Citigroup Shares Skyrocket After Earnings Win

By late morning, it is apparent that Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) has been embraced with open arms by investors, after an overwhelmingly positive first-quarter earnings report that showed the bank blowing past the bar set by analysts on both earnings and revenue. Considering the fact that the bank changed CEOs during the last quarter of 2012 -- somewhat unexpectedly -- makes the victory sweeter still.

The celebrating began almost immediately after the results were announced, and Citi shares ended the day yesterday not very far from the $45 mark. Exuberant investors picked today up where they left off, propelling the stock to around $46.40, last time I checked. So far, this is the best Citi has done in a month's time.

The party atmosphere seems to be buoying other big banks, as well. Bank of America (NYSE: BAC  ) , which dropped during the day yesterday after getting a lift around mid-morning, has gained nearly 1.5% so far today, after closing at a smidge under $12 yesterday. Wells Fargo (NYSE: WFC  ) has also moved up more than 1% after getting kicked around a little since its own earnings report last Friday.

Only JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) is a bit down in the dumps, perhaps on the news that its money-laundering controls need to be cleaned up. 

Best Cheap Companies To Invest In Right Now

What's next for Citi?
With new leadership and a commitment to wind down its albatross, Citi Holdings, things are looking much brighter for the big bank. The earnings release noted that the troublesome section has been reduced by 29% over the past year, and now represents only 8% of Citi's total assets. Despite the trimming -- or, perhaps, because of it -- the unit also pumped up its revenues by 15% year over year.

One troublesome area concerns legal costs, which are huge for Citi Holdings, compared with the rest of the company. But investors obviously have faith that Citi will continue to fix what is broken -- and the party continues.

How long will Citigroup continue with its upward trajectory? Upward motion is always a good thing, but, as Foolish, long-term investors, we recognize the fact that one-day changes in share price don't make or break an investment. Even stocks have good days and bad days, so it's important to realize that sometimes they're not portents of dire news, but merely squiggles that we can safely ignore. 

Citigroup's stock looks tantalizingly cheap. Yet the bank's balance sheet is still in need of more repair, and there's a considerable amount of uncertainty after a shocking management shakeup. Should investors be treading carefully, or jumping on an opportunity to buy? To help figure out whether Citigroup deserves a spot on your watchlist, I invite you to read our premium research report on the bank today. We'll fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Citigroup, and what areas that Citigroup investors need to watch going forward. Click here now for instant access to our best expert's take on Citigroup.

6 Internet and Web Service Stocks to Buy Now

Popular Posts: 9 Oil and Gas Stocks to Buy Now7 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now10 Best “Strong Buy” Stocks — QIHU POWR UA and more Recent Posts: Hottest Healthcare Stocks Now – AEGR RDY HGR OMI Hottest Technology Stocks Now – IGTE HOLI SNDK SYMC Biggest Movers in Basic Materials Stocks Now – NG SWC IAG CLW View All Posts

The grades of six internet and web service stocks are on the rise this week on Portfolio Grader. Each of these stocks is rated an “A” (“strong buy”) or “B” overall (“buy”).

This week, Commtouch Software Ltd () is showing significant improvement as the company’s rating hops from a C (“hold”) to a B (“buy”). Commtouch Software provides messaging, antivirus, and Web security solutions to OEM customers, enterprises, and service providers primarily in Israel, North America, Europe, and Asia. In Portfolio Grader’s specific subcategory of Sales Growth, CTCH also gets an A. .

This week, Akamai Technologies, Inc.’s () ratings are up from a C last week to a B. Akamai Technologies provides services for accelerating and improving the delivery of content and applications over the Internet. .

Hot Insurance Companies To Buy Right Now

IntraLinks Holdings, Inc. () improves from a C to a B rating this week. IntraLinks Holdings provides Software-as-a-Service solutions for managing content, exchanging business information and collaborating within and among organizations. .

Sohu.com, Inc. () is seeing ratings go up from a C last week to a B this week. Sohu.com is an Internet media company that serves as a daily source of information, communication and entertainment for millions of Chinese consumers. .

OpenTable, Inc. () earns a B this week, jumping up from last week’s grade of C. OpenTable provides free, real-time online restaurant reservations for diners through an online booking service. .

Jiayuan.com International Ltd. Sponsored ADR’s () ratings are looking better this week, moving up to a B from last week’s C. Jiayuan. com International is an online Chinese dating company. .

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.

Why GameStop, TriNet Group, and Restoration Hardware Jumped Today

On Friday, investors responded positively to favorable economic news, with favorable readings on personal income and spending pointing to the resiliency of the American consumer, even in the face of tough winter conditions that many businesses have blamed for temporary shortfalls in revenue and earnings. Even though the broader market gave up most of its gains from earlier in the day, GameStop (NYSE: GME  ) , TriNet Group (NYSE: TNET  ) , and Restoration Hardware (NYSE: RH  ) all managed to hold onto large advances in their respective share prices going into the weekend.

GameStop jumped 9% Friday, more than making back its losses from yesterday following a quarterly report that initially disappointed investors. The video game retailer saw same-store sales rise 7.8%, but adjusted earnings fell 12%. Despite favorable guidance for 2014, investors worried about the prospect of tougher competition from Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT  ) and other retailers, as well as steps from video game makers to eliminate the need for GameStop's middleman services. Analysts at Sterne Agee accentuated the positives in GameStop's report today, with expectations that earnings growth and GameStop's investor day next month could send the stock higher this year if the video game industry generally prospers from the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Moreover, initiatives to broaden GameStop's scope to sell other electronics could be a good way to use its store base, even if other companies have struggled selling those electronics on their own.

Newly public TriNet Group rose another 11.5%, adding to its positive performance on Thursday in its first day of post-IPO trading. The human-resources outsourcing company is jumping onto the trend toward cloud-based office support, following in the footsteps of Workday (NYSE: WDAY  ) in its effort to cater to small- and medium-sized businesses searching for ways to support their employees without having full-time HR staff. With shares up a third from its offering price of $16 per share, TriNet has inspired solid support among investors hoping to cash in on the growth prospects that serving smaller enterprise customers offers.

Restoration Hardware soared 13% despite reporting weaker-than-expected sales in its holiday quarter. Shareholders responded favorably to positive guidance from the home-furnishings retailer, with earnings expectations for the current quarter that are 25% to 60% higher than the consensus forecast. The guidance signals better gross margins for Restoration Hardware, as revenue growth hasn't come in quite as strong as many had thought the company would manage. But with same-store sales growth of 24%, Restoration Hardware has come a long way from its brush with disaster just a few short years ago.

Three stocks that could become your next huge winner
The one sure way to get wealthy is to invest in a groundbreaking company that goes on to dominate a multibillion-dollar industry. Our analysts have done it before, and now they think they've done it again with three stock picks that they believe could generate the same type of phenomenal returns. They've revealed these picks in a new free report that you can download instantly by clicking here now.

Mid-Afternoon Market Update: Inovio Rallies on Vaccine Award; Citigroup Remains Down on Stress Test Results

Related BZSUM Mid-Day Market Update: US Stocks Fall; Citigroup Shares Slip After Failed Stress Test Results Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Mostly Flat; Lululemon Profit Beats Estimates

Toward the end of trading Thursday, the Dow traded down 0.10 percent to 16,251.57 while the NASDAQ tumbled 0.71 percent to 4,144.66. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.30 percent to 1,846.69.

Leading and Lagging Sectors
In trading on Thursday, telecommunications services shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.83 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Internet Initiative Japan (NASDAQ: IIJI), with shares up 9.5 percent, and RRSat Global Communications Network (NASDAQ: RRST), with shares up 4.9 percent.

Tech sector was the leading decliner in the US market today. Among the sector stocks, Bitauto Holdings (NYSE: BITA) was down more than 8.6 percent, while Ku6 Media Co (NASDAQ: KUTV) tumbled around 8.4 percent.

Top Headline
Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and issued a downbeat first-quarter outlook. Lululemon's quarterly profit rose to $109.7 million, versus a year-ago profit of $109.4 million. On a per-share basis, its earnings came in at $0.75. Its revenue surged 7% to $521 million versus $485.5 million. However, analysts were projecting earnings of $0.72 per share on revenue of $515 million.

Lululemon expects Q1 earnings of $0.31 to $0.33 per share on revenue of $377 million to $382 million and full-year earnings of $1.80 to $1.90 per share and revenue of $1.77 billion to $1.82 billion. However, analysts were projecting Q1 earnings of $0.36 per share on revenue of $389 million.

Equities Trading UP
Baxter International (NYSE: BAX) shares shot up 4.78 percent to $73.42 after the company announced its plans to split itself into two companies.

Shares of Lululemon Athletica (NASDAQ: LULU) got a boost, shooting up 5.99 percent to $51.12 after the company reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter earnings and issued a downbeat Q1 forecast.

Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: INO) was also up, gaining 10.53 percent to $3.57 after the company received the "Best Theraputic Vaccine" award at the World Vaccine Congress after the close Wednesday.

Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM) were down 1.30 percent to $11.40 after the company priced offering of $130 million of 5.00% Convertible Senior Subordinated Notes due 2019 and 5 million shares of at $11.00 per share.

Citigroup (NYSE: C) shares tumbled 5.20 percent to $47.54 after the company reported that its capital plan was not approved by the Federal Reserve. The Fed said that Citi's plan did not fix previously raised issues. Analysts at Keefe Bruyette & Woods downgraded Citigroup from Outperform to Market Perform and lowered the target price from $58 to $52.

Leidos Holdings (NYSE: LDOS) was down as well, falling 18.17 percent to $35.33 after the company announced its COO would leave, while releasing worse than expected guidance.

Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded up 2.10 percent to $101.27, while gold traded down 0.85 percent to $1,292.10.

Silver traded down 0.37 percent Thursday to $19.69, while copper fell 0.40 percent to $2.99.

Eurozone
European shares were mostly lower today.

The Spanish Ibex Index rose 0.42 percent, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index gained 0.03 percent.

Meanwhile, the German DAX slipped 0.34 percent and the French CAC 40 declined 0.26 percent while U.K. shares dropped 0.40 percent.

Economics
US jobless claims declined by 10,000 to 311,000 in the week ended March 22. However, economists were expecting claims to reach 323,000 in the week.

The US economy's growth was lifted to an annual rate of 2.6% in the fourth quarter versus 2.4%.

The pending home sales index dropped to 93.9 in February, from 94.7 in January.

The Bloomberg Consumer Comfort Index declined to -31.50 for the week ended March 23, versus a prior reading of -29.00.

Supplies of natural gas declined 57 billion cubic feet for the week ended March 21, the US Energy Information Administration said. However, analysts were expecting a drop of 50 billion cubic feet to 54 billion cubic feet.

Posted-In: Earnings News Guidance Eurozone Futures Forex Global Econ #s Economics Intraday Update Markets Movers Tech

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular UPDATE: BofA Announces $4B Buyback Plan, Raises Qtr. Dividend from $0.01 to $0.05/Share UPDATE: Facebook to Acquire Oculus VR for About $2B Advanced Cannabis Solutions Temporarily Gets CANN-ed Federal Reserve Board announces approval of capital plans of 25 bank holding companies participating in the Comprehensive Capital Analysis and Review Spotify Vs. Pandora Vs. Google Music Vs. iTunes Radio Vs. Xbox Music UPDATE: Bank of America Announces Settlements With Federal Housing Finance Agency (FHFA) and New York Attorney General Related Articles (BAX + BITA) Mid-Afternoon Market Update: Inovio Rallies on Vaccine Award; Citigroup Remains Down on Stress Test Results Mid-Day Market Update: US Stocks Fall; Citigroup Shares Slip After Failed Stress Test Results Baxter Downgraded to Hold - Analyst Blog Benzinga's Volume Movers Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Mostly Flat; Lululemon Profit Beats Estimates Morgan Stanley Offers Quick Thoughts on Eloctate and Strategic Action Related to Baxter International

The Big Move From U.S. Geothermal Has Left the Tank Empty.... For Now (HTM)

By most accounts, it's an all-American dream come true. U.S. Geothermal Inc. (NYSEMKT:HTM), working hard - for years - to make something out of nothing can finally see the light at the end of the tunnel. HTM has swung to a profit, and is strong enough now that it's probably going to remain in the black in perpetuity. Shareholders who got into U.S. Geothermal anytime during or after 2012 have finally been handsomely rewarded, with most of that reward materializing in just the past three weeks. Regardless of when an investor got into a position in HTM though, there's just one thing left to do at this point.... get out. Lock in your gain and walk away, at least for a little while.

Say what? Why let go of one of the market's hottest stocks when things have never been better? Because, between the chart and the news and the euphoria surrounding the whole shebang, there's just something a little suspicious about HTM at these levels, and a significant pullback may be nigh.

First and foremost, there's a valuation problem. As it stands right now, U.S. Geothermal Inc. is a $96 million company that did $27.4 million worth of revenue last year. Granted, that's far better than 2012's top line of $9.8 million, and besides, you own a stock for where it's going rather than where it's been. While that's completely true, where HTM is going in 2014 should be revenue of only about $29 million. That translates into a price/sales ratio of 3.3 versus the market norm of about 2.4.

The valuation conundrum is even more alarming when you're talking about profits. While U.S. Geothermal has fought its way into the black, 2014's projected net income for this year is only $5.5 million at the high end. That translates into a best-case scenario forward-looking P/E of 17.4, which is palatable, though not exactly cheap. And remember, that's the high-end estimate. The low-end is a projected profit of $2.5 million, which translates into a forward-looking P/E of 38.4 for HTM.

This is likely the point where fans and supporters of the company will counter with the notion that one can't value a budding growth story the way more established and older companies are valued. This reporter couldn't agree more.  Indeed, this reporter thinks U.S. Geothermal Inc. is one of the most compelling stories out there for 2014 and 2015. Thing is, this reporter has also seen hundreds of stocks get well ahead of themselves relative to earnings, and though in the long run corporate results and the stock's price find an equitable equilibrium, in the short run, investors tend to not want to wait it out. Instead, traders realize it could be a couple of years before the stock's current price can be justified, and decide not to wait it out, dumping their shares looking for the next big hit. HTM isn't immune to that hot/cold pattern rooted in the fact that the market is amazingly fickle.

That being said, the chart is already in the midst of the process of hitting a top and pivoting lower.

The first clue to that end is today's volume. Although the volume so far isn't anything remarkable (we saw greater volume on the 13th and 24th), we're also only about an hour into today's session as of the time of this writing, and we're already to the halfway point of the volume we saw those two days. So, barring the market closing early, we WILL see a volume spike today, which tend to materialize at pivot points. They're the proverbial last hurrah for rallies and pullbacks, suggesting the last of any would-be buyers are rushing in. Past this point, there aren't apt to be any buyers left... only sellers.  The fact that HTM opened near its high today and has spent the better part of the session so far selling off - and is currently right at its low for the day - further suggests that the crowd has become one of profit-takers rather than buyers. Once that ball gets rolling, it's tough to stop.

The other clue that says we're headed for a deeper pullback from U.S. Geothermal is a little more blatant - it's overbought, and the market doesn't let things stay overbought very long.

Don't misunderstand. U.S. Geothermal Inc. is a great company, and HTM will rebound from whatever setback it suffers over the course of the next few days. There's no need for current shareholders to suffer as well, however. Anybody who locks in their gain today can still buy it back later, at what should be a considerably better price.

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

A Continued Look At Marijuana Stocks With Alan Brochstein

Related MCIG How Would a Hypothetical Marijuana ETF Do This Year? 5 Ways To Play The Hottest Trend In Cannabis

Last week, Benzinga sat down with Alan Brochstein of the 420 Investor newsletter. He has been one of the first analysts to cover the sector in-depth and offered his valuable outlook on the budding industry.

Brochstein will not be out there shorting Anheuser Busch Inbev (NYSE: BUD) and the beverage companies, or anticipating the country turning into a "bunch of stoners."

"The whole space has a market cap of between $12-14 billion, all these public companies added up," he said. "In the scheme of things, that's not a lot. Just one beverage company would be $30-40 billion -- and that company has a lot of profits."

Brochstein's thesis remains that current users will now be able to acquire cannabis through "legal" channels. When asked how the change in this dynamic will affect the fundamentals of cannabis, specifically, the economics of "supply and demand," he answered by giving his take on the dynamic of "public" versus "private" investment -- and whether or not a new sector for the U.S. economy is emerging.

"A lot of people see what's going on and think there's going to be more demand because its legal," he noted. "There's a demand for legal marijuana [compared to black market marijuana]. There's companies out there that can help people be more productive in growing, and so you're seeing the build-out that's going to happen. Legal recreational marijuana creates the need for high-quality marijuana at an affordable, competitive price. On the black market, they didn't care about being efficient...It's not just about more people getting high."

Related: Feds Approve First-Ever Medicinal Marijuana Study

Benzinga asked what investors should look for if they desire to invest in the sector. Brochstein says try to identify companies that are doing the "right thing." In his view, "Everybody knows these stocks are expensive, there's no way you can make the case. But nobody knows the future."

One such example is mCig (OTC: MCIG).

"MCIG started off with a $10 vape pen," he said. "They almost envision themselves as being the Apple of the industry. CEO and founder Paul Rosenberg [is] strictly a businessman, he owns about half the stock. He then brought on some talent and gave them his stock to help the company. Why? Because he knows the stock is overvalued, but if you can [evolve a company] without diluting your shareholders, that's what I mean by doing the right thing."

One final tip from Brochstein for potential investors is to read the filings.

He emphasizes the "Three Ps: people, pecuniary, the plan. Does company have right capital structure? Or money to execute their plan? These are venture capital people -- these are not mature companies. You need forward-looking people that can adapt to change and that are shareholder friendly."

This is the second of a two-part interview.

For those interested in further analysis on this new and controversial sector, visit the homepage for the 420 Investor Letter.

Posted-In: Alan Brochstein Budweiser cannabis cannabis industry marijuana medicinal marijuana pot Recreational Marijuana vapeEducation Commodities Economics Markets General Interview Best of Benzinga

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

  Most Popular A Closer Look At Marijuana Stocks With Alan Brochstein The Hows And Whys Behind Microsoft Windows Vista's Tumble Cramer Not Worried About Salesforce.com Slide Have We Seen The Top Of The Market? AT&T CFO Lays Out Key Questions In Comcast And Time Warner Merger Stocks To Watch For March 24, 2014 Related Articles (BUD + MCIG) A Continued Look At Marijuana Stocks With Alan Brochstein Constellation Brands Hits 52-Week High - Analyst Blog Bud Light Expands Lime-A-Rita Franchise #PreMarket Primer: Thursday, February 27: Markets Anxious To Hear Yellen #PreMarket Primer: Wednesday, February 26: Bitcoin Faces Another Major Setback AB InBev Posts Rise In Q4 Profit Around the Web, We're Loving... MLM's Score a Victory on China Ruling Lightspeed Trading Presents:How to use Automated Trading Strategies With Trade Ideas Palo Alto Networks Buys Cyber Security Firm

Juniper Networks, Inc. (JNPR): Well Fargo's Lowball $30-32 Target

Juniper Networks, Inc. (NYSE:JNPR) swam upstream today thanks to an upgrade from Well Fargo. Shares of the networking and communications company closed up 2.05% after analyst Jess Lubert changes his opinion to "Outperform" from "Market Perform" with a price-target range of $30-32 – potential upside of 13.68% to 21.21% as we type.

Juniper Networks, Inc. (Juniper Networks) designs, develops, and sells products and services that together provide its customers with network infrastructure. It operates in two segments: Infrastructure and Service Layer Technologies (SLT).

Lubert tell interested investors, "We are upgrading shares of Juniper to Outperform from Market Perform following a recent meeting with new CEO, Shaygan Kheradpir, which strengthened our belief that the company maintains the right products and strategy to capitalize on what appears to be a strong carrier spending environment entering 2014."

[Related -Juniper Networks (JNPR) Calls Look For Shares To Rebound]

Elaborating on his meeting and justifying his recommendation and price target change, the analyst went on, "We came away from our meeting with an ongoing sense of confidence that Juniper is committed to achieving the cost reduction initiatives and capital returns promised in the Integrated Operating Plan (IOP), which we think may drive more than $2.00 in non-GAAP EPS during 2015-- above the consensus of $1.89. We believe progress toward the plan's stated objectives may drive multiple expansion and material share price appreciation, while ongoing activist involvement may limit downside from current levels."

[Related -Apple Tops Low Expectations]

Lubert believes 2014 EPS will come in at $1.62 in 2014 and $2.10 next year. Both are higher than the current consensus estimates of $1.55 and $1.89 for '14 and '15, respectively.

Since Wells Fargo appears to be making a price-to-earnings (P/E) based argument, let's examine JNPR's recent P/E history to see if $30-32 is high/lowballing.

Top 10 Undervalued Companies To Watch For 2014

Since 2009, Juniper Networks traded with a P/E range of 15.97 to 138.74 with an average of 41.53. During the same timeframe, annual, average earnings growth was less than 3%, which means Wall Street has been willing to pay a substantial premium over bottom line growth.

Using Lubert's 2014 and 2015 estimates, JNPR's net profit would increase 34% this year and 29.63% next year. If P/E and earnings growth lined up one to one, then the tech company would price out at $55.08 and $62.22.

To trade at $32 with Wells' outlook requires a 2014 P/E of 19.75 and 15.24, which means JNPR would set a five year low for its price-to-earnings ratio; probably unlikely with profits marching ahead at nearly twice that pace.

Even at the industry average P/E of 14.22, Juniper shares would have a 2014 price tag of $23 for 2014 and $29.86 for 2015 using Lubert's numbers.

Overall: Thirty to Thirty-two dollars seems to be a lowball number for Juniper Networks, Inc. (NYSE:JNPR) based on Jess Luber'st projected earnings and growth rates considering JNPR's tendency to trade at a premium to EPS growth. 

The Prospects for a Successful World Cup Are Dimming

Source: Wikimedia Commons, Agencia Brazil; Brazilian fans at the 2010 World Cup. 

In just three months, Brazil will kick off the 2014 FIFA World Cup. The soccer tournament is one of the most anticipated international events of all time, but Brazil might be having second thoughts about its sponsorship. Here's why.

Drying out
The glitz and the glamour of the World Cup create a logistical nightmare -- and the onerous tournament organization just got even more awful for Brazil. The country just recorded the second-driest January in 80 years, something that means more than yellow lawns for this South American country.

Brazil relies on hydroelectric power for a whopping 80% of all its electricity generation. Hydro pushed 428,333 GWh to Brazilian businesses and homes in 2011 (the most recent available data). Its secondary source, biofuels, clocked in at 32,235 Gwh, equivalent to just 6% of total production.

For those who've analyzed Brazil's power production in the past, this news should come as no surprise. Increasingly erratic weather has made hydroelectric power riskier than ever before. Once heralded as a steady, environmentally friendly renewable energy, hydropower assets have made energy companies increasingly leery.

Duke Energy Corporation (NYSE: DUK  ) has been in Brazil since 1999, when it acquired Paranapanema Electricity Generation Company. While the subsidiary currently creates a massive 2.3% of all Brazil electricity, it relies on just 10 plants spread along only two rivers to generate 2,274 MW.

Source: Duke Energy Corporation; Capivara hydroelectric dam.

In Duke Energy Corporation's latest earnings report, CFO Steven Young noted that "unfavorable rain conditions" and "lower than expected reservoir levels" affected its Brazilian operations earlier last year. Duke Energy Corporation is using contracts to cut back on volatility, but a financial agreement still won't change when it rains.

International utility The AES Corporation (NYSE: AES  ) also has hydro operations in Brazil. While its two distribution businesses will be less affected by dry weather, its nine hydroelectric power plants and three smaller projects are all under threat. With 2,658 MW of installed capacity, The AES Corporation's piece of Brazil's energy pie is just as big as Duke Energy Corporation's. In its last earnings report, The AES Corporation noted that its current reservoir levels stand at 39% -- well below the 68% historical average.

Expensive alternatives
Brazil's hydro addiction is hitting it hard. As hydropower doesn't make its mark, the country may have to rely on expensive liquefied natural gas imports to keep its cities up and running.

Electricity demands leading up to and during the World Cup are enormous. The country is spending $14 billion on infrastructure projects -- equivalent to 15,000 new miles of roads. It expects 600,000 foreign tourists and 3.1 million locals to attend games, spending a total of $2.1 billion in-country.

To add insult to injury, Brazilians are currently paying for untapped wind energy from 48 farms. With capacity to power 3 million homes, construction delays have kept these wind farms disconnected from local power grids. Wind power association Abeeolica estimates that this inefficiency is costing Brazilians around $230 million, not to mention the $1.3 billion spent on more expensive fossil fuel generation.

Keep the lights on
On Feb. 4, 6 million people across 11 states were plunged into darkness as supply simply couldn't keep up with demand. If Brazil has to cough up cash for expensive LNG to keep the World Cup whirling, it'll pay a pretty penny. But if the country can't even keep its lights on, it'll be a dark and dismal World Cup, indeed.

Don't be like Brazil
Brazil has put all its eggs in one basket, and that basket is breaking. As a smart investor, you don't have to make the same mistake. One of the dirty secrets that few finance professionals will openly admit is that diversified dividend stocks handily outperform their non-dividend-paying brethren. However, knowing this is only half the battle. The other half is identifying which dividend stocks in particular are the best, and how to diversify your portfolio picks. With this in mind, our top analysts put together a free list of nine high-yielding stocks that should be in every income investor's portfolio. To learn the identity of these stocks instantly and for free, all you have to do is click here now.

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014

Top 10 Oil Stocks To Invest In 2014: Gazprom OAO (GAZP)

Gazprom OAO is a Russia-based company engaged in the operation of gas pipeline systems and gas supply to European countries. In addition, it is involved in the oil production and refining activities, as well as energy generation. It's activities comprise exploration and production of gas, transportation of gas, sale of gas domestically and abroad, gas storage, production of crude oil and gas condensate, processing of oil, gas condensate and other hydrocarbons, and sales of refined products, as well as electric and heat energy generation and sales. On January 9, 2013, the Company sold its 76.69% stake in Zapsibgazprom OAO and whole stake in March Kauno termofikacijos elektrine. In April 2013, it also created Gazprom Invest LLC, as well as, signed a purchase-sale contract for shares in 72 gas distribution organizations belonging to Rosneftegaz OAO. In November 2013, the Company raised its stake to 100% in CJSC Gazprom Neft Orenburg. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ian Sayson]

  Russian stocks fell for a third day as crude oil, the nation's chief export earner, retreated. Mechel fell to the lowest level since Sept. 6, while OAO Gazprom (GAZP), the natural-gas export monopoly, retreated 0.9 percent.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-oil-stocks-to-invest-in-2014.html

Mt.Gox finds 200,000 bitcoins in old wallet

A protester outside Mt.Gox headquarters in Tokyo.

HONG KONG (CNNMoney) Embattled exchange Mt.Gox said Friday that it has found 200,000 bitcoins in a "forgotten" digital wallet -- a haul worth $116 million at current prices.

Mt.Gox CEO Mark Karpeles said in a statement that the bitcoins had been uncovered in an old-format wallet that was thought to be empty. Bitcoin wallets allow users to store the digital currency and execute transactions.

"On March 7, 2014, Mt.Gox Co., Ltd. confirmed that an old-format wallet which was used prior to June 2011 held a balance of approximately 200,000 BTC," the statement said.

Karpeles said that the discovery was reported to lawyers on March 8. The bitcoins were later moved to "offline" wallets.

Mt.Gox was one of the world's largest Bitcoin exchanges until last month, when it stopped investors from withdrawing money and blamed the disruption on technical issues and cyber attacks.

The Japan-based company then filed for bankruptcy in Tokyo and the U.S., with debts totaling $64 million.

  Why Bitcoin will recover from Mt.Gox

At the time of its closure, Mt.Gox said that it was unable to locate 850,000 bitcoins, the vast majority of which belonged to customers. The discovery reduces the number of lost bitcoins to 650,000, but also raises questions about what really happened to the missing currency.

While the search for the missing bitcoins will continue, many investors harbor little hope that all will be recovered. Japanese authorities had not regulated the exchange, and no deposit insurance was offered.

Responding to the wave of doubt generated by the exchange's failure, several other exchanges and digital wallet providers have sought to reassure investors.

"This tragic violation of the trust of users of Mt.Gox was the result of one company's abhorrent actions and does not reflect the resilience or value of Bitcoin and the digital currency industry," an industry group said in February.

Top 10 Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Top 10 Casino Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Boyd Gaming Corporation(BYD)

Boyd Gaming Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a multi-jurisdictional gaming company in the United States. As of December 31, 2011, the company owned and operated 1,042,787 square feet of casino space, containing approximately 25,973 slot machines, 655 table games, and 11,418 hotel rooms. It also owned and operated 16 gaming entertainment properties located in Nevada, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, and New Jersey. In addition, the company owns and operates a pari-mutuel jai-alai facility located in Dania Beach, Florida, as well as a travel agency in Hawaii. Further, it holds a 50% controlling interest in the limited liability company that operates Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Boyd Gaming Corporation was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Advisors' Opinion:

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

  Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Tuesday’s session are American Eagle Outfitters Inc.(AEO), Boyd Gaming Corp.(BYD) and Dick's Sporting Goods Inc.(DKS)

• [By Wallace Witkowski]

  Shares of Boyd Gaming Corp. (BYD)  rose 8% to $12.75 on moderate volume after hedge fund Elliot Associates L.P. disclosed in a regulatory filing it had acquired a 4.99% stake in the casino operator.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Boyd Gaming (NYSE: BYD) reported an adjusted Q4 loss of $0.24 per share on revenue of $681.5 million. However, analysts were projecting a loss of $0.24 per share on revenue of $683.2 million. Boyd shares declined 3.96% to $11.15 in the after-hours trading session.

sour! ce from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-casino-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Hot Low Price Stocks To Invest In 2014

Hot Low Price Stocks To Invest In 2014: Smiths Group PLC (SMGKF.PK)

Smiths Group plc is a technology company. It has five divisions: Smiths Detection, Smiths Medical, John Crane, Smiths Interconnect and Flex-Tek. The Company and its subsidiaries develop, manufacture, sale and support advanced security equipment, including trace detection, millimeter-wave, infrared, biological detection and diagnostics; mechanical seals, seal support systems, engineered bearings, power transmission couplings and specialist filtration systems, and medical devices aligned to specific therapies, principally airway, pain and temperature management, and vascular access. It also develops, manufactures, sells and supports specialized electronic and radio frequency products for the global wireless telecommunications, aerospace, defense, space, medical, rail, test and industrial markets, and engineered components, including ducting, hose assemblies and heating elements. In May 2011, it acquired the entire issued share capital of SDBR Comercio De Equipamentos De Seguanc a LTDA. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Daniel Lauchheimer]

  Currently, three main companies supply security equipment to the TSA - Safran (SAFRY.PK), Smiths (SMGKF.PK), and Level-3 Holdings (LLL). All three of these companies sell the whole range of their products to the TSA, with an ETD offering included. Recently, however, a new company, Implant Sciences Corporation (IMSC.PK) received approval from the TSA to begin selling their ETD equipment to airport security professionals. This approval has opened the door for IMSC to begin taking some market share away from the more established players in the US and beyond.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-low-price-stocks-to-invest-in-2014.html

Best Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2014

Best Clean Energy Stocks To Own For 2014: Zoltek Companies Inc (ZOLT)

Zoltek Companies, Inc. is a holding company, which operates through wholly owned subsidiaries, Zoltek Corporation, Zoltek Zrt., Zoltek de Mexico SA de CV, Zoltek de Occidente SA de CV, Engineering Technology Corporation (Entec Composite Machines), Zoltek Properties, Inc., and Zoltek Automotive, LLC. Zoltek Corporation (Zoltek) develops, manufactures and markets carbon fibers and technical fibers in the United States. The Company is an applied technology and advanced materials company. It commercialization of carbon fiber through composites used in a range of commercial products, which it sells under the Panex trade name. In addition to manufacturing carbon fiber, it produces an intermediate product, a stabilized and oxidized acrylic fiber used in flame- and heat-resistant applications, which it sells under the Pyron trade name. During fiscal year ended September 30, 2011 (fiscal 2011), its net sales to Vestas Wind Systems, a wind turbine manufacturer represented % of its n et sales. In October 2011, Zoltek purchased a building in St. Peters, Missouri to house its prepreg operations.

Zoltek Zrt. is a Hungarian subsidiary that manufactures and markets carbon fibers and technical fibers and manufactures acrylic fiber precursor raw material used in production of carbon fibers and technical fibers. Zoltek de Mexico SA de CV and Zoltek de Occidente SA de CV are Mexican subsidiaries that manufacture carbon fiber and precursor raw material. Entec Composite Machines manufactures and markets filament winding and pultrusion equipment used in the production composite parts. The Company's sales markets are in Europe and the United States. The Company has manufacturing plants in Nyergesujfalu, Hungary, Guadalajara, Mexico, Abilene, Texas and St. Charles, Missouri. Its Texas plant houses carbon fiber manufacturing lines and value-adde! d processing capabilities. Its Missouri plant is engaged in the production of technical fibers for aircraft bra ke and other friction applications and also produces limited! amounts of carbon fibers. In addition, it has facilities in Salt Lake City, Utah where it designs and builds composite manufacturing equipment and produce resin pre-impregnated carbon fibers, called prepregs. It performs certain downstream processing, such as weaving, knitting, blending with other fibers, chopping and milling and preparation of pre-form, pre-cut stacks of fabric. In addition, its Salt Lake City-based Entec Composite Machines subsidiary designs and builds composite manufacturing equipment and markets the equipment along with manufacturing technology and materials. It also provides composite design and engineering for development of applications for carbon fiber reinforced composites.

The Company competes with Hexcel Corporation, Cytec Industries, Toray Group, Toho Tenax, Mitsubishi Chemical and SGL Carbon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  3. Zoltek (NASDAQ: ZOLT  )
  Zoltek was an interesting investment at the beginning of the year for futurist investors. The company is one of the largest manufacturers of carbon fiber in the world. In fact, its lightweight and high-strength carbon fiber is used almost exclusively in the largest wind turbine blades around the world and played a major role in America's 20-fold improvement in breezy energy capacity since 2000. This material of the future has many other uses and potential uses as well, but Zoltek has never really gained the confidence of the market in any big way: Its market cap was hovering near $300 million at the start of the year.

• [By Maxx Chatsko]

  Shares of world-leading carbon fiber manufacturer Zoltek  (NASDAQ: ZOLT  )  have been pushed to new highs after a frantic attempt by Quinpario Partners to acquire a large position in the company. Despite being turned away ! by manage! ment, the fund does make valid points about the company's general lack of progress given its global scope and potential. Investors in this business built around a game-changing material may be worrying whether shares are about to fall back to earth. In the following video, Fool.com contributor Maxx Chatsko gives at least one reason for investors to think that shares can hold their current levels -- or even trek higher.

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Toray Industries Inc.(3402.TO), the global market leader in carbon fiber, agreed to buy smaller rival Zoltek Cos.(ZOLT) in a deal valued at $584 million. The Japanese synthetic-fiber maker offered $16.75 a share, a 9.5% discount to Thurday’s close. Zoltek has struggled amid what it has called a cyclical downturn in the wind energy market. Zoltek shares dropped 10% to $16.58 in light premarket trading.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/best-clean-energy-stocks-to-own-for-2014.html

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now

Back in February, up-and-coming performance-apparel specialist Under Armour (NYSE: UA  ) raised some eyebrows when it filed a lawsuit against its biggest competitor and global powerhouse Nike (NYSE: NKE  ) .

The allegation? Under Armour claims Nike's latest ad campaigns were aiming to create confusion by illegally using variations of Under Armour's trademarked "I will" catchphrase.

Image source: Under Armour.

Earlier this week, Nike finally came out to formally deny the charges, and took a few shots at its smaller competitor by saying the "I will" phrase is "not famous" and hasn't "acquired the�distinctiveness�or secondary meaning associated with Under Armour." As a result, Nike says, that renders Under Armour's trademark essentially useless under trademark infringement law.

Going even further, Nike also claims it has used the "non-verb" combo in its own marketing as early as 1995, predating Under Armour's use of the words as far back as 1998. Then, in one last jab, Nike representatives wrote, "To the extent Under Armour owns any alleged trademark rights in the phrase, 'I will,' those rights are weak [and] narrow, and exist in a crowded field."

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now: Portland General Electric Company (POR)

Portland General Electric Company operates as an integrated electric utility in Oregon. The company engages in the generation, purchase, transmission, distribution, and retail sale of electricity. Its generating portfolio consists of thermal, hydro, and wind resources. The company also sells electricity and natural gas in the wholesale market to utilities, brokers, and power marketers in the western United States and Canada. As of March 31, 2011, it served approximately 821,193 residential, commercial, and industrial customers. The company was founded in 1930 and is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Utility operator�Portland General Electric� (NYSE: POR  ) �announced yesterday�its second-quarter dividend of $0.275 per share, a near-2% increase over last quarter's payout of $0.27 per share.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now: First Financial Bankshares Inc.(FFIN)

First Financial Bankshares, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial banking products and services primarily in Texas. It offers commercial banking services, which include accepting and holding checking, savings, and time deposits, as well as automated teller machines, drive-in and night deposit services, safe deposit facilities, remote deposit capture services, Internet banking, transmitting funds, and other commercial banking services. The company also provides commercial, financial, agricultural, real estate construction, real estate mortgage, and consumer loans to businesses, professionals, individuals, and farm and ranch operations. In addition, it involves in the administration of various types of retirement and employee benefit accounts, which include 401(k) profit sharing plans and IRAs; and offers personal trust services that comprise the administration of estates, testamentary trusts, revocable and irrevocable trusts, and agency accounts. Further, the company offers securities brokerage services. As of December 31, 2009, it operated 48 financial centers in Texas, including 10 locations in Abilene, 2 locations in Cleburne, 3 locations in Stephenville, 3 locations in Granbury, 2 locations in San Angelo, and 3 locations in Weatherford, as well as 1 location each in Mineral Wells, Hereford, Sweetwater, Eastland, Ranger, Rising Star, Southlake, Aledo, Willow Park, Brock, Alvarado, Burleson, Keller, Trophy Club, Boyd, Bridgeport, Decatur, Roby, Trent, Merkel, Clyde, Moran, Albany, Midlothian, and Glen Rose. The company was founded in 1956 and is based in Abilene, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  In the following video, Motley Fool financial analysts David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer discuss two stocks from the financial sector that they're watching today. David tells us why he's got his eye on�JPMorgan� (NYSE: JPM  ) and the trials and tribulations of CEO Jamie Dimon and what he'll be looking for at the company's annual meeting in two weeks. Matt Koppenheffer discusses the smaller-cap�First Financial Bankshares (NASDAQ: FFIN  ) �and why if Warren Buffett only had $1 million to invest, this might be one of the first places he'd look.

• [By Profit Fan]

  After rising 67% in the past 52-weeks, it is understandable that the price targets for First Financial Bankshares (FFIN) are slightly under the bank's current market price of $57.69 per share. But, the premium paid for these shares appear to be warranted.

Best Tech Companies To Buy For 2014: Vivendi SA (VIVHY.PK)

Vivendi SA (Vivendi), incorporated on December 18, 1987, is a communications and entertainment company. As of December 31, 2009, the Company had six business segments: Activision Blizzard, Universal Music Group, SFR, Maroc Telecom Group, GVT (Holding) S.A. (GVT) and Canal+ Group. Activision Blizzard develops, publishes and distributes interactive entertainment software, online or on other media (such as console and personal computer (PC)). Universal Music Group is engaged in the sale of recorded music (physical and digital media), exploitation of music publishing rights, as well as artist services and merchandising. SFR is engaged in the phone services (mobile, broadband Internet and fixed) in France. Maroc Telecom Group is a telecommunication operator (mobile, fixed and Internet) in Africa, principally in Morocco, as well as in Mauritania, Burkina Faso, Gabon and Mali. GVT is a Brazilian fixed and broadband operator. Canal+ Group is engaged in publishing and distribution of pay-television mainly in France, in both analog and digital (terrestrially, via satellite or ADSL), as well as film production in Europe. In July 2013, Vivendi SA and Universal Music Group announced the completion of the sale of Parlophone Label Group to Warner Music Group Corp.

On November 13, 2009, Vivendi acquired an aggregate of 29.9% of GVT�� outstanding voting shares from Swarth Investments LLC, Swarth Investments Holdings LLC and Global Village Telecom (Holland) BV. In addition, Vivendi acquired from third parties an additional 8% interest in GVT's outstanding shares. On December 28, 2009, Canal+ Group, Vivendi�� subsidiary, acquired TF1�� 9.9% interest in the capital of Canal+ France. On July 31, 2009, Maroc Telecom acquired 51% controlling interest in Sotelma. On August 27, 2009, CID, a company 40% owned by SFR and 60% by other financial investors, acquired the 62% interest in 5 sur 5.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Rodawig]

  Activision Blizzard (ATVI) is the world's largest and most successful video game developer, and is majority owned (61%) by French telecom and media conglomerate Vivendi (VIVHY.PK). Vivendi has been undergoing a massive strategic review with the intent to reduce debt and unlock the value of its assets that has fueled speculation surrounding ATVI. In conjunction with this, ATVI CFO Dennis Durkin announced on the 4Q12 earnings call

• [By Mike Arnold]

  I normally don't look at charts much, but comparing Orange to its competitors in the French telecommunications market is quite fascinating. As one can see, incumbents Bouygues (BOUYF.PK) and Vivendi (VIVHY.PK) (owner of SFR) saw similar price declines. The market, on the other hand, rapidly bid up the price of new entrant Iliad SA (ILIAF.PK), as a result of forecasts for Iliad to capture significant mobile market share (which it did, around 10%). The wide divergence in price relative to changes in underlying value favor going long the incumbents, including Orange. Because this time it's different.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now: Calpine Corp (CPN)

Calpine Corporation (Calpine) is an independent wholesale power producer in the United States. The Company owns and operates primarily natural gas-fired and geothermal power plants in North America and has presence in wholesale power markets in California, Texas and the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States. The Company has invested in clean power generation. It is developing, constructing, owning and operating an environmentally responsible portfolio of power plants. Its portfolio is primarily consists of two types of power generation technologies: natural gas-fired combustion turbines, which are combined-cycle plants, and renewable geothermal conventional steam turbines. The Company is a owner and operator of industrial gas turbines, as well as cogeneration power plants. The Company sells wholesale power, steam, capacity, renewable energy credits and ancillary services to its customers, including utilities, independent electric system operators, industrial and agricultural companies, retail power providers, municipalities and power marketers. It purchases natural gas and fuel oil as fuel for its power plants and engage in related natural gas transportation and storage transactions. The Company also purchases electric transmission rights to deliver power to its customers. In February 2014, the Company announced that it has completed the acquisition of a natural gas-fired, combined-cycle power plant located in Guadalupe County, 30 miles northeast of San Antonio, Texas.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 93 power plants, including two under construction, with an aggregate generation capacity of approximately 28,155 megawatts and 584 megawatts under construction. Its generation capacity includes 77 natural gas-fired power plants, 15 geothermal plants and one photovoltaic solar plant. The Company is a consumer of natural gas in North America. The Company sells a substantial portion of its power and other products under power purchase agreements (PPAs) with a duration greater than ! one year.. The contracted sale of power, steam and capacity from its cogeneration power plants, combustion turbine power plants and geothermal power plants, as well as the sale of renewable energy credits (RECs), from its geothermal and solar power plants, provide a stable source of revenue. The Company produces power for sale to utilities, municipalities, retail power providers, independent electric system operators, large end-use industrial or agricultural customers or power marketers. Its cogeneration power plants produce steam for sale to customers for use in industrial or heating, ventilation and air conditioning operations. The Company provides capacity for sale to retail power providers. It provides ancillary service products to wholesale power markets. It sells RECs from its Geysers Assets in northern California, as well as from its small solar power plant in New Jersey.

The Company�� natural gas-fired power plants primarily utilize two types of design: 3,515 megawatts of simple-cycle combustion turbines and 23,043 megawatts of combined-cycle combustion turbines and a small portion from natural gas-fired steam turbines. Its Geysers Assets are a 725 megawatts fleet of 15 operating power plants in northern California. It leases the geothermal steam fields from which it extracts steam for its Geysers Assets. The Company has leasehold mineral interests in 110 leases comprising approximately 29,019 acres of federal, state and private geothermal resource lands in The Geysers region of northern California. Its leases cover one contiguous area of property that comprises approximately 45 square miles in the northwest corner of Sonoma County and southeast corner of Lake County. Across the fleet, it also has a variety of technologies, including approximately 868 megawatts of capacity from its power plants acquired in the Conectiv Acquisition which have conventional steam turbine technology. The Company also has approximately four megawatts of capacity from solar power generation technology a! t its Vine! land Solar Energy Center in New Jersey.

The Company has 24 natural gas-fired power plants, including two under construction, with the capacity to generate a total of 6,194 megawatts in the Western Electricity Coordinating Council (WECC) North American Electric Reliability Council (NERC) region, which extends from the Rocky Mountains westward. In addition, it owns and operate 15 geothermal power plants located in northern California capable of producing a total of 725 megawatts. The majority of these power plants are located in California, in the California Independent System Operator (CAISO) region; the Company also owns a power plant in Arizona and one in Oregon. The Company has 12 natural gas-fired power plants in the TRE NERC region with the capacity to generate a total of 7,239 megawatts, all of which are physically located in the ERCOT market. It has a total of 31 power plants with 7,914 megawatts of peaking capacity located in the RFC, Northeast Power Coordinating Council (NPCC) and Midwest Reliability Organization (MRO) NERC regions. The Company has 19 operating power plants with the capacity to generate a total of 4,491 megawatts in Eastern PJM. In addition, it has one operating power plant, with the capacity to generate 503 megawatts, located in Western PJM. The company has a total of eight natural gas-fired power plants with the capacity to generate a total of 1,439 megawatts in the NPCC NERC region. Five of these power plants are located in New York.

The Company has 50% ownership interests in two Canadian power plants, with the total capacity to generate 1,088 MW (544 megawatts net attributable to Calpine), located in the NPCC NERC region in Ontario, Canada. The Whitby cogeneration facility is a 50 megawatts facility located in Whitby, Ontario and the Greenfield Energy Centre is a 1,038 megawatts facility located in Courtright, Ontario. The Company has three natural gas-fired power plants with the capacity to generate a total of 1,481 megawatts operating within the M! RO NERC r! egion. The Company has one operating natural gas-fired power plant with the capacity to generate 1,134 megawatts located in the Southwest Power Pool (SPP) NERC region. SPP is an RTO approved by FERC that provides independent administration of the electric power grid. SPP manages an energy-only location based real-time wholesale energy market. The Company has 10 natural gas-fired power plants with the capacity to generate a total of 4,949 megawatts operating within the Southeastern Electric Reliability Council (SERC) and the Florida Reliability Coordinating Council (FRCC) NERC regions.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Lauren Pollock]

  Calpine Corp.(CPN) agreed to buy a gas-fired, 1,050-megawatt power plant in Texas for $625 million, as part of the wholesale power company’s effort to increase its presence in the Texas market. Calpine is purchasing the plant from MinnTex Power Holdings LLC, a portfolio company owned by a private investment fund managed by Wayzata Investment Partners LLC.

Hot Net Payout Yield Companies To Buy Right Now: Prumo Logistica SA (LLXL3)

Prumo Logistica SA, formerly LLX Logistica SA (LLX), is a Brazil-based company primarily engaged in the sector of port logistic services. The Company builds and develops the Acu Port, located in Sao Joao da Barra, in the north of the State of Rio de Janeiro. The Industrial Complex Acu Port has two port terminals (T1 and T2) and the capacity to handle various types of cargo, such as petroleum, iron ore, coal, solid and liquid bulk and general cargo. The Company�� subsidiaries include LLX Minas-Rio Logistica Comercial Exportadora SA, LLX Acu Operacoes Portuarias SA and LLX Brasil Operacoes Portuarias SA. In October, 2013, EIG LLX Holdings SARL reached a 52.82% stake in the ordinary share capital of the Company. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Denyse Godoy]

  A committee of exchange executives, banks and brokerages developed the changes to the benchmark index. BM&FBovespa said on its website that it hadn�� made changes to the gauge�� methodology since its inception in 1968. LLX Logistica SA (LLXL3), the shipping unit that Batista founded, is the second-lowest priced stock on the Ibovespa after dropping 36 percent this year to 1.53 reais.

Why This Gas Producer Could Be Hugely Undervalued

Though drastic reductions in spending have weighed on Ultra Petroleum's (NYSE: UPL  ) production, earnings, and stock price performance in recent years, the company's future looks a lot brighter. In addition to sharply improved earnings and cash flow expectations this year thanks largely to its acquisition of oil-rich acreage in Utah's Uinta basin, there is reason to believe that the company could be significantly undervalued on an enterprise value-to-proven reserves basis. Let's take a closer look.

Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons.

Big boost to proven reserves
Ultra boosted its year-end 2013 proven reserves by 18% to 3.6 trillion cubic feet equivalent, bringing its organic reserve replacement to an extremely healthy 307%. The year-over-year increase in proven reserves was due largely to higher gas prices and significant well cost reductions at its operations in Wyoming's Pinedale field. Several of Ultra's peers also reported significant growth in reserves.

For instance, Range Resources (NYSE: RRC  ) boosted its year-end 2013 proven reserves by 26% to a record high of 8.2 trillion cubic feet equivalent, or Tcfe, while Cabot Oil & Gas (NYSE: COG  ) saw a 42% increase in its proven reserves to 5.5 Tcfe and Southwestern Energy (NYSE: SWN  ) reported a whopping 74% jump in proven reserve estimates to roughly 7 Tcfe.

In addition to the higher gas price environment, all three companies cited improved well performance and cost reductions at their core operations as the reason for the improvements. While Ultra's growth in proven reserves wasn't as impressive, the value of the company's reserves increased by a lot more than their size -- the key indicator that Ultra could be undervalued.

Even bigger boost in value of reserves
As of year-end 2013, Ultra estimated the PV-10 value of its proven reserves -- representing their pre-tax future net cash flows discounted at 10% -- to be $4.1 billion, up 83% from a year ago. This is especially impressive considering that gas prices rose only 33% year over year and speaks to the high quality of Ultra's reserves.  

Further, the PV-10 calculation was based on a gas price of just $3.50 per Mcf. Using a gas price of $4.50 per Mcf -- closer to where the spot price is right now -- the PV-10 value of Ultra's reserves would rise to $5.7 billion. But it gets even better. Ultra performed a second sensitivity test on its proven reserves assuming the same gas price of $4.50 per Mcf but under an increased investment scenario.

Under this increased investment scenario, the company estimates that it could book an additional 3.5 Tcfe of reserves in the proven category, resulting in a PV-10 value of $8.5 billion. And with a gas price of $5.00 per Mcf, the company's total proven and probable reserves would rise to 10.8 Tcfe, yielding a PV-10 value of $12.3 billion.

While the latter scenario of $5.00 per Mcf gas may be overly optimistic, I think the company's PV-10 value of $8.5 billion under its $4.50 per Mcf gas and increased investment scenario is probably a more accurate measure of its current value. Given that Ultra's current enterprise value is around $6.3 billion, this suggests that the company could be meaningfully undervalued.

Ultra's best days lie ahead
This year should mark a major turning point for Ultra, as it ramps up spending and focuses on its highest rate of return assets, namely Wyoming's Jonah and Pinedale fields and its newly acquired oil-rich assets in Utah's Uinta basin.

In Wyoming, the company is expecting to generate returns in excess of 70% this year at a gas price of $4.50 per MMBtu, while in Utah, its returns could exceed 500% at a wellhead oil price of $80 per barrel. With these kinds of returns, it's no surprise that the company is forecasting 40% growth in EBITDA and cash flow this year.

What's more is that this guidance could actually prove conservative, judging by the company's exceptional initial results in the Uinta basin, where well performance and production have easily surpassed the company's expectations. With an attractive valuation and stronger, more oil-weighted growth on the way, Ultra should see its streak of underperformance end this year.

Get ready for the next energy boom
Ultra Petroleum isn't the only company benefiting from the record oil and natural gas production that's revolutionizing the United States' energy position. That's why The Motley Fool is offering a comprehensive look at three energy companies set to soar during this transformation in the energy industry. To find out which three companies are spreading their wings, check out the special free report, "3 Stocks for the American Energy Bonanza." Don't miss out on this timely opportunity; click here to access your report -- it's absolutely free.

Top Stocks To Own Right Now

Top Stocks To Own Right Now: Ecopetrol S.A.(EC)

Ecopetrol S.A. operates as an integrated oil company in Colombia, Peru, Brazil, and the U.S. Gulf Coast. The company engages in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas. As of December 31, 2010, its proved reserves of crude oil and natural gas consisted of 1,714.0 million barrels of oil equivalent. The company also transports crude oil, motor fuels, fuel oil, and other refined products, as well as mixture of diesel and palm oil. It owns transportation network consisting of 3,003 kilometers of crude oil pipeline directly, as well as an additional 2,178 kilometers of crude oil pipeline with its business partners; and 3,017 kilometers of multi-purpose pipelines for transportation of refined products from refinery to wholesale distribution points. As of the above date, Ecopetrol S.A. owned 58 stations with a nominal storage capacity of 19 million barrels of crude oil and 6 million barrels of refined products. In addition, the company owns and o perates refineries that produce a range of refined products, including gasoline, diesel, kerosene, jet fuel, aviation fuel, liquefied petroleum gas, sulfur, heavy fuel oils, motor fuels, and petrochemicals, including paraffin waxes, lube base oils, low-density polyethylene, aromatics, asphalts, alkylates, cyclohexane and aliphatic solvents, and refinery grade propylene, as well as provides industrial services to third parties. Further, it markets various refined and feed stock products, including regular and high octane gasoline, diesel fuel, jet fuel, natural gas, and petrochemical products. The company was formerly known as Empresa Colombiana de Petroleos and changed its name to Ecopetrol S.A. in June 2003. Ecopetrol S.A. was founded in 1948 and is based in Bogota, Colombia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By GuruFocus]

  Ecopetrol S.A. (EC) Reached the 52-Week Low of $38.85

  The prices of Ecopetrol S.A. (EC) shares have declined to close to the 52-week low of $38.85, which is 41.5% off the 52-week high of $64.06. Ecopetrol S.A. is owned by 2 Gurus we are tracking. Among them, 1 has added to their positions during the past quarter. 2 reduced their positions.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Looking to modernize its Cartagena refinery in Colombia, Ecopetrol's (NYSE: EC  ) board of directors has approved spending more than half a billion additional dollars this year on an upgrade. The full project is estimated to cost nearly $6.5 billion.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-stocks-to-own-right-now-3.html

Producer prices fall 0.1%; inflation still weak

WASHINGTON (AP) — The prices companies receive for their goods and services fell slightly in February, the latest sign that inflation is tame.

The producer price index, which measures price changes before they reach the consumer, dropped 0.1 percent in February, the Labor Department said Friday. That's the first decline since November. A sharp fall in the price markups by wholesalers and retailers pushed down the index.

Wholesale food and energy prices increased, as did the cost of pharmaceuticals. Excluding the volatile categories of food, energy and retailer and wholesaler profit margins, core prices ticked up 0.1 percent.

The figures underscore that inflation remains largely in check. Businesses have struggled to raiseprices because of historically high levels of unemployment and meager wage growth. That's made it harder for consumers to pay more. And with unemployment high, those with jobs are less able to demand higher pay.

The data also reflects the impact of aggressive discounting by clothing and shoe stores. Their profit margins fell 9.3 percent, the steepest on record. Gas stations and grocery stores also reduced their markups.

Low inflation has enabled the Federal Reserve to pursue extraordinary stimulus programs to try to boost economic growth. It has kept the short-term interest rate it controls at nearly zero for more than five years. It has also been purchasing bonds in an attempt to lower long-term interest rates to encourage more borrowing and spending.

Best Canadian Stocks To Watch For 2014

The Fed is now trying to unwind some of that stimulus. It has cut its monthly bond purchases to $65 billion, from $75 billion in January and $85 billion last year.

Fed policymakers will meet next week and are expected to announce another $10 billion cut. Employers stepped up hiring last month, after harsh winter weather cut into job gains in December and January. ! Consumers also spent more at retailers in February after sharp drops in the previous two months.

The figures suggest the economy may be picking up as the weather improves. That may encourage the Fed to continue scaling back its stimulus. Still, Fed policymakers have expressed concern about the persistence of low inflation. If it remains below target, the Fed could extend its stimulus efforts.

Carl Icahn-eBay Fight Keeps Getting Nastier

Carl Icahn is holding nothing back in his battle to force eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) to spin off its PayPal payment processing business.

On the same day eBay rejected two of Icahn's nominees for its board, the billionaire activist investor fired off another open letter to the company's stockholders berating Chief Executive Officer John J. Donahoe's handling of the Skype deal.

"We believe based on evidence we've uncovered that Donahoe's inexcusable incompetence cost eBay stockholders over $4 billion," the letter begins.

Icahn holds a 2.2% stake in eBay. In a fight that started in January, Icahn has sought to convince eBay to split PayPal off as a separate company, arguing that PayPal needs better management to face challenges from the likes of Google Inc. (Nasdaq: GOOG) and Apple Inc. (Nasdaq: AAPL).

In making that case, Icahn has launched a series of attacks on Donahoe.

In the letter released today (Monday), Icahn alleges that Donahoe bungled the Skype deal by selling it to a group led by Marc Andreessen - an eBay board member - for only $1.9 billion. Just 18 months later, Andreessen's group sold Skype to Microsoft Corp. (Nasdaq: MSFT) for $8.5 billion.

Icahn says that Microsoft had approached eBay about buying Skype back in 2009, but was wary of a licensing dispute. Andreessen resolved the dispute and pocketed a huge profit.

"Why didn't Donahoe, who allegedly also had the information that would be key to reaching a settlement with Skype's founders, settle it for eBay and sell Skype directly to Microsoft, thereby keeping the extra $4 billion for eBay stockholders?" Icahn wrote.

Icahn was also rankled by eBay's rejection of his nominees this morning.

eBay said it had given Icahn's candidates "serious consideration," but that neither are qualified.

In responding to Icahn's letter, eBay said that Donahoe had "delivered astounding results for eBay shareholders." The company added that Icahn's statements were "false and misleading" and made "in pursuit of his own profit motives."

Certainly, Carl Icahn's involvement in eBay has had an impact...

What the Carl Icahn Fight Means for eBay Inc. (Nasdaq: EBAY) Stock

Since this struggle began in January, EBAY stock has popped 9.5% - a testament to Icahn's towering reputation as a successful activist investor.

And most of that gain has come in spurts on news of Icahn's latest maneuvers.

But Icahn may find this battle difficult to win, as few on Wall Street agree that PayPal needs to be spun off. Most analysts see the eBay-PayPal integration as mutually beneficial.

"PayPal is a very important part of that company. It's the fastest growing division. It's 45% of the company. The digital-payment world is the world of the future, so they would be insane to sell, especially because Icahn only owns 0.8% of the stock," said Money Morning's Defense & Tech Specialist Michael A. Robinson.

He said that Icahn's quest for a quick payoff might work against eBay in the future.

"Activist investors can be a catalyst to make some short-term profits, but what I worry about is what's going to happen in the long run," Robinson said. "Specifically with eBay, I think Icahn is crazy on this one."

And even though Icahn has an impressive track record as an activist investor, he doesn't always win. A few weeks ago, he had to surrender in a battle to force Apple to buy back $50 billion of stock.

Unless Icahn's attacks gain more traction in the weeks and months ahead, his fight for an independent PayPal may run aground, much as his fight with Apple did (though that battle was far more civil).

Investors need to keep an eye on this battle. Should Icahn be forced to give up, as it now appears he will, EBAY stock could tumble.

EBAY shares were down about 1% to $58.61 in mid-day trading.

Is #CarlIcahn right about PayPal? Or is PayPal better off as an arm of #eBay? And is eBay stock a buy, sell, or hold? Tell us on Twitter @moneymorning or Facebook.

Carl Icahn is the most celebrated activist investor, but he's not necessarily the most successful. One activist investor in particular consistently gets double-digit gains out the stocks he targets. Here's how he does it...

Related Articles:

Yahoo Finance:
Icahn on eBay: Donahoe's Inexcusable Incompetence Cost eBay Stockholders Over $4 Billion The Wall Street Journal:
EBay Rejects Icahn's Board Nominees

3 Stocks Under $10 Making Big Moves

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- At Stockpickr, we track daily portfolios of stocks that are the biggest percentage gainers and the biggest percentage losers.

>>5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love

Stocks that are making large moves like these are favorites among short-term traders because they can jump into these names and try to capture some of that massive volatility. Stocks that are making big-percentage moves either up or down are usually in play because their sector is becoming attractive or they have a major fundamental catalyst such as a recent earnings release. Sometimes stocks making big moves have been hit with an analyst upgrade or an analyst downgrade.

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 Ready for Blastoff This Week

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at a several stocks under $10 that are making large moves to the upside.

Tasman Metals (TAS), a junior resource company, is engaged in the acquisition and exploration of rare earth elements and tungsten in Scandinavia. This stock closed up 8.5% to $1.39 a share in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $1.26-$1.43

52-Week Range: $0.50-$1.58

Tuesday's Volume: 327,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 140,777

>>5 Stock Charts to Buy for Gains in March

From a technical perspective, TAS soared sharply higher here and broke out above some near-term overhead resistance at $1.36 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last month, with shares moving higher from its low of $1 to its intraday high of $1.43. During that uptrend, shares of TAS have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if TAS manages to take out Tuesdays' high of $1.43 with strong volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in TAS as long as it's trending above Tuesday's low of $1.26 and then once it sustains a move or close above $1.43 with volume that hits near or above 140,777 shares. If that move gets underway soon, then TAS will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 52-week high of $1.58 to $2.04.

McEwen Mining (MUX) is engaged in the exploration for, development of, production and sale of gold, silver and copper. This stock closed up 4% to $3.07 a share in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $2.97-$3.09

52-Week Range: $1.63-$3.20

Tuesday's Volume: 3.56 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 2.64 million

>>3 Big Stocks on Traders' Radars

From a technical perspective, MUX jumped notably higher here right above some near-term support at $2.90 to $2.85 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of MUX within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if MUX manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.11 to its 52-week high at $3.20 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MUX as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $2.90 or at $2.85 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 2.64 million shares. If that breakout kicks off soon, then MUX will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are its next major overhead resistance levels at $4 to $5.

Entree Gold (EGI), an exploration stage company, engages in the development and exploration of mineral resource properties in Mongolia, the U.S., Peru and Australia. This stock closed up 2.5% to 40 cents per share in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $0.38-0.42

52-Week Range: $0.22-$0.51

Tuesday's Volume: 200,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 116,682

From a technical perspective, EGI spiked modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average of 36 cents per share with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of EGI within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if EGI manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at 42 to 44 cents per share with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in EGI as long as it's trending above its 50-day moving average of 36 cents per share or above its 200-day moving average at 34 cents per share and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 116,682 shares. If that breakout materializes soon, then EGI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at its 52-week high of 51 cents per share to 62 to 70 cents per share.

To see more stocks that are making notable moves higher, check out the Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

RELATED LINKS:

>>5 Utility Trades to Charge Your 2014 Gains

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

>>5 Toxic Stocks to Sell in March

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com.

You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.

Goldilocks Vs. Putin: Goldilocks Wins

Vladimir Putin should hire a big name U.S. economist to talk turkey with him on the strategic consequences of low GDP momentum. I don't think Bernanke would take the job and Paul Krugman is relocating from Princeton to join the City University of New York. Maybe Larry Summers is available, part time.

Discount a repeat chapter, namely resumption of the Cold War between us and the Ruskies. After all, we buried them in terms of our GDP growth vs. theirs for decades. The Berlin Wall breached, torn down into rubble as the Soviet Union imploded over 20 years ago.

Gorbachev then realized his country couldn't keep pace with our GDP momentum and armaments spending. We talked the talk. Russia had to commit too big a percentage of GDP to armaments, not TV sets and washing machines. You can't do this forever unless you're North Korea, which feeds the military but starves its citizens. Cuba's GDP growth rate is zilch, too.

All Putin has going for him in terms of trade is energy, mainly natural gas pumped into Euroland. In coming years, we could change our stance and allow more energy exports. Research suggests we'll have the capacity to produce 2 million more barrels in the outer years.

Vladimir Putin (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Consider Iran, which remains in deep recession because of the western allies' embargo on Iranian oil. Does Putin want to risk comparable treatment and put his country into a no growth scenario? Won't his loyal oligarchs limit his responses?

Cheap energy leaves more consumer income on the table, available for discretionary spending, making it easier to buy a new car and heat your home. With world GDP growing far below its normalized rate of 4.5%, it's hard to make a case for rising oil quotes. U.S. refineries will benefit from cheaper oil too, as regional and Canadian pipelines supply more feedstock.

The case for an extended bull market waxes stronger and longer. While it's axiomatic that politics leads economics, this ain't 1919 or 1945. Maynard Keynes wrote about the draconian reparations demanded of Germany by France and England. The Economic Consequences of the Peace accurately foretold the coming inflation in Germany, followed by deep recession.

All this led to Hitler's ascendancy during the Great Depression. If Putin is inconsolable through diplomacy we could see economic warfare commencing, but the U.S. is advantaged, fully recovered from our financial meltdown. Thanks again B.B. That's Ben Bernanke, not Bernard Berenson.

Here is the deep basic:  At the end of 2013, the net worth of households and nonprofits reached into new high ground at $80.7 trillion, a gain of $9.8 trillion for the year, up 14%. Equities rose $5.6 trillion and real estate $2.3 trillion. The top 1% had a very good year while the top 0.1% bought $24 million vintage Ferrari cars and Jeff Koons' Balloon Dog (Orange).

Household debt lifted only 5.4% at year-end. State and local government debt declined at an annual rate of 4.9% in the fourth quarter. New York State just forecasted tax receipts rising at over a 5% rate this year. When I look at margin debt on the Big Board, it approximated just a couple of days trading volume.

Shoeshine boys haven't releveraged themselves since their washout in the Great Crash. Pension funds historically rest approximately 10 percentage points too low in terms of asset allocation in stocks. The public also retains too much cash earning zilch. I see maybe $2 trillion of open-to-buy for equities in the next few years. This is serious money considering the Big Board's valuation at $15 trillion.

If I'm right on a Goldilocks economic setting, the market has a couple of years of daylight ahead, at least rising in tandem with corporate earnings, somewhere between 5% and 10%.

New York State munis (AA) with average duration of 15 years tick in the 120's range, yielding under 4%. This is still a helluva lot more attractive than 30-year Treasuries yielding 3.7% or 10-year paper at 2.7%.

High yield bonds, BB or lower in quality, outperform equities year-to-date. Don't slough this off. The arbitrage opportunity utilizing low-cost margin debt rests in place. I'm talking 500 to 600 basis points. Junk paper has actually narrowed its spread over Treasuries. The market is never vacuous for too long and remains yield thirsty.

Excesses on the Big Board seem confined to the Salesforce.coms of the tech sector and possibly mid-capitalization biotech houses. As for Gilead Sciences Gilead Sciences, it ticks at approximately 15 times next year's earnings power, just wait and see. Same goes for Celgene Celgene.

Microsoft to Explore New Ways to Lure More Users

Hot Oil Stocks For 2015

There are no free lunches in life right? Think again! Seattle based tech-Giant Microsoft (MSFT) is looking to do just that! The company is poised to introduce a low cost version of Windows 8.1 with Bing. Packed with Microsoft applications and services, sources say this version could be made available to users free of cost. The gamble could pay off if the company manages to create enough hype among customers, especially after the much anticipated Windows 8 failed to impress.

More for less! Keep in mind, however, that even if the Windows 8.1 with Bing is made available for free, the underlying strategy could be to increase its user base, monetize key services built into Windows 8 such as Bing, OneDrive, Xbox Music and Video and thereby increasing its revenues.

Eating into Android and iOS' Market share It may seem a little far fetched and a tad hard to digest, but according to a recent Worldwide Quarterly Mobile Phone Tracker update by IDC, Windows Phone operating system is going to be the fastest growing smartphone operating system in 2014. Given the fact that Google (GOOG) Android and Apple (AAPL) iOS together enjoy about 94% of the market share, Windows OS can only improve from here. And, if the rumours about making the Windows Phone OS free turns out to be true, I would say that it can go a long way in turning its fortune.

Yet another Smart Move Microsoft might also be toying with the idea of combining Windows RT and Windows Phone into one operating system for all ARM-based devices. Microsoft devices and studios group leader Julie Larson-Green hinted at a possible integration at the Global Technology Summit and rightly so! iOS and Google also use the same platform for smartphones and tablets. It only makes sense that Microsoft integrates the two into a single UI and App market if it plans to continue taking giant strides towards market supremacy.

Finally, Back to the Start! Microsoft CEO Steve Balmer, during his conversation with The Verge, said -"lets make it easier to start applications in a way we are used to". The Start Button, though out of vogue till recently, lets you boot straight to the desktop. Amid major changes to Windows 8, primarily keeping the user in mind, sticking on to the Start Menu might have done the trick for Balmer as it seems to have attracted app developers to Windows 8. I must admit, these are some refreshing changes, meaningful integration and some bold decisions from Microsoft, and much needed too, I would be tempted to add. Remains to be seen how successful it proves to be.

About the author:RavagadusBanker-Dreamer-Freelance writer

Currently 5.00/512345 Rating: 5.0/5 (3 votes)

Subscribe via Email 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

body{margin:0;padding:0} 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

MFST STOCK PRICE CHART 0.19 (1y: -39%) $(function(){var seriesOptions=[],yAxisOptions=[],name='MFST',display='';Highcharts.setOptions({global:{useUTC:true}});var d=new Date();$current_day=d.getDay();if($current_day==5||$current_day==0||$current_day==6){day=4;}else{day=7;} seriesOptions[0]={id:name,animation:false,color:'#4572A7',lineWidth:1,name:name.toUpperCase()+' stock price',threshold:null,data:[[1362463200000,0.31],[1362549600000,0.3],[1362636000000,0.28],[1362722400000,0.3],[1362978000000,0.274],[1363064400000,0.31],[1363150800000,0.29],[1363237200000,0.28],[1363323600000,0.28],[1363582800000,0.29],[1363669200000,0.22],[1363755600000,0.12],[1363842000000,0.08],[1363928400000,0.14],[1364187600000,0.14],[1364274000000,0.1],[1364360400000,0.14],[1364446800000,0.1],[1364792400000,0.12],[1364878800000,0.08],[1364965200000,0.08],[1365051600000,0.08],[1365138000000,0.08],[1365397200000,0.07],[1365483600000,0.066],[1365570000000,0.08],[1365656400000,0.07],[1365742800000,0.09],[1366002000000,0.09],[1366088400000,0.07],[1366174800000,0.055],[1366261200000,0.05],[1366347600000,0.055],[1366606800000,0.04],[1366693200000,0.041],[1366779600000,0.041],[1366866000000,0.06],[1366952400000,0.04],[1367211600000,0.05],[1367298000000,0.045],[1367384400000,0.045],[1367470800000,0.045],[1367557200000,0.044],[1367816400000,0.042],[1367902800000,0.04],[1367989200000,0.041],[1369803600000,0.027],[1369890000000,0.038],[1369976400000,0.037],[1370235600000,0.025],[1370322000000,0.038],[1370408400000,0.031],[1370494800000,0.038],[1370581200000,0.028],[1370840400000,0.028],[1370926800000,0.038],[1371013200000,0.038],[1371099600000,0.05],[1371186000000,0.07],[1371445200000,0.069],[1371531600000,0.074],[1371618000000,0.056],[1371704400000,0.065],[1371790800000,0.066],[1372050000000,0.075],[1372136400000,0.075],[1372222800000,0.075],[1372309200000,0.075],[1372395600000,0.07],[1372654800000,0.05],[1372741200000,0.059],[1372827600000,0.07],[1373000400000,0.069],[1373259600000,0.053],[1373346000000,0.053],[1373432400000,0.065],[1373518800000,0.065],[1373864400000,0.06],[1373950800000,0.07],[1374037200000,0.056],[1374123600000,0.075],[1374210000000,0.069],[1374469200000,0.075],[1374555600000,0.075],[1374642000000,0.074],[1374728400000,0.075],[1374814800000,0.063],[1375074000000,0.063],[1375160400000,0.0! 75],[1375246800000,0.075],[1375333200000,0.057],[1375419600000,0.057],[1375678800000,0.058],[1375765200000,0.04],[1375851600000,0.075],[1375938000000,0.075],[1376024400000,0.075],[1376283600000,0.075],[1376370000000,0.07],[1376456400000,0.07],[1376629200000,0.067],[1376888400000,0.065],[1376974800000,0.05],[1377061200000,0.065],[1377147600000,0.06],[1377234000000,0.059],[1377493200000,0.07],[1377579600000,0.076],[1377666000000,0.076],[1377752400000,0.07],[1377838800000,0.063],[1378184400000,0.054],[1378270800000,0.058],[1378357200000,0.05],[1378443600000,0.06],[1378702800000,0.052],[1378789200000,0.058],[1378875600000,0.06],[1378962000000,0.052],[1379048400000,0.06],[1379307600000,0.058],[1379394000000,0.05],[1379480400000,0.047],[1379566800000,0.045],[1379653200000,0.043],[1379912400000,0.05],[1379998800000,0.05],[1380171600000,0.049],[1380258000000,0.049],[1380603600000,0.041],[1380690000000,0.05],[1380776400000,0.05],[1380862800000,0.05],[1381122000000,0.05],[1381208400000,0.052],[1381294800000,0.05],[1381381200000,0.048],[1381467600000,0.06],[1381726800000,0.06],[1381813200000,0.061],[1381899600000,0.089],[1381986000000,0.08],[1382072400000,0.115],[1382331600000,0.13],[1382418000000,0.25],[1382504400000,0.26],[1382590800000,0.25],[1382677200000,0.2],[1382936400000,0.17],[1383022800000,0.129],[1383109200000,0.13],[1383195600000,0.15],[1383282000000,0.121],[1383544800000,0.15],[1383631200000,0.165],[1383717600000,0.165],[1383804000000,0.165],[1383890400000,0.165],[1384149600000,0.16],[1384236000000,0.12],[1384322400000,0.14],[1384408800000,0.14],[1384495200000,0.14],[1384754400000,0.12],[1384840800000,0.09],[1384927200000,0.145],[1385013600000,0.14],[1385100000000,0.138],[1385359200000,0.135],[1385445600000,0.095],[1385532000000,0.14],[1385704800000,0.135],[1385964000000,0.145],[1386050400000,0.09],[1386136800000,0.087],[1386223200000,0.083],[1386309600000,0.07],[1386568800000,0.065],[1386655200000,0.042],[1386741600000,0.064],[1386828000000,0.083],[