to 14,042.17 and Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was flat at 22,836.52.

Contributing: The Associated Press

Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Target shake-up: Head of Canadian unit fired

More brass shuffling atop Target as the retailer announced today that it replaced the head of its operations in Canada, its first international expansion and one that hasn't gone as well as the company hoped.

The move comes after CEO Gregg Steinhafel was fired earlier this month after 35 years with the company, a victim of the huge data breach at the big retailer and the company's poor performance.

In March, the CIO left the company.

The company's shares opened trading today at $57.77, down 76 cents, or 1.3%.

The retailer said the timing of the Canada move and some other changes announced Tuesday isn't related to first quarter financial results, to be announced at 8 a.m. EDT Wednesday.

Analysts surveyed by FactSet forecast Q1 net income of $456 million, or 71 cents a share, on revenue of $17.02 billion. A year ago, Target reported $1.05 and called that result soft.

In Canada, effective immediately, Tony Fisher is out and 15-year Target veteran Mark Schindele takes over as president of Target Canada. Target calls Fisher a "results-driven leader" who is expected to improve operations in Canada.

"Target is committed to making more rapid progress in Canada," said John Mulligan, Target's interim president and CEO. He replaced chairman and CEO Gregg Steinhafel, who abruptly departed from both roles earlier this month after 35 years with the retailer, a victim of the huge data breach at the big retailer.

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Hoping that better understanding of the Canada market will boost its fortunes there, Target said it is naming a non-executive chair in Canada. Target described it as an "advisory role" that will help "provide counsel and support to the president of Target Canada to ensure all strategies and tactics align with the Canadian marketplace."

Schindele, previously senior vice president in charge of merchandising operations, will report to Kathee ! Tesija, chief merchandising and supply chain officer, whose responsibilities include Target Canada.

The company also announced several U.S. changes intended to "better leverage functional expertise as the company focuses on driving improved performance."

• Trish Adams has been promoted to executive vice president, apparel and home
• Jose Barra has been promoted to executive vice president, essentials and hardlines
• Keri Jones has been promoted to executive vice president, merchandising planning and operations

Target has 1,924 stores – 1,797 in the U.S. and 127 in Canada.

Sunday, May 18, 2014

Get ready for interest rates to rise

A ho-hum interest rate environment can lull borrowers into thinking that cheap money will be with us, well, nearly forever and one might think talking about rates isn't relevant.

But savers, borrowers and market watchers are wise to prepare for changes in the wind, even if huge rate increases aren't on near-term forecasts.

High school grads heading to college should bank on higher rates ahead for college loans.

"I expect interest rates on federal education loans to continue to rise each year for the next several years, especially as the Federal Reserve board stops manipulating interest rates," said Mark Kantrowitz of Edvisors.com.

As of July 1, federal student loan rates will edge up. Rates overall will be up 0.8% compared to current rates.

Federal Stafford Loans for undergraduate students will be 4.66% — up from 3.86%. Federal Stafford Loans for graduate students will be 6.21% — up from 5.41%.

Federal Grad PLUS and Federal Parent PLUS Loans will be at 7.21% — up from 6.41%.

The higher rates add about $46 to $49 a year to borrowing costs for every $10,000 in student loans borrowed on a 10-year term. Total costs would increase by $460 to $492 over a 10-year repayment term of the loans, Kantrowitz said.

Last year, federal student loan rates were unusually low, with nowhere to go but up, Kantrowitz said.

But by next year, he predicts rates could be higher than 6.8% on the Stafford loan and higher than 7.9% on PLUS loans.

Kantrowitz said he predicted rates would start heading up when Congress switched the way student loan rates are handled. Now interest rates are fixed, but each year's loans are at a new fixed rate. Congress changed the interest-rate formula in August, retroactive to July 1, 2013.

Feel like your credit card debt is under control because you can make the minimum payments? Or ready to borrow more because you found a limited-time offer at 0%?

Greg McBride, chief financial analyst for Bankrate.com, said shoppers wo! uld be wise to pay down their credit card debt now to avoid higher interest rates in the future.

When overall rates climb higher, rates will jump on variable-rate credit cards and the minimum payment goes up too.

"2014 may be your last hurrah for paying down that debt in an environment with the tailwind of lower interest rates rather than the headwind of rising rates," McBride said.

McBride said he would not be surprised to see credit card rates climb in the next year or so.

"You better have a game plan for paying it back," McBride said.

Rates for savers haven't shown much sign of life for quite some time, but that can could change too.

"The lift-off on short-term rates by the Fed is still close to a year away (give or take a few months)," according to a May report by Diane Swonk, chief economist for Mesirow Financial in Chicago.

"Lift-off" is the new lingo for the first increase in the Fed's short-term interest rates from the current level of zero.

Rates could be held low as well by tensions in Ukraine that already led to lower bond yields in the United States and Europe, she noted.

Even so, savers can spot slight improvements here and there.

In May, the new rate on Series EE savings bonds was set at a fixed rate of 0.5% for 20 years. But if someone held that bond for 20 years, the bond would double in value and the effective rate would be just over 3.5% compounded semi-annually.

Though that rate is low, savers are getting a far better rate than the 0.1% they got on Series EE bonds from November through the end of April. That was the lowest fixed rate ever set for Series EE bonds.

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But the upside again for truly long-term savers who bought those 0.1% bonds in recent months is if you'd wait until 2033 or longer to cash that bond, you would see the bond double in value and get a much higher effec! tive rate! . The key is the bond must be held up to the original maturity of 20 years to get that higher rate of return.

New Series I savings bonds, if bought from May through October, will earn a composite rate of 1.94% for six months.

Series I bonds fluctuate based on inflation. The earnings rate for Series I bonds is a combination of a fixed rate that applies for the life of the bond, and the semi-annual inflation rate. The fixed rate on I Bonds issued from May 1 through Oct. 31 is 0.1%.

But that fixed rate is lower than what savers got in the past. The fixed rate was 0.2% on I Bonds issued from November through April 30. So over the long run, those would be slightly better bonds for savers to hold on to. The initial composite rate for I bonds issued then was 1.38% — including the fixed rate at 0.2%.

Rates for savings bonds are set each May 1 and Nov. 1. Savings bonds held less than five years are subject to a three-month interest penalty. Both series I and EE bonds may be redeemed after 12 months and have an interest-bearing life of 30 years.

Contact Susan Tompor at stompor@freepress.com

Thursday, May 15, 2014

Stocks: Waiting on Wal-Mart earnings

S&P futures 2014 05 15

Click chart for in-depth premarket data.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Wall Street has been looking closely at quarterly results from big retailers, especially Wal-Mart. And they don't like what they see.

Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) , the world's largest retailer, reported first-quarter earnings and sales, and second-quarter forecasts that fell short of estimates. Shares of the Dow component slipped in premarket trading.

The company blamed several factors, including bad weather and a delay in tax refunds caused by last fall's government shutdown.

Retailer Kohl's (KSS, Fortune 500) will also report before the open, while J.C. Penney (JCP, Fortune 500) and Nordstrom (JWN, Fortune 500) will report after the close.

U.S. stock futures were vacillating between small gains and losses Thursday morning.

The main premarket mover was Cisco Systems (CSCO, Fortune 500). Shares were spiking by roughly 7% after the firm reported earnings that beat expectations.

The fast-food industry is also in the spotlight Thursday as workers plan demonstrations in 150 cities around the world to protest low wages.

On the economic front, the U.S. government will publish weekly jobless claims at 8:30 a.m. ET. At the same time, the Bureau of Labor Statistics will release its latest consumer price index information.

Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen will be speaking about small business and the economy during a talk in Washington this evening.

U.S. stocks closed lower Wednesday. The Dow tumbled about 100 points, backing away from three consecutive record closes. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also closed firmly in the red.

European markets were edging down in midday trading after mixed economic data from the eurozone.

Asian markets had a mixed day. The Shanghai Composite index was the biggest mover among the main global indexes, dropping by 1.1%.

Investors in Japan pushed the Nikkei lower, shrugging off an impressive report on strong economic growth in the first quarter. To top of page

Wednesday, May 14, 2014

Morning Movers: Plug Power Drops on Earnings Miss; Sears Gains on Potential Asset Sale

Stocks ended mixed yesterday. Today, the major indexes all look to be heading lower.

AP

S&P 500 futures have dropped 0.2%, while Dow Jones Industrial Average futures have dipped 0.1%. Nasdaq Composite futures are off 0.2%.

Macy’s (M) blamed the cold weather for a slide in sales but has risen 1.2% to $58.55 thanks to a better-than-forecast profit of 60 cents a share.

URS Corp. (URS) has plunged 7.1% to $43.85 after its profit of 37 cents a share missed the Street consensus by 30 cents.

Top 5 Gas Stocks To Invest In 2015

Plug Power (PLUG) has dropped 3.7% to $3.94 after it reported a loss of 6 cents a share, missing analyst estimates for a loss of 5 cents.

Sears Holdings (SHLD) has gained 1.6% to $44.15 after it said it could sell its 51% stake in Sears Canada.

Deere (DE) has fallen 1.5% to $92.25 after beating earnings forecasts but lowering its full-year sales guidance.

SodaStream (SODA) has declined 3.6% to $39.65 after it reported a profit of 8 cents a share, ahead of forecasts for 1 cent. It said earnings would grow 3% in 2014.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

529 College Savings Plans Beat Benchmarks on After-Tax Basis

Managers of state-sponsored 529 college savings plans appear to be doing a good job investing assets for plan participants, a new study finds.

Savingforcollege.com compared the historical investment performance of 529 plans with broad market indexes.

In most categories examined in the study, the average 529 plan returns trailed the comparable index returns.

However, the gap between average 529 plan returns and index returns was slight in many categories, and the analysis showed that 529 plans beat the indexes when results were adjusted for the federal income-tax benefits of 529 plans.

Researchers compared investment performance over one-, three-, five- and 10-year periods ending Dec. 31 in each of seven different asset-allocation categories — 100%, 80%, 60%, 40% and 20% equity; 100% fixed income; and 100% short term.

They used the median 529 performance in each category to represent the average, examining as many as 222 separate portfolios per category.

The broad market benchmarks employed for comparison comprised the Russell 3000 Index, the MSCI EAFE Index, Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Bond Index and the Citigroup 3-Month U.S. Treasury Bill Index.

Two Examples

The median five-year average annual return for a 529 plan portfolio invested 100% in equities returned 16.98%, compared with 17.56% over the same period for the benchmark, an 80/20 blend of the Russell 3000 Index and the MSCI EAFE Index.

However, when the annualized return of the benchmark was assessed a 15% federal capital-gains tax, it fell to 14.93%, or more than two percentage points below the annualized return of the tax-free 529 plan.

The 529 plan portfolio invested 100% in fixed income had a median five-year average annual return of 4.28%, while the Barclays Capital U.S. Aggregate Index benchmark returned 4.44%.

On an after-tax basis, the benchmark return fell to 2.89%.

“Our study suggests that 529 plan managers have done a good job investing the college savings entrusted to them," Savingforcollege.com founder Joseph Hurley said in a statement.

“It also underscores the importance of keeping fees in 529 plans low, since the benchmark returns assume zero costs.”

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Related on ThinkAdvisor:

Sunday, May 11, 2014

Top High Tech Companies To Buy For 2015

Top High Tech Companies To Buy For 2015: Beacon Roofing Supply Inc.(BECN)

Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. distributes residential and non-residential roofing materials. The company?s residential roofing products include asphalt shingles, synthetic slates and tiles, clay and concrete tiles, slates, nail base insulation, metal roofing, felt, wood shingles and shakes, nails and fasteners, metal edgings and flashings, prefabricated flashings, ridges and soffit vents, gutters and downspouts, and other accessories. Its non-residential roofing products comprise single-ply roofing; asphalt; metal; modified bitumen; built-up roofing; cements and coatings; insulation?flat stock and tapered; commercial fasteners; metal edges and flashings; skylights, smoke vents, and roof hatches; and sheet metal products, including copper, aluminum, and steel. The company also provides complementary building products, such as vinyl siding; red, white, and yellow cedar siding; fiber cement siding; soffits; house wraps; vapor barriers; and stone veneer, as well as vinyl windo w s, aluminum windows, wood windows, turn-key windows, and wood and patio doors. In addition, it offers specialty lumber products comprising redwood, red cedar decking, mahogany decking, pressure treated lumber, fire treated plywood, synthetic decking, PVC trim boards, millwork, and custom millwork. Further, the company provides waterproofing systems, building insulations, air barrier systems, gypsum, moldings, cultured stone, and patio covers. Its customer base consists of contractors, home builders, building owners, and other resellers. Beacon Roofing Supply, Inc. distributes its products through 194 branches in 38 states of the United States; and 6 Canadian provinces. The company was founded in 1928 and is based in Peabody, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Beacon Roofing Supply Inc.'s(BECN) fiscal fourth-qu! arter earnings declined slightly as higher costs offset a jump in sales. “We continued to experience a challenging pricing environment, which drove down our gross margins from the prior year,” Chief Executive Paul Isabelle said. Results missed estimates, sending shares down 4.4% to $34.50 in light premarket trading.

  • [By Lee Samaha]

    It's been a volatile year for the roofing industry, and over the last three months, investors have seen more downside. Roofing materials distributor Beacon Roofing Supply (NASDAQ: BECN  ) is down 11.5% in the last three months, and building products manufacturer Owens Corning (NYSE: OC  ) fell 5.5% in the same period -- all in a year when many commentators thought this sector would outperform. 

  • source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-high-tech-companies-to-buy-for-2015-2.html

Friday, May 9, 2014

DOL, SEC Enforcement: CEO Steals Detroit Police, Firefighter Pension Cash to Buy Strip Malls

Among recent enforcement actions taken by the Department of Labor and the SEC were lawsuits to recover lost funds mishandled by pension plan administrators, charges against a Cyprus-based company over illegal binary options, and charges against a wealth management company and former fund manager for insider trading.

Also, top officials at a Detroit investment advisor were charged with stealing funds from a police officers’ and firefighters’ pension fund, and additional charges were filed in the case of a Venezuelan bank kickback scheme.

Execs Charged With Raiding Detroit Police, Firefighter Pension to Buy Strip Malls

Chauncey Mayfield, the founder, president and CEO of MayfieldGentry Realty Advisors in Detroit, was charged by the SEC, along with four top executives at the firm, in the theft of money from the pension fund managed by the firm for the city’s police officers and firefighters. Mayfield used the nearly $3.1 million to buy two strip malls in California, and the four helped him cover it up instead of exposing the theft.

Chief financial officer Blair Ackman, chief operating officer Marsha Bass, chief investment officer W. Emery Matthew, and chief compliance officer and general counsel Alicia Diaz were also charged.

Mayfield took the money, without permission, from a trust account for the pension fund in 2008. He used it to buy the California malls and title them in the name of a MayfieldGentry affiliate, and then later told Ackman what he had done. By May 2011, the others knew of his theft, and instead of turning him in and risking the loss of the pension fund’s business, they all went out of their way to cover it up and mislead the pension fund.

At a critical budget meeting with fund trustees in 2011, Diaz stressed MayfieldGentry’s success in generating a cash return for the pension fund, and touted a projection that MayfieldGentry would remit $4.96 million to the pension fund in 2012. Diaz never told the pension fund trustees that the cash remittance would be reduced by more than 60% once the stolen money was taken into account. At the same meeting, Matthews claimed that MayfieldGentry had achieved a benchmark-beating 6.8% return for the pension fund. He didn’t explain that the 6.8% return would be materially impacted by the $3.1 million theft.

The executives came up with a plan to secretly repay the pension fund by cutting costs at the firm and selling the strip malls. The money Mayfield stole, according to the SEC, could have provided a year of benefits for more than 100 retired police officers, firefighters, and surviving spouses and children. The plan to replace the money failed when MayfieldGentry could not raise enough capital to put the stolen amount back into the pension fund.

They still did not reveal what had happened until May 2012, the evening before the SEC was to file a complaint against Mayfield and the firm for their participation in a “pay-to-play” scheme involving former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and Treasurer Jeffrey Beasley of Detroit. The pension plan immediately terminated the relationship. Mayfield and his firm agreed to settle the charges by paying back the stolen amount, but have neither admitted nor denied the settlement allegations. The settlement must be approved by the court.

Meanwhile, Mayfield awaits sentencing in a parallel criminal case in connection with his guilty plea for participation in the pay-to-play scheme.

SEC Warns Against Binary Options, Charges Cyprus-Based Company

The SEC has issued a warning to investors about the potential risks of investing in binary options and has charged a Cyprus-based company with selling them illegally to U.S. investors.

Binary options are options contracts whose payout depends on whether the underlying asset (such as company stock) increases or decreases in value. Investors buying binaries could either receive a payout on expiration of the contract if the company value increased, or could lose everything if it decreased.

The company charged with selling binaries, Banc de Binary, has not registered the options as required, nor has it registered with the SEC as a broker despite acting as one. But it has been busy selling binaries to U.S. investors via YouTube videos, spam emails and other Internet advertising, and its reps have been directly in touch with investors via phone, email and instant messenger chats.

Banc de Binary started selling binary options to U.S. investors in 2010, according to the SEC. In doing so, it has attracted numerous investors, some of whom have very little money but were persuaded to open trading accounts and then buy binary options whose underlying assets include stock and stock indices.

The SEC is seeking disgorgement plus prejudgment interest, financial penalties and other penalties against Banc de Binary; the CFTC also announced a parallel action against the company. In addition, an investor alert on binary options was jointly issued by the SEC’s office of investor education and advocacy and the CFTC’s office of consumer outreach.

Whittier Trust, Former Fund Manager Charged by SEC with Insider Trading

South Pasadena, Calif.-based wealth management company Whittier Trust Co. and former fund manager Victor Dosti were charged by the SEC with insider trading in a scheme involving the securities of Dell, Nvidia Corp., and Wind River Systems.

Dosti got his information from Danny Kuo, a Whittier Trust fund manager whom Dosti supervised. Kuo was charged by the SEC in January 2012 and is currently cooperating with the investigation. Kuo had also passed tips to the multibillion-dollar hedge fund advisory firms Diamondback Capital Management and Level Global Investors.

The SEC said that Dosti used nonpublic information that had been gleaned from employees at Dell and Nvidia to trade in advance of five quarterly earnings announcements in 2008, 2009 and 2010. He managed to bring in profits and avoid losses that together amounted to more than $475,000 for Whittier Trust funds. He also made $247,000 in illicit profits for Whittier Trust funds by trading Wind River stock after Kuo passed along detailed information the latter had gotten from an Intel employee about Intel’s confidential negotiations to acquire Wind River in 2009. Whittier Trust and Dosti agreed to pay nearly $1.7 million to settle the charges, the former to pay disgorgement of $724,051.62 plus prejudgment interest of $75,296.00 and a penalty of $724,051.62 and the latter to pay disgorgement of $77,900.00 plus prejudgment interest of $2,951.43, and a penalty of $77,900.00. The settlements must be approved by the court.


DOL Sues to Restore $4.9 Million to Pension Funds

After an investigation by the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA), the Department of Labor has filed complaints on behalf of defined benefit pension plans at the Iowa-based foundry Fairfield Casting and the Michigan-based manufacturer Fourslides. Both suits were filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Kentucky; they allege improper use of pension funds and are aimed at restoring $4.9 million to the plans.

The investigation revealed a number of violations of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act. Among them were the use of plan funds to purchase and lease company property; purchase of customer notes from affiliated companies; transfer of assets in favor of a party-in-interest; payment of excessive fees to services providers; payment of fees on behalf of the companies; and failure to provide an updated summary plan description to participants. In all, the prohibited actions cost the plans some $4.9 million.

Named in the suits were George Hofmeister, trustee of the Revstone Casting Fairfield GMP Local 359 pension plan and the Fourslides plan, and Robert La Courciere and Pamela Babbish, former trustees to the Fourslides plan who had discretionary authority and control over the plan’s assets and took part in decisions related to the violations. Also named was Bernard Tew, managing director of investment service provider Bluegrass Investment Management, which serves as investment advisor to both plans.

In addition, Fairfield Casting, formerly Revstone Casting Fairfield, and Fourslides were named in the suits, as well as Nelson Clemmons and William Tweardy, members of the investment committee for the Revstone Casting Fairfield plan who had discretionary authority and control over the plan’s assets and took part in decisions related to the violations.

Revstone Industries is a related entity to both Fairfield Casting and Fourslides, which are owned by the Hofmeister children’s irrevocable trusts. George Hofmeister serves as the chairman of both Fairfield Castings and Fourslides.

Some of the actions were particularly brazen, considering that in Revstone’s case, they began within days after Castings LLC took control of the Revstone plan in December 2010 and acquired the assets of the Revstone plan’s former sponsor, Dexter Foundry Inc. The Fourslides plan fund misappropriation began in March 2006, with the coup de grâce being a 2009 loan of nearly half that plan’s assets for the benefit of a party-in-interest.

Additional Charges Filed by SEC in Venezuelan Bank Kickback Scheme

The SEC has filed more charges, this time against the former head of the Miami office at brokerage firm Direct Access Partners (DAP), for his role in a massive kickback scheme to secure the bond trading business of a state-owned Venezuelan bank.

Last month four individuals were charged for enabling the global markets group at DAP to generate more than $66 million in revenue from transaction fees related to fraudulent trades they executed for Banco de Desarrollo Económico y Social de Venezuela (BANDES). Some of that money was kicked back to the vice president of finance at BANDES, who authorized the fraudulent trades.

As managing partner of the global markets group, Ernesto Lujan, said the SEC, was an integral participant in the scheme, which included sham arrangements to hide the kickback payments and route money to the BANDES official through shell corporations. Lujan and others charged in the scheme deceived DAP’s clearing brokers, executed internal wash trades, interpositioned another broker-dealer in the trades to conceal their role in the transactions, and engaged in massive roundtrip trades to pad their revenue.

The U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York announced criminal charges against Lujan in a parallel action, and the investigation is continuing.

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Check out SEC Enforcement: Broker Busted for Lying to Investigators on AdvisorOne.

Thursday, May 8, 2014

3 Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher

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

>>5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love

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.

>>5 Big Trades to Fight the Selling

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

DragonWave

DragonWave (DRWI) provides high-capacity packet microwave solutions that drive IP networks worldwide. This stock closed up 4.5% to $1.37 a share in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $1.31-$1.38

52-Week Range: $1.08-$3.58

Tuesday's Volume: 139,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 252,143

From a technical perspective, DRWI spiked sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $1.28 with lighter-than-average volume. This spike higher on Tuesday is starting to push shares of DRWI within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if DRWI manages to take out its 50-day moving average of $1.40 and then once it clears more near-term overhead resistance levels at $1.44 to $1.50 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in DRWI as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $1.28 or at $1.22 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 252,143 shares. If that breakout kicks off soon, then DRWI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels $1.69 to its 200-day moving average of $1.78.

Sequans Communications S.A.

Sequans Communications S.A. (SQNS), together with its subsidiaries, designs, develops and supplies 4G LTE and WiMAX semiconductor solutions for wireless broadband applications. This stock closed up 2.3% to $1.72 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $1.70-$1.75

52-Week Range: $1.44-$3.40

Tuesday's Volume: 250,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 283,356

From a technical perspective, SQNS trended modestly higher here with decent upside volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last two months, with shares moving lower from its high of $3.40 to its recent low of $1.55. During that move, shares of SQNS have been making mostly lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of SQNS have now started to bounce off that $1.55 low and it's quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if SQNS manages to take out some key near-term overhead resistance at $1.75 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in SQNS as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $1.64 or at $1.55 and then once it sustains a move or close above $1.75 with volume that hits near or above 283,356 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then SQNS will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $2 to its 200-day moving average of $2.31.

Enservco

Enservco (ENSV), through its subsidiaries, provides oil field services to the onshore oil and natural gas industry in the U.S. This stock closed up 7.6% to $2.40 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $2.25-$2.42

52-Week Range: $0.86-$2.75

Tuesday's Volume: 351,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 125,320

From a technical perspective, ENSV surged sharply higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $2.34 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of ENSV within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if ENSV manages to take out some key near-term overhead resistance levels at $2.47 to $2.49 and then once it clears $2.70 to its 52-week high at $2.75 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ENSV as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $2.20 or at $2.10 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 125,320 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ENSV will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory above $2.75, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $3 to $3.50, or even $4.

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.


RELATED LINKS:



>>4 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars



>>5 Rocket Stocks You Should Buy This Week



>>3 Stocks Spiking on Unusual Volume

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com.

You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.