Sunday, May 31, 2015

Abbott Laboratories Acquiring CFR Pharma for $3.3B (ABT)

On Friday morning it was announced that Abbott Labs (ABT) had made a definitive agreement to acquire CFR Pharmaceuticals, a Latin American pharmaceutical company.

The acquisition will more than double Abbott’s Latin American branded generics presence. Abbott Labs will be acquiring the holding company that owns 73% of CFR, and will conduct a public cash tender offer for the remaining shares of the company. If all publicly traded shares are bought, the deal will be worth $2.9 billion, plus the assumption of approximately $430 million in net debt. Abbott expects to add $900 million in sales in the first full year after acquisition, and expects double-digit sales growth in the years following.

Best Dow Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now

Abbott chairman and CEO Miles D. White had the following comments about the acquisition: “With its scale and leadership positions in the region, strong commercial and development organizations, well-respected leadership team and a trusted portfolio of recognized brands, CFR is one of the leading branded generic companies in Latin America. This acquisition will significantly enhance and broaden Abbott’s Latin American footprint, and is well aligned with our long-term strategy and commitment to fast-growing markets.”

For more on pharmaceutical companies, check out: How Much Dividend-Paying Drug Makers Spend on Research and Development

Abbott stock was inactive in pre-market trading. YTD, the stock is up 2.64%.

ABT Dividend Snapshot

As of Market Close on May 15, 2014


WMT dividend yield annual payout payout ratio dividend growth

Click here to see the complete history of ABT dividends.

Saturday, May 30, 2015

10 Best US Stocks For 2015

At moments like these, the best I can do is pull out my best Keanu Reeves impersonation: Whoah.

Associated Press

The promise of an easy Fed sure has investors excited. The Dow Jones Industrial Average gained 421.28 points, or 2.4%, to 17.778.15 today, while the S&P 500 rose 2.4% to 4,748.40. Every stock in the Dow finished up today, with Microsoft (MSFT) and International Business Machines (IBM) and Goldman Sachs (GS) leading the way. Perhaps more frightening: By my count, just 21 S&P 500 stocks finished in the red today, as Oracle (ORCL) and First Solar (FSLR) led the benchmark higher.

It’s not just today’s gains, though they are impressive. Consider the two days the S&P 500 just had: It gained 4.5%, with the market up at least 2% on both days. The latter hasn’t happened since April 8, 2002–back when I was a 29-year old day trader not having to compete with those high-frequency guys.

5 Best Transportation Stocks For 2016: EveryWare Global Inc (EVRY)

EveryWare Global, Inc., formerly ROI Acquisition Corp., incorporated on September 19, 2011, is the designer and seller of tabletop and food preparation products for the consumer and foodservice markets. The Company�� global platform allows the Company to market and distribute internationally its total portfolio of products, including flatware, dinnerware, crystal stemware, glassware, serveware, cutlery, buffetware, candle glass, floral glass, spirit bottles, kitchen tools and gadgets and kitchen accessories. On June 18, 2013, the Company acquired the George Wilkinson and Samuel Groves business units of Metalrax Housewares, a maker and provider of metal bakeware, cooking utensils and catering supplies.

The Company also licenses the trademarks and distributes the Stolzle, Schonwald, Strata and BuffetEuro branded products in its Consumer, Foodservice and International segments. The Company operates in the United States, Canada, Mexico, Latin America, Europe and Asia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By John Udovich]

    On Wednesday, small cap kitchen stock Everyware Global Inc (NASDAQ: EVRY) surged 52.94% after announcing an amendment to extend its forbearance agreement with lenders until July 15 that could give the company�time to find a long-term financing solution���meanings its worth taking as closer look at the stock along with potential peers Libbey Inc (NYSEMKT: LBY) and Lifetime Brands Inc (NASDAQ: LCUT).

10 Best US Stocks For 2015: Genworth Financial Inc (GNW)

Genworth Financial, Inc., a financial security company, provides insurance, wealth management, investment, and financial solutions in the United States and internationally. The company offers various insurance and fixed annuity products, including life and long-term care insurance products; payment protection insurance products for consumers primarily to meet specified payment obligations; and wealth management products, such as managed account programs with advisor support and financial planning services. It also provides mortgage insurance products and related services to insure prime-based, individually underwritten residential mortgage loans or flow mortgage insurance; and mortgage insurance on a structured or bulk basis, as well as offers services, analytical tools, and technology that enable lenders to operate and manage risk. In addition, the company provides institutional products consisting of funding agreements, funding agreements backing notes, and guaranteed in vestment contracts. Genworth Financial, Inc. distributes its products and services through financial intermediaries, advisors, independent distributors, affinity groups, and sales specialists. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James E. Brumley]

    Never let it be said I didn't follow up on my prior ideas and commentaries. In November of last year I said MGIC Investment Corp. (NYSE:MTG), Radian Group Inc. (NYSE:RDN), and Genworth Financial Inc. (NYSE:GNW) were budding bullish idea.

    For those of you with good memories, you'll likely know why that sounds a little bit "off." Though GNW, MTG, and RDN had all three been quite bullish that particular day as well as flashed bursts of bullishness in the days leading up to that November 1st look, the market was still more than a little pessimistic on on insurers like Radian Group, MGIC Investment, and Genworth Financial. I'm sure glad I was willing to go out on a limb. All three stocks have gone on to make big - and surprising - gains.

    So do I come here to pound my chest on RDN, GNW, and MTG? Nope - not at all. I'm chiming in again today to let you know if you got in on my advice, it's now time to lock in those gains and get out.

    Just so there's no confusion, I don't see any particular overbearing problems hanging over the industry's head. It's just that these stocks have outlived their usefulness and opportunity for us.

    Take MGIC Investment Corp. for instance. MTG has advances 340% since then, yet still isn't profitable on a net trailing basis. Positive earnings are sill in the cards. But, priced at 27.6 times 2014's projected income, the value argument is gone, as well as the technical one.

    Ditto for Genworth Financial and Radian Group Inc. Both stocks have posted huge gains over the past ten months, and while their forward-looking ratios are more attractive, after a 118% and 200% runup, respectively - given the back stories and timing - you have to believe the best-case scenario has already been priced into RDN and GNW shares.

    Just for the record, I would be more than willing to buy back into any and all of these names once we get a healthy pullback and start to see decent evidence of a bullish reversal. While we

  • [By Jon C. Ogg]

    Genworth Financial Inc. (NYSE: GNW) has not paid a dividend since 2008. That may soon be about to change if an analyst call from Monday turns out to be true. UBS raised the financial services firm up to Buy from Neutral, with a focus on the dividend and return of capital.

10 Best US Stocks For 2015: The Greenbrier Companies Inc (GBX)

The Greenbrier Companies, Inc. (Greenbrier), formerly Greenbrier Oregon, Inc., incorporated on October 24, 2005, are the designers, manufacturers and marketers of railroad freight car equipment in North America and Europe, a manufacturer and marketer of ocean-going marine barges in North America and a provider of wheel services, railcar refurbishment and parts, leasing and other services to the railroad and related transportation industries in North America. The Company operates in three business segments: Manufacturing; Wheel Services, Refurbishment & Parts; and Leasing & Services.

The Manufacturing segment, operating from facilities in the United States, Mexico and Poland, produces double-stack intermodal railcars, conventional railcars, tank cars and marine vessels.

The Wheel Services, Refurbishment & Parts segment performs wheel, axle and bearing servicing; railcar repair, refurbishment and maintenance activities; as well as production and reconditioning of a variety of parts for the railroad industry in North America. The Leasing & Services segment owns approximately 11,000 railcars and provides management services for approximately 219,000 railcars for railroads, shippers, carriers, institutional investors and other leasing and transportation companies in North America. The Company produces rail castings through an unconsolidated joint venture.

Manufacturing

The Manufacturing segment manufactures a broad array of railcar types in North America which includes railcar types other than coal cars. The primary products offered by the Company include Intermodal Railcars, Conventional Railcars, Tank Cars, European Railcar Manufacturing and Marine Vessel Fabrication. The Company manufactures a range of intermodal railcars. The important intermodal product is articulated double-stack railcar. The double-stack railcar is designed to transport containers stacked two-high on a single platform. The Company produces a range of boxcars, which are used in t! he transport of forest products, automotive, perishables, general merchandise and commodities. It also produces covered hopper cars for the grain, energy, sand and cement industries as well as gondolas for the steel and metals markets and various other conventional railcar types, including Auto-Max car.

The Company�� European manufacturing operation produces a variety of railcar (wagon) types, including a line of pressurized tank cars for liquid petroleum gas and ammonia and non-pressurized tank cars for light oil, chemicals and other products. It also produces flat cars, coil cars for the steel and metals market, coal cars for both the continental European and United Kingdom markets, gondolas, sliding wall cars and automobile transporter cars.

The Company�� Portland, manufacturing facility, located on a deep-water port on the Willamette River, includes marine vessel fabrication capabilities. It manufactures range of Jones Act ocean-going and river barges for transporting merchandise between ports within the U.S. including conventional deck barges, double-hull tank barges, railcar/deck barges, barges for aggregates and other heavy industrial products and dump barges. It focuses on the ocean-going vessels and coal carrying river barges although the facility has the capability to compete in other marine related products.

Wheel Services, Refurbishment and Parts.

Wheel Services, Railcar Repair, Refurbishment and Component Parts Manufacturing segment operates in the independent wheel services, repair, refurbishment and component parts networks in North America, operating in 39 locations. The wheel shops, operating in 12 locations, provide complete wheel services including reconditioning of wheels, axles and roller bearings in addition to new axle machining and finishing and axle downsizing. Its network of railcar repair and refurbishment shops, operating in 23 locations, performs heavy railcar repair and refurbishment, as well as routi! ne railca! r maintenance. It is engaged in the repair and refurbishment of railcars for third parties, as well as of its own leased and managed fleet. Its component parts facilities, operating in four locations, recondition railcar cushioning units, couplers, yokes, side frames, bolsters and various other parts. It also produces roofs, doors and associated parts for boxcars.

Leasing and Services

Leasing-The Company offers flexible financing programs including operating leases and by the mile leases to the customers . The Company leases are full service leases whereby the Company is responsible for maintenance and administration. Maintenance of the fleet is provided, in part, through its own facilities and engineering and technical staff.

Management Services- management services business offers a broad array of software and services that include railcar maintenance management, railcar accounting services, such as billing and revenue collection, car hire receivable and payable administration, total fleet management including railcar tracking using software, administration and railcar remarketing. The Company provide management services for a fleet of approximately 230,000 railcars for railroads, shippers, carriers, institutional investors and other leasing and transportation companies in North America.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Analysts are expecting Greenbrier Companies (NYSE: GBX) to have earned $0.74 per share on revenue of $571.07 million in the third quarter. Greenbrier shares rose 0.50% to $58.00 in after-hours trading.

  • [By Garrett Cook]

    Shares of The Greenbrier Companies (NYSE: GBX) got a boost, shooting up 10.93 percent to $64.02 after the company reported upbeat third-quarter earnings and lifted its full-year outlook.

  • [By Dan Caplinger]

    Finally, Greenbrier (NYSE: GBX  ) fell more than 4% after beating earnings estimates, but falling well short on overall sales. The railroad-services company said that deliveries fell 27% during the quarter, leading to a decline in revenue of nearly 8%. Perhaps, more importantly, Greenbrier shareholders seemed dissatisfied with the way the company has moved forward after rejecting a merger bid with American Railcar Industries (NASDAQ: ARII  ) that activist investor Carl Icahn had tried to broker. Even with expectations of better sales ahead and a cheap valuation, Greenbrier can't seem to inspire confidence among investors.

  • [By Maria Armental var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach]

    Greenbrier Cos.(GBX) said Thursday it received orders valued at more than $960 million to build 7,700 railcars for multiple customers.

    IHS Inc.(IHS) said its fiscal second-quarter profit jumped 29% as the market research provider continued to enjoy growth driven by acquisitions. The results easily topped analysts’ expectations.

10 Best US Stocks For 2015: Ryanair Holdings PLC (RYA)

Ryanair Holdings plc (Ryanair Holdings), is a holding company for Ryanair Limited (Ryanair). Ryanair operates a low-cost, scheduled-passenger airline serving short-haul, point-to-point routes between Ireland, the United Kingdom, Continental Europe, and Morocco. As of June 30, 2012, the Company offered approximately over 1,500 scheduled short-haul flights per day serving approximately 160 airports largely throughout Europe with an operating fleet of 294 aircraft flying approximately 1,500 routes. Ryanair sells seats on a one-way basis. The Company also holds a 29.8% interest in Aer Lingus Group plc. As of June 30, 2012, Ryanair�� operating fleet was composed of 294 Boeing 737-800 aircraft, each having 189 seats. Ryanair�� fleet totaled 294 Boeing 737-800s at March 31, 2012. As of June 30, 2012, Ryanair owned and operated four Boeing 737-800 full flight simulators for pilot training. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Inyoung Hwang]

    Ryanair Holdings Plc (RYA), the discount airline operator that�� the second-biggest stock in Ireland�� ISEQ index, declined 1.7 percent to 7.23 euros in Dublin. Kerry Group, a supplier of food ingredients, sank 1.4 percent to 45.24 euros.

10 Best US Stocks For 2015: Wesco Aircraft Holdings Inc (WAIR)

Wesco Aircraft Holdings, Inc., formerly Wesco Holdings, Inc., incorporated on July 21, 2006, a holding company for Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp. The Company is a distributor and provider of supply chain management services to the global aerospace industry. Its services range from traditional distribution to the management of supplier relationships, quality assurance, kitting, just-in-time (JIT), delivery and point-of-use inventory management. The Company operated principally in three geographic areas, North America, Europe and markets, such as Asia, Pacific Rim and the Middle East. Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp, its wholly owned, primary domestic operating subsidiary, Wesco Aircraft Europe, Ltd., its primary foreign operating subsidiary, and certain other foreign operating subsidiaries, in connection with the acquisition of 100% of the outstanding stock of Wesco Aircraft Hardware Corp., Wesco Aircraft Israel and the European entities of Flintbrook Ltd., Wesco Aircraft France and Wesco Aircraft Germany by Wesco Aircraft. In July 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of Interfast Inc. In March 2014, Wesco Aircraft Holdings Inc completed the acquisition of Haas Group Inc from certain investment funds affiliated with The Jordan Company, L.P.

Kitting involves the packaging of an entire bill of materials or a complete ship-set of parts, which reduces the amount of time workers spend retrieving parts from storage locations. Kits can be customized in varying configurations and sizes and can contain up to several hundred different parts. JIT supply chain management involves the delivery of parts on an as-needed basis to the point-of-use at a customer's manufacturing line. The Company supplies approximately 450,000 different stock keeping units (SKUs), including hardware, bearings, tools, electronic components and machined parts. During the fiscal year ended September 31, 2010 (fiscal 2010), sales of hardware represented 80% of its net sales, with highly engineered fasteners constituting 83% o! f that amount. The Company serves its customers under three types of arrangements: JIT contracts, which govern outsourced supply chain management services; long term agreements (LTAs), which set prices for specific parts; and ad hoc sales. JIT contracts and LTAs, together consists of approximately 63% of its fiscal 2010 net sales. The Company supplies products to approximately every Western aircraft in production, including the B-787, B-737, B-747, A-320, JSF and V-22.

Hardware

Sales of C class aerospace hardware represented approximately 80% of its fiscal 2010 product sales. Fasteners are its product category, consisting of approximately 83% of its hardware sales in fiscal 2010. Fasteners include a range of engineered aerospace parts that are designed to hold together two or more components, such as rivets (both blind and solid), bolts (including blind bolts), screws, nuts and washers. Many of these fasteners are designed for use in specific aircraft platforms and others can be used across multiple platforms.

Bearings

The Company offers aerospace bearings. Its product offering includes a variety of standard anti-friction products designed to both commercial and military aircraft specifications, such as airframe control bearings, rod ends, spherical bearings, ball bearing rod ends, roller bearings and bushings.

Electronic Components

The Company offers interconnect and electro-mechanical products, including connectors, relays, switches, circuit breakers and lighted products. The Company also offers value-added assembled products, including mil-circular and rack and panel connectors and illuminated push button switches. The Company maintains connector components in inventory, which allows the Company to respond to customer orders. In addition, its lighted switch assembly operation affords customers same day service, including engraving capabilities in multiple languages.

Machined Parts and Other

Machined par! ts are de! signed for a specific customer and are assigned original product manufacturers (OEM)-specific SKUs. The machined parts, the Company distributes include laser cut or stamped brackets, milled parts, shims, stampings, turned parts and welded assemblies made of materials ranging from high-grade steel or titanium to nickel based alloys. The Company stock a range of tools needed for the installation of its products, including air and hydraulic tools, as well as drill motors, and the Company also offers factory authorized maintenance and repair services for these tools. In addition to selling these tools, the Company also rents or leases these tools to its customers.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Victor Selva]

    The company has a current ratio of 16.25% which is higher than the one registered by Embraer S.A. (ERJ) and Wesco Aircraft Holdings Inc (WAIR), but lower than Huntington Ingalls Industries, Northrop Grumman Corp (NOC) and Boeing Co (BA). But for investors looking for a higher ROE, Lockheed Martin Corporation (LMT) could be the option.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Stallard sees KEYW Holding (KEYW) and Textron (TXT) potentially missing earnings, while Honeywell (HON),� Alliant Techsystems (ATK),�Lockheed Martin (LMT),�Raytheon (RTN) and�Wesco Aircraft (WAIR) could beat.

10 Best US Stocks For 2015: Sonoco Products Company(SON)

Sonoco Products Company provides industrial and consumer packaging products, and packaging services worldwide. It offers composite paperboard cans; paperboard packages; fiber cartridges; layered bottles and jars; laminated tubs, cups, and spools; consumer and institutional trays; and aluminum, steel, and peelable membrane easy-open closures, as well as flexible packaging, product design, tool design, fabrication, and manufacturing services. The company also produces paperboard tubes, cores, roll packaging, molded plugs, pallets, pallet components, concrete forms, rotary die boards, recycled paperboard, chipboard, tube board, lightweight corestock, boxboard, linerboard, corrugating medium, specialty grades, and recovered paper products; and steel, nailed wooden, plywood, recycled, and polyfiber reels, as well as recycles old corrugated container, paper, plastic, metal, and glass materials. In addition, it manufactures custom-printed glass covers and coasters; offers custom packing, fulfillment, and primary package filling services, as well as operates scalable service centers; contract packaging, co-packing, and fulfillment services; and temporary, semipermanent, and permanent point-of-purchase displays. Further, the company provides fabricated foam, corrugated paperboard, molded EPS and EPP, antistatic fabricated foam solutions, nesting and stacking trays, molded foam dunnage, totes and tote inserts, energy-absorbing and flotation components, and insulation components, as well as contract package testing service. Additionally, it offers insulated shippers, durable transport chests, gel packs, phase change materials, lab/pharma/diagnostic specimen transport, refrigerant materials, edge and corner protection, and temperature assurance solutions; high-visibility packaging and printed products; and blister packaging machines. The company, formerly known as Southern Novelty Company, was founded in 1899 and is based in Hartsville, South Carolina. Advisors' Opinion:

  • [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 Sonoco Products (NYSE: SON  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

10 Best US Stocks For 2015: Hutchinson Technology Inc (HTCH)

Hutchinson Technology Incorporated (HTI), incorporated on October 29, 1965, is a global technology manufacturer. The Company is a supplier of suspension assemblies for hard disk drives. The Company operates in two segments: the Disk Drive Components Division and the BioMeasurement Division. The Company manufactures suspension assemblies for all sizes and types of hard disk drives. Suspension assemblies are components of disk drives that hold the read/write heads in position above the spinning magnetic disks.

The Company categorize its products as either suspension assemblies or other revenue, which consists primarily of revenue outside of the disk drive industry for precision component manufacturing, tool design, tool build and metrology, suspension assembly components, reimbursement for disk drive industry-related engineering services and specific disk drive program capacity and biomeasurement products. During the year ended September 29, 2013, the Company shipped 404 million suspension assemblies of all types, supplying all manufacturers of disk drives and head-gimbal assemblers.

The Company competes with Nihon Hatsujo Kabusikigaisha, Magnecomp Precision Technology Public Company Limited, NAT Peripheral (H.K.) Co., Ltd., Nitto Denko Corporation and Dai Nippon Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Another under-$10 electronic component player that's starting to move within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Hutchinson Technology (HTCH), which is a technology manufacturer that creates value by developing solutions to critical customer problems. This stock has been on fire during 2013, with shares up a whopping 75%.

    If you take a look at the chart for Hutchinson Technology, you'll notice that this stock has been finding significant buying interest over the last two months, whenever it has pulled back to around $3.30 to $3.20 a share. This pattern could be signaling that shares of HTCH are forming a major bottoming chart pattern if those levels can hold as support. Shares of HTCH are now starting to flirt with its 50-day moving average at $3.56 a share. That move is starting to push the stock within range of triggering a big breakout trade above a key downtrend line.

    Market players should now look for long-biased trades in HTCH if it manages to break out above its 200-day moving average of $3.65 a share and then once it clears more overhead resistance levels at $3.89 to $4.13 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that registers near or above its three-month average volume of 392,134 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then HTCH will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $4.75 to $5.50 a share, or even $6 a share.

    Traders can look to buy HTCH off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support levels at $3.37 or at $3.17 a share. One can also buy HTCH off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Thursday, May 28, 2015

5 Best Penny Stocks For 2015

With an old year like this, who needs a new one?

The S&P 500 gained 29.6%, the biggest percentage gain since 1997, to close at 1843.36, a record. The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 26.5%, its biggest gain since 1995, to 16,576.66, also an all-time high.

Those gains came despite a wide range of issues that in the past might have shaken the market to its core. It was a year of government dysfunction as Republicans and Democrats battled over the debt ceiling and included a government shutdown; a year when the fear of a Fed taper shook emerging markets and yield-sensitive investments but the real thing came and went with nary a rumble; and a year when TK.

It’s a year that will be remembered as a time when hedge-fund titans did battle with companies–who can forget Carl Icahn calling for Apple (AAPL) to do something with its cash–and each other–William Ackman’s call to short Herbalife (HLF) countered by Icahn and George Soros–as well as admitting defeat–Ackman exiting JC Penny (JCP) when his strategy to turnaround the struggling retailer backfired.

Top Restaurant Companies For 2016: Luna Innovations Incorporated(LUNA)

Luna Innovations Incorporated engages in the research, development, and commercialization of technologies in the areas of sensing and instrumentation products, and health care products primarily in the United States. The company?s Product and Licensing segment offers test and measurement products to monitor the integrity of fiber optic network and sub-assemblies. This segment provides Optical Vector Analyzer platform, a device for single-measurement, all-parameter analysis of fiber optic components and assemblies up to 150 meters in length; Optical Backscatter Reflectometer, a sensitive diagnostic device, for data and telecommunications companies, and service providers who maintain their own fiber optic networks; and Phoenix laser, a MEMs-based external cavity laser, that offers low noise and precise tuning capability over the C-band. It also offers distributed sensing systems, which comprise multiple sensors whose input is integrated through a fiber optic network and soft ware to detect distributed strain, shape, and temperature; and tunable lasers. In addition, this segment provides health care products, including medical devices for minimally invasive diagnostics, surgery, and therapy; non-invasive monitoring and diagnosis medical devices consisting of emboli detection and classification QUANTIFIER, a non-invasive medical device, that uses quantitative ultrasound technology to count emboli in ex-vivo blood circuit; and nanomaterial-based medical products comprising Trimetasphere nanomaterials. The company?s Technology Development segment provides contract research services to universities, government entities, and corporations. Luna Innovations Incorporated offers its services to energy, telecommunications, life sciences, and defense industries .The company was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Roanoke, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Rich Smith]

    Shares of microcap fiber optic test and measurement sensor-maker Luna Innovations (NASDAQ: LUNA  ) surged as much as 85% in Monday trading before finally settling down to book a 41% gain for the day. The catalyst: The company announced that it had extended its multiyear agreement to develop and supply "high-speed shape-sensing technology" to robotic surgery giant Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG  ) for use in its da Vinci surgical robots.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Luna Innovations (NASDAQ: LUNA) jumped 95.45% to $2.58 as the company announced its plans to sell its shape-sensing technology to Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG).

  • [By John Udovich]

    Yesterday, Luna Innovations Incorporated (NASDAQ: LUNA), a rather unusual and innovative small cap stock,�soared some 23.26%���meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with its performance verses the performance of small cap benchmarks like the iShares Russell 2000 Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWM), the�iShares Russell 2000 Value Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWN) or the iShares Russell 2000 Growth Index ETF (NYSEARCA: IWO).

5 Best Penny Stocks For 2015: U.S. Global Investors Inc.(GROW)

U.S. Global Investors, Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm primarily provides its services to investment companies. It also provides its services to pooled investment vehicles. The firm manages mutual funds for its clients. It invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. The firm invests in value stocks to make its equity investments. It employs a fundamental and technical analysis with bottom-up and top-down analysis to make its investments. The firm typically invests in companies specializing in gold and natural resources. U.S. Global Investors, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is based in San Antonio, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Morgan Myrmo]

    One business that is ripe for takeover is U.S. Global Investors (GROW), a micro-cap asset manager based in San Antonio, Texas. The company specializes in the management of gold, mineral, resource and high-growth emerging market mutual funds. U.S. Global fund values have been hammered over the last five years as the current economic recovery has yet to reach commodities and emerging markets.

5 Best Penny Stocks For 2015: Hawaiian Holdings Inc.(HA)

Hawaiian Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiary, Hawaiian Airlines, Inc., engages in the scheduled air transportation of passengers and cargo. It offers daily service on transpacific routes between Hawaii and Los Angeles, Oakland, Sacramento, San Diego, San Francisco, and San Jose, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Phoenix, Arizona; Portland, Oregon; and Seattle, Washington, as well as daily service on its inter island routes among the four islands of the State of Hawaii. The company also provides scheduled service on its Pacific routes between Hawaii and Pago Pago, American Samoa; Papeete, Tahiti; Sydney, Australia; Manila, Philippines; Tokyo, Japan; and Seoul, South Korea, as well as other ad hoc charters. As of December 31, 2010, its fleet consisted of 15 Boeing 717-200 aircraft for its interisland routes; 18 Boeing 767-300; and 3 Airbus A330-200 aircrafts for its transpacific, Pacific, and charter routes. Hawaiian Holdings, Inc. was founded in 1929 and is headquartered in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Last week Hawaiian Airlines (HA) announced they will suspend service from Honolulu to Fukuoka after two years of unprofitable service. Hawaiian stated the market was not profitable. Delta recently started flying Honolulu-Fukuoka (and they have hedged the Yen at 80); both US airlines were operating about half full. As a result of Hawaiian leaving the market, we expect Delta’s load factors to improve. Delta has been slowly overlaying a lot of competitor capacity on the West Coast, especially to / from Seattle…

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    DeNardi also rates Alaska Air (ALK), Spirit Airlines (SAVE) and Allegiant Travel (ALGT) as Buys and Southwest, JetBlue Airways (JBLU) and Hawaiian Holdings (HA) as holds.

  • [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]

    Right now, lots of investors are betting against Hawaiian Holdings (NASDAQ: HA  ) , the parent of Hawaiian Airlines. That might seem like bad news for bulls (like me), but the story's not quite that simple.

  • [By Adam Levine-Weinberg]

    Earlier this month, Allegiant announced a new route that marks a significant shift in the company's philosophy. Beginning in late October, Allegiant will serve the busy Los Angeles-Honolulu route twice a week. This route is already served by all three major network carriers, as well as Hawaiian Airlines (NASDAQ: HA  ) , with each carrier offering multiple daily flights. What is Allegiant up to? More importantly, will it work?

5 Best Penny Stocks For 2015: Rowan Companies Inc.(RDC)

Rowan Companies, Inc. provides onshore and offshore oil and gas contract drilling services in the United States and internationally. The company offers its contract drilling services through its fleet of 28 self-elevating mobile offshore drilling platforms and 30 deep-well land drilling rigs. The company was founded in 1923 and is headquartered in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Offshore drillers like Ensco (ESV), Seadrill (SDRL) and Rowan (RDC) are sinking today, but shares of Transocean (RIG) have managed to stay afloat.

    AFP

    Transocean has gained 0.9% to $41.85 at 1:22 p.m. today, even as Ensco has fallen 1.3% to $50.89, Seadrill has plunged 3.1% to $34.87 and Rowan has dipped 0.8% to $30.89.

Top 10 US Companies To Own In Right Now

Top 10 US Companies To Own In Right Now: ONEOK Inc.(OKE)

ONEOK, Inc., a diversified energy company, operates as a natural gas distributor primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: ONEOK Partners, Distribution, and Energy Services. The ONEOK Partners segment engages in gathering, processing, fractionating, transporting, storing, and marketing natural gas and natural gas liquids (NGL) principally in the Mid-Continent and Rocky Mountain regions, which include Anadarko Basin of Oklahoma, Fort Worth Basin of Texas, Hugoton and Central Kansas Uplift Basins of Kansas, Williston Basin of Montana, and North Dakota and the Powder River Basin of Wyoming. This segment offers its services to oil and gas production companies; natural gas gathering and processing companies; petrochemical, refining, and NGL marketing companies; Local distribution companies (LDCs) and power generating companies; and natural gas marketing and NGL gathering companies, and propane distributors. The Distribution segment provides natural gas distribution services to residential, commercial, industrial, and transportation customers, as well as public authority customers, such as cities, governmental agencies, and schools in Oklahoma, Kansas, and Texas. The Energy Services segment delivers physical natural gas products and risk management services through its network of contracted transportation and storage capacity, and natural gas supply. This segment?s customers primarily comprise LDCs, electric utilities, and industrial end users. The company was founded in 1906 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By GuruFocus] ref="http://www.gurufocus.com/StockBuy.php?GuruName=Tom+Gayner">Tom Gayner initiated holdings in ONEOK, Inc.. His purchase prices were between $41.16 and $52.13, with an estimated average price of $46.98. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.1%. His holdings were 70,000 shares as of 06/30/2013.

    New Purchase: B! lackstone Group LP (BX)

    Tom Gayner initiated holdings in Blackstone Group LP. His purchase prices were between $19.1 and $23.45, with an estimated average price of $21.2. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.09%. His holdings were 116,900 shares as of 06/30/2013.

    New Purchase: BlackRock Inc (BLK)

    Tom Gayner initiated holdings in BlackRock Inc. His purchase prices were between $245.3 and $291.69, with an estimated average price of $267.9. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.08%. His holdings were 9,100 shares as of 06/30/2013.

    New Purchase: KKR & Co LP (KKR)

    Tom Gayner initiated hol dings in KKR & Co LP. His purchase prices were between $17.8 and $21.15, with an estimated average price of $19.85. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.08%. His holdings were 115,000 shares as of 06/30/2013.

    New Purchase: Eni SpA (E)

    Tom Gayner initiated holdings in Eni SpA. His purchase prices were between $40.39 and $48.96, with an estimated average price of $45.85. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.04%. His holdings were 30,000 shares as of 06/30/2013

    New Purchase: Ross Stores, Inc. (ROST)

    Tom Gayner initiated holdings in Ross Stores, Inc.. His purchase prices were between $59.26 and $66.5, with an estimated average price of $64.05. The impact to his portfolio due to this purchase was 0.04%. His holdings were 18,000 shares as of 06/30/2013.

    New Purchase: Carlyle Group LP (CG)

    Tom Gayner initiated holdings in Carlyle Group LP. His purchase prices were between $24.19 and $32.87, with an estimated a verage price of $29.5

  • [By John Divine]

    Lastly, shares of utilities company ONEOK (NYSE: OKE  ) shed 6.8% after Morgan Stanleydowngraded shares from overweight to equal weight, lowering its price target to $53 per share. The downgrade comes after an earnings report that showed a nearly 6% earnings spike as natural gas became more popular. So even as revenue! advanced! nearly 4%, the fact that the number was more than 7% below forecasts added downward pressure on the stock.

  • source from Top Stocks To Buy For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-10-us-companies-to-own-in-right-now-4.html

Wednesday, May 27, 2015

Tesla Motors: Profit Taking Time?

Yes, says Deutsche Bank’s Dan Galves, who downgraded Tesla Motors’ (TSLA) shares today.

Getty Images

Galves explains why he cut Tesla to Hold from Buy following yesterday’s earnings.

But we can no longer justify significant upside on a 12-month view. We lay out a case…that includes an optimistic scenario that Tesla gets to 450k units near the end of the decade at an EBIT margin of 15% (significantly higher than BMW, slightly below Porsche). This would drive about $19 of EPS. Even if Tesla were to get a 20x multiple at that time, the stock should trade at around $250 at the end of 2014 (20x 2019 EPS of $19, discounted back 3 years at 15%). In addition to the tight valuation, we believe the ramp in operating expenses, uncertainty around the giga-factory, uncertainty around distribution network needs to support higher volumes, and multiple competitor vehicles entering the market will make it difficult for investors to get a clear picture of the true late-decade earnings power/margin profile of the company. We'd look to get more constructive again on pullbacks or if the stock remains range-bound for an extended period.

Galves’ downgrade stands in contrast to analysts who were less bullish before today’s report and upgraded their price targets today.

Shares of Tesla have risen 9.5% to $212.10 at 2:44 p.m.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Best Forestry Stocks To Buy For 2015

Nucor (NUE) released impressive results for the second quarter. Nucor came up with a fantastic operational performance, outpacing analysts��estimates. The company managed to post good numbers on the board due to the improving construction market in the U.S., which led steel prices to increase. Nucor management is taking various initiatives to improve its operational performance. Let us take a closer look at Nucor�� strategies.

Increasing sales paint a positive picture

Nucor�� net sales increased by a good 13% to $5.29 billion, beating the analysts��estimates of $5.21 billion. In addition, Nucor reported net earnings of $147 million, a good improvement when compared to $85.1 million in the same quarter a year earlier. On the earnings front, the company posted EPS of $0.46 per share topping the guidance range of $0.35 to $0.40 per share.

Nucor is delighted to see better results in the second quarter, which also topped the results it posted in the first quarter. The company further sees better opportunities as it is seeing some positive traction in the market. Nucor looks well positioned, however, it did face certain challenges in the past in many of the products produced by its steel mills. Nucor has strong strategies for growth profitability. It is seeing bright spots in the non-residential construction. As the construction is accelerating, Nucor is seeing good demands for the steel in future.

Best Performing Stocks To Watch For 2016: Lufkin Industries Inc.(LUFK)

Lufkin Industries, Inc. manufactures and supplies oilfield and power transmission products for use in energy infrastructure and industrial applications. The company operates through two segments, Oil Field and Power Transmission. The Oil Field segment manufactures and services artificial lift products, including reciprocating rod lift equipment, including air-balanced, beam-balance, crank-balanced, Mark II Unitorque, and hydraulic units. It also transports and repairs pumping units; and refurbishes used pumping units. In addition, this segment designs, manufactures, installs, and services computer control equipment and analytical services for artificial lift equipment, as well as operates an iron foundry to produce castings for new pumping units. Further, the Oil Field segment provides gas lift, plunger lift, and completion equipment. The Power Transmission segment designs, manufactures, and services speed increasing and reducing gearboxes. It also manufactures capital spa res for customers in conjunction with the production of new gearboxes, as well as produces parts for after-market service. In addition, this segment provides on and off-site repair and service for its own products, and also those manufactured by other companies. Further, the Power Transmission segment is involved in analysis, design, and manufacture of precision, custom-engineered tilting-pad bearings and related components for high-speed turbo equipment operating in critical duty applications, as well as services, repairs, and upgrades turbo-expander process units for air and gas separation. The company markets its products and services primarily in the United States, Europe, Canada, Latin America, the Middle East, and north Africa. Lufkin Industries, Inc. was founded in 1902 and is based in Lufkin, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Reuters]

    Richard Drew/APA board overlooking the floor of the New York Stock Exchange shows an intraday number above 1,600 for the S&P 500 on Friday. A big gain in the job market lifted the stock market to a record high. NEW YORK -- The Dow and S&P 500 advanced to all-time closing highs on Friday, with major indexes jumping 1 percent after an unexpectedly strong April jobs report eased concerns about an economic slowdown. The S&P closed above 1,600 and the Dow briefly traded above 15,000 for the first time as stocks extended this year's rally. Bellwether companies, including Chevron Corp. (CVX), Boeing Co. (BA) and Johnson & Johnson (JNJ), reached 52-week highs. The Russell 2000 stock index of mid- and small cap companies also hit a record, confirming the broadness of the rally. About 70 percent of stocks on both the New York Stock Exchange and the Nasdaq ended in positive territory. Non-farm payrolls rose by 165,000 last month and the unemployment rate fell to 7.5 percent, a four-year low, from 7.6 percent, the government said. In addition, hiring was much stronger than previously thought in February and March. Investors welcomed the gains after weeks of disappointing data, including tepid manufacturing reports, that suggested the economic recovery was losing steam. "We were all wringing our hands over the past month but this alleviates fears about a sharp spring slowdown," said Brad Sorensen, director of market and sector analysis at Charles Schwab in Denver. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) was up 140.61 points, or 0.95 percent, at 14,972.19. The Standard & Poor's 500 Index (^GSPC) was up 16.63 points, or 1.04 percent, at 1,614.22. The Nasdaq Composite Index (COMPX) was up 38.01 points, or 1.14 percent, at 3,378.63. Both the Dow and S&P ended at all-time closing highs. For the week, the Dow rose 1.8, the S&P gained 2 percent and the Nasdaq rose 3 percent in its biggest weekly climb since the first week of the year. Sectors ti

  • [By Marc Courtenay]

    On April 8th, we learned that General Electric (GE) would be acquiring Lufkin Industries (LUFK). The deal is one of the three largest in the oilfield machinery and equipment industry during the past decade, and sets the stage for further acquisitions in this sector. Investors should start considering which companies might be next.

  • [By reports.droy]

    While GE has seen some organic growth in this line of business, acquisitions have been its key driver. Between 2010 and 2013, GE has spent over $11 billion on acquisitions linked to this industrial segment. The most notable of these was the deal to acquire Lufkin (LUFK) in 2013, for which the company paid a premium of 40%. By acquiring Lufkin, GE was able to acquire a specialized equipment provider for oil and gas wells, specifically those involved with artificial lift technology.

Best Forestry Stocks To Buy For 2015: Norfolk Souther Corporation(NSC)

Norfolk Southern Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in the rail transportation of raw materials, intermediate products, and finished goods primarily in the United States. The company transports coal products, such as coal, coke, and iron ore; automotive products, including finished vehicles and auto parts; chemicals products consisting of sulfur and related chemicals, petroleum products, chlorine and bleaching compounds, plastics, rubber, industrial chemicals, chemical wastes, and municipal wastes; metals and construction products comprising steel, aluminum products, machinery, scrap metals, cement, aggregates, bricks, and minerals; and paper, clay, and forest products, including lumber and wood products, pulp board and paper products, wood fibers, wood pulp, scrap paper, and clay. It also transports agriculture, consumer, and government products, such as soybeans, wheat, corn, fertilizer, animal and poultry feed, food oils, flour, beverages, canned goods, swee teners, consumer products, ethanol, and items for the military. In addition, it engages in the intermodal operations that include moving of shipments in trailers, the United States and international containers, and roadrailer equipment. Further, the company transports overseas freight through various Atlantic and Gulf Coast ports, as well as provides a range of logistics services; and operates passenger and commuter trains. Additionally, it involves in the acquisition, leasing, and management of coal, oil, gas, and minerals; the development of commercial real estate; telecommunications; and the leasing or sale of rail property and equipment. As of December 31, 2010, the company operated approximately 20,000 route miles in 22 states and the District of Columbia. The company was founded in 1883 and is based in Norfolk, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Johanna Bennett]

    Norfolk Southern (NSC), Toll Brothers (TOL) and J.C. Penney Co. (JCP) are just some of the stocks moving during today’s market action:�Here�� a rundown:

    Toll Brothers rose 3.3% to $33.29 after the home builder posted better-than-expected revenue for the quarter ended Oct. Sales surged 29% to $1.35 billion, lifted by strong demand in the home builder’s West Coast division to top the $1.31 billion expected by analysts. Leucadia National (LUK) has been among the worst performers of the S&P�� 85 financial stocks. Today, the shares gained 1.4% to $24.13 after Barron�� editor Andrew Bary referred to the company as �� Mini-Berkshire At a Bargain Price.��The stock has been hurt by low returns outside Jefferies, the investment bank it bought early y last year. Still, many of its other business arte valuable, including Berkadia, a 50/50 joint venture with Berkshire How about the real Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.B)? Warren Buffett’s holding company rose 0.75% to $144.68 after it posted Friday a drop in profit tied to an investment loss. Still, results overall beat expectations as the company�� railroad arm and other units continued to ride a rebounding U.S. economy. J.C. Penney dropped 5.6% to $7.38 after Barron�� writer Jack Hough warned readers that the troubled retailer may have set unrealistic financial goals. At its Oct. 8 analyst day, Penney set a goal of $1.2 billion in earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization, by 2017, or close to four times this year�� estimate. To get there, requires lifting sales at longstanding stores by 5.4% a year, boosting gross margins, and holding spending flat. Norfolk Southern surged 2.6% to $115.89 after Barron�� writer Robyn Goldwyn Blumenthal weighed in bullishly on the stock amid merger talks within the railroad industry. Talks have circulated of a deal between Canadian Pacific (CP) and CSX (CSX) but fell apart last week. On Friday, hedge fund manager Bill Ackerman specu
  • [By Teresa Rivas]

    Oglenski and Mori also cut their price target on Norfolk Southern (NSC) by $1 to $100, a reflection of their trimmed earnings forecasts, also related to their outlook for coal. They rate Norfolk Southern at Equal Weight.

  • [By Alex Planes]

    Investors love stocks that consistently beat the Street without getting ahead of their fundamentals and risking a meltdown. The best stocks offer sustainable market-beating gains, with robust and improving financial metrics that support strong price growth. Does Norfolk Southern (NYSE: NSC  ) fit the bill? Let's take a look at what its recent results tell us about its potential for future gains.

Best Forestry Stocks To Buy For 2015: Mobileye NV (MBLY)

Mobileye N.V., incorporated in 2001, designs and develops software and related technologies for camera-based advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS). The Company�� software algorithms and EyeQ system on a chip (SOC) perform detailed interpretations of the visual field in order to anticipate possible collisions with other vehicles, pedestrians, cyclists, animals, debris and other obstacles. Its products are also able to detect roadway markings such as lanes, road boundaries, barriers and similar items, as well as to identify and read traffic signs and traffic lights. The Company operates in two segments: the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) segment and the AM segment. The OEM segment supplies the software algorithms and EyeQ chip that are the core technology of the complete ADAS to the Tier 1 companies that are the system integrators for the automotive industry. In the AM segment, the Company sells a complete system, which includes its software algorithms and EyeQ chip, as well as the camera and other necessary components.

The complete system offers a variety of ADAS functions to end, including commercial fleet owners, fleet management system providers, new vehicle dealers and importers. Its software activity is divided into algorithms, which are the engines for extracting meaningful information from video; and application software. Its visual interpretation algorithms consist of road signs interpretation, object detection, range and time-to-contact (TTC) to targets, motion-based measurements, pattern recognition and lighting functions. Road signs interpretation consists of lane markings, curbs, road edge, barriers, and other information that allows high-level control systems to make sense of where the host car is located relative to the roadway. Object detection includes pattern recognition of vehicles, pedestrians and (large) animals for collision avoidance.

Motion-based measurements include the flow of pixels along a sequence of images due to camera motion provides! three-dimensional (3D) cues that are analyzed in many levels of the system. This analysis includes validation filters for object detection engines (vehicles, pedestrians, animals); separating moving objects from the background; detecting general (not model-based) objects; detecting debris (of at least 10 centimeters in height) from 50 meters away; reconstructing the road profile in order to detect bumps and potholes; generating a 3D map of the visual field using the principle of structure from motion, which is the process of estimating 3D structures from two dimensional (2D) image sequences, and which may be coupled with local motion signals, and fusing 3D and image pattern recognition to aid in scene interpretation, all of which will also support automated-driving functionality.

It has developed multiclass classifiers to enable traffic sign detection, traffic light detection and detection of other structures from the scene that are useful for supporting hands-free driving. Its adaptive high beam control (AHC) is enabled by a set of algorithms that read and interpret the spots of light in the night scene to determine when to turn on or off the high beam. Its aftermarket customers include commercial and governmental fleets, telematics providers and insurance companies. Its Tier 1 customers include Magna Electronics Inc., TRW Automotive Holdings Corp., Autoliv, Inc., Delphi Automotive Plc, Gentex Corporation, Kansei Corporation, Leopold Kostal GmbH and Mando Corporation as well as Bendix Corporation and Mobis Transportation Alternatives, Inc. working jointly with TRW.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Tesla has confirmed that it has begun shipping Model S vehicles equipped with camera safety systems to comply with European safety ratings, and press reports indicate that Mobileye (MBLY) may be the [advanced driver assistance systems, or] ADAS supplier. Moreover, Elon has already stated he plans to bring semi-autonomous driving capability to market by 2016.

  • [By Jake Mann]

    One such name that does intrigue me is that of Mobileye NV (NYSE: MBLY).

    ...Ever see the cars in the movie I Robot? Well this is Sci Fi starting to come to life in a way. Think about it, who would have thought GPS would be standard in cars back 10-15 years ago. Now we are starting to cross the threshold of letting the car do the driving for you more and more?

  • [By Tiernan Ray]

    And lastly, Model S will add what’s known as “semi-autonomous driver-assistance system,” or SADAS, which, he contends, will use cameras from sensor maker MobileEye (MBLY).

  • [By WWW.DAILYFINANCE.COM]

    Mark Lennihan/APJack Ma is the founder of Alibaba. There has been no shortage of debutantes on Wall Street lately. Dozens of companies went public last quarter -- many of them names you know, or that you will know soon. These some of the more intriguing initial public offerings to come out of this past quarter. El Pollo Loco (LOCO) Fast casual has been the place to be for investing in the restaurant industry, and that helped pave the way for this California-based chain specializing in citrus-marinated chicken to go public in July at $15 a share. Investors won't be impressed by its slow yet calculated expansion. It had grown from 398 locations to just 401 in the year leading up to its IPO. However, El Pollo Loco's store-level performance has been impressive. It posted a 5.4 percent increase in comparable-restaurant sales in its first quarter as a public company. That is certainly better than the average fast-food or casual-dining chain out there, once again validating the fast-casual model, where chains offer the convenience of fast food but the quality of traditional casual-dining restaurants. Mobileye (MBLY) The push to develop self-driving cars is really getting traction, a fact that became even more apparent last week when Tesla (TSLA) showed off an updated sedan that uses a dozen sensors to do everything from adjusting speed in accordance with speed limit signs when it's on cruise control to switching lanes automatically when the sensors see an opening in traffic after the driver triggers the turn signal. But clever sensors notwithstanding, self-driving cars won't happen without serious software, and that's where Mobileye comes in. The Israeli company provides software and chips for camera-based advanced driver assistance systems. This will likely become a competitive market in the future, but for now Mobileye is seen as a leading pioneer in self-driving vehicles. Its share price has roughly doubled since it went public at $25 just two months ago. Re

Best Forestry Stocks To Buy For 2015: Compuware Corporation(CPWR)

Compuware Corporation provides software and Web performance solutions, professional services, and application services in the United States, Europe, and Africa. The company?s software products consist of Mainframe, Vantage, Changepoint, and Uniface product lines. Its Mainframe product line includes File-AID, Xpediter, Hiperstation, Abend-AID, and Strobe used for application analysis, testing, defect detection and remediation, fault management, file and data management, data compliance, and application performance management in the IBM z/OS environment. The company?s Vantage products provide an end-to-end approach for managing application performance by combining end user experience monitoring, business service management, and application performance monitoring; Changepoint products are management and professional services automation solutions that address the needs of executives in technology companies, enterprise IT, and professional service organizations; and Uniface i s an application development environment for building, renewing, and integrating the enterprise applications. It also offers Web application performance management services, which are marketed under the Gomez brand name, are used by enterprises to test and monitor their Web and mobile applications while in development and after deployment. In addition, the company provides professional services, such as implementation, consulting, and training services, as well as various IT services for mainframe, distributed, and mobile environments; and application services, which are marketed under the Covisint brand name that offers SaaS platform providing industry-specific solutions for organizations in the automotive, healthcare, and energy markets, as well as provides support services. The company serves IT departments of various commercial and government organizations. Compuware Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Detroit, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [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 Compuware (Nasdaq: CPWR  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Compuware (Nasdaq: CPWR  ) reported earnings on May 21. Here are the numbers you need to know.

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

Best Forestry Stocks To Buy For 2015: New York Mortgage Trust Inc.(NYMT)

New York Mortgage Trust, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT) in the United States. The company engages in acquiring, investing, financing, and managing mortgage-related assets. It primarily invests in agency residential adjustable-rate, hybrid adjustable-rate, and fixed-rate mortgage-backed securities (RMBS); non-Agency RMBS; prime adjustable-rate residential mortgage loans held in securitization trusts; commercial mortgage-backed securities; commercial mortgage loans; and other commercial real estate-related debt investments. The company has elected to be taxed as a REIT and will not be subject to federal income tax if it distributes at least 90% of its REIT taxable income to its stockholders. New York Mortgage Trust, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Susan J. Aluise]

    LEN stock is only up about 3% in 2014, but it’s clearly a growth play. With a price-to-earnings-growth (PEG) ratio of just 0.6 and a forward P/E of a little more than�12, LEN stock looks undervalued now. LEN pays a nominal dividend with a 0.4% current yield, but the company knows its market and is positioning its new properties well, so LEN promises to be a solid buy-and-hold stock.

    REIT:�New York Mortgage�(NYMT)

    There are two basic types of REITs –�those that hold real property and those that hold mortgages on property (mortgage or mREITs). Among mREITs, New York Mortgage�(NYMT)�is a so-called ��ybrid mREIT�� meaning that it holds a combination of federally guaranteed (agency) and non-agency debt, like commercial mortgage-backed securities (CMBS).

  • [By Eric Volkman]

    Investors are being rewarded for putting their trust in New York Mortgage Trust (NASDAQ: NYMT  ) . The REIT has declared a common stock dividend for its current quarter of $0.27 per share, to be paid on July 25 to shareholders of record as of June 28. That amount matches each of the company's preceding four distributions, the most recent of which was doled out at the end of April. Before that, it paid $0.25 per share.

  • [By Lawrence Meyers]

    Next Page

    Preferred Stocks: New York Mortgage Trust (NYMT)

    Dividend Yield: 8.2%

    New York Mortgage Trust (NYMT) is a mortgage real estate investment trust, or mREIT, that acquires, invests in, finances and manages mortgage related securities. These mREITs are very much tied to interest rates, so while rates are low, the stocks will do well. NYMT common stock, in fact, yields more than 14%. Yet that�� why I would choose the New York Mortgage Trust 7.75% Preferred Series B (NYMTP).

Sunday, May 24, 2015

Yay or Nay? Boeing Machinists to Vote on Labor Contract

Boeing WashingtonElaine Thompson/APMachinists union members and supporters hold their right hands over their hearts as they recite the Pledge of Allegiance ahead of a rally Thursday in Seattle. SEATTLE -- Boeing machinists will decide Friday whether to accept a contract that would concede some pension and health care benefits to secure assembly of the company's new 777X airplane in Washington state. The offer has fractured the union and drawn unusual pleas from politicians who say the deal is necessary to support the Puget Sound region's economic future. Boeing (BA) has been exploring the prospect of building the 777X elsewhere, a move that could trigger a steady exodus of aerospace jobs from a region where Boeing was founded. Local union officials, meanwhile, are urging their 30,000 members to oppose the deal, arguing that the proposal surrenders too much at a time of company profitability. They have opposed taking a vote at all but were overruled by national leaders in the machinists union. Voting will to take place from 5 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday. Results are expected to be announced later in the night. Washington state has always been the most natural place for Chicago-based Boeing to build the 777X, since most of the company's production is still done in the Puget Sound area. Boeing has offered to keep the 777X in the region but sought two big deals: An extension of tax breaks all the way to 2040 and a new contract with the Machinists union that would transition workers away from traditional pensions. In November, state lawmakers swiftly approved the tax benefits -- valued at some $9 billion -- but the Machinists rejected a proposed contract shortly afterward. After the initial contract rejection, Boeing immediately began soliciting bids from other states. The company said it received submissions for 54 locations in 22 states. Boeing has improved its offer since the last vote by machinists. An initial plan to slow the rate that workers move up the pay scale was tossed while the company also offered an additional $5,000 signing bonus and improved dental coverage. Opponents of the contract oppose the idea of freezing the pension and moving workers to a defined-contribution savings plan. They also decry increased health care expenses and slower wage growth. However, some machinists would likely see their base salaries rise above $100,000 if the deal passes. Boeing Co. began offering the 777X in May, and company officials have said they need to move swiftly to decide where the plane will be built. Production of Boeing's 777X would likely bring thousands of well-paying jobs to whatever region wins the work. The plane is a new iteration of its strong-selling 777, and the company recently received orders for 225 new 777X planes from three airlines at the Dubai Airshow. Boeing has said the 777X is expected to carry as many as 400 passengers and be more fuel efficient than the current 777.

Hot Machinery Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Top Growth Stocks To Invest In 2015

Air Products & Chemicals (NYSE: APD  ) is a selection for the real-money Inflation-Protected Income Growth portfolio. Like any investment, it needs to be reviewed from time to time to see if it's still worth owning. In the brief video below, portfolio manager Chuck Saletta reviews its valuation, balance sheet, and dividends, and decides whether to hold on to the stock or let it go.

To follow the iPIG portfolio as buy and sell decisions are made, watch Chuck's article feed by clicking here. To join The Motley Fool's free discussion board dedicated to the iPIG portfolio, simply click here. For more information on the Graham Equation used for the valuation estimates, see the article at this link.

For more great dividend-oriented investments
If you're on the lookout for stocks that reliably pay you to own them, The Motley Fool has compiled a special free report outlining our nine top dependable dividend-paying stocks. It's called "Secure Your Future With 9 Rock-Solid Dividend Stocks." You can access your copy today at no cost! Just click here.

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Watch For 2016: Buffalo Wild Wings Inc.(BWLD)

Buffalo Wild Wings, Inc. engages in the ownership, operation, and franchise of restaurants in the United States. The company provides quick casual and casual dining services, as well as serves bottled beers, wines, and liquor. As of July 26, 2011, it had 773 Buffalo Wild Wings locations in 45 states in the United States, as well as in Canada. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Anh HOANG]

    Chipotle Mexican Grill (NYSE: CMG  ) has long been considered the fastest-growing quick-service restaurant chain on the market. Chipotle has risen from $49 per share in 2009 to $517 per share at the time of writing. Because of its high-growth status, Chipotle's stock demands a high valuation--at $517 per share, Chipotle is valued at 40 times its forward earnings. Chipotle's valuation is higher than those of its peers�Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD  ) and Yum! Brands (NYSE: YUM  ) , which have forward earnings valuations of 30.5 and 20.1, respectively.

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Analysts at Baird upgraded Buffalo Wild Wings (NASDAQ: BWLD) to Outperform from Neutral with a price target raised to $180 from a previous $160. Shares gained 13.35 percent, closing at $151.68.

  • [By kcpl]

    However, there are a few restaurants who have managed to brave the headwinds and have come out as winners. Some of these are Buffalo Wild Wings (BWLD), Sonic (SONC), and Domino's Pizza (DPZ) -- which have bucked the industry trend.

Top Growth Stocks To Invest In 2015: Eastern Insurance Holdings Inc.(EIHI)

Eastern Insurance Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides workers compensation insurance and reinsurance products in the United States. The company?s Workers Compensation Insurance segment provides traditional workers compensation insurance coverage products, including guaranteed cost policies, policyholder dividend policies, retrospectively-rated policies, deductible policies, and alternative market products to employers. This segment distributes its workers? compensation products and services through its independent insurance agents primarily in Pennsylvania, Delaware, North Carolina, Maryland, Indiana, and Virginia. Its Segregated Portfolio Cell Reinsurance segment offers alternative market workers compensation solutions comprising program design, fronting, claims administration, risk management, segregated portfolio cell rental, asset management, and segregated portfolio management services to individual companies, groups, and associations. Eastern Insurance Holdings, Inc. is headquartered in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    ProAssurance Corp.(PRA) agreed to acquire Eastern Insurance Holdings Inc.(EIHI) for about $205 million, expanding the insurance company’s casualty insurance offerings. Eastern Insurance is a domestic casualty insurance group specializing in workers’ compensation products and services, among other things. ProAssurance plans to pay $24.50 in cash for each outstanding Eastern share, a 16% premium over Monday’s closing price.

Top Growth Stocks To Invest In 2015: Nordstrom Inc.(JWN)

Nordstrom, Inc., a fashion specialty retailer, offers apparel, shoes, cosmetics, and accessories for women, men, and children in the United States. It offers a selection of brand name and private label merchandise. The company sells its products through various channels, including Nordstrom full-line stores, off-price Nordstrom Rack stores, Jeffrey? boutiques, treasure & bond, and Last Chance clearance stores; and its online store, nordstrom.com, as well as through catalog. Nordstrom also provides a private label card, two Nordstrom VISA credit cards, and a debit card for Nordstrom purchases. The company?s credit and debit cards feature a shopping-based loyalty program. As of September 30, 2011, it operated 222 stores, including 117 full-line stores, 101 Nordstrom Racks, 2 Jeffrey boutiques, 1 treasure & bond store, and 1 clearance store in 30 states. The company was founded in 1901 and is based in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Shares of Dillard’s have dropped 1.4% to $89.99 at 3:13 p.m., while Macy���(M) has dropped 0.6% to $57.33,�Sears Holdings�(SHLD) has fallen 2.7% to $44.61 and Nordstrom�(JWN) has has dipped $61.59. JC Penney is little changed at $8.29.

  • [By Monica Gerson]

    Nordstrom (NYSE: JWN) shares jumped 10.75% to $68.10 in pre-market trading as the company reported upbeat first-quarter results. Nordstrom posted a quarterly profit of $0.72 per share on revenue of $2.93 billion. However, analysts were expecting a profit of $0.68 per share on revenue of $2.86 billion. Analysts at Credit Suisse upgraded Nordstrom from Neutral to Outperform.

Top Growth Stocks To Invest In 2015: Checkpoint Systms Inc.(CKP)

Checkpoint Systems, Inc. manufactures and markets identification, tracking, security, and merchandising solutions for the retail and apparel industry worldwide. The company operates in three segments: Shrink Management Solutions, Apparel Labeling Solutions, and Retail Merchandising Solutions. The Shrink Management Solutions segment provides shrink management and merchandise visibility solutions. It offers electronic article surveillance systems, such as EVOLVE, a suite of RF and RFID-enabled products that act as a deterrent to prevent merchandise theft in retail stores; and electronic article surveillance consumables, including EAS-RF and EAS-EM labels that work in combination with EAS systems to reduce merchandise theft in retail stores. This segment also provides keepers, spider wraps, bottle security, and hard tags, as well as Showsafe, a line alarm system for protecting display merchandise. In addition, it offers physical and electronic store monitoring solutions, incl uding fire alarms, intrusion alarms, and digital video recording systems for retail environments; and RFID tags and labels. The Apparel Labeling Solutions segment provides apparel labeling solutions to apparel retailers, brand owners, and manufacturers. It has Web-enabled apparel labeling solutions platform and network of 28 service bureaus located in 22 countries that supplies customers with customized apparel tags and labels. The Retail Merchandising Solutions segment offers hand-held label applicators and tags, promotional displays, and queuing systems. The company serves retailers in the supermarket, drug store, hypermarket, and mass merchandiser markets through direct distribution and reseller channels. Checkpoint Systems was founded in 1969 and is based in Thorofare, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By ovenerio]

    But the firm must continue working hard because growth remains below management's expectations from a few years ago. Competition includes Checkpoint Systems, Inc. (CKP), R-pac International Corporation, and SML Group Limited.

  • [By Lisa Levin]

    Checkpoint Systems (NYSE: CKP) surged 17.73% to $14.21. The volume of Checkpoint Systems shares traded was 525% higher than normal. Checkpoint announced its intent to extend the filing date of its annual report.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap Checkpoint Systems, Inc (NYSE: CKP) fights shoplifting or retail theft and other forms of�"shrink��that costs retailers over $112 billion worldwide last year (according to a study funded by the company), meaning it might be an interesting stock to take a closer look at and to compare its performance with that of SPDR S&P Retail ETF (NYSEARCA: XRT) and PowerShares Dynamic Retail ETF (NYSEARCA: PMR). Just how bad can shoplifting or shrink be for a retailer? Troubled retailer J.C. Penney Company, Inc (NYSE: JCP) has just reported that shoplifting took a full percentage point off the department store chain's profit margins during the quarter. Moreover and given that tens of millions of Americans are now facing higher health insurance costs thanks to Obamacare (which will likely impact consumer discretionary spending),�retailers�will need to find ways to shore up their margins and bottom lines by preventing�retail theft with solutions from company�� like Checkpoint Systems.

  • [By Rich Smith]

    Three months after settling upon a new chief executive officer, it looks like Thorofare, N. J.-based Checkpoint Systems (NYSE: CKP  ) will soon have itself a new CFO as well.

Thursday, May 21, 2015

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Invest In Right Now

Gilead Sciences (GILD) can't do anything offbase. Not only has the biotech's hepatitis C treatment Sovaldi turned into a multibillion-dollar sedate short of a year into its release, but also Gilead got two bits of uplifting news today in the proclamations of a positive result from a lawsuit and scope of Sovaldi by the U.K.'s NICE.

Gilead stated that a discretion board managed its support in a lawsuit Roche recorded against the organization. Roche guaranteed rights to Sovaldi as a feature of its 2004 coordinated effort with Pharmasset, which Gilead accordingly bought. The decade-old arrangement approved the European pharma monster to permit Pharmasset's "PSI-6130 and its prodrugs."

Roche asserted Sovaldi was a prodrug, a term that portrays medicates that break down into the dynamic medication once inside the patient ��for this situation, breaking down into PSI-6130. Prodrugs can at times cover symptoms on the grounds that they're latent until they break down, so it boded well for Roche to request prodrug subsidiaries and the principle compound.

Hot Trucking Stocks To Buy For 2016: Chromadex Corp (CDXC)

Chromadex Corporation, incorporated on June 19, 2008, is a provider of research and quality-control products and services to the natural products industry. The Company�� products are used by customers worldwide in the dietary supplement, food and beverage, cosmetic and pharmaceutical industries. The Company together with its subsidiaries supplies phytochemical reference standards, which are small quantities of plant-based compounds used to research an array of potential attributes, and reference materials, related contract services, technical consulting and ingredients. On December 3, 2012, ChromaDex Inc. acquired Spherix Consulting Inc. The Company�� principal subsidiaries include ChromaDex, Inc., Chromadex Analytics, Inc. and Spherix Consulting, Inc (Spherix).

The Company provides its clients in the food, supplement and pharmaceutical industries with solutions to manage potential health and regulatory risks. Its science-based solutions are for both new and existing products that may be subject to product liability and/or exposed to changing scientific standards or public perceptions; literature evaluations, and design and assessment of pre-clinical and clinical safety testing. It specializes in regulatory submissions for food and dietary supplement ingredients. For its clients involved in drug development within the pharmaceutical industry, the Company provides similar services, as well as risk-based strategies, including intellectual property data and compliance gap identification, due diligence assessments and investigational new drug writing.

Products and Services

The Company offers bulk raw materials for inclusion in dietary supplements, food, beverage and cosmetic products. Through its catalog, it supplies a range of products necessary to conduct quality control of raw materials and consumer products. The Company through Chromadex Analytics, provides a range of contract services ranging from routine contract analysis for the production of dietary sup! plements, cosmetics, foods and other natural products to elaborate contract research for clients in these industries. The Company provides a range of consulting services in the areas of regulatory support, new ingredient or product development, risk management and litigation support. With an addition of Spherix, it provides regulatory approval and scientific advisory services.

The Company competes with Sigma-Aldrich, Phytolab, US Pharmacopoeia, Extrasynthese, Covance, Eurofins, and Silliker Canada Co.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Peter Graham]

    Small cap stocks Chromadex Corp (OTCMKTS: CDXC) and 22nd Century Group Inc (OTCBB: XXII) are, one way or the other, focused on natural products and have been getting some extra attention lately. Moreover, one of these stocks have been the subject of a disclosed investor awareness campaign. Keeping that in mind, are these two small cap stocks natural winners for investors? Here is a quick look:

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Alcobra Ltd (ADHD)

Alcobra Ltd is an Israel-based Biopharmaceutical company. It focuses on the development and commercialization of a proprietary drug, MG01CI, to treat Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), a common and morbid neuropsychiatric condition in children and adults. Adult ADHD is associated with increased health risks and healthcare costs, higher divorce rates, lower levels of socioeconomic attainment, lower academic achievement, unemployment and work place deficits, increased risks for motor vehicle accidents, greater likelihood of additional psychiatric disorders, increased criminal activity and incarceration, and higher rates of substance use and abuse. MG01CI product has completed phase two studies. Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By MONEYMORNING.COM]

    For example, a phase 3 clinical trial on metadoxine extended release as a treatment for adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) will be finishing up at the end of this year. Positive data could give the stock a huge boost.

  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    A biopharmaceutical stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Alcobra (ADHD), which is engaged in the development and commercialization of its proprietary drug, MG01CI, to treat attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. This stock has been on fire so far in 2013, with shares up huge by 126%.

    If you take a look at the chart for Alcobra, you'll notice that this stock has been trending sideways and consolidating over the last month and change, with shares moving between $14.78 on the downside and $18.75 on the upside. Shares of ADHD have now started to uptrend a bit over the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $15.05 to its recent high of $18.45 share. That move has started to push shares of ADHD within range of triggering a big breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ADHD if it manages to break out above its 50-day moving average of $17.79 a share, and then once it takes out some more key overhead resistance levels at $18.45 to $18.75 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 action of 74,869 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ADHD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $22 to $24 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give ADHD a chance to re-test or possibly take out its all-time high at $26.96 a share.

    Traders can look to buy ADHD off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some near-term support levels at $16.17 to $15.05 a share, or around $14.78 a share. One could also buy ADHD off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc (CNAT)

Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc., incorporated on July 13, 2005, is a biotechnology company focused on the development and commercialization of medicines to treat liver disease. The Company is developing its lead compound, emricasan, for the treatment of patients in orphan populations with chronic liver disease and acute exacerbations of chronic liver disease. The Company has designed a clinical program to demonstrate the therapeutic benefit of emricasan across the spectrum of fibrotic liver disease. The Company�� initial development strategy targets indications for emricasan with high unmet clinical need in orphan patient populations, such as patients with acute-on-chronic liver failure (ACLF), chronic liver failure (CLF), and patients who have developed liver fibrosis post-orthotopic liver transplant due to Hepatitis C virus infection (HCV-POLT).

The Company has completed two placebo-controlled Phase II trials in patients with liver disease showing reductions in ALT levels that occur rapidly, within as little as one day after initiation of therapy, and are maintained throughout the treatment period. In the Company�� 204-patient Phase 2b trial, it also measured cCK18, an important biomarker of apoptosis and disease severity. Emricasan has been generally well-tolerated in all of the clinical studies. As of July 23, 2013, the Company had not generated any revenue.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Lauren Pollock]

    Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc.'s(CNAT) shares jumped 26% to $7.75 premarket after the biotechnology firm said its treatment for chronic liver disease has been granted a status that could mean quicker approval.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Recent IPO�FibroGen Inc (NASDAQ: FGEN) surged 22.96% today, reportedly after the journal Hepatology published the results of a workshop between the FDA and the American Association for the Study of Liver Disease (AASLD) which laid out criteria for a phase three study of a treatment for non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH)���meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of potential small cap or mid cap liver disease stock peers like Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: CNAT), Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ICPT) and Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp (NASDAQ: RPTP) which rose 24.35%, 10.98% and 2.02%, respectively. According to Investors Business Daily, NASH (the more serious version of fatty liver disease) is potentially an enormous market with about 6 million�US patients but the�lack of previous treatments had left it unclear how the FDA would measure success against the disease while FibroGen Inc doesn't yet have a NASH human trial in the works, it has said it hopes to start one for its lead candidate FG-3019 (its in mid-stage trials for pulmonary fibrosis and liver fibrosis due to hepatitis B infection).

  • [By John Udovich]

    While Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ICPT) surged earlier this year and Achillion Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: ACHN) has surged this week after Merck & Co. Inc (NYSE: MRK) agreed to purchase hepatitis stock�Idenix Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IDIX) at a 239% premium, it seems the herd has realized that small cap Conatus Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: CNAT) is also a liver disease stock as shares suddenly surged 56.69% on no apparent company news. But just what is�Conatus Pharmaceuticals and is it worth taking a chance on?

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Gilead Sciences Inc.(GILD)

Gilead Sciences, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics for the treatment of life threatening diseases worldwide. Its products include Atripla, Truvada, Viread, Emtriva for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus infection in adults; Hepsera, an oral formulation for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B; AmBisome, a amphotericin B liposome injection to treat invasive fungal infections; Letairis, an endothelin receptor antagonist for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension; Ranexa for the treatment of chronic angina; Vistide, an antiviral medication for the treatment of cytomegalovirus retinitis in patients with AIDS; and Cayston, an inhaled antibiotic used as a treatment to enhance respiratory systems. The company?s products also comprise Tamiflu, an oral antiviral for the treatment and prevention of influenza A and B; Macugen, an intravitreal injection for the treatment of neovascular a ge-related macular degeneration; and Lexiscan/Rapiscan, an injection used as a pharmacologic stress agent in radionuclide myocardial perfusion imaging. Its products under the Phase III clinical trials consist of Cobicistat, a pharmacoenhancer that is under evaluation as a boosting agent for HIV medicines; Elvitegravir, an oral integrase inhibitor being evaluated as part of combination therapy for HIV; Integrase Single-Tablet, a ?Quad? regimen of elvitegravir, cobicistat, tenofovir disoproxil fumarate, and emtricitabine for the treatment of HIV/AIDS in treatment-naive patients; and Aztreonam for inhalation solution for the treatment of cystic fibrosis patients with Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The company?s Phase II clinical trials products comprise Cicletanine, Ranolazine, and Aztreonam, as well as GS 9190, GS 9256, and GS 9451. Its Phase I clinical trial products include GS 7340, GS 5885, GS 6620, GS 9620, and GS 6624. The company was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Fost er City, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Brian Orelli]

    Why the other big biotechs aren't dividend stocks
    True confession: I started this article with a plan to argue that the other three big biotechs -- Biogen Idec (NASDAQ: BIIB  ) , Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG  ) , and Gilead Sciences (NASDAQ: GILD  ) -- should also offer a dividend.

  • [By James Brumley]

    Selling its diabetes business to now-former-partner AstraZeneca is some evidence to that end, but it’s not the only sign that BMY is migrating to a policy of self-sufficiency. The company has also given up on partnering with Gilead (GILD) on the hepatitis C front.

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Invest In Right Now: BIND Therapeutics Inc (BIND)

BIND Therapeutics, Inc., incorporated on May 19, 2006, is a clinical-stage nanomedicine platform company developing Accurins, its targeted and programmable therapeutics. Accurins are designed with specified physical and chemical characteristics to target specific cells or tissues and concentrate a therapeutic payload at the site of disease to enhance efficacy while minimizing adverse effects on healthy tissues. Its drug candidate, BIND-014, is in Phase II clinical trials for non-small cell lung cancer, or NSCLC, and metastatic castrate-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC).

Accurins represent the evolution of targeted therapies and nanomedicine. Accurins are polymeric nanoparticles that incorporate a therapeutic payload and are designed to have prolonged circulation within the bloodstream, enable targeting of the diseased tissue or cells, and provide for the controlled and timely release of the therapeutic payload. The four components include Targeting ligands, Stealth and protective layer, Controlled-release polymer matrix and Therapeutic payload. The Company focuses to use its medicinal nanoengineering platform to develop Accurins in several therapeutic areas, with an initial focus on the treatment of various types of cancer. In addition, the Company entered into collaboration agreements with several biopharmaceutical companies to develop and commercialize Accurins that are based on its collaborators��therapeutic payloads. The Company�� programs include BIND-014, solid tumor accurin and hematologic cancer accurin.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Anna Prior]

    Bind Therapeutics sa(BIND)id a collaboration with Amgen Inc.(AMGN) has been ended after both companies agreed not to pursue an option to jointly develop a molecularly targeted cancer therapy. Bind Therapeutics shares fell 11% to $11.50 premarket.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Yesterday, small cap biotech Acceleron Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: XLRN) rose 9.76%�plus shares are up 183.6% for retail investors since its September IPO, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of other biotech IPOs like BIND Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: BIND), Ophthotech Corp (NASDAQ: OPHT) and Foundation Medicine Inc (NASDAQ: FMI) which also debuted at the same time.

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Chimerix Inc (CMRX)

Chimerix, Inc., incorporated on April, 07, 2000, is a biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery, development and commercialization of novel, oral antiviral therapeutics that are designed to transform patient care in areas of high unmet medical need. Its lipid technology has given rise to two clinical-stage compounds, CMX001 and CMX157, which have demonstrated the potential for enhanced antiviral activity and safety in convenient, orally administered dosing regimens.

CMX001 is an orally administered drug that utilizes its lipid technology to deliver intracellular concentrations of a potent antiviral compound, cidofovir-diphosphate (CDV-PP). Following oral dosing, CMX001 is absorbed through the gut, remains intact in the plasma, and is readily taken up by and delivered into cells. Once inside cells, CMX001 is converted into CDV-PP, which acts as an alternative substrate in a replicating virus. CMX001 is similar to the drug cidofovir in that both drugs are converted into CDV-PP once inside cells. Although cidofovir is approved for administration in an intravenous formulation, Vistide, it requires a plasma concentration to deliver a therapeutic level of cidofovir into cells and its use is limited due to the risk of kidney damage.

CMX157, Its second clinical stage compound, is an oral nucleotide compound in Phase 1 development for the treatment of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. In July 2012, the Company granted Merck an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize CMX157 for all human uses. Merck is responsible for all development and marketing activities for CMX157 on a worldwide basis.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Biotech companies that are most likely to benefit because they are “Ahead in clinical development and/or have established relationships with [the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, or] BARDA which may facilitate getting a contract” include GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), NewLink Genetics (NLNK), Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) and Chimerix (CMRX). Kantor includes Tekmira�(TKMR) and Sarepta (SRPT) among “companies with viable programs” that are “moving forward and likely to attract additional funding.”

Top 10 Biotech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Intercept Pharmaceuticals Inc (ICPT)

Intercept Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated on September 4, 2002, is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of therapeutics to treat chronic liver diseases utilizing its bile acid chemistry.The Company�� product candidates treat orphan and more prevalent liver diseases for which there are limited therapeutic solutions. The Company�� product candidate, obeticholic acid, or OCA, is a bile acid analog, a chemical substance that has a structure based on a naturally occurring human bile acid. It is developing OCA initially for primary biliary cirrhosis, or PBC, as a second line treatment for patients who have an inadequate response to or who are unable to tolerate standard of care therapy and therefore need additional treatment. The Company is conducting a Phase 3 clinical trial of OCA in PBC, which it calls the POISE trial, that serves as the basis for seeking regulatory approval in the United States and Europe. As of December 19, 2012, the Company completed enrollment of the POISE trial with 217 patients.

The Company�� clinical focus is on the development of OCA, orally administered, first-in-class FXR agonist that has broad liver-protective properties and may a variety of chronic insults to the liver that cause fibrosis, which can eventually lead to cirrhosis, liver transplant and death. The Company owns worldwide rights to OCA outside of Japan and China, where it has licensed the compound to Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma, or DSP, and granted it an option to license OCA in certain other Asian countries.The Company is sponsoring an independent study involving more than ten leading PBC centers in North America and Europe, or collectively the Global PBC Study Group, that are pooling their long-term patient data to evaluate the relationship between biochemical and clinical endpoints.

The Company competes with Eli Lilly, Exelixis, Inc., Phenex Pharmaceuticals AG, , Johnson & Johnson, NovImmune SA, Dr. Falk Pharma GmbH, Galmed Medical Researc! h Ltd., Immuron Ltd., Mochida Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., NasVax Ltd. , Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. Astellas Pharma US, Inc., AstraZeneca, Salix Pharmaceuticals, Inc. and Tioga Pharmaceuticals, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

    Intercept Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ICPT) was also down, falling 26.36 percent to $268.60 after a Wall Street Journal article Friday reported that the NIH had said patient's of the company's drug had more bad cholesterol than when they had started treatment.

  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    In what’s turned into a bad day for biotech stocks, Intercept Pharmaceuticals (ICPT) is among the worst performers.

    REUTERS

    Shares of Intercept Pharmaceuticals have dropped 8.3% to $295, lagging the 3.3% drop in the iShares Nasdaq Biotechnology ETF (IBB) and the 4.7% decline in the SPDR S&P Biotech ETF (XBI). Gilead Sciences (GILD) has fallen 2.1% to $72.44 and Amgen (AMGN) is off just 1.8% at $121.88.

    Blame SAC’s decision to drastically cut its position and a secondary offering for Intercept’s decline.

    Wedbush’s Liana Moussatos explains the purpose of the secondary offering:

    Intercept raised approximately $183.3MM in a follow-on offering of 600,000 shares at $320/share. We project runway into Q3 2016 from Q3 2015, which covers major milestones, including regulatory review and potential approval of OCA in PBC in 2015…

    Reiterate OUTPERFORM rating and acquisition value of $493. Our acquisition value is calculated by applying a 30% annual discount to our net peak WW revenues for each drug/indication and applying a 1-10x multiple depending on stage of development to reflect risk. Each combination is added in a sum-of-parts to calculate an acquisition value for [Intercept Pharmaceuticals] and projected to the end of 2015 to include the time frame we see for potential acquisition.

    Just expect a heck of a lot of volatility before then.

  • [By Jayson Derrick]

    Intercept Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ICPT) priced its one million common share offering at $320 per share, below Thursday's closing price of $321.81. Additionally, in a 13G filing, Steven Cohen's hedge fund SAC Capital disclosed on Thursday night that it holds 6,123 shares in the company, down from its 1,369,046 shares the fund held at the end of the last quarter. Shares plunged 9.61 percent, closing at $290.89.