Asian stocks fell, with the regional benchmark index snapping an 11-day rally, as the U.S. and Russia hold talks on Syria and investors await the outcome of a Federal Reserve meeting next week.
BHP Billiton Ltd. (BHP), the biggest mining company, slipped 1 percent in Sydney as metal futures headed for a weekly decline. Mitsui OSK Lines Ltd., which has the world�� largest merchant shipping fleet, fell 3.5 percent after a gauge of freight rates halted an eight-day rally. Sun Hung Kai Properties Ltd., the world�� No. 2 developer by market value, dropped 1.4 percent in Hong Kong after setting a lower sales target this year.
The MSCI Asia Pacific Index fell 0.6 percent to 136.90 as of 5:17 p.m. in Tokyo, halting its longest stretch of gains this year, as three shares fell for every two that rose. The gauge is poised for a 2.3 percent gain this week. The measure�� 14-day relative strength index, an indicator of trading momentum, climbed to 67 yesterday, near a threshold of 70 that signals to some analysts shares may have risen too far.
10 Best Gas Stocks To Watch For 2015: Iron Mountain Incorporated(IRM)
Iron Mountain Incorporated, together with its subsidiaries, provides information management services primarily in North America, Europe, Latin America, and the Asia Pacific. The company offers records management services, including records management program development and implementation based on best-practices to help customers comply with specific regulatory requirements; implementation of policy-based programs that feature storage for various media comprising paper; flexible retrieval access and retention management; hybrid services to help organizations gain control over their paper records; and specialized services for vital records and regulated industries, such as healthcare, energy, government, and financial services. It also provides data protection and recovery services, such as disaster preparedness; off-site vaulting of data backup media for data recovery in the event of a disaster, human error, or virus; online backup and recovery solutions for desktop and la ptop computers, and remote servers; and technology escrow services to protect and manage source code and other proprietary information. In addition, the company offers information destruction services that primarily consist of physical secure shredding operations; and is involved in the shredding of sensitive documents to third-party recyclers. Further, it provides fulfillment services that assemble custom marketing packages and orders, as well as provide reporting on customer marketing literature inventories; and professional consulting services to develop and implement comprehensive records and information management programs. Iron Mountain Incorporated serves commercial, legal, banking, health care, accounting, insurance, entertainment, and government organizations. The company was founded in 1951 and is headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
Singer had also bought debt of Chrysler and Lehman Brothers, and has taken activist equity stakes in Novell and Iron Mountain (IRM).
He sued his first nation in 1996, when his firm bought defaulted debt of Peru. After a lengthy legal battle and the overturning of a law that stood in his way, Elliott received a $58 million judgment on his $11 million investment, according to Fortune. He has also sued Congo-Brazzaville, Argentina, and several other countries using the controversial tactic that some say disenfranchises the people of the countries with indebted governments.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Combine Yellen’s dovishness–if it really is dovishness–with idiosyncratic company news, and some stocks were guaranteed to take off. Iron Mountain (IRM), for instance, gained 12% this week after the IRS said it had ended a working group considering REIT conversions and would now turn to its application. Pitney Bowes (PBI), meanwhile, rose 11% this week after activist investor Jana Partners revealed it had accumulated a large stake in the stock. Macy’s (M) advanced 11% after reporting much better earnings than forecast by analysts. Marathon Petroleum (MPC) finished the week up 10% as the difference between the price of oil here in the U.S. and the price abroad widened. Rounding out the top-five: J.C. Penney (JCP). The beaten-down retailer rose 9.7% this week, getting a boost from positive analyst comments and hedge-fund purchases.
Top 10 Asian Companies To Invest In 2014: China Biologic Products Inc.(CBPO)
China Biologic Products, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the research, development, manufacture, and sale of human plasma-based biopharmaceutical products to hospitals and inoculation centers in the People?s Republic of China. It offers Human Albumin for the treatment of shock caused by blood loss trauma or burn; raised intracranial pressure caused by hydrocephalus or trauma; oedema or ascites caused by hepatocirrhosis and nephropathy; and neonatal hyperbilirubinemia, as well as for the prevention and treatment of low-density-lipoproteinemia. The company also offers Human Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin for the prevention of measles and contagious hepatitis; Human Immunoglobulin and Human Immunoglobulin for Intravenous Injection products for original immunoglobulin deficiency, secondary immunoglobulin deficiency, and auto-immune deficiency diseases; and Thymopolypeptides Injection that is used in the treatment of various original and sec ondary T-cell deficiency syndromes, auto-immune deficiency diseases, and a range of cell immunity deficiency diseases, as well as assists in the treatment for tumors. In addition, it provides Human Rabies Immunoglobulin primarily for passive immunity from bites or claws by rabies or other infected animals; Human Tetanus Immunoglobulin for the prevention and therapy of tetanus; and Placenta Polypeptide that is used for the treatment of cell immunity deficiency diseases, viral infection, and leucopenia caused by various reasons, as well as assists in postoperative heating. The company?s products under development comprise Human Prothrombin Complex Concentrate; Human Coagulation Factor VIII; Human Hepatitis B Immunoglobulin (PH4) for Intravenous Injection; Human Fibrinogen; Varicella Hyperimmune Globulins; and Human Immunoglobulin for Intravenous Injection. The company is based in Beijing, the People's Republic of China.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Healthcare sector moved up 0.39 percent, with Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KERX) moving up 15 percent to gain the top spot. Top gainers in the sector included China Biologic Products (NASDAQ: CBPO), with shares up 7.4 percent, and Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (NYSE: LH), with shares up 5.5 percent. - [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Healthcare sector moved up 0.39 percent, with Keryx Biopharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: KERX) moving up 15 percent to gain the top spot. Top gainers in the sector included China Biologic Products (NASDAQ: CBPO), with shares up 7.4 percent, and Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (NYSE: LH), with shares up 5.5 percent.
Top 10 Asian Companies To Invest In 2014: MTS Systems Corporation(MTSC)
MTS Systems Corporation supplies test systems and industrial position sensors in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. The company?s Test segment provides testing solutions, including road simulators for durability simulation; tire performance and rolling resistance measurement systems; moving road-plane systems and balances use for aerodynamics measurements in wind tunnels; systems for the physical characterization of materials, such as ceramics, composites, and steel; systems to test durability and performance of implants, prostheses, and other medical and dental materials and devices. This segment also offers products, systems, and software to perform static and fatigue testing of aircraft and space vehicles; systems for structural engineering, including high force static and dynamic testing; and seismic simulation tables to test the designs of structures and set building codes. In addition, it provides various accessories and spare parts, as well as installation, calibratio n, maintenance, training, and consulting services. This segment serves automobile, truck, motorcycle, motorsports vehicle, construction equipment, agricultural equipment, rail, and off-road vehicle manufacturers and their suppliers, as well as power generation, aerospace, bio-medical, wind energy, structural engineering, and petroleum industries. The company?s Sensors segment manufactures products utilizing magnetostriction technology for manufacturers of mobile equipment, plastic injection molding machines, and wood product processing equipment, as well as to steel mill, fluid power, oil and gas, medical, and alternative energy industries. It also offers products to measure fluid displacement for customers in the process industries. The company sells its products through direct sales organization, and independent representatives and distributors, as well as through the Internet and catalogs. MTS Systems Corporation was founded in 1966 and is headquartered in Eden Prairie, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of MTS Systems (NASDAQ: MTSC ) dropped by as much as 13% today after the company reported disappointing earnings.
So what: Revenue in the fiscal second quarter came in at $137.7 million, which topped the $135 million analysts were expecting. However, the bottom-line result of $0.69 per share was significantly worse than the $0.86-per-share consensus forecast. The sensors segment continues to face soft market conditions.
- [By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, road simulator specialist MTS Systems (NASDAQ: MTSC ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.
Top 10 Asian Companies To Invest In 2014: United States Natural Gas Fund LP (UNG)
United States Natural Gas Fund, LP (USNG) is a limited partnership. The Company is a commodity pool that issues limited partnership interests (units) traded on the NYSE Arca, Inc. (the NYSE Arca). The investment objective of USNG is for the changes in percentage terms of its units��net asset value (NAV) to reflect the changes in percentage terms of the spot price of natural gas delivered at the Henry Hub, Louisiana as measured by the changes in the Futures Contract on natural gas traded on the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX) that is the near month contract to expire, except when the near month contract is within two weeks of expiration, in which case the futures contract will be the next month contract to expire. The Company�� general partner is United States Commodity Funds LLC (the General Partner) and is responsible for the management of USNG.
USNG invests in futures contracts for natural gas, crude oil, heating oil, gasoline, and other petroleum-based fuels that are traded on the NYMEX, ICE Futures or other United States and foreign exchanges (collectively, Futures Contracts). USNG also invests in other natural gas-related investments, such as cash-settled options on Futures Contracts, forward contracts for natural gas, cleared swap contracts, and over-the-counter transactions that are based on the price of natural gas, oil and other petroleum-based fuels, Futures Contracts and indices based on the foregoing (collectively, Other Natural Gas-Related Investments). USNG invests in Natural Gas Interests to the fullest extent possible. In pursuing this objective, the primary focus of the General Partner is the investment in Futures Contracts and the management of USNG�� investments in short-term obligations of the United States of two years or less (Treasuries), cash and/or cash equivalents for margining purposes and as collateral.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Pinsen]
On Friday, hedge fund manager and market technician Tim Knight warned that the United States Natural Gas ETF (NYSE: UNG) might be headed for steep leg down. For any investors who are thinking of holding their noses and staying long natural gas, I thought I'd post a couple of quick ways to add downside protection to that ETF.
- [By James Roemer]
As far as natural gas goes and (UNG). We had an incredible late cold winter and 30% rally in prices during March and April, which we caught as well as a 20-25% break in summer prices. At times, the summer has been hot. For now, we may be range bound the next few months, due to more bearish weather coming up, with cooler weather again at times and no hurricanes. On the other hand, lower rig counts and natural gas being the more favored fuel versus coal, when prices fall below $3.30, are the only friendly arguments I see. Longer term, the development of further infrastructure to export LNG could be a bullish development for natural gas, but is still a long ways off. For now, I expect modest rallies in natural gas, if we have them, to be met with selling heading into September.
Top 10 Asian Companies To Invest In 2014: Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund Inc. (GDF)
Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund Inc. operates as a close-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and advised by Legg Mason Partners Fund Advisor, LLC. The fund is sub-advised by Western Asset Management Company. It primarily invests in the fixed income markets across the globe. The fund invests in high-yield U.S. and non-U.S. corporate debt securities and high-yield foreign sovereign debt securities. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Lehman Brothers U.S. Corporate High Yield 2% Issuer Cap Index and the JPMorgan Emerging Markets Bond Index Global Index. The fund was formerly known as Salomon Brothers Global Partners Income Fund Inc. Western Asset Global Partners Income Fund was founded in 1993 and is based in the United States.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chuck Carnevale]
Our first example looks at Vectren Corp.�� historical earnings, a utility with a 15-year historical earnings growth rate that is below our 3% threshold established in Part 1. Note that fair valuation is calculated using Graham Dodd�� Formula (GDF) deriving a fair value PE of 13.8 (slightly below, but close to our PE 15 standard). However, a normal PE of 16 has been historically applied by Mr. Market. Therefore, valuation falls between a PE of 13.8 to 16, or well within a range of normalcy.
Top 10 Asian Companies To Invest In 2014: Vantiv Inc (VNTV)
Vantiv, Inc., formerly Advent-Kong Blocker Corp., incorporated on March 25, 2009, is a holding company that conducts its operations through its majority-owned subsidiaries, Vantiv Holding, LLC (Vantiv Holding) and Transactive Ecommerce Solutions Inc. (Transactive). The Company held 50.9% interest in the subsidiaries. The Company operates in two segments: Merchant Services and Financial Institution Services. The Company provides electronic payment processing services to merchants and financial institutions throughout the United States of America. The Company markets its services through diverse distribution channels, including a direct sales force, relationships with a range of independent sales organizations (ISOs), merchant banks, value-added resellers and trade associations as well as arrangements with core processors. In December 2012, the Company acquired Litle & Co.
The Company provides small and mid-sized clients with the solutions. In addition, it takes a consultative approach to providing services that help its clients enhance their payments-related services. The Company is also providing payment solutions for markets, such as prepaid, ecommerce and mobile payment offerings, because it processes payment transactions across the entire payment processing value chain on a single platform. The Company distributes its services through direct and indirect distribution channels. Its direct channel includes a national sales force that targets financial institutions and national merchants, regional and mid-market sales teams that sell solutions to merchants and third-party reseller clients and a telesales operation that targets small and mid-sized merchants. Its indirect channel to merchants includes relationships with a range of ISOs, merchant banks, value-added resellers and trade associations that target merchants, including small and mid-sized merchants. Its indirect channel to financial institutions includes relationships with third-party resellers and core processors.
M! erchant Services
The Company provides a suite of payment processing services, including acquiring and processing transactions, value-added services and merchant services for banks and credit unions. The Company authorizes, clears, settles and provides reporting for electronic payment transactions for its merchant services clients. Its client base includes over 400,000 merchant locations. The Company enables merchants of all sizes to accept and process credit, debit and prepaid payments and provide them supporting services, such as information solutions, interchange management and fraud management, as well as vertical-specific solutions in sectors, such as grocery, pharmacy, retail, petroleum and restaurants, including, quick service restaurants (QSRs).
The Company competes with Bank of America Merchant Services, Chase Paymentech Solutions, Elavon Inc., First Data Corporation, Global Payments, Inc., Heartland Payment Systems, Inc. and WorldPay US, Inc.
Financial Institution Services
The Company provides integrated card issuer processing, payment network processing and value-added services to financial institutions. Its services include a suite of transaction processing capabilities, including fraud protection, card production, prepaid cards and automated teller machine (ATM) driving and allow financial institutions to offer electronic payments solutions to their customers on a technology platform. The Company serves a diverse set of financial institutions, including regional banks, community banks, credit unions and regional personal identification number (PIN) debit networks. The Company focuses on small to mid-sized institutions. It provides a turnkey solution to such institutions to enable them to offer payment processing solutions. Its client base includes over 1,300 financial institutions. Its bank clients include Capital One Bank, Fifth Third Bank and First Niagara.
The Company competes with Fidelity National Information Services, ! Inc., Fir! st Data Corporation, Fiserv, Inc., Total System Services, Inc. and Visa Debit Processing Service.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Vantiv (NYSE: VNTV ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
Top 10 Asian Companies To Invest In 2014: Digirad Corp (DRAD)
Digirad Corporation, incorporated in 1997, is the developer and manufacturer of medical diagnostic imaging systems, including solid-state gamma cameras for nuclear cardiology and general nuclear medicine applications. The Company operates in two segments: DIS (its diagnostic imaging service business) and its product segment. Through DIS, the Company provides in-office imaging services to physicians, offering certified personnel, required licensure, an imaging system and other support and supplies for the performance of nuclear and ultrasound imaging procedures under the supervision of its physician customers. The Companies imaging systems are sold in both portable and fixed configurations. DIS physician customers enter into annual lease contracts for imaging services generally delivered on a per-day basis. The Company�� product segment sells solid-state gamma cameras and provides camera service and maintenance.
Imaging Services
DIS offers portable nuclear and ultrasound imaging services. Its nuclear modality services include an imaging system, a certified nuclear medicine technologist and a cardiac stress technician, often certified or a trained nurse or paramedic, the supply of radiopharmaceuticals, and required licensing services for the performance of nuclear imaging procedures under the supervision of physicians. The ultrasound imaging service is similar, in that the Company provides the ultrasound equipment and one ultrasound technologist. Its portable nuclear imaging operations use a hub and spoke model, in which centrally located regional hubs anchor multiple van routes in the surrounding metropolitan areas. At its DIS hubs, clinical personnel load the equipment, radiopharmaceuticals, and other supplies onto specially equipped vans for transport to the physician�� office or other customer locations, where they set up the equipment for the day. The Company provides nuclear and ultrasound services primarily under annual contracts for services delivered on a per-day ! basis.
Products
Digirad markets and manufactures a line of nuclear medicine cameras for nuclear cardiology and general nuclear medicine applications. Its cameras are used in hospitals, imaging centers, physician offices and by mobile service providers. Its nuclear cameras feature detectors based on solid-state technology developed by the Company. The solid-state technology provides the Company with the capability to market and manufacture a diverse family of cardiac and general-purpose cameras.
The Cardius family of cardiac SPECT (single-photon emission computerized tomography) solid-state imagers makes it possible to image patients up to 500 pounds in a sitting position. Upright imaging makes it possible to image bariatric, COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) or claustrophobic patients that typically could not be imaged lying down on. The Company offers fixed dual-head and triple-head cardiac camera models for use within a facility and a portable dual-head configuration that makes it possible to move the system to provide service to multiple rooms or sites. Its flagship in cardiology is the Cardius XACT SPECT/CT system. It features a triple-head design and a low dose volume computed tomography (CT) attenuation correction methodology.
The Company�� ergo is a large-field-of-view planar portable imaging camera. The ergo imaging system is targeted to hospitals with multi-camera general nuclear medicine departments, academic centers, pediatric hospitals, regional trauma centers, women�� health centers and cancer centers. The Company also provides triple-head Cardius 3 XPO system, which provides shorter image acquisition time. Its Cardius X-ACT camera is a rapid cardiac SPECT/VCT imager. The Cardius X-ACT camera is positioned more toward the hospital and larger cardiology practices.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Kell and Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); p]
Digirad Corp.(DRAD) agreed to pay at least $3.5 million in cash to acquire medical-outsourcing provider Telerhythmics, a deal that will add to the larger company’s sales and bottom line.
- [By Lisa Levin]
Digirad (NASDAQ: DRAD) shares created a new 52-week high of $3.989 on Q3 results.
Posted-In: 52-Week HighsNews Intraday Update Markets Movers
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