Food retailers from supercenter operator Wal-Mart to the four-aisle stores of Aldi are grabbing for bigger shares of the consumer's food dollar with a new round of store expansions in the Indianapolis area.
At least 18 stores are under construction or planned, plus numerous store remodelings, at a construction tab that likely tops $200 million.
The surge in bricks-and-mortar investment is in response to a growing "foodie" culture, in which consumers shop more often, frequent multiple stores and increasingly search out gourmet, organic and other specialty items. At the same time, shoppers want low prices ��and reward stores that offer them ��forcing retailers to keep costs down even as they spend heavily on new stores.
Hot Net Payout Yield Stocks To Watch For 2015: Li & Fung Ltd (LFUGY)
Li & Fung Limited is an investment holding company. The Company, along with its subsidiaries, is principally engaged in managing the supply chain for retailers and brands worldwide from over 300 offices and distribution centers in more than 40 economies. It operates in three segments: Trading Network, Logistics Network and Distribution Network. Trading Network segment is engaged in the global sourcing business. Logistics Network segment operates both the Company�� international and domestic logistics services networks globally. Distribution Network segment operates the onshore distribution businesses in the US, Pan-European and Asian regions. In September 2011, the Company acquired Midway Enterprises (Guangzhou) Ltd, Wonderful World (HK) Ltd and Wonderful Overseas Limited, as well as True Innovations, LLC. As of December 31, 2011, its subsidiaries included Integrated Distribution Services Group Limited, LF Centennial Limited and others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]
Li & Fung(LFUGY) will distribute some of Coty Inc.'s(COTY) key brands in China, including Adidas, Rimmel and Playboy, as part of an agreement between the two companies. The move is part of Coty’s efforts to reorganize its business in China and focus on growing its business in the world’s second largest economy, the company said in a statement Tuesday.
Best Low Price Stocks For 2014: USA Mobility Inc.(USMO)
USA Mobility, Inc. provides wireless communications solutions to the healthcare, government, enterprise, and emergency response sectors in the United States. The company provides one-way and two-way messaging services. One-way messaging consists of numeric and alphanumeric messaging services. The numeric messaging services enable subscribers to receive messages that are composed entirely of numbers, such as a phone number. The alphanumeric messages may include numbers and letters which enable subscribers to receive text messages. Its two-way messaging services enable subscribers to send and receive messages to and from other wireless messaging devices, including pagers, personal digital assistants and personal computers. USA Mobility also offers voice mail, personalized greeting, message storage and retrieval, and equipment loss and/or maintenance protection to its one-way and two-way messaging subscribers. In addition, the company provides mobile voice and data services t hrough third party providers, which include BlackBerry devices and global positioning system location applications. Further, it offers machine to machine telemetry solutions for various applications that include asset tracking, utility meter reading, and other remote device monitoring applications. USA Mobility serves businesses, professionals, management personnel, medical personnel, field sales personnel and service forces, members of the construction industry and construction trades, real estate brokers and developers, sales and service organizations, specialty trade organizations, manufacturing organizations, and government agencies. The company is based in Springfield, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Among the sector stocks, 8x8 (NASDAQ: EGHT) was down more than 2.2 percent, while USA Mobility (NASDAQ: USMO) tumbled around 2.5 percent.
Top Headline
Tiffany & Co (NYSE: TIF) swung to a loss in the fourth quarter. Tiffany posted a quarterly loss of $103.6 million, or $0.81 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $179.6 million, or $1.42 per share. Excluding special items, it earned $1.47 per share. Its revenue climbed to $1.30 billion versus $1.24 billion. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $1.51 per share on revenue of $1.31 billion. For fiscal year 2014, Tiffany projects earnings of $4.05 to $4.15 per share, versus analysts' estimates of $4.27 per share. - [By Sally Jones]
USA Mobility Inc. (USMO): ReducedUp 26% over 12 months, USA Mobility has a market cap of $307.81 million; its shares were traded at around $14.22 with a P/E ratio of 13.10. The dividend yield of USMO is 3.52%.
Best Low Price Stocks For 2014: iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund (EFA)
iShares MSCI EAFE Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the MSCI EAFE Index (the Index). The Index has been developed by Morgan Stanley Capital International, Inc. as an equity benchmark for international stock performance. The Index includes stocks from Europe, Australasia and the Far East. The Index is a capitalization-weighted index that aims to capture 85% of the (publicly available) total market capitalization.
The Fund invests in a representative sample of securities included in the Index that collectively has an investment profile similar to the Index. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chris Ciovacco]
The damage from Wednesday's session did little to disturb the market's longer-term risk tolerance profile, which is easy to understand when you consider the S&P 500 is still up 3 points for the week. However, we have seen some emerging cracks over the past two weeks. Demand for bonds has not surpassed stocks, but there is evidence of an attempt to mount a more formidable charge relative to stocks. Recent interest in defensive consumer staples (XLP) also tells us to keep an open mind about a "give back" after the S&P 500 gained 129 points from the October 9 low to the recent high. The observable evidence in the table above aligns with a growth-oriented allocation, including exposure to broad U.S. stock market (VTI), emerging markets (EEM), foreign stocks (EFA), and technology (QQQ).
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Similarly, diversification within stocks didn't work well. The performance of iShares Russell 2000 (NYSEMKT: IWM ) and SPDR S&P MidCap 400 (NYSEMKT: MDY ) showed that there wasn't shelter available in small- and mid-cap stocks. International stocks often help protect against losses, but massive capital flight from emerging markets socked popular ETFs Vanguard Emerging Market (NYSEMKT: VWO ) and iShares MSCI Emerging Markets (NYSEMKT: EEM ) for single-day percentage losses that were nearly double the Dow's decline. Even developed markets suffered more than the U.S., as iShares MSCI EAFE (NYSEMKT: EFA ) posted losses 50% greater than the U.S. market's.
- [By Chris Ciovacco]
In Thursday's ETF analysis, evidence is presented that supports increasing demand for assets that get a tailwind from a weak U.S. dollar, including emerging markets (EEM) and foreign stocks (EFA). Casting a wider economic net, our market model told us to start buying stocks last week even with the threat of a U.S. default. Wednesday, we continued with our incremental allocation shifts by adding some exposure to the energy sector. Thursday, we sat tight holding long positions in small caps (IJR), Europe (FEZ), emerging markets and technology (QQQ). The upper bounds of the bullish S&P 500 trend channel shown below may offer some resistance to the market's near vertical ascent.
Best Low Price Stocks For 2014: Smiths Group PLC (SMGKF.PK)
Smiths Group plc is a technology company. It has five divisions: Smiths Detection, Smiths Medical, John Crane, Smiths Interconnect and Flex-Tek. The Company and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture, sale and support advanced security equipment, including trace detection, millimeter-wave, infrared, biological detection and diagnostics; mechanical seals, seal support systems, engineered bearings, power transmission couplings and specialist filtration systems, and medical devices aligned to specific therapies, principally airway, pain and temperature management, and vascular access. It also develops, manufactures, sells and supports specialized electronic and radio frequency products for the global wireless telecommunications, aerospace, defense, space, medical, rail, test and industrial markets, and engineered components, including ducting, hose assemblies and heating elements. In May 2011, it acquired the entire issued share capital of SDBR Comercio De Equipamentos De Seguanca LTDA. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Daniel Lauchheimer]
Currently, three main companies supply security equipment to the TSA - Safran (SAFRY.PK), Smiths (SMGKF.PK), and Level-3 Holdings (LLL). All three of these companies sell the whole range of their products to the TSA, with an ETD offering included. Recently, however, a new company, Implant Sciences Corporation (IMSC.PK) received approval from the TSA to begin selling their ETD equipment to airport security professionals. This approval has opened the door for IMSC to begin taking some market share away from the more established players in the US and beyond.
Best Low Price Stocks For 2014: Ambarella Inc (AMBA)
Ambarella, Inc., incorporated on January 15, 2004, is a developer of semiconductor processing solutions for video that enable high-definition (HD), video capture, sharing and display. The Company combine its processor design capabilities with its video and image processing, algorithms and software to provide a technology platform. It sells solutions into the camera and infrastructure markets, with approximately 27 million system-on-a-chips (SoCs) shipped since our inception. In the camera market, its solutions enable the creation of video content for wearable sports cameras, automotive aftermarket cameras, Internet Protocol (IP), security cameras, digital still cameras (DSCs), telepresence cameras, camcorders and pocket video cameras. In the infrastructure market, its solutions manage IP video traffic, broadcast encoding and IP video delivery applications. In 2012, the Company released its Wireless Camera Developers Kit. In 2012, it also launched S2 SoC, which enables Ultra High-Definition IP security cameras.
The Company sells its solutions to original design manufacturers (ODMs), and original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), globally. In the camera market, its video processing solutions are designed into products from OEMs, including Robert Bosch GmbH and affiliated entities, Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. and Woodman Labs, Inc., doing business as (d/b/a) GoPro, or GoPro, who source its solutions from ODMs, including Ability Enterprise Co., Ltd., Asia Optical Co. Inc., Chicony Electronics Co., Ltd., DXG Technology Corp., Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd. and Sky Light Digital Ltd. In the infrastructure market, its solutions are designed into products from OEMs, including Harmonic Inc., Motorola Mobility, Inc. (owned by Google, Inc.) and Telefonaktiebolaget LM Ericsson, who source its solutions from ODMs, such as Plexus Corp.
AmbaClear
The Company�� image signal processing architecture, known as AmbaClear, incorporates advanced algorithms to convert raw senso! r data to high-resolution still and high-definition video images concurrently. Image processing algorithms include sensor, lens and color correction, demosaicing, which is a process used to reconstruct a full color image from incomplete color samples, noise filtering, detail enhancement and image format conversion.
AmbaCast
The Company�� HD video processing architecture, known as AmbaCast, incorporates advanced algorithms for motion estimation, motion-compensated temporal filtering, mode decision and rate control. It supports all three compression profilesbaseline, main and highas specified in the H.264 standard. Its solutions for the broadcast infrastructure market allow OEMs to offer both the H.264 and MPEG-2 encoding formats.
Design Methodology
The Company test and verify its algorithms on its architectural model prior to implementing algorithms in hardware. Its advanced verification methodology validates its approach through simultaneous modeling of architecture, algorithms and the hardware itself.
SoC Solution
The Company�� SoC designs integrate HD video processing, image processing, applications processing and system functions onto a single chip, delivering video and image quality with features, including advanced wireless connectivity. In addition, its SoCs integrate mixed signal (analog/digital) functionality and high speed interfaces required for interfacing to advanced high-speed CMOS sensors and industry standard interfaces, such as USB 2.0 and HDMI 1.4. Its A7L SoC, which it introduced in September 2011, is fabricated in edge 32 nanometer (nm) process technology and integrates AmbaClear and AmbaCast technology.
Software Development Kit for Connectivity
The Company�� video streaming technology enables the camera�� image to be previewed on a smartphone. To enable this functionality, end customers deploy its Wireless Camera Developer�� Kit, or the Kit, which enables the design of ca! meras tha! t combine still photography and Full HD video with wireless video streaming to smartphones. The Kit is available for its A7L SoC product family, providing full 1080p60 HD video with photography and low power consumption.
The Company competes with CSR Plc, Fujitsu Limited, HiSilicon Technologies Co., Ltd., Texas Instruments Incorporated, Canon Inc., Panasonic Corporation, Sony Corporation, Novatek Microelectronics Corp., Sunplus Technology Co. Ltd., Intel Corporation, Magnum Semiconductor, Inc., Texas Instruments Incorporated, Broadcom Corporation, NVIDIA Corporation, Qualcomm Incorporated and Samsung.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By MONEYMORNING]
Of course I'm talking about wearable tech. And Ambarella Inc. (Nasdaq: AMBA).
Thanks to its extreme-sports "helmet cams," Ambarella is a leader in the wearable-technology category. And the company's stock has more than doubled since we first talked about it back in August.
- [By Michael A. Robinson]
Take a look at Ambarella Inc. (Nasdaq: AMBA), a fast-moving, small-cap firm that is focused on the rapidly emerging market for ultra-high-definition televisions (UHDTV).
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Ambarella (NASDAQ: AMBA) was down, falling 9.59 percent to $32.19 after Needham downgraded the stock from Buy to Hold.
Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded down 0.85 percent to $92.87, while gold traded down 0.63 percent to $1,221.90.
Best Low Price Stocks For 2014: Reinsurance Group of America Inc (RGA)
Reinsurance Group of America, Incorporated (RGA) is an insurance holding company. RGA is engaged in the reinsurance of individual and group coverages for traditional life and health, longevity, disability income, annuity and critical illness products, and financial reinsurance. During the year ended December 31, 2011, approximately 65.8% of the Company�� net premiums were from its operations in North America, represented by its United States and Canada segments. Its subsidiaries include RGA Reinsurance Company (RGA Reinsurance), Reinsurance Company of Missouri, Incorporated (RCM), RGA Reinsurance Company (Barbados) Ltd. (RGA Barbados), RGA Americas Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (RGA Americas), RGA Atlantic Reinsurance Company, Ltd. (RGA Atlantic), RGA Life Reinsurance Company of Canada (RGA Canada), RGA Reinsurance Company of Australia, Limited (RGA Australia) and RGA International Reinsurance Company (RGA International). The Company has five geographic-based operational segments: United States, Canada, Europe & South Africa, Asia Pacific and Corporate and Other. On January 1, 2012, it dissolved its United Kingdom reinsurance subsidiary and transferred its business to RGA International, the Company�� Ireland-based subsidiary, to better manage capital resources.
As of December 31, 2011, the Company has operation in Australia, Barbados, Bermuda, People�� Republic of China, France, Germany, Hong Kong, India, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Mexico, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Taiwan, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. The Company provides reinsurance products to the life insurance companies worldwide. The Company obtains its revenues through reinsurance agreements, which cover a portfolio of life and health insurance products, including term life, credit life, universal life, whole life, group life and health, joint and last survivor insurance, critical illness, disability income, as well as annuities and financial reinsurance.
!United States Operations
During 2011, the United States operations represented 54.4% of the Company�� net premiums. The United States operations market traditional life and health reinsurance, reinsurance of asset-intensive products, and financial reinsurance, primarily to the United States life insurance companies. The United States Traditional sub-segment provides life and health reinsurance to domestic clients for a range of products through yearly renewable term agreements, coinsurance, and modified coinsurance. Premiums vary for smokers and non-smokers, males and females, and may include a preferred underwriting class discount. Reinsurance premiums are paid in accordance with the treaty. Automatic reinsurance treaty provides that the ceding company will cede risks to a reinsurer on specified blocks of policies where the underlying policies meet the ceding company�� underwriting criteria. The United States facultative reinsurance operation involves the assessment of the risks inherent in multiple impairments, such as heart disease, high blood pressure, and diabetes; cases involving policy face amounts, and financial risk cases, which include cases involving policies disproportionately in relation to the financial characteristics of the proposed insured. During 2011, approximately 20.4% of the United States gross premiums were written on a facultative basis.
Canada Operations
During 2011, the Canada operations represented 11.4% of the Company�� net premiums. During 2011, approximately 85.2% of the recurring new business was written on an automatic basis. The Company operates in Canada through RGA Canada, a wholly owned subsidiary. RGA Canada is a life reinsurer in Canada, based on new individual life insurance production. It assists clients with capital management and mortality and morbidity risk management and is primarily engaged in traditional individual life reinsurance, as well as creditor, group life and health, critical illness, and longev! ity reins! urance. Creditor insurance covers the outstanding balance on personal, mortgage or commercial loans in the event of death, disability or critical illness and is shorter in duration than traditional life insurance. Clients include the life insurers in Canada.
Europe & South Africa Operations
During 2011, the Europe & South Africa operations represented 16.3% of the Company�� net premiums. This segment serves clients from subsidiaries, licensed branch offices and/or representative offices located in France, Germany, India, Ireland, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Poland, South Africa, Spain, the United Arab Emirates and the United Kingdom. These offices operate primarily through the Company�� subsidiaries RGA International and RGA South Africa. The principal types of reinsurance for this segment include life and health products through yearly renewable term and coinsurance agreements, the reinsurance of critical illness coverage, which provides a benefit in the event of the diagnosis of a pre-defined critical illness and the reinsurance of longevity risk related to payout annuities. The reinsurance agreements of critical illness coverage may be either facultative or automatic agreements. Premiums earned from critical illness coverage represented 20.5% of the total net premiums for this segment during 2011. During 2011, the United Kingdom operations generated approximately 62.9% of the segment�� gross premiums.
Asia Pacific Operations
During 2011, the Asia Pacific operations represented 17.8% of the Company�� net premiums. The Company has a presence in the Asia Pacific region with licensed branch offices and/or representative offices in Hong Kong, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, New Zealand, Labuan (Malaysia) and the People�� Republic of China. The principal types of reinsurance for this segment include life, critical illness, health, disability income, superannuation, and financial reinsurance. Superannuation is the Australian government mandated c! ompulsory! retirement savings program. Superannuation funds accumulate retirement funds for employees, and in addition, offer life and disability insurance coverage. Reinsurance agreements may be either facultative or automatic agreements covering primarily individual risks and, in some markets, group risks. During 2011, the Australian operations generated approximately 52.3% of the total gross premiums for the Asia Pacific operations. The Hong Kong, Labuan, Japan, Taiwan, China and South Korea offices provide full reinsurance services and are supported by the Company�� United States and International Division Sydney office.
Corporate and Other
Corporate and Other operations include investment income from invested assets not allocated to support segment operations and undeployed proceeds from the Company�� capital raising efforts, in addition to unallocated investment related gains or losses. Corporate expenses consist of the offset to capital charges allocated to the operating segments within the policy acquisition costs and other insurance expenses line item, unallocated overhead and executive costs, and interest expense related to debt. In additionally, Corporate and Other includes results from, among others, RGA Technology Partners, Inc. (RTP), a wholly owned subsidiary that develops and markets technology solutions for the insurance industry and the investment income and expense associated with the Company�� collateral finance facilities.
The Company competes with Munich Re, Swiss Re, Hannover Re, SCOR Global Re, Berkshire Hathaway and Generali.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Selena Maranjian]
The biggest new holdings are Philip Morris International and Reinsurance Group of America (NYSE: RGA ) . Other new holdings of interest include Radian Group (NYSE: RDN ) . To say that mortgage insurer Radian had a good past year would be an understatement, as the stock more than tripled. That's partly due to expectations of a boom in business as the housing market picks up, with tighter lending rules probably leading to greater need for the coverage. The stock recently got an upgrade, with an analyst expecting a possibly bumpy 2013 because of a high level of delinquent loans, but much smoother sailing in following years.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Although the next purchase was made to meet ownership guidelines, Reinsurance Group of America (RGA) still makes our cut after its EVP and head of international markets and operations Allan O’Bryant bought 6,500 shares for $423,100. This is his first purchase and InsiderScore notes that he owns over 30,000 in stock appreciation rights and adds, ��VPs are expected to own between 5,000-21,000 shares depending on “grade level of position.” O’Bryant is due to receive a base salary of $456,200 this year and is eligible to receive a 2013 bonus between 40% (minimum) and 160% (maximum) of his salary.��/p>
- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, life and health reinsurer Reinsurance Group of America (NYSE: RGA ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
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