Gold at Crest: Investors abandoning yellow metal

5 Best Value Stocks To Watch For 2014

Gold has always enjoyed an edge over other metals in terms of its value and prestige, being the best investment option. Investors generally buy gold as a hedge or harbor against economic, political, or social fiat currency crises. The sudden surge in gold prices tends to create a standstill in the bullion market.

Last fortnight saw great volatility in gold, with gold reaching its life time high at Rs. 30,400 per 10gm in the physical market, then dropping again by almost 1000 rupees per 10 gm and then nearing back to its life time high.

As on Thursday, Indian gold prices in the bullion market created a new high of Rs. 30,450 per 10 grams.

With China's economy slowing in addition to the euro zone's debt problems, the USA payrolls data added to worries of a global economic slowdown. The May employment report was quite weak, and it does raise the odds of Federal Reserve to launch another round of monetary stimulus to support the U.S. economy, known as "Operation Twist," at the its next policy meeting on June 19-20. The Twist program extends the maturity of the central bank's Treasuries holdings in a bid to bring down long-term borrowing costs like mortgage rates. The program is set to expire at the end of June.

On Domestic front, India is reeling under the pressure of depreciating currency i.e. Indian Rupee. A currency's external value declines when their import weighs more than its general exports because it expands the trade gap and increases pressure on the economy as a whole. In the case of India, nearly 70 percent of its oil demand is met by imports. As a result, the plummeting currency will eventually increase import bill and will lead to a rise in oil prices and contribute to inflation. Absence of Government decisions on various policy matters is creating a vacuum in India's economic growth.

Such factors are paving way for new highs in Gold prices, as it is considered as a safe haven.

This uncertainty in price leaves the short term investors with a risk during making their investment decisions. As the market does its daily job of balancing fear and greed, it becomes increasingly apparent that fear predominates. Investors are abandoning anything with the slightest hint of risk.

On the other hand, an investor would buy the yellow metal at any point, if he/she has a futuristic goal. As also a domestic need for jewelery would trigger the purchase. Jewellers would in turn buy only during dips, preparing for the upcoming festive season. Thus bullion houses would witness lesser demand owing to the plummeting price of gold.

The writer is Managing Director of Riddisiddhi Bullions

Winners and Losers: A Rainbow for Walmart, a Fry Burger at BK

Top 5 Financial Stocks To Invest In 2014

AP Photo/Burger King Companies can make brilliant moves, but there are also times when things don't work out quite as planned. From a Japanese gaming pioneer finally cutting prices on its poor selling devices to a burger chain introducing a burger for a buck, here's a rundown of the week's smartest moves and biggest blunders in the business world. Walmart (WMT) -- Winner The country's biggest retailer was singled out in this column last week for the way that it's bringing back its layaway plan for the holiday shopping season. And this week it earns another shout out. In a memo to its associates this week, Walmart revealed that its health insurance policies for 2014 will cover "any spouse or domestic partner" regardless of gender. Walmart knows that this is still a polarizing topic. However, by opening up health coverage to domestic partners -- gay or straight -- Walmart is likely to score points with many who have been critical of the company's practices in the past.

Sure, we can lament that just half of Walmart's 1.3 million associates have elected health coverage through the company. No one's saying the giant discounter is perfect. However, this move will help improve its image with a lot of its detractors. Burger King (BKW) -- Loser Burger chains are bucking the trend these days, beefing up their dollar menus at a time when the economy is showing signs of life. There's a reason for that. Customers are moving up to higher quality "fast casual" establishments that offer better food at slightly higher price points with the convenience of counter service. Burger King's latest push was announced this week. It will add a French fry-topped hamburger -- for a buck -- to its menu in September. There's nothing inherently wrong with the new sandwich. Who hasn't placed fries inside their burger from time to time? However, this seems like a bad play for franchisees: They may see fry sales slip at the hands of penny-pinching diners believing that they can knock off a sandwich and a side for just a dollar. Nintendo (NTDOY) -- Winner What do you do when your video game console isn't selling and rivals are ready to hit the market with better systems in November? If you're Nintendo, you give the Wii U one final shot by lowering prices and bundling it with a popular release. The Japanese gaming pioneer is slashing the price of its Wii U deluxe console by $50 to $299. That will make it $100 cheaper than the PS4 and $200 cheaper than the Xbox One when they hit stores in less than three months. It will also create a special bundle with a new game from its iconic Zelda franchise. Nintendo isn't stopping there. It's also rolling out a cheaper alternative to its 3DS portable system. The new 2DS will feature a different layout and a price tag of just $129. Nintendo just may have saved its holiday shopping season. LDK Solar (LDK) -- Loser Solar energy has been a tough sector to invest in since the frenzied hype began to fade a couple of years ago. Drawing energy from the sun may seem great in theory, but the products that make it possible aren't cheap. LDK Solar and its peers rely on governments providing subsidies for new installations, but that hasn't been enough these days. LDK had a particularly bad week. It kicked things off by posting another quarterly deficit with revenue falling by roughly half. Then it announced that it would be missing a debt payment. The market doesn't like deadbeats. Zale (ZLC) -- Winner Upscale jeweler Zale saw its shares shoot higher after posting better than expected results. Revenue moved higher, fueled by a 5.6 percent increase in comparable store sales. Yes, it posted a quarterly loss, but even that was better than Wall Street was expecting. Zale's strong performance came during the same week that rival Tiffany (TIF) posted uninspiring quarterly results and was downgraded by Citigroup. Tiffany has historically been the one to get the last laugh on Zale, but not this time.

Nokia to Extend Mapping Technology - Analyst Blog

Top 10 Small Cap Stocks To Invest In 2014

Finnish handset manufacturer Nokia Corporation (NOK) has announced that it will expand its "Here" Drive+ mapping application to all smartphones running on Microsoft Corporation's (MSFT) Windows Phone8 OS (operating System). Nokia Lumia is the only Windows OS-based handset to have the Here branded maps.

Nokia has launched two new mapping applications, namely, Here Drive+ and Here Transit. Both the applications will be available on the Windows Phone Store soon. Drive+ provides global turn-by-turn voice navigation access even in offline mode. Drive+ also comes with additional features like 'My Commute' that provides travel recommendations based on traffic conditions. Furthermore, the navigational coverage within Drive+ can also be upgraded from local to global, from within the app.

Here Transit, on the other hand, allows users to chalk out travel routes and simultaneously access previous destinations and transit stations. However, Here Transit will be available on other Windows OS-based phones in select markets.

According to the company, sharing its mapping database with other Windows smartphone manufacturers will not only increase the user base of its mapping technology but will also fortify the Windows Phone8 Platform.

Nokia is committed to improve its mapping feature and has previously shared its mapping application with Apple Inc.'s (AAPL) iPhone and Google Inc.'s (GOOG) Android-based phones. Last year, the company acquired 3D mapping service company, Earthmine, to enhance its presence in the mapping space.

According to research firm IDC, Nokia accounts for a major 79% of the total 7 million Windows phones shipped in the first quarter of 2013. This leaves Nokia with an opportunity to expand its Here application to 1.47 million Windows-based smartphones.

In the first quarter of 2013, the company's He! re segment performed poorly as net revenue declined 22% annually. We believe that sharing the mapping application with other Windows phone developers will not only improve Here's revenue prospect but will also strengthen its mapping technology.

Currently, Nokia carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold).

Is This 'Forever' Stock The Next Berkshire?

Hidden inflation is an insidious devourer of profit. Forget what the Consumer Price Index is telling us -- higher costs don't always get passed on to the consumer. Sometimes quality is reduced instead.

Whether it's the bag of potato chips that's half-filled with air, the controversy of "pink slime," or the shrinking amounts of cake mix in packages that used to hold more -- whether we admit it or not, the inflation we've been worried about is already here.

It's the kind of environment where we see "Forever Stocks" shine. These are companies that have businesses built to last through bear markets, rising interest rates and, yes, inflation.

This "Forever Stock" has an operating margin of 44%, which gives it plenty of wiggle room to withstand economic hardships. Expected earnings growth is 11.8%, and its business model has started to turn the heads of some of the biggest players on Wall Street. The company has been referred to as a "Baby Berkshire" since it's an insurer with a large investment arm similar to Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE: BRK).

But why buy the baby version instead of Warren Buffett's eponymous brain child? As Buffett explains: "Our future rates of gain will fall far short of those achieved in the past. Berkshire's capital base is now simply too large to allow us to earn truly outsized returns." Berkshire is too big to generate the enormous returns it did when it was smaller and more agile.

The "Forever Stock" I'm talking about is insurer Markel (NYSE: MKL). Markel specializes in insuring niche markets such as summer camps, antique motorcycles, auto races and amusement parks. It faces little competition in these markets, which gives Markel the ability to adjust rates as economic conditions change without losing its client base.

The specialty insurance company recently reported mixed results on second-quarter earnings, mainly due to its $3.3 billion buyout of competitor Alterra. But that should hardly be taken as bad news. The acquisition increased Markel's book value by 12% to $452 per share, giving the stock a very attractive 1.17 price-to-book (P/B) ratio. Compare that with Berkshire's 1.45, and we start to see how Markel is the better value.

 

The size difference between the two companies reveals why Markel has the ability to invest in ways Berkshire cannot. Markel's market cap is just over $5 billion, less than 2% of the massive Berkshire.

Merkel's total operating revenues have increased 30% from last year, to $1.9 billion. This is attributed to a 27% gain in insurance operations as well as a 64% profit from Markel Ventures, the company's non-insurance businesses. Perhaps the most significant number is the change in cash and cash equivalents, up from $863 million last December to $1.7 billion as of June, which gives it even more flexibility in difficult economic environments.

While Markel is still more of an insurance company than Berkshire, it has been seeing tremendous success with the business investments that make up Markel Ventures. A number of diverse companies are held in this segment such as AMF Bakery Systems, a designer and manufacturer of high-speed bakery equipment, and Diamond Healthcare, a leader in behavioral health services.

And it's not just private equity that's driving returns, but investments in Buffett-approved companies like Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO), Costco (Nasdaq: COST), American Express (NYSE: AXP) and a large stake in Berkshire Hathaway itself. All in all, Markel is a triple threat that has staying power and the maneuverability to snag attractive companies that the cumbersome Berkshire can't.

A telling sign that Wall Street is a believer in the company can be found by looking at institutional transactions. In the last quarter, 592,550 shares were purchased representing 6.7% of shares outstanding. Management has slowly been adding to its holdings as well and currently owns 14% of Markel's total market cap.

Risks to Consider: Markel is a property and casualty insurance company and has the standard risks of higher than expected losses on claims as well as being subject to interest-rate risk and market risk from its investment operations. 

Action to Take --> Markel is a value buy based on its current P/B ratio of 1.17. Expected earnings growth of 11.8% gives us a price target of around $575 within the next 12 months.

P.S. -- Buffett has said his preferred investment horizon is "forever" -- and after six months and $1.3 million in research expense, we've uncovered the absolute best group of Forever Stocks. To learn more about these stocks -- including some of their names and ticker symbols -- click here.

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy Right Now

It's been a long time coming for both natural gas and solar as viable sources of energy in the United States. Both have been struggling with a lack of consumer and industrial buy-in, but both could be right around the corner. Is either one standing out at the moment?

The debate is on
In the following video, Motley Fool analysts Joel South and Taylor Muckerman each weigh in on how natural gas and solar have been performing lately and which companies are taking the lead. Both options have made progress recently, with Clean Energy Fuels (NASDAQ: CLNE  ) building out its "America's Natural Gas Highway" initiative and SunPower (NASDAQ: SPWR  ) producing more efficient solar panels.

Has Clean Energy Fuels solved the "chicken-or-the-egg" debate?
The movement toward alternative energy is gaining momentum. One potential opportunity in this field is Clean Energy Fuels, which focuses its natural gas efforts primarily on trucking and fleets. It's poised to make a big impact on an essential industry. Learn everything you need to know about Clean Energy Fuels in The Motley Fool's premium research report on the company. Just click here now to claim your copy today.

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy Right Now: Sol Spa(SOL.MI)

Sol S.p.A. engages in the production, applied research, and distribution of industrial, pure, and medicinal gases in door-to-door medical care, and for related medical equipment primarily in Italy, and other western and central-eastern European countries, as well as in India. The company produces, markets, and distributes oxygen, nitrogen, argon, hydrogen, carbon dioxide, acetylene, nitrous oxide, helium, gas mixtures, refrigerating gases, medicinal gases, special gases, and high purity gases. It offers its products and services in the areas of healthcare, energy and industry, food and agriculture, ecology and environment, scientific research, and carbon dioxide blasting. The company also engages in research, design, construction, and operation of on-site production plants at its clients' plants. In addition, it supplies medical products, including oxygen; and materials and equipment for home-care therapy. The company offers various medical services, such as home-based res piratory care equipment for oxygen therapy, ventilation therapy, and artificial nutrition. Further, it markets and distributes a range of equipments, machines, and materials for welding, metal cutting, and electric arch cutting systems under the brand names of Sol Welding, Join, and e-robot. Sol S.p.A. was founded in 1927 and is based in Monza, Italy.

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy Right Now: Orbitz Worldwide Inc.(OWW)

Orbitz Worldwide, Inc. operates as an online travel company worldwide. It enables leisure and business travelers to search for and book a range of travel products and services. The company offers various products and services comprising air travel, hotels, vacation packages, car rentals, cruises, travel insurance, as well as destination services, such as ground transportation, event tickets, and tours. Its brand portfolio includes Orbitz, CheapTickets, The Away Network, and Orbitz for Business in the United States; ebookers in Europe; and HotelClub and RatesToGo internationally. Orbitz Worldwide, Inc. also licenses its technology and business services to third parties, such as airlines and hotel partners and provides them various private label solutions, including building and hosting of custom Websites and supplying content feeds to partners' Websites. The company was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. Orbitz Worldwide, Inc. is a subsidiary of Trav elport Limited.

Top 10 Dividend Stocks To Own For 2014: Weatherford International Ltd(WFT)

Weatherford International Ltd. provides equipment and services used in the drilling, evaluation, completion, production, and intervention of oil and natural gas wells worldwide. It offers artificial lift systems, which include reciprocating rod lift systems, progressing cavity pumps, gas lift systems, hydraulic lift systems, plunger lift systems, hybrid lift systems, wellhead systems, and multiphase metering systems. The company also provides drilling services, including directional drilling, ?Secure Drilling? services, well testing, drilling-with-casing and drilling-with-liner systems, and surface logging systems; and well construction services, such as tubular running services, cementing products, liner systems, swellable products, solid tubular expandable technologies, and inflatable products and accessories. In addition, it designs and manufactures drilling jars, underreamers, rotating control devices, and other pressure-control equipment used in drilling oil and nat ural gas wells; and offers a selection of in-house or third-party manufactured equipment for the drilling, completion, and work over of oil and natural gas wells for operators and drilling contractors, as well as a line of completion tools and sand screens. Further, the company provides wireline and evaluation services; and re-entry, fishing, and thru-tubing services, as well as well abandonment and wellbore cleaning services; stimulation and chemicals, including fracturing and coiled tubing technologies, cement services, chemical systems, and drilling fluids; integrated drilling services; and pipeline and specialty services. It serves independent oil and natural gas producing companies. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Bishop]

  Weatherford International (WFT) is trading around $14. Weatherford is a leading provider of equipment and services to the oil and gas industry, based in Switzerland. These shares have traded in a range betwe en $10.85 to $26.25 in the last 52 weeks. The 50-day moving average is $15.46 and the 200-day moving average is $19.62. WFT is estimated to earn about 88 cents per share in 2011 and $1.67 for 2012. Analysts at UBS set a $28 price target for WFT share.

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy Right Now: Cumulus Media Inc.(CMLS)

Cumulus Media Inc., together with its subsidiaries, owns and operates commercial radio stations in the United States. The company engages in the sale of local, regional, and national advertising for broadcast on its radio stations. As of December 31, 2011, it owned or operated approximately 570 radio stations in 120 media markets; operated radio networks serving approximately 4,500 affiliates; and provided sales and marketing services for 7 radio stations. Cumulus Media Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

5 Best Clean Energy Stocks To Buy Right Now: RF Monolithics Inc.(RFMI)

RF Monolithics, Inc. designs, develops, manufactures, and markets wireless connectivity products for industrial wireless sensor networks and machine-to-machine technology. The company operates in two segments, Wireless Solutions and Wireless Components. The Wireless Solutions segment provides wireless sensor node modules, and gateway and network bridge products to connect various network types; communication protocol systems to manage point-to-point, point-to-multipoint, and mesh wireless sensor networks; Zigbee Pro modules for wireless sensor, sensing, telemetry, and control applications; and Virtual Wire short-range radio products, including hybrid transmitter, receiver, and transceiver modules. It also offers transceiver design and development kits that allow RF system designers the ability to incorporate wireless data transfer into their designs, as well as provides software protocols for various applications. This segment serves industrial and medical markets. The Wir eless Components segment offers filters, frequency control modules for analog and digital applications, and low power components. This segment also offers crystal based products comprising a range of surface mount devices, such as crystal resonators, crystal oscillators, crystal filters, temperature compensated crystal oscillators, and voltage controlled temperature compensated crystal oscillators for remote keyless entry, GPS and other global navigation satellite systems, automated meter reading, wireless communication, and defense systems. It serves automotive, consumer, and telecommunications markets. The company distributes its products through through manufacturer?s representatives and distributors, as well as through direct sales in the United States and internationally. RF Monolithics, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Dallas, Texas.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Own For 2014

In any long bull market, various sectors of the stock market move in and out of favor. Even as the Dow Jones Industrials (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) and other, broader measures seem to move smoothly higher over time, their individual components often ebb and flow in currents and countercurrents that reflect changing investor sentiment. Today's jump in the Dow reflects such a change, as the average managed to shrug off the early release of the Fed's FOMC meeting minutes and the suggestion that the Fed might slow its quantitative-easing program. By 10:55 a.m. EDT, the Dow was up 106 points to a new record, while the S&P 500 had hit a new intraday all-time high as well.

Looking at the biggest gainers in the Dow, you'll see Cisco Systems (NASDAQ: CSCO  ) , Intel (NASDAQ: INTC  ) , and Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) all near the top of the list with gains of more than 2%. What all three of those tech stocks have in common is that their valuations are extremely inexpensive in comparison to the rest of the Dow, and value investors have finally started to pick up on that fact as they look for ways to protect themselves from a potential stock-market correction.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Own For 2014: Maxwell Technologies Inc.(MXWL)

Maxwell Technologies, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, and markets energy storage and power delivery products, and microelectronic products worldwide. The company offers Ultracapacitors that are energy storage devices to provide energy storage and power delivery solutions for applications in transportation, automotive, information technology, renewable energy, and industrial electronics industries; and CONDIS high-voltage capacitors comprising grading and coupling capacitors, and capacitive voltage dividers used to ensure the safety and reliability of electric utility infrastructure and other applications involving transport, distribution, and measurement of high-voltage electrical energy. It also provides radiation-hardened microelectronic products, including single board computers and components, such as high-density memory and power modules for satellites and spacecraft applications. The company markets and sells its products through direct and indirect sales for integration by original equipment manufacturers into a range of end products. The company was formerly known as Maxwell Laboratories, Inc. and changed its name to Maxwell Technologies, Inc. in 1996. Maxwell Technologies was founded in 1965 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tom Konrad]

  Maxwell Technologies is a leading manufacturer of electrodes for ultracapacitors.  Ultracapacitors are electricity storage devices which excel in applications requiring high power but low energy and extremely long life.  In layman's terms, they pack a big punch, but have little staying power.  They pair well with batteries, which are best in low power, high energy applications.
  
  Ultracapacitors are used in a wide variety of electronics and electricity transmission and distribution applications, as well as in wind turbines and heavy-duty hybrid vehicles, such as buses. They expect to have a large and growing market in "stop-start" hybrid cars.  Stop-start technology is one of the most cost effective measures for improving automotive fuel economy, and auto manufacturers are scrambling to meet increasingly stringent fuel economy standards in both the US and Europe.  
  
  The main reason for Maxwell's current low price has been the lack of a design win with a major manufacturer for start-stop technology using Maxwell's ultracapacitors.  Many investors were anticipating such a win in 2012, and the lack of one so far and slower revenue growth overall led to extreme investor disappointment, driving the stock from over $21 at the start of the year to the low $8 range where it has been recently trading.  Maxwell insiders, including the CEO, David Schramm, have been demonstrating their faith in the company's prospects since the stock fell to $10 with large stock purchases.  They have acquired 128,400 shares since then.

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  My final breakout idea today is Maxwell Technologies (MXWL), which develops, manufactures and markets energy storage and power delivery products for transportation, industrialtelecommunications and other applications, as well as microelectronic products for space and satellite applications. This stock has been under pressure by the sellers so far in 2013, with shares off by 22%.

  If you look at the chart for Maxwell Technologies, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares soaring higher from its low of $4.90 to its recent high of $6.75 a share. During that uptrend, shares of MXWL have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of MXWL within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MXWL if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $6.75 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above that level with volume that registers near or above its three-month average action of 474,995 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MXWL will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from March that started at $7.80 a share. Any high-volume move above $7.80 will then put $8.50 to $9 into range for shares of MXWL.

  Traders can look to buy MXWL off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $6.23 a share or near $6 a share. One could also buy MXWL off strength once it clears $6.75 a share with volume and then simply use a stop right below its 50-day at $6.23 a share.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Own For 2014: Incyte Corporation(INCY)

Incyte Corporation focuses on the discovery and development of proprietary small molecule drugs for hematologic and oncology indications, and inflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Its product pipe line includes INCB18424, which is in Phase III clinical trial for myelofibrosis; Phase III trial for polycythemia vera; Phase III trial for essential thrombocythemia; Phase I/II trial to treat solid tumors/other hematologic malignancies; and Phase IIb trail for the treatment of psoriasis. The company?s portfolio also includes INCB28050, a Phase IIb clinical trial product for rheumatoid arthritis; INCB28060, a Phase I/II product for solid tumors; INCB7839, a Phase II product for breast cancer; and INCB24360, a Phase I/II product for solid tumors. It has a collaborative research and license agreements with Novartis International Pharmaceutical Ltd.; Eli Lilly and Company; and Pfizer Inc. The company was founded in 1991 and is headquartered in Wilmington, Delaware.

10 Best Medical Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ebix Inc(EBIX)

Ebix, Inc. provides on-demand software and e-commerce solutions to the insurance industry. The company operates data exchanges, which connects multiple entities within the insurance markets and enables the participant to carry and process data from one end to another in the areas of life insurance, annuities, employee health benefits, risk management, workers compensation, and property and casualty (P&C) insurance. It is also involved in designing and deploying broker systems comprising three back-end systems consisting of eGlobal for multinational P&C insurance brokers; WinBeat for P&C brokers in the Australian and New Zealand markets; and EbixASP for the P&C insurance brokers in the United States. In addition, the company offers business process outsourcing services, which include certificate origination, certificate tracking, claims adjudication call center, and back office support. Further, it focuses on designing and deploying on-demand and back-end carrier systems, s uch as Ebix Advantage and Ebix Advantageweb targeted at small, medium, and large P&C carriers in the United States and internationally that operate in the personal, commercial, and specialty line areas of insurance. Additionally, Ebix, Inc. provides software development, customization, and consulting services to various companies in the insurance industry, such as carriers, brokers, exchanges, and standard making bodies. The company was formerly known as Delphi Systems, Inc. and changed its name to Ebix, Inc. in December 2003. Ebix, Inc. was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Own For 2014: Lafe Corporation Limited (L05.SI)

Lafe Corporation Limited, an investment holding company, primarily engages in property development, property investment, and property related service businesses. The company is involved in the development, investment, sale, and leasing of real estate properties. It also provides property appraisal, property management, architectural consultancy, building consultancy, corporate administration, real estate agency, security guard, and property consultancy services. In addition, the company holds trademarks It has operations in Singapore, Hong Kong, and the People�s Republic of China. The company was incorporated in 1999 and is based in Singapore. Lafe Corporation Limited is a subsidiary of Clarendon Investments Capital Limited.

5 Best Tech Stocks To Own For 2014: InterXion Holding N.V. (INXN)

InterXion Holding N.V. provides carrier-neutral colocation data center services in Europe. It enables its customers to connect to a range of telecommunications carriers, Internet service providers, and other customers. The company�s data centers act as content and connectivity hubs that facilitate the processing, storage, sharing, and distribution of data, content, applications, and media among carriers and customers. The company offers colocation services, including space and power to enable customers to deploy IT infrastructure in its data centers; connectivity services; cross connect services; and monitoring services. It also provides managed services comprising systems monitoring, systems management, engineering support services, data back-up, and storage services. The company serves the digital media and distribution sector, enterprises, the financial services sector, managed services providers, and network providers. It serves 1,200 customers through 31 data centers in 11 countries. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Schiphol Rijk, the Netherlands.

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now

Dividend investors would be wise to focus not just on a stock's current yield, but also on the long-term growth potential of its dividends. That's because strong businesses that consistently raise their dividend payouts reward shareholders with a steadily rising income stream that essentially equates to a raise every year. And well, who doesn't like a raise?

But there are other reasons to value dividend growth so highly, and they're well supported by research. For instance, a study by C. Thomas Howard published in Advisor Perspectives found that for every percentage point a stock's yield rises, its annual return increases by 0.22 percentage points if it's a large cap, 0.25 if it's a mid cap, and 0.46 if it's a small cap. Even better, Howard found that dividend-growing stocks outperformed dividend cutters by 10 percentage points per year from 1973 to 2010 and beat both flat- and no-dividend stocks. And the icing on the cake is that Howard showed that this outperformance came with a third less volatility. Higher returns, less volatility-induced stress, and a steadily growing income stream -- what's not to love?

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: InterDigital Inc.(IDCC)

Interdigital, Inc. engages in the design and development of digital wireless technology solutions. The company offers technology solutions for use in digital cellular and wireless products and networks, including 2G, 3G, 4G, and IEEE 802-related products and networks. It holds patents related to the fundamental technologies that enable wireless communications. The company licenses its patents to equipment producers that manufacture, use, and sell digital cellular and IEEE 802-related products; and licenses or sells mobile broadband modem solutions, including modem IP, know-how, and reference platforms to mobile device manufacturers, semiconductor companies, and other equipment producers that manufacture, use, and sell digital cellular products. InterDigital?s solutions are incorporated in various products comprising mobile devices, such as cellular phones, tablets, notebook computers, and wireless personal digital assistants; wireless infrastructure equipment, such as base stations; and components, dongles, and modules for wireless devices. The company was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By SmallCap Investor]

  The wireless technology company said it's exploring its options, including a possible sale, following last month's successful auction of Nortel Networks intellectual property which brought in $4.5 billion. IDCC owns about 1,300 patents related to mobile phone technology.

• [By CRWE]

  InterDigital, Inc. (NASDAQ:IDCC) reported that certain of its subsidiaries have completed the previously announced sale of roughly 1,700 patents and patent applications to Intel Corporation for $375 million in cash.

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: Sify Technologies Limited(SIFY)

Sify Technologies Limited provides enterprise and consumer Internet services primarily in India. The company offers various corporate network/data services comprising e-commerce and network connectivity solutions, such as end-to-end services network, application, and security services; voice origination and termination services; co-location and managed hosting services; and system integration services for data centre build, hardware distribution, security solutions, and turnkey projects. It also provides application services, including SLEMS and Microsoft Exchange messaging platforms; I-test for online assessment and LiveWire, which enable management of training processes across the organization; document management system for the management of documents electronically; and Forum, a forward supply chain solution. In addition, the company operates e-Ports that offer browsing, chat, email, gaming, utility bill payment, travel ticketing, hotel booking, mobile recharge, Intern et telephony, and online share trading services; and portals, which provide news, views, reviews, interactions, and services in the areas of movies, sports, finance, food, videos, astrology, online games, shopping, and travel, as well as offers content offerings and broadband services. Further, it provides infrastructure management services, such as network management, datacenter and helpdesk outsourcing, desktop and storage outsourcing, IT security outsourcing, LAN and WAN outsourcing, database and telecom outsourcing, and application monitoring and management services to automotive, chemical, media, and financial enterprises; and virtualization design, integration, and deployment services for servers, storage, networks, and end user clients. Sify has approximately 1,278 e-Ports in 200 towns and cities; and serves 1,06,000 broadband subscribers through 1500 cable TV Operators. The company, formerly known as Sify Limited, was founded in 1995 and is based in Chennai, India. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Wyatt Research Staff]

  Shares of SIFY skyrocketed last week after the company announced a new partnership with Saudi telecom. SIFY will provide ICT services to the Middle East's largest telecom carrier.

  Shares of the Indian-based internet and network services have doubled over the past four months.

Hot High Tech Companies To Watch In Right Now: Sky-mobi Limited(MOBI)

Sky-mobi Limited engages in the operation of a mobile application store in the People?s Republic of China. It works with handset companies to pre-install its Maopao mobile application store on handsets and with content developers to provide users with applications and content titles. The users of its Maopao store could browse, download, and purchase a range of applications and content, such as single-player games, mobile music, and books. The company?s Maopao store enables mobile applications and content to be downloaded and run on various mobile handsets with hardware and operating system configurations. It also operates a mobile social network community, the Maopao Community, where it offers localized mobile social games, as well as applications and content with social network functions to its registered members. The company owns proprietary mobile application technology in the cloud computing, the MRP format, and SDK development environment. As of March 31, 2011, it had entered into cooperation agreements with approximately 523 handset companies to pre-install Maopao. The company was formerly known as Profit Star Limited and changed its name to Sky-Mobi Limited in October 2010. Sky-mobi Limited was incorporated in 2007 and is headquartered in Hangzhou, China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Wyatt Research Staff]

  MOBI hit another 52-week high of $12.15 late last week. The stock continues to surge on increasing volume. The latest advance in share price came after Oppenheimer upgraded the stock to "Outperform".

  Last week, the China-based internet portal and gaming provider giant Sohu.com (Nasdaq: SOHU), announced an advertising agreement with MOBI.

Best Small Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now: Panera Bread Company(PNRA)

Panera Bread Company, together with its subsidiaries, owns, operates, and franchises retail bakery-cafes in the United States and Canada. Its bakery-cafes offer fresh baked goods, sandwiches, soups, salads, custom roasted coffees, and other complementary products, as well as provide catering services. The company also manufactures and supplies dough and other products to company-owned and franchise-operated bakery-cafes. As of March 29, 2011, it owned and franchised 1,467 bakery-cafes under the Panera Bread, Saint Louis Bread Co., and Paradise Bakery & Cafe names. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in St. Louis, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Fabian]  

  Most of you have probably eaten at one of these franchise bakery-cafes. If not I highly recommend it, as for the company itself they are exceptional. Profit soared 50% in the first quarter, operating margins rose several percentage points, and Panera is sitting on $300+ million of cash. Right now it’s at a 30% discount to its peer averages and the stock is very cheap when valued against future earnings. Strong buy expect it to rise to $105.

Comcast's Home Pass Eases Login - Analyst Blog

Top 10 Financial Companies To Watch For 2014

Comcast Corporation (CMCSA) – the largest cable MSO in the U.S. – is offering its Home Pass automated authentication service to Xfinity TV customers. This innovative and hassle-free account access service has successfully passed Comcast's trials.

The new Home Pass solution offers immediate access to subscribers of Xfinity.com/TV website from their home itself without any user name and password. This uniqueness of the solution will not only save time but also the trouble of remembering the password.

Last year, during London Olympics, Comcast had put the new Home Pass service on trial and has received a warm response.

Comcast has also launched Facebook Connect, which connects customers to the Comcast.net account through their Facebook accounts. Moreover, the company also offers a secondary email authentication solution which allows the user to stay connected for 30 days at a stretch.

Comcast is continuously launching new products and services in order to retain its subscribers as well as to safeguard its position against popular pay-TV operators like Time Warner Cable (TWC), Cablevision Systems Corp. (CVC) and DirecTV (DTV).

In the recently concluded first quarter of 2013, Comcast lost 60,000 video customers compared with a net loss of 37,000 customers in the prior-year quarter. Hence, we believe that the launch of such popular services coupled with the increasing popularity of its Xfinity TV services will lead to higher subscriber and ARPU growth while moving ahead.

Currently, Comcast Corporation carries a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).

Top Value Stocks To Watch For 2014

Someone who reads my articles sent me this question: My��uestion has to do with the type of investments you tend to put your energy toward. Evaluating a net-net is a whole lot different than evaluating a company that has a competitive advantage and trades at much higher multiples. To me, the net-net evaluation process is a whole lot more straightforward, as there are fewer intangibles (if any) and less prediction about the future involved. I don't have to worry about whether GTSI (GTSI) has any competitive advantage ��I know it doesn't. Then again, I look at a company like Becton Dickenson (BDX) and I see a highly predictable company with a decent moat selling at a reasonable price. I can look at BDX and figure I might earn 10-15% annually over a long time frame. That's really different from thinking about investing in a net-net where I can see how it's 30-50% undervalued now, but it's not something I'm going to hold onto for decades. It's more of a matter of waiting for that one-time "pop" that will happen sometime in the next 1-5 years. How do you decide where to put your energy?

Top Value Stocks To Watch For 2014: Saks Incorporated(SKS)

Saks Incorporated operates retail stores in the United States. Its stores offer an assortment of fashion apparel, shoes, accessories, jewelry, cosmetics, and gifts. The company operates stores under the brand name of Saks Fifth Avenue (SFA) that are principally free-standing stores in shopping destinations or anchor stores in upscale regional malls. It also operates Saks Fifth Avenue OFF 5TH (OFF 5TH) stores, which are primarily located in upscale mixed-use and off-price centers. As of January 28, 2012, the company operated 46 SFA stores; and 60 OFF 5TH stores. Saks Incorporated also sells its products online at saks.com, as well as through catalogs. The company was founded in 1919 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Glenn]

  My last pick is Saks (SKS -4.24%, news). I'd call this an extreme value play. The department store company didn't come through the recession in good shape -- it lost 42 cents per share in the fiscal year that ended in January 2011 -- and it's not exactly going gangbusters now. Earnings for fiscal 2012 are projected at 5 cents a share.

  But Saks seems to be in play. Diego Della Valle, the founder of Tod's, disclosed Oct. 2 that he had increased his holdings to 19% of Saks. Mexican billionaire Carlos Slim owns 16%.

  There are persistent rumors that private-equity investment companies from the United States and the United Kingdom are circling. It's not too far-fetched to imagine an offer for more than the current stock price of about $11.

  It's the season for visions of sugarplums, after all.

Top Value Stocks To Watch For 2014: Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp.(RPTP)

Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. operates as a biotechnology company in the United States. The company is dedicated to speeding the delivery of new treatment options to patients by working to improve existing therapeutics through the application of highly specialized drug targeting platforms and formulation expertise. Its clinical stage development products include DR Cysteamine, which is in phase IIb for the treatment of cystinosis; phase IIa for the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; and phase II for the treatment of Huntington?s disease. Raptor?s clinical-stage products also include Convivia that is in Phase IIa stage for the potential management of acetaldehyde toxicity due to alcohol consumption; and Tezampanel and NGX 426, which completed phase I stage for the treatment of migraine and pain. Its preclinical product candidates comprise HepTide for the treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis; WntTide for the treatment of breast cancer; NeuroTrans for the treatmen t of neurodegenerative diseases; and Tezampanel and NGX 426 for the treatment of Thrombosis and Spasticity Disorder. Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. is headquartered in Novato, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By cnAnalyst]

  Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp. (NASDAQ:RPTP) is the 7th best-performing stock last month in this segment of the market. It was up 69.94% for the past month. Its price percentage change was 52.20% year-to-date.

Top High Tech Companies To Invest In Right Now: Terra Nitrogen Company L.P.(TNH)

Terra Nitrogen Company, L.P. engages in the production and sale of nitrogen fertilizer products for agricultural and industrial applications. The company primarily offers anhydrous ammonia and urea ammonium nitrate solutions. Its customers for fertilizer products include dealers, national farm retail chains, and distributors. Terra Nitrogen GP Inc. serves as the general partner of the company. Terra Nitrogen Company, L.P. was founded in 1991 and is based in Deerfield, Illinois. Terra Nitrogen Company, LP. operates as a subsidiary of Terra Industries Inc.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Smith]

  Terra Nitrogen is a master-limited partnership (MLP) and a leading U.S. producer of nitrogen fertilizer. The company has annual capacity to produce 1.9 million tons of nitrogen fertilizer and 1.1 million tons of ammonia, a key fertilizer ingredient. In the past year alone, prices for Terra Nitrogen's fertilizers have increased 47%, and sales have dramatically improved. In the first six months of 2011, Terra Nitrogen's sales rose 38% year-over-year to $394.6 million, while earnings climbed a whopping 148% to $249.8 million.
  
  Earnings growth has accelerated recently, but Terra Nitrogen has been a stellar long-term performer as well. My colleague Carla Pasternak, editor of High-Yield Investing, recently highlighted Terra Nitrogen as the best-performing high-yield stock of the past decade. The reason is clear: the stock has soared more than 6,000% in 10 years. A $1,000 investment in Terra Nitrogen 10 years ago, for instance, would be worth nearly $65,000 today. 
  
  As an MLP, Terra Nitrogen is required to distribute the majority of its earnings to unit holders. The company declared a cash distribution of $3.75 per unit in this year's second quarter. On a forward basis, this works out to an annual distribution payment of $15 per unit and a generous yield of 8%.
  The company is financially sound, with zero debt and a 147% return on equity (ROE). In addition, profit margins have been exceptional, exceeding 52%, mainly because Terra Nitrogen's raw material costs are falling. The main ingredient for producing nitrogen fertilizer, natural gas, has plummeted from $14 per million BTU three years ago to roughly $4 per million BTU today. Insiders also clearly like the company's prospects; they hold 51% of the company's shares.

Best Insurance Stocks To Invest In 2014

Upon acceptance of the voluntary resignation from outgoing Banco Santander (NYSE: SAN  ) CEO Alfredo Saenz Abad, the bank has subsequently named Javier Marin Romano its new CEO, Banco Santander announced today.

Before being named Santander's CEO, Marin most recently led the global insurance, asset management, and private banking divisions of the eurozone's largest banking institution, as measured by market capitalization. Marin joined Banco Santander in 1991.

Outgoing CEO Saenz held the bank's senior leadership position since 2002, when he was also named vice chairman of Santander's board, He joined the bank in 1994. Saenz will step down from his board seat upon completion of the leadership transition to Marin.

Banco Santander's board of directors expressed "its recognition of and gratitude for Alfredo Saenz's extraordinary achievements since joining the Group and, in particular, as chief executive of Banco Santander."

Best Insurance Stocks To Invest In 2014: Iamgold Corporation(IAG)

IAMGOLD Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and production of mineral resource properties worldwide. It primarily explores for gold, silver, zinc, copper, niobium, diamonds, and other metals. The company holds interests in eight operating gold mines, a niobium producer, a diamond royalty, and exploration and development projects located in Africa and the Americas. Its advanced exploration and development projects include the Westwood project in Canada; and the Quimsacocha project, which consists of 3 mining concessions covering an aggregate area of approximately 8,030 hectares in Ecuador. The company was formerly known as IAMGOLD International African Mining Gold Corporation and changed its name to IAMGOLD Corporation in June 1997. IAMGOLD Corporation was founded in 1990 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Christopher Barker]

  Although I have not shed my long-standing contention that Yamana Gold offers one of the more deeply discounted vehicles for long-term gold exposure, lately my outlook for IAMGOLD has turned particularly bullish. With a looming spin-off of a 10% to 20% stake in the company's reliably profitable Niobec niobium mine, and the recent sale of its interest in a pair of high-cost gold operations in Ghana for $667 million, IAMGOLD finds itself in terrific financial shape to execute an aggressive $1.2 billion expansion imitative at existing operations.

  Considering the $1.6 billion net asset value (after tax) that IAMGOLD recently assessed for the Niobec mine alone, and a presumed hoard of more than $1.2 billion (in cash, cash equivalents, and gold bullion held for investment), at a market capitalization of $6.9 billion I find extreme comfort in the market's resulting valuation for IAMGOLD's 15.2 million ounces of attributable gold reserves.

Best Insurance Stocks To Invest In 2014: Genworth Financial Inc (GNW)

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

Top 10 Financial Companies For 2014: Aflac Incorporated(AFL)

Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiary, American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (Aflac), provides supplemental health and life insurance. The company offers various voluntary supplemental insurance products, including cancer plans, general medical indemnity plans, medical/sickness riders, care plans, living benefit life plans, ordinary life insurance plans, and annuities in Japan. It also provides loss-of-income products, such as life and short-term disability plans; and products designed to protect individuals from depletion of assets, which comprise hospital indemnity, fixed-benefit dental, vision care, accident, cancer, critical illness/critical care, and hospital intensive care plans in the United States. The company sells its products through sales associates and brokers, affiliated corporate agencies, independent corporate agencies, and individual agencies. Aflac Incorporated was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Vita]

  AFLAC Inc. (NYSE:AFL): Down 1.75% to $31.46. Aflac, Inc. is a general business holding company. The Company, through its subsidiaries, provides supplemental insurance to individuals in the United States and Japan. Aflac’s products include accident/disability plans, cancer expense plans, short-term disability plans, sickness and hospital indemnity plans, hospital intensive care plans, and fixed-benefit dental plans.

Best Insurance Stocks To Invest In 2014: MGIC Investment Corp (MTG)

MGIC Investment Corporation (MGIC), incorporated June 21, 1984, is a holding company and through wholly owned subsidiaries is a private mortgage insurer in the United States. As of December 31, 2012, its principal mortgage insurance subsidiaries, Mortgage Guaranty Insurance Corporation (MGIC) and MGIC Indemnity Corporation (MIC), were each licensed in all 50 states of the United States, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico. During the year ending December 31, 2012, the Company wrote new insurance in each of those jurisdictions in MGIC and/or MIC. The Company capitalized MIC to write new insurance in certain jurisdictions where MGIC no longer meets, and is unable to obtain a waiver of, those jurisdictions��minimum capital requirements. Private mortgage insurance covers losses from homeowner defaults on residential mortgage loans, reducing and, in some instances, eliminating the loss to the insured institution if the homeowner defaults.

Mortgage Insurance

Primary insurance provides mortgage default protection on individual loans and covers unpaid loan principal, delinquent interest and certain expenses associated with the default and subsequent foreclosure. Primary insurance is written on first mortgage loans secured by owner occupied single-family homes, which are one-to-four family homes and condominiums. Primary insurance is also written on first liens secured by non-owner occupied single-family homes, which are referred to in the home mortgage lending industry as investor loans, and on vacation or second homes. Primary coverage can be used on any type of residential mortgage loan instrument approved by the mortgage insurer.

When a borrower refinances a mortgage loan insured by the Company by paying it off in full with the proceeds of a new mortgage that is also insured by it, the insurance on that existing mortgage is cancelled, and insurance on the new mortgage is considered to be new primary insurance written. Therefore, continuation of its coverage fr! om a refinanced loan to a new loan results in both a cancellation of insurance and new insurance written. When a lender and borrower modify a loan rather than replace it with a new one, or enter into a new loan pursuant to a loan modification program, its insurance continues without being cancelled assuming that the Company consent to the modification or new loan.

The borrower�� mortgage loan instrument requires the borrower to pay the mortgage insurance premium. There are several payment plans available to the borrower, or lender, as the case may be. Under the monthly premium plan, the borrower or lender pays it a monthly premium payment to provide only one month of coverage. Under the annual premium plan, an annual premium is paid to it in advance, and it earns and recognizes the premium over the next 12 months of coverage, with annual renewal premiums paid in advance thereafter and earned over the subsequent 12 months of coverage. Under the single premium plan, the borrower or lender pays it a single payment covering a specified term exceeding twelve months.

Pool insurance is used as an additional credit enhancement for certain secondary market mortgage transactions. Pool insurance covers the excess of the loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which exceeds the claim payment under the primary coverage, if primary insurance is required on that mortgage loan, as well as the total loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which did not require primary insurance. Pool insurance is used as an additional credit enhancement for certain secondary market mortgage transactions. Pool insurance covers the excess of the loss on a defaulted mortgage loan, which exceeds the claim payment under the primary coverage, if primary insurance is required on that mortgage loan, as well as the total loss on a defaulted mortgage loan which did not require primary insurance. In general, the loans insured by it in Wall Street bulk transactions consisted of loans with reduced underwriting documentation; cash out! refinanc! es, which exceed the standard underwriting requirements of the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae) and Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac) (collectively GSEs); A- loans; subprime loans, and jumbo loans.

Other Products and Services

The Company has participated in risk sharing arrangements with the GSEs and captive mortgage reinsurance arrangements with subsidiaries of certain mortgage lenders, which reinsure a portion of the risk on loans originated or serviced by the lenders, which have MGIC primary insurance. It provides information regarding captive mortgage reinsurance arrangements to the New York Department of Insurance (known as the New York Department of Financial Services), the Minnesota Department of Commerce and the Department of Housing and Urban Development, (HUD). It performs contract underwriting services for lenders, in which it judges whether the data relating to the borrower and the loan contained in the lender�� mortgage loan application file comply with the lender�� loan underwriting guidelines. It also provides an interface to submit data to the automated underwriting systems of the GSEs, which independently judge the data. These services are provided for loans, which require private mortgage insurance, as well as for loans that do not require private mortgage insurance. It provides mortgage services for the mortgage finance industry, such as portfolio retention and secondary marketing of mortgages.

The Company competes with Federal Housing Administration, Veterans Administration, PMI Mortgage Insurance Company, Genworth Mortgage Insurance Corporation, United Guaranty Residential Insurance Company, Radian Guaranty Inc., CMG Mortgage Insurance Company, and Essent Guaranty, Inc.

Best Insurance Stocks To Invest In 2014: Citizens Inc (CIA)

Citizens, Inc. (Citizens), incorporated on November 8, 1977, is an insurance holding company serving the life insurance needs of individuals in the United States. The Company operates in three segments: Life Insurance, Home Service and Other Non-insurance Enterprises. Its core insurance operations include issuing and servicing the United States Dollar-denominated ordinary whole life insurance and endowment policies predominantly to high net worth, high income foreign residents, principally in Latin America and the Pacific Rim, through independent marketing consultants; ordinary whole life insurance policies to middle income households concentrated in the midwest and southern United States through independent marketing consultants, and final expense and limited liability property policies to middle and lower income households in Louisiana, Arkansas, and Mississippi through employee and independent agents in its home service distribution channel.

Life Insurance

The Company�� Life Insurance segment issues ordinary whole life insurance domestically and in United States Dollar-denominated amounts to foreign residents. These contracts are designed to provide a fixed amount of insurance coverage over the life of the insured. Additionally, endowment contracts are issued by the Company, which are principally accumulation contracts that incorporate an element of life insurance protection. The Company operates the segment through its subsidiaries: CICA Life Insurance Company of America (CICA) and Citizens National Life Insurance Company (CNLIC).

The Company offers several ordinary whole life insurance and endowment products designed to meet the needs of its non-United States policy owners. Its domestic life insurance products focus primarily on living needs and provide benefits focused toward accumulating money for the policyowner. The Company�� life insurance products are principally designed to address the insured�� concern about outliving his or her monthly income,! while at the same time providing death benefits. The primary purpose of its product portfolio is to help the insured create capital for needs, such as retirement income, children's higher education funds, business opportunities, emergencies and health care needs.

Home Service Insurance

The Company operates in the Home Service market through its subsidiaries Security Plan Life Insurance Company (SPLIC) and Security Plan Fire Insurance Company (SPFIC), and focus on the life insurance needs of the middle and lower income markets, primarily in Louisiana, Mississippi and Arkansas. Its home service insurance products consist primarily of small face amount ordinary whole life and pre-need policies, which are designed to fund final expenses for the insured, primarily consisting of funeral and burial costs.

Other Non-Insurance Enterprises

Other Non-insurance Enterprises includes Computing Technology, Inc., which provides data processing services to the Company, and Insurance Investors, Inc., which provides aviation transportation to the Company. This segment also includes the results of Citizens, Inc., the parent Company.

Will This Fresh Idea Send Amazon Stock Into the Stratosphere?

Amazon.com  (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) can't seem to stay out of the news this week. In its latest push for world domination, the e-tailer is expanding its fresh grocery business outside of its hometown Seattle. AmazonFresh, as it's called, will soon offer same-day or next-day delivery of groceries in Los Angeles and the San Francisco Bay area, according to Reuters. However, will the low-margin business of food actually hurt Amazon stock in the long run?

Playing it smart
Amazon seems to be spreading itself thin these days. From its digital streaming service and endless e-commerce sites to its cloud-computing business, the world's largest online retailer covers a lot of ground. Now the company is adding fresh produce and meat to its offerings. Yet if Amazon hopes to make real profits in this category it will need to sell more than mere groceries.

This is a lesson that other retailers including Wal-Mart and Target know well. Target expanded into groceries behind Wal-Mart, as a way to position its store as a one-stop shop. This works for Target because the thinner margins of fresh produce are often offset by other purchases customers make when they're in a Target store.

Amazon could be taking a similar approach with its new fresh-produce offering. That's because AmazonFresh customers can simultaneously purchase other higher-margin products to be delivered along with their grocery orders. Not to mention, new AmazonFresh warehouses are said to feature refrigerated areas for keeping food cold, as well as traditional storage areas for other products, according to Reuters.

Why it could be a huge win for Amazon stock
This could be another growth catalyst for Amazon and its stock if the service takes off in these new markets. In fact, Amazon already plans to develop AmazonFresh in 20 more markets next year. Moreover, Amazon's thriving logistics business and distribution infrastructure should help the company succeed where others have failed.

10 Best Stocks To Watch Right Now

Amazon stock could benefit down the road if the e-tailer were to expand AmazonFresh on a national level. One of the ways it could do this would be to acquire a smaller grocery delivery service, such as FreshDirect or Peapod. In the end, Amazon is doing what it does best: investing in its future.

Everyone knows Amazon is the king of the retail world right now, but at its sky-high valuation, most investors are worried it's the company's share price that will get knocked down instead of competitors'. The Motley Fool's premium report will tell you what's driving the company's growth, and fill you in on reasons to buy and reasons to sell Amazon. The report also has you covered with a full year of free analyst updates to keep you informed as the company's story changes, so click here now to read more.

Turnaround Towns: Top 10 Cities of the Housing Market Recovery

With an average of 1.8 million homes on the market on any given day in the second quarter of 2013, home list prices are rising in major metro markets around the nation as housing inventory continues shrinking, but the city of Detroit, which filed for bankruptcy last month, is that one surprising dark horse among the Top 10 of Realtor.com's Turnaround Towns Report. With a median list price up by 37.8 percent, Detroit is second only to Oakland, Calif., where the median list price rose 41.3 percent. And in Detroit, the rate as which homes in this category are selling beats out every single town east of the Rockies.

"Detroit has made remarkable progress in the last year, shrinking its inventory of unsold homes by more than 26 percent and becoming one of the most balanced markets in the nation," said Steve Berkowitz, CEO of Move, which operates Realtor.com. However, despite it's progress, Detroit ranks No. 7 overall on this list of the top turnaround towns. See if you can guess which towns made up the other nine, and then test your answers against the slideshow below. Hint: No town in Florida made the list this quarter. TOP 10 TURNAROUND TOWNS:

3 High Beta Utilities with the Highest Dividend Yield Ratio

Utilities are necessary within the economy but they have huge problems to increase prices for utility products. Utility stocks normally have a lower volatility because of its stable revenue streams and income focused stakeholder structure. They are less risky than a high growth momentum stock with a highly priced business model that works only in the best dreams.

In today's screen about the utilities with the highest beta ratio are only nine stocks with a higher correlation to the broad market. This shows the real investment profile of utilities. Low growth, low risk and high debt as you might know it from real estate trusts.

Below the results are seven stocks with a buy or better rating. Only two big companies with a market capitalization over $10 billion are part of the results. Three are mid-capitalized.

Here are the highest yielding high beta dividend utilities:

Otter Tail (OTTR) has a market capitalization of $1.13 billion. The company employs 2,286 people, generates revenue of $859.24 million and has a net income of $38.97 million. Otter Tail's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $142.22 million. The EBITDA margin is 16.55 percent (the operating margin is 8.02 percent and the net profit margin 4.54 percent).

Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 26.33 percent of Otter Tail's assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 78.49 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 6.99 percent was realized by Otter Tail. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $1.18. Last fiscal year, Otter Tail paid $1.19 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 26.34, the P/S ratio is 1.32 and the P/B ratio is finally 2.16. The dividend yield amounts to 3.81 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 1.19.

Transportadora de Gas Del Sur S.A. (TGS) has a market capitalization of $308.! 26 million. The company employs 829 people, generates revenue of $466.44 million and has a net income of $43.33 million. Transportadora de Gas Del Sur's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $170.33 million. The EBITDA margin is 36.52 percent (the operating margin is 27.41 percent and the net profit margin 9.29 percent).

Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 33.71 percent of Transportadora de Gas Del Sur's assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 91.84 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of 11.97 percent was realized by Transportadora de Gas Del Sur. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $0.31. Last fiscal year, Transportadora de Gas Del Sur paid $0.00 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is 6.24, the P/S ratio is 0.47 and the P/B ratio is finally 0.83. The dividend yield amounts to 17.13 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 1.10.

Atlas Energy (ATLS) has a market capitalization of $2.72 billion. The company employs 832 people, generates revenue of $1.521 billion and has a net income of $-16.88 million. Atlas Energy's earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) amounts to $212.91 million. The EBITDA margin is 13.99 percent (the operating margin is 2.42 percent and the net profit margin -1.11 percent).

Financial Analysis: The total debt represents 33.51 percent of Atlas Energy's assets and the total debt in relation to the equity amounts to 330.64 percent. Due to the financial situation, a return on equity of -9.98 percent was realized by Atlas Energy. Twelve trailing months earnings per share reached a value of $-0.91. Last fiscal year, Atlas Energy paid $1.03 in the form of dividends to shareholders.

Market Valuation: Here are the price ratios of the company: The P/E ratio is not calculable, the P/S ratio is 1.79 and the P/B ra! tio is fi! nally 5.84. The dividend yield amounts to 3.32 percent and the beta ratio has a value of 2.91.

Take a closer look at the full list of high beta dividend paying utilities. The average P/E ratio amounts to 20.49 and forward P/E ratio is 15.92. The dividend yield has a value of 2.56 percent. Price to book ratio is 2.66 and price to sales ratio 1.53. The operating margin amounts to 14.48 percent and the beta ratio is 1.43. Stocks from the list have an average debt to equity ratio of 1.90.

Take a closer look at the full list of high beta dividend paying utilities. The average P/E ratio amounts to 20.49 and forward P/E ratio is 15.92. The dividend yield has a value of 2.56 percent. Price to book ratio is 2.66 and price to sales ratio 1.53. The operating margin amounts to 14.48 percent and the beta ratio is 1.43. Stocks from the list have an average debt to equity ratio of 1.90.

Do you like this article? If yes, please support us and hit the button for a Facebook Like, make a tweet or post a comment in the Dividend Yield community! Thank you so much, we really appreciate it.

Related Stock Ticker Symbols:
OTTR, TGS, ATLS, OKE, SBS, CWCO, MDU, AES, ORA

Selected Articles:
· 8 Utility Dividend Stocks With The Highest Float Short Ratio
· 20 Cheapest Utility Dividend Stocks
· Best Utility Dividend Stock Picks For 2013
· The Best Performing Utilities And Which Of Them Are Still Cheap
· 20 Of The Safest Utilities With Best Dividend Yields

*If you would like to receive more dividend stock ideas and the free Dividend Weekly, you should subscribe to my free e-mail list. Alternatively, you can follow me on Facebook or Twitter.

Emerging Markets And Commodity Prices

There is an increasing debate about the ability of emerging markets to continue growing at the pace at which they have been growing over the last number of years. The last decade has been remarkable for emerging markets as a group. The chart below compares the growth rate of (real) GDP for the group of advanced economies and for the group of emerging and developing economies (definitions and data coming from the IMF).
(click to enlarge)

After decades where emerging markets were growing at best at the rate of the advanced economies, since 2000 we see a clear gap in growth rates and a strong process of convergence or catching up. The difference is large, as large as 4 or 5 percentage points in many years.

There are many potential reasons why the fate of emerging markets changed since 2000. From a regional perspective, Asia was already doing well in previous decades and continued to grow at a strong, or even stronger rate. Some countries in Latin America started growing at decent rates after really weak performance in the previous decades. And African growth rates have been at the highest level in many years.

During those years we have also seen another strong trend in the world economy, the fast growth in the prices of commodities. The fact that these prices have increased can be seen as the outcome of strong growth in the world (fueled by emerging markets). But the causality also runs backwards for some of these countries: it was the strong demand coming from certain economies that pushed prices up and allowed those countries that produce commodities to see growth finally happening.

The data shows that indeed, the phenomenal growth in emerging markets post-2000 coincided with positive developments in commodity prices. The figure below compares the growth in GDP of emerging and developing countries (from the previous figure) with the growth in the price of commodities during the! same years [Note: the series used for commodity prices is Commodity Industrial Inputs Price Index includes Agricultural Raw Materials and Metals Price Indices from the IMF; including food prices or oil prices to the index does not change the correlation at all].

(click to enlarge)

What is remarkable about the data is not that there is a strong correlation in the post-2000 period, but also that this correlation has become much stronger than before. For the reasons outlined above, it makes sense that these two series are correlated. What is interesting is that the correlation has become strong in the years where growth in emerging markets has taken off. And this cannot simply be the fact that emerging markets matter more in the world economy (and therefore have a strong influence on the price of commodities). If this was the case we would simply expect the other countries (advanced) to have a much stronger influence in the earlier years, but this is not the case.

To explain the correlation above we probably need a combination of qualitatively different growth during these years that is putting demand pressure on prices, while at the same time the producers of commodities (mostly emerging markets) benefit from this demand and grow at higher rates. But regardless of the explanation, it is important to realize how the fate of emerging markets and commodities prices is much more linked than in the past.

Source: Emerging Markets And Commodity Prices

These Tech Companies Have the Most Loyal Customers

If you've walked around inside an electronics store like Best Buy recently, the sheer number of electronic choices with regard to tablets, computers, printers, smartphones, et al., can be overwhelming. Yet for all the consumer electronics we buy, certain brands stand out as clear winners among consumers.

Brand Keys, a customer loyalty research company, has been ranking 375 of the United States' top brand names into dozens of categories for the past 17 years. Recently, utilizing its Customer Loyalty Engagement Index, Brand Keys broke down six consumer electronics sectors into its respective peers and delivered a brand loyalty winner in each category.

Today, I want to not only give kudos to the winners of Brand Keys' loyalty assessment, but also examine what the factors were that helped these companies achieve their segment-leading success. Understanding what these companies are doing right could help us find the next groundbreaking tech sector investment.

Computers (laptops)
With PC sales dropping more in the first quarter than at any other time in their history, competition among laptop makers is getting fiercer by the day -- and margins thinner. This is a sector that requires constant innovation, so, as to be expected, Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) and Samsung tied for the top spot.

Apple certainly won't win any acclaim for its higher price points from consumers, but its thinner and lighter MacBook Air, sleek designs catered to millennials, and non-Windows-based operating system are enough to drive plenty of customer loyalty. In addition, it's Apple -- would we really expect anything less than perfection?

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As a user of a Samsung laptop, I can tell you it has done a marvelous job creating eye-pleasing designs that are becoming lighter in feel, and are also geared toward a younger generation. With innovation being everything in the tech sector, these two companies are head of the pack.

E-readers
It's getting tougher to differentiate the difference between an e-reader and a tablet these days, but Brand Keys did its best to separate the two when conducting its survey. According to the results, Amazon.com's (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) Kindle topped the list.

This really shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone, since Amazon's Kindle was the revolutionary technology that led the transformation away from the bricks-and-mortar bookstore and into the convenience of an at-home reader. As the innovator, I would have been shocked not to have seen Amazon atop the rankings. What's more interesting in this category was that Barnes & Noble's Nook took the No. 2 spot ahead of the Apple iPad. It's quite possible that few consumers think of the iPad in terms of being an e-reader, so I wouldn't read into that too much (pun completely intended), but it was nonetheless a surprise.

Flat-screen TVs
Samsung's dominance continues in the flat-screen television category, taking the top ranking ahead of Vizio. Just as we witnessed with laptops, Samsung is catering to a younger generation of consumers by relying on thin, but simple, designs, and actionable, but fun, advertising to reach this group of individuals. Samsung's price point certainly will be higher than many of its peers, but it's also delivering on the higher expectations by consumers of a crisper picture with more user-programmable options.

Printers
First of all, yes, people still use printers; and that's very good news for Canon (NYSE: CAJ  ) , which topped the printer category yet again. The ease of use for Canon printers, and the amount of specialization they can provide in an enterprise work environment, makes Canon a logical choice to continue topping this category for years to come. As a leader in customer service and a provider of stylish designs to personal consumers, Canon is a leading gadget designer.

Smartphones
Try not to be too surprised here, but Apple is not No. 1! Samsung actually trumped Apple in smartphones with its innovative Galaxy S-series, as its touch-to-touch file sharing and bigger screen appear to be wooing consumers in greater numbers.

Source: Vinith Devdas, Commons.wikimedia.org. 

It's also worth noting that Samsung smartphones run off Google's Android operating system which is the dominant OS around the world by market share. In the U.S. the difference isn't that noticeable, but outside the U.S., Android is Goliath, with nearly 70% of global market share and Apple would be the equivalent of David with close to 20% market share. Consumers love to own dominant brands, plain and simple.

Tablets
As I prefaced previously, there isn't a huge difference these days between an e-reader and a tablet, so it shouldn't come as much of a surprise that Amazon took the cake here in brand loyalty. It's a bit disconcerting that the inventor of the tablet, Apple, only managed to take the No. 2 spot, but Amazon's functional Kindle Fire that dramatically undercuts Apple on price could be a key reason it takes the top honor.

What's the takeaway?
Now that we've had a closer look at which companies took this year's top honors according to the Brand Keys survey, let's examine what common themes exist among these consumer electronics that might help us recognize the next big winner.

To begin with, innovation is everything. Apple has been the king of innovators for years, but it hasn't truly changed the game since it introduced the iPad a few years ago. In the smartphone sector, BlackBerry (NASDAQ: BBRY  ) has been even worse. It took countless delays and nearly two years to introduce its new BlackBerry Q10 and Z10, which run on its own proprietary operating system. Thus far, reaction to the new smartphones has been lukewarm at best, as BlackBerry brought up the caboose in terms of smartphone brand loyalty.

Secondly, design matters. Millennials are caring more and more about their own image and the design of the products they use, so functionality needs to extend far beyond just what the product can do and into the actual styling of the device. Samsung's thin and sleek TV designs and Apple's lightweight and colorful laptops are prime examples of hitting on this point.

Finally, price is important, but it's also not a breaking point if the higher-priced product can deliver added value to the consumer. Amazon's Kindle Fire, for instance, generates top-tier tablet loyalty because it's both a cheaper alternative to the iPad and possesses a strong brand name. However, in laptops, Apple and Samsung offer arguably the most expensive price points, but are generally regarded as the leading brands in terms of functionality and status. In contrast, Dell (NASDAQ: DELL  ) ranked dead last in laptops despite its cheaper price point, as its laptops are losing their brand identity and have failed to keep up with Samsung or Apple in design freshness.

Can Apple regain its swagger?
There's no doubt that Apple is at the center of technology's largest revolution ever and that longtime shareholders have been handsomely rewarded, with more than 1,000% gains. However, there is a debate raging as to whether Apple remains a buy. The Motley Fool's senior technology analyst and managing bureau chief, Eric Bleeker, is prepared to fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Apple and what opportunities are left for the company (and your portfolio) going forward. To get instant access to his latest thinking on Apple, simply click here now.

3 Reasons to Sell SandRidge Energy

I recently reminded investors of the bull case for SandRidge Energy (NYSE: SD  )  . As important as it is to know why you own a stock, I feel it's even more important to know what can go wrong. Given SandRidge's history, it's wise to be extra vigilant with this company.

SandRidge is a company that many market participants really hate. It doesn't help that shares are down nearly 90% over the past five years. That lackluster performance is one of the many reasons why many investors are convinced that there's more downside to come and at last count nearly 15% of its shares were sold short. Let's drill down into the three reasons why SandRidge might not be worth owning.

1. SandRidge has been dependent on selling assets to reduce its outsized debt position and fund its exploration budget.

The recent sale of its Permian Basin assets really helped the company to solidify its balance sheet. The deal enabled it to cut its leverage ratio in half to just two times. Further, it provided the necessary funding to see the company's capital program through the end of next year. Unfortunately, the sale was not without great cost as the Permian assets were oil levered cash flowing assets. However, SandRidge believes that it will received greater value by reinvesting those funds into its Mississippian acreage.

The problem here is that SandRidge has been dependent on asset sales and its running out of assets to sell. In addition to the Permian sale, SandRidge has now taken three royalty trusts public. One consisting of Permian Basin assets, SandRidge Permian Trust (NYSE: PER  ) and two consisting of Mississippian assets, SandRidge Mississippian Trust I (NYSE: SDT  ) and SandRidge Mississippian Trust II (NYSE: SDR  ) . While SandRidge still owns a portion of each trust, it likely will continue to sell off its ownership stake in each trust as well as other assets it still owns. At some point SandRidge will need to live within its oil and gas cash flows, otherwise, its not worth owning. 

2. SandRidge has a risk-seeking management team with a history of overextending the company's resources, leading to a number of serious financial constraints.

Since taking the company public in 2007, SandRidge has lost about 90% of its value. Over that time frame CEO Tom Ward has pulled in $116 million in compensation. This hasn't sat well with investors, which is one reason why the newly expanded board has set a June 30 deadline to determine his fate.

During Ward's tenure, SandRidge's business plan has been in a constant state of transition. That's cost a lot of money and over the past two years Ward and his team have loaded the company with nearly $4 billion in net debt and taken its leverage ratio to as high as 4.6 times. The good news is that the recent Permian Basin sale has taken that debt down to a net of less than one and a half billion and a leverage ratio of just two times. However, until management demonstrates that it knows what its doing, the risk is that its spending could get it into trouble again.

3. The Mississippian doesn't appear to be as oily as the company originally thought with a production mix that is 45% oil and natural gas liquids and 55% natural gas.

At the company's 2011 analyst day, Sandridge's Mississippian liquids content was at 52% of production. However, as it has continued to drill, that liquids content has slipped to 45% of production. That's a bit lower than Chesapeake Energy (NYSE: CHK  ) is seeing; its fourth-quarter Mississippian production was 54% liquids. The overall liquids production mix of the Mississippian is a lot less than Chesapeake is seeing in the Eagle Ford Shale, where its fourth-quarter production was 81% liquids. With natural gas prices still on the low end, this lower liquids content from the Mississippian is not good for SandRidge's cash flow. 

SandRidge continues to appraise its acreage so it's possible that its liquids production could increase as its better able to determine the most profitable drilling locations. That's important because 80% of the company's Mississippian cash flow comes from oil production. However, if it finds that gas is more prevalent, it could take the company even longer to become cash flow positive.

Overall, none of these reasons appear that they'll doom the stock. With the company focusing on growing liquids production, the future actually looks optimistic. If you are unsure about the future of this emerging oil and gas junior and are looking to find out more about its strengths and weaknesses, then check out The Motley Fool's premium research report detailing SandRidge's game plan and what to expect from the company going forward. To get started, simply click here now!

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