Regardless of one�� views on the Fed and Ben Bernanke, investors will have to come to terms with the inevitability of higher rates going forward. Yet, this shouldn�� spook the market, as it�� an indication the global economy is finally pulling itself from the crater created by the implosion of Lehman Brothers and the ensuing financial crisis. Indeed, a host of opportunities are out there to position portfolios to face the coming market phase, from looking at equities and major banks in the U.S., to REITs and increasing exposure to core Europe to take advantage of deals overseas. Investors, though, should be careful of potential shocks including political bickering in Washington and across the Eurozone, and should avoid bonds and defensive stocks.
Bernanke is expected leave the Fed in early 2014, but his policies are set to endure, suggesting the Fed is taking its foot off the gas - Image credit: Getty Images via @daylife
Top Defense Companies For 2015: BioDelivery Sciences International Inc.(BDSI)
BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, focuses on developing and commercializing products in the areas of pain management and oncology supportive care. The company uses its patented BioErodible MucoAdhesive (BEMA) and Bioral cochleate drug delivery technologies in the development of its products. The BEMA technology is a small erodible polymer film for application to the buccal mucosa; and the Bioral cochleate drug delivery technology encapsulates a selected drug or therapeutic in a cochleate cylinder. Its pain franchise consists of products utilizing the patented BEMA technology, including ONSOLIS, a fentanyl buccal soluble film for the management of pain in opioid tolerant adult patients with cancer; and BEMA Buprenorphine, which is in the development stage for the treatment of moderate to severe chronic pain, as well as for the treatment of opioid dependence. The company also engages in developing product candidates utilizing the B EMA technology for conditions, such as nausea/vomiting. BioDelivery Sciences International, Inc. was founded in 1997 and is headquartered in Raleigh, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
BioDelivery Sciences International (NASDAQ: BDSI) shares shot up 9.17 percent to $13.09 on positive top-line Phase III results.
Shares of Kandi Technolgies Group (NASDAQ: KNDI) got a boost, shooting up 6.36 percent to $14.89 after the company announced a subsidy of $31.8 million for sales of more than 3,000 electric vehicles between June and December of 2013.
- [By John Kell]
Shares of BioDelivery Sciences International Inc.(BDSI) jumped after the company disclosed favorable results for a Phase 3 study of a treatment for severe chronic pain. BioDelivery shares surged 45% to $9.04 premarket.
- [By Lisa Levin]
BioDelivery Sciences International (NASDAQ: BDSI) shares climbed 5.61% to $12.05. The volume of BioDelivery Sciences shares traded was 332% higher than normal. BioDelivery Sciences shares have jumped 165.97% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 20.55% in the same period.
- [By Garrett Cook]
BioDelivery Sciences International (NASDAQ: BDSI) shares shot up 12.43 percent to $13.48 on positive top-line Phase III results.
Shares of Kandi Technolgies Group (NASDAQ: KNDI) got a boost, shooting up 5.43 percent to $14.76 after the company announced a subsidy of $31.8 million for sales of more than 3,000 electric vehicles between June and December of 2013.
Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Verifone Systems Inc.(PAY)
Verifone Systems, Inc. designs, markets, and services electronic payment solutions in North America and internationally. It provides system solutions, including countertop electronic payment systems that accepts magnetic, smart card, contactless/ radio frequency identification(RFID) cards, and near field communication(NFC) enabled mobile phones; secure PIN pads that support credit and debit transactions; and wireless system solutions that support Internet protocol-based code division multiple access, general packet radio service, bluetooth, and wireless fidelity technologies. The company also offers products for consumer-activated functionality at the point of sale; contactless/NFC payment solutions consisting of contactless readers primarily for consumer-activated transactions with contactless cards, tokens, and NFC-enabled mobile phones; and Gemstone family of products comprising integrated electronic payment systems for petroleum companies. In addition, it provides serv er-based payment processing software and middleware; unattended and self-service payments hardware and software integration modules, such as vending machines, ATMs, ticketing kiosks, petroleum dispensers, public transportation turnstiles and buses, self-checkout, bill payment, and photo finishing kiosks; retail bank branch solutions; mass transportation solutions; and network access solutions. Further, the company offers client services, customized application development, advertising publishing, taxi payments and advertising, cardholder data security, annual software maintenance program, and repair services. It serves financial institutions, payment processors, petroleum companies, large retailers, taxi fleets, government organizations, healthcare companies, independent sales organizations, and advertisers. The company was formerly known as VeriFone Holdings, Inc. and changed its name to VeriFone Systems, Inc in May 2010. VeriFone Systems, Inc. is headquartered in San Jose, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of VeriFone Systems (NYSE: PAY ) have jumped today, up by 13% at the high, after the company announced it scored a lucrative contract.
- [By Dan Burrows]
VeriFone (PAY) surged Wednesday on quarterly results showing that although the electronic payments processor is under assault from all sides, the market-share leader still has plenty of life left — as does PAY stock.
Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Westfield Financial Inc.(WFD)
Westfield Financial, Inc. operates as a bank holding company for the Westfield Bank that provides various community banking products and services to businesses and individuals in Massachusetts. The company offers various deposit products, including regular savings deposits comprising passbook and statement savings accounts; NOW accounts; noninterest-bearing demand accounts; money market accounts; certificates of deposit; and time deposits. Its loan portfolio primarily consists of commercial and industrial loans, such as business installment loans, vehicle and equipment financing, lines of credit, and other commercial loans; commercial real estate loans to finance the purchase of real property, and construction loans to developers of commercial and residential properties; residential real estate loans; home equity loans; and consumer loans that consist of automobile loans, secured passbook loans, credit lines tied to deposit accounts to provide overdraft protection, and uns ecured personal loans. The company also offers commercial products and services, which include commercial deposit accounts, cash management services, Internet banking, sweep accounts, ATM network, remote deposit, and night deposit services. It operates 11 banking offices in Agawam, East Longmeadow, Holyoke, Southwick, Springfield, West Springfield, and Westfield, Massachusetts; and 12 free-standing ATM locations in Feeding Hills, Holyoke, Springfield, West Springfield, and Westfield, Massachusetts. The company was founded in 1853 and is based in Westfield, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tim Melvin]
Westfield Financial (WFD) has 11 branches and about $1.3 billion in total assets in Massachusetts. The company has been consistently buying back its shares and in September authorized another 5% stock buyback plan. In the fourth quarter alone the bank repurchased 603,046 shares of its stock at below book value. In addition to the buyback, the bank pays a generous dividend — 3.22% at the current price.
- [By Dividends4Life]
Memberships and Peers: PBCT is a member of the S&P 500 and a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers��Index. The company's peer group includes: Bank of America Corporation (BAC) with a 0.3% yield, Brookline Bancorp, Inc. (BRKL) with a 3.7% yield and Westfield Financial Inc. (WFD) with a 3.5% yield.
Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Turtle Beach Corp (HEAR)
Turtle Beach Corp, formerly Parametric Sound Corporation, incorporated on June 2, 2010, is a technology company focused on delivering audio solutions through its HyperSound (HSS(r)) technology platform, which consists of the practical application of parametric acoustic technology for generating sound along a directional ultrasonic column. In addition to its commercial product business, the Company is targeting its technology for new uses in consumer markets including computers, video gaming, televisions and home audio along with other commercial markets including casino gaming and cinema. The Company is also researching and developing health applications for persons with hearing loss. The Company's principal markets for its products are North America, Europe and Asia. In October 2012, the Company formed HyperSound Health, Inc. (HHI) as wholly owned subsidiary. In January 2014, the Company completed its merger with privately-held Turtle Beach.
Its commercial product line, HSS-3000, delivers directed audio solutions to customers primarily for digital signage, point-of-purchase, in-store network and related applications. Its commercial HSS-3000 HyperSound Audio System consists of a HSS-3000 Amplifier and one or more HSS-3000 Emitters. The HSS-3000 Emitter features a 5-inch by 10-inch emitter surface and is separate from the amplifier, offering varied installation options. It offers a variety of supporting installation hardware for customers.
The Company competes with Harmon International Industries, Bose, Klipsch, Polk Audio, Pioneer, Sony, Boston Acoustics, LG, Samsung, Brown Innovations, Inc. Panphonics and Holosonic Research Labs, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Another under-$10 stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Turtle Beach (HEAR), which is engaged in developing, commercializing and marketing audio technologies under the Turtle Beach and HyperSound brands in the U.S., Europe and internationally. This stock has been hit hard by the sellers so far in 2014, with shares off sharply by 29%.
If you take a look at the chart for Turtle Beach, you'll notice that this stock recently formed a triple bottom chart pattern at $9, $9.04 and $9.28 a share. Since forming that bottom, shares of HEAR have started to spike higher back above its 50-day moving average of $9.75 a share. That spike is quickly pushing shares of HEAR within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade.
Market players should now look for long-biased trades in HEAR if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance at $10.08 to $10.50 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 195,008 shares. If that breakout gets underway soon, then HEAR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $11 to $11.40 a share. Any high-volume move above $11.40 will then give HEAR a chance to re-fill some of its previous gap-down-day zone from April that started near $13.50 a share.
Traders can look to buy HEAR off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below those triple bottom support levels. One can also buy HEAR off strength once it starts to clear those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Unilever PLC(UL)
Unilever PLC operates as a fast-moving consumer goods company in Asia, Africa, Europe, and the Americas. It offers personal care products, including skin care and hair care products, deodorants, and oral care products under the brand names of Axe, Brylcreem, Dove, Fissan, Lifebuoy, Lux, Pond's, Radox, Rexona, Signal & Close Up, Simple, St Ives, Sunsilk, TRESemm� Vaseline, and VO5. The company also provides home care products comprising laundry tablets, powders and liquids, soap bars, and a range of cleaning products under the Cif, Comfort, Domestos, Omo, Radiant, Sunlight, and Surf brand names. In addition, it offers food products consisting of soups, bouillons, sauces, snacks, mayonnaise, salad dressings, margarines and spreads, as well as cooking products, such as liquid margarines. The company markets its food products under the brand names of Becel/Flora, Bertolli, Blue Band, Rama, Hellmann?s, Amora, and Knorr. Further, it provides refreshment products, which includ e ice cream, tea-based beverages, weight-management products, and nutritionally enhanced staples under the brand names of Heartbrand, Lipton, and Slim Fast. Unilever sells its products through its own sales force, as well as through independent brokers, agents, and distributors to chain, wholesale, co-operative and independent grocery accounts, food service distributors, and institutions. The company, formerly known as Lever Brothers Limited, was founded in 1885 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Unilever PLC is a subsidiary of The Unilever Group.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Fast Weekly]
I am however certain that I have cash I need to put to work, and I am very happy with my recent investments in Coca-Cola (KO), McDonalds (MCD), General Mills (GIS), Unilever (UL), and VWO. �Those purchases were sized such that I'm not yet to my target allocation, and I will continue buying as the stock prices go lower.
- [By Jill Ralph]
I've put popular U.K. share Unilever (LSE: ULVR ) (NYSE: UL ) under the microscope for today. I'm going to zoom in on three key things to know -- and in this case, like -- about a company that makes many of the products you and I keep in our cupboards.
Top Industrial Disributor Stocks To Buy For 2014: Luxottica Group SpA (LUX)
Luxottica Group S.p.A. (Luxottica), incorporated in 1961, is an Italy-based company engaged in the design, manufacture and distribution of prescription frames and sunglasses in the mid-and premium-price categories. It operates in two segments: manufacturing and wholesale distribution and retail distribution. Through its manufacturing and wholesale distribution segment, it is engaged in the design, manufacture, wholesale distribution and marketing of house and designer lines of mid-to premium-priced prescription frames and sunglasses. The Company operates its retail segment principally through its retail brands, which include, among others, LensCrafters, Pearle Vision, Sears Optical, Target Optical and its Licensed Brands (Sears Optical and Target Optical), as well as through the retail brands of its business, Oakley, which include, among others, Oakley O Stores and Vaults, David Clulow e nel segmento Licensed Brand. Among its subsidiaries there are: Air Sun, Bazooka Inc, David Clulow Brighton Ltd and Ecotop Pty Ltd.
In May 2010, the Company acquired a 35.16% interest held by minority stockholders in Luxottica Gozluk Endustri ve Ticaret Anonim Sirketi, (Luxottica Turkey). On July 30, 2010, Luxottica acquired a 34% interest held by minority stockholders in Sunglass Hut (UK) Limited. On November 26, 2010, it acquired the Optifashion Australia Pty Limited group from HAL Optical Investments B.V. The acquisition included 47 corporate stores (40 optical and seven sun) and nine franchises, trading under brands including Just Spectacles. During the year ended December 31, 2010, the Company completed the acquisition of the David Clulow chain, bringing its ownership in the subsidiary to 100%. Luxottica�� house brands include Ray-Ban, Oakley, Arnette, Persol, REVO, Vogue, Oliver Peoples, K&L, Luxottica, Mosley Tribes, Sferoflex and Eye Safety Systems (ESS). Its licensed designer brands include Anne Klein, Brooks Brothers, Bvlgari, Burberry, Chanel, Dolce & Gabbana, D&G, Donna Karan, DKNY, Fox, Miu ! Miu, Paul Smith, Polo Ralph Lauren, Prada, Salvatore Ferragamo, Stella McCartney, Tiffany & Co, Tory Burch and Versace. Polo Ralph Lauren includes Chaps, Polo, Ralph and Ralph Lauren Purple Label. Product design, development and manufacturing takes place in six production facilities in Italy, two wholly owned factories in China and two sports sunglasses production facilities in the United States. Luxottica also has a small plant in India serving the local market.
During 2010, the Company produced approximately 56.6 million units. In North America, the Company operates the points of sale for its Licensed Brands, with over 1,140 stores under the Sears Optical and Target Optical brands. During 2010, it distributed approximately 20.4 million prescription frames and approximately 38.4 million sunglasses, in approximately 5,900 different styles. During 2010, it announced the signing of a license agreement with Coach, Inc. (Coach) for the design, manufacturing and global distribution of sun and prescription eyewear under the Coach, Coach Poppy and Reed Krakoff brands. Essilor S.A. (Essilor) is the supplier of the Company�� retail operations.
Luxottica�� distribution system is globally integrated and supplied by a centralized manufacturing programming platform. The network linking the logistics and sales centers to the production facilities in Italy and China also provides daily monitoring of global sales performance and inventory levels so that manufacturing resources can be programmed and warehouse stocks re-allocated to meet local market demand. This integrated system serves both the retail and wholesale businesses with 18 distribution centers worldwide, of which eight are in the Americas, seven are in the Asia-Pacific region and three are in the rest of the world. It has three main distribution centers (hubs) in locations serving its markets: Sedico in Europe, Atlanta in the Americas and Dongguan in the Asia-Pacific region. They operate as centralized facilities, offering custo! mers a au! tomated order management system. During 2010, it managed over 13,500 orders per day, including eyeglasses and spare parts. Sedico ships over 170,000 units daily to customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa and to its distribution centers in the rest of the world, from which they are then shipped to local customers.
Wholesale Distribution
The Company�� wholesale distribution network, covering 130 countries across five continents, has 18 logistics centers and 42 commercial subsidiaries providing direct operations in key markets. Luxottica also distributes certain brands, including Oakley, to sporting goods stores and specialty sports stores, including bike, surf, snow, skate, golf and motor sports stores.
Retail Distribution
The retail portfolio offers a range of differentiation points for consumers, including the latest in designer and sun frames, lens options, eye care and everyday vision care health benefits. As of March 31, 2011, the Company�� retail business consisted of 5,911 corporate stores and 514 franchised or licensed locations. In its retail sun business, Luxottica operates over 2,480 retail locations in North America, Asia-Pacific, South Africa, Europe and the Middle East, mainly through the Sunglass Hut brand. Luxottica�� retail stores sells not only prescription frames and sunglasses that it manufactures but also a range of prescription frames, lenses and other ophthalmic products manufactured by other companies. During 2010, units manufactured with its brand names or its licensed brands represented approximately 80.2% of the total sales of frames based on units sold by the retail division.
Luxottica�� optical retail operations are anchored by brands, such as LensCrafters and Pearle Vision in North America, and OPSM, Laubman & Pank and Budget Eyewear, which are available in Australia and New Zealand. It also has a retail presence in China, where the Company operates in the eyewear market with LensCrafters. As of ! March 31,! 2011, the Company�� optical retail business consisted of approximately 3,650 retail locations globally. As of March 31, 2011, it operated a retail network of 1,191 LensCrafters stores, of which 989 are in North America and 202 stores are in China and Hong Kong. LensCrafters stores offer a range of selection of prescription frames and sunglasses, mostly made by Luxottica, in addition to a range of lenses and optical products made by other suppliers. LensCrafters' products include lenses, such as FeatherWates (lightweight, thin and impact-resistant lenses), DURALENS (super scratch-resistant lenses), Advanced View Progressive (free-form, digitally surfaced progressive lenses), Invisibles (anti-reflective lenses) and MVP Maximum View Progressives (multi-focal lenses without visible lines).
Pearle Vision is a optical retail chain in North America. As of March 31, 2011, Pearle Vision operated 330 corporate stores and had 350 franchise locations throughout North America. The Company also operates a network of retail locations in North America operating as Sears Optical and Target Optical, its Licensed Brands, which uses the brand names of their respective American department store. As of March 31, 2011, it operated 828 Sears Optical and 323 Target Optical locations throughout North America. OPSM includes three optical chains that it operates in Australia and New Zealand. In July 2010, the brand launched its new flagship store OPSM Eye Hub and in September 2010, the brand launched its new OPSM Loves Eyes marketing campaign. As of March 31, 2011, the Company owned 357 OPSM corporate stores throughout Australia. OPSM also has 43 corporate-owned stores in New Zealand, mainly in large urban areas.
Laubman & Pank focuses on the independent optical shopper looking for eyecare and service. As of March 31, 2011, Luxottica owned 65 Laubman & Pank corporate stores throughout Australia. As of March 31, 2011, the Company owned 92 Budget Eyewear corporate stores throughout Australia and had nine! franchis! e locations. Budget Eyewear also has 14 corporate stores in New Zealand. EyeMed Vision Care is a managed vision care operators in the United States, serving over 28.5 million members in large and medium size companies and government entities and through insurance companies. EyeMed has a network of over 24,000 locations, including opticians, ophthalmologists, optometrists and chains operated by Luxottica. Together with LensCrafters' over 900 in-store labs, Luxottica operates five central lens finishing labs in North America. In addition, it operates Oakley optical lens laboratories in the United States, Ireland and Japan. As of March 31, 2011, Sunglass Hut had 2,385 stores worldwide, of which 2,329 are corporate stores and 56 are franchise locations. As of March 31, 2011, the Company operated approximately 590 Sunglass Hut departments in Macy's.
ILORI is Luxottica's fashion sunwear retail brand, with 24 stores in North America, as of March 31, 2011, including flagship stores in the SoHo neighborhood of New York City and in Beverly Hills, California. As of March 31, 2011, the Company operated 24 Optical Shop of Aspen stores in locations throughout the United States. Luxottica operates six luxury retail stores under the Oliver Peoples brand. The Oliver Peoples brand retail stores only offer Oliver Peoples, Mosley Tribes and Paul Smith branded optical products. Two additional Oliver Peoples retail locations are operated under license in Tokyo and Los Angeles. In Europe, it operates David Clulow, an optical retailer operating in the United Kingdom and Ireland. As of March 31, 2011, David Clulow operated 39 corporate-owned locations (including nine joint ventures), four franchise locations and 36 sun stores/concessions. As of March 31, 2011, Bright Eyes operated 51 corporate store locations and 73 franchise locations. As of March 31, 2011, the Company operated 159 Oakley O Stores and Vaults worldwide, offering a range of Oakley products, including sunglasses, apparel, footwear and accessories. An! other sal! es channel is e-commerce, including the Oakley and the Ray-Ban Websites (www.oakley.com, www.Ray-Ban.com).
The Company competes with De Rigo S.p.A., Marchon Eyewear, Inc., Marcolin S.p.A., Safilo Group S.p.A., Silhouette International Schmied AG, Maui Jim, Inc., Wal-Mart, Eye Care Centers of America, Vision Service Plan (VSP), Davis Vision and Spectera.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
Mario Gabelli (Trades, Portfolio)'s CIO Howard Ward likes Luxottica (LUX), Novo Nordisk (NOVO), Diageo (DEO), Apple (AAPL) and CVS (CVS).
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- [By Victor Selva]
The company has a very attractive current ratio of 33.03% which is higher than its comps: Becton Dickinson & Co (BDX), Cardinal Health Inc (CAH), Cooper Companies (COO) and Luxottica Group S.p.A. (LUX).
- [By Roberto Pedone]
First up is $25 billion eyewear stock Luxottica Group (LUX). Luxottica has posted some solid performance year-to-date, rallying more than 28% since the calendar flipped over to January. But this stock looks downright toxic right now. Here's why.
Luxottica is currently forming a bearish price setup called a descending triangle. The pattern is formed by a horizontal support level below shares at $51 and downtrending resistance to the topside. As shares bounce between those two technically significant price levels, LUX is getting squeezed closer to a breakdown below that $51 price floor. When that happens, we've got our sell signal in this fashion stock.
Declining volume over the course of the setup in LUX adds some confirmation to the trade, but the downtrend in relative strength is the real problem in this chart. LUX has been underperforming the broad market horrifically in the last quarter, and a move through the $51 level would sap a lot more buying pressure from shares.
If you still own LUX, look for that sell signal as your exit.
- [By Alanna Petroff]
Google (GOOG, Fortune 500) announced late Monday that it is joining forces with eyewear giant Luxottica (LUX) to design, develop and distribute a new generation of Glass.
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