Neutral on Taubman Centers - Analyst Blog

On Jul 11, 2013, we reiterated our long-term recommendation on Taubman Centers Inc. (TCO) at Neutral. The decision is based on its solid fundamentals, decent performance in the past quarters and its concerted efforts toward increasing shareholders' wealth. However, we are concerned about the rise in online shopping through the Internet, mobile phones and tablets that could lower the demand for retail space going forward.

Why the Neutral Stance?

Taubman has a solid portfolio of best-in-class retail malls that generate robust mall tenant sales. Strategic acquisitions of favorably situated assets are expected to be accretive to its top line going forward. Also, the company has a healthy balance sheet with adequate liquidity. It has hiked its dividend 16 times since it went public, leading to a 4.2% compounded annual growth rate.

Yet, excess retail space in a number of markets and increase in consumer purchases through catalogs and the Internet could hurt demand for Taubman properties and reduce its overall income.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for 2013 FFO (funds from operations) per share fell marginally to $3.65, while for 2014, it remain unchanged at $3.88, over the last 60 days.

The Zacks Consensus Estimate for FFO (funds from operations) per share for the upcoming quarter is pegged at 79 cents per share. The earnings ESP (Read: Zacks Earnings ESP: A Better Method) for Taubman is +0.00% for the second quarter. This, along with its Zacks Rank #3 (Hold), reduces the chances of a positive earnings surprise.

Other Stocks to Consider

Some better performing REITs include American Assets Trust, Inc. (AAT), The Macerich Company (MAC) and Simon Property Group Inc. (SPG). All these stocks carry a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Note: Funds from operations, a widely accepted and reported measure of REITs performance, are derived by adding depreciation, amortization and other non-cash expenses to net income.

5 Stocks With Strong Sales Growth — HTH INSY CREG TTWO GV

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This week, these five stocks have the best ratings in Sales Growth, one of the eight Fundamental Categories on Portfolio Grader.

Hilltop Holdings () provides business and consumer banking services in Texas. .

Insys Therapeutics, Inc. () develops pharmaceutical products that target the unmet needs of cancer patients, with a focus on cancer-supportive care. INSY also gets A’s in Earnings Surprises and Equity. .

China Recycling Energy () engages in the provision of energy savings and recycling products and services. CREG also gets A’s in Earnings Momentum and Cash Flow. .

Take-Two Interactive Software, Inc. () publishes, develops and distributes interactive entertainment software and hardware. TTWO also gets A’s in Earnings Growth, Earnings Momentum, Analyst Earnings Revisions, Equity and Cash Flow. The stock currently has a trailing PE Ratio of 7.20. .

Goldfield Corp. () conducts electrical construction operations, including the placement of fiber optic cable and is also engaged in real estate operations. GV also gets an A in Equity. .

Louis Navellier’s proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being “strong buy,” and F being “strong sell.” Explore the tool here.

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015

Despite what can best be described as a�soft economy, small cap trucking stocks YRC Worldwide, Inc (NASDAQ: YRCW), Arkansas Best Corporation (NASDAQ: ABFS), Frozen Food Express Industries, Inc (NASDAQ: FFEX), Saia Inc (NASDAQ: SAIA) and USA Truck, Inc (NASDAQ: USAK) have been trucking some pretty impressive returns since the start of the year. In fact, these small cap trucking stocks are up anywhere from 72% to 150% or so since the start of the year despite the slow economy. Certainly trucking stocks provide a good indicator of how the economy is doing, but might investors be�jumping the gun by pushing up these trucking stocks?

Here is what you need to know about all five:

YRC Worldwide, Inc. One of the largest transportation service providers in the world, YRC Worldwide is the holding company for a portfolio of brands that include YRC Freight, YRC Reimer, New Penn, Holland and Reddaway. Investors should be aware that YRC Worldwide narrowly averted bankruptcy in its fiscal 2009 financial year when it successfully persuading bondholders to exchange their $470 million in bond notes for roughly 94% of the company�� shares while in�September 2011,�the company completed a financial restructuring which essentially wiped out shareholder equity. Last week, YRC Worldwide sank after it reported earnings and missed Wall Street expectations when it reported $1.24 billion in revenue verses the�$1.26 billion Wall Street was expecting. YRC Worldwide reported a net loss that narrowed to $15.1 million, or $1.72 per share, from $22.6 million or $3.21 per share for the same period last year, but that loss was far higher than Wall Street�� expectations. The company also said�it has�retained Credit Suisse to help refinance debt or recapitalize the company���something that is probably not a good sign. On Thursday, small cap YRC Worldwide fell 7.36% to $16.74 (YRCW has a 52 week trading range of $5.20 to $36.99 a share) for a market cap of $195.43 million plus the stock is up 149.8% since the start of the year, up 221.9% over the past year and down 99.7% over the past five years.

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: Industrias CH SAB de CV (ICHB)

Industrias CH SAB de CV (ICH) is a Mexico-based holding company engaged, together with its subsidiaries, in the steel industry. The Company's activities include the production, processing and distribution of special bar quality (SBQ) steel products; coated and uncoated seamed pipes; structural steel products, such as beams, channels, flat bars and angles; light structurals, such as angles, flat and merchant bars; as well as reinforced and corrugated steel bars. The Company�� facilities include production and processing plants in Mexico, the United States and Canada. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Julia Leite]

  The IPC rose 2.5 percent to 40,623.30 at the close in Mexico City. The index gained 6.8 percent on the week, the most since July 2009. Steelmaker Industrias CH SAB (ICHB) was the biggest gainer today, while homebuilders Desarrolladora Homex SAB, Urbi Desarrollos Urbanos SAB, and Corp. Geo SAB were the week�� best performers.

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: T. Rowe Price Group Inc.(TROW)

T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. is a publicly owned asset management holding company. The firm primarily provides its services to individual and institutional investors, retirement plans, and financial intermediaries. Through its subsidiaries it manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios along with mutual funds. It also provides advisory services. The firm invests in the public equity, venture capital, and fixed income markets across the globe. T. Rowe Price Group was founded in 1937 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland with additional offices in London, United Kingdom; Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Tokyo, Japan; and Singapore.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]

  Alamy What if there was a way to buy Apple (AAPL) -- recently trading near $568 a share -- for just $500? It's not an outlandish scenario. That's essentially what investors buying into Tri-Continental (TY) are doing. Like many closed-end stock funds, Tri-Continental trades for less than the value of its underlying assets. In Tri-Continental's case, its close on Dec. 24 of $20.18 is a 12 percent discount to its net asset value of $22.95 a share. Tri-Continental invests in some of the country's largest companies across various different industries. Apple just happens to be its largest holding at nearly 3 percent of the portfolio, but it's one of the many stocks in Tri-Continental that investors are buying into for pennies on the dollar. If this sounds too good to be true, you would be right. There's a catch -- and a big catch, at that. But let's first explore the largely ignored universe of closed-end funds. Fun with Funds When investors think about mutual funds they are probably referring to the wide universe of open-ended funds. Led by iconic fund families including Vanguard, Fidelity and T. Rowe Price (TROW), these conventional funds sell an unlimited number of shares. They typically are priced just once at the end of every trading day. Buyers invest and sellers cash out at that day's net asset value, or the closing value of all of the stocks and investments in the funds after subtracting any liabilities that is then divided by the number of shares outstanding. Closed-end funds don't play that way. They trade throughout the day on public exchanges. Tri-Continental, for example, trades on the New York Stock Exchange. A closed-end fund doesn't create new shares when investors want to buy or subtract them when those shares are redeemed. There's a set number of shares, and the free markets of supply and demand dictate their price. Tri-Continental isn't new. The fund has been around since 1929, the same year of a historic market crash. It's one of the hund

• [By Chris Hill]

  Which investors are worth following? In this installment of MarketFoolery, our analysts talk about why they're following Cook and Bynum's Richard Cook and Dowe Bynum, Martin Capital's Frank Martin, Alleghany's (NYSE: Y  ) CEO Weston Hicks, and T. Rowe Price's (NASDAQ: TROW  ) �Preston Athey.�

• [By Seth Jayson]

  T. Rowe Price Group (Nasdaq: TROW  ) reported earnings on April 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), T. Rowe Price Group met expectations on revenues and beat slightly on earnings per share.

• [By Hibah Yousuf]

  According to data from Morningstar, nutual fund giant T. Rowe Price (TROW), which began investing in Twitter in 2009, has shares of the company in several of its own mutual funds as well as funds on which it serves as a subadviser.

Top 10 India Stocks To Watch Right Now: Brazil Gold Corp (BRZG)

Brazil Gold Corp. incorporated on June 17, 2004, is engaged in reviewing mineral exploration. The Company has a Letter of Intent with Mineracao Rio De Padreas Ltda to acquire up to 100% of Mineracao�� interests in the Luziania Gold Project located in Goias State, Brazil. The Luziania Gold Project (LGP) is located about 50 kilometers southwest of Brasilia and 10 kilometers from the City of Luziania. LGP carries mining permits, environmental impact studies and ore recovery analyses. Effective July 30, 2013, Brazil Gold Corp acquired a 20% interest in FAL Minerals LLC, a gold mining company.

The Company is focused on reviewing exploration and other opportunities with the objective of bringing revenue to the Company. As of June 30, 2011, the Company was focused on evaluating possible new ventures and acquisitions. As of June 30, 2011, the Company had not generated any revenues from its operations.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  Small cap mining stocks Brazil Gold Corp (OTCMKTS: BRZG) and Trulan Resources (OTCMKTS: TRLR) were either active on the charts last week (in the case of the former) or recently the subject of paid promotions (in the case of the latter). However, mining is not exactly an easy business for a small and usually undercapitalized small cap mining stock given the amount it can cost to get a mine up and running. On the other hand, they could always be sitting on the next mother lode just waiting to come out of the ground. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about these two small cap mining stocks:

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: UQM Technologies Inc (UQM)

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

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

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

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

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

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: Christopher & Banks Corporation (CBK)

Christopher & Banks Corporation, through its subsidiaries, operates retail stores that provide women�s apparel and accessories in the United States. The company designs, sources, and sells apparel catering to customers generally ranging in age from 45 to 60. Its stores offer knit tops, woven tops, jackets, sweaters, skirts, denim bottoms, bottoms made of other fabrications, and dresses in various sizes, as well as jewelry and accessories. As of March 13, 2013, the company operated 605 stores in 44 states, including 381 Christopher & Banks stores, 158 C.J. Banks stores, 41 dual stores, and 25 outlet stores. It also operates e-Commerce Web sites christopherandbanks.com and cjbanks.com. The company was formerly known as Braun�s Fashions Corporation and changed its name to Christopher & Banks Corporation in July 2000. Christopher & Banks Corporation was founded in 1956 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jonathan Morgan]

  Deutsche Bank, Germany�� biggest lender, slipped 0.8 percent to 34.24 euros, and Commerzbank AG (CBK), the second-largest, retreated 1.6 percent to 6.66 euros. A gauge of European banking stocks fell the most of the 19 industry groups the Stoxx Europe 600 Index.

• [By Laura Brodbeck]

  Notable earnings releases expected on Thursday include:

  Dollar General Corporation (NYSE: DG) is expected to report fourth quarter EPS of $1.02 on revenue of $4.63 billion, compared to last year�� EPS of $0.97 on revenue of $4.21 billion. Kronos Worldwide Inc (NYSE: KRO) is expected to report fourth quarter EPS of $0.01 on revenue of $371.45 million, compared to last year�� loss of $0.12 per share on revenue of $396.80 million. Christopher & Banks Corporation�(NYSE: CBK) is expected to report a fourth quarter loss of $0.03 on revenue of $106.64 million, compared to last year�� loss of $0.11 on revenue of $115.98 million.

  Economics

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: Fifth Street Finance Corp (FSC)

Fifth Street Finance Corp. is a specialty finance company that lends to and invests in small and mid-sized companies in connection with investments by private equity sponsors. The Company�� investment objective is to maximize its portfolio's total return by generating current income from its debt investments and capital appreciation from its equity investments. As of September 30, 2011, 90.9% of its portfolio consisted of debt investments that were secured by first or second priority liens on the assets of its portfolio companies. As of September 30, 2011, it held equity investments consisting of common stock, preferred stock or other equity interests in 27 out of 65 portfolio companies. It is managed and advised by Fifth Street Management LLC. In June 2013, Fifth Street Finance Corp. announced that it has closed its portfolio company acquisition of Healthcare Finance Group, LLC (HFG).

Investments

The Company tailors the terms of its debt investments to the facts and circumstances of the transaction and prospective portfolio company. As of September 30, 2011, it directly originated a majority of its debt investments. It is focusing its origination efforts on first lien, second lien and subordinated loans. Its first lien loans have terms of four to six years, provide for a variable or fixed interest rate, contain prepayment penalties and are secured by a first priority security interest in all existing and future assets of the borrower. Its first lien loans may take many forms, including revolving lines of credit, term loans and acquisition lines of credit. Its second lien loans have terms of four to six years, provide for a fixed interest rate, contain prepayment penalties and are secured by a second priority security interest in all existing and future assets of the borrower. Its second lien loans often include payment-in-kind (PIK), interest, which represents contractual interest accrued and added to the principal that generally becomes due at maturity. Its unsecured inve! stments have terms of five to six years and provide for a fixed interest rate. It may make unsecured investments on a stand-alone basis, or in connection with a senior secured loan, a junior secured loan or a one-stop financing. Its unsecured investments may include payment-in-kind (PIK), interest, which represents contractual interest accrued and added to the principal that becomes due at maturity, and an equity component, such as warrants to purchase common stock in the portfolio company.

In addition, the Company from time to time non-control, equity co-investments in connection with private equity sponsors. It structures equity investments, such as direct equity co-investments, to provide the Company with minority rights provisions and event-driven put rights. The Company make investments in the private equity funds of certain of its equity sponsors. It makes these investments where it has a long term relationship and is comfortable with the sponsor�� business model and investment strategy. As of September 30, 2011, it had investments in six private equity funds, which represented less than 1% of the fair value of its assets as of such date.

Portfolio Management

As a business development company, the Company offers managerial assistance to its portfolio companies and to provide it if requested. It monitors the financial trends of each portfolio company to assess the appropriate course of action for each company and to evaluate overall portfolio quality. It has several methods of evaluating and monitoring the performance of its investments, which includes review of monthly and quarterly financial statements and financial projections for portfolio companies; periodic and regular contact with portfolio company management; attendance at board meetings; periodic formal update interviews with portfolio company management, and assessment of business development, including product development, profitability and the portfolio company�� overall adherence to its busine! ss plan.

In addition to various risk management and monitoring tools, the Company uses an investment rating system to characterize and monitor the credit profile and expected level of returns on each investment in itd portfolio. It uses a five-level numeric rating scale. In the event that it determines that an investment is underperforming, or circumstances suggest that the risk associated with a particular investment has significantly increased, it monitors the effected portfolio company.

Valuation of Portfolio Investments

As a business development company, the Company invests in illiquid securities, including debt and equity investments of small and mid-sized companies. The Company perform valuations of its debt and equity investments on an individual basis, using market, income, and bond yield approaches as appropriate. Under the market approach, it estimates the enterprise value of the portfolio companies, in which it invests. To estimate the enterprise value of a portfolio company, it analyze various factors, including the portfolio company�� historical and projected financial results. It requires portfolio companies to provide annual audited and quarterly and monthly unaudited financial statements, as well as annual projections for the upcoming fiscal year.

Under the income approach, the Company prepares and analyze discounted cash flow models based on projections of the future free cash flows of the business. Under the bond yield approach, it uses bond yield models to determine the present value of the future cash flow streams of its debt investments. It reviews various sources of transactional data, including private mergers and acquisitions involving debt investments with similar characteristics, and assess the information in the valuation process.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Perry] Popular Posts: Trade of the Day: Groupon (GRPN)Lloyds (LYG): A Sweet Stock Across the PondDoes Fifth Street Finance (FSC) Deserve a Spot in Your Portfolio? Recent Posts: Does Fifth Street Finance (FSC) Deserve a Spot in Your Portfolio? Trade of the Day: Groupon (GRPN) Trade of the Day: U.S. Steel (X) View All Posts

  If you’re holding Fifth Street Finance (FSC), criticism that it’s not covering its dividend with net investment income and is not projected to do so in 2014 might have you second-guessing its place in your lineup.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  But one concern is that investors are paying too much for BDCs. Like Ares, peers Prospect Capital (NASDAQ: PSEC  ) and Fifth Street Finance (NASDAQ: FSC  ) also carry share prices that are higher than the net value of the assets on their books. Yet Ares trades at a substantially higher premiums to NAV than Prospect or Fifth Street, suggesting that they're more comfortable with the quality of Ares' assets compared to its rivals.

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: Sagent Pharmaceuticals Inc.(SGNT)

Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, sources, and markets pharmaceutical products, principally injectable-based generic equivalents to branded products in the United States. It offers a range of products across anti-infective, oncolytic, and critical care indications in various presentations, including single-and multi-dose vials, pre-filled ready-to-use syringes, and premix bags. The company?s anti-infective products include Levofloxacin, a fluoroquinolone antibacterial for the treatment of various infections caused by susceptible bacteria in adults of age 18 years or older; and Cefepime, an antibiotic used to treat infections of the urinary tract, and skin and skin structure, as well as moderate to severe pneumonia, intra-abdominal infections, and as empiric therapy for febrile neutropenic patients. Its oncology products comprise Gemcitabine, a nucleoside metabolic inhibitor used for the treatment of ovarian, breast, lung, and panc reatic cancers; and Topotecan, a topoisomerase inhibitor for small cell lung cancer sensitive disease. The company also offers critical care products consisting of Adenosine, an antiarrhythmic used for the treatment of cardiac rhythm disturbances; and Heparin, an anticoagulant used to prevent and treat blood clotting during and after surgery and dialysis. As of December 31, 2011, it marketed 33 generic injectable products; and had a new product pipeline that included 36 products represented by 63 Abbreviated New Drug Applications (ANDAs). The company sells its products to pharmaceutical wholesale companies, which then distribute the products to end-user hospitals, long-term care facilities, alternate care sites, and clinics. The company was formerly known as Sagent Holding Co. and changed its name to Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in April 2011. Sagent Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Schaumburg, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James Brumley]

  In no particular order…

  Sagent Pharmaceuticals (SGNT)

  Though Sagent Pharmaceuticals (SGNT) makes a few dozen generic drugs and has a similar number in the works, odds are good most investors couldn’t name a single one of them… and that’s a good thing for anyone on the hunt for cheap stocks from the pharma world.

• [By Rich Smith]

  Sagent Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: SGNT  ) �is recalling three lots of Vecuronium Bromide for Injection, 10mg (NDC number 25021-657-10). Vecuronium Bromide for Injection is a neuromuscular blocking agent used in addition to general anesthesia to facilitate insertion of endotracheal tubes, and to provide skeletal muscle relaxation during surgery or mechanical ventilation.�

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: CST Brands Inc (CST)

CST Brands, Inc., incorporated on November 7, 2012 , is a retailer of transportation fuels and convenience goods in North America. As of April 30, 2013, the Company operated 1,032 Corner Stores throughout the United States, including Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Colorado, Wyoming, Arizona and California. Its stores also provide prepared foods. In May 2013, the Company announced that the Company which includes Corner Store and Depanneur du Coin, spun off from Valero Energy Corporation.

The Company offers a range of products, such as snack foods, tobacco products, beverages and fresh foods, including its own brands: Fresh Choices sandwiches, salads and packaged goods; U Force energy drinks; Cibolo Mountain coffees (the United States); Transit Cafe coffee and bakery (Canada); FC bottled sodas, and Flavors 2 Go fountain sodas. Its Corner Store locations also provide in-store Subway sandwich shops.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Kell]

  Valero Energy Corp.(VLO) said its fourth-quarter profit rose 28% as the oil refiner got a boost from the spinoff of gas-station retailer CST Brands Inc.(CST) Results easily topped estimates.

• [By Holly LaFon]

  Another area that is intriguing to us is the North American energy sector which looks to have a number of interesting catalysts currently. While the energy sector is at present only a modest overweight in the portfolios, we have been encouraged by several trends taking place for a number of years. These positive developments are also having an impact that goes far beyond the energy sector itself. Many believe that the U.S. will become energy independent and possibly a net exporter of natural gas and oil (currently restricted by law) in the next decade. This opinion is based primarily on the development of new drilling techniques (i.e. horizontal drilling, and high pressure fracking) that have enabled companies to access oil and natural gas reserves in shale formations that were previously not economically viable. The ability to tap into this acreage is a game-changer in our view and is already having a tremendous impact on the economy. Employment rates in these mostly rural areas surrounding the shale basins are very high and companies thus find hiring extremely competitive. Strong labor markets tend to create strong local economies. Oil States International (OIS) has been able to capitalize on this trend by providing housing and other services to oil service workers that are in demand in the area. CST Brands (CST) operates gas stations in Texas, but it is increasingly looking to broaden its product offering beyond fuel. Rail companies like Union Pacific (UNP), Canadian Pacific (CP), Kansas City Southern (KSU) and Genesee and Wyoming (GWR) have also benefited substantially. Given that shale areas are rural and often lacking infrastructure, substantial investment must be made to support drilling and production activities. Without pipelines in place, railroads have been the primary takeaway mechanism for moving production to the various clusters of refining capacity around the United States. In order to serve this demand, massive investment in railcars has been nee

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: Virtual Piggy Inc (VPIG)

Virtual Piggy Inc., formerly Moggle, Inc., incorporated on February 11, 2008, is a development-stage company. The Company is a technology development company that delivers an online security platform, which consists of three separate products: Virtual Piggy, ParentMatch and ParentPlayback, and Age Verification Service. Its Virtual Piggy product enables online businesses to interact and transact with the Under 18 market in a manner consistent with the Children�� Online Privacy Protection Act (COPPA). The Company�� Platform is designed to solve the friendly fraud problem for Website operators, providers, and online retailers, and permitting Website operators and online retailers to transact online business with children between the ages of 8 and 13 in compliance with COPPA.

Virtual Piggy

Virtual Piggy was developed in response to the growing need for parents/guardians to allow their children to transact online in a controlled manner in light of an increasing number of online services and products targeted towards children. Virtual Piggy provides an online payment profile that allows parents to set up, monitor and control their children�� online spending. Parents can establish how much a child can spend in a single transaction, or over time, and also control the merchants with which the child can transact business. Parents also have the ability to set up approval rules and notification methods. The Virtual Piggy product tracks all spending and parents can receive alerts and reports on spending patterns. Virtual Piggy has been certified by the Chase Paymentech system and can process transactions from all major credit and debit card systems, including MasterCard, Visa, and American Express.

ParentMatch and ParentPlayback

The ParentMatch and ParentPlayback Web services are designed to provide the parent/guardian with a higher level of control than is provided by nanny type services. In addition, the Web service ID will follow the child whenever he or! she is on a computer, as opposed to traditional controls that are resident on a personal computer (PC) by PC basis. ParentMatch will provide filtering for the parent or guardian to be able to control, such areas as the Web sites a child may access; the types of content they may view, and who they can interact with online. ParentPlayback will provide the parent or guardian with a video transcript of their child�� online session.

Age Check

Age Check will be a persistent software system and service designed to provide a verification mechanism for the age of a person online. The system and service will provide a secure checking mechanism to determine a person�� age. The main purpose of this system and service is to determine whether setup information supplied by a person to gain access to a social network or other online site is correct. The invention will provide an Application Programming Interface (API) that exposes software functions that Websites, Web services and Internet enabled desktop applications can utilize to enforce age checks when a person attempts to create an online account and/or gain access to a Website.

The Company competes PayPal and Teen Visa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Today, VPIG has shed (-4.37%) down -0.10 at $2.19 with 144,475 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 1:26PM EDT June 26, 2013), but don�� let this get you down.

  Virtual Piggy, Inc. previously reported it has reached a membership of over 250,000 users.

  Virtual Piggy promotes financial management while empowering youth under 18 to make purchasing, saving and other money management decisions for themselves, within the boundaries setup by parents. The technology serves as a family wallet that is available online or via mobile, and is always 100% free to use.

10 Best Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2015: Belgacom SA (BELG)

Belgacom SA is a Belgium-based company registered under the Belgian public law that provides both fixed and mobile telecommunication services, including telephony, Internet and television services for both professional and private customers. Its activities are divided into five product lines: Packs (offering mixed all-in-one products, such as Internet together with Television and Mobile telephony); Proximus telephony, Internet, Television and Fixed telephony. It also offers its customers e-services (helping in account managing online), help and support through its Website. The Belgian State is the Company's major shareholder. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Namitha Jagadeesh]

  Belgacom SA (BELG) rallied 9.1 percent to 18.34 euros, its biggest gain since at least 2004, after reporting second-quarter earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, amortization and some items of 430 million euros. Analysts on average had estimated Ebitda of 414.2 million euros.

Carmakers Care About Your Safety. They Really Do.

The Connected Car Conference -- or C3, if you wish to get your geek on -- was a big hit at CE Week in New York City. Thanks largely to navigation and entertainment apps on Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) smartphones, it's easy to marvel at how far we've come in bringing our outside world inside our vehicle. But C3 also concentrated on the future, and what automakers and their partners are doing to increase your car's usefulness and safety. 

Our roving reporter Rex Moore talked with General Motors (NYSE: GM  ) Chief Technology Officer Tim Nixon at the conference. His Chevrolet MyLink system offers Pandora (NYSE: P  ) and Sirius XM (NASDAQ: SIRI  ) for entertainment, a BringGo navigation system that runs from your smartphone so your maps are never out of date, and Apple's Siri Eyes Free, which allows you to interact with Siri without having to view the screen. In fact, the screen won't even light up while your car is in motion.

In the following video, Tim talks about the possibility of legislation involving safety in the vehicle, and why it wouldn't be a problem for GM.

Go for a ride
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Top Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now

Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) is hoping to win back its good name. The world's largest retailer kicked off a new ad campaign over the weekend, using Saturday's Kentucky Derby as a way to begin its own race to the finish line.

The odds-on favorite Orb won the race in a muddy track at Churchill Downs, and Wal-Mart itself knows that it, too, will have to get dirty if it wants to emerge victorious.

Yes, Wal-Mart is the odds-on favorite. The retailer estimates that 60% of the country shops at the discounter in any given month. Wal-Mart accounts for nearly 10% of the country's non-car sales.

However, it also sees that union-backed attacks and some unflattering developments in recent years are tarnishing the Wal-Mart brand. The retailer is ready to do a better job in getting its point of view across.

"I'm part of an American success story," the ad begins, going on to promote the company's advanced distribution network, efficient trucking fleet, and the realized costs savings it achieves -- and passes on to consumers -- by dealing directly with manufacturers and local farmers.

Top Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Winnebago Industries Inc.(WGO)

Winnebago Industries, Inc. manufactures and sells recreation vehicles primarily for leisure travel and outdoor recreation activities. The company offers motor homes, which are self-propelled mobile dwellings that provide living accommodations for approximately seven persons and include kitchen, dining, sleeping, and bath areas, as well as a lounge; and optional equipment accessories, such as generators, home theater systems, king-size beds, upholstery, and interior equipment. It manufactures motor homes constructed directly on medium- and heavy-duty truck chassis, which include engine and drivetrain components; and on van-type chassis onto which the motor home manufacturer constructs a living area with access to the driver's compartment under the Winnebago and Itasca brand names, as well as panel-type vans with sleeping, kitchen, and/or toilet facilities under the Era brand name. The company also produces original equipment manufacturing parts, including extruded aluminum and other component products for other manufacturers and commercial vehicles. Winnebago Industries markets its motor homes through independent dealers primarily in the United States and Canada. The company was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Forest City, Iowa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  The CEO of recreation vehicle (RV) stock Winnebago Industries, Inc (NYSE: WGO) recently appeared on CNBC to say that the economy is improving for RV makers, meaning its time to take a closer look at the stock plus take a look at the performance of other small cap RV stocks like Drew Industries, Inc (NYSE: DW), Skyline Corporation (NYSEMKT: SKY) and Thor Industries, Inc (NYSE: THO).

• [By Grace L. Williams]

  Recreational vehicle maker Winnebago Industries (WGO), which makes, you know, Winnebagos, is trucking today after reporting strong revenue and increased demand in its fourth quarter.

  AP

  For the period ended Aug. 31, Winnebago reported profit of $10.6 million, or 38 cents a share, down from $40.9 million, or $1.41 a share, a year earlier, while sales rose to $214.2 million in the quarter. Analysts polled by Thomson Reuters recently predicted earnings of 28 cents a share and sales of $206 million.

  Looking at the solid quarter and optimistic forecasts, Citigroup analyst Gregory Badishkanian raised estimates after noting several positive factors at the company including the current backlogs, which more than doubled, and dealer inventories, which were up 38%. He writes:

  The company highlighted two issues that appear to be diminishing: 1) towables division was dilutive for the year, but headed in the right direction with a breakeven quarter 2) shortage in Class A Gas chassis, though the issue should be resolved by mid-winter…

  Given strong margin and retail demand trends, we��e raising our 2014 and 2015 estimates by 26 cents each. We introduce our 2016 estimate of $ 1.60.

  Shares of Winnebago have gained 4.4% to $28.47 today at 3pm. Thor Industries (THO), which also makes recreational vehicles, has ticked up 0.1% to $57.56, Drew Industries (DW) has risen 0.3% to $48.74, Arctic Cat (ACAT) has advanced 1% to $59.87 and Polaris Industries (PII) has fallen 0.3% to $132.08.

• [By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Thursday’s session are Citigroup Inc.(C), GameStop Corp.(GME) and Winnebago Industries Inc.(WGO)

Top Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Ressources Minieres Radisson Inc (RDS)

Ressources Minieres Radisson Inc., formerly Radisson Mining Resources Inc., is in the process of exploring mining properties. The Company has portfolio of four properties, covering a total area of 2,946 hectares. Three of these properties are located in Quebec and one in Ontario. The Company owns a 100% interest in O��rien 576-hectare property. The Company also owns 100% interest in Kewagama 111.7-hectare property. The Company�� O��rien/Kewagama project is located in the Cadillac-Malartic area, within the Abitibi gold belt. It consists of 36 claims covering an area of 729 hectares. The O��rien/Kewagama project lies approximately five kilometer west of Agnico-Eagle�� Lapa gold mine, also centred on the Cadillac Break, and approximately four kilometer southwest of Agnico-Eagle�� Laronde mine, over 3,000 meters (10,000 feet) in depth. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Jubak]

  The latest news to make me wonder if the stock has hit a bottom came out in an interview that the CEO of Royal Dutch Shell (RDS) gave to the Financial Times yesterday, April 1. CEO Ben Van Beurden said that in an effort to make a profit in the company�� North American operations, the company had launched ��roject Mosaic��to cut costs in its North American shale operations, by sourcing more equipment from cheaper Asian suppliers.

Top 5 Machinery Companies To Watch In Right Now: Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings(LH)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as an independent clinical laboratory company in the United States. The company offers a range of testing services used by the medical profession in routine testing, patient diagnosis, and in the monitoring and treatment of disease, as well as specialty testing services. Its routine tests include blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid tests, Pap tests, HIV tests, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests. The company?s specialty tests and related services comprise viral load measurements, genotyping and phenotyping, and host genetic factors for managing and treating HIV infections; cytogenetic, molecular cytogenetic, biochemical, and molecular genetic tests for diagnostic genetics; oncology tests for diagnosing and monitoring certain cancers and treatments; clinical trials testing for pharmaceutical companies, which conducts clinical research trials on diag nostic assays; forensic identity testing used in criminal proceedings and parentage evaluation services, as well as testing services in reconstruction cases; allergy testing; and occupational testing for the detection of drug and alcohol abuse. Its customers include independent physicians and physician groups, hospitals, managed care organizations, governmental agencies, employers, pharmaceutical companies, and other independent clinical laboratories. The company operates a network of 51 primary laboratories and approximately 1,700 patient service centers. In addition, it delivers a co-branded electronic health records Lite solution for physician practices. The company works with university, hospital, and academic institutions, such as Duke University, The Johns Hopkins University, the University of Minnesota, and Yale University to license and commercialize new diagnostic tests. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Burlingto n, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Monica Wolfe]

  Over the past week Chris Davis (Trades, Portfolio) of Davis Selected Advisers added to his holdings in Laboratory Corporation of America (LH).� The guru upped his stake 21.11% by purchasing 1,666,957 shares of the company�� stock.� He bought these shares at an average price of $91.37 per share, and since then the price per share is up about 1% to $92.57 per share.

• [By Daniel Lauchheimer]

  EXAS began their pivotal DeeP-C trial earlier this year, with 10,000 patients enrolled around the USA. Success in this trial formed a pivotal fulcrum for EXAS -- success would mean commercialization, and revenue, but failure means, well failure. In April, EXAS submitted the final module of this trial, and it reported significantly worse results than expected causing the company to sink 40%. Additionally, as reported in a detailed five part series, Seeking Alpha Contributor Alpha Exposure reported on the inflated numbers both in terms of scientific research data and market projections -- yet another reason to give investors pause before they decide to invest in EXAS. Additionally, EXAS has not formed a meaningful partnership with other molecular diagnostic companies. True, it formed a partnership with LabCorp (LH), but this partnership doesn't focus on the heart of EXAS product (and thus provide it with a measure of validation), but on a commercialization post approval.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Leading and Lagging Sectors
  Healthcare sector moved up 0.39 percent, with Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KERX) moving up 15 percent to gain the top spot. Top gainers in the sector included China Biologic Products (NASDAQ: CBPO), with shares up 7.4 percent, and Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (NYSE: LH), with shares up 5.5 percent.

• [By Rich Smith]

  This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, our headlines include upgrades for both AMC Networks (NASDAQ: AMCX  ) and Bankrate (NYSE: RATE  ) , but a downgrade for LabCorp Holdings (NYSE: LH  ) . Let's dive right in.

Top Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Corinthian Colleges Inc (COCO)

Corinthian Colleges, Inc., incorporated on July 24, 1996, is a post-secondary education company in the United States and Canada. As of June 30, 2013, the Company had a student enrollment of 81,284 and operated 97 schools in 25 states, and 14 schools in the province of Ontario, Canada. It offers a variety of diploma programs and associate, bachelor's and master's degrees. The Company�� training program areas include healthcare, criminal justice, business, mechanical, trades, and information technology. The Company�� diploma curricula includes medical assisting, medical insurance billing and coding, massage therapy, dental assisting, pharmacy technician, medical administrative assisting, surgical technology, automotive and diesel technology, heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC), plumbing, electrical, and licensed practical nursing. Its core degree curriculum includes business administration, accounting, paralegal, criminal justice, medical assisting, and registered nursing.

Diploma programs are generally designed to have duration of approximately 8-12 months, depending on the course of study. Associate degree programs are generally designed to have duration of approximately 24-28 months, bachelor's degree programs are generally designed to have duration of approximately 48 months and master's degree programs are generally designed to have duration of approximately 21 months. As of June 30, 2013, approximately 39% of its students were enrolled in diploma programs, approximately 55% of students were enrolled in associate programs, approximately 5% of students were in bachelor's programs and approximately 1% of students were in master's programs.

The Company�� career services departments assist students in preparing resumes, help them to develop a professional demeanor and other soft skills that are important in the workplace, conduct practice interview sessions, and identify prospective employers for graduates. At the Company�� Everest locations in Florida, ! Phoenix, AZ, Mesa, AZ, Springfield, MO and Ontario Metro, CA, some of its associate degree programs also articulate into a bachelor's degree in the same course of study. Master's degrees are also offered at Everest Florida in business administration and criminal justice. As of June 30, 2013, 94 out of 111 schools were operating under the Everest brand, five schools were operating under the WyoTech brand, and 12 schools were operating under the Heald brand.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Corinthian Colleges (COCO) is tumbling today after California’s attorney general filed suit against the for-profit college for “false and predatory advertising,” among other charges.

  From the AG Kamala Harris’s press release:

  The complaint alleges that CCI intentionally targeted low-income, vulnerable Californians through deceptive and false advertisements and aggressive marketing campaigns that misrepresented job placement rates and school programs. CCI deployed these advertisements through persistent internet, telemarketing and television ad campaigns. The complaint further alleges that Corinthian executives knowingly misrepresented job placement rates to investors and accrediting agencies, which harmed students, investors and taxpayers.

  The AP notes that the charges are similar to those that were filed by now-governor Jerry Brown in 2007 and were settled for $6.5 million.

  Corinthian responded in an SEC filing:

  On October 10, 2013, Corinthian Colleges, Inc. (the ��ompany,����orinthian,����e,����s��or other similar terms) was notified of a civil complaint filed against the Company and several of its subsidiaries by the California Attorney General�� Office (the ��A AG��. As previously disclosed, we have been cooperating with an investigation initiated by the CA AG in December 2012, more than nine months ago. The Company was disappointed that it was not given advance notice of the complaint, and did not have the opportunity to discuss the allegations in the complaint with the CA AG before the complaint was filed.

  The Company is committed to regulatory compliance and has robust processes in place to correctly record and disclose the job placement information we receive from our graduates and their employers. The Company is proud of the career and technical education that our 15,000 employees provide to more than 80,000 students in the United States and Canada. The Company expect

• [By Kevin Chen]

  Corinthian Colleges (NASDAQ: COCO  ) has appointed former U.S. Secretary of Defense�Leon Panetta and former New Orleans Mayor Marc Morial to its board of directors.

• [By MARKETWATCH]

  SAN FRANCISCO (MarketWatch) -- S&P Dow Jones Indices said late Friday that J.C. Penney (JCP) would be leaving the S&P 500 (SPX) upon the close of trading Nov. 29 after its market cap no longer made it suitable for the large-cap index of stocks. It will be replaced by Allegion, a soon-to-be-public spinoff of Ingersoll-Rand (IR) , which will remain in the S&P 500. J. C. Penney will replace A茅ropostale Inc. (ARO) in the S&P MidCap 400, which in turn will replace Corinthian Colleges (COCO) in the S&P SmallCap 600. Even including an 18% recovery in price this month, J.C. Penney shares have dropped 55% this year, leaving it with a market cap of $2.7 billion. The lowest market cap stock on the index Friday was Abercrombie & Fitch (ANF) . J.C. Penney shares fell 1% after hours.

• [By GuruFocus]

  An example of her favorite: Corinthian Colleges (COCO). It is one of the largest for-profit colleges. Stocks have declined 80% during the past 3 years due to the regulatory change of the industry. Why she likes it?

Top Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Universal Display Corp (OLED)

Universal Display Corporation, incorporated on April, 24, 1985, is engaged in the research, development and commercialization of organic light emitting diode (OLED) technologies and materials for use in flat panel display, solid state lighting and other product applications. The Company�� primary business strategy is to develop and license its OLED technologies to product manufacturers for use in these applications. Its primary business is to develop and license its OLED technologies to manufacturers of products for display applications, such as cell phones, portable media devices, tablets, laptop computers and televisions, and specialty and general lighting products; and develop new OLED materials and sell the materials to those product manufacturers. The Company sells its OLED materials to customers for evaluation and use in commercial OLED products. As of December 31, 2012, the Company owns, exclusively license or have the sole right to sublicense more than 3,000 patents issued and pending worldwide. On July 23, 2012, the Company entered into a Patent Sale Agreement (the Agreement) with FUJIFILM. Under the Agreement, FUJIFILM sold more than 1,200 OLED related patents and patent applications.

Phosphorescent Organic Light Emitting Diode Technologies

Phosphorescent OLEDs utilize specialized materials and device structures that allow OLEDs to emit light through a process known as phosphorescence. Traditional fluorescent OLEDs emit light through an inherently less efficient process. Theory and experiment show that phosphorescent OLEDs exhibit device efficiencies up to four times higher than those exhibited by fluorescent OLEDs. Phosphorescence substantially reduces the power requirements of an OLED and is potentially useful in displays for hand-held devices, such as Smartphone��, where battery power is often a limiting factor. Phosphorescence is also important for area displays such as televisions, where higher device efficiency and lower heat generation may enable longer ! product lifetimes and increased energy efficiency.

Additional Proprietary Organic Light Emitting Diode Technologies

Additional OLED Technologies include FOLED Flexible OLEDs, Thin-Film Encapsulation, UniversalP2OLED Printable Phosphorescent OLEDs, OVJP Organic Vapor Jet Printing, OVPD Organic Vapor Phase Deposition and TOLED Transparent OLEDs. The Company is working on a number of technologies required for the fabrication of OLEDs on flexible substrates. As of December 31, 2012, it was conducting research and development on FOLED technologies internally, under several of its United States government programs and in connection with the government-sponsored Flexible Display Center at Arizona State University (ASU). The Company announced its, patented encapsulation technology for the packaging of flexible OLEDs and other thin-film devices, as well as for use as a barrier film for plastic substrates. Its approach for manufacturing a small molecule OLED, including a PHOLED, is based on a vacuum thermal evaporation (VTE) process.

The Company has partnered with Aixtron AG, which is a manufacturer of metal-organic chemical vapor deposition equipment, to develop and qualify equipment for the fabrication of OLED displays utilizing the OVPD process. It has developed a technology for the fabrication of OLEDs that have transparent cathodes. TOLEDs use a transparent cathode and either a transparent, reflective or opaque metal anode.

Organic Light Emitting Diode Materials Supply Business

The Company supplies its proprietary UniversalPHOLED materials to display manufacturers and others. The Company qualifies its materials in OLED devices before shipment in order to ensure that they meet required specifications. During 2012, the Company continued supplying its proprietary UniversalPHOLED materials to SDC for use in its commercial AMOLED display products and for its development efforts. During 2012, the Company also supplied its UniversalPHOLED materials to! LG Displ! ay for use in its commercial AMOLED display products, to Tohoku Pioneer for use in its commercial PMOLED display products, and Konica Minolta for its manufacture of commercial OLED lighting products. During 2012, the Company also supplied its proprietary OLED materials to these and various other product manufacturers for evaluation and for purposes of development, manufacturing qualification and product testing.

The Company competes with Eastman Kodak Company (Kodak), Cambridge Display Technology, Ltd. (CDT), Sumitomo Chemical Company (Sumitomo), Idemitsu Kosan Co., Ltd. (Idemitsu Kosan), Merck KGaA and BASF Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap display stock SGOCO Group Ltd (NASDAQ: SGOC) just sank 27.89% after reporting earnings, meaning its worth taking a closer look at it along with some other innovative display stocks like�Corning Incorporated (NYSE: GLW) and Universal Display Corporation (NASDAQ: OLED). After all, just about every new consumer gadget along with cars and even appliances are incorporating display technology. I should also mention that we have had Corning Incorporated in our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio since early December (we are up around 29.20%) as we believe the company is in the sweet spot for next generation flexible screens and mobile wearables.

• [By Steve Symington]

  If playing an integral role in millions of smartphone displays and (soon)�big-screen TVs weren't enough, the folks at Universal Display (NASDAQ: OLED  ) have fixed their eyes on aircraft interiors around the world.

Top Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Impac Mortgage Holdings Inc (IMH)

Impac Mortgage Holdings, Inc. (IMH), incorporated in August 1995, operations include the mortgage and real estate fee-based business activities conducted by its subsidiaries: Integrated Real Estate Service Corporation (IRES), IMH Assets Corp. (IMH Assets) and Impac Funding Corporation (IFC). The Company�� operations include the mortgage and real estate fee-based business activities conducted by IRES and the long-term mortgage portfolio (residual interests in securitizations reflected as net trust assets and liabilities in the consolidated balance sheets. The mortgage lending activities include the origination, funding, selling and servicing of loans. The Company is focusing on originating loans eligible for sale to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and government sponsored loans eligible for Ginnie Mae securities issuance.

Mortgage and real estate services

The Company created IRES to provide solutions to the mortgage and real estate markets. IRES performs services for investors, portfolio managers, servicers and individual borrowers, including mortgage lending services, portfolio monitoring and real estate services, surveillance and recovery services. The platform includes the mortgage lending operations, the portfolio loss mitigation and real estate services and formerly the title and escrow operations. The mortgage lending activities include the origination, funding, selling and servicing of loans. The Company is focusing on originating loans eligible for sale to Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and government sponsored loans eligible for Ginnie Mae securities issuance.

Master Servicing

In the ordinary course of business, the Company sells mortgage loans to the secondary market. The Company retains servicing on certain loans sold and earns servicing fees generally between 0.25% and 0.44% per annum of the monthly outstanding principal balance of the loans serviced. The Company has hired a nationally recognized residential sub-servicer to sub-service! the servicing portfolio. Although the Company uses a sub-servicer to provide primary servicing and certain default servicing functions, the Company's default management team, experienced in loss mitigation and real estate recovery, monitors and surveys the performance of the mortgage servicing portfolio. Incurring the cost of both a sub-servicer and an internal default management team reduces net servicing income, but it is an important investment used to minimize delinquencies and minimize repurchase risk. As of December 31, 2011, the total unpaid principal balance of mortgage loans serviced was $605.4 million.

Long-Term Mortgage Portfolio

The long-term mortgage portfolio consists of the residual interest in securitizations represented on the consolidated balance sheet as the difference between trust assets and trust liabilities. The long-term mortgage portfolio includes adjustable rate and fixed rate Alt-A single-family residential mortgages and commercial (primarily multifamily residential loans) mortgages that were acquired and originated by the Company. Alt-A mortgages are primarily first lien mortgages made to borrowers whose credit is within typical Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guidelines, but have loan characteristics that make them non-conforming under those guidelines. Commercial mortgages in the long-term mortgage portfolio are adjustable rate mortgages with initial fixed interest rate periods of two-, three-, five-, seven- and 10-years that subsequently convert to adjustable rate mortgages (hybrid ARMs).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another stock that insiders are active in here is Impac Mortgage (IMH), which offers residential mortgage services in the U.S. Insiders are buying this stock into big time weakness, since shares are off by 27.4% so far in 2013.

  Impac Mortgage has a market cap of $89 million and an enterprise value of $6.05 billion. This stock trades at a premium valuation, with a forward price-to-earnings of 124.10. This is not a cash-rich company, since the total cash position on its balance sheet is $14.15 million and its total debt is a whopping $5.98 billion.

  A beneficial owner just bought 77,863 shares, or about $782,000 worth of stock, at $10 to $10.05 per share.

  From a technical perspective, IMH is currently trending below both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bearish. This stock has been trending sideways in a consolidation pattern for the last month, with shares moving between $9.80 on the downside and $10.90 on the upside. A high-volume move above the upper-end of its sideways trading chart pattern soon could trigger a big breakout trade for shares of IMH.

   

  If you're bullish on IMH, then look for long-biased trades as long as this stock is trending above some key near-term support at $9.80 and then once it breaks out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $10.50 to $10.90 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 29,759 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then IMH will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $11.88 to $11.95. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give IMH a chance to tag $14.

Top Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Allegheny Technologies Incorporated (ATI)

Allegheny Technologies Incorporated engages in the production and sale of specialty metals worldwide. It operates in three segments: High Performance Metals, Flat-Rolled Products, and Engineered Products. The High Performance Metals segment provides various high performance alloys, including nickel- and cobalt-based alloys and super alloys; titanium and titanium-based alloys; zirconium and related alloys, such as hafnium and niobium; other specialty alloys primarily in long product forms of ingots, billets, bars, shapes and rectangles, rods, wires, and seamless tubes; and precision forgings and castings, and machined parts. The Flat-Rolled Products segment provides stainless steel, nickel-based alloys, super alloys, titanium and titanium-based alloys, and specialty alloys in various product forms comprising plates, sheets, engineered strips, and precision rolled strip products, as well as grain-oriented electrical steel sheets. The Engineered Products segment produces carb on alloy steel impression die forgings, and grey and ductile iron castings, as well as provides precision metal processing services, such as grinding, polishing, blasting, cutting, flattening, and ultrasonic testing. The company serves various markets, including aerospace and defense, oil and gas, chemical process, electrical energy, medical, automotive, construction and mining, food equipment and appliances, transportation, electronics, communication equipment, computers, and machine and cutting tools markets; and other markets requiring tools with hardness. Allegheny Technologies Incorporated sells its products through direct sales and independent representatives. The company was founded in 1960 and is based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]

  Allegheny Technologies Inc. (ATI) �shares rose 4%. The company, which makes products for the aerospace and petrochemical industries, last week declared a quarterly dividend of 18 cents a share. The dividend will be paid on March 26 to shareholders of record at the close of the business day on March 12.

• [By John Divine]

  Lastly, shares of materials company Allegheny Technologies (NYSE: ATI  ) slipped 3.1% for a third straight day of losses. The week's earlier data from China initiated the slump, as investors fear sluggish industrial production in the Far East will either spread to the West or limit demand in high-growth markets abroad. Credit Suisse also lowered its price target for the stock today, citing an increase in nickel supply.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Allegheny Technologies Incorporated�(ATI) has gained 9.7% to $31.41 after it said it would sell its tungsten business to Kennametal (KMT). Kennametal has risen 2% to $46.92.

• [By Tess Stynes]

  Allegheny Technologies Inc.(ATI) intends to close a Connecticut facility in 2014, a move the metal processor said will result in a $9.2 million charge to be recorded in the fourth quarter.

Top Trucking Companies To Own In Right Now: Intex Resources ASA (ITX)

Intex Resources ASA is a Norway-based mining and exploration company that focuses primarily on mineral and metal deposits. As of 31 December 2011, the Company�� project portfolio consisted of Mindoro Nickel in the Philippines, the Nordli molybdenum project in Norway, the Maniitsoqdiamond project in West Greenland, as well as several grassroots exploration projects. The Company focuses primarily on the Mindoro Nickel nickel-laterite deposit. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had a total of four wholly owned subsidiaries, namely Molynor AS, IceFire Diamonds AS, Intex Resources AS and Norex Resources AS. As of December 31, 2011, its largest shareholder was Lybica Holding B.V., which held 21.71% shares. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sarah Jones]

  Inditex SA (ITX) added 3.5 percent to 101.30 euros after reporting a 5.2 percent increase in first-quarter sales to 3.59 billion euros. The world�� biggest clothing retailer also forecast stable profitability even after first-quarter profit advanced at the slowest pace in four years.

How to Cool a Home (And Save the Planet While You're At It)

Keeping your home cool is easy when you blast your air conditioner all day. If you want to keep your home cool while saving the planet, though, you have to consider alternatives to reduce wastefulness. These tips can help you cool your home without burning a lot of excess energy.

Use Blinds to Block the Sun

Direct sunlight will make your home hotter. By keeping your blinds closed, you prevent those rays from coming inside. You'll get the best results from closing the blinds tightly with the opening facing up.

Who Else Wants To Learn How To Compost?

Use Ceiling Fans Properly

Most ceilings fans have summer and winter settings. The winter setting moves the blades clockwise to push cold air to the ceiling while pulling warm air down. During the summer, set your fan to move counter-clockwise. This will create a better breeze that cools the room and helps sweat evaporate so your body stays cooler.

Change Your Air Filter Once a Month

Air filters prevent debris from circulating through your home. If those filters get too dirty, they make it harder for your air conditioner to do its job. That means it stays on longer and uses more electricity. You can cut about one to two percent off your energy bill by replacing your filters once a month during the summer.

What Everybody Ought to Know About Sharing a Communal Garden

Use Solar Windows

You don't have to avoid solar panels just because you think they look ugly. Solar windows offer a new option that will help you cool your home without pulling more energy from the grid.

Solar windows create electricity from the sunlight that shines through them. You can then use the electricity to power your home.

Companies are working on a variety of solar window products, including those made for commercial and residential properties. If you don't want to purchase new windows for your home, you can get a clear solar window film that attaches to your window.

What Exactly is Precycling?

Use a Programmable Thermostat

A programmable thermostat makes it easy to keep your home comfortable without burning excess energy. For instance, you can program the thermostat to let the indoor temperature get warmer during the day while you're at work. An hour before you come home, the thermostat will adjust to a more pleasant temperature. You won't even notice that your AC isn't running all day. That could save you $65 to $100 by the end of summer.

Place Plants Strategically

Knowing where to place plants outside can lower the amount of energy you use by controlling the temperature inside your home.

If possible, plant deciduous trees on your home's west and south sides. Three strategically placed trees could help you save up to $250 a year.

You will also use less energy by plating shrubs that give your AC unit some shade. Those that operate in shaded areas use less energy cooling homes. Make sure the plants won't clog the unit when they drop their leaves in fall.

What other eco-friendly methods do you use to keep your home cool while protecting the environment?

Meritage Homes Pushed to the Brink by Bad Housing News (MHO, KBH, MTH)

Given the bad news regarding new-home sales unveiled  this morning, it's no real surprise that homebuilder stocks like KB Home (NYSE:KBH) and M/I Homes Inc. (NYSE:MHO) are struggling. KBH is down 2.8% as of the last look, while MHO shares are off 4.1%. None of the major homebuilder names are underwater as much as Meritage Homes Corp. (NYSE:MTH) is today, though, with its 8.6% drubbing. Already struggling, today's stumble from MTH may well jump-start a more serious selloff that the bulls have thus far been able to stave off.

First things first. The reason M/I Homes, Meritage Homes, and KB Home shares are getting hit so hard on Wednesday is largely because the Census Bureau reported this morning that new homes only sold at an annualized pace of 384,000 in March. That's the lowest reading seen since last July's reading of 373,000; the vast majority of the readings since then have been well above the 400 mark.

Truth be told, however, the last few months' worth of ALL the real estate and housing data had already left the likes of MTH, KBH, and MHO vulnerable to pullbacks. As the chart below shows, existing home sales have been falling since mid-2013, starts and permits have been slowing, as have home prices. While it's hyperbole to say the housing market is imploding, it wouldn't be out of line to say the very best days of the housing recovery are behind it.

So what is it that makes shares of Meritage Homes Corp. a riskier bet than M/I Homes or KB Home here? It's largely a technical one... MTH has been trending lower for a while, as evidenced by the fact that (1) the 200-day moving average line (green) is now pointed lower, and Meritage Homes shares are on the underside of that long-term line, and (2) with today's low of $38.70, MTH is knocking on the door of moving below a huge support level at $38.30 that was formed in August of last year.

To be clear, Meritage Homes Corp. really needs to close under that floor to really get past the point of no return. The bears have momentum on their side though, and one more stumble could do it here in the shadow of a waning housing market.

For more trading ideas and insights like these, be sure to sign up for the free SmallCap Network newsletter. You'll get stock picks, market calls, and more, every day. Here's what you've missed recently.

Frank Sands Picks Up RS Investment Management’s Drop

As conventional oil and gas reserves continue to dwindle in the U.S., the industry continues to increase the exploration and production of unconventional reserves. The trend is expected to deepen in response to a rising demand for fossil fuels by the North American market, as the consequences of the last economic crisis fade away and industrial activities return to normal.

In order for the exploration and production to remain environmentally safe, companies need to integrate technology developments, management practices and regulatory policies. Nonetheless, strategic planning by both companies and regulatory agencies will be key to unlocking potential growth. In this sense, Southwestern Energy (SWN) will be analyzed as a prospect long-term investment.

Solid Performance Backs Long-Term Investment

Frank Sands (Trades, Portfolio) purchased stock of Southwestern Energy since early on 2011. When looking at market performance, the timing was not the most appropriate, and the guru recognized better opportunities later. Hence, position increments repeated ever since throughout the following two years. The decision was confirmed as correct since performance during the first quarter of 2014 was above the market average. Most important, overall performance by the company during the last four years showed noticeable improvements.

For fiscal year 2013, Southwestern Energy reported gas and oil production of 656.8 billion cubic feet equivalent, up 16%, and total proved reserves of approximately 7.0 trillion cubic feet, up 74%, compared to 2012 levels. Also, adjusted net income was up 45%, or $703.9 million, or $2.00 per diluted share, and net cash provided by operating activities before changes in operating assets and liabilities reached $2.0 billion, up 24% compared to 2012 levels. Most important, the reserve replacement ratio climbed to 550%, including reserve revisions.

Backed by the successful performance registered for fiscal year 2013, Southwestern Energy announced the acquisition of approximately 312,000 net acres in northwest Colorado targeting crude oil, natural gas liquids and natural gas contained in the Niobrara formation from Quicksilver Resources (KWK) and SWEPI LP, a wholly owned subsidiary of Royal Dutch Shell (RDS.A) for approximately $180 million. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2014.

Preparing to Exploit Rumors

Analysts have recently raised the target price for Southwestern Energy as the company is expected to benefit from a favorable natural gas environment. Between Cowen and Co., Deutsche Bank, Sterne Agee, Sandford C. Bernstein, and Stifel Nicolaus target price averages slightly above the $50 mark. Additionally, Sandford C. Bernstein, Stifel Nicolaus, and ISI Group gave the stock a "Buy" rating. The remaining financial institutions — Zacks, Citigroup, and FBR Capital Markets — are less optimistic and settled on a "Neutral" rating.

Southwestern Energy's future prospects are backed by lower operating expenses and higher production, primarily at its Fayetteville shale operations. An important position is also held at the Marcellus shale and a new asset is under construction at New Ventures. While the hidden asset, expected to unleash growth catalysts is Brown Dense. Most important, the company is one of the largest producers of natural gas in the U.S., and is expected to spend approximately $705 million to drill 86 to 88 gross wells in Marcellus.

Currently, Southwestern Energy trades at 24.3 times its trailing earnings, and carries a 24% discount to the industry average. In addition, the company has a strong balance sheet with significant liquidity and financial flexibility. Most important, the recent strong performance allowed for a full recovery of revenues and net income, while at the same time recovering the high operating margin.

Given Frank Sands (Trades, Portfolio) behavior, a split 2:1 quarterly dividend payment, and below industry average debt, Southwestern is an interesting stock for a long-term investment. The stock is not cheap, but responsible management and solid growth, backed by strong finances, make the stock a great option for any investment.

Disclosure: Vanina Egea holds no position in any of the mentioned stocks.

About the author:Vanina EgeaA fundamental analyst at Lone Tree Analytics

Visit Vanina Egea's Website

Currently 5.00/512345 Rating: 5.0/5 (1 vote)

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Cost Pressures Aside, Businesses Upbeat About Economy

Paul Sancya/APBusinesses reported higher material costs in the first quarter. NEW YORK -- Rising costs for materials and labor appear to be pressuring businesses, according to a quarterly survey from the National Association of Business Economics. During the first quarter of the year, 31 percent of businesses surveyed reported higher material costs, more than double the 15 percent that saw costs rise in the previous survey. Additionally, 35 percent reported rising wages and salaries at their businesses in the past three months, up from 23 percent in January. Yet those who said they raised the prices they charge in the past three months remained unchanged at 20 percent, according to the latest NABE survey of 72 members, which was conducted between March 18 and April 1. "It appears that businesses were not able to pass on costs increases, resulting in increased pressure on margins," the survey findings said. The quarterly survey by NABE is intended to gauge business conditions at members' firms or industries. The April survey reflects first quarter results, as well as the near-term outlook. Despite the cost pressures, businesses seem more upbeat about the direction of the broader economy. The survey found that 80 percent said they expect the GDP to rise at least 2 percent over the next year. Nearly three-quarters also said they expect labor market conditions to improve, with unemployment easing to between 5 percent and 6 percent in the next one to three years. And over the next six months, 43 percent of respondents expect their firms to expand employment. Still, a majority expect wage growth to remain subdued, with growth of up to 3 percent over the next three years. The number of businesses that reported rising sales in the first quarter fell to 53 percent, down from 63 percent in the previous quarter. Jack Kleinhenz, president of NABE and chief economist at the National Retail Federation attributed the decline to "a very rough winter" in a statement. Capital spending rose for 38 percent of respondents, up from 28 percent in January. Meanwhile, those reporting rising profit margins during the period declined slightly to 32 percent, from 34 percent in the previous survey. Looking ahead to the coming quarter, 41 percent said they expect costs to increase up to 5 percent. Whether they'll be able to pass that on to customers is uncertain; 31 percent said they expect their businesses to raise prices. That's down from the 43 percent who said they planned to raise prices in January, but still an elevated level from most of last year.

It's Official: Bank of America Has the Worst Reputation in the Banking Industry

People hate Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) . And they do so with a vehemence typically reserved only for enemies of state.

Over the weekend, we published a surprisingly popular article about recent testimony from former employees of the bank -- I strongly encourage you to check it out and, if nothing else, browse through the comment section. The testimony alleged, among other things, that Bank of America systematically delayed and unjustly denied mortgage modifications under the 2009 Home Affordable Modification Program. As a result, thousands, if not tens of thousands, of people unnecessarily suffered the indignity of losing their homes to foreclosure.

Why would Bank of America do this? According to one of the former employees, "[supervisors] regularly told us that the more we delayed the HAMP modification process, the more fees Bank of America would collect." So there you have it. If you unjustly lost your home to foreclosure courtesy of the nation's second largest bank by assets, at least you can sleep easy knowing that it made money off your misery. Exorbitant executive salaries don't pay themselves, you know.

Hyperbole aside, given this type of behavior, it's no surprise that Bank of America isn't held in very high esteem by either its customers or the public at large. But just how much is its reputation suffering? According to a recent survey by American Banker, it has the worst reputation of every bank that the publication examined.

The following table reveals a partial list of the results. The second and third columns contain the "reputation scores" of the institutions, which are "based on answers to survey questions measuring trust, admiration and respect, good feeling and overall esteem for specific brands."

While this list contains scores for only 10 of the 30 institutions examined, I trust you can get a sense for how things panned out for Bank of America. And to be clear, it was also the worst-performing bank of the entire bunch, not just the 10 above. Not only did it score the worst in terms of its own customers, but its reputation among non-customers was leaps and bounds below the next-worst performer, Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) , which had a non-customer reputation score of 42.38 compared to Bank of America's 35.09.

One consolation here is that all of the too-big-to-fail banks settled at the bottom of the list. Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) , in particular, was held in only slightly better regard by its own clientele, with a second-worst customer score of 55.75. And JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) , while better, still found itself in the bottom third, with a markedly higher customer score, but one of the worst in the group in terms of how non-customers perceive it.

Regardless, the point here is that this is a problem for Bank of America. And I don't mean that it's a feel-good problem. Yes, it'd be nice for every company to treat the world and their customers in a friendlier manner, but let's be real: That just isn't going to happen. In this case, however, the overwhelming quantity of disdain heaped upon Bank of America is almost certainly having a substantive impact on its performance. And this is why it's time for the bank to get its act together.

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Rentrak Misses Where it Counts

Rentrak (Nasdaq: RENT  ) reported earnings on June 13. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q4), Rentrak beat expectations on revenues and missed expectations on earnings per share.

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

Gross margins dropped, operating margins grew, net margins increased.

Revenue details
Rentrak logged revenue of $28.5 million. The five analysts polled by S&P Capital IQ expected a top line of $27.6 million on the same basis. GAAP reported sales were 16% higher than the prior-year quarter's $24.6 million.

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

EPS details
EPS came in at -$0.06. The four earnings estimates compiled by S&P Capital IQ forecast $0.05 per share. Non-GAAP EPS were -$0.06 for Q4 versus -$0.17 per share for the prior-year quarter. GAAP EPS were -$0.17 for Q4 compared to -$0.41 per share for the prior-year quarter.

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

Margin details
For the quarter, gross margin was 42.9%, 470 basis points worse than the prior-year quarter. Operating margin was -4.8%, much better than the prior-year quarter. Net margin was -7.1%, much better than the prior-year quarter. (Margins calculated in GAAP terms.)

Looking ahead
Next quarter's average estimate for revenue is $27.3 million. On the bottom line, the average EPS estimate is $0.02.

Next year's average estimate for revenue is $119.7 million. The average EPS estimate is $0.31.

Investor sentiment
The stock has a one-star rating (out of five) at Motley Fool CAPS, with 43 members out of 59 rating the stock outperform, and 16 members rating it underperform. Among 22 CAPS All-Star picks (recommendations by the highest-ranked CAPS members), 16 give Rentrak a green thumbs-up, and six give it a red thumbs-down.

Of Wall Street recommendations tracked by S&P Capital IQ, the average opinion on Rentrak is outperform, with an average price target of $23.20.

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