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

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Joy Global: Primed for a Short Squeeze

It’s not quite love, but at least JPMorgan is considering the potential upside in Joy Global (JOY), one of the market’s least love stocks, next week when it releases earnings.

Rio Tinto

JPMorgan’s Ann Duignan and team wonder if Joy Global’s earnings will take its cues from Cliffs Natural Resources (CLF) or Caterpillar (CAT), but decides that either way Joy Global could be poised for a short squeeze. They explain:

Expectations are mixed going into the quarter, as commentary from mining companies remains negative (earlier this week, Cliffs Natural Resources reduced its capex budget by $100MM, or ~25%), but Caterpillar’s reported dealer retail sales for the Resource segment in NA appear to be stabilizing (down 3% in JOY’s FQ2 vs. down 26% in FQ1)…JOY remains one of the most-heavily-shorted names in our coverage universe, and any positive news (particularly in the aftermarket business) could present upside risk in the form of a "short squeeze." While we remain Neutral on the back of a challenging outlook for mining equipment demand, our Equity Derivatives Strategy team recommends investors capitalize on upside risk to the earnings report through options.

Shares of Joy Global have fallen 1.7% to $57.20 at 1:51 p.m. today, while Caterpillar has dropped 1.8% to $101.71 and Cliffs Natural Resources has declined 4.7% to $15.82, as its battle with Casablanca Capital heats up.

Friday, May 30, 2014

Bond Labs to Simplify Capital Structurer (OTCBB:BNLB)

Bond Laboratories, Inc. (BNLB)

Today, BNLB surged (+0.61%) up +0.001 at $.165 with 16,200 shares in play thus far (ref. google finance Delayed: 11:10AM EDT September 18, 2013).

Bond Laboratories, Inc., an international provider of innovative and proprietary nutritional supplements for health conscious consumers, previously reported a recapitalization designed to simplify its capital structure and significantly reduce its cost of capital.

Convert half of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company's Series C Convertible Preferred Stock and accrued dividends at $0.25 per share;
Redeem half of the issued and outstanding shares of the Company's Series C Convertible Preferred Stock at par plus accrued dividends;
Redeem issued and outstanding shares of the Company's 10% Cumulative Perpetual Series B Preferred Stock at par plus accrued dividends;
In connection with the Series C Conversion at $0.25 per share, the Company has agreed to exchange/cancel 2,500,000 warrants for 625,000 common shares, thereby reducing the Company's diluted share count by 1,875,000 shares;
Complete a reverse stock split at a ratio of 10 for 1, as approved by shareholders at the recent annual meeting; and
Change the corporate name to FitLife Brands, Inc.

Bond Laboratories, Inc. (BNLB) 5 day chart:

bnlbchart

5 Stocks Set to Soar on Bullish Earnings

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Short-sellers hate being caught short a stock that reports a blowout quarter. When this happens, we often see a tradable short squeeze develop as the bears rush to cover their positions to avoid big losses. Even the best short-sellers know that it's never a great idea to stay short once a bullish earnings report sparks a big short-covering rally.

This is why I scan the market for heavily shorted stocks that are about to report earnings. You only need to find a few of these stocks in a year to help enhance your portfolio returns -- the gains become so outsized in such a short time frame that your profits add up quickly.

That said, let's not forget that stocks are heavily shorted for a reason, so you have to use trading discipline and sound money management when playing earnings short-squeeze candidates. It's important that you don't go betting the farm on these plays and that you manage your risk accordingly. Sometimes the best play is to wait for the stock to break out following the report before you jump in to profit off a short squeeze. This way, you're letting the trend emerge after the market has digested all of the news.

Of course, sometimes the stock is going to be in such high demand that you risk missing a lot of the move by waiting. That's why it can be worth betting prior to the report -- but only if the stock is acting technically very bullish and you have a very strong conviction that it is going to rip higher. Just remember that even when you have that conviction and have done your due diligence, the stock can still get hammered if The Street doesn't like the numbers or guidance.

If you do decide to bet ahead of a quarter, then you might want to use options to limit your capital exposure. Heavily shorted stocks are usually the names that make the biggest post-earnings moves and have the most volatility. I personally prefer to wait until all the earnings-related news is out for a heavily shorted stock and then jump in and trade the prevailing trend.

With that in mind, here's a look at several stocks that could experience big short squeezes when they report earnings this week.

Pier 1 Imports

My first earnings short-squeeze trade idea is Pier 1 Imports (PIR), a global importer of imported decorative home furnishings and gifts, which is set to release numbers on Thursday before the market opens. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Pier 1 Imports to report revenue of $404.64 million on earnings of 21 cents per share.

Just recently, Argus said the recent pullback in shares of Pier 1 Imports is providing an attractive entry point, and the firm reiterated its buy rating on the stock with a $27 per share price target. The firm believes that Pier 1 Imports should hold up well in a promotional and competitive environment.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float Pier 1 Imports stands at 5%. That means that out of the 97.51 million shares in the tradable float, 4.90 million shares are sold short by the bears. If the bulls get the earnings news they're looking for, then shares of PIR could jump sharply higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their bets.

From a technical perspective, PIR is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending for the last month, with shares moving higher from its low of $20.59 to its intraday high of $23.23 a share. During that uptrend, shares of PIR have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of PIR within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade post-earnings.

If you're bullish on PIR, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $23.50 to $24 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 1.25 million shares. If that breakout hits, then PIR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $25.28 a share. Any high-volume move above $25.28 could push PIR towards $30 a share.

I would simply avoid PIR or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout and then drops back below its 200-day at $22.44 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then PIR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $21.64 to $20.59 a share.

Scholastic

Another potential earnings short-squeeze trade idea is children''s publishing, education, and media company Scholastic (SCHL), which is set to release its numbers on Thursday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Scholastic to report revenue $299.70 million on a loss of 68 cents per share.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Scholastic is very high at 13.3%. That means that out of the 27.7 million shares in the tradable float, 3.41 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 12.9%, or by about 388,000 shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a strong quarter, then shares of SCHL could rip sharply higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their short bets.

From a technical perspective, SCHL is currently trending above its 200-day moving average and just below its 50-day moving average, which is neutral trendwise. This stock has been trending sideways for the last two months, with shares moving between $28.68 on the downside and $31.44 on the upside. Any high-volume move above the upper-end of its recent range could trigger a near-term breakout trade for shares of SCHL post-earnings.

If you're in the bull camp on SCHL, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this manages to break out above its 50-day moving average at $30.43 a share and then once it takes out more resistance at $31.44 a share high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 170,081 shares. If that breakout hits, then SCHL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $33 to its 52-week high at $34.55 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give SCHL a chance to tag $40 a share.

I would simply avoid SCHL or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below its 200-day at $29.15 a share and then once it takes out more key near-term support levels at $28.68 to $28.08 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then SCHL will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $27 to $26 a share.

Rite Aid

One potential earnings short-squeeze candidate is retail drugstore chain operator Rite Aid (RAD), which is set to release numbers on Thursday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Rite Aid to report revenue of $6.27 billion on a loss of 4 cents per share.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Rite Aid is notable at 3.7%. That means that out of the 896 million shares in the tradable float, 33.54 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 32%, or by about 8.13 million shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a bullish quarter, then shares of RAD could easily explode higher post-earnings as the bears rush to cover some of their short bets.

From a technical perspective, RAD is currently trending above 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 $1.65 to its recent high of $3.75 a share. During that uptrend, shares of RAD have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of RAD within range of triggering a major breakout trade post-earnings.

If you're bullish on RAD, 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 $3.75 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 20.36 million shares. If that breakout hits, then RAD 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 to $6 a share.

I would avoid RAD or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout, and then drops back below some key near-term support levels at $3.53 a share to its 50-day moving average of $3.25 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then RAD will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $3.08 to $2.80 a share.

Cintas

Another earnings short-squeeze prospect is business support services player Cintas (CTAS), which is set to release numbers on Thursday after the market close. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Cintas to report revenue of $1.10 billion on earnings of 63 cents per share.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Cintas stands at 5.6%. That means that out of the 102.38 million shares in the tradable float, 5.70 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 2.5%, or by about 136,000 shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a strong quarter, then shares of CTAS could move up sharply higher post-earnings as the bears move to cover some of those bets.

From a technical perspective, CTAS 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 $42.35 to its recent high of $50.80 a share. During that uptrend, shares of CTAS have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of CTAS within range of triggering a big breakout trade post-earnings.

If you're bullish on CTAS, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $61 to $62.27 a share and then once it takes its 52-week high at $50.80 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average action of 458,136 shares. If that breakout hits, then CTAS will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $60 to $65 a share.

I would simply avoid CTAS or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout and then drops back below some key near-term support at $49.50 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then CTAS will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 50-day at $48.32 share to more near-term support levels at $47.64 to $47 a share.

Darden Restaurants

My final earnings short-squeeze play is full-service restaurant operator Darden Restaurants (DRI), which is set to release numbers on Friday before the market open. Wall Street analysts, on average, expect Darden Restaurants to report revenue of $2.20 billion on earnings of 70 cents per share.

Just recently, Wunderlich issued a hold rating on shares of Darden Restaurants with a $50 per share price target. The firm said internal investments will take time to bear fruit.

The current short interest as a percentage of the float for Darden Restaurants is pretty high at 7.3%. That means that out of the 129.22 million shares in the tradable float, 9.47 million shares are sold short by the bears. The bears have also been increasing their bets from the last reporting period by 8.1%, or by about 705,000 shares. If the bears get caught pressing their bets into a bullish quarter, then shares of DRI could spike sharply higher post-earnings as the bears jump to cover some of those bets.

From a technical perspective, DRI is currently trending above both its 50-day and 200-day moving averages, which is bullish. This stock has been uptrending for the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $45.71 a share to its intraday high of $49.50 a share. During that uptrend, shares of DRI have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of DRI within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade post-earnings.

If you're in the bull camp on DRI, then I would wait until after its report and look for long-biased trades if this stock manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $50.15 a share with high volume. Look for volume on that move that hits near or above its three-month average volume of 1.44 million shares. If that breakout hits, then DRI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $52.24 to $54.66 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give DRI a chance to tag its 52-week high at $57.93 a share.

I would avoid DRI or look for short-biased trades if after earnings it fails to trigger that breakout and then drops back below both its 50-day at $48.62 a share and its 200-day at $48.27 a share with high volume. If we get that move, then DRI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major support levels at $45.71 to $42.75 a share.

To see more potential earnings short squeeze plays, check out the Earnings Short-Squeeze Plays portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015

Kmart has joined a long and "distinguished" list of retail chains who offer a rent-to-own program.

It's a sign of the times... Only, rather than being a sign of economic recovery, it's a sign of retail desperation.

Ostensibly, these programs are intended to benefit cash-strapped consumers who couldn't otherwise afford to buy big-ticket items. In reality, the program turns consumer goods like a $300 television into a $415 purchase, according to Bloomberg.

Talk about "the vig" ...The imputed interest rate is more than 100%, annually.

It's absolutely appalling, and it ranks right up there with the exploitive subprime lending practices that lead to the financial crisis.

And we're not falling for it...

A Deceptive New Twist on a Very Old Practice

Naturally, the "big box" retailers like Best Buy Co. Inc. (NYSE: BBY), and Kmart's owner Sears Holdings Corp.

(Nasdaq: SHLD), and others don't see the problem.

To their way of thinking, rent-to-own provides a valuable service for customers who "can't otherwise get credit," according to Jai Holtz, VP of Financial Services for Sears Holdings Corp. in remarks made to Bloomberg.

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: Deckers Outdoor Corporation(DECK)

Deckers Outdoor Corporation engages in the design, manufacture, and marketing of footwear and accessories for outdoor activities and casual lifestyle use to men, women, and children. The company offers luxury footwear and accessories under the UGG brand name; high performance multi-sport shoes, rugged outdoor footwear, and sport sandals under the Teva brand name; casual and sustainable-lifestyle sneakers and accessories under the Simple brand name; casual footwear under the TSUBO brand name; and outdoor performance and lifestyle footwear under the Ahnu brand name. Its accessories include handbags and cold weather outerwear. The company sells its products primarily to specialty retailers, department stores, outdoor retailers, sporting goods retailers, shoe stores, and online retailers. Deckers Outdoor Corporation also sells its products directly to end-user consumers through its Web sites, call centers, retail concept stores, and retail outlet stores, as well as through ret ailers in the United States. In addition, the company distributes its products through independent distributors and retailers in Europe, Canada, Australia, Asia, and Latin America. It has a joint venture with Stella International Holdings Limited for the opening of retail stores and wholesale distribution for the UGG brand in China. Deckers Outdoor Corporation was founded in 1973 and is headquartered in Goleta, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jon C. Ogg]
Deckers Outdoor Corp. (NASDAQ: DECK) was raised to Buy from Hold with an $80 price target at Canaccord Genuity.

Duke Energy Corp. (NYSE: DUK) was raised to Buy from Hold at Deutsche Bank.
[By John Kell]
Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Friday’s session are Deckers Outdoor Corp.(DECK), KBR Inc.(KBR) and Pier 1 Imports Inc.(PIR)
[By Alex Planes]
Colorful clog maker Crocs disappointed on both top and bottom lines in its latest quarter, because of sluggish back-to-school sales, weaker employment growth, and macroeconomic uncertainty both domestically and abroad. Crocs' same-store sales in the Americas and Japan fell by 8.3% and 16.3%, respectively, but it's still enjoying notable growth in European and Asia-Pacific markets, where customers have taken great interest in the comfortable brand. This recent weakness has led Crocs to underperform the indexes as compared to Deckers Outdoor (NASDAQ: DECK ) , Skechers (NYSE: SKX ) and other shoe-makers -- its growth during our three-year tracking period is now the weakest of any major shoe brand (including shoe outlet Foot Locker (NYSE: FL ) :

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: Adams Golf Inc.(ADGF)

Adams Golf, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, designs, assembles, markets, and distributes golf clubs for various skill levels primarily in the United States and internationally. Its products comprise Speedline Fast 12 drivers, Fast 12 LS drivers, Speedline Fast 12 fairway woods, Idea a12 OS irons and hybrids, Idea a12 hybrids, Idea Pro a12 irons and hybrids, Idea Tech V3 irons and hybrids, Redline irons, Idea a7 and a7 OS irons and hybrids, and Speedline 9088 UL drivers. It also develops products under the Yes! Putters, Women's Golf Unlimited, Lady Fairway, and Square 2 brands. In addition, it offers a range of golf bags, hats, and other accessories. The company sells its products to on- and off- course golf shops, sporting goods retailers, and mass merchants, as well as to international distributors. Adams Golf, Inc. was founded in 1987 and is based in Plano, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Geoff Gannon]
Adams Golf (ADGF) was a net-net. It got bought out by Adidas. By the way, it�� not the only net-net to get bought out this year. Swank (SNKI) was also a net-net that looks like it�� going to be bought out. Last I heard, they received an alternative proposal during their ��o shop��period and haven�� acted on it. The Ben Graham: Net-Net Newsletter�� model portfolio doesn�� own either stock. Though we do own another net-net where a company in the same industry bought a block of shares. Who knows what that means. But clearly net-nets sometimes attract control buyers.

10 Best Paper Stocks To Watch For 2015: J&J Snack Foods Corp (JJSF)

J & J Snack Foods Corp. (J & J), incorporated in 1971, manufactures nutritional snack foods and distributes frozen beverages, which it markets nationally to the food service and retail supermarket industries. The Company�� principal snack food products are soft pretzels marketed under the brand name SUPERPRETZEL and frozen juice treats and desserts marketed under the LUIGI��, WHOLE FRUIT, ICEE and MINUTE MAID brand names. In June 2012, the Company acquired the assets of Kim & Scott�� Gourmet Pretzels, Inc., a manufacturer and seller of a brand soft pretzel. In October 2013, J & J Snack Foods Corp. acquired the assets of New York Pretzel.

J & J is a manufacturer of soft pretzels in the United States, Mexico and Canada. Other snack food products include churros (an Hispanic pastry), funnel cake, dough enrobed handheld products and bakery products. The Company�� principal frozen beverage products are the ICEE brand frozen carbonated beverage and the SLUSH PUPPIE brand frozen uncarbonated beverage. The Company�� Food Service and Frozen Beverages sales are made to food service customers, including snack bar and food stand locations in chain, department, discount, warehouse club and convenience stores; malls and shopping centers; fast food outlets; stadiums and sports arenas; leisure and theme parks; movie theatres; independent retailers, and schools, colleges and other institutions. The Company�� retail supermarket customers are supermarket chains. The Company operates in three business segments: Food Service, Retail Supermarkets and Frozen Beverages.

The products sold by the food service segment are soft pretzels, frozen juice treats and desserts, churros, dough enrobed handheld products and baked goods. Its customers in the food service segment include snack bars and food stands in chain, department and discount stores; malls and shopping centers; casual dining restaurants; fast food outlets; stadiums and sports arenas; leisure and theme parks; convenience stores; m! ovie theatres; warehouse club stores; schools, colleges, and other institutions. The products sold to the retail supermarket channel are soft pretzel products, including SUPERPRETZEL, frozen juice treats and desserts, including LUIGI�� Real Italian Ice, MINUTE MAID Juice Bars and Soft Frozen Lemonade, WHOLE FRUIT frozen fruit bars and sorbet, ICEE Squeeze-Up Tubes and dough enrobed handheld products, including PATIO burritos. The Company sells frozen beverages to the food service industry primarily under the names ICEE, SLUSH PUPPIE, PARROT ICE and ARCTIC BLAST in the United States, Mexico and Canada. It also provides repair and maintenance service to customers for customers��owned equipment.

Soft Pretzels

The Company�� soft pretzels are sold under many brand names, which are SUPERPRETZEL, PRETZEL FILLERS, PRETZELFILS, GOURMET TWISTS, MR. TWISTER, SOFT PRETZEL BITES, SOFTSTIX, SOFT PRETZEL BUNS, TEXAS TWIST, CINNAPRETZEL and SERIOUSLY TWISTED!; and under private labels. Soft pretzels are sold in the Food Service and Retail Supermarket segments. During fiscal year ended September 29, 2012 (fiscal 2012), soft pretzel sales amounted to 18% of the Company�� revenue.

Soft pretzels, ranging in size from one to ten ounces in weight, are shaped and formed by the Company�� twister machines. These soft pretzel tying machines are for twisting dough into the traditional pretzel shape. In addition, it makes soft pretzels, which are extruded or shaped by hand. The Company�� marketing program in the Food Service segment includes supplying ovens, mobile merchandisers, display cases, warmers and similar merchandising equipment to the retailer to prepare and promote the sale of soft pretzels.

Frozen Juice Treats and Desserts

The Company�� frozen juice treats and desserts are marketed primarily under the LUIGI��, WHOLE FRUIT, ICEE and MINUTE MAID brand names. Frozen juice treats and desserts are sold in the Food Service and Retail Supermarke! ts segmen! ts. During fiscal 2012, frozen juice treats and dessert sales were 13% of the Company�� revenue.

The Company�� school food service MINUTE MAID and WHOLE FRUIT frozen juice bars and cups are manufactured from an apple or pineapple juice concentrate to which water, sweeteners, coloring (in some cases) and flavorings are added. The juice bars are produced in various flavors and are packaged in a sealed push-up paper container referred to as the Milliken M-pak. The balance of the Company�� frozen juice treats and desserts products are manufactured from water, sweeteners and fruit juice concentrates in various flavors and packaging, including cups, tubes, sticks, M-paks, pints and tubs.

Churros

The Company�� churros are sold under the TIO PEPE�� and CALIFORNIA CHURROS brand names. Churros are sold to the Food Service and Retail Supermarkets segments. During fiscal 2012, Churro sales were 6% of the Company�� sales. Churros are Hispanic pastries in stick form, which the Company produces in several sizes. The churros are deep fried, frozen and packaged. At food service point-of-sale they are reheated and topped with a cinnamon sugar mixture. The Company also sells fruit and creme-filled churros. The Company supplies churro merchandising equipment.

Handheld Products

The Company's dough enrobed handheld products are marketed under the PATIO, HAND FULLS, HOLLY RIDGE BAKERY, VILLA TALIANO, TOP PICKS brand names and under private labels. Handheld products are sold to the Food Service and Retail Supermarket segments. During fiscal 2012, handheld product sales amounted to 6% of the Company's sales.

Bakery Products

The Company�� bakery products are marketed under the MRS. GOODCOOKIE, READI-BAKE, COUNTRY HOME, MARY B��, DADDY RAY�� and JANA�� brand names, and under private labels. Bakery products include biscuits, fig and fruit bars, cookies, breads, rolls, crumb, muffins and donuts. Bakery products are sold ! to the Fo! od Service segment. During fiscal 2012, bakery products sales amounted to 32% of the Company�� sales.

Frozen Beverages

The Company markets frozen beverages primarily under the names ICEE, SLUSH PUPPIE, PARROT ICE and ARCTIC BLAST in the United States, Mexico and Canada. During fiscal 2012, frozen beverages are sold in the Frozen Beverages segment. During fiscal 2012, frozen beverage sales amounted to 16% of revenue in fiscal 2012.

Under the Company�� principal marketing program for frozen carbonated beverages, it installs frozen beverage dispensers for its ICEE and ARCTIC BLAST brands at customer locations and thereafter services the machines, arranges to supply customers with ingredients required for production of the frozen beverages, and supports customer retail sales efforts with in-store promotions and point-of-sale materials. During fiscal 2012, the Company also provided repair and maintenance service to customers for customers��owned equipment and sells equipment in its Frozen Beverages segment, revenue from which amounted to 7% of sales. The Company sells frozen un-carbonated beverages under the SLUSH PUPPIE and PARROT ICE brands through a distributor network and through its own distribution network.

Each new frozen carbonated customer location requires a frozen beverage dispenser supplied by the Company or by the customer. Company-supplied frozen carbonated dispensers are purchased from outside vendors, built new or rebuilt by the Company. The Company provides managed service and/or products to approximately 87,000 Company-owned and customer-owned dispensers.

Other Products

Other products sold by the Company include soft drinks, funnel cakes sold under the FUNNEL CAKE FACTORY brand name and smaller amounts of various other food products. These products are sold in the Food Service and Frozen Beverages segments.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By John Kell and Lauren Pollock var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); ]
Hologic Inc.(HOLX) named Eric Compton as its chief operating officer, a newly created position, amid a handful of leadership changes at the medical-equipment maker. Mr. Compton most recently worked as the world-wide president of Johnson & Johnson’s Ortho-Clinical Diagnostics. J&J(JJSF) in January agreed to sell the�blood-testing business for $4.15 billion to Carlyle Group L.P(CG).
[By Suravi Thacker]
Food industry is one of the safest options to invest in since food can never be out of vogue. Moreover, even snack making industry is quite a lucrative one with some of the prominent players being Kellogg (K), Mondelez International (MDLZ) and J&J Snack Foods (JJSF). However, it is important to understand which among these will be the best pick for any investor.
[By Geoff Gannon] out the performance numbers on those three stocks over the last 10-13 years (I bought them at different times). You��l notice that if I just never sold those stocks I wouldn�� need to do anything else. Those three stocks would��e made a fine portfolio for the next decade or so.
Well, I did sell those stocks. And I did a lot else. And some of it worked very well and some of it worked very badly. But, almost without fail, the net result was never better than what would have happened if I�� kept those three stocks.
That�� not an accident. It took me a very, very long time to buy stocks when I was a kid. I bought six stocks in my first five years as an investor. That�� not quite a 20 punches approach ��but it�� pretty close.
Why did I only buy one stock a year?
Because I didn�� know anything about stocks. And I didn�� think I knew anything about stocks.
My investment style was formed from a combination of extreme ignorance and extreme confidence. I was totally ignorant about stocks. And I was totally confident that I could learn all I needed to know about the stocks I needed to know about.
That combination led to focusing on a few very specific stocks. Stocks I was comfortable with.
When I was 14, there were only two places my money went. Into my brokerage account. Or into video games. So it�� not a surprise I bought Activision. At the time the video game industry had a much clearer future than it does today. And there was no better CEO of a video game company than Bobby Kotick. The balance sheet was pristine. When you backed out cash, the stock was cheap relative to sales. I looked at everything I could about video game companies and I decided sales were pretty profitable and pretty cash generative in this industry. All you needed was sensible capital allocation. All you needed was management that was going to run the place like a business. And I thought you had that.
I worked as a cashier at Vi

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: Le Gaga Holdings Limited (GAGA)

Le Gaga Holdings Limited engages in cultivating, processing, and distributing vegetables, fruits, and tea leaves in the People�s Republic of China and Hong Kong. The company is also involved in cultivating and selling fir trees. It offers solanaceous vegetables, including sweet peppers, tomatoes, eggplants, pumpkins, and cucumbers; leafy vegetables comprising flowering Chinese cabbage, baby bok choy, and baby Chinese cabbage; and cruciferous vegetables, such as broccoli and Chinese cabbage. As of March 31, 2012, the company operated 11 farms with an aggregate area of 1,671 hectares in Fujian, Guangdong, and Hebei provinces. It sells approximately 50 varieties of vegetables primarily to wholesalers, institutional customers, and supermarket chains. The company was founded in 2004 and is based in Kowloon, Hong Kong.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Monica Gerson]
Le Gaga Holdings (NASDAQ: GAGA) is estimated to report its Q4 earnings.

Adobe Systems (NASDAQ: ADBE) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.34 per share on revenue of $1.01 billion.

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: Whirlpool Corporation(WHR)

Whirlpool Corporation engages in the manufacture and marketing of home appliances worldwide. Its principal products include laundry appliances, refrigerators and freezers, cooking appliances, dishwashers, mixers, and other portable household appliances. The company also produces hermetic compressors for refrigeration systems. It markets and distributes its products under various brand names, including Whirlpool, Maytag, KitchenAid, Jenn-Air, Amana, Roper, Estate, Admiral, Gladiator, Inglis, Acros, Supermatic, Consul, Brastemp, Eslab� de Lujo, Bauknecht, Ignis, Laden, Polar, and Privileg in North and Latin America, Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Whirlpool Corporation sells its products to retailers, dealers, distributors, builders, and other manufacturers. The company was founded in 1898 and is headquartered in Benton Harbor, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Rick Munarriz]
SodaStream once again proved its ability to thrive as a swinging single on Monday. Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR ) teaming up with SodaStream to jointly develop a carbonation system is a pretty big deal. It's a brand stretcher. It's validation. It's a win-win move.
[By Johanna Bennett]
Whirlpool (WHR) surged 11.6% to $146.19 after the appliance maker�reported profits more than doubled in the third quarter and increased its forecast for the year.
[By Jayson Derrick]
Whirlpool (NYSE: WHR) initiated a new $500 million share repurchase program. Shares gained 2.04 percent, closing at $151.40.

General Motors (NYSE: GM) will unveil a new Chevrolet Cruze car for the Chinese market as part of its initiatives to grow the brand in the country. Shares gained 2.47 percent, closing at $33.35.
[By Shauna O'Brien]
Bank of America/Merrill Lynch reported on Wednesday that it has added Whirlpool Corporation (WHR) to its US 1 list.

The firm has added WHR to its US 1 list due to the company’s market share and leverage to the housing market recovery. Analysts currently have a $175 price target on WHR, suggesting a 17% increase from the stock’s current price of $144.62.

Whirlpool shares were up $1.42, or 0.99% during Wednesday morning trading. The stock is u[ 42% YTD.

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: Physicians Formula Holdings Inc.(FACE)

Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. develops, markets, and sells cosmetic and skin care products for the mass market channel. Its cosmetic products include face powders, bronzers, concealers, blushes, foundations, eye shadows, eyeliners, mascaras, and brow makeup; and skin care products comprise cleansers, moisturizers, and treatments. Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. sells its products to various retailers in the food retail, drug chain, mass volume, specialty retail, and wholesale channels in the United States, Canada, Australia, South Africa, Turkey, Mexico, El Salvador, and Panama. The company, formerly known as PFI Holdings Corp., was founded in 2003 and is based in Azusa, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By CRWE]
Physicians Formula Holdings, Inc. (Nasdaq:FACE) reported that it has received an unsolicited, nonbinding proposal to acquire all its outstanding shares of common stock at a price of $4.90 per share, subject to several conditions, including the completion of due diligence and securing of financing commitments by the third party who submitted the proposal and the negotiation of a mutually acceptable definitive agreement

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: Herman Miller Inc.(MLHR)

Herman Miller, Inc. engages in the research, design, manufacture, and distribution of interior furniture systems, products, and related services worldwide. It also provides modular systems under the Action Office, Canvas Office Landscape, Ethospace, Resolve, My Studio Environments, and Vivo Interiors brand names; seating products under the Embody, Aeron, Mirra, Setu, Celle, Equa, and Ergon brand names; and storage products under the Meridian and Tu brand names. In addition, the company offers wooden casegoods under the Geiger brand name; freestanding furniture products under the Abak, Intent, Sense, and Envelop brand name; and ergonomic solutions. It markets its products for office, healthcare, industrial, educational, and residential settings through its sales staff, own dealer network, independent dealers and retailers, and independent contract office furniture dealers, as well as through Internet. The company was founded in 1905 and is based in Zeeland, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Shares of Herman Miller (NASDAQ: MLHR) got a boost, shooting up 11.96 percent to $32.14 after the company reported in-line FQ3 adjusted earnings. The company expected Q4 earnings of $0.43 to $0.47 per share on revenue of $485 million to $505 million. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $0.43 per share on revenue of $487.5 million.
[By Rick Aristotle Munarriz]
Bloomberg via Getty ImagesSteelcase, a leading maker of office furniture, reports this week; its earnings are a bellwether of how corporate America is faring. You can never know in advance all the news that will move the market in a given week, but some things you can see coming. From a pair of leading office furniture companies reporting on the same day to a popular used-car seller showing off its showroom, here are some of the things that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- New Energy for the New Week: The new trading week kicks off with FuelCell Energy (FCEL) reporting. The builder of fuel cell power plants reports its latest quarterly results after the market closes on Monday. It's been 10 years since FuelCell completed its first commercial fuel cell plant installation. Business is starting to pick up, as it has as many orders over the past two years combined as it did during the eight previous years combined. Revenue should continue to grow as FuelCell grows closer to profitability. Tuesday -- Lone Wolf: Disney's (DIS) "The Lone Ranger" was a flop earlier this year. It failed to break $90 million in domestic box office receipts, and the $260 million it amassed in gross ticket sales worldwide wasn't enough to offset its massive production budget and cinematic distribution. Disney had fared well with Johnny Depp and director Gore Verbinski before. The two teamed up for the blockbuster success of Disney's "The Pirates of the Caribbean" movie series. It convinced a jaded audience to return to the local multiplex for a movie about swashbucklers. But it couldn't revive the Western genre this time around. Despite being a box office bomb, "The Lone Ranger" will get a chance at new life in the home market. It comes out on Blu-ray and DVD on Tuesday. Wednesday -- Office Space: When it comes to stocks, it's safe to say that Steelcase (SCS) and Herman Miller (MLHR) aren't exactly the busy bees of the exchanges. On a typical day you w
[By Rex Moore]
But today Jim's company is the largest craft brewer in the nation, with almost 1% of total beer sales. Many at the recent Craft Brewers Conference count Boston Beer among their most-admired companies. Our Rex Moore took on the tough assignment of covering the conference, and asked about other companies these brewers learned from. Today, New Belgium Brewing CEO Kim Jordan talks about Patagonia, Herman Miller (NASDAQ: MLHR ) , and Interface (NASDAQ: TILE ) .
[By Marc Bastow]
Home and commercial property interior products and furniture manufacturer Herman Miller (MLHR) raised its quarterly dividend 12% to 14 cents per share, payable sometime in April 2014. MLHR did not announce an ex-dividend date as of this writing.
MLHR Dividend Yield: 1.8%

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: Nike Inc.(NKE)

NIKE, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the design, development, marketing, and sale of footwear, apparel, equipment, and accessory products for men, women, and children worldwide. The company offers products in the categories of running, training, basketball, soccer, sport-inspired casual shoes, and kids? shoes. It also markets footwear designed for baseball, cheerleading, football, golf, lacrosse, outdoor activities, skateboarding, tennis, volleyball, walking, wrestling, and other athletic and recreational uses. In addition, Nike sells sports apparel and accessories, sports-inspired lifestyle apparel, athletic bags, and accessory items; and markets apparel with licensed college, professional team, and league logos. Further, the company sells performance equipment, including bags, socks, sport balls, eyewear, timepieces, electronic devices, bats, gloves, protective equipment, golf clubs, and other equipment designed for sports activities under the brand na me of NIKE; and various plastic products to other manufacturers. It offers products under the trademarks of Cole Haan, Converse, Chuck Taylor, All Star, One Star, Star Chevron, Jack Purcell, Hurley, and Umbro. The company sells its products through retail accounts, its own retail stores and Internet sales, independent distributors, and licensees. NIKE, Inc. was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Beaverton, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Grace L. Williams]
Whether or not it�� truly time for investors to get in where they fit in (bad pun completely intended) remains to be seen, but we just ran a quick check of Lululemon’s stock and it is up 4.6% to $47.53 today at 3:50 p.m.m while Under Armour (UA) has risen 2.8% to $109.14, Nike (NKE) has advanced 1.6% to $72.64 and the Gap (GPS), which bested earnings forecasts today, is up 5.9% to $42.04.

Best Consumer Companies To Watch For 2015: Steven Madden Ltd.(SHOO)

Steven Madden, Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, designs, sources, markets, and sells fashion-forward name brand and private label footwear for women, men, and children. It offers wholesale footwear under the Steve Madden Women?s, Madden Girl, Steve Madden Men?s, Steven, l.e.i., Elizabeth and James, Olsenboye, Stevies, Big Buddha Shoes, Madden, Betsey Johnson shoes, Report, and Superga to department stores, mid-tier department stores, better specialty stores, and independently owned boutiques in the United States. The company also provides wholesale handbags and accessories under the Daisy Fuentes, Olsenboye, Steve Madden, Steven by Steve Madden, Betsey Johnson, Betseyville, and Big Buddha brand names, as well as sells cold weather accessories, fashion scarves, wraps, and other trend accessories primarily under the Cejon and Steve Madden brand names to department stores and specialty stores. As of December 31, 2011, it operated 84 retail stores, including 73 Steve Ma dden full price stores, 6 Steve Madden outlet stores, 3 Steven stores, 1 Report store, and 1 e-commerce Website. In addition, the company licenses its Steve Madden and Steven by Steve Madden trademarks for use in connection with the manufacturing, marketing, and sale of cold weather accessories, sunglasses, eyewear, outerwear, bedding, hosiery and women?s fashion apparel, jewelry, and luggage, as well as licenses Betsey Johnson and Betseyville trademarks for sale of apparel, jewelry, swimwear, eyewear, watches, fragrances, and outerwear. Steven Madden, Ltd. distributes its products through its retail stores and e-commerce Website in department stores, specialty stores, luxury retailers, national chains, and mass merchants in the United States; and through special distribution arrangements in Asia, Canada, Europe, the Middle East, Mexico, Australia, Central and South America, and India. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Long Island City, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Deckers Outdoor have dropped 13% to $73.90, while Crocs (CROX) has gained 0.8% to $15.24, Steve Madden (SHOO) has dropped 0.1% to $36.52, Wolverine World Wide (WWW) has fallen 1.2% to $126.36 and Skechers (SKX) has fallen 1.6% to $33.82.

German Stocks Retreat From Record as Wacker Chemie Drops

German stocks fell, dragging the benchmark DAX Index from an all-time high, as stronger-than-forecast U.S. manufacturing growth fueled speculation the Federal Reserve will scale back stimulus.

Wacker Chemie AG dropped 3.6 percent after Citigroup Inc. downgraded Europe's largest producer of polysilicon. EON SE, Germany's biggest utility, retreated for a third day as Citigroup added the shares to its least-preferred list. Volkswagen AG, Europe's biggest automaker, climbed 0.7 percent to the highest price since at least 1992.

The DAX declined 0.3 percent to 9,007.83 at the close of trading in Frankfurt, after rising to a record yesterday. The gauge has still gained 0.3 percent this week as Volkswagen rallied 6.8 percent on better-than-estimated third-quarter earnings. The broader HDAX Index slipped 0.2 percent today.

"The manufacturing data in the U.S. was stronger than expected," James Butterfill, who helps manage about $44 billion as head of global equity strategy at Coutts & Co. in London, wrote in an e-mail. "This could be detrimental to equities as the market prices chances of an earlier taper. We continue to believe it will be in the latter part of the first quarter of 2014, providing support for equities in the last quarter."

The Institute for Supply Management's U.S. factory index increased to 56.4 in October, the highest since April 2011, from 56.2 a month earlier. The median forecast in a Bloomberg survey of 83 economists was 55. Readings above 50 indicate growth.

Fed Policy

The Federal Open Market Committee maintained its monthly bond purchases at $85 billion this week and said it will wait for more evidence of sustained improvement before paring stimulus measures. The odds for the Fed to start reducing bond purchases in January rose to 45 percent from 25 percent before the statement, Citigroup Inc. said. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg Oct. 17-18 predicted the Fed would wait until March to begin the cuts.

China's official manufacturing gauge rose more than forecast to the highest level in 18 months. The Purchasing Managers' Index advanced to 51.4 in October, from 51.1 a month earlier, the National Bureau of Statistics and China Federation of Logistics and Purchasing said in a report. The median estimate in a Bloomberg survey of economists called for 51.2.

Stock markets in Austria and Luxembourg are closed today for All Saints Day. The volume of shares changing hands in DAX-listed companies was 37 percent lower than the average of the last 30 days, according to data compiled by Bloomberg.

Wacker Downgrade

Wacker Chemie dropped 3.6 percent to 66.77 euros after Citigroup downgraded the shares to sell from neutral. The brokerage cut its profit estimates for the company, citing the outlook for the Siltronic unit, slower margin recovery in its chemicals businesses and a lower polysilicon earnings.

EON retreated 0.4 percent to 13.40 euros as Citigroup added the stock to its least-preferred list, replacing RWE AG, Germany's second-biggest utility. RWE declined 0.9 percent to 26.96 euros.

Volkswagen preferred shares increased 0.7 percent to 188.45 euros, a fourth day of gains.

K+S AG, Europe's biggest potash producer, advanced 2.2 percent to 19.20 euros. OAO Uralkali, the world's largest producer of the crop nutrient, said it expects global demand for the chemical to climb to the highest for at least a decade next year as a decline in prices ends a slowdown in sales.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Toll Brothers: About That Beat…

Good news goes a long way when the market isn’t expecting much, and that seems to be the case with Toll Brothers (TOL) today.

Nate Luke for The Wall Street Journal

Toll Brothers reported a profit of 35 cents, beating forecasts for 26 cents, on sales of $860.4 million, topping the Street consensus for $828 million. MKM Partners’ Megan McGrath and Ross Sparenblek note that Toll Brothers also “essentially raised its revenue guidance.” They explain:

Toll essentially raised its revenue guidance for the full year via higher ASP estimates. The company continues to expect closings of 5,100-5,850, but now expects ASPs of $690k-$720k (vs. prior $675k-$720k). Given the company’s long build cycle, we suspect that the higher guidance is likely more of a statement on the anticipated mix of closings rather than a signal that prices are being raised more aggressively.

McGrath and Sparenblek rate give Toll Brothers a Buy rating and a $43 price target.

Sterne Agee’s Jay McCanless and Annie Worthman have their doubts about whether business is really improving:

Housing revenues exceeded our estimates on purchased backlog, but without the benefit of a lower tax rate and other non-operating income benefits, we believe TOL’s F2Q14 EPS would have been below our $0.31 EPS estimate…

We believe EPS benefited from approximately $0.06/share of interest income and joint venture income above our estimate (related to the refinancing of a multi-family mortgage), and also had a $0.04/share benefit from a 30.2% income tax rate versus our 39.0% forecast.

McCanless and Worthman rate Toll Brothers Underperform with a $28 price target.

Shares of Toll Brothers have gained 1.9% to $36.32 at 11:59 a.m., but its strength hasn’t really translated into big days for other home builders. KB Home (KBH) has gained 0.4% to $16.65, DR Horton (DHI) has risen 0.4% to $23.22 and Lennar (LEN) has dipped 0.3% to $40.37.

3 Convincing Reasons Why Apple Is a Great Buy

Apple traded stagnantly in the short term, but is up 25.6% over the last 12 months, while continuing to pay a dividend to shareholders. When I read over some Apple news last night and got myself caught up on the current events of the company, my perma-bullishness towards the company remained intact, as I found three other specific angles as to why it would be a good time to be an Apple shareholder right now.

Aside from continuing to be the most rock-solid company arguably in existence today, here's three niche reasons that I think Apple still remains a good fundamental buy.

1. Apple TV Will Handle Amazon Fire, Roku and Google (GOOG) Chrome

I'm predicting that Apple TV is going to handily take care of Amazon's new offering in the area. Already, comparisons are being made.

Mashable, which is awesome at doing these comps, was the first to put out an article yesterday comparing the different players — you can read the entire article here.

So, while we can see that Amazon is certainly going to be a competitor, there isn't really much that sets it apart from the others, aside from its direct connection with Amazon users and those passionate about the Amazon brand.

Apple is talking about gaming controller support coming on its new Apple TV model, as I've already reported:

Game controller support is going to be crucial if Apple wants to even begin to think about going after Xbox. Not that the games will all be ported over, or even available at first - but, it's definitely the very beginnings of a foray into video games, the key to what is keeping Microsoft in my, and many other, living rooms.

The good thing is that Apple has a head start. The success that the company has had over the years with tablet and mobile has created a loyalty and familiarity for the brand name. When Apple launches its new set-top box (expected in the first half of 2014), it's likely to do exceptionally well and be the de facto choice for many consumers that are already part of the growing constituency of customers that have catalyzed Apple's meteoric rise.

I'm predicting that Apple handles Amazon and company for a couple of reasons. Number 1, I think that Apple's recent comments about Apple TV "not being a hobby" anymore are likely alluding to a bigger, better Apple TV coming down the line this year.

"It's a little more difficult to call [Apple TV] a hobby these days."

-Apple CEO Tim Cook

Further, Apple already has the advantage of having its ecosystem in homes everywhere. There aren't too many people that have a house full of Windows PCs that will go out and buy an Apple TV. Conversely, those already hooked on the Apple brand are more likely to choose Apple simply for the simplicity and brand loyalty.

2. There Are Likely More Buybacks Coming

Since Apple released its first enormous buyback, shareholder incentives have been in the headlines non-stop for the past year for Apple. Catalyzed by one Carl "I'm a shareholder so give me everything" Icahn, the buzz around unlocking more cash continues to haunt Apple. Eventually, it's looking like they're going to have to do something about it. That, in turn, will likely be lucrative for Apple shareholders and continue to boost the stock's price.

AppleInsider reported:

Gene Munster of Piper Jaffray said in a note to investors on Wednesday that he expects Apple to announce an increase for its share repurchase program, as well as its quarterly dividend, in its next earnings report on April 23. Munster said most buy-side investors agree with this line of thinking, representing Wall Street's expectations going into the announcement of March quarter results.

According to Munster, this belief is likely already priced into shares of AAPL, so any announcements come April 23 may not have a significant effect on the company's stock price.

Apple has been under investor scrutiny for sitting on a pile of cash that was at one point near $160 billion. Facing pressure from Wall Street, the company responded by buying back billions of dollars worth of its own shares, and also paying out a quarterly dividend that is currently at $3.05 per common share.

3. A Wide Array of New Products Coming

In addition to the system for vehicles that Apple has just laid out, we're seeing the tip of the iceberg of a new catalogue of Apple products that will be coming down the pipeline this year.

Aside from that, those who read me know that I'm predicting Apple's iTunes Radio to be the only streaming music service that people will give a damn about in a couple years' time. With an expanded catalogue and instant reach to everyone who religiously follows the cult of Mac, it's a shoo-in to knock out Pandora (P) — with others like Spotify likely to follow.

Remember, Apple already dominates the entire music industry with iTunes. Its hostile takeover of streaming radio is next.

Finally, let us not forget about Apple's coming foray into biometrics and watches. I've often argued that the reason that Apple is taking so long for a watch offering is due to the fact that when they do release it, I expect it to be worlds better and worlds more functional than the offerings that we currently have. Its obvious competitor would be the Galaxy Gear smartwatch from Samsung (OTC:SSNLF). I'm predicting Apple's offering — similar to how the iPhone was when it came out - will blow the doors off of anything we've seen so far, in true — old school — Apple fashion.

I continue to contend that Apple is one of the best long-term investments you can put your money in and these three reasons should account for reason to keep your money in the company for quarters to come. The company still has massive growth potential, namely through Mac and ecosystem, and it dominates the music business. With the addition of a Spotify-like service that is being rumored, Apple has nothing but continued room for growth and innovation ahead of it. Apple is going to easily handle Amazon's TV offering, will likely continue to buy back stock, and will make an innovative impact with the new products they have coming down the line. I am bullish long term on Apple.

Currently 0.00/512345

Rating: 0.0/5 (0 votes)

Subscribe via Email RSS Feeds

Subscribe RSS Comments Please leave your comment:
More GuruFocus Links

Latest Guru Picks	Value Strategies
Warren Buffett Portfolio	Ben Graham Net-Net
Real Time Picks	Buffett-Munger Screener
Aggregated Portfolio	Undervalued Predictable
ETFs, Options	Low P/S Companies
Insider Trends	10-Year Financials
52-Week Lows	Interactive Charts
Model Portfolios	DCF Calculator
RSS Feed	Monthly Newsletters
The All-In-One Screener	Portfolio Tracking Tool

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

Michigan raises minimum wage to $9.25

What is the minimum wage in your state? Click the map to find out.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The minimum wage has gotten a boost in Michigan, the latest in a growing number of states where lawmakers voted this year to raise the wage.

The state's hourly minimum wage will increase in phases from $7.40 until it reaches $9.25 in 2018.

The legislature passed the bill Tuesday and Republican Gov. Rick Snyder said he expected to sign it Tuesday night. The law will also tie the minimum wage to inflation, so that it will continue to gradually increase after 2018.

The governor called the raise responsible and said it "will help hard-working residents without hindering the state's improving economy."

While setting minimum wage at $9.25 brings it well above the federal rate of $7.25 per hour, Michigan lawmakers did not go as far as those in some other states.

Vermont's legislature approved a bill earlier this month that raises the minimum wage to $10.50 by 2018, while Maryland lawmakers raised it to $10.10 by the same year. Lawmakers in Minnesota, Delaware, West Virginia, Connecticut and Hawaii have also approved minimum wage raises this year.

A minimum wage hike to $10.10 at the federal level is supported by Democrats and President Obama, but is stalled in Congress. Opponents argue that raising the minimum wage forces businesses to cut workers' hours and jobs.

In Michigan, the wage hike received bipartisan support in the legislature. Two years ago, thousands of demonstrators camped outside the state house protesting a controversial change the bargaining rights of public workers.

Why Double-Digit Unemployment Persists in Pockets

Based on recent national unemployment rates, it would appear that job creation has improved sharply from when the economy was shedding half a million jobs a month and the jobless rate rose to more than 10%. For much of the country that is true. However, some geographic pockets of unemployment remain in double-digit percentages. Most are in regions of the country with no economic reasons for much positive change. These areas are black holes for people seeking work, even to the extent that these would-be workers have no funds to relocate or the skills to find better work.

The government reported:

Unemployment rates were lower in July than a year earlier in 320 of the 372 metropolitan areas, higher in 38 areas, and unchanged in 14 areas, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today. Forty-one areas had jobless rates of at least 10.0 percent.

Among the most troubled:

Yuma, Ariz., and El Centro, Calif., had the highest unemployment rates in July, 34.5 percent and 26.1 percent, respectively.

Some of these cities are adjacent to others where the trouble is nearly as bad. In the central part of California, which sits in from the coast, unemployment is above 10% in Stockton, Fresno, Madera, Merced, Modesto, Visalia and Yuba City. Among those seeking work in these cities are a high percentage of Hispanic or Latino adults. Literacy rates are low, crime rates high and real estate values have cratered. Much of the former jobs base was with the state and local governments. California has had to slash many of these positions to balance its budget.

Similar problems exist in cities that were part of the manufacturing belt in the Midwest. Many of the factory jobs there will never reappear as work has been shipped overseas, or some of the largest employers have lost so many customers that their ability to add jobs is gone. Unemployment remains in the double digits in Muncie and Terre Haute in Indiana, Decatur and Rockford in Illinois, and Detroit, Flint and Saginaw in Michigan. The Michigan cities all sit in a line that used to include car factories and where auto manufacturers were the largest employers.

It is not reasonable to say that the jobs problems in these cities and regions will never improve, but it will take years before their situations get better.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Auto parts price-fixing probe rattles industry

WASHINGTON (AP) — An investigation into price-fixing and bid-rigging in the auto parts industry has mushroomed into the Justice Department's largest criminal antitrust probe ever, and it's not over yet.

The investigation, made public four years ago with FBI raids in the Detroit area, has led to criminal charges against dozens of people and companies, stretched across continents and reverberated through an industry responsible for supplying critical car components.

The collusion has also saddled U.S. drivers with millions of dollars in extra costs.

"It's a very, very safe assumption that U.S. consumers paid more, and sometimes significantly more, for their automobiles as a result of this conspiracy," Brent Snyder, a deputy assistant attorney general in the antitrust division, said in an interview.

So far, 34 individuals have been charged and 27 companies have pleaded guilty or agreed to do so, the Justice Department says. Collectively, they have agreed to pay more than $2.3 billion in fines. New cases have arisen with regularity, with Attorney General Eric Holder promising last September that investigators "would check under every hood and kick every tire."

The most recent development came Thursday, when an executive from a Japanese company was charged with conspiring to fix the prices of heater control panels sold to Toyota and with persuading workers to destroy evidence.

Officials say the investigation stands out not just for its scope but also for the cooperation the authorities have received from Japan, Australia and other countries. Despite the challenges of prosecuting foreign nationals, the Justice Department has won guilty pleas from a series of Japanese executives who opted to get their punishment over with rather than remain under indictment in their home countries and subject to career-crippling travel restrictions.

Though the techniques and strategies sometimes differed, the executives generally carried out the collusion by trading coded emails, mee! ting at remote locations and destroying documents to avoid paper trails.

With an eye toward eliminating competition and maximizing profits, they exploited an industry that experts say is in some ways vulnerable to collusion: There are a finite number of purchasers and suppliers, there's steady pressure among companies to cut prices — and car parts, unlike certain products that have a great deal of variability — are generally standardized and homogeneous.

"The firms will just make more money if they're able to reach and stick to an agreement to collectively charge higher prices so that customers can't get them to bid against each other," said Spencer Weber Waller, director of the Institute for Antitrust Consumer Studies at the Loyola University Chicago law school. "The problem is, of course, it's a felony in the United States."

The Justice Department first publicly surfaced aspects of the investigation when FBI agents in Detroit raided the offices of Denso Corp., Yazaki North America and Tokai Rika. All three companies have pleaded guilty to their roles in price-fixing and bid-rigging schemes.

Since the raids, the probe has broadened to encompass about $5 billion worth of auto parts, including seat belts, ignition coils, steering wheels, air bags, windshield wipers and rubber parts that dampen vibration.

Similar cartels have formed in industries ranging from oil and gas to cement and vitamins, though there's debate among economists about how long they can last, given the constant incentive for one member to cheat the others and the tendency to collapse under their own weight as they keep growing, said Daniel Crane, a University of Michigan law professor.

But the collusion in these cases, which in some instances lasted more than a decade, was "deftly done," said Joe Wiesenfelder, executive editor of Cars.com, who has followed the auto parts investigation.

"If they get too greedy and they make their prices too high, then someone smells a rat," he said. "When th! ey set th! eir prices and fixed their prices, they had to do it in a way that wasn't obvious and that took into account the entire market, including suppliers that weren't involved."

Wiesenfelder said that while the collusion affected car consumers, it's hard to tell how much the investigation has been noticed by the average driver.

"It's kind of abstract to consumers," he said. "It's not that prices were fixed on cars. That would really hit home."

But there are indications the industry is chastened.

For instance, Bridgestone Corp., a tire and rubber company that pleaded guilty this year, announced that it would strengthen its compliance, discipline employees and withhold a portion of compensation from certain board members and executives.

Meanwhile, the Justice Department says it's looking into additional misconduct in an investigation that bears all the hallmarks of classic antitrust law-breaking.

"This one," Snyder said, "has it all."

Follow Eric Tucker on Twitter @etuckerAP

Buy These 5 Stocks Amid Surging Bullish Pressure

With the market making a new all-time highs last week but then quickly retreating, it can be difficult to determine which stocks are poised to move higher and which ones are just marking time before heading lower.

One of the best ways to determine this is to look at the volume; specifically, how the price and volume move together.

I mention this because price typically follows volume. And if your stocks are falling on an increase in volume, that suggests more sellers and maybe a set up for a larger correction.

Moreover, if the subsequent up days are made on lower volume than on the down days, that’s additional foreshadowing that maybe the stocks are running out of buyers and will soon be headed back down.

And that’s why in this week’s screen I want to focus on stocks with increasing price and volume.

Once again, price should follow volume.

If a stock is rising on increasing volume, it can be a sign that new buyers are coming in and some short sellers may be giving up.

One of the reasons I like to look at increasing volume is because it’s one of the best ways to spot institutional buying. This is important because regular, everyday investors do not have the power to move the market or to make a noticeable blip on the volume’s bar chart.

But big institutional traders do.

And nothing can move a market more than seeing these guys pile in.

Plus, since big institutions can typically take weeks if not months to build a position, once institutional buying is spotted, it shows that the market could be getting ready for a big increase.

When you hear someone say the market was up or down on big volume, that’s more than just an interesting fact. To the technically savvy, that information can act as a clue to investor sentiment — and offers a chance to get in and ride the wave amid big institutional buying.

So in this week’s screen I’m searching for stocks with increasing volume over the past couple of weeks. Not just a couple of days, but weeks.

This helps me see true demand that seems to be building over time. There may be an occasional light day here and there, but in total, I want to see it growing week by week.

And while there are plenty of stocks that fail to meet these criteria right now, there are lots of really great stocks that do, and those are the ones we’re concentrating on.

The parameters to the screen I’m running this week are as follows:

Price greater than or equal to $5 Volume (avg. 20 day) greater than or equal to 100,000 Zacks Rank less than or equal to 3 Projected 12 month EPS Growth Rate greater than 0 Recent Week’s Price greater than Price from 1 Week Ago Price from 1 Week Ago greater than Price from 2 Weeks Ago Weekly Volume greater than Weekly Volume from 1 Week Ago Weekly Volume from 1 Week Ago greater than Weekly Volume from 2 Weeks Ago

You can also add in a third week to narrow down a crowded list. For this week’s screen, we’ll keep it at two.

Here are five stocks that made it through this week’s screen:

AmTrust Financial (AFSI) Allied World Assurance (AWH) Chatham Lodging Trust (CLDT) Federated National Holding Co. (FNHC) Whitewave Foods (WWAV)

Get the rest of the stocks on this list and start screening for these companies on your own.

And be sure to check your own stocks to see if their price and volume are moving in the same direction. If not, you might want to take a closer look at them. Sign up now to the Research Wizard and see how to do it and become a better stock picker today!

Click here for your 2 week free trial to the Research Wizard.

Disclosure: Officers, directors and/or employees of Zacks Investment Research may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material. An affiliated investment advisory firm may own or have sold short securities and/or hold long and/or short positions in options that are mentioned in this material.

Disclosure: Performance information for Zacks' portfolios and strategies are available at: http://www.zacks.com/performance.

Want the latest recommendations from Zacks Investment Research? Today, you can download 7 Best Stocks for the Next 30 Days. Click to get this free report

Saturday, May 24, 2014

The world's most miserable countries

World news does not always fully capture people's level of happiness. Last year, Gallup found a majority of people in the world experienced positive emotions. Of course, in some countries and regions people were much more positive than others.

People living in the countries experiencing the most positive emotions were the most likely to report high levels of enjoyment, smiling and a good night's sleep. The people in the most miserable countries, on the other hand, were the least likely to experience these emotions. These are the world's most content and miserable countries.

According to Jon Clifton, managing director of the World Gallup Poll, a person's financial situation is one of five factors affecting well-being and far from a conclusive happiness indicator. Nine of the most content countries had estimated GDPs of less than $15,000 per capita last year. In Lithuania — the third most miserable country — GDP per capita was $22,566. On the other hand, Nicaragua — the third most content country — had a GDP per capita of just $4,548.

The state of a country's economy, however, can play a major role in determining the quality of its residents' experiences. Four of the most miserable countries had estimated inflation rates of at least 5% last year. In Belarus, it was as high as 17.5%. Inflation was comparatively low in the most content countries, with eight of the 10 most content countries had inflation rates of 5% or less.

With the exception of Denmark, most countries with the highest percentages of people experiencing positive emotions were in Latin America.

MOST CONTENT COUNTRIES: Yes, 24/7 Wall St. has that list, too

Clifton explained that the dominant presence of Latin American countries on this list has a cultural explanation. Residents of Latin America tend to have "strong communities and spend a great deal of time with their families." There is a similar phenomenon in the U.S. where "one of the biggest drivers of [well-being] is time spent with family membe! rs."

For the most miserable countries, cultural drivers played somewhat less of a role. Although a number of the least content countries were part of the former Soviet Union, the poor experiences in these countries may be due primarily to economic conditions brought on by the Soviet Union's collapse.

Note new first sentence: Residents in highly emotional countries reported both higher rates of positive and negative emotions. Latin Americans reported both the highest levels of positive emotions and the highest levels of negative emotions. They are perhaps the most emotional region in the world, Clifton explained. Former members of the Soviet Union, however, are the opposite. "They're just not reporting a lot of emotions in general," Clifton said.

In some cases, it is quite obvious why people report low positive emotions. For example, Syria, which had the lowest well-being score ever recorded by Gallup, is in the midst of an on-going, bloody civil war.

To identify the countries with the most and least positive experiences, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Gallup's recent Positive Experience Index, which measured the experience of well-being the day before the survey in 138 countries. Survey respondents were asked whether they experienced lots of enjoyment, laughed or smiled a lot, felt well-rested, and were treated with respect. We also reviewed economic data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Life expectancy figures came from the World Bank.

These are the countries reporting the lowest positive emotions.

10. Nagorno-Karabakh

> Positive experience index score: 55 (tied – 8th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 55% (tied – 16th lowest)
> GDP per capita: N/A
> Life expectancy: N/A

An ongoing war between Azerbaijan and those living in Nagorno-Karabakh, who are backed by Armenia, may be one of the main reasons it has such a low positive experience index score. An estimated 30,000 people died in the conflict and millions of people were displ! aced befo! re the two nations agreed to a truce in 1994. Still, skirmishes between the two nations continue. The residents of Nagorno-Karabakh were among the least likely people surveyed to say they smiled or laughed a lot, or experienced enjoyment, or learned something new within the last day. Currently, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), along with the governments of France and the U.S., are trying to negotiate a permanent peace treaty between the sides involved.

9. Azerbaijan

> Positive experience index score: 55 (tied, 8th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 57% (23rd lowest)
> GDP per capita: $10,789 (67th highest)
> Life expectancy: 70 (tied, 53rd lowest)

One might expect oil-rich nations to have high GDPs. Azerbaijan, however, is one example where this is not the case. Despite being an oil-rich country, Azerbaijan's estimated GDP per capita was $10,789 last year. The country's government has been criticized for rigging elections and widespread corruption. In addition, a war for control of Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly Armenian region, broke out years ago with Armenia backing the region's people. The conflict claimed tens of thousands of lives as millions were displaced. High percentages of residents stated they did not feel treated with respect or learn something new within the last day.

MORE: America's most content (and miserable) states

8. Yemen

> Positive experience index score: 55 (tied, 8th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 55% (tied, 16th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $2,348 (27th lowest)
> Life expectancy: 62 (29th lowest)

Yemen suffers from political instability, threats of terrorist attacks, and a declining economy. Its citizens ranked close to last in nearly every measure of and happiness in Gallup's survey. Only half of Yemenis said they felt well-rested, and only 55% said they smiled or laughed within the past day. Both figures were among the lowest of all countries surveyed. In the wa! ke of vio! lent mass protests, long-time President Ali Abdullah Saleh finally gave up power at the beginning of 2012. However, al-Qaeda has gained a strong footing in the country, and terrorist activities in the country continue. For the past several years, Yemen's economy has struggled as oil revenues have shrunk. Inflation rate in Yemen was among the highest every year since 2010. Per capita GDP, too, is very low, at an estimated $2,348 last year, which ranked lower than most countries.

7. Belarus

> Positive experience index score: 54 (tied – 4th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 53% (11th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $16,106 (50th highest)
> Life expectancy: 70 (tied – 53rd lowest)

Just 53% of Belarusians surveyed last year reported they felt rested, among the least of all countries reviewed. Similarly, a lower percentage of residents than in most other nations said they smiled or laughed the previous day.The Belarusian economy has struggled with spiking prices in recent years. The country's inflation rate was 53.2% in 2011 and 59.2% in 2012, the highest in the world in both years. The national economy is largely state-controlled and is dependent on oil and natural gas subsidies from Russia. In addition to to its economic issues, Belarus is also considered Europe's last dictatorship, and residents do not have the freedom to assemble or freedom of the press.

6. Nepal

> Positive experience index score: 54 (tied, 4th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 55% (tied, 16th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $1,506 (15th lowest)
> Life expectancy: 67 (38th lowest)

A mere half of Nepal residents said they were treated with respect the day before Gallup's survey, nearly the worst rate among all countries reviewed. And less than one quarter of survey-respondents said they learned something new the day before, worse than in every country except for Georgia and Pakistan. One explanation could be the poor state of the economy. The inflation rate was an estima! ted 9.9% ! last year, among the higher rates in the world. GDP was also exceptionally low, at just $1,506 per person last year, among the lowest in the world. Although the country's Maoist rebellion ended in 2006, Nepal has struggled to create well-functioning, stable political institutions.

5. Serbia

> Positive experience index score: 54 (tied – 4th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 45% (3rd lowest)
> GDP per capita: $11,085 (65th highest)
> Life expectancy: 74 (49th highest)

The Serbian people have not had a particularly pleasant recent history, starting with the Yugoslav wars in the early 1990s and later the Kosovo War. These bloody armed conflicts were accompanied by war crimes committed by most parties. The Republic of Serbia, its most recent formation, was established in 2006. The country's political corruption and weak economy likely only added to Serbians' lack of positivity. Nearly one in four Serbians are unemployed, among the highest unemployment rates of the countries surveyed. Just 45% of Serbian survey respondents said they laughed or smiled in the previous day, and 49% said they felt well-rested — both among the lowest of all of the countries.

4. Bosnia and Herzegovina

> Positive experience index score: 54 (tied – 4th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 47% (4th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $8,293 (60th lowest)
> Life expectancy: 76 (33rd highest)

Bosnia and Herzegovina suffered through a violent ethnic conflict in the early and mid-1990s following the breakup of Yugoslavia. Although it has been nearly two decades since the war ended, international peacekeeping forces remain active in the country. Local institutions, including schools, are often segregated along ethnic lines between Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs. The country is relatively poor by European standards, with a per capita GDP of just $8,293 in 2013, while its unemployment rate was an exceptionally high 27.0% last year. A number of former Yugoslavian nations had ! similarly! high unemployment, including Serbia, Macedonia, and Croatia.

3. Lithuania

> Positive experience index score: 53
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 54% (14th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $22,566 (35th highest)
> Life expectancy: 73 (62nd highest)

Lithuania had a relatively high GDP per capita, at $22,566, in 2013. Despite the seemingly capable economy, Lithuanians were among the unhappiest people in the world. The country has a high suicide rate. It also had among the highest alcohol consumption per capita in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Heavy alcohol consumption can exacerbate or, in some cases, even cause depression. Lithuanians were among the least likely to say they have experienced enjoyment in the previous day or to say they smiled or laughed in the preceding 24 hours.

2. Chad

> Positive experience index score: 52
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 37% (the lowest)
> GDP per capita: $2,543 (30th lowest)
> Life expectancy: 49 (3rd lowest)

Chad is one of the poorest countries and most undeveloped nations in the world. According to the World Bank, 47% of Chad's residents lived in poverty in 2011, with a majority of the poor living in rural areas. As of 2011, life expectancy at birth was an abysmal 49 years in Chad, among the lowest in the world. Less than 2% of the population in Chad, largely a desert country, had access to electricity. A conflict between native Chadians and Muslims in the country continues. Chad ranked close to the bottom in the percentage of its people who said they smiled or laughed in the past day, and in the percentage of people who felt they were treated with respect.

1. Syria

> Positive experience index score: 36
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 41% (2nd lowest)
> GDP per capita: N/A
> Life expectancy: 75 (40th highest)

Syria's positive experience index score of 36 marks the all-time lowest score for any country Gallup has ever surveyed. Just 36% of Syrians said t! hey felt ! happy in the last day, the lowest percentage in the world. Syrians were also less likely to feel well-rested than people almost anywhere else in the world. The country is in the middle of a civil war between the nation's military forces and rebels seeking to oust President Bashar Al-Assad. The war has taken the lives of more than 160,000 people, according to some sources. The IMF has not gathered data from Syria since 2010, nor does it produce estimates.

24/7 Wall St. is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Friday, May 23, 2014

Barclays fined $44M for handling of gold prices

Great Britain's top financial regulator hit Barclays Bank with a nearly $44 million fine Friday over lax controls that enabled a former bank trader to make improper trades in the gold market at a customer's expense.

The Financial Conduct Authority said former trader Daniel James Plunkett "exploited the weaknesses in Barclay's systems and controls" to influence the twice-daily process in which traders from four banks set or fix the official market price for gold.

Plunkett's transactions in 2012 boosted his own trading book by $1.75 million, the FCA said. The outcome also meant London-based Barclays was not required to make a $3.9 million payment to a customer, though the bank later compensated the client in full.

In addition to the bank penalty, the FCA fined Plunkett roughly $161,000 and banned him from work involving any regulated financial activity.

The enforcement actions mark the latest public development in a worldwide crackdown on suspected manipulation of financial benchmarks used to set interest rates or prices that affect millions of consumers. Along with focusing on the gold market, investigators are probing suspected rigging of foreign-exchange currency trading and Libor, the London Interbank Offered Rate used to set rates on trillions of dollars in mortgages, credit cards and many types of loans.

"We expect all firms to look hard at their reference rate and benchmark operations to ensure this type of behavior isn't being replicated," said Tracey McDermott, the FCA's director of enforcement and financial crime. "Firms should be in no doubt that the spotlight will remain on wholesale conduct and we will hold them to account if they fail to meet our standards."

Barclays Group Chief Executive Antony Jenkins said the bank regretted the episode and has strengthened its systems and controls to prevent any recurrence.

According to the FCA, Plunkett was a director on the Barclays precious metals desk and was responsible for pricing products linked to the cost ! of precious metals and managing the bank's related financial risk.

During the 3 p.m. price-setting on June 28, 2012, Plunkett placed orders designed to increase the likelihood that the price of gold would be set below $1,558.96.

The benchmark ultimately was set below that threshold, which meant Barclays didn't have to make a $3.9 million payment to a trading customer. The customer sought an explanation from the bank after learning about the updated gold price.

When Barclays relayed the customer's concerns to Plunkett, he failed to disclose that he had placed the orders. Plunkett also misled the bank and FCA investigators, the regulator said.

Barclays and Plunkett ultimately agreed to a settlement with the FCA, which agreed to impose lower financial penalties as a result.

Contributing: Associated Press

3 Capital Markets Stocks to Sell Now

Popular Posts: 10 Best “Strong Buy” Stocks — EQM DAL ILMN and more13 “Triple A” Stocks to Buy7 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now Recent Posts: Biggest Movers in Healthcare Stocks Now – PDLI SIRO THC RDY Biggest Movers in Financial Stocks Now – PVTB BOFI KYE TFSL Biggest Movers in Technology Stocks Now – MENT AUO ULTI CSOD View All Posts

For the current week, the overall ratings of three capital markets stocks are worse, according to the Portfolio Graderdatabase. Each of these rates a “D” (“sell”) or “F” overall (“strong sell”).

This week, Affiliated Managers Group, Inc. () falls to a D (“sell”), worse than last week’s grade of C (“hold”). Affiliated Managers operates as an asset management company providing investment management services to mutual funds, institutional clients, and high net worth individuals in the United States. Shares of the stock have been exchanging at an usually rapid pace, twice the rate of the week prior. The stock has a trailing PE Ratio of 28.60. .

The rating of GFI Group () declines this week from a C to a D. GFI Group provides brokerage services and data and analytics products to institutional clients. The stock also rates an F in Earnings Revisions. .

The rating of Medallion Financial () slips from a C to a D. Medallion Financial is a specialty finance company that originates and services loans financing the purchase of taxicab medallions and related assets. The stock also gets an F in Earnings Surprise. .

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

Low wage, health activists prepare McDonald's attack

A recent protest of fast food workers outside a McDonald's restaurant in California.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The McDonald's annual meeting this Thursday is shaping up to be a heated one.

Activists want to put the brakes on CEO Don Thompson's multimillion dollar pay package. Health advocates are petitioning LeBron James to stop peddling McDonald's junk food to kids.

And, hundreds of fast-food workers are expected to protest for higher wages, starting a day before the meeting. All of this is happening as McDonald's is fighting a slump in sales.

The company has already barred media from the event. Reporters had been welcome in previous years. McDonald's (MCD, Fortune 500) said the idea of not inviting the media came from the media itself.

"This year, based on direct feedback from reporters and steadily declining media attendance, we are solely inviting media to listen to the meeting via web cast," said McDonald's spokesperson Lisa McComb.

The company's reluctance to have reporters at the meeting is understandable, especially after negative press from last year's meeting, when a nine-year-old girl took the microphone and told the CEO to stop tricking kids into, "wanting to eat your food all the time."

There's no reason to expect anything less this year.

"We will bring the concerns of health professionals, moms and other food advocates directly to CEO Don Thompson about the role that their kid-targeted marketing plays in driving an epidemic of diet-related diseases," said Jesse Bragg of Corporate Accountability International, a health advocacy group.

Bragg's group has written an open letter posted on its website asking LeBron James to reconsider his endorsement deal with McDonald's. The group said McDonald's is using "athleticism to sell unhealthy foods to ki! ds."

CNNMoney reached out to the basketball star, but did not receive a response.

Also presenting at the meeting will be CtW Investment Group, a shareholder group representing 5 million union pension holders. The group is asking McDonald's shareholders to vote against the CEO's pay package, which totaled $9.5 million in 2013.

CEOs at fast food companies earn 1,000 times what the average industry's worker earns, according to a recent report from public advocacy group Demos. The report found that fast food industry pay is one of the most unequal in the American economy.

The average hourly wage of fast food employees is $9.09, or less than $19,000 per year for a full time worker. The poverty level of a family of four in the U.S. is $23,850.

The fight against low wages is also driving hundreds of McDonald's workers to corporate headquarters where organizers say they will begin protesting on Wednesday on the eve of the meeting.

Protesters: Double minimum wage!

Just last week, protesters in multiple cities, including New York, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago and Los Angeles joined strikes outside of fast food restaurants demanding their minimum hourly wage be raised to $15 an hour.

McDonald's may also hear from its own franchisees as word has spread that the group of people, who run and operate most of its outlets, have not been happy lately with decisions taken at corporate headquarters.