In retail, it’s hard to ignore the fact that the trend has not been an investor’s friend. How else to explain the November reversals in Kohl’s (KSS), Macy’s (M), Dillard’s (DDS) and JC Penney (JCP), among others?
ReutersConsider: Turning the three months ending Oct. 31, Kohl’s had gained 7%, while Macy’s had dropped 4.6%, Dillard’s had fallen 2.9% and JC Penney had plunged a whopping 49% as investors fretted about its future.
But then Macy’s reported stellar earnings yesterday, and Kohl’s missed this morning, and JC Penney offered signs of hope and suddenly the laggards are winners. In November, Macy’s has gained 10%, Dillard’s is up 12% and JC Penney has risen 17%, while Kohl’s has dropped 4.7%.
Will Kohl’s stay down? Sterne Agee’s Charles Grom and team see reasons for optimism:
10 Best Defensive Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Western Gas Equity Partners LP (WGP)
Western Gas Equity Partners, LP, incorporated on September 11, 2007, was formed to own three types of partnership interests in Western Gas Partners, LP (WES). WES is a limited partnership formed by Anadarko Petroleum Corporation to own, operate, acquire and develop midstream energy assets. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had no independent operations. On January 13, 2012, WES acquired 100% interest of Mountain Gas Resources LLC (MGR). On August 1, 2012, WES acquired 24% interest of Chipeta Processing LLC (Chipeta).
WES is engaged in the business of gathering, processing, compressing, treating and transporting natural gas, condensate, natural gas liquids (NGLs) and crude oil for Anadarko, as well as third-party producers and customers. The assets of WGP, through its partnership interests in WES, include thirteen gathering systems, seven natural gas treating facilities, ten natural gas processing facilities, two NGL pipelines, one interstate gas pipeline, one intrastate gas pipeline, and three separate interests in Fort Union, White Cliffs Pipeline, LLC (White Cliffs) and Rendezvous Gas Services, LLC (Rendezvous). These assets are located in East and West Texas, the Rocky Mountains (Colorado, Utah and Wyoming), and the Mid-Continent (Kansas and Oklahoma). WES also has facilities under construction in South Texas and northeast Colorado. During the year ended December 31, 2011, WES completed the construction of a cryogenic processing train at its Chipeta facility , which had a designed capacity of approximately 300 million cubic feet of natural gas per day and was placed into service in October 2012.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jonas Elmerraji]
The exact same setup is potentially giving traders a reason to jump into shares of $8.5 billion midstream gas company Western Gas Equity Partners (WGP). Just like Flotek, WGP is forming a textbook channel up. And this week, Western Gas is testing trendline support.
It's a little too early to call WGP's trendline buyable here. At some point, all trends eventually fail -- and when this one does, you don't want to be left holding the bag. A bounce this week will be a good indication that WGP can still catch a bid at this price level. When and if that happens, I'd recommend keeping a tight protective stop in place just below WGP's most recent swing low at $38.
While the 50-day moving average has been crossing paths with WGP quite a bit in the last month, I'd recommend ignoring it. The average hasn't acted as a meaningful support or resistance level to date. In the case of this particular name, it's just not technically relevant.
Top 10 Companies To Invest In 2014: Building Turbines Inc (BLDW)
Building Turbines Inc (BTI), incorporated on November 17, 1997, is engaged in the designing and manufacturing rooftop mounted wind turbines. The patented BTI�� design is ideal for commercial applications and creates reliable, cost-effective, clean and on-site renewable electricity. The Company offers a different, patented wind turbine product that can bring the dream of clean, affordable wind energy to a reality. The turbine is mounted on a steel frame, it has a low profile, low maintenance needs, and creates almost no noise or vibration.
The Company�� design possesses these exemplary and robust structural, mechanical and electrical characteristics that are particularly important when mounting a renewable energy system onto a building's roof. The turbine can help office buildings, schools, warehouses, distribution centers, airports, hotels, and a variety of other buildings offset electricity purchased from the grid by creating it on-site from the wind. The turbine creates reliable, cost-effective and clean renewable electricity with little building modification required.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap green stocks Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW), Virtual Sourcing, Inc (OTCMKTS: PGCX) and Unseen Solar, Inc (OTCMKTS: PCWT) have been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters in part because some ��reen�� is being paid out in the form of paid promotions or investor relation activity. Of course, there is nothing wrong with properly disclosed paid promotions, but you do need to remember that small cap stocks (especially those in new ��reen�� industries) already come with risk. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about these three green small cap stocks and whether you can expect to see some green in the form of profits:
Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW) Has Secured a $5 Million Line of CreditSmall cap Building Turbines Inc is focused on the design and manufacture of patented rooftop wind turbines as well as vertically integrating them into other renewable energy solutions to complete a total ��reen Energy Solution��for any urban environment. Building Turbines Inc�� subsidiary, Green City Planet, is also a premier provider of LED lighting and environmentally sound industrial solutions. On Friday, Building Turbines Inc fell 9.76% to $0.0370 for a market cap of $8.71 million plus BLDW is up 51% over the past year and down 87.2% since June 2011 according to Google Finance.
- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap green stocks Essential Innovations Technology Corp (OTCBB: ESIV), Building Turbines Inc (OTCMKTS: BLDW) and Kleangas Energy Technologies Inc (OTCMKTS: KGET) have all been getting some attention lately in various investment newsletters ��either because they were sinking, because of paid promotions or a combination of both. However, there aren�� many green stocks out there that have actually produced some green for investors in the form of profits. With that in mind, here is a quick reality check about all three green small cap stocks to help you decide whether any have the potential for long-term success:
Top 10 Companies To Invest In 2014: Comcast Corp (CCV)
Comcast Corporation (Comcast), incorporated on December 12, 2001, is a provider of entertainment, information and communications products and services. The Company has developed, managed and operated cable systems. The Company operates in five segments: Cable Communications, Cable Networks, Broadcast Television, Filmed Entertainment and Theme Parks. Cable Communications provides video, high-speed Internet and voice services (cable services) to residential and business customers in 39 states and the District of Columbia. Cable Networks consists primarily of its national cable television networks, its regional sports and news networks, its international cable networks, its cable television production studio, and its related digital media properties. Broadcast Television consists primarily of its NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, its NBC and Telemundo owned local television stations, its broadcast television production operations, and its related digital media properties. Filmed Entertainment consists of the operations of Universal Pictures, which produces, acquires, markets and distributes filmed entertainment and stage plays worldwide. Theme Parks consists primarily of its Universal theme parks in Orlando and Hollywood. Its other business interests are included in Corporate and Other and primarily include Comcast Spectacor, which owns the Philadelphia Flyers and the Wells Fargo Center, a multipurpose arena in Philadelphia. Comcast Spectacor also owns Global Spectrum, which provides facilities management, and Ovations Food Services, which provides food services, for sporting events, concerts and other events. In July 2012, Comcast acquired Microsoft Corporation's 50% stake in MSNBC.com. Effective March 19, 2013, it acquired a 49% interest in NBCUniversal Media LLC.
On January 28, 2011, the Company closed its transaction with General Electric Company (GE) to form a new company named NBCUniversal, LLC (NBCUniversal Holdings). The Company controls and owns 51% of NBCUniversal Holdings, and! GE owns the remaining 49%.As part of the NBCUniversal transaction, GE contributed the businesses of NBCUniversal, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of NBCUniversal Holdings. The NBCUniversal businesses that were contributed included its national cable networks, the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks and its NBC and Telemundo owned local television stations, Universal Pictures, the Universal Studios Hollywood theme park, and other related assets. The Company contributed its national cable networks, its regional sports and news networks, certain of its Internet businesses, including DailyCandy and Fandango, and other related assets (the Comcast Content Business), all of which are part of its Cable Networks segment.
Cable Services
The Company offers a variety of cable services over its cable distribution system to residential and business customers. Subscription rates and related charges vary according to the services and features the customer receives and the type of equipment they use, and customers typically pay the Company on a monthly basis. Residential customers may generally discontinue service at any time, while business customers may only discontinue service in accordance with the terms of their contracts, which typically have 1 to 3 year terms. As of December 31, 2011, its cable systems served 22.3 million video customers, 18.1 million high-speed Internet customers and 9.3 million voice customers and passed more than 52 million homes and businesses in 39 states and the District of Columbia.
The Company offers a variety of video services with access to hundreds of channels depending on the level of service selected. Its levels of service typically range from a limited basic service with access to between 20 and 40 channels of video programming to a digital service with access to over 300 channels. Its video services generally include programming provided by national and local broadcast networks and by national and regional cable networks, as well as gov! ernmental! and public access programming. Its digital video services generally include access to over 40 music channels, its On Demand service and an interactive, on-screen program guide. The Company also offers packages that include extensive amounts of foreign-language programming, and it offers other specialty tiers of programming with sports, family and international themes. Its video customers may also subscribe to premium network programming. Premium networks include cable networks, such as HBO, Showtime, Starz and Cinemax, which generally offer, without commercial interruption, movies, original programming, live and taped sporting events, concerts and other special features.
The Company�� On Demand service provides its digital video customers with more than 30,000 standard-definition and high-definition programming choices. A substantial portion of its On Demand content is available to its digital video customers at no additional charge. Digital video customers subscribing to a premium network have access to the premium network�� On Demand content without additional fees. Its On Demand service includes fee-based selections that allow its video customers to order individual new release and library movies and special-event programs, such as professional boxing, mixed martial arts, wrestling and concerts.
The Company�� high-definition television (HDTV) service includes a selection of high-definition programming choices, including broadcast networks, national cable networks, premium networks and regional sports networks. In addition, its On Demand service provides HDTV video customers with a selection of up to 6,000 high-definition programming choices in select markets over the course of a month. Its digital video recorder (DVR) service allow digital video customers to select, record and store programs on their set-top box and play them at whatever time is convenient. Its DVR service also provides the ability to pause and rewind live television. The Company also offers select ! programmi! ng in three dimensional (3D) format on the channels it distributes and On Demand to its HDTV customers who have 3D capable television (TV) sets. In 2012, it began streaming certain live television programming online and through its mobile applications in some of its markets.
The Company offers a variety of high-speed Internet services with downstream speeds of up to 105 Mbps. These services also include its Internet portal, XFINITY.com, which provides access to email, voice mail, an address book, online storage, and online security features. Its customers also have the ability to access these services, including managing their e-mail accounts, through its mobile applications using smartphones and tablets. It offers voice service plans, using an interconnected Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) technology, that provide either usage-based or unlimited local and domestic long-distance calling, include the option for a variety of international calling plans, voice mail, caller identification (ID), call waiting and other features, including the ability to access and manage voice mail and other account information online and through its mobile applications using smartphones and tablets.
The Company offers its cable services to small and medium-sized businesses (business services). In addition to the features provided to its residential customers, its services for business customers also include a Website hosting service, an interactive tool that allows customers to share, coordinate and store documents online, a business directory listing and the option to add up to 24 phone lines. Medium-sized business customers are also offered its Metro-Ethernet data service capable of connecting multiple locations at speeds of up to 10 gigabit per second. It also provides cell backhaul services to cellular network operators. To offer its video services, it licenses a substantial portion of its programming from cable and broadcast networks.
Cable Networks
The Company�! � Cable ! Networks segment operates a diversified portfolio of 15 national cable networks, 13 regional sports and news networks, more than 60 international channels, and digital media properties consisting primarily of brand-aligned and other websites, including DailyCandy, Fandango and iVillage. Its 13 regional sports and news networks are Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia, Comcast SportsNet Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore/Washington), Cable Sports Southeast, Comcast SportsNet Chicago, MountainWest Sports Network, Comcast SportsNet California (Sacramento), Comcast SportsNet New England (Boston), Comcast SportsNet Northwest (Portland), Comcast Sports Southwest (Houston), Comcast SportsNet Bay Area (San Francisco), New England Cable News (Boston), Comcast Network Philadelphia and Comcast Network Mid-Atlantic (Baltimore/Washington). The Company markets and distributes its cable network programming in the United States and internationally to multichannel video providers, as well as to Internet and wireless distributors.
The Company�� cable networks develop their own programs or acquire programming rights from third parties. Its Cable Networks segment includes its production studio, Universal Cable Production that identifies, develops and produces original content for cable television and other distribution platforms both for its cable networks and for those of third parties. It licenses the content to all forms of television, including broadcast and cable networks, and through home video and various digital media platforms, both in the United States and internationally. Its Cable Networks segment primarily generates revenue from the distribution of its cable network programming and from the sale of advertising. Distribution revenue is generated from distribution agreements with multichannel video providers. Advertising revenue is generated from the sale of advertising time on its cable networks and related digital media properties. It also generates content licensing and other revenue from the licensing and sale! of its o! wned programming in the United States and internationally, including revenue from the sale of its owned programming on standard-definition digital video discs and Blu-ray discs (together, DVDs) and through digital media platforms, and from the licensing of its brands for consumer products.
Broadcast Television
The Company�� Broadcast Television segment operates the NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks, which together serve audiences and advertisers in all 50 states, including the United States metropolitan areas. Its Broadcast Television segment also includes its owned and operated NBC and Telemundo local television stations, its broadcast television production operations and its related digital media properties. Its Broadcast Television segment primarily generates revenue from the sale of advertising and from content licensing. Advertising revenue is generated from the sale of advertising time on its broadcast networks, owned local television stations and related digital media properties. Content licensing revenue is generated from the licensing of its owned programming in the United States and internationally. The Company also generates revenue from the sale of its owned programming on DVDs, through digital media platforms and from the licensing of its brands and characters for consumer products. In addition, its owned local television stations are beginning to receive retransmission fees from multichannel video providers in exchange for consent that allows carriage of the stations��signal. It also receives a portion of the retransmission fees received by its NBC affiliated stations.
The NBC network distributes more than 5,000 hours of entertainment, news and sports programming annually, and its programs reach viewers in virtually all United States television households through more than 200 affiliated stations across the United States, including its10 NBC owned local television stations. The NBC network develops a range of content through its entertainment, news ! and sport! s divisions and also airs a variety of special-events programming. The NBC network�� television library consists of rights of varying nature to more than 100,000 episodes of television content, including current and classic titles, unscripted programming, sports, news, long-form and short-form programming and locally produced programming from around the world. In addition, the NBC network operates various Websites that extend its brands and content online. The NBC network produces its own programs or acquires the rights to programming from third parties. NBCUniversal has various contractual commitments for the licensing of rights to multiyear programming, including sports programming.
The Company�� broadcast television production operations create and produce original content, including scripted and unscripted series, talk shows, and digital media projects that are sold to broadcast networks, cable networks, local television stations and other media platforms owned by the Company and third parties, as well as through home video, both in the United States and internationally. It also produces first-run syndicated shows, which are programs for initial exhibition on local television stations in the United States, on a market-by-market basis, without prior exhibition on a network. It distributes some of its programs after their exhibition on a broadcast network, as well as older television programs from its library, to local television stations and cable networks in the off-network syndication market in the United States.
The Company owns and operates 10 NBC affiliated local television stations that collectively reached approximately 31 million United States television households, which represents approximately 27% of all United States television households, as of December 31, 2011. In addition to airing NBC�� national programming, its stations produce news, sports, public affairs and other programming that addresses local needs and acquire syndicated programming from other ! sources. ! Telemundo is a Hispanic media company that produces, acquires and distributes Spanish-language content in the United States and internationally. Telemundo�� operations include the Telemundo network; its owned local television stations; mun2, a cable network featuring diverse, youth-oriented entertainment for bicultural Latinos, and Telemundo-related digital media properties consisting primarily of brand-aligned websites, such as Telemundo.com.
The Telemundo network is a Spanish-language broadcast network featuring original telenovelas, theatrical films, news, specials and sporting events. The Company develops its own programming primarily through Telemundo�� production studio and also acquire the rights to content from third parties. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it entered into an agreement with Federation Internationale de Football Association (FIFA) to license the Spanish-language United States broadcast rights to FIFA World Cup soccer from 2015 through 2022 and also acquired the Spanish-language United States broadcast rights for the National Football League (NFL) games that the NBC network will broadcast as part of its agreement with the NFL that runs through the 2022-23 season. As of December 31, 2011, Telemundo owned 15 local television stations, including 14 local television stations affiliated with the Telemundo network and an independent television station in Puerto Rico.
Filmed Entertainment
The Company�� Filmed Entertainment segment consists of the operations of Universal Pictures, which produces, acquires, markets and distributes filmed entertainment worldwide in various media formats for theatrical, home entertainment, television and increasingly through other distribution platforms. It also develops, produces and licenses stage plays. Its content consists of theatrical films, direct-to-video titles and its film library, which is comprised of approximately 4,500 titles in a variety of genres. It produces films both on its own and jo! intly wit! h other studios or production companies, as well as with other entities. Its films are produced under both the Universal Pictures and Focus Features names. Its films are marketed and distributed worldwide primarily through its own marketing and distribution companies. The Company also acquires distribution rights to films produced by others, which may be limited to particular geographic regions, specific forms of media or certain periods of time. After their theatrical release, it distributes its films globally for home entertainment use on digital versatile disc (DVD) and in various digital formats, which includes the licensing of its films to third parties for electronic sell-through over the Internet. The Company also licenses its films, including selections from its film library, to all forms of television, including broadcast, cable and premium networks, and pay-per-view and video on demand services.
The Company�� Filmed Entertainment segment primarily generates revenue from the worldwide theatrical release of its owned and acquired films, content licensing and home entertainment. Content licensing revenue is generated from the licensing of its owned and acquired films to broadcast, cable and premium networks, as well as other distribution platforms. Home entertainment revenue is generated from the licensing and sale of its owned and acquired films through DVD sales to retail stores, rental kiosks and subscription by mail, as well as through digital media platforms, including electronic sell through. It also generates revenue from distributing third parties��filmed entertainment, producing stage plays, publishing music and licensing consumer products.
Theme Parks
The Company�� Theme Parks segment consists primarily of its Universal theme parks in Orlando and Hollywood. Universal Orlando includes two theme parks, Universal Studios Florida and Universal�� Islands of Adventure, as well as CityWalk, a dining, retail and entertainment complex. Universal Or! lando als! o features three on-site themed hotels, in which it owns a non-controlling interest. Its Universal theme park in Hollywood consists primarily of Universal Studios Hollywood. In addition, it licenses the right to use the Universal Studios brand name, certain characters and other intellectual property to third parties that own and operate the Universal Studios Japan theme park in Osaka, Japan and the Universal Studios Singapore theme park on Sentosa Island, Singapore. It also owns a water park, Wet �� Wild, located in Orlando.
The Company�� Theme Parks segment licenses the right to use a substantial amount of intellectual property from third parties for its themed elements in rides, attractions, retail outlets and merchandising. ItsTheme Parks segment generates revenue primarily from theme park attendance and per capita spending, as well as from management, licensing and other fees. Per capita spending includes ticket price and in-park spending on food, beverage and merchandise.
The Company competes with DIRECTV, DISH Network, AT&T, CenturyLink and Verizon.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By CNNMoney Staff]
In corporate news, Bed Bath and Beyond (BBBY, Fortune 500) will report earnings after the closing bell. Comcast (CCV) and Time Warner Cable (TWC, Fortune 500) representatives will appear before the Senate Judiciary Committee to plead their case for merging the companies.
- [By Brian Stelter]
Theoretical distributors include theater chains like AMC and Regal, if they're willing to reverse their prior decision; cable video-on-demand operators like Comcast (CCV) and Time Warner Cable (TWC); subscription streaming sites like Netflix and Amazon (AMZN, Tech30); and movie rental services like iTunes by Apple (AAPL, Tech30).
- [By James O'Toole]
Concerns about potential abuses in the industry gained additional urgency last week following news that Comcast (CCV) intends to buy Time Warner Cable (TWC, Fortune 500), a deal that would combine the two biggest cable companies in the United States.
Top 10 Companies To Invest In 2014: Green Mountain Coffee Roasters Inc.(GMCR)
Green Mountain Coffee Roasters, Inc. engages in the specialty coffee and coffee maker business. The company sources, produces, and sells approximately 200 varieties of coffee, cocoa, teas, and other beverages in K-Cup portion packs and coffee in traditional packaging, including whole bean and ground coffee selections in bags and ground coffee in fractional packs for use in at-home (AH) and away-from-home (AFH). It sells its products primarily in North America through supermarkets, club stores, and convenience stores; in restaurants and hospitality; and to office coffee distributors, as well as directly to consumers through its Website. The company also manufactures gourmet single-cup brewing systems and brewing equipment. In addition, it sells AH single-cup brewers; accessories; and coffee, tea, hot cocoa, and other beverages in K-Cup portion packs, as well as offers other licensed roasters to retailers, department stores, and mass merchandisers. Further, the company sells AFH single-cup brewers to distributors for use in offices. It provides its products under the Van Houtte, Br�erie St. Denis, Br�erie Mont-Royal, and Orient Express brands, as well as licensed Bigelow and Wolfgang Puck brands. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Waterbury, Vermont.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By DailyFinance Staff]
Stocks bounced in and out of the plus column before picking a direction on Friday. Unfortunately, the path chosen was down again, though not far. The Dow Jones industrial average (^DJI) extended its losing streak to five days, dropping another 43 points. The Standard & Poor's 500 (^GSPC) fell 5 and the Nasdaq composite (^IXIC) lost 15 points. In all, each of the major averages lost in the neighborhood of a quarter of a percent Friday, and all lost ground for the week. Meanwhile, another once-popular teen retailer took a tumble. Shares of Aeropostale (ARO) tumbled 20 percent after the retailer posted a wider than expected quarterly loss. The stock is now down 60 percent over the past year. But investors were buying some other retailers. Zumiez (ZUMZ), also geared toward teens, rose 2½ percent despite forecasting a loss in the current quarter. A couple of chains geared toward women did well. Ulta Salon (ULTA) gained nearly 6½ percent as earnings topped expectations. Ann (ANN), best known for its Ann Taylor stores, rose 7½ percent. And Coach (COH) gained 2 percent. Other gainers today: Green Mountain (GMCR), maker of Keurig, was up 7 percent, after expanding its deal with Starbucks. Liberty Media (LSTZA) ended its deal to buy those shares of Sirius XM (SIRI) it doesn't already own. Both stocks gained on the news; Liberty up 7 percent, Sirius up 2 percent. And Castlight Health (CSLT) soared nearly 150 percent above its $16 a share IPO price. The company, which helps workers choose healthcare benefits, stands to gain from Obamacare. On the downside: Tesla (TSLA) lost another 3 percent on reports that New York could become the fifth state to block the company from selling direct to consumers. Still, Tesla has a pretty good track record. It's stock has soared more than 500 percent over the past year. Biotechs continued to lose ground. Celgene (CELG) fell 4 percent on a double dose of bad news. British regulators reportedly plan to rejec
- [By Rich Duprey]
Single-cup coffee maker Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR ) has defied skeptics like myself who thought its business was more stale than day-old joe after the patents expired on its K-Cup dispensers.
- [By Blake Bos]
In the following video, Motley Fool consumer-goods analyst Blake Bos tells investors about a new patent from Green Mountain Coffee Roasters (NASDAQ: GMCR ) , that may mean it's getting into the game of home soda machines, a space currently dominated by SodaStream (NASDAQ: SODA ) . Blake gives us a picture of the key things that will need to happen for Green Mountain to be successful in this endeavor, and tells us why he isn't necessarily worried about SodaStream just yet. In fact, for SodaStream, this could even have a positive effect.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
When Goldman Sachs talks, people listen–and that is one reason Keurig Green Mountain’s (GMCR) shares have jumped today after the investment bank started coverage on the coffee company with a Buy rating. Analyst Judy Hong and team explain why they think Keurig Green Mountain could gain more than 15%:
Top 10 Companies To Invest In 2014: Pioneer Exploration Inc (PIEX)
Pioneer Exploration Inc. (Pioneer) is an exploration-stage company. The Company is primarily engaged in the acquisition and exploration of mining properties.
As of August 31, 2012, the Company has not generated any revenue. As of August 31, 2012, the Company does not have any manufacturing facilities, operations, suppliers, products, or customers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap stocks Metrospaces Inc (OTCMKTS: MSPC), LEEP INC (OTCMKTS: LPPI) and Pioneer Exploration Inc (OTCMKTS: PIEX) have been getting some attention lately due to either promotions or share trading activity. Unfortunately, there are still unanswered questions about these three ��ark horse��stocks which make it more difficult for investors and traders alike to evaluate. With that in mind, let�� try to shine the light on what we know about all three small caps:
Top 10 Companies To Invest In 2014: UBS AG (UBS)
UBS AG, incorporated on February 28, 1978, is a client-focused financial services company that offers a combination of wealth management, asset management and investment banking services on a global and regional basis. UBS AG is the parent company of the UBS Group (Group).The operational structure of the Company consists of the Corporate Center and four business divisions: Wealth Management & Swiss Bank, Wealth Management Americas, Global Asset Management and the Investment Bank. As of December 31, 2011, the Company operated about 877 business and banking locations worldwide, of which about 42% were in Switzerland, 42% in the Americas, 11% in the rest of Europe, Middle East and Africa, and 5% in Asia-Pacific. During the year ended December 31, 2011, it completed acquisitions in Global Asset Management and in the equities business of the Investment Bank. In November 2011, investment management responsibility for a private equity fund of funds was transferred to Global Asset Management from Wealth Management & Swiss Bank. In October 2011, Global Asset Management acquired ING Investment Management Limited business in Australia. In July 2011, the infrastructure and private equity fund of funds businesses were transferred from its alternative and quantitative investment area to its infrastructure investment area. In January 2011, investment management responsibility for a multi-manager alternative fund was transferred to Global Asset Management from Wealth Management & Swiss Bank.
Wealth Management
Wealth Management provides wealthy private clients with financial advice, products and tools to fit their individual needs. As of December 31, 2011, Wealth Management had presence in over 40 countries and approximately 200 wealth management and representative offices, half of which are outside Switzerland, mostly in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East. During 2011, the Company had CHF 750 billion of invested assets. The Company offers products and services to private! clients, focusing in particular on the ultra-high-net-worth (clients with investable assets of more than CHF 50 million) and high-net-worth client segments (clients with investable assets between CHF 2 million and CHF 50 million). In addition, it also provides wealth management solutions, products and services to financial intermediaries. Wealth Management has a presence in over 40 countries and approximately 200 wealth management and representative offices, half of which are outside Switzerland, mostly in Europe, Asia Pacific, Latin America and the Middle East.
The Company�� Global Financial Intermediaries (Global FIM) business serves approximately 1,700 asset managers. It provides its clients with the financial advice, products and tools. The Company�� clients can trade a range of financial instruments from single securities, such as equities and bonds, to various investment funds, structured products and alternative investments. Additionally, it offers structured lending, corporate finance and wealth planning advice on client needs, such as funding for education, inheritance and succession. For its ultra high net worth clients, it offers institutional-like servicing that provides access to its Investment Bank and Global Asset Management offerings. Wealth Management also gives clients access to the knowledge, and product and service offerings from Global Asset Management and the Investment Bank, complemented by an open product platform providing access to an array of products from third-party providers.
The Company competes with Credit Suisse, Julius Bar, HSBC, Deutsche Bank, JP Morgan, Citigroup, Barclays and Unicredit.
Retail & Corporate
The Company delivers financial products and services to its retail, corporate and institutional clients. The Retail & Corporate unit is a core element of UBS Switzerland�� universal bank delivery model. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had a network of around 300 branches, 1,250 automated teller machines! , self-se! rvice terminals and customer service centers, alongside e-banking and mobile banking. The Company�� retail clients have access to offering, including cash accounts, payments, savings and retirement solutions, investment fund products, residential mortgages, as well as life insurance and advisory services. It provides financing solutions to its corporate clients, offering access to capital markets (equity and debt capital), syndicated and structured credit, private placements, leasing and traditional financing. The Company�� transaction banking offers solutions for payments and cash management services, trade and export finance, receivable finance, as well as global custody solutions to institutional clients.
The Company competes with Credit Suisse, Raiffeisen and PostFinance.
Wealth Management Americas
Wealth Management Americas provides advice-based relationships through its financial advisors, who deliver a range of wealth management solutions. On December 31, 2011, the business division had CHF 709 billion in invested assets. Wealth Management Americas consisted of branch networks in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada, with 6,967 financial advisors as of 31 December 2011. Most corporate and operational functions of the business division are located in the home office in Weehawken, New Jersey. In the United States and Puerto Rico, Wealth Management Americas operates through direct and indirect subsidiaries of UBS AG. Securities and operations activities are conducted primarily through two broker-dealers, UBS Financial Services Inc. and UBS Financial Services Incorporated of Puerto Rico. Its banking services in the United States include those conducted through the UBS AG branches and UBS Bank USA, a federally regulated Utah bank, which provides Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) insured deposit accounts. It includes the domestic US business, the domestic Canadian business and international business booked in the United States.
Ca! nadian we! alth management and banking operations are conducted through UBS Bank (Canada). The Company�� include wealth accumulation and preservation, income generation and portfolio diversification. The Company�� advisors work closely with internal consultants in areas, such as wealth planning, portfolio strategy, retirement and annuities, alternative investments, managed structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income accounts, structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income retirement and annuities, alternative investments, managed accounts, structured products, banking and lending, equities, and fixed income. It also offers lending and cash management services, such as securities-backed lending, the resource management account, FDIC-insured deposits, mortgages and credit cards. For corporate and institutional clients, it offers a range of solutions, including equity compensation, administration, investment consulting, defined benefit and contribution programs and cash management services. It offers a range of equity and fixed income instruments.
The Company competes with Bank of America, Morgan Stanley and Wells Fargo.
Global Asset Management
The Company serves third-party institutional and wholesale clients and the clients of UBS�� wealth management businesses. The Company�� fund services unit, a global fund administration business, provides professional services, including legal fund set-up, accounting and reporting. Invested assets totaled CHF 574 billion and assets under administration were CHF 375 billion on December 31, 2011. Global Asset Management serves third-party institutional and wholesale clients, and the clients of UBS�� wealth management businesses. Global Asset Management�� business lines include traditional investments (equities, fixed income and global investment solutions); alternative and quantitative investments; global real estate; infrastructure and private equity, and fund services.
Global ! investment solutions offer asset allocation, currency, multi-manager, structured solutions, risk advisory and strategic investment advisory services. Alternative and quantitative investments has two primary business lines-Alternative Investment Solutions (AIS) and O��onnor. AIS offers a range of hedge fund solutions and advisory services, including multi-manager strategies. O��onnor is a provider of single-manager global hedge funds. Global real estate manages real estate investments globally and regionally within Asia, Europe, Switzerland and the United States. Infrastructure and private equity manages direct infrastructure investment and multi-manager infrastructure and private equity strategies for both institutional and high net worth investors. Infrastructure asset management manages direct investments in core infrastructure assets worldwide. Fund services, the global fund administration business, provides professional services, including legal set-up, reporting and accounting for retail and institutional investment funds, hedge funds and other alternative products.The Company competes with Fidelity Investments, AllianceBernstein Investments, BlackRock, JP Morgan Asset Management and Goldman Sachs Asset Management.
Investment Bank
The Investment Bank provides a range of products and services in equities, fixed income, foreign exchange and commodities to corporate and institutional clients, sovereign and government bodies, financial intermediaries, alternative asset managers and UBS�� wealth management clients. The Investment Bank has three business areas: equities, fixed income, currencies and commodities (FICC), and the investment banking department. The Company operates through branches and subsidiaries of UBS AG. Securities activities in the United States are conducted through UBS Securities LLC, a broker-dealer. Securities research provides investment analysis across a range of asset classes of more than 3,400 companies worldwide.
The ! Company p! articipates in the primary and secondary markets for cash equity and equity-related products, including listed options, structured products, equity-linked securities, swaps, futures and over-the-counter (OTC) derivative contracts. Cash equities provide clients with liquidity, investment advisory, trade execution and related consultancy services. It offers trade execution for single stocks and portfolios, including capital commitment, block trading, small-cap execution and commission management services. In addition, it also provides clients with a range of electronic trading algorithms and analytical tools. Derivatives and equity-linked provides a range of flow, structured, synthetic and equity-linked products with worldwide access to primary and secondary markets.
Prime services offer brokerage business, including clearing and custody, capital consultancy, financing, securities lending and equity swaps execution. The FICC business area delivers products and solutions to corporate, institutional and public-sector clients in all markets, as well as to private clients via targeted intermediaries. Macro consists of the foreign exchange, money market and interest rate sales and trading businesses, as well as cash and collateral trading. It provides a range of foreign exchange, precious metals, treasury, and liquidity management solutions to institutional and private clients via targeted intermediaries. Credit sales and trading consists of the origination, underwriting, trading and distribution of cash and synthetic products across the credit spectrum - bonds, derivatives, notes and loans.
The investment banking department provides advice and a range of capital markets execution services to corporate clients, financial institutions, financial sponsors, sovereign clients and hedge funds. The Company also provides liquidity in local markets across foreign exchange, credit, rates and structured products. The advisory group assists in acquisitions and sale processes, and also advises on! reviews ! and corporate restructuring solutions. Global capital markets is a joint venture with the securities business. It offers financing and advisory services that cover all forms of capital raising, as well as risk management solutions. Global leveraged finance provides event-driven (acquisition, leveraged buyout) loans, and bond and mezzanine leveraged finance to corporate clients and financial sponsors.
The Company competes with Bank of America/Merrill Lynch, Barclays Capital, Citigroup, Credit Suisse, Deutsche Bank, Goldman Sachs, JP Morgan Chase and Morgan Stanley.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Reuters]
Louis Lanzano/APBeanie Baby creator and chief executive Ty Warner, left, is pictured in this 2003 photo. CHICAGO -- The billionaire creator of Beanie Babies, Ty Warner, was charged Wednesday with tax evasion and agreed to plead guilty and pay a penalty of almost $53.6 million, according to prosecutors and his attorney. Warner, 69, ranked as the 209th richest American by Forbes, "went to great lengths" to hide from his accountants and the Internal Revenue Service more than $3.1 million in foreign income generated in a secret Swiss bank account, according to the U.S. Attorney's office in Chicago. Warner has agreed to pay a civil penalty of $53,552,248 million for failure to file a Foreign Bank Account Report, according to a statement from Warner's attorney Gregory Scandaglia. "Mr. Warner accepts full responsibility for his actions with this plea agreement," Scandaglia said. Warner is the second taxpayer to be charged in federal court in Chicago in connection with an ongoing investigation of U.S. taxpayer clients of Union Bank of Switzerland and other overseas banks that hid foreign accounts from the IRS, according to prosecutors. As part of a 2009 agreement with the United States, UBS (UBS) provided the government with the identities of certain customers, prosecutors said. The federal charge alleges that in 2002, Warner earned more than $3.1 million through investments held in his UBS account, but didn't tell his accountants and failed to report it on his 2002 tax form. He failed to pay $885,300 in taxes owed for 2002, according to federal officials. Beanie Babies, small plush toys sold for between $5 and $7, have been popular with collectors. During their peak of popularity in the 1990s, some collectors would pay hundreds of dollars for a rare character on the resale market, according to press accounts. Warner's net worth was listed this week by Forbes as $2.6 billion.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
We applauded Morgan Stanley for its [fixed income, currencies and commodities, or] FICC restructuring announcement in 2012 as the right step towards improving ROE. However, with [wealth management] earnings growing, we believe the pressure has lessened for management to shrink FICC further, with the business in our estimates consuming c.45% of group RWAs and not generating CoE returns in 2016E. In addition, Morgan Stanley now appears expensive, trading at 11.3x P/E, 1.1x P/NAV for RONAV 9.9% in 2016E which is a material premium to European IBs on average 7.9x 2016E P/E. We do not see Morgan Stanley reaching its 10%+ ROE target (on average common equity) in our current estimates and is offering no upside to our $34 Dec-15 SOP based PT. Hence we downgrade Morgan Stanley to Neutral from OW and see better value in European IBs, in particular UBS (UBS) trading at 9.0x P/E and 1.5x P/NAV for RONAV 16.4% in 2016E.
- [By Laura Brodbeck]
Tuesday
Earnings Expected: Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS), UBS AG (NYSE: UBS), Emerson Electric Company (NYSE: EMR), DirecTV (NASDAQ: DTV) Economic Releases Expected: Chinese services PMI, US redbook, Canadian trade balance, eurozone retail sales, British services PMI, eurozone services PMI, Reserve Bank of Australia interest rate decisionWednesday
Top 10 Companies To Invest In 2014: Aruba Networks Inc.(ARUN)
Aruba Networks, Inc. provides next-generation network access solutions for the mobile enterprises worldwide. Its products include ArubaOS, an operating system software for wired, wireless, and remote access products for integrating user-based security, application-aware radio-frequency services, and wireless LAN access to deliver mobile networking solutions; software modules for ArubaOS; mobility controllers for managing wired and wireless access; access points, which serve as on-ramps that aggregate user traffic onto the enterprise network and direct this traffic to mobility controllers; and mobility access switches that provide secure network access for wired users and devices. The company also offers remote networking products comprising remote access points for securing always-on network access to corporate enterprise networks from remote locations; Aruba Instant; and Virtual Intranet Access client software that provides secure network connectivity for Windows laptops and MacBooks. In addition, it offers outdoor wireless mesh routers to secure Wi-Fi access and backhaul links for transporting voice, video, and data traffic wirelessly. Further, the company provides management and security software products, such as AirWave network management for managing mobile and wired users on multisite networks; and Amigopod access management, which manages secure wireless LAN access for visitors, contractors, employees, and their mobile devices, as well as offers cloud-based content security services for branch offices and teleworkers. It markets its products to construction, general enterprise, education, finance, government, healthcare, hospitality, manufacturing, media, retail, technology, telecom, transportation, and utility industries through its sales force, value-added resellers, value-added distributors, and original equipment manufacturers. The company was incorporated in 2002 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Wallace Witkowski]
Aruba Networks Inc. (ARUN) �shares fell 6.5% to $18.75 on moderate volume even though the company reported adjusted fiscal third-quarter results of 20 cents a share on revenue of $188.8 million, against a Wall Street consensus forecast of 20 cents a share on revenue of $180.8 million.
- [By Freelance Individual Investor]
Recently, there have been a spate of articles depicting Aruba Networks (ARUN) as just another player in the Wi-Fi space. Many of these detractors focused on GAAP losses, high executive compensation costs due to higher than normal stock option grants, and increasing competition from lower cost providers in some segments of their business. There is definitely some merit to these criticisms. And ARUN is attempting to address these concerns.
- [By Roberto Pedone]
One network equipment player that's quickly moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Aruba Networks (ARUN), which provides enterprise mobility solutions. This stock is off to a weak start in 2013, with shares off by 11%.
If you take a look at the chart for Aruba Networks, you'll notice that this stock just formed a major bottom chart pattern, after buyers stepped in to support the price over the last month and change from $17 to $16.25 a share. Following that bottom, shares of ARUN have now started to rebound higher and move back above its 50-day moving average of $17.73 a share. That move is quickly pushing shares of ARUN within range of triggering a major breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ARUN if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $19.16 a share to its 200-day moving average at $19.63 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 2.12 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then ARUN will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from May that started near $22 a share. Any high-volume move above $22 will then give ARUN a chance to hit $24 to $25 a share.
Traders can look to buy ARUN off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below support at $17 a share or below $16.25 a share if you want to give it more room. One can also buy ARUN off strength once it takes out those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By Renu Singh]
Aruba Networks (ARUN) is a leading provider of next-generation network access solutions for mobile enterprise. The company's Mobile Virtual Enterprise (MOVE) architecture unifies wired and wireless network infrastructures into one seamless access solution for corporate headquarters, mobile business professionals, remote workers and guests. This unified approach to access networks enables IT organizations and users to securely address the Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) phenomenon, dramatically improving productivity and lowering capital and operational costs.
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