Best Penny Stocks To Buy For 2014: December 2014

Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Hot European Companies To Buy For 2014

WASHINGTON��uropean Central Bank President Mario Draghi on Saturday ratcheted up his warnings about the strong euro, saying a further rise in the exchange rate would trigger additional monetary easing to keep inflation from falling too low.

�� strengthening of the exchange rate requires further monetary stimulus. That is an important dimension for our price stability,��Mr. Draghi said at a news conference during meetings of the International Monetary Fund.

Reuters Enlarge Image Mario Draghi, president of the European Central Bank.

Mr. Draghi�� comments are notable because central bankers typically shy away from commenting on exchange rates set by the financial markets. But he has highlighted in recent weeks the effect the strong euro has had on inflation, and has said it is an increasingly important factor on the ECB�� assessment of price trends.

Top 10 Gold Companies To Watch For 2015: STMicroelectronics N.V.(STM)

STMicroelectronics N.V., an independent semiconductor company, engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of a range of semiconductor integrated circuits and discrete devices. Its products include discrete and standard commodity components, application-specific integrated circuits, custom devices and semi-custom devices, and application-specific standard products for analog, digital, and mixed-signal applications. The company also offers subsystems and modules for the telecommunications, automotive, and industrial markets comprising mobile phone accessories, battery chargers, ISDN power supplies, and in-vehicle equipment for electronic toll payment, as well as provides Smartcard products. Its products are used in various microelectronic applications consisting of automotive products, computer peripherals, telecommunications systems, consumer products, industrial automation, and control systems. The company sells its products through distributors and ret ailers. STMicroelectronics N.V. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Seth Jayson]
STMicroelectronics (NYSE: STM ) reported earnings on July 22. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 29 (Q2), STMicroelectronics met expectations on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.
[By Lee Jackson]
STMicroelectronics NV (NYSE: STM) supplies most set-top box chips for Scientific�Atlanta, and also sells chips for disk drives that end up in DVRs; but still has less than a 10% exposure. The consensus target for the stock is $11. Investors do receive an outstanding 4.0% dividend from the company.

Hot European Companies To Buy For 2014: Aercap Holdings N.V. (AER)

AerCap Holdings N.V., through its subsidiaries, operates as an integrated aviation company worldwide. It engages in leasing and trading aircraft and engines; and selling parts. The company also provides aircraft management services, as well as aircraft and limited engine MRO services, and aircraft disassembly services through its repair stations. In addition, it offers aircraft services, including remarketing aircraft; collecting rental and maintenance payments, monitoring aircraft maintenance, monitoring and enforcing contract compliance, and accepting delivery and redelivery of aircraft; conducting ongoing lessee financial performance reviews; inspecting the leased aircraft; coordinating technical modifications to aircraft to meet new lessee requirements; conducting restructurings negotiations in connection with lease defaults; repossessing aircraft; arranging and monitoring insurance coverage; registering and de-registering aircraft; arranging for aircraft and aircraft engine valuations; and providing market research. The company?s management services include leasing and remarketing, cash management and treasury, technical advisory, and accounting and administrative services. As of March 31, 2011, it owned 272 aircraft and 95 engines, which it leased under operating leases to 118 lessees in 53 countries. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Schiphol, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jayson Derrick]
Analysts at Barclays maintained an Equal-weight rating on Aercap Holdings (NYSE: AER) with a price target raised to $53 from a previous $24. Shares lost 1.32 percent, closing at $47.06.
[By Ben Levisohn]
Finally. Finally American International Group (AIG) has disposed of its ILFC unit by selling it to AerCap Holdings (AER).
Bloomberg News
The Wall Street Journal has the details on the deal:
[By Shahida Humayun]
Air Lease's fleet has a weighted average age of 3.5 years, compared to 10.7 years for Aircastle (NYSE: AYR ) and 5.1 years for AerCap Holdings (NYSE: AER ) . As a result of this advantage, Air Lease is currently trading at a price-to-book value (P/BV) of 1.17, compared to 0.8 and 0.95 for Aircastle and AerCap Holdings, respectively.
[By Paul Ausick]
More than two years ago, American International Group Inc. (NYSE: AIG) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission for an initial public offering (IPO) in its aircraft leasing group, International Lease Finance Corp. (ILFC). That filing came to nothing, and AIG found little interest from buyers for ILFC, until Monday morning when it announced that AerCap Holdings N.V. (NYSE: AER) will buy the leasing operation for $3 billion in cash and 97.56 million shares of new AerCap stock. The total value of the deal is approximately $5.4 billion.

Hot European Companies To Buy For 2014: Aegon NV(AEG)

AEGON N.V. provides life insurance, pensions, and asset management products and services worldwide. The company?s life insurance products include traditional, term, universal, whole, and other life insurance products sold as part of defined benefit pension plans, endowment policies, post-retirement annuity products, and group risk products; supplemental health insurance products comprise accidental death, other injury, critical illness, hospital indemnity, medicare supplement, and student health; specialty lines consists of travel, membership, and creditor products; and long term care insurance products for policyholders who require care due to a chronic illness or cognitive impairment. It also offers a range of savings and retirement products and services, including mutual funds, and fixed and variable annuities, savings accounts and investment contracts, segregated funds, guaranteed investment accounts, and single premium immediate annuities, as well as investment advice to individuals. In addition, the company offers employer solutions and pensions, such as retirement plans, pension plans, and pension-related products and services; investment products, including onshore and offshore bonds, and trusts; reinsurance products and solutions to life insurance and financial services companies; general insurance products comprising house, car, and fire insurance; and asset management products and services, including general account assets, unit-linked funds, and third party activities. AEGON N.V. markets its products through independent and career agents, financial planners, registered representatives, independent marketing organizations, banks, broker-dealers, benefit consulting firms, wirehouses, affinity groups, institutional partners, independent managing general agencies, and specialized financial advisors, as well as through online, direct, and worksite marketing. The company was founded in 1900 and is headquartered in The Hague, the Netherl ands.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Will Ashworth]
Assuming it delivers on its outlook for 2014, its current free cash flow yield is a very enticing 20%. This isn�� a growth stock, but its brands still possess hidden value. As cheap stocks go, it�� very attractive.
Cheap Stocks to Buy: Aegon (AEG)
It�� not often that you can buy a $19 billion market cap for under 10 bucks. Aegon�� a Dutch insurance company that�� had a rough ride over the past few years, and its stock�� suffered as a result. In the late ’90s AEG stock traded around $60 — it hasn�� been anywhere close since. However, it�� got some good assets that should bear fruit in the years to come. Aegon has 12,000 employees in the Americas doing business primarily under the Transamerica brand, which has been a part of AEG since 1999.

Hot European Companies To Buy For 2014: Fresenius Medical Care Corporation (FMS)

Fresenius Medical Care AG & Co. KGaA, a dialysis company, provides products and services for patients with chronic kidney diseases. As of May 12, 2011, it provided dialysis care services to 216,942 patients through its network of 2,769 dialysis clinics primarily in North America, Europe, Latin America, the Asia-Pacific, and Africa. The company also develops and manufactures various dialysis products, including hemodialysis machines, dialyzers, hemofilters, dialysis fluid filters, tubing systems, fistula needles, dialysis related equipment, acute hemodialysis machines, plasma filters, acute tubing systems and cassettes, catheters, and related disposable products for chronic hemodialysis, acute therapy, home therapy, and therapeutic apheresis, as well as dialysis drugs. In addition, it provides laboratory services. Fresenius Medical sells its products through distributors. The company was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in Bad Homburg, Germany.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Johanna Bennett]
Dialysis provider DaVita Healthcare Partners (DVA) soared almost 8.9% to close at $61.55 after the market learned that Medicare funding cuts would come in lower than expected. Rival Fresenius Medical Care (FMS) rose 7.2% on the same news.
[By Louie Grint]
Still unaffected
First, Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE: FMS ) is the No. 1 global provider of dialysis equipment. It enjoys leading market share of almost 33% in its home country.
[By John Udovich]
Small cap dialysis stock Rockwell Medical Inc (NASDAQ: RMTI) looks set to decline when the market opens after Brean Capital initiated coverage with a sell rating and a price target of $4.00, meaning it might be time to take a closer look at what is going on with the stock along with�the performance of large cap dialysis stocks DaVita Healthcare Partners (NYSE: DVA)�and Fresenius Medical Care (NYSE: FMS) along with small cap dialysis stocks NxStage Medical, Inc (NASDAQ: NXTM).�

Hot European Companies To Buy For 2014: Flamel Technologies S.A.(FLML)

Flamel Technologies S.A., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the development and commercialization of controlled-release therapeutic products based on its proprietary polymer based technology in the United Kingdom, Ireland, the United States, France, and Europe. The company develops nanogel Medusa technology, which is intended to provide controlled release following injection of therapeutic proteins, peptides, and other molecules; a microparticle adaptation of the Medusa platform that is intended for use in the delivery of smaller proteins and peptides; and Micropump technology, a microparticle technology for oral administration of small molecule drugs with applications in controlled-release, taste-masking, and bioavailability enhancement; and Trigger-Lock technology, an adaptation based on Micropump technology, which is intended to minimize the misuse and abuse of medications subject to abuse. Its principal product based on Micropump technology is Coreg CR, which is intended for the treatment of moderate to severe heart failure and left ventricular dysfunction following myocardial infarction. The company?s products under development based upon Medusa technology include Interferon-alpha, a naturally occurring protein that the body uses for the treatment of Hepatitis C virus and as a immune response; and FT-105, an injectable insulin formulation for diabetic patients. Its products based on its Micropump technology comprise LiquiTime for the elderly and pediatric patient patients, or others who have difficulty swallowing. The company has strategic alliance with Baxter International, Inc.; GlaxoSmithKline; Merck Serono; and Pfizer Inc, as well as has a joint development agreement with Digna Biotech, S.L. Flamel Technologies S.A. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Venissieux, France.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Garrett Cook]
Healthcare shares gained 0.81 percent in the US market on Friday. Top gainers in the sector included Shire plc (NASDAQ: SHPG), StemCells (NASDAQ: STEM), and Flamel Technologies SA (NASDAQ: FLML).
[By Garrett Cook]
Healthcare shares gained 0.81 percent in the US market on Friday. Top gainers in the sector included Shire plc (NASDAQ: SHPG), StemCells (NASDAQ: STEM), and Flamel Technologies SA (NASDAQ: FLML).

Hot European Companies To Buy For 2014: British American Tobacco Industries p.l.c.(BTI)

British American Tobacco p.l.c., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture, distribution, and sale of tobacco products. The company offers cigars, cigarettes, smokeless snus, roll-your-own, and pipe tobacco products under the Dunhill, Kent, Lucky Strike, Pall Mall, Vogue, Viceroy, Kool, Rothmans, Peter Stuyvesant, Benson & Hedges, and State Express 555 brand names. It has operations in the Asia-Pacific, the Americas, eastern and western Europe, Africa, and the Middle East. The company was founded in 1902 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom. British American Tobacco p.l.c. operates independently of Remgro Ltd. as of November 03, 2008.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By GuruFocus]
The decade low yield of tobacco stocks can be clearly seen from our new interactive charts, which are embedded below. The chart shows the dividend yield of three tobacco stocks: Reynolds American (RAI), Philip Morris International (PM) and British American Tobacco (BTI).

Hot European Companies To Buy For 2014: Telefonica SA(TEF)

Telefonica, S.A. provides fixed and mobile telephony services primarily in Spain, rest of Europe, and Latin America. Its fixed telecommunication services include PSTN lines; ISDN accesses; public telephone; local, domestic, and international long distance and fixed-to-mobile communications; corporate communications; video telephony; supplementary and business-oriented value-added services; network services; leasing and sale of handset equipment; and telephony information services. The company?s Internet and broadband multimedia services comprise Internet service provider service; portal and network services; retail and wholesale broadband access; narrowband switched access to Internet; naked ADSL, a broadband connection; residential-oriented value-added services; companies-oriented value-added services; television services, such as IPTV, cable television, and satellite television; and Fiber to the Home, a service for high speed Internet access and digital video recording. Its data and business-solutions services principally include leased lines; virtual private network services; fiber optics services; the provision of hosting and application; outsourcing and consultancy services; desktop services; and system integration and professional services. The company?s wholesale services for telecommunication operators primarily comprise domestic interconnection services; international wholesale services; leased lines for other operators? network deployment; local loop leasing under the unbundled local loop regulation framework; and bit stream services. It also offers various mobile and related services and products that include mobile voice services, value added services, mobile data and Internet services, wholesale services, corporate services, roaming, fixed wireless, and trunking and paging services. The company has a strategic alliance with China Unicom (Hong Kong) Limited. Telefonica, S.A. was founded in 1924 and is headquartered in Madrid, Spai n.

Advisors' Opinion:

[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?
[By Dan Caplinger]
You can see the same trends among many individual European stocks. Telecom giant Telefonica (NYSE: TEF ) has big exposure to Latin America, but investors focus on its home country of Spain in limiting its gains. The same trend has affected French oil giant Total (NYSE: TOT ) , which shares the same exposure to energy projects around the world yet has been tarnished by its proximity to the crisis-ridden continent. By focusing on value rather than perception, you can get some great values when others are being irrational.
[By Dan Caplinger]
With dividend stocks, however, you have no guarantee that there's no assurance that you'll receive a dividend. For instance, Spanish telecom company Telefonica (NYSE: TEF ) chose last year not to pay its planned dividend for 2012, saying it would restore half the payout later this year. Even stalwart blue-chips General Electric (NYSE: GE ) and Pfizer (NYSE: PFE ) had to reduce their dividends dramatically during the financial crisis, and even now, they haven't risen back to their pre-crisis levels.

Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Watch Right Now

Top 10 Sliver Stocks To Watch Right Now: Digital Realty Trust Inc.(DLR)

Digital Realty Trust, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), through its controlling interest in Digital Realty Trust, L.P., engages in the ownership, acquisition, development, redevelopment, and management of technology-related real estate. It focuses on strategically located properties containing applications and operations critical to the day-to-day operations of technology industry tenants and corporate enterprise datacenter users, including the information technology departments of Fortune 1000 companies, and financial services companies. The company?s property portfolio consists of Internet gateway properties, corporate datacenter properties, technology manufacturing properties, and regional or national offices of technology companies. As of December 31, 2008, Digital Realty?s portfolio consisted of 75 properties, including 62 located in North America and 13 located in Europe. Digital Realty Trust has elected to be treated as a REIT for federal income tax purpo ses and would not be subject to income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in San Francisco, California with additional offices in Boston, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, New York, Northern Virginia, and Phoenix, as well as in Dublin, London, and Paris.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Adam Aloisi]
Trading 30% lower than it did around a year ago and with a short float of around 20%, data services provider Digital Realty (DLR) has developed into the REIT industry's most controversial stock. Short interest has more than doubled over the past six months, aided largely by a highly publicized bearish position taken by Highfield Capital's Jonathan Jacobsen. Though the stock trades at a fairly low multiple based on current operating expectations, investors appear about as motivated to buy a piece of DLR as they would a beach house with! a hurricane approaching.
[By Paul Ausick]
Stocks on the Move: NQ Mobile Inc. (NYSE: NQ) is up 11.6% at $12.29 as the company continues to claw its way back from an awful short-seller report. Criteo SA (NASDAQ: CRTO) is up 13.9% at $35.30 following its IPO today. Digital Realty Trust Inc. (NYSE: DLR) is down 15.3% at $49.16 on lowered guidance.
[By Dividend Mantra]
Digital Realty Trust, Inc. (DLR) recently gave shareholders a raise on the order of 6.4%, with a new quarterly dividend payout of $0.83 per share over the old rate of $0.78. This is a rather stout raise considering that DLR shares now yield 6.2% based on the new payout. I purchased shares in DLR as it continued to slide last year, reaching new low after new low. But I was confident in the REIT back then, and I remain so now. This is now 10 years of consecutive dividend growth for the trust, and I see no real reason this won't continue for the foreseeable future. However, as a tech play on demand for cloud computing I'd like for my position in DLR to remain relatively small.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-10-sliver-stocks-to-watch-right-now-2.html

Monday, December 29, 2014

How Lord Abbett Plays Momentum Stocks

This version has been expanded to include more discussion of Lord Abbett's portfolios.

Lord Abbett Developing Growth, a big fund that buys small stocks, is dazzling. Its rapid-fire trading has it magically buying into hot stocks and then getting out before they cool. It was up 48% over the 12 months through mid-March. It gets five out of five stars from Morningstar.

It's a tempting product, but there's a problem with it. It's expensive.

Developing Growth, like all funds that quickly turn over their portfolios, is costly in a way that is not obvious when you look at the prospectus. The prospectus tells you about the 1.1% annual expense burden (low, at least compared with other actively managed funds) and the 5.75% sales load. But it doesn't spell out another item that in the long run matters much more: the cost of trading.

Top 10 Healthcare Technology Companies To Invest In 2015

How much is that? You can't put a precise number on the damage from getting into and out of positions. But statistical evidence says that trading is a big hidden cost at funds that specialize in the stocks of small companies.

Trading will cost you brokerage commissions and bid/ask spreads. A third item is at once the biggest and the hardest to measure: the tendency for trades to push a stock's price away. You won't feel this effect when you sell 1,000 shares of IBM. You definitely would feel it if you tried to unload 500,000 shares of a little company.

Developing Growth's problem is its very success. It has attracted $4 billion of customers' money, and since it invests in small companies it winds up with large percentages of them. Among its 124 holdings is $69 million worth of LifeLock, a fast-growing firm that sells an ID theft alert service. That's 6.7% of the float (shares available for trading).

What's going to happen when the fund unwinds this unwieldy stake? That will depend on a lot of things, like how quickly the portfolio managers make their exit and whether there happen to be bulls at that moment on the sidelines, ready to buy on a price dip.

For any one buy or sell order, then, the push-away effect is unknowable. But it is quite possible to look at hundreds of funds doing thousands of trades and come to some conclusions.

Gregory Kadlec, a finance professor at Virginia Tech, has been studying mutual fund costs for 16 years. In a study published last year in the Financial Analysts Journal, he and two other academics derived trading cost estimates by analyzing returns for 1,758 funds over a 12-year period ending in 2006.

Some skillful (or just lucky) funds beat the market and some fall behind. Collectively they do worse than the market, Kadlec says, the shortfall reflecting both the expense ratios and the invisible loss from trading.

On average, the analysis showed, small-company funds lose 1.5% when they go into or out of something and recoup a bit more than half the loss with portfolio improvement. A fund with 100% turnover in its portfolio stands to lose 1.2% a year to trading.

Turnover at the Lord Abbett fund has been running 200% and higher, suggesting a trading-cost headwind of 2.4%. That's how much it would lose to turnover if its managers were merely average in their ability to replace one stock in their portfolio with a better stock.

Lately they have been rather better than average; the fund clearly did better over the past year than it would have if it had stood pat with its positions. This is a momentum portfolio, one that aims to catch upswings after companies deliver pleasant surprises with their earnings or revenues and then get out when the mood turns sour.

Thomas O'Halloran, the fund's lead manager, explains the trading philosophy used here and a sister fund buying larger companies, Lord Abbett Growth Leaders: "It's like a physics concept. Mass times acceleration equals force." Lord Abbett has worked this concept well in the bull market, getting in and out of stocks like Crocs, Open Table and Facebook in reaction to Wall Street's emotions. Growth Leaders' turnover is an even more ferocious 451%, Morningstar reports. It has also been beating the market.

Developing Growth owns, besides LifeLock, Hain Celestial, which has exploited the health food fad, and Generac, which sells back-up generators to fretful suburbanites. Such stocks do well in a bull market. What about a full cycle of up and down? The cost of trading is bound to hurt over time.

Sunday, December 28, 2014

Best Supermarket Companies To Buy Right Now

Typically, you won�� find the best price on most items at a drugstore. There are a handful of things, though, that you can often get there for less than at a supermarket, big-box retailer or warehouse club -- if you shop smart.

Top US Companies To Invest In 2015: Fleetmatics Group PLC (FLTX)

Fleetmatics Group PLC (FleetMatics), incorporated on October 28, 2004, is a provider of fleet management solutions delivered as software-as-a-service (SaaS). The Company offers Web-based and mobile application solutions, which provide fleet operators with visibility into vehicle location, fuel usage, speed and mileage and other insights into their mobile workforce. The Company offers fleet management software solutions. The Company�� FleetMatics-branded solutions sold under the FleetMatics or SageQuest names. Its solutions are accessed through a Web browser or mobile application and provide its customers with actionable business intelligence. Its SaaS offering consists of the easy-to-use components: Tracking Alerts, Route Replay, Geofencing and Landmarks, FleetTracking Dashboard, Fleet Reports, Mobile App, Speed Limits, Panoramic Reporting and Benchmarking. In addition to this core SaaS offering, it also offers the additional features to its customers: Fuel Card Reporting Integration, FleetMatics Fuel Card and Navigation Unit Integration. Effective August 8, 2013, Fleetmatics Group PLC a unit of Fleetmatics Investor Holdings LP, acquired Connect2Field Holdings Pty Ltd.

The Company�� Fleet Tracking Alerts allow fleet operators to set driver performance thresholds and receive e-mail notifications when unwanted driving behavior occurs. Notifications are sent when a vehicle enters or exits specified areas, moves during specified times, or when a vehicle�� speed or idle time exceeds specified thresholds. Its Route Replay feature allows customers to play back each journey taken by their vehicles, from start up to shut down and provides customers with minute-by-minute location and speed details. Fleet operators can start, stop, pause, and change the speed of the journey replay using intuitive playback controls to monitor and analyze driver behavior. Integration with Google Maps enables customers to pinpoint vehicle location with satellite, street views and zooming capabilities.

The Company�� Geofencing and Landmarks feature allows customers to designate areas on the map, in which vehicles are allowed or not allowed to travel. Fleet operators receive notifications when a vehicle enters or exits an unauthorized location and reports are generated detailing time spent in unauthorized areas. Its FleetTracking Dashboard provides fleet operators with a way to monitor overall fleet performance through a graphical summary. This interface allows fleet operators to evaluate performance categories across their fleet, including speed, engine on-time, vehicle idling, vehicle mileage and number of stops. Fleet operators can also view individual vehicle performance.

The Company provides its customers with over 40 pre-built on-demand reports, which they can access to analyze fleet data. Its reports contain information about vehicle movement and use, including vehicle location, ignition on and off time, engine idle time, arrival and departure times, distance traveled, hours worked, and vehicle speed. Its Mobile App is a portable software application, which fleet operators can use to access actionable business intelligence and insights over mobile devices. It includes the FleetTracking Dashboard, Reports, Tracking Alerts, Route Replay, and Geofencing and Landmarks.

With the Company�� Speed Limits feature, the Company provides a range of speed limit information across all types of roads and geographies, including local and residential roads. Speed limit is powered by FleetMatics RoadSpeed, a specialized database of average speed values derived from billions of points of vehicle movement. Its panoramic reporting engine features in-depth historical trending analyses and strategic comparative information from the customers, such as driver and organizational performance benchmarking. Its Fuel Card Reporting Integration feature integrates customers��fuel card usage information into its fleet management software platform. It provides its customers with an on-demand fue! l usage s! ummary for an entire fleet, as well as detailed information on individual vehicles. Reports are generated, which compare fuel purchases with vehicle location data.

The Company has partnered with an independent global fleet card provider to deliver a Universal Platinum MasterCard. Its Navigation Unit Integration features with Garmin global positioning system (GPS) navigation devices, streamlines dispatching and communication by integrating its fleet management software with its customers��GPS navigation devices. It provides customers with turn-by-turn directions, notification of job status, estimated time of arrival to the next job site, and easy-to-use messaging capabilities. Drivers receive automatic job updates, eliminating the need to manually enter addresses while driving. It offers customers the choice of two fleet management branded solutions, FleetMatics and SageQuest.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By James Oberweis]
Fleetmatics (FLTX) is a leading global provider of fleet management solutions, delivered as SaaS.

Its mobile software platform provides fleet operators with visibility into vehicle location, fuel usage, speed, and mileage, enabling them to reduce operating and capital costs, as well as increase revenue.
[By Tom Taulli]
CSOD stock is currently trading at a fair valuation for cloud companies, with a price-to-sales ratio of 9.
Cloud Companies to Buy: Fleetmatics (FLTX)
When it comes to cloud companies, Fleetmatics (FLTX) stock is downright cheap. The stock trades at only five times sales, and the forward price-to-earnings ratio is 24.
[By John Udovich]
On Wednesday, small cap FleetMatics Group PLC (NYSE: FLTX) sank 7.99% to $32.80 and shares have been in a sort of freefall for the past few weeks after outperforming the First Trust ISE Cloud Computing Index (NASDAQ: SKYY) last summer. So what is going on and should you be investing or shorting this small cap?
[By Louis Navellier]
Fleetmatics Group (FLTX) is another Europe stock with the characteristics needed to be a leader in the European markets this year. The company makes software that allows operators of commercial vehicle fleets to track vehicles and learn about vehicle location, fuel usage, speed and mileage. The Irish company has seen earnings explode this year with growth of more than 700% in bottom-line profit increases.

Best Supermarket Companies To Buy Right Now: VelaTel Global Communications Inc (VELA.PK)

VelaTel Global Communications Inc, formerly China Tel Group, Inc. (ChinaTel), incorporated on September 19, 2005, is engaged in the business, which combines its engineering and deployment, its equity funding relationships, its vendor partnership, radio frequency spectrum, fiber optic cable and concession rights assets acquired through a subsidiary or a joint venture relationship to create and operate wireless broadband access (WBA) networks worldwide. It offers Internet access, voice, video, and data services to the subscribers of various WBA networks it operate. The Company�� secondary business is to distribute products and services used in connection with WBA networks, specifically hydrogen fuel cells used as a back-up power source for certain transmission equipment, and devices and services. As of December 31, 2011, it holds investments or contracts in ten projects: the VelaTel Peru Network; the GBNC Network; the VN Tech Fuel Cell Business; the Exclusive Services Agreement with NGSN; the Exclusive Services Agreement with Aerostrong; the Sino Crossings Fiber Joint Venture; Zapna; the Novi-Net Network; the Montenegro Connect Network and the VeratNet Network. In April 2012, it acquired Herlong Investments Limited and its operating subsidiaries, Novi-Net and Montenegro Connect. In April 2012, it signed and closed a stock purchase agreement to acquire a 75% equity interest in Zapna, ApS. In November 2012, the Company acquired 100% of interest in China Motion Telecom (HK) Limited.

The Company sells prepaid and postpaid plans, and branded consumer devices using VelaTel Peru�� brand name GO MOVIL. Chinacomm holds licenses and permits from China to build and operate a 3.5-gigahertz wireless broadband telecommunications network (Chinacomm Network) in 29 cities in China. These licenses run through February 2013. Phase 1 of the Chinacomm Network consisted of the deployment of the Chinacomm Network in the 12 cities of Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Shenzhen, Qindao, Nanjing, Chongqing, Harbin, X! ian, Xiamen, Wuhan and Kunming.. Portions of the Chinacomm Network are operational in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. Perusat provides local and international long-distance telephone services, including fixed line and voice over Internet protocol (IP) services, to approximately 6,500 customers in nine cities in Peru (Lima, Arequipa, Chiclayo, Trujillo, Piura, Santa, Cusco, Ica and Huanuco). Based on its status as a licensed telephone operator, Perusat has been granted a license in the 2.5-gigahertz spectrum covering these cities, other than Lima and its surrounding metropolitan area.

The Company contracted with Chinacomm to acquire a 49% equity interest in ChinaComm Limited (Chinacomm Cayman). Trussnet Capital Partners (HK), Ltd. (TCP) acquired a 49% interest in Chinacomm Cayman. Trussnet Dalian leased Yunji equipment required in the deployment of the Chinacomm Network and provide technical and management services to Yunji for the procurement, installation and optimization of the equipment.

The Compets with GBNC, VN Tech, NGSN, Aerostrong, Sino Crossings, Novi-Net, Montenegro Connect and VeratNet.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Alan Brochstein]
Matula, who is currently a SVP for LiveDeal (LIVE), has a history of association with penny stock failures. An interesting angle is his tie to a lawyer in Las Vegas, Michael Balabon, who purports to have two separate practices, including a bankruptcy/divorce practice and an employment law practice who has acted as Registered Agent for many of these companies. I was unable to reach anyone at either office on several occasions. In any event, Balabon is the registered agent for PLPL. Coincidentally, he served in that role for NVLX as well as well as all of the former subsidiaries and partners the firm used (the new Medical Marijuana Sciences subsidiary too). Recall that the predecessor to PLPL was Diamond Ranch, and Balabon was the RA there as well. Matula has served in I.R. roles for perpetual failures like VelaTel Global (VELA.PK).

Best Supermarket Companies To Buy Right Now: Solar Thin Films Inc (SLTZ)

Solar Thin Films, Inc. is engaged in the business of designing, manufacturing and installation of thin-film amorphous silicon (a-Si) photovoltaic manufacturing equipment. The equipment is used in plants that produce photovoltaic thin-film a-Si solar panels or modules. The Company operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Kraft Elektronikai Zrt (Kraft). Kraft is engaged in the design, development, manufacture, and installation of a-Si photovoltaic manufacturing equipment. The primary buyers of photovoltaic thin-film manufacturing equipment are businesses, as well as investment partnerships, engaged in the production of photovoltaic thin-film modules. In May 2010, the Company acquired Atlantis Solar LLC. In May 2013, Solar Thin Films Inc acquired Quality Resource Technologies Inc. In October 2013, Solar Thin Films Inc announced the sale of all of its ownership stake of Hungarian subsidiary, Kraft, R.t. (Kraft), to GJR Collectibles LLC.

Kraft has been providing equipment that is incorporated into a single manufacturing line capable of manufacturing a-Si solar modules that produce approximately 5megawatt (MW) of solar power annually. The Company focuses, directly and through joint ventures or alliances with other companies or governmental agencies, to sell equipment for and participate financially in solar power facilities using thin film a-Si solar modules or metallurgical and other crystalline solar modules as the power source to provide electricity to municipalities, businesses and consumers.

The Company competes with Applied Materials and Oerlikon.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Alliance Creative Group Inc (OTCMKTS: ACGX), Dale Jarrett Racing Adventure Inc (OTCMKTS: DJRT), Inscor Inc (OTCMKTS: IOGA) and Solar Thin Films Inc (OTCMKTS: SLTZ) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters and it should come as no surprise that two out of four of these stocks have been the subject of paid promotions ��which tend to benefit traders. However, two out of four of these stocks also have pretty good financials for being small cap OTC stocks and that might make them attractive to investors with a long term time horizon. So which of these stocks might make traders some profits in the short term and investors some profits over the longer term? Here is a closer look to help you decide:

Best Supermarket Companies To Buy Right Now: Responsys Inc.(MKTG)

Responsys, Inc. provides on-demand software and professional services primarily in North America, the Asia Pacific, and Europe. The company offers Responsys Interact suite, a software-as-a-service platform that provides marketers with a set of integrated applications to create, execute, optimize, and automate marketing campaigns in various channels, including email, mobile, social, and the Web. Its platform also leverages third-party applications and data from real-time sources allowing customers to deliver targeted content to its customers and known prospects as part of their interactive marketing campaigns. In addition, it provides professional services, such as strategic, creative, deliverability, campaign, and education services. The company offers its on-demand software and professional services to retail and consumer, travel, financial services, and technology industries through a direct sales force. Responsys, Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in San Bru no, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By The GeoTeam]
Our recent 2013 articles on SaaS companies Selectica (SLTC), E2open (EOPN), Responsys (MKTG), Vocus (VOCS), and ExactTarget (ET) highlighted such opportunities. The average return since the inception of our coverage currently stands at around 34% (55% at their highs).
[By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Responsys (Nasdaq: MKTG ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Best Supermarket Companies To Buy Right Now: Evertec Inc (EVTC)

EVERTEC, Inc. (EVERTEC), formerly Carib Latam Holdings, Inc., incorporated on January 26, 1989, is a full service transaction processing business in Latin America and the Caribbean. The Company provides a range of merchant acquiring, payment processing and business process management services across 19 countries in the region. It processes over 1.8 billion transactions annually, and manages the electronic payment network for over 4,100 automated teller machines (ATM) and over 104,000 point-of-sale payment terminals. It is the merchant acquirer in the Caribbean and Central America and in Latin America. The Company owns and operates the ATH network, one of ATM and personal identification number debit networks in Latin America. In addition, it provides a suite of services for core bank processing, cash processing and technology outsourcing. It serves a diversified customer base of financial institutions, merchants, corporations and government agencies with technology solutions.

The Company serves a diversified customer base of financial institutions, merchants, corporations and government agencies with technology solutions that are essential to their operations, enabling them to issue, process and accept transactions securely. The Company�� broad suite of services span the entire transaction processing value chain and include a range of front-end customer facing solutions as well as back-end support services. These include: merchant acquiring services, which enable POS and e-commerce merchants to accept and process electronic methods of payment such as debit, credit, prepaid and electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards; payment processing services, which enable financial institutions and other issuers to manage, support and facilitate the processing for credit, debit, prepaid, ATM and EBT card programs; and business process management solutions, which provide mission critical technology solutions such as core bank processing, as well as information technology (IT) outsourcing and cash mana! gement services to financial institutions, enterprises and governments. The Company offers its customers end-to-end products and solutions across the transaction processing value chain from a single source across numerous channels and geographic markets.

Merchant Acquiring

Merchant Acquiring business provides services to merchants at over 25,000 locations that allow them to accept electronic methods of payment such as debit, credit, prepaid and EBT cards carrying the ATH, Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express brands. Its suite of merchant acquiring services includes, but is not limited to, the underwriting of each merchant�� contract, the deployment of POS devices and other equipment necessary to capture merchant transactions, the processing of transactions at the point-of-sale, the settlement of funds with the participating financial institution, detailed sales reports and customer support. The Company�� Merchant Acquiring business generated 20.4%, of total revenues and 26.6%, of total segment income from operations for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Payment Processing

It provide diversified suite of payment processing products and services to blue chip regional and global corporate customers, government agencies, and financial institutions across Latin American and the Caribbean. These services provide the infrastructure technology necessary to facilitate the processing and routing of payments across the transaction processing value chain. At the point-of-sale, it sell transaction processing technology, similar to the services in its Merchant Acquiring business, to other merchant acquirers to enable them to service their its merchant customers. It also offer terminal driving solutions to merchants, merchant acquirers (including its Merchant Acquiring business) and financial institutions, which provide the technology to securely operate, manage and monitor POS terminals and ATMs. It also sells and rent POS devices to financial insti! tution cu! stomers who seek to deploy them across their own businesses. As of December 31, 2012, the Company provides technology services for over 4,100 ATMs and over 104,000 POS terminals in the region and is continuously certifying new machines and devices to expand this reach. The Company�� Payment Processing business accounted for 27.7%, of total revenues and of total segment income from operations for the year ended December 31, 2012.

Business Solutions

The Company provides its financial institution, corporate and government customers with a full suite of business process management solutions including specifically core bank processing, network hosting and management, IT consulting services, business process outsourcing, item and cash processing, and fulfillment. The Company�� Business Solutions business accounted for 51.9%, of total revenues and 31.3%, of total segment income from operations for the year ended December 31, 2012.

The Company Competes with Vantiv, Inc., First Data Corporation, Global Payment Inc., Elavon, Inc., Sage Payment Solutions, Fidelity National Information Services, Inc., Fiserv, Inc. and Total System Services, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Shares of EVERTEC (NYSE: EVTC) got a boost, shooting up 8.91 percent to $22.99 after the company reported the commencement of offering by selling holders.

Best Supermarket Companies To Buy Right Now: Joe's Jeans Inc.(JOEZ)

Joe?s Jeans Inc. designs, produces, and sells apparel and apparel-related products worldwide. Its product line comprises women?s and men?s denim jeans, pants, shirts, sweaters, jackets, and other apparel products under the Joe?s brand. The company also offers women?s handbags and clutches, shoes, belts, and leather goods under various license agreements. In addition, it provides children?s products consisting of denim bottoms, tops, T-shirts, and jackets for infants, toddlers, girls, and boys. The company sells its products to various retailers, including department stores, specialty stores, and distributors, as well as through its retail stores; and through the Internet site, joesjeans.com/shop. As of November 30, 2011, it operated 17 outlet stores and 5 full price retail stores. The company was formerly known as Innovo Group Inc. and changed its name to Joe?s Jeans Inc. in October 2007. Joe?s Jeans Inc. was founded in 1987 and is based in Commerce, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By James E. Brumley]
Considering Joe's Jeans Inc. (NASDAQ:JOEZ) is currently trading 22% below where it closed on Monday, it would understandably be easy to assume the company was a mess and the stock was best left avoided. Just because JOEZ is being punished for a bad quarter, however, doesn't mean the punishment fits the crime. For that matter, it's not entirely clear the stock deserves to be punished at all... making this week's big plunge a buying opportunity.
[By James E. Brumley]
What do Joe's Jeans Inc. (NASDAQ:JOEZ) and NQ Mobile Inc. (NYSE:NQ) have in common? Well, nothing ... at least on the surface. JOEZ is, as the name would imply, a denim company, while NQ, as the name would vaguely suggest, a mobile internet service provider. There is one common element between the two companies right now, however, at least in my eyes ... both are likely to be at the beginning of major (read "trade-worthy") bounces.

Best Supermarket Companies To Buy Right Now: Spectrum Rare Earths Ltd (SPX)

Spectrum Rare Earths Limited, formerly TUC Resources Ltd, is engaged in the exploration and evaluation of rare earths, uranium, base metals and gold mineral interests. On October 2, 2012, holds approximately 18,000 square kilometer of prospective land package across 44 tenements. During the fiscal year ended June 30, 2011, the Company is focuses on its Stromberg Heavy Rare Earth Project. The Company has 50, 100% owned tenements in the Northern Territory. Tenements within the Pine Creek Project consist of EL's 24884, 25224, 25228 and uranium rights on EL24906. Parts of EL24906 and EL24884 are located within the Rum Jungle Mineral Field. The Arnhem Project encompasses all the Company�� tenement holdings in the East Alligator River region within 150 kilometer of the high grade Narbalek uranium mine. The Litchfield Uranium Project consists of granted licenses EL25195 and EL25176 and license applications 25472, 25473 and 25221. Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Eisen and Saumya Vaishampayan]
FB The S&P 500 (SPX) �is getting a bit more social. Facebook Inc. (FB) �was set to join the index after trading ends on Friday. Shares of the social-media giant edged up 0.1%.
[By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]
$AAPL: Apple (AAPL) �shares climbed 1.8%, among the top gainers in the S&P 500 (SPX) �. The stock was raised to a buy rating from hold on Monday by Jefferies, which also raised its price target to $600 from $425. The move came after Jefferies analysts met with Apple�� suppliers in Asia, who have become ��ar more lenient on price,��which will lift gross margins. Analyst Peter Misek also said Apple�� price is likely to appreciate ahead of the iPhone 6 launch.
[By Victor Reklaitis]
The S&P 500 (SPX) � was last down less than 1 point to 1,701, while the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) also dipped less than 1 point to 15,401. The Nasdaq Composite (COMP) �edged up 8 points, or 0.2%, to 3,773.
[By William L. Watts]
The Nasdaq Composite (COMP) �remains down 1.5% for the month to date, versus a drop of around 0.9% for the S&P 500 (SPX) �and 1.1% for the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) . The formerly high-flying iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) �bounced 2.5% higher on Wednesday but remains down 2.3% since the beginning of April.

Saturday, December 27, 2014

3 Stocks in Breakout Territory

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>3 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

>>5 Stocks Poised to Break Out

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume today.

Weight Watchers International

Weight Watchers International (WTW) is a provider of weight management services, operating globally through a network of company-owned and franchise operations. This stock closed up 3.9% at $33.38 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 3.17 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 843,488

Volume % Change: 262%

From a technical perspective, WTW spiked higher here with strong upside volume flows. This stock recently gapped down sharply from $40.93 to below $32 with heavy downside volume. Following that move, shares of WTW have started to rebound and move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if WTW can manage to take out Friday's high of $33.40 to its gap down day high of $34.69 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in WTW as long as it's trending above $32, and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 843,488 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then WTW will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone that started at $40.93. Some possible upside targets if WTW gets into that gap with volume are $36 to its 50-day moving average at $37.80.

WageWorks

WageWorks (WAGE) operates as an on-demand provider of tax-advantaged programs for consumer-directed health, and commuter and other employee spending account benefits in the U.S. This stock closed up 6.4% at $54.51 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 597,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 393,757

Volume % Change: 95%

From a technical perspective, WAGE jumped sharply higher here with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of WAGE within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if WAGE manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance at $54.80 to its all-time high at $56.97 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in WAGE as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $52.28 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 393,757 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then WAGE will set up to enter new all-time-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $60 to $63.

Top 10 Consumer Service Companies To Own In Right Now

Media General

Media General (MEG) is a provider of news, information and entertainment across 18 network-affiliated television stations, digital media and mobile platforms, serving consumers and advertisers in strong local markets, primarily in the Southeastern US. This stock closed up 4.3% at $15.22 in Friday's trading session.

Friday's Volume: 405,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 192,336

Volume % Change: 155%

From a technical perspective, MEG trended higher here with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of MEG within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if MEG manages to take out Friday's high of $15.32 to its 52-week high at $15.67 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MEG as long as it's trending above Friday's low of $14.43 or above $14 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 192,336 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then MEG will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $20 to $23.

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Big Gains Help the Dow Prepare for Earnings Season

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) is on the move this morning as more investors return to the market after an extended Independence Day holiday. With the positive jobs data from Friday, the markets are headed higher as signs of economic growth give investors some optimism as the new earnings season begins today after the closing bell. As of 11:30 a.m. EDT, the Dow is up 78 points, putting it back on track to reach the record highs last seen in May.

Earnings season
Dow component Alcoa (NYSE: AA ) officially kicks off earnings season this evening after the markets close. While the world's largest aluminum producer has been relying heavily on cost-cutting measures to improve its bottom line, there may be a change in what investors are focusing on this earnings season. As the economy continues to recover, new signs of demand will be an important indicator of growth -- so new revenue growth may be the big focus for Alcoa and others as they report second-quarter earnings in the coming weeks.

Some big financials are set to report earnings later in the week, with both JPMorgan (NYSE: JPM ) and Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC ) on tap. Both banks were at the top of the mortgage-origination food chain last year, so investors will likely be looking for growth in their mortgage operations. As Wells CFO Tim Sloan already noted, rising interest rates have squashed demand for new refinancing activity, so another key item to watch will be the measures available to the banks to offset the lower fees and income from that arm of the loan operations.

With the report for May's consumer credit levels coming out later this afternoon, investors may get a preview of what the banks and other financial firms report for their credit card operations. American Express (NYSE: AXP ) has been enjoying gains following various data releases that report higher consumer spending. And since the company's credit cards are largely directed at higher-income consumers, a demographic that has enjoyed a swifter recovery, the credit card provider will likely report an increase in consumer balances.

Earnings season is an important time for any investor. Information reported during the next few weeks will give you a better sense of how your businesses are managing the volatility of a recovering economy, how they are handling the return of higher interest rates, and if they still meet the criteria you set in your investment thesis. Though it may seem daunting, take the time to study how your individual investments are handling the current challenges and preparing for the ones to come.

5 Best Income Stocks For 2015

Many investors are terrified about investing in big banking stocks after the crash, but the sector has one notable standout. In a sea of mismanaged and dangerous peers, it rises above the rest as "The Only Big Bank Built to Last." You can uncover the top pick that Warren Buffett loves in The Motley Fool's new report. It's free, so click here to access it now.

5 Best International Stocks To Buy For 2014

Senate Finance Committee Chairman Max Baucus, D-Mont., released Tuesday the first in a series of discussion drafts on reforming the nation’s tax code.

The first draft provides a roadmap on how to reform the international tax rules in order to “spark economic growth, create jobs and make U.S. businesses more competitive,” according to Baucus. Other reform discussion drafts will be released later this week.

“Over the past three years, the Finance Committee has examined every aspect of the tax code in an effort to fix a broken system,” Baucus said in a statement.

“Through hearings, option papers and blank slate proposals, we’ve received input from key stakeholders and nearly every member of the Senate. These discussion drafts are the next step. They represent proposals collected throughout this process and provide a path forward on tax reform. Some are Democratic ideas. Some are Republican ideas. The common link is they are all ideas worth exploring.”

Top Services Companies To Buy Right Now: Cirrus Logic Inc.(CRUS)

Cirrus Logic, Inc., a fabless semiconductor company, develops high-precision analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits (ICs) for audio and energy markets worldwide. The company offers analog and mixed-signal audio converter and audio digital signal processor (DSP) products, which include analog-to-digital converters (ADCs); digital-to-analog converters (DACs); chips for integrating ADCs and DACs into an IC; digital interface ICs; volume controls; and digital amplifiers, as well as audio DSPs for consumer electronics applications. Its audio products are used in various consumer applications, including portable media players, smartphones, tablets, AVRs, DVD and Blu-ray disc players, home theater systems, set-top boxes, MP3 players, gaming devices, sound cards, and digital televisions; professional applications comprising digital mixing consoles, multitrack digital recorders, and effects processors; automotive applications consisting of amplifiers, satellite radio systems, telematics, and multi-speaker car-audio systems; and networked digital audio applications. The company also provides high-precision analog and mixed-signal ICs for energy control, energy measurement, and energy exploration applications; and ICs, board-level modules, and hybrids under the Apex Precision Power brand name for high-power pulse width modulation (PWM) and power amplifier applications; and proprietary products, which include ADCs, DACs, linear amplifiers, PWM amplifiers, and amplifier ICs; and system reference designs. Its energy products are used in digital utility meters, power supplies, lighting ballasts, motor control, energy exploration, and high-power systems. The company sells its products primarily to through direct sales force, external sales representatives, and distributors. Cirrus Logic, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Cirrus Logic (NASDAQ: CRUS) shares tumbled 8.48 percent to $17.15 after the company issued a downbeat Q4 revenue outlook.

Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO) was down, falling 8.40 percent to $35.00 after the company reported a decline in its Q4 revenue and online ad prices.
[By Ashraf Eassa]
InvenSense is heavily dependent on Samsung
Anybody familiar with former hot chip play Cirrus Logic (NASDAQ: CRUS ) -- a mixed signal/analog chip player that derives the majority of its revenue from Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) -- knows all about the risks associated with having a business that is very concentrated on a few big customers. InvenSense is not unaware that its business, too, is concentrated within a number of large customer as indicated in the following from its most recent form 10-K filing:

5 Best International Stocks To Buy For 2014: National Asset Recovery Corp (REPO)

National Asset Recovery Corp., formerly Nasus Consulting, Inc., incorporated on August 1, 2000, is a development-stage company. The Company focuses to design, develop and bring to market an immersive three dimensional (3D) virtual world, which provides an online, consumer entertainment experience that combines multiplayer gaming, virtual world and social networking elements.

On May 27, 2009, the Company ceased its information technology business. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had not recorded any revenues from its new business operations.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Chandan Dubey]
Banks also borrow money from insurance companies and pension funds where the funds are non-depository in nature. These loans are generally collateralized against Treasuries or securities. These are called repurchase agreements (repo) and are mostly overnight. The funds are returned the next day with the interest.

5 Best International Stocks To Buy For 2014: Ensign Group Inc (ENSG)

The Ensign Group, Inc., incorporated in 1999, is a holding company. The Company is a provider of skilled nursing and rehabilitative care services through the operation of 103 facilities, five home health and three hospice operations located in Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Iowa, Nebraska, Nevada, Oregon, Texas, Utah and Washington. Its facilities provide a spectrum of skilled nursing, assisted living, home health and hospice services, including physical, occupational and speech therapies, and other rehabilitative and healthcare services, for both long-term residents and short-stay rehabilitation patients. Its walk-in clinics will offer daily access to healthcare for minor injuries and illnesses, including x-ray and lab services, all from convenient neighborhood locations with no appointments. In March 2014, the Company acquired Horizon Post-Acute and Rehabilitation Center, a 196-bed skilled nursing facility in Glendale, Arizona.

On January 1, 2011, the Company purchased one skilled nursing facility which also offers assisted living and independent living services and one independent living facility. On February 1, 2011, the Company purchased one skilled nursing facility in Utah, which also offers assisted living and independent living services. On March 18, 2011, the Company purchased one assisted living facility in California. On May 15, 2011, the Company purchased a home health and hospice operation in Utah. On June 1, 2011, the Company purchased an assisted living facility in Nevada. On July 18, 2011, the Company acquired nine skilled nursing facilities. On August 1, 2011, the Company acquired a skilled nursing facility in Texas; the Company acquired a skilled nursing facility in Utah, and the Company acquired an independent living facility. On October 1, 2011, the Company acquired a skilled nursing facility in California. On December 1, 2011, the Company acquired a skilled nursing facility in Nevada. On December 30, 2011, the Company acquired an assisted living facility in Ari! zona. In November 2011, the Company acquired Pocatello Care and Rehabilitation Center. On November 22, 2011, the Company acquired Homecare Solutions.

The Company's facilities provide a range of skilled nursing and assisted living services, physical, occupational and speech therapies, and other rehabilitative and healthcare services, for both long-term residents and short-stay rehabilitation patients. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 102 facilities, of which it owned 77 and operated an additional 25 facilities under long-term lease arrangements, and had options to purchase five of those 25 facilities.

The Company's wholly owned subsidiaries, which include the Service Center, provides centralized accounting, payroll, human resources, information technology, legal, risk management and other centralized services to the other operating subsidiaries through contractual relationships with such subsidiaries. The Company also has a wholly owned captive insurance subsidiary (the Captive) that provides some claims-made coverage to the Company's operating subsidiaries for general and professional liability, as well as coverage for some workers' compensation insurance liabilities.

Skilled nursing facility revenue is primarily derived from Medicaid, private pay, managed care and Medicare payors. The Company�� skilled nursing facilities provide Medicaid-covered services to individuals consisting of nursing care, room and board and social services. Rehabilitation therapy revenue is primarily received from private pay and Medicare for services provided at skilled nursing facilities and assisted living facilities. Assisted living facility revenue is primarily derived from private pay residents. In addition, Medicaid or other programs in some states where it operates supplement payments for board and care services provided in assisted living facilities. Hospice revenues are primarily derived from Medicare. It derives substantially all of the revenue from its home health busines! s from Me! dicare and Managed Care sources. Its home health care services generally consist of providing some combination of the services of registered nurses, speech, occupational and physical therapists, medical social workers and certified home health aides.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Eric Volkman]
Ensign Group (NASDAQ: ENSG ) has a new asset in its medicine chest. The company announced that, at the end of June, it had closed the acquisition of the Mountain View Rehabilitation and Care Center in Washington state. The center is an 82-bed skilled nursing facility located in the town of Marysville. The terms of the deal were not disclosed, although Ensign Group admitted that the purchase was effected in cash.
[By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Ensign Group (Nasdaq: ENSG ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

5 Best International Stocks To Buy For 2014: Strattec Security Corporation(STRT)

Strattec Security Corporation engages in the design, development, manufacture, and marketing of automotive access control products. The company?s products include mechanical locks and keys, electronically enhanced locks and keys, steering column and instrument panel ignition lock housings, latches, power sliding door systems, power lift gate systems, power deck lid systems, door handles, and related products. It also provides full service and aftermarket support for its products. The company offers its products primarily for automotive manufacturers. It markets its products in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Europe, South America, Korea, and China. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Martin Vlcek]
Strattec Security Corp. (STRT) is a growing small-cap company with more than 100 years in the automotive supply industry and strong sales growth since 2009. The success and growth of Strattec are still mostly influenced by the global automotive markets. As many analysts still predict ongoing industry growth, the company is poised to continue strongly benefiting from this automotive tailwind. However, the company's recent diversification efforts into new product lines, industries outside of automotive and countries outside of the U.S. have created multiple new growth drivers that will ensure Strattec's continued robust sales and EPS expansion. The company's growth has also become much more balanced and more resilient to a potential automotive industry shock or U.S. slowdown.
[By Monica Wolfe]
Strattec Security (STRT)
Last week Mario Gabelli increased his position in Strattec Security. The guru increased his position 4.82% by adding a total of 13,136 shares to his holdings. He bought these shares at an average price of $43.15, and since then the price per share has increased approximately 5%.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Top 5 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy Right Now

On this day in economic and business history ...

Facebook (NASDAQ: FB ) went public on May 18, 2012. It was the largest IPO, by first-day market cap, of all time. It was also the largest IPO, in terms of value created per month, of all time. From its creation in 2004 to its public debut in 2012, Facebook amassed a value of just over $1 billion per month. Its expected IPO price that would give it a market cap of more than $100 billion. Unheard of! The whole investing world was watching what was sure to be a debut for the ages. Thousands upon thousands of investing novices salivated at the chance to own a tiny piece of the social network no one could get away from.

When the day was done, people began to feel as if Wall Street might have pulled one over on them. The biggest IPO in years -- perhaps decades -- couldn't even muster that coveted first-day pop. Glitchy exchange software delayed the start of trading for Facebook shares, and when trades resumed, the social network's underwriters were forced to step in to shore up the share price, an unexpected move for such a highly anticipated stock.

Top Healthcare Technology Stocks To Watch Right Now: Pinnacle Financial Partners Inc.(PNFP)

Pinnacle Financial Partners, Inc. operates as the bank holding company for Pinnacle National Bank that provides commercial banking products and services to individuals, small-to medium-sized businesses, and professional entities in Tennessee. It offers various deposit products, including savings, checking, interest-bearing checking, money market, and certificate of deposit accounts. The company also offers commercial loans comprising equipment loans and working capital loans; commercial and residential real estate loans, and construction and development loans; and loans to individuals for personal, family, investment, and household purposes, including secured and unsecured installment and term loans, residential first mortgage loans, home equity loans, and home equity lines of credit. In addition, it provides various investment products, such as mutual funds, variable annuities, money market instruments, the United States treasury securities, bonds, fixed annuities, stocks , financial planning, asset management accounts, and listed options; fiduciary and investment management services for individual and commercial clients, including personal trust, endowments, foundations, individual retirement accounts, pensions, and custody services; investment advisory services; and insurance products primarily in the property and casualty area. Further, the company offers telephone and Internet banking, debit cards, automated teller machines, remote and direct deposit, and cash management services. As of January 17, 2012, it operated 29 offices in 8 Middle Tennessee counties and 3 offices in Knoxville. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of Pinnacle Financial (NASDAQ: PNFP ) climbed 10% today after the regional bank's quarterly results topped Wall Street expectations.
[By Monica Gerson]
Pinnacle Financial Partners (NASDAQ: PNFP) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $0.42 per share on revenue of $56.99 million.

Commerce Bancshares (NASDAQ: CBSH) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.72 per share on revenue of $254.92 million.

Top 5 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy Right Now: Harris & Harris Group Inc.(TINY)

Harris & Harris Group, Inc. is a venture capital and venture debt firm specializing in seed, start up, early stage, and mid venture investments. It primarily invests in tiny-technology-enabled companies with a focus on nanotechnology, microsystems, and microelectromechanical systems technology. Harris & Harris Group, Inc. was founded in 1981 and is based in New York, New York with additional offices in Palo Alto, California and Los Angeles, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Sally Jones]
Highlight: Harris & Harris Group Inc. (TINY)
The TINY share price is currently $3.07 or 22.1% off the 52-week high of $3.94. The company does not pay a dividend.

Top 5 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy Right Now: Chipotle Mexican Grill Inc.(CMG)

Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. develops and operates fast-casual, fresh Mexican food restaurants in the United States, Canada, and England. Its restaurants primarily offer burritos, tacos, burrito bowls, and salads. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 1,230 restaurants, which includes 1 ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen. Chipotle Mexican Grill, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is based in Denver, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Rick Munarriz]
Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG ) has an appetite for Asian growth. The company announced this week that it has inked lease deals for four more ShopHouse Southeast Asian Kitchen restaurants.

Top 5 Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy Right Now: Synopsys Inc (SNPS)

Synopsys, Inc., incorporated in 1986, is engaged in providing technology solutions used to develop electronics and electronic systems. It supplies the electronic design automation (EDA) software that engineers use to design, create prototypes for and test integrated circuits, also known as chips. It also supplies software and hardware used to develop the systems that incorporate integrated circuits and the software that runs on those integrated circuits. Its intellectual property (IP) products are pre-designed circuits that engineers use as components of larger chip designs rather than redesigning those circuits themselves. It also provides technical services to support its solutions and it help its customers develop chips and electronic systems. Its products and services are organized into four groups: Core EDA (which includes the Galaxy Design Platform, the Discovery Verification Platform and its Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) design products); IP and System-Level Solutions; Manufacturing Solutions and Professional Services. In July 2012, it acquired Ciranova. In October 2012, it acquired EVE. On November 30, 2012, the Company acquired SpringSoft. In February 2014, Synopsys Inc completed the acquisition of Target Compiler Technologies.

On September 2, 2010, the Company acquired Virage Logic Corporation. In October 2010, the Company acquired Optical Research Associates. In September 2011, the Company acquired nSys Design Systems Private Limited (nSys). In October 2011, the Company acquired Extreme DA. In January 2012, the Company acquired ExpertIO, Inc. In February 2012, the Company acquired Magma Design Automation Inc.

Core EDA products

The Company offers a number of Core EDA products to address the process. Its Core EDA products fall into the suites, which included the Galaxy Design Platform, which includes tools to design an integrated circuit; the Discovery Verification Platform, which includes tools to verify that an integrated circuit behaves! as intended, and the FPGA design products. Its Galaxy Design Platform provides its customers with a single, integrated chip design solution, which includes individual products and incorporates common libraries and consistent timing, delay calculation and constraints throughout the design process. The platform allows designers the flexibility to integrate internally-developed and third-party tools. With this advanced functionality, common foundation and flexibility, its Galaxy Design Platform reduces design times; decrease integration costs and minimize the risks inherent in advanced, integrated circuit designs. Its products span both digital and analog/mixed-signal designs.

The products included in the Galaxy Design Platform are the IC Compiler physical design solution, Design Compiler logic synthesis product, Galaxy Custom Designer physical design solution for analog/mixed-signal designs, PrimeTime/PrimeTime SI timing analysis products, StarRC product for extraction, and the Hercules and IC Validator physical verification product family. The Lynx Design System is a production-ready chip implementation environment that combines a Galaxy-based design flow, graphical user interface (GUI)-based runtime automation, design metrics capture and reporting, and utilities that automate the configuration of pre-validated foundry data. The Lynx Design System helps customers improve their productivity and optimally deploy Synopsys tools and methodologies.

The Company�� Discovery Verification Platform is an integrated portfolio of functional, analog/mixed-signal, formal and low-power verification products. The platform includes its simulation and verification products and design-for-verification methodologies, and provides a consistent control environment to help improve the speed, breadth and accuracy of its customers��verification efforts. The Discovery Verification Platform�� components support industry standards and span both digital and analog/mixed-signal designs. The principa! l product! s included in the Discovery Verification Platform are the VCS comprehensive RTL verification solution, Formality formal verification sign-off solution, NanoSim FastSPICE circuit simulation and analysis product, high-speed interface module (HSIM) hierarchical FastSPICE circuit simulation and analysis product, HSPICE circuit simulator, and CustomSim circuit simulation solution. FPGAs are chips that can be customized or programmed to perform a specific function after they are manufactured.

Intellectual Property (IP) and System-Level Solutions

Synopsys is a provider of high-quality, silicon-proven IP solutions for system-on-chip (SoC) designs. The broad DesignWare IP portfolio includes high quality solutions for widely used interfaces such as universal serial bus (USB), PCI Express, double data rate (DDR), Ethernet, serial advanced technology attachment (SATA) and high-definition multimedia interface (HDMI). In addition, Synopsys offers analog IP for high-definition video, analog-to-digital data conversion and audio. With its recent acquisition of Virage Logic Corporation, we added embedded memories, including static random access memory (SRAMs) and non-volatile memory, logic libraries, embedded test and repair IP and configurable processor cores, to its IP portfolio.

Synopsys has a portfolio of tools, models and services for the system-level design of SoCs. Primary system-level products include Platform Architect for architectural optimization, SPW and System Studio for algorithm design, Processor Designer for custom processor design, and Synphony Model and C Compiler for High Level Synthesis. In addition to these tools for the system-level design of SoCs, its portfolio includes prototyping tools for hardware verification, software development and hardware-software integration. With FPGA-based prototyping systems (HAPS), designers can speed embedded software development by three to six months with near real runtime speeds and real world interfaces, such as its pre-t! ested Des! ignWare IP components. The HAPS hardware systems are a modular, scalable and accurate way to model a chip. Its virtual prototyping solutions enable software engineers to start SoC and application software up to twelve months before traditional methods.

Manufacturing Solutions

The Company�� Manufacturing Solutions products and technologies address this problem by introducing manufacturability and yield considerations early in the design process, thereby improving yields. Some of its Manufacturing Solutions address mask-making and yield enhancement of very small-geometry integrated circuits, as well as high-level modeling of physical effects within the integrated circuit. Its Manufacturing Solutions include the Technology-CAD (TCAD) device modeling products, Proteus OPC optical proximity correction (OPC) products, CATS mask data preparation product and yield management solutions, including odyssey and recipe manager and editor (RME), and yield explorer.

Professional Services and Training

Synopsys provides consulting and design services that address all phases of the SoC development process. These services assist Synopsys customers with new tool and methodology adoption, chip architecture and specification development, functional and low power design and verification, and physical implementation and signoff. It also provides a range of expert training and workshops on its latest tools and methodologies.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Anna Prior]
Synopsys Inc.'s(SNPS) fiscal fourth-quarter profit nearly doubled on a top-line increase driven by growth in the company’s time-based license revenue. However, the company’s guidance for the current quarter came in below Wall Street expectations.
[By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Synopsys (Nasdaq: SNPS ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Top China Stocks To Buy Right Now

Microsoft's Surface Pro 3. Source: Microsoft

Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) surprised investors this week by announcing that its beleaguered Surface Pro 3 tablet had actually sold out...in select markets.�In Australia, some retailers had sold out by lunchtime on the first day of sales. And this wasn't just a one-country issue: China, Germany, New Zealand, South Korea, and the United Kingdom all reported some degree of stockouts of the tablet.

Finally! Microsoft investors and fans have clamored for positive news regarding the tablet since its introduction this summer.�Alas, good news for Microsoft's tablets has been hard to come by. Its initial rollout of the tablet was marred by missteps: The�entry-level, first-generation unit -- then branded Surface RT -- was widely considered a disaster, and the subsequent $900 million writedown was credited with Steve Ballmer's exit as CEO.

Hot Semiconductor Stocks To Own For 2015: Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited(YZC)

Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited engages in the underground mining, preparation, and sale of coal. It involves in manufacturing, washing, processing, and selling steam coal used in the electricity power sector; and metallurgical coal used with coking coal in the process of pulverized coal injection, as well as operates six coal mines. The company also engages in the provision of railway transportation services; production and sale of coal chemicals, primarily methanol; and generation of electricity and heat. In addition, it involves in the manufacture and sale of mining machinery and engine products; and development of integrated coal technology. Further, the company engages in the transportation via rivers and lakes; sale of construction materials; and trading and processing of mining machinery. It has operations primarily in China, Japan, South Korea, and Australia. The company was founded in 1973 and is based in Zoucheng, the People's Republic of China. Yanzhou Coal Mining Company Limited is a subsidiary of Yankuang Group Corporation Limited.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Belinda Cao]
Yanzhou Coal Mining Co. (YZC), China�� fourth-largest coal producer, lost 3.6 percent last week to $10.33. The company posted its eighth weekly slump, the longest stretch of declines since August 1998. Bank of America Corp. cut the stock to the equivalent of sell from neutral May 3.
[By Roberto Pedone]
Yanzhou Coal Mining (YZC) engages in the underground coal mining, as well as preparation, processing, sale and railway transportation of coal. This stock closed up 7.6% to $7.31 in Thursday's trading session.

Thursday's Range: $7.14-$7.31

52-Week Range: $6.68-$18.57

Thursday's Volume: 391,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 370,383

From a technical perspective, YZC bounced sharply higher here right off some near-term support at $6.77 with above-average volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last six months, with shares plunging from its high of over $14 to its recent low of $6.68. During that move, shares of YZC have been consistently making lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of YZC have recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $6.68 to $6.77. This stock now looks ready to reverse that downtrend and possibly trigger a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if YZC manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $7.76 to $8 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in YZC as long as it's trending above its recent low of $6.77 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 370,383 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then YZC will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $9 to $10. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give YZC a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $10.67 to $11.11.
[By MarketWatch]
Treasurer Joe Hockey said Yanzhou Coal Mining Co. (YZC) no longer needed to meet a Dec. 31 deadline for reducing its stake in Yancoal Australia Ltd. (YAL.AU) below 70%, citing the downturn in global coal prices. Yanzhou, which owns 78% of Yancoal Australia, had made the commitment in 2009 to complete its 3.5 billion Australian dollar (US$3.2 billion) takeover of Felix Resources Ltd.
[By Robert Rapier]
China dominates global coal production, producing 47% of the world�� coal in 2013 and consuming just over 50%. Even so, Chinese coal companies have not managed to escape the market carnage experienced by major US coal producers like Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU) and Arch Coal (NYSE: ACI), which have seen their share prices decline by 80% and 90% respectively since early 2011. For instance, the stock of major Chinese coal producer Yanzhou Coal Mining (NYSE: YZC), has also dropped nearly 80% since 2011.

Top China Stocks To Buy Right Now: Ctrip.com International Ltd.(CTRP)

Ctrip.com International, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, provides travel services for hotel accommodations, airline tickets, and packaged tours in the People?s Republic of China. It also sells independent leisure travelers bundled package-tour products, which include transportation and accommodation, as well as guided tours covering various domestic and international destinations. In addition, the company offers Internet-related advertising, aviation casualty insurance, and air-ticket delivery services. Further, it sells Property Management System, a hotel information software; travel guidebooks, which provide information for independent travelers; and VIP membership cards that allow cardholders to receive discounts from various restaurants, clubs, and bars. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Shanghai, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By GuruFocus]
George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) just reported his first quarter portfolio. He buys Citrix Systems Inc, Baker Hughes Inc, Comcast Corp, Spansion Inc, etc during the 3-months ended 03/31/2014, according to the most recent filings of his investment company, Soros Fund Management LLC. As of 03/31/2014, Soros Fund Management LLC owns 305 stocks with a total value of $10.1 billion. These are the details of the buys and sells.New Purchases: BHI, CODE, CTRP, CLI, AVB, COMM, CNQ, AGO, AUY, ATML, ASH, BXMT, CSTM, AEM, CMA, ARE, CHKP, AUQ, BEAV, CX, ADSK, AALCP, BLK, AIG, BIIB, ADEP, AMRI, ARWR, ATHX, BALT, BCRX, BEAT, CFX, CLFD, CUR, CODE,Added Positions: CTXS, CMCSA, CNP, ALTR, BRCD, CBS, CRM, CHTR, CCJ, CIEN, BIDU, ALLE, ABT, CDNS, ACT,Reduced Positions: AAPL, CCI, AMT, ABBV, AAL, BITA, AL, ANGI, ARIA, CBST, BA, BIRT, EXAR,Sold Out: C, BAC, CRI, AMZN, AGN, CF, BRCM, COTY, BMY, AMCX, CAR, A, ADBE, AFL,For the details of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)'s stock buys and sells, go to http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=George+SorosThis is the sector weightings of his portfolio:Technology18.9%Energy14%Healthcare8.3%Consumer Defensive8.2%Communication Services8.1%Consumer Cyclical5.4%Industrials5.1%Basic Materials4.9%Financial Services2.5%Real Estate1.9%Utilities0.5%These are the top 5 holdings of George Soros (Trades, Portfolio)1. Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd (TEVA) - 10,310,041 shares, 5.4% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 10.67%2. Herbalife Ltd (HLF) - 4,901,337 shares, 2.8% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 52.9%3. EQT Corp (EQT) - 2,573,814 shares, 2.5% of the total portfolio. Shares added by 3.27%4. Adecoagro SA (AGRO) - 25,915,076 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio.5. Halliburton Co (HAL) - 3,596,353 shares, 2.1% of the total portfolio. Shares reduced by 20.73%New Purchase: Baker Hughes Inc (BHI)George Soros (Trades, Portfolio) initiated holdings in Baker Hughes Inc. His purchase prices were between $51.82 and $65.27, with an estimated
[By Jim Jubak]
Among stocks that are available to US investors through a listing in New York, the list includes Ctrip.com International (CTRP), China's biggest online travel retailer; Qihoo 360 (QIHU), a leading mobile security company; 58.com (WUBA), the Craigslist-like operator of a classified site, and SouFun Holdings (SFUN), the owner of China's biggest real-estate site.

Top China Stocks To Buy Right Now: Changyou.com Limited(CYOU)

Changyou.com Limited develops and operates online games in the People?s Republic of China. It involves in the development, operation, and licensing of massively multi-player online role-playing games (MMORPGs), which are interactive online games that might be played simultaneously by various game players. The company operates seven MMORPGs that include its in house developed Tian Long Ba Bu; and licensed Blade Online, Blade Hero 2, Da Hua Shui Hu, Zhong Hua Ying Xiong, Immortal Faith, and San Jie Qi Yuan. As of December 31, 2010, Changyou?s games in China had approximately 111.4 million aggregate registered accounts; 1.0 million aggregate peak concurrent users; and 2.7 million aggregate active paying accounts. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China. Changyou.com Limited is a subsidiary of Sohu.com Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Changyou.com (NASDAQ: CYOU) shares tumbled 11.75percent to $26.02 after the company issued a weak Q1 guidance and announced the resignation of its CFO.

Top China Stocks To Buy Right Now: Xueda Education Group(XUE)

Xueda Education Group provides tutoring services for primary and secondary school students in the People?s Republic of China with a focus on offering personalized tutoring services. Its services include consultation and assessment, formulation of a customized study plan, personalized tutoring, and delivery of supporting services. The company also provides course offerings that cover various academic subjects taught in primary and secondary schools, such as mathematics, English, physics, Chinese, and chemistry; and self-designed courses beyond the standard curriculum in certain subjects, as well as in subjects not taught at public primary and secondary schools. As of December 31, 2010, its tutoring service network comprised 207 learning centers and approximately 9,650 full-time service professionals, serving customers located in 53 economically developed cities across 27 of China?s 31 provinces and municipalities. The company was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Beij ing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
In trading on Friday, non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.09 percent. Among the leading sector stocks, gains came from Rite Aid (NYSE: RAD) and Xueda Education Group (NYSE: XUE). Financial sector was the leading decliner in the US market today.
[By Garrett Cook]
Non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares fell 0.45 percent on Tuesday. Top losers in the sector included Diamond Foods (NASDAQ: DMND), down 3.4 percent, and Xueda Education Group (NYSE: XUE), off 2.6 percent.