Best Stocks Broker Blog For 2013, Top Stocks For 2013: February 2014

Friday, February 21, 2014

Friday Analyst Moves: American Express Company, Best Buy Co., Inc., Capital One Financial Corp., More (AXP, BBY, COF, More)

Before Friday’s opening bell, a number of big name dividend stocks were the subject of analyst moves. Below, we highlight the important analyst commentary for investors.

Best Buy Downgraded at One Firm, PT Cut at Another

Following its disappointing holiday results, UBS reported that it has cut its rating on BBY from “Buy” to “Neutral.” The firm currently has a $29 price target on BBY, suggesting a 3% increase from the stock’s current price of $26.83.

Jefferies has cut its price target on “Buy”-rated BBY after the holiday season to $38. This new price target suggests a 43% increase from the stock’s current price.

BBY currently has a dividend yield of 2.53%.

Jefferies Lifts PT on American Express

Jefferies has raised its price target on American Express Company (AXP) after the company reported earnings that indicated that the company’s billed business has improved. The firm has a “Hold” rating and $88 price target on AXP, suggesting that the stock will remain flat at its current price. AXP has a dividend yield of 1.05%.

UBS Raises PT on BB&T

UBS has boosted its price target on BB&T Corporation (BBT) to $43. This new price target suggests an 11% increase from the stock’s current price of $38.73. The firm currently has a “Buy” rating on BBT. BBT has a dividend yield of 2.38%.

BlackRock Numbers Raised at UBS

After BlackRock, Inc. (BLK)

Mortgage Rates Inch Up in Latest Week

AP WASHINGTON -- Average U.S. rates on fixed mortgages rose this week but remained near historically low levels. Mortgage buyer Freddie Mac said Thursday the average rate for the 30-year loan increased to 4.33 percent from 4.28 percent last week. The average for the 15-year mortgage edged up to 3.35 percent from 3.33 percent. Mortgage rates have risen about a full percentage point since hitting record lows roughly a year ago. The increase was driven by speculation that the Federal Reserve would reduce its $85 billion-a-month bond purchases. Deeming the economy to be gaining strength, the Fed proceeded last month with planned reductions of its bond purchases, which have helped keep long-term interest rates low. The housing market is expected to deliver another year of solid gains, helped by an improving economy. Most economists expect home sales and prices to keep rising this year, but at a slower pace. They forecast that both will likely rise by about 5 percent, down from double-digit gains in 2013. Government data released Wednesday showed that U.S. home construction fell in January for a second straight month, but the weakness in both months reflected severe winter weather in many parts of the country. In a similar vein, U.S. homebuilders' confidence in the housing market declined sharply this month as the rough weather battering much of the nation keeps many would-be buyers at home, according to the National Association of Home Builders/Wells Fargo builder sentiment index issued Tuesday.

Thursday, February 20, 2014

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) is packed to the rafters with top-notch businesses. And every single one of these elite 30 stocks pays a dividend today. The combination of proven top-shelf quality and often lengthy dividend histories makes income investors drool over the Dow's ticker list. But how can you tell the best dividend stocks apart from the merely great ones?

Let's look at the problem from a couple of different angles.

If you're close to retirement, or even enjoying your golden years already, you're likely to care more about a hefty dividend yield today than about long-term growth prospects. From this perspective, the choice is pretty easy: Go with one of the Dow's rich-yielding telecom giants.

At 5.1%, AT&T (NYSE: T ) offers the most generous yield on the Dow today. Verizon Communications (NYSE: VZ ) isn't far behind with its 4.2% yield. The steady revenues and cash flows of mature subscription services like these voice and data giants lend themselves to massive payouts. Ma Bell and Big Red may duel one another and a bevy of smaller rivals to keep their subscriber lists stable or even growing, but most of the high growth is already behind them. They really have nothing better to do with their massive cash flows than turn them right back at shareholders via buybacks and dividends. You know what you're getting, and these dividend stocks beat the pants off any savings account or CD certificate you'd care to mention. For relatively short-term income needs, the telecoms are hard to beat.

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: Corning Incorporated(GLW)

Corning Incorporated manufactures and processes specialty glass and ceramics products worldwide. It operates in five segments: Display Technologies, Telecommunications, Environmental Technologies, Specialty Materials, and Life Sciences. The Display Technologies segment manufactures liquid crystal display (LCD) glass for flat panel displays used primarily in notebook computers, flat panel desktop monitors, and LCD televisions. The Telecommunications segment produces optical fiber and cable, and hardware and equipment products, such as cable assemblies, fiber optic hardware, fiber optic connectors, optical components and couplers, closures and pedestals, splice and test equipment, and other accessories for optical connectivity to the telecommunications industry. This segment also offers optical fiber technology products for various applications, such as premises, fiber-to-the-home access, metropolitan, long-haul, and submarine networks. The Environmental Technologies segment manufactures ceramic substrates and filter products for emissions control in mobile and stationary applications. The Specialty Materials segment manufactures products that provide approximately 150 material formulations for glass, glass ceramics, and fluoride crystals used in commercial and industrial markets. The Life Sciences segment provides scientific laboratory products, such as general labware and equipment, as well as tools for cell culture and bioprocess, genomics and proteomics, and high-throughput screening. This segment also develops and produces various technologies, such as the Corning HYPERFlask Cell Culture Vessel for increased cell yields; and other novel surfaces, which include the Corning CellBIND Surface and the Corning Osteo-Assay surface. The company was formerly known as Corning Glass Works and changed its name to Corning Incorporated in April 1989. Corning Incorporated was founded in 1851 and is based in Corning, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jon C. Ogg]
Corning Inc. (NYSE: GLW) is a stock that we have told readers is an incredible value and one with somewhat limited competition. Now we have a deal with Samsung, and one analyst has decided to use the 14% gain to take profits by issuing a downgrade right into the strength of the move based upon the closing price on Wednesday. Sterne Agee has just downgraded Corning to Neutral from Buy based upon the impact now being fully reflected in the stock price.
[By Alex Planes]
Glassmaker Corning (NYSE: GLW ) soared nearly 500% from the start of 1998 to the peak of the dot-com bubble in early 2000 on hopes for its fiber-optic cable division. Corning had grown into the world's largest fiber-optics manufacturer, ahead of second-place Lucent and third-place Alcatel, which merged in 2006 to become Alcatel-Lucent (NYSE: ALU ) ; the combined stock chart for these companies shows a double from 1998 to early 2000. Millions of miles of fiber-optic cabling now crisscross the globe, but that hasn't helped either Corning or Alcatel-Lucent. The two largest fiber-optic manufacturers have suffered respective share-price declines of 70% and more than 90% since their peaks. Sometimes technological progress can be so fast that even its largest proponents lose out -- at least for a while.

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: Level 3 Communications Inc.(LVLT)

Level 3 Communications, Inc. engages in the communications business in North America and Europe. It offers network and Internet services, including transport services, high speed Internet protocol services, dedicated Internet access, virtual private network services, and dark fiber services, as well as managed modem, an outsourced, turn-key infrastructure solution; and colocation services. The company also provides various media services, comprising Vyvx services that provide audio and video feeds over fiber or satellite; content delivery network services; media delivery services to customers seeking to manage, protect, and monetize content delivered over the Internet; a range of local and long distance voice services, such as voice over Internet protocol (VoIP) and traditional circuit-switch based services; and VoIP Enhanced Local, a VoIP service that enables broadband cable operators, IXCs, VoIP providers, and other companies operating their own switching infrastructure to launch IP-based local and long-distance voice services through a broadband connection. Level 3 Communications? media services also consist of SIP Trunking, a VoIP-based local phone service; Local Inbound service that terminates traditional telephone network originated calls to Internet Protocol termination points; Primary Rate Interface, a TDM local phone service that could be configured in various ways; Long Distance services portfolio comprising local and long distance transport and termination services; and Toll Free services portfolio, which terminate toll free calls that are originated on the traditional telephone network. As of December 31, 2010, its network encompassed approximately 68,000 intercity route miles in North America and an intercity network covering approximately 13,000 miles across Europe. Further, it sells coal primarily through long-term contracts with public utilities. The company was founded in 1884 and is headquartered in Broomfield, Colorado.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Holly LaFon]
Question: You have been a long-term investor of Level 3. The company has been doing poorly and in a lot of financial stress. What is your thesis in investing in Level 3 (LVLT)? Isn�� it a value trap?
[By Sean Williams]
Level 3 Communications (NYSE: LVLT )
We're taught in school that two negatives, when multiplied, equal a positive. Unfortunately, combining two bad companies in real life only leaves you with one really bad company! Thus is the plight of Level 3 Communications, which in 2011 bought Global Crossing for $3 billion, merging two integrated telecommunication companies that haven't turned a profit. As of the first quarter, Level 3 had an accumulated deficit of $12.93 billion.
[By Ben Levisohn]
Strategist Andrew Garthwaite and team explain why companies like Sprint (S),� American Water Works (AWK), Volcano (VOLC), Southern (SO) and Level 3 Communications�(LVLT) could get hit by the taper:
[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Level 3 Communications (NYSE: LVLT) was also up, gaining 8.89 percent to $34.20 on Q4 results.

Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of 3D Systems (NYSE: DDD) were down 18.35 percent to $61.86 after the company lowered its quarterly earnings outlook.

Top 5 Low Price Companies To Own In Right Now: Axia NetMedia Corp (AXX.BE)

Axia NetMedia Corporation (Axia) is engaged in delivering Critical Fibre Optic Enabled Services. The Company sells services and solutions over fibre optic communications infrastructure or Next Generation Networks (NGNs). The Company has networks in the Province of Alberta in Canada, the state of Massachusetts in the United States of America, the state of Catalonia in Spain, France, and Singapore. In North America, Axia sells fibre-enabled services to the public and private sectors. In the public sector Axia sells services directly to customers in the education, healthcare, library and government services segments across the province. MB123 is Axia�� NGN in Western Massachusetts in the United States. MB123 include about 2,200 kilometers of fibre backhaul infrastructure and electronics connecting more than 120 communities. The European segment is driven by Covage in France and includes its Spanish network, Xarxa Oberta.

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: j2 Global Inc (JCOM)

j2 Global, Inc., incorporated on December 14, 1995, is a provider of services delivered through the Internet. The Company provides cloud services to businesses of all sizes, from individuals to enterprises. The Company operates in two segments: Business Cloud Services and Digital Media. The Company's Digital Media business segment consists of the Web properties and business operations of Ziff Davis, Inc. (Ziff Davis). The Company�� cloud services and solutions include fax, voice and unified communications, email and customer relationship management, online backup, global network and operations, and customer support services. In February 2013, it acquired IGN Entertainment, Inc. On November 9, 2012, the Company acquired Ziff Davis. Effective March 18, 2013, it acquired MetroFax Inc. In April 2013, the Company acquired Backup Connect BV.

Business Cloud Services

The Company's eFax and MyFax online fax services enable users to receive faxes into their email inboxes and to send faxes via the Internet. eVoice and Onebox provides the Company's customers a virtual phone system with various available enhancements. The Company's FuseMail service provides the Company's customers email, archival and perimeter protection solutions, while Campaigner provides its customers email marketing solutions. KeepItSafe enables the Company's customers to securely backup their data and dispose of tape or other physical systems. The Company's CampaignerCRM business provides customer relationship management solutions designed to increase the Company's customers' sales and increase efficiency. The Company also generates Business Cloud Services revenues from patent licensing and sales and advertising. The Company�� Business Cloud Services and solutions are of two types: direct inward-dial number (DID) -based, which are services provided in whole or in part through a telephone number and non-DID-based, which are its other cloud services for business. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had DIDs issued! to approximately 2.1 million paying subscribers.

The Company's services allow individuals to receive and send faxes as email attachments. In addition to eFax , the Company offers online fax services under a variety of alternative brands, including MyFax , eFax Plus , eFax Pro, eFax Corporate and eFax Developer . eVoice is a virtual phone system that provides small and medium-sized businesses on-demand voice communications services, featuring a toll-free or local company DID, auto-attendant and menu tree. With these services, a subscriber can assign departmental and individual extensions that can connect to multiple United States or Canadian DIDs, including land-line and mobile phones and Internet protocol (IP) networks. These services also include advanced integrated voicemail for each extension, unifying mobile, office and other separate voicemail services and improving efficiency by delivering voicemails in both native audio format and as transcribed text. Onebox is a unified communications suite. It combines the features of many of the Company's other branded services, plus added functionality, to provide a virtual office. Onebox includes a virtual phone system, hosted email, online fax, audio conferencing and Web conferencing.

FuseMail offers hosted email, email encryption and email archival services to businesses. These solutions are hosted offsite and seamlessly integrated into a customer's existing email system. The services include hosted email, VirusSMART virus scanning, CypherSMART encryption services, SpamSMART SPAM filtering and VaultSMART / PolicySMART archiving, which delivers a secure, scalable email archiving and customizable compliance tool to correspond with a company's retention policy. Campaigner is an email marketing service that enables businesses to easily create and send personalized one-to-one email communications to subscribers and customers to build better relationships. Campaigner also helps businesses increase the size of their mailing lists, compl! y with em! ail regulations like CAN-SPAM and get more emails to more inboxes. CampaignerCRM is a cloud-based CRM solution specifically designed to help small/medium-sized businesses close more deals, reduce the sales cycle and sell larger deals. CampaignerCRM has a sales checklist capability that gives sales representatives a step-by-step plan to closing a deal. With CampaignerCRM's Social CRM capabilities, companies can seamlessly integrate a customer's latest information from Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook directly into their Contact profile. KeepItSafe provides managed and monitored online backup solutions for businesses, using its ISO-certified platform.

The Company's Business Cloud Services business operates multiple physical Points of Presence (POPs) worldwide, a central data center in Los Angeles and several remote disaster recovery facilities. The Company connects its POPs to its central data centers through redundant, and often times diverse, Virtual Private Networks (VPNs) using the Internet. The Company's network is designed to deliver value-added user applications, customer support and billing services for the Company's customers anywhere in the world and a local presence for its DID-based service customers from thousands of cities in 49 countries on six continents. The Company offers DIDs covering all major metropolitan areas in the United States, United Kingdom and Canada, and such other major cities as Berlin, Hong Kong, Madrid, Manila, Mexico City, Milan, Paris, Rome, Singapore, Sydney, Taipei, Tokyo and Zurich. The Company has customers located throughout the world.

The Company's Business Cloud Services customer service organization supports the Company's cloud services customers through a combination of online self-help, email communications, interactive chat sessions and telephone calls. The Company's Internet-based online self-help tools enable customers to resolve simple issues on their own, eliminating the need to speak or write to the Company's customer service re! presentat! ives. The Company's Business Cloud Services segment customer service organization provides email support seven days per week, 24 hours per day to all subscribers. Paying subscribers have access to live-operator telephone support seven days per week, 24 hours per day. Dedicated telephone support is provided for corporate customers 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Live sales and customer support services are available in nine languages, including English, Spanish, Dutch, German, French and Cantonese.

Digital Media

The Ziff Davis portfolio of Web properties, including PCMag.com, ExtremeTech.com, Geek.com, ComputerShopper.com, LogicBuy.com and Toolbox.com features reviews of technology products, technology-oriented news and commentary, professional networking tools for IT professionals and online deals and discounts for consumers. The Company generates Digital Media revenues from the sale of display advertising targeted to in-market technology buyers and from the sale of customer leads to online merchants and business-to-business leads to IT vendors. During the year ended December 31, 2012, Digital Media Web properties attracted 345 million visits and 1.1 billion page views.

PCMag is a trusted online resource for laboratory-based product reviews, technology news and buying guides. Toolbox.com is a network of online communities that allows experienced technology professionals to share collective knowledge and collaborate to resolve problems more efficiently. Toolbox.com includes professional networking tools, blogs, collaboration tools and reference guides. Geek.com is an online technology resource and community for technology enthusiasts and professionals. Its gaming site includes IGN.com and men's lifestyle site includes AskMen.com.

The Company competes with Google AdSense, DoubleClick Ad Exchange, AOL's Ad.com and Microsoft Media Network.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Roberto Pedone]
Another potential earnings short-squeeze trade idea is cloud services player J2 Global (JCOM), which is set to release its numbers on Tuesday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect J2 Global to report revenue $130.43 million on earnings of 71cents per share.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for J2 Global is extremely high at 20.6%. That means that out of the 43.70 million shares in the tradable float, 9.01 million shares are sold short by the bears. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then shares of JCOM could easily explode higher post-earnings.

From a technical perspective, JCOM is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last six months, with shares moving higher from its low of $38.07 to its recent high of $56.24 a share. During that uptrend, shares of JCOM have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of JCOM within range of triggering a major breakout trade post-earnings.

If you're in the bull camp on JCOM, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above its 52-week high at $56.42 a share (or Tuesday's intraday high if higher) on high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 292,457 shares. If that breakout hits, then JCOM will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $65 to $75 a share.

I would simply avoid JCOM or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops below some key near-term support levels at $54 to $53 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then JCOM will set up to re-test or possibly take out its ne
[By Rich Smith]
j2 Global (NASDAQ: JCOM ) just keeps on growing -- by acquisition.

In its third corporate purchase in the past three months, j2 announced this morning that it has acquired Netherlands-based Backup Connect BV, a provider of online data backup services.
[By Dave and Donald Moenning]
Internet Software & Services has been the place to be in 2013. In addition to Shutterstock (SSTK), just take a look at these constituents of this red-hot sub-industry: Pandora Media (P), Facebook (FB), j2 Global (JCOM), Yelp (YELP), CoStar Group (CSGP),LinkedIn (LNKD), etc. The list of superb stocks in the Internet Software & Services space goes on and on. Focusing on stocks in the top-performing sub-industries usually helps bullish trades, so today, let's take a closer look at Shutterstock Inc for a short-term long trade.
[By Chuck Carnevale]
j2 Global Inc. (JCOM)
One company that many readers may not be familiar with is j2 Global Inc. My purpose in featuring this aggressive candidate was to offer an example of a historically pure growth technology company that appears to be morphing into a dividend growth stock. But before I show that, I offer the following slide that provides an overview of j2 Global�� business.

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: j2 Global Inc (JCOM.O)

Business Cloud Services

The Company's eFax and MyFax online fax services enable users to receive faxes into their email inboxes and to send faxes via the Internet. eVoice and Onebox provides the Company's customers a virtual phone system with various available enhancements. The Company's FuseMail service provides the Company's customers email, archival and perimeter protection solutions, while Campaigner provides its customers email marketing solutions. KeepItSafe enables the Company's customers to securely backup their data and dispose of tape or other physical systems. The Company's CampaignerCRM business provides customer relationship management solutions designed to increase the Company's customers' sales and increase efficiency. The Company also generates Business Cloud Services revenues from patent licensing and sales and advertising. The Company�� Business Cloud Services and solutions are of two types: direct inward-dial number (DID) -based, which are services provided in whole or in part through a telephone number and non-DID-based, which are its other cloud services for business. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had DIDs iss! ! ued to approximately 2.1 million paying subscribers.

FuseMail offers hosted email, email encryption and email archival services to businesses. These solutions are hosted offsite and seamlessly integrated into a customer's existing email system. The services include hosted email, VirusSMART virus scanning, CypherSMART encryption services, SpamSMART SPAM filtering and VaultSMART / PolicySMART archiving, which delivers a secure, scalable email archiving and customizable compliance tool to correspond with a company's retention policy. Campaigner is an email marketing service that enables businesses to easily create and send personalized one-to-one email communications to subscribers and customers to build better relationships. Campaigner also h elps businesses increase the size of their mailing lists,! co! mply! with! email regulations like CAN-SPAM and get more emails to more inboxes. CampaignerCRM is a cloud-based CRM solution specifically designed to help small/medium-sized businesses close more deals, reduce the sales cycle and sell larger deals. CampaignerCRM has a sales checklist capability that gives sales representatives a step-by-step plan to closing a deal. With CampaignerCRM's Social CRM capabilities, companies can seamlessly integrate a customer's latest information from Twitter, LinkedIn, and Facebook directly into their Contact profile. KeepItSafe provides managed and monitored online backup solutions for businesses, using its ISO-certified platform.

The Company's Business Cloud Services customer service organization supports the Company's cloud services customers through a combination of online self-help, email communications, interactive chat sessions and telephone calls. The Company's Internet-based online self-help tools enable customers to resolve simple issues on their own, eliminating the need to speak or write to the Company's customer s! ervice! r! epresen! tatives. The Company's Business Cloud Services segment customer service organization provides email support seven days per week, 24 hours per day to all subscribers. Paying subscribers have access to live-operator telephone support seven days per week, 24 hours per day. Dedicated telephone support is provided for corporate customers 24 hours per day, seven days per week. Live sales and customer support services are available in nine languages, including English, Spanish, Dutch, German, French and Cantonese.

Digital Media

The Company competes with Google AdSense, DoubleClick Ad Exchange, AOL's Ad.com and Microsoft Media Network.

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: PCCW Ltd (0008.HK)

PCCW Limited is a Hong Kong-based holding company. Through its subsidiaries, the Company operates in five segments: HKT, which provides telecommunications services, including local telephony, local data and broadband, international telecommunications, mobile and other telecommunications businesses, such as customer premises equipment sales, outsourcing, consulting and contact centers; Media Business, including interactive pay-TV service, Internet portal multimedia entertainment platform and the Company's directories operations in Hong Kong and mainland China; Solutions Business, which offers IT services and solutions in Hong Kong and mainland China; Pacific Century Premium Developments Limited (PCPD), which covers the Company's property portfolio in Hong Kong and mainland China, and Other Businesses, which includes the Company's wireless broadband business in the United Kingdom and all corporate support functions.

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: Moko Social Media Ltd (MKB)

Moko Social Media Ltd , formerly MOKO.mobi Limited, is an Australia-based integrated global social media company. The Company was engaged in delivering mobile social networking services to global consumers within the youth and young adult demographic. The Company operates in four segments: mobile social networks, mobile advertising, mobile content & gaming, and mobile commerce. The Company operates in five geographical segments: Australia, Europe, Asia, United States and Africa. On July 26, 2011, the Company acquired the mBuzzy assets from SendMe Inc (mBuzzy). On December 16, 2011, the Company acquired 100% interest in the Paper Tree Limited group of entities (PTL Group). The Company�� subsidiaries include MOKO.mobi Inc, Paper Tree Limited and Southern Breeze Trading 3 Pty Ltd.

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: Mobile TeleSystems (MBT)

Mobile TeleSystems OJSC, together with its subsidiaries, provides telecommunications services primarily in the Russian Federation, Ukraine, Uzbekistan, Armenia, and Belarus. The company provides a range of mobile and fixed line voice and data telecommunications services, including transmission, broadband, pay-TV, and various value-added services; and sells equipment and accessories. It also offers network access services, including mobile cellular voice and data communication services; automatic roaming services; GPRS and Internet access services; and 3G technology. In addition, the company�s services include the design, construction, and installation of local voice and data networks capable of interconnecting with fixed line operators; installation and maintenance of cellular payphones; lease of digital communication channels; and provision of access to open computer databases and data networks, including the Internet, as well as video conferencing, and fixed, local, and long-distance telecommunications services. Its value-added services comprise call divert/forwarding, caller ID and anti-caller ID display, conference calling, WiFi, GPRS, intelligent call assistant, APN remote access point, fixed mobile convergence, enhanced data rates for GSM Evolution, call barring, SMS, mobile office, voicemail, mobile banking, wireless application protocol, MTS-Connect, SIM-browser, point-to-point transfer, unstructured supplementary services data, downlink packet access, mobile TV, call waiting, MMS, ring tones, missed call alert, itemization of monthly bills, information and directory, international access, WEB and WAP portal, customer care system, ring back tone, collect call, and location-based services. As of December 31, 2011, the company had a mobile subscriber base of approximately 101.14 million. It has a strategic partnership with Vodafone. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Moscow, the Russian Federation.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Dan Radovsky]
VimpleCom, a joint venture of Norwegian telecom Telnor and the Russian Alfa Group, operates under the BeeLine brand in Russia. BeeLine has joined the two other ex-iPhone carrying Russian heavyweight mobile carriers, Megafon and Mobile TeleSystems (NYSE: MBT ) , and not renewed its iPhone contract with Apple.
[By Eric Lam]
Manitoba Telecom (MBT) gained 5.7 percent to C$33.93 after selling its Allstream fiber network business to Accelero Capital Holdings for C$520 million. The company will use the cash to invest in new wireless spectrum and improve the speed of its existing networks, Manitoba Telecom said in a statement.
[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Telecommunications services sector was the leading decliner in the US market today. Telecommunications services stocks dropped 0.43% in today's trading. Among the stocks, Mobile Telesystems OJSC (NYSE: MBT) was down more than 4.8%, while Telecom Argentina SA (NYSE: TEO) tumbled around 2.5%.
[By Rich Smith]
Over in Russia, market-leading cell phone provider Mobile TeleSystems (NYSE: MBT ) has just confirmed that, as of 2012, it no longer sells Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) new iPhone models to its customers directly. The company does still stock, and sell, some older iPhone models. But for iPhone5 and on up, MTS now answers phone calls from Apple with a Spasibo, ne nada. ("Thanks, but no thanks.")

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: Cellcom Israel Ltd.(CEL)

Cellcom Israel Ltd. provides cellular communications services in Israel. It offers basic and advanced cellular telephone services, text and multimedia messaging services, and advanced cellular content and data services. The company?s basic cellular telephony services include voice mail, cellular fax, call waiting, call forwarding, caller identification, collect call, conference calling, ?Talk 2?, additional number services, and collect call services; and outbound and inbound roaming services. It also provides value-added services comprising Cellcom volume that includes downloadable content, such as music, games, on-net-reality programs, drama series, and video games; SMS and MMS services to send and receive text, photos, multimedia, and animation messages; access to third party application providers for notification of roadway speed detectors, mange vehicle fleets, and enable subscribers to manage and operate time clocks and various controllers for industrial, agricultural , and commercial purposes; video calls to communicate with each other through video applications; zone services for calls initiated from a specific location; location-based services; voice-based information services; text-based information services and interactive information services, including news headlines, sports results, and traffic and weather reports; and data services to access handsets, cellular modems, laptops, tablets, and cellular routers, as well as Internet based payment services. In addition, the company sells handsets, modems, routers, tablets, and laptops, as well as provides repair and replacement services; and offers landline telephony, transmission, and data services through its approximately 1,500 kilometers of inland fiber-optic infrastructure and complementary microwave links to selected business customers. As of March 31, 2011, it provided its services to approximately 3.395 million subscribers. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Netanya, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Rich Smith]
Cellcom Israel (NYSE: CEL ) is getting a new CFO.

Following the company's successful merger with Netvision, current Chief Financial Officer Yaacov Heen is declaring his mission accomplished, and says he intends to resign his post on Sept. 17 after 16 years with the company. At that time, Cellcom says it will bring on Shlomi Fruhling, the former VP for strategy and finance at Netvision, to become the merged company's new CFO on Sept. 18.

10 Best Telecom Stocks To Invest In 2015: Intelsat SA (I)

Intelsat S.A., incorporated on July 18, 2011, is a satellite services business, providing a layer in the global communications infrastructure. The Company operates satellite capacity, holds orbital location rights, contract backlog, serve commercial customers and deliver services. It provides diversified communications services to the world�� media companies, fixed and wireless telecommunications operators, data networking service providers for enterprise and mobile applications, multinational corporations and Internet service providers (ISPs). It is also the provider of commercial satellite capacity to the United States government and other select military organizations and their contractors.

The Company has a satellite fleet comprised of more than 50 satellites, covering 99% of the Earth�� populated regions. Its fleet, combined with the IntelsatOne terrestrial fiber network and a collection of teleports, form a singular unmatched global infrastructure to meet any communications requirement. As the provider of satellite services, the Company provides mission critical communication services.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Rich Duprey]
Satellite services provider Intelsat (NYSE: I ) announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.71875 per share on its 5.75% Series A mandatory convertible junior non-voting preferred stock, which trades on the NYSE under the symbol I.PRA.
[By The Specialist]
Subject to ongoing evaluation and analysis, the Reporting Person may consider certain plans or proposals to increase shareholders' value that may relate to or may result in (I) a change in the present board of directors or management of the Issuer, including any plans or proposals to change the number or term of directors or to fill any existing vacancies on the board; and/or (ii) a material change in the present dividend policy of the Issuer
[By Todd Sullivan]
HHC has increased all our ownership percentage through the repurchasing of outstanding warrants.
From the 13D/A
On December 31, 2013, certain of the Reporting Persons entered into swaps for the benefit of certain Pershing Square Funds. Under the terms of the swaps, (i) the relevant Pershing Square Funds will be obligated to pay to the bank counterparty any negative price performance of the 5,399,839 notional number of Common Shares subject to the swaps as of the expiration date of such swaps, plus interest rates set forth in the applicable contracts, and (ii) the bank counterparty will be obligated to pay the relevant Pershing Square Funds any positive price performance of the 5,399,839 notional number Common Shares subject to the swaps as of the expiration date of the swaps. During the term of the swaps, cash will be paid by the bank counterparty to the relevant Pershing Square Fund in an amount equal to the amount of notional distributions or dividends paid by the Issuer in respect of such notional number of Common Shares. All balances will be settled in cash. The Pershing Square Funds��counterparties for the swaps include entities related to Citibank, Nomura, Soci茅t茅 G茅n茅rale and UBS. The swaps do not give the Reporting Persons direct or indirect voting, investment or dispositive control over any securities of the Issuer and do not require the counterparty thereto to acquire, hold, vote or dispose of any securities of the Issuer. Accordingly, the Reporting Persons disclaim any beneficial ownership of any Common Shares that may be referenced in the swap contracts or Common Shares or other securities or financial instruments that may be held from time to time by any counterparty to the contracts.
[By Rich Duprey]
Satellite services provider�Intelsat (NYSE: I ) announced yesterday its second-quarter dividend of $0.799 per share on its 5.75% Series A mandatory convertible junior non-voting preferred stock, which trades on the NYSE under the symbol I.PRA.

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

3 Stocks Under $10 Making Big Moves on Big Volume

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- A smart trader keeps a close eye on unusual upside volume in stocks -- and unusual volume in a stock that trades below $10 should really make you sit up and pay attention.

>>5 Stocks Set to Soar on Bullish Earnings

Stocks that trade below $10 a share can make big moves to the upside very quickly, and short-term traders can try to capture some of that massive volatility. Regardless of the reason behind it, when a stock makes a large-percentage move, it is often just the start of a new major trend -- a trend that can lead to huge profits.

If you time your trade correctly, combining technical indicators with fundamental trends, discipline and sound money management, you will be well on your way to investment success.

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy for Big Gains

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at a several stocks under $10 that are making sharp moves higher with unusual upside volume flows.

BlackBerry

BlackBerry (BBRY) engages in the design, manufacture and marketing of wireless solutions worldwide. This stock is trading up 5% to $9.44 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $9.24-$9.65

52-Week Range: $5.44-$16.82

Tuesday's Volume: 19.28 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 25.13 million

From a technical perspective, BBRY is jumping higher here with decent upside volume flows. This stock recently formed a double bottom chart pattern at $8.92 to $8.95. Following that bottom, shares of BBRY have started to spike higher and move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if BBRY manages to take out its 200-day moving average of $9.72 to some more near-term overhead resistance at $10.10 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in BBRY as long as it's trending above those double bottom support zones at $8.95 to $8.92 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 25.13 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then BBRY will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $10.85 to $11.65, or even $12.18.

Andatee China Marine Fuel Services

Andatee China Marine Fuel Services (AMCF), through its subsidiaries, engages in the production, storage, distribution and trading of blended marine fuel oil for cargo and fishing vessels in the People's Republic of China. This stock is trading up 8% to $1.89 a share in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $1.75-$1.93

52-Week Range: $0.48-$2.75

Tuesday's Volume: 193,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 192,169

From a technical perspective, AMCF is soaring higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $1.63 with above-average volume. This move has started to push shares of AMCF into breakout territory, since the stock has flirted with some near-term overhead resistance at $1.89. Shares of AMCF are now starting to trend within range of triggering an even bigger breakout trade. That trade will hit if AMCF manages to take out some more near-term overhead resistance at $2.20 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in AMCF as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $1.63 and then once it sustains a move or close above $2.20 with volume that hits near or above 192,169 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then AMCF will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 52-week high of $2.75.

Kopin

Kopin (KOPN) develops display products and computer headset technology. This stock is trading up 5% to $4.18 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $3.95-$4.29

52-Week Range: $3.06-$4.62

Thursday's Volume: 228,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 140,627

From a technical perspective, KOPN is ripping higher here right off its 50-day moving average of $4 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $3.51 to its intraday high of $4.29. During that move, shares of KOPN have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move is quickly pushing shares of KOPN within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if KOPN manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.52 to its 52-week high at $4.62 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in KOPN as long as it's trending above Tuesday's low of $3.95 or above its 200-day at $3.74 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 140,627 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then KOPN will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $5.50 to $6.

To see more stocks under $10 that are making notable moves higher with volume, check out the Stocks Under $10 Spiking Higher With Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

Monday, February 17, 2014

Hot Services Stocks To Watch For 2014

Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, Japanese wireless carrier NTT DoCoMo (NYSE: DCM ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at DoCoMo and see what CAPS investors are saying about the stock right now.

DoCoMo facts

Headquarters (founded)

Tokyo, Japan (1991)

Market Cap

$661.0 million

Industry

Wireless telecommunication services

Trailing-12-Month Revenue

$56.8 million

Hot Services Stocks To Watch For 2014: DAILY MAIL & GENERAL TRUST 'A'ORD NON VTG GBP0.125(DMGT.L)

Daily Mail and General Trust plc operates in the media and information business primarily in the United Kingdom, the rest of Europe, North America, and Australia. It offers various products and services for the quantification and management of catastrophe risk associated with perils, such as earthquakes, hurricanes, windstorms, and terrorist attacks; and business-to-business information to the property, financial, energy, geospatial, and educational recruitment markets. The company also produces business-to-business exhibitions and conferences for the energy, technology, digital marketing, gift, construction, and interior industries with events in North America, the Middle East, Europe, Asia, and Australia. It operates approximately 36 exhibitions and 2 conference businesses in 11 countries. In addition, Daily Mail and General Trust plc publishes approximately 70 magazines, newsletters, and journals, including Euromoney, Institutional Investor, and Metal Bulletin; conducts conferences, seminars, and training courses; and provides electronic information and data covering international finance, metals, and commodities markets. Further, the company operates newspaper companion digital sites; travel, jobs, motors, and property digital businesses; and mobile and television business, as well as provides printing services. Additionally, it publishes approximately 100 publications, including 17 paid-for daily titles, 2 free daily titles, 23 paid-for weeklies, 4 weekly classified titles, 17 monthly magazines, and 40 free weekly newspapers. The company was founded in 1896 and is headquartered in London, the United Kingdom.

Hot Services Stocks To Watch For 2014: Ashley(l)

Laura Ashley Holdings plc, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, manufacture, sourcing, distribution, sale, and licensing of clothing, accessories, and home furnishings in the United Kingdom and internationally. It offers various furniture products, including beds, upholstered furniture, mirrors, and cabinet furniture; home accessories, such as lighting products, gifts, bed linen, rugs, throws, cushions, and children?s accessories; and decorative products comprising curtains, blinds, fabrics, paints, decorative accessories, and wall coverings. The company also offers fashion products, such as clothing that include dresses, knitwear, tops, blouses, skirts, trousers, leggings, coats, jackets, swimwear, and shoes, as well as accessories comprising bags, purses, jewellery, and scarves. In addition, it provides design services for homes; and licenses various products, such as stationery, wooden flooring, blinds, interior window shutters, carpets, nursery produ cts, fireplaces, garden products, eyewear, tiles, promotional gifting, toiletries, shoes, and Fairtrade clothing. The company sells its products through retail stores, online, and mail order. As of January 29, 2011, it operated 217 stores, including 138 mixed product stores, 55 home stores, 22 home concession stores, 1 gifts and accessories store, and 1 clearance outlet in the United Kingdom; and 240 franchised stores in 29 countries. The company is based in London, the United Kingdom.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Paul Ausick]
Big Earnings Movers: Petroleo Brasileiro SA (NYSE: PBR) is up 9.1% at $17.35 after reporting earnings and getting a ratings boost. Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE: MRK) is down 2.5% at $45.39 as the company struggles to boost revenues. Burger King Worldwide Inc. (NYSE: BKW) is up 5.8% at $20.91 as franchise revenues rose much faster than costs. Loews Corp. (NYSE: L) is down 0.2% at $48.70.
[By Ben Levisohn]
Looking for the next Berkshire Hathaway (BRK-B)? You could do worse than Loew’s Corp. (L), Deutsche Bank says.
Agence France-Presse/Getty Images
Both companies own insurance companies. And both use the cash spun off by those operations to invest elsewhere. Deutsche Bank dubs them “investor insurers,” and right now Loew’s looks cheap, the German investment bank’s analysts argue in a report starting Loew’s as a buy.

Top 10 Gas Utility Companies To Invest In Right Now: Discovery Communications Inc(DISCA)

Discovery Communications, Inc. operates as a non fiction media and entertainment company worldwide. The company provides original and purchased programming across various distribution platforms. Its content covers science, exploration, survival, natural history, sustainability of the environment, technology, docu-series, anthropology, paleontology, history, space, archaeology, health and wellness, engineering, adventure, lifestyles, forensics, civilization, and current events. The company owns and operates nine national television networks in the United States, including Discovery Channel, TLC, Animal Planet, Science Channel, Investigation Discovery, Military Channel, Planet Green, Discovery Fit & Health, and Velocity. Discovery Communications also has interests in Oprah Winfrey Network, a pay-television network and Web site; The Hub that features original programming, game shows, and live-action series and specials; and 3net, a three-dimensional network. In addition, it o ffers network branded Web sites, and mobile and video-on-demand services; and distributes various national and pan-regional television networks. Further, the company develops and sells curriculum-based products and services to public and private K-12 schools, such as access to an online VOD service that includes curriculum-based tools, professional development services, and student assessment and publication of hardcopy curriculum-based content; and postproduction audio services to motion picture studios, independent producers, broadcast networks, cable channels, advertising agencies, and interactive producers. As of December 31, 2011, it operated approximately 150 distribution feeds in 40 languages. The company is headquartered in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Levisohn]
Discovery Communications (DISCA) has gained 4.9% to $88.48 after the company reported a profit of 80 cents a share, beating forecasts for 72 cents.

Hot Services Stocks To Watch For 2014: Brown Shoe Company Inc. (BWS)

Brown Shoe Company, Inc., a footwear company, engages in the retail and wholesale of footwear. It operates through Famous Footwear, Wholesale Operations, and Specialty Retail segments. The company provides licensed, branded, and private-label casual, dress, and athletic footwear products to women, men, and children. It operates retail shoe stores under the Famous Footwear name that offer shoes of various brands, including Nike, Skechers, New Balance, Converse, adidas, DC, LifeStride, Reebok, Sperry, Asics, Puma, Dr. Scholl�s Shoes, Vans, BOC by Born, Sof Sole, Fergalicious, and Bearpaw. The company also operates shoe stores under the Naturalizer name, which provide women�s footwear, including casual, dress, sandals, and boots under the Naturalizer brand; operates retail stores under Dr. Scholl�s Shoes and Sam Edelman names; and sells its products through Internet retail that include Shoes.com, Famous.com, Naturalizer.com, Naturalizer.ca, and DrSchollsShoes.com, as well as ViaSpiga.com, LifeStride.com, and Ryka.com. As of February 2, 2013, it operated 1,277 retail shoe stores in the United States, Canada, China, and Guam. In addition, the company designs, sources, and markets footwear to retail stores, such as national chains, department stores, independent retailers, mass merchandisers, online retailers, and catalogs. Brown Shoe Company, Inc. was founded in 1878 and is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Paul Ausick]
Big earnings movers: Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) reported better-than-expected earnings and revenues and raised its guidance slightly, but even posting a new 52-week high early could hold the stock from dropping about 1.3% today. Brown Shoe Co. Inc. (NYSE: BWS) also posted good earnings, but followed with slightly lower EPS guidance and the stock lost about 9%, trading around $21.60 in a 52-week range of $13.68 to $24.78. Another footwear maker, DSW Inc. (NYSE: DSW) put up good results and raised its guidance as well, sending shares up more than 9% to a new 52-week high of $88.73 in the mid-morning.
[By Dan Moskowitz]
Skechers (NYSE: SKX ) has is up 65% year-to-date, outperforming Brown Shoe (NYSE: BWS ) , Wolverine World Wide (NYSE: WWW ) , Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ: DECK ) , and Nike (NYSE: NKE ) , which have appreciated 26%, 39%, 62%, and 43%, respectively. Skechers' upside move is justifiable based on the company's recent performance. At the same time, this doesn't mean Skechers will offer the best long-term investment opportunity in this group.

Hot Services Stocks To Watch For 2014: Lawson Products Inc.(LAWS)

Lawson Products, Inc. distributes products and services to the industrial, commercial, institutional, and governmental maintenance, repair, and operations marketplace in the United States and Canada. The company also manufactures and distributes production and specialized component parts, fasteners, and fittings to the original equipment marketplace, including the aerospace, off-road equipment, military, and oil and gas exploration industries. In addition, its product categories include specialty chemicals, cutting tools and abrasives, fluid power, aftermarket automotive supplies, electrical, and welding and metal repair. The company also serves customers in the automotive repair, transportation, manufacturing, food processing, distribution, construction, mining, wholesale, and service industries. Lawson Products, Inc. was founded in 1952 and is headquartered in Des Plaines, Illinois.

Hot Services Stocks To Watch For 2014: j2 Global Inc (JCOM)

Business Cloud Services

Digital Media

The Company competes with Google AdSense, DoubleClick Ad Exchange, AOL's Ad.com and Microsoft Media Network.

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 j2 Global (Nasdaq: JCOM ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
[By Rick Munarriz]
Finally, we have j2 Global (NASDAQ: JCOM ) keeping a welcome streak alive. The provider of Internet services declared a quarterly distribution of $0.24 a share. This may be a mere 3% uptick, but j2 has come through with rate hikes in each of the past seven quarters. The total increase over the course of that run is a solid 20% advance.
[By Rich Smith]
j2 Global (NASDAQ: JCOM ) just keeps on growing -- by acquisition.

In its third corporate purchase in the past three months, j2 announced this morning that it has acquired Netherlands-based Backup Connect BV, a provider of online data backup services.
[By Dave and Donald Moenning]
Internet Software & Services has been the place to be in 2013. In addition to Shutterstock (SSTK), just take a look at these constituents of this red-hot sub-industry: Pandora Media (P), Facebook (FB), j2 Global (JCOM), Yelp (YELP), CoStar Group (CSGP),LinkedIn (LNKD), etc. The list of superb stocks in the Internet Software & Services space goes on and on. Focusing on stocks in the top-performing sub-industries usually helps bullish trades, so today, let's take a closer look at Shutterstock Inc for a short-term long trade.

Hot Services Stocks To Watch For 2014: AOL Inc (AOL)

AOL Inc. (AOL) is a global Web services company with a range of brands and offerings, and a global audience. The Company�� business spans online content, products and services, which it offers to consumers, publishers and advertisers. Its business operations are focused on AOL Properties and Third Party Network. AOL Properties include its owned and operated content, products and services in the Content, Local, Paid Services and Consumer Applications strategy areas in addition to its AOL Ventures offerings. AOL Properties also include co-branded Websites owned by third parties. It generates advertising revenues from AOL Properties through the sale of display advertising and search and contextual advertising. It offers a range of display advertising, including text and banner advertising, mobile, video and rich media advertising, sponsorship of content offerings, and local and classified advertising. It also generates revenues through its subscription access service. It also generates revenues from subscriptions to other products and services. It also generates advertising revenues through the sale of advertising on third-party Websites, which it refers to as the Third Party Network. It markets its offerings to advertisers on both AOL Properties and the Third Party Network under the brand AOL Advertising. It markets its offerings to publishers on the Third Party Network under the brand Advertising.com and also market offerings as video advertisements distributed through goviral A/S (goviral) and 5 Minutes Ltd (5min Media).

On January 22, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of StudioNow, Inc. On September 28, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of 5min Media. On September 28, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of Thing Labs, Inc. On September 29, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of TechCrunch, Inc. On December 15, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of Pictela, Inc. On December 20, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of About.me, Inc. On! January 31, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of goviral A/S. On February 26, 2010, the Company sold buy.at to Digital Window Limited. On June 16, 2010, the Company sold Bebo, Inc. On July 8, 2010, the Company completed the sale of ICQ operations (ICQ). During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company sold its investments in Kayak Software Corporation and Brightcove, Inc.

AOL Properties

AOL Media offerings include original content produced through its network of content creators, which includes professional journalists from media, freelance writers and bloggers, content, which it licenses from third parties and aggregations of user-generated content. Its content offerings are made available to audiences through sites, such as the AOL.com homepage, as well as to audiences branded properties, such as Engadget, TechCrunch, PopEater, Moviefone, AOL Shopping, AOL Autos, AOL Travel, AOL Real Estate, MapQuest and StyleList. Its Seed.com platform allows writers and photographers to submit original content for its editors to review and publish on AOL Properties or on third party sites.

The Company has developed and acquired platforms, which are designed to facilitate the production, aggregation, distribution and consumption of local content. This local content includes professional editorial content, user-generated content and business listings. Its local offerings include Patch, which is a community-specific news and information platform dedicated to providing local coverage for individual towns and communities; MapQuest, which is an online mapping and directions service, and City�� Best, which provides local entertainment information for metropolitan areas. It offers a range of consumer applications, including a range of communications products and services. Its consumer applications offerings include AOL Mail, which is an e-mail services in the United States; AIM, which is an instant messaging service in the United States; and a range of mobile offerin! gs, which! extend its content, products and services to a range of digital devices.

The Company offers AOL Search on AOL Properties. It provides its consumers with a general, Internet-based search experience, which utilizes Google�� organic Web search results and additional links on the search results and third-party content and information, as well as provides a range of search-related features, such as suggesting related searches to help users refine their search queries. It also provides consumers with relevant paid text-based search advertising through its relationship with Google, in which it provides consumers sponsored link ads in response to their search queries. It offers vertical search services and mobile search services on AOL Properties.

The Company offers contextually relevant advertising, which is generated based on the content of the AOL Properties Webpage the consumer is viewing. It also offers MapQuest, a service, which provides maps, turn by turn driving directions and other location-based information for consumers globally. During 2010, it launched a new MapQuest platform, which simplified the user interface and included enhanced features. In addition, it provides local directory listings through its AOL Yellow Pages product, which listings are provided by a third party and from which AOL receives a revenue share. The Company�� subscription service has been its subscription access service, including narrow-band (telephone dial-up) access to the Internet. Computer tools and maintenance services, online technical support, anti-virus software, identity theft protection, online and social media privacy and reputation monitoring services, diet fitness services, online learning and other lifestyle services are offered on a subscription basis. Content, products and services on AOL Properties are available to online consumers.

The Company�� AOL-brand subscription access service, which it offers to consumers in the United States for a monthly fee, is a val! uable dis! tribution channel for AOL Properties. As of December 31, 2010, it had 3.9 million AOL-brand access subscribers in the United States. In addition to its content, products and services, which are available to all online consumers, an AOL-brand access subscription provides members with dial-up access to the Internet. It offers Internet access services under the CompuServe and Netscape brands. Its access service partners are Level 3 Communications, LLC and MCI Communications Services, Inc., who provides it with modem networks and related services for a substantial portion of its subscription access service.

The Company also distributes AOL Properties through a range of other channels, including agreements with manufacturers of digital devices and other consumer electronics, broadband access providers and mobile carriers. AOL also distributes its content, products and services directly to consumers on the open Web and through the Apple Apps Store. Additional distribution channels include toolbars, widgets, co-branded portals and Websites, and third-party Websites and social networks that link to AOL Properties. It also utilizes search engine marketing and search engine optimization as distribution methods. In addition, it makes available open standards and protocols for use by third-party developers. It generates advertising revenues from AOL Properties through the sale of display advertising and search and contextual advertising.

Third Party Network

The Company generates advertising revenues through the sale of advertising on third party Websites. Its advertising offerings on the Third Party Network consists of the sale of display advertising and also includes search and contextual advertising. It markets its offerings to publishers on the Third Party Network under the brand Advertising.com and also market offerings as video advertisements distributed through goviral and 5 Minutes Ltd. Its revenues in the Third Party Network are generated from the advertising invent! ory acqui! red from publishers. The Third Party Network includes a display advertising interface, which gives advertisers the ability to target and control the delivery of their advertisements and provides advertisers and agencies with relevant display analytics and measurement tools. It focuses to utilize self-service systems. For its publishers, inclusion in the Third Party Network offers a range of tools and technologies. It aims to develop its relationships with publishers and advertisers.

The Company utilizes a scheduling, optimization and delivery technology, which optimize advertisement placements across the Third Party Network and the available inventory on AOL Properties. AdLearn allows performance to be analyzed and advertisement placement to be optimized based on specific objectives, including click-through rate, conversion rate, sales volume and other metrics. In addition to advertising and subscription revenues, it also generates fee, license and other revenues. It generates fees from its consumer applications associated with mobile e-mail and instant messaging functionality from mobile carriers. Through MapQuest�� business-to-business services, it generates licensing revenue from third-party customers. It also generates revenues by licensing its ad serving technology to third parties, through its subsidiary, ADTECH AG.

The Company competes with Yahoo! Inc., Google Inc., Microsoft Corporation�� MSN, IAC/Interactive Corp., Facebook, Inc., Twitter, Inc., News Corporation, WPP plc and ValueClick, Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]
AOL provides informational content and entertainment to a growing user base around the world. Patch, the local news site spearheaded by AOL Chief Executive Tim Armstrong, may finally be either sold or closed down after Armstrong�� 4-year journey to guide the unit to profitability has failed. The stock has been surging higher in recent times and is now trading sideways as it digests gains from a recent explosive move higher. Over the last four quarters, investors in the company have been optimistic as earnings and revenue figures have been rising. Relative to its peers and sector, AOL has been an average year-to-date performer. Look for AOL to OUTPERFORM.

Hot Services Stocks To Watch For 2014: Hartco Income Fd(HCI.TO)

Hartco Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides information technology products, services, and solutions to private and public organizations in Canada. It operates in two segments, Franchising and Distribution, and Commercial. The Franchising and Distribution segment offers logistics, marketing, and other services to its franchise network partners in Canada. It is also involved in distribution activities; and the franchising of businesses that sell a range of IT infrastructure solutions. This segment?s franchises operate under the banners of Metafore and MicroAge. The Commercial segment, through its subsidiary, Metafore Technologies Inc., designs, supplies, installs, and supports IT infrastructure solutions. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Montreal, Canada.

Sunday, February 16, 2014

Is College Really Worth It?

In the anguished debate over the value of a college education vs. high costs and declining opportunities, a new Pew Research Center study weighs in resoundingly on the side of higher education.

“On virtually every measure of economic well-being and career attainment—from personal earnings to job satisfaction to the share employed full time—young college graduates are outperforming their peers with less education,” reports the 66-page Pew study, which was released earlier this week.

Indeed, the report, entitled The Rising Cost of Not Going to College, goes farther in stating that the disparity in economic outcomes between those with and without college educations “has never been greater in the modern era.”

The report, likely to provoke a heated response from college skeptics, demonstrates this conclusion by contrasting the economic performance of “millennial” generation full-time workers, ages 25 to 32.

In constant dollars, those with just high school diplomas make just $28,000 a year compared to their early boomer counterparts in 1979, who earned over $32,000 annually; the slope goes steadily downhill from there.

In contrast, an opposite upward slope marks the path of college graduates with bachelor’s or higher degrees from the silent generation, who in 1965 earned nearly $39,000 a year vs. their contemporary 20-something counterparts who earn $45,500, again, in constant dollars.

What’s more, far fewer college-educated millennials are unemployed (3.8%) compared to high school graduates (12.2%), living in poverty (5.8% vs. 21.8%) or living in their parents’ homes (12% vs. 18%); and a greater percentage are married (45% vs. 40%).

Those with two-year degrees fall consistently between those with college or high school degrees in all these categories.

College has conferred many other advantages on millennials, according to the Pew Study, including a career path rather than just a job (86% of college grads vs. 57% for those with high school degrees); the training needed to advance in their jobs (63% vs. 41%); job satisfaction (53% vs. 37%); and the feeling that their education prepared them for their professional lives (46% vs. 31%).

Past Picture

One of the key conclusions of the Pew report, however, is that a mere high school education delivers less than it did in previous generations. In constant dollars, early boomers circa 1979 enjoyed a median household income of over $50,000 compared to millennials who bring in just under $40,000; suffered a 7% poverty rate compared to 22% today; and had an 87% likelihood of lifetime employment compared to 82% today.

An overwhelming percentage of college graduates then and now believe their college degree did or will pay off, despite the financial investment; and the study shows a hierarchy of college graduates positively evaluating their academic preparation, with science and engineering students rating themselves most prepared, followed by business students and last social science/liberal arts/education majors.

The study’s stark contrast between the fortunes of college and high school graduates is sure to receive criticism from those who see higher education as costlier and less rewarding than in the past.

Richard Vedder of Ohio University’s Center for College Affordability and Productivity has published colorful statistics showing that the number of janitors with bachelor’s degrees now surpasses 115,000 or that 15% of cab drivers have such degrees today (vs. less than 1% in 1970).

In a widely referenced 2012 article for Bloomberg Businessweek, Vedder took the “college premium” argument head on, saying that that the $1 million-plus increased lifetime earnings was not traceable to the degree itself but to the higher intelligence and better work habits of college graduates.

He added that more than 40% of higher ed students exit college without a degree, even within six years, but with higher debt and lost working years. Vedder also warned against misinterpreting averages, saying:

“A non-swimmer trying to cross a stream that on average is three feet deep might drown because part of the stream is seven feet in depth. The same kind of thing sometimes happens to college graduates too entranced by statistics on averages,” he wrote, noting widely varying outcomes between, say, engineering and ethnic studies majors.

Finally, he invoked changed market conditions, with a higher supply of college graduates meeting reduced growth in professional employment, and argued that high school students should select a path in line with their past preparation and future opportunities.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Tom Perkins' big idea: The rich should get more votes

HONG KONG (CNNMoney) Tom Perkins suggested Thursday that only taxpayers should have the right to vote -- and that wealthy Americans who pay more in taxes should get more votes.

The venture capitalist offered the unorthodox proposal when asked to name one idea that would "change the world" at a speaking engagement in San Francisco moderated by Fortune's Adam Lashinsky.

"The Tom Perkins system is: You don't get to vote unless you pay a dollar of taxes," Perkins said.

"But what I really think is, it should be like a corporation. You pay a million dollars in taxes, you get a million votes. How's that?"

The audience at the Commonwealth Club reacted with laughter. But Perkins offered no immediate indication that he was joking. Asked offstage if the proposal was serious, Perkins said: "I intended to be outrageous, and it was."

Perkins seemed to be aware that he was courting controversy, saying that his voting proposal would "make you more angry than my letter to the Wall Street Journal."

That letter, published last month, compared the supposed assault on the wealthy to a wave of Nazi attacks on Jews ahead of the Holocaust.

The letter sparked a public firestorm, and the venture capital firm he co-founded -- Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers -- distanced itself from his comments. Perkins has since allowed that the comparison went too far, but has not apologized for the overall message and his warning about anti-rich "radicalism."

Related story: The Super Rich are mad as hell - and doing great

The $350k watch worth 69 Rolexes

The Perkins plan for determining who should be ! allowed to vote is likely to give his critics further ammunition.

For his part, Perkins shows no signs of backing down from his argument that the rich in America are under attack. Perkins said Thursday that the trend has grown since the election of President Obama -- who he described as an "amateur."

Related story: Investor apologizes for Nazi comparison, stands by message

Pressed for examples of how the rich were being demonized, Perkins said that he feared higher taxes.

"The fear is wealth tax, higher taxes, higher death taxes -- just more taxes until there is no more 1%. And that that will creep down to the 5% and then the 10%," he said.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Bloomberg News

At the height of the 1998 Asian economic crisis, then-Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan declared the U.S. was no “oasis of prosperity” in times of global stress.

It is a lesson Ben S. Bernanke's successor will need to heed upon inheriting a central bank once again facing a domestic need to think internationally.

For five years, the Fed has focused on home-grown challenges, including financial turmoil and the recession and surge in unemployment that resulted. The biggest threat to U.S. expansion under its next chairman may lie outside its borders as China and fellow emerging markets show signs of weakening.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: South American Sil Com Npv (SAC.TO)

South American Silver Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties. It holds a 100% interest in the Escalones copper-gold porphyry project that covers 69 square kilometers located to the south-east of Santiago in central Chile. The company was incorporated in 2006 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Tennant Company(TNC)

Tennant Company engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing cleaning solutions worldwide. The company offers floor maintenance and outdoor cleaning equipment; chemical-free cleaning technologies; and specialty surface coatings and related products for protecting, repairing, and upgrading floors. Its products are used to clean and coat surfaces in factories, office buildings, parking lots and streets, airports, hospitals, schools, warehouses, shopping centers, and other retail environments. The company also provides parts, consumables, and service maintenance and repair; business solutions, such as pay-for-use offerings, and rental and leasing programs; and cleaning technologies that enhance the performance of its cleaning equipment. In addition, it offers Green Machine 500ze, an electric vacuum street sweeper to clean crowded urban areas. The company serves building service contract cleaners, end-user businesses, healthcare facilities, and schools, as well as local, state, and federal governments through its direct sales and service organization, and authorized distributors. Tennant Company was founded in 1870 and is based in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Seth Jayson]
Tennant (NYSE: TNC ) reported earnings on April 22. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Tennant missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Watch In Right Now: Augyva Mining Resources Inc (AUV)

Augyva Mining Resources Inc. (Augyva) is an exploration company with activities in Canada. The Company is involved in the exploration of mining properties with a view to commercial production. As of February 29, 2012, the Company�� portfolio consists of mineral properties located in the Province of Quebec, Canada. Augyva's activities are mainly focused on the Duncan Lake Iron Ore property (Duncan Lake) located in the James Bay area of Quebec. Its mining properties include Duncan, Yasinski, Kali / Lac-Elmer, Senneville and Malartic. Augyva holds a 49% interest in the Duncan Property, which is located at the Western Part of the La Grande Greenstone Belt and hosts iron ore deposits of the Algoma type. The Company holds a 100% interest in the Yasinski property, which covers 5,628 hectares. It holds a 100% interest in the Kali/Lac-Elmer property located in the James Bay region, Quebec, which covers 7,818 hectares. Augyva holds a 100% interest on the Senneville and the Malartic properties.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Informatics Education Ltd (I03)

Informatics Education Ltd. is engaged in investment holding, franchisor and licensor for computer and commercial training centers and examination facilitators. The Company operates under the names, InformaticsAcademy International, Thames Academy, Thames International, Informatics Higher Education, Informatics Corporate Learning and Informatics Uni being sole-proprietorships registered under the name of the Company. The Company�� segments, which include Higher Education segment offers Diploma, Advanced Diploma, Degree, Masters and Doctorate qualifications in a range of business, engineering and technological subjects, to college going students and lifelong learners, as well as via an online virtual campus , and Corporate Training segment, which provides training and skills upgrading and enhancement to the general workforce, in both technical and non-technical areas.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Manhattan Bridge Capital Inc (LOAN)

Manhattan Bridge Capital, Inc. offers short-term, secured, non?banking loans to real estate investors to fund the acquisition and construction of properties located in New York Metropolitan area. Its loans are principally secured by collateral consisting of real estate and accompanied by personal guarantees from the principals of the businesses. The company offers its loan products primarily through the company?s officers and independent loan brokers. Manhattan Bridge Capital, Inc. was founded in 1989 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Marc Bastow]
The biggest increase among our dividend stocks this week was from short-term secured non-banking real estate lender Manhattan Bridge Capital (LOAN) which raised its quarterly dividend 100% to 2 cents per share, payable on Aug. 20 to shareholders of record as of Aug. 15.
LOAN Dividend Yield: 0.4%

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Russel Metals Inc Com Npv (RUS.TO)

Russel Metals Inc. engages in the processing and distribution of metals in Canada and the United States. The company operates in three segments: Metals Service Centers, Energy Tubular Products, and Steel Distributors. The Metals Service Centers segment sells plates, and flat rolled carbon and other general line carbon steel products comprising structurals, bars, sheet, pipe, tubing, and hollow structural steel tubing, as well as stainless steel, aluminum, and other non-ferrous specialty metal products in various sizes, shapes, and specifications. It also provides customized processing services. This segment serves end users in various industries, including machinery and equipment manufacturing, construction, shipbuilding, and natural resources, such as mining and petroleum. The Energy Tubular Products segment distributes oil country tubular goods, pipe piling, line pipes, tubes, valves, fluid handling products, and fittings; and processes and distributes steel pipe product s for the construction, oil and gas, and ski industries in the western United States. This segment serves energy, construction, manufacturing, pulp and paper, and mining industries. The Steel Distributors segment distributes steel in large volumes to other steel service centers and large equipment manufacturers. This segment sources carbon steel, plate, beams, channel, flat rolled products, and rail and pipe products. Russel Metals Inc. was founded in 1929 and is based in Mississauga, Canada.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Lot78 Inc (LOTE.PK)

Lot78 Inc, formerly Bold Energy Inc, incorporated on June 27, 2008, is a development-stage company. The Company focuses to develop a range of loyalty program based on Global Club points awarded for all purchases made in associated establishments. These points will be exchangeable by products, trips or discounts.

The Company focuses to be partners with all kinds of retailers, so the cardholders collect points on their every- day expenses, such as in grocery shops, gas stations, restaurants, electronic stores and travel agencies. As of July 31, 2010, the Company had no revenues.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Intuitive Surgical Inc.(ISRG)

Intuitive Surgical, Inc. designs, manufactures, and markets da Vinci surgical systems for various surgical procedures, including urologic, gynecologic, cardiothoracic, general, and head and neck surgeries. Its da Vinci surgical system consists of a surgeon?s console or consoles, a patient-side cart, a 3-D vision system, and proprietary ?wristed? instruments. The company?s da Vinci surgical system translates the surgeon?s natural hand movements on instrument controls at the console into corresponding micro-movements of instruments positioned inside the patient through small puncture incisions, or ports. It also manufactures a range of EndoWrist instruments, which incorporate wrist joints for natural dexterity for various surgical procedures. Its EndoWrist instruments consist of forceps, scissors, electrocautery, scalpels, and other surgical tools. In addition, it sells various vision and accessory products for use in conjunction with the da Vinci Surgical System as surgical procedures are performed. The company?s accessory products include sterile drapes used to ensure a sterile field during surgery; vision products, such as replacement 3-D stereo endoscopes, camera heads, light guides, and other items. It markets its products through sales representatives in the United States, and through sales representatives and distributors in international markets. The company was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Rick Munarriz]
I went out on a limb last week, and now it's time to see how that decision played out.
I predicted that Intuitive Surgical (NASDAQ: ISRG ) would close higher on the week. The company behind the da Vinci surgical robotics system took a hit a week earlier after revealing that sales were soft in its latest quarter. I figured the bad news was already out of the way heading into Thursday's report. Unfortunately, the report was an even bigger disappointment. The stock fell 8% on the week. I was wrong. I predicted that the tech-heavy Nasdaq would outperform the Dow Jones Industrial Average. (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) . This has been a tricky call lately, so how did it play out this time? Well, this was a close race until tech stocks fell on Friday. The Nasdaq moved 0.3% lower, and the Dow managed to close 0.5% higher. I was wrong. My final call was for CSX (NYSE: CSX ) to beat Wall Street's income estimates in its latest quarter. The railroad giant has been posting blowout quarterly results over the past year, and I was banking on seeing the trend continue. Analysts were looking for a profit of $0.47 a share during the quarter, and it came through with net income of $0.52. I was right.
One out of three? I can do better than that.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Blueknight Energy(BKEP)

Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P., together with its subsidiaries, provides integrated terminalling, storage, processing, gathering, and transportation services for companies engaged in the production, distribution and marketing of crude oil and asphalt products in the United States. The company offers crude oil terminalling and storage services, which enables it customers to manage their crude oil inventories, marketing, and operating activities, as well as asphalt services that enables its customers to manage their asphalt product storage and processing, and marketing activities. It also provides crude oil pipeline and crude oil trucking services. In addition, the company offers producer field services, including gathering condensates by way of bobtail trucks for natural gas companies to hauling produced water to disposal wells; provision of hot and cold fresh water; chemical and down hole well treatment services; wet oil clean up services; and building and maintaining se paration facilities. As of July 19, 2011, it owned and operated a portfolio of midstream energy assets consisting of approximately 8.1 million barrels of crude oil storage facilities located in Oklahoma and Texas; approximately 1,285 miles of crude oil pipeline network located primarily in Oklahoma and Texas; approximately 300 crude oil transportation and oilfield services vehicles deployed in Kansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas; and approximately 7.4 million barrels of combined asphalt product and residual fuel oil storage facilities located at 45 terminals in 22 states. The company was formerly known as SemGroup Energy Partners, L.P. Blueknight Energy Partners, L.P. is based in Tulsa, Oklahoma.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Accuray Incorporated(ARAY)

Accuray Incorporated designs, develops, and sells medical radiation systems for the treatment of tumors anywhere in the body. The company offers the CyberKnife system, an image-guided robotic radiosurgery system used for the treatment of solid tumors. The system tracks, detects, and corrects for tumor and patient movement in real-time during the procedure, enabling delivery of precise, high dose radiation typically with sub-millimeter accuracy. The company also offers the TomoTherapy system, which consists of an integrated and versatile radiation therapy system used for the treatment of a range of cancer types. Accuray Incorporated markets its product through a direct sales force and distributors worldwide. The company was incorporated in 1990 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By John Udovich]
Small cap robotic stock Adept Technology (NASDAQ: ADEP) has put in a very good performance this month verses its immediate peer�iRobot Corporation (NASDAQ: IRBT) as well as against medical robotic stocks like MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO), Accuray Incorporated (NASDAQ: ARAY) and Hansen Medical, Inc (NASDAQ: HNSN). I should also mention that we have recently added Adept Technology to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio (we are up 9% since last week) because we feel robotics is an improving sector as companies aim to reduce overhead and improve efficiencies through machine to machine (M2M) automation.
[By Alex Planes]
Intuitive Surgical's stock has been battered by worse-than-expected third-quarter results, which included the first year-over-year quarterly revenue decline in company history, coming on the heels of an underwhelming second quarter this summer. Fool contributor Rupert Hargreaves notes that the FDA's initiated an investigation on Intuitive's da Vinci surgical robotics systems, after it found several discrepancies in its incident reports. As a result, quarterly sales of the da Vinci declined from 155 units to 101 units, a drop that can only be partly blamed on slowing demand for medical devices in the U.S. Intuitive may have underperformed compared to recently acquired MAKO Surgical (NASDAQ: MAKO ) and Accuray (NASDAQ: ARAY ) over the past year, but it remains the 800-pound gorilla among these industry peers.
[By Sean Williams]
What: Shares of medical device maker Accuray (NASDAQ: ARAY ) jumped as much as 13% after the company reported its third-quarter earnings results.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Cad It(CAD.MI)

CAD IT S.p.A. offers software solutions, as well as provides maintenance, personalization, integration, and other correlated services to banking, insurance, and private and public administration markets primarily in Italy. The company�?s Finance division provides Financial Area, an application that manages various functions connected to the negotiation, settlement, accounting, and administration of domestic and foreign financial operations. It also offers various solutions for fund allocation, tangible asset management, private banking, link-up to international markets, derivate management, general group data, credit, and forex. The company's Public Administration division provides planning and control systems, and a range of instruments and services, including local taxation, a package for the management of revenue, and voluntary/forced tax collection activities; B-Eval, a tool to monitor, measure, and evaluate the objectives and activities of a public body; and Babel e, a business intelligence platform to support public administration in activities, such as cost analysis, planning and programming, PEG/detailed plan of objectives, strategic control, staff cost control, and aim assessment. Its Industry division offers solutions for the management of various activities, such as accounting, production, management control, workflow management, quality system, designing, and supply chain management; and an ERP solution that covers various areas of company management. The company also offers outsourcing services in the areas of technical infrastructure, data protection, hardware and software maintenance, applicative software maintenance, technical and applicative monitoring, and disaster recovery. CAD IT S.p.A. was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Verona, Italy.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Mazorro Resources Inc (MZO.V)

Mazorro Resources Inc., an exploration stage junior mining company, engages in the identification, acquisition, evaluation, and exploration of mineral properties. It primarily focuses on the exploration of gold properties in Quebec, Canada. The company has an option agreement to acquire a 100% interest in Dalquier property that includes 85 claims covering an area of 3,500 hectares located in the township of Dalquier, Quebec; and an option agreement to own a 75% interest in the Figuery property comprising 55 claims located in the Figuery, Landrienne, and Duverny Townships of Quebec. It also has an option agreement to earn a 70% interest in the Lapaska property consisting of 26 claims covering an area of approximately 352 hectares located in the Louvicourt Township of Quebec. Mazorro Resources Inc. was incorporated in 2007 and is based in Manotick, Canada.

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: QCR Holdings Inc.(QCRH)

QCR Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial and consumer banking, and trust and asset management services for the Quad City, Cedar Rapids, and Rockford communities. The company accepts deposits and invests in loans/leases and securities. Its deposit products comprise interest bearing deposits, non-interest bearing and interest bearing demand deposits, savings deposits, time deposits, and brokered time deposits. The company also offers a range of commercial and retail lending and investment services to corporations, partnerships, individuals, and government agencies. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial loans, including loans to wholesalers, manufacturers, building contractors, business services companies, other banks, and retailers; business loans, which include lines of credit for working capital and operational purposes; term loans for the acquisition of facilities, equipment, and other purposes; commercial real estate loans; and consumer loans c omprising motor vehicle, home improvement, home equity, and signature loans, as well as small personal credit lines. In addition, the company engages in the direct financing lease contracts; holding the real estate property; and issuing various trust preferred securities. QCR Holdings was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Moline, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Tim Melvin]
QCR Holdings (QCRH) is another bank that has consistently had a lower return on assets than its peer group. The Illinois based bank has 9 offices and about $2.4 billion in total assets. The bank has an equity-to-assets ratio of just 7.4, which is well below the national average. The Illinois market has seen strong merger and acquisition activity in the past year, and this bank could become a target .

Top 5 Asian Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Sequenom Inc.(SQNM)

Sequenom, Inc. provides products, services, diagnostic testing, applications, and genetic analysis products that translate the results of genomic science into solutions for biomedical research, translational research, molecular medicine applications, and agricultural and livestock research. The company operates in two segments, Molecular Diagnostics and Genetic Analysis. The Molecular Diagnostics segment researches, develops, and commercializes noninvasive molecular diagnostic tests for prenatal genetic disorders and diseases, women?s health related disorders and diseases, ophthalmology, oncology, infectious diseases, and autoimmunity. This segment markets diagnostic technology for prenatal diagnostics under the trademark SEQureDx. The Genetic Analysis segment designs and markets MassARRAY system, a nucleic acid analysis platform that comprises hardware, software applications, consumable chips, and reagents to measure genetic target material and variations. This segment o ffers its MassARRAY system for various DNA/RNA analysis applications, including single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), genotyping, detection of mutations, analysis of copy number variants, and other structural genome variations, as well as quantitative gene expression analysis, quantitative methylation marker analysis, comparative sequence analysis of haploid organisms, SNP discovery, and oligonucleotide quality control. It also provides iPLEX multiplexing assay, which permits multiplexed SNP analysis and somatic mutation analysis. The company offers its products through direct sales, and sales and distribution partners to clinical research laboratories, bio-agriculture, bio-technology and pharmaceutical companies, academic institutions, and various government agencies worldwide. Sequenom, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Keith Speights]
The check wasn't in the mail
Genetic analysis solutions provider Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM ) announced its second-quarter financial results this week. Mr. Market wasn't happy. Shares plunged nearly 30% for the week.
[By Keith Speights]
Top line makes everything fine
Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM ) lost more money in the first quarter than it did in the same period last year. The life-sciences company also missed the average analyst earnings estimate. Did shares fall? Nope -- they jumped 14%.
[By Selena Maranjian]
Finally, GMT Capital's biggest closed positions included Harris�and NII Holdings. Other closed positions of interest include Sequenom (NASDAQ: SQNM ) and QuestCor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: QCOR ) . Sequenom, which makes molecular and genetic diagnostic tests, is a relatively small concern, with a market cap near $500 million. One of the company's tests checks for Down syndrome in a non-invasive manner, which should be of interest to many older women.�Future tests�might address conditions such as macular degeneration. Meanwhile, the company is expanding its reach abroad, but it's still posting widening losses along with strong revenue growth.