Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. Earnings: Can the Stock Keep Soaring?

On Tuesday, Smith & Wesson Holding (NASDAQ: SWHC  ) will release its quarterly report, and shareholders have been pleased to see continued share-price gains from the gunmaker. Yet along with rival Sturm, Ruger (NYSE: RGR  ) , Smith & Wesson is in danger of seeing earnings top out, and many investors wonder whether the good times for the gun industry will last or whether the recent move from Alliant Techsystems (NYSE: ATK  ) to spin off its firearms and sporting segment marks a high-water mark for Smith & Wesson and other gun manufacturers.

Smith & Wesson has been the ultimate contrarian investing play, as many people expected that tougher gun regulation would hurt sales and bring Smith & Wesson, Sturm, Ruger, and other gunmakers to their knees. Yet in many ways, the opposite has been true, as the threat of tighter gun regulation has led to higher short-term sales. Still, even the gun companies themselves have warned that short-term effects could eventually give way to slower growth, and the question is whether that time has come or whether further growth opportunities still exist. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with Smith & Wesson over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its report.

Source: Smith & Wesson.

Stats on Smith & Wesson

Analyst EPS Estimate	$0.39
Change From Year-Ago EPS	(11.4%)
Revenue Estimate	$163.55 million
Change From Year-Ago Revenue	(8.5%)
Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters	3

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

Will Smith & Wesson earnings start shrinking?
In recent months, analysts have boosted their views on Smith & Wesson earnings, raising April-quarter estimates by $0.02 per share and increasing their fiscal 2015 projections by about 4%. The stock has kept soaring, with gains of 37% since late February.

Most of Smith & Wesson's gains came early in the quarter, when the gunmaker announced its earnings for the January quarter. Sales jumped more than 7% from the year-ago quarter despite the loss of revenue from Smith & Wesson's arrangement with Walther Arms, and net income from continuing operations rose nearly 35% on a roughly 30% rise in handgun sales. Moreover, Smith & Wesson gave positive guidance for the April quarter, boosting estimates for the full fiscal year as well.

Source: Smith & Wesson.

What was particularly impressive about Smith & Wesson's results is that investors were so much more pleased with them than they were with what rival Sturm, Ruger posted. For its part, Sturm Ruger saw a 33% jump in earnings per share, but shareholders weren't satisfied with that performance and sold off the shares accordingly. Investors have clearly gotten spoiled from such high demand last year that Sturm Ruger wasn't able to keep up, but they nevertheless appear to be concerned about what might be the looming end of the current strength in gun sales, as background-check volume has plunged in recent quarters and sporting-goods retailers have seen weaker sales as well. That might also be part of the justification for Alliant Techsystems choosing to spin off its Savage Arms and other sporting-goods brands into a separate entity.

Best Defensive Companies To Own For 2015

Still, Smith & Wesson appears to be holding up well. Earlier this month, one analyst firm upgraded the company's stock, arguing that Smith & Wesson's new handgun launches are faring well, especially in jurisdictions that allow concealed handguns. If Smith & Wesson can demonstrate its superiority over Sturm Ruger in the eyes of consumers, then it might be a long-term winner even if gun demand returns to more normal levels.

In the Smith & Wesson earnings report, watch to see what comments the company's management has about the future trends in gun sales. Given how long skeptics have been calling for weaker sales, it wouldn't be surprising if Smith & Wesson could forestall the long-awaited setback for at least one more quarter.

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Hot Gold Stocks For 2015

Hot Gold Stocks For 2015: Australian Dollar(AU)

AngloGold Ashanti Limited primarily engages in the exploration and production of gold. It also produces silver, uranium oxide, and sulfuric acid. The company conducts gold-mining operations in South Africa; continental Africa, including Ghana, Guinea, Mali, Namibia, and Tanzania; Australia; and the Americas, which include Argentina, Brazil, and the United States. It also has mining or exploration operations in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Guinea, and Colombia. As of December 31, 2010, the company had proved and probable gold reserves of 71.2 million ounces. The company has a strategic alliance with Thani Dubai Mining Limited to explore, develop, and operate mines across the Middle East and parts of North Africa. AngloGold Ashanti Limited, formerly known as Vaal Reefs Exploration and Mining Company Limited, was founded in 1944 and is headquartered in Johannesburg, South Africa.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Jim Powell]

  In addition to holding Goldcorp and Barrick Gold, the fund tracks the performance of Newmont Mining (NEM), Newcrest Mining (NCMGY), AngloGold Ashanti (AU), and several other industry leaders.

• [By Profit Confidential]

  Graham Ehm, Executive Vice President of South African-based AngloGold Ashanti Limited (NYSE: AU), one of the biggest gold producers in the global economy, stated the company is looking to save $500 million over the next 18 months, as capital expenditures will only be going towards their highest-quality assets. (Source: Mining Weekly, August 5, 2013.)

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/hot-gold-stocks-for-2015.html

5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now

5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now: Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA (BMPS)

Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA is an Italy-based company engaged in the banking sector. It provides traditional banking services, asset management and private banking, including life insurance, pension funds and investment trusts. It operates though three business segments. The Retail Banking segment covers consumer lending, insurance, provision of financial and non-financial services to retail customers, wealth management, tax planning, financial advisory and planning for private customers. The Corporate Banking division oversees the Group's business strategies targeted to small and medium enterprises, institutions and large corporate for which it offers leasing, factoring, lending and financial products, among others. The Corporate Center segment includes the cancellation of intergroup entries, treasure, governance and support functions. In January 2014, the Company completed the sale of its entire shareholding in Sorin SpA, equal to approximately 5.7%. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Corinne Gretler]

  Kesko Oyj, Finlands biggest publicly traded retailer, rallied 9 percent. Banca Monte dei Paschi di Siena SpA (BMPS) added 2 percent as Italys third-largest lender set out a plan to return to profit after cutting costs and raising capital as part of its restructuring plan. Speedy Hire Plc sank the most since 2009 after the construction-equipment leasing company said it found evidence of false accounting at one of its units.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/5-best-integrated-utility-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

Last-Chance Weekend to Get Your Bid in for BlackBerry

If you are still among the rumored hordes considering a bid for smartphone maker BlackBerry Ltd. (NASDAQ: BBRY), you have until Monday to get your bid in. Or maybe not, depending on how successful Canada's Fairfax Financial Holdings Ltd. is putting the financing together for its $9 a share, $4.7 billion bid for the phone maker. Fairfax has a Monday deadline for completing its due diligence and showing the color of its money.

We noted a few weeks ago that BlackBerry's co-founders were interested in putting together a bid for the company. At the time private equity firm Cerberus Capital Management LP was also said to be interested in making a bid. And Friday, sources told The Wall Street Journal that the co-founders, Cerberus, and, now, Qualcomm Inc. (NASDAQ: QCOM) may join together to make a bid for BlackBerry.

Top 5 Companies To Invest In 2015

What's almost certain is that a bid, if it does come, will not offer $9 a share. If Fairfax could have found the funding to pay that much the deal would be done by now.

So, how much is BlackBerry worth? The stock closed at $7.77 on Friday, about 14% lower than the Fairfax bid. Not an unheard of premium in a takeover bid, but with the understanding that the underlying asset is worth the base price to begin with.

The only way that BlackBerry is worth $9 a share is if it is sold in pieces. It's patent portfolio is probably worth about $1.6 billion, its enterprise network might be worth up to $1.1 billion, and the company had about $2.6 billion in cash and short-term investments at the end of its most recent fiscal year in March. The smartphone business is worth essentially nothing.

Qualcomm's only interest in bidding on BlackBerry has got to be in the Canadian company's patent portfolio. Keeping BlackBerry afloat as a customer for Qualcomm's chips is laughable. Cerberus, an acknowledged buyer of hopeless cases, won't overpay, and co-founders Lazaridis and Fergin would never have let the company go if they knew how to fix it.

Like we said, there's still time for you to get a bid in. If you really want to, that is.

5 Best Defense Stocks To Watch Right Now

5 Best Defense Stocks To Watch Right Now: Moog Inc (MOGA)

Moog Inc. (Moog), incorporated on August 1, 1951, is a designer, manufacturer and integrator of precision motion and fluid controls and systems for a range of applications in aerospace and defense and industrial markets. The Company operates in five segments: Aircraft Controls, Space and Defense Controls, Industrial Systems, Components and Medical Devices. Within the aerospace and defense market, its products and systems include military and commercial aircraft flight controls, thrust vector controls for space launch vehicles, controls for gun aiming, stabilization and automatic ammunition loading for armored combat vehicles, satellite positioning controls and controls for steering tactical and strategic missiles. In July 2012, it acquired American Pacific Corporation's In-Space Propulsion business. In August 2012, the Company acquired Tritech International Limited. In January 2013, the Company acquired Broad Reach Engineering Company. Effective March 21, 2013, the Company acquired Aspen Motion Technologies Inc. In July 2013, Moog Inc completed the sale of its Buffalo, New York operations of Ethox Medical to Dempsey Ventures.

Aircraft Controls

The Company designs, manufactures and integrates primary and secondary flight controls for military and commercial aircraft and provide aftermarket support. The Company systems are used in commercial transports, supersonic fighters, multi-role military aircraft, business jets and rotorcraft. The Company also supply ground-based navigation aids. During the fiscal year ended September 29, 2012 (fiscal 2012). The Company is working on several development programs, including the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, COMAC C919, Airbus A350XWB, several business jet programs and a new military air refueling tanker KC-46. The F-35 flight test phase has expanded covering three variants and initial production is increasing with aircraft being delivered to internati! onal partn ers. The Companys military production programs include th! e F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor, the Black Hawk/Seahawk helicopter and the F-35. The Companys commercial production programs include the full line of Boeing 7-series aircraft, Airbus A330 and a range of business jets.

The Company competes with Parker Hannifin, UTC (Goodrich, Hamilton Sundstrand), Liebherr, Nabtesco, Woodward Governor and Curtiss-Wright.

Space and Defense Controls

Space and Defense Controls provides controls for satellites and space vehicles, launch vehicles, armored combat vehicles, tactical and strategic missiles, security and surveillance and other defense applications. For commercial and military satellites, The Company design, manufacture and integrate propulsion systems and components (attitude control and orbit insertion) and actuation systems and components for deploying solar panels and antennae pointing. The Atlas, Delta and Ariane launch vehicle programs use its steering and propulsion controls. The Company is also developing products for NASAs new Space Launch System.

The Company designs and builds steering and propulsion controls for tactical and strategic missile programs, including Hellfire, TOW and Trident. The Company supply valves and steering controls on the U.S. National Missile Defense Agency's Ballistic Missile Defense initiative. The Company designs and manufactures systems for gun aiming, stabilization, turrets, automatic ammunition loading and driver vision enhancement on armored combat vehicles for a range of international and United States customers. The Company designs, builds and integrate stores management systems for light attack aerial reconnaissance platforms. The Company also designs and builds high power, quiet controls for naval surface ship and submarine applications.

The Company competes with Honeywell, Parker Hannifin, Vacco, Valvetech, Marotta, SABCA, ESW, Aerojet, Snecma, Valcor, Aeroflex,! UTC (Ha ! milton Sundstrand), Limitorque, Sargeant Industries, RVision! , Directe! d Perception, ATA Engineering, CDA InterCorp, RUAG, Rockwell Collins, Woodward Governor, Sierra-Nevada, Vicon, Videotec and Lord Corp.

Industrial Systems

Industrial Systems serves a global customer base across a range of markets. For wind energy, Industrial Systems serves a global customer base across a variety of markets. For wind energy, The Company designs and manufactures electric pitch controls and blade monitoring systems for wind turbines. The Company supply electromechanical motion simulation bases for the flight simulation and training markets. For the plastics making machinery market, the Company designs, manufactures and integrates systems for all axes of injection and blow molding machines. For the test markets, the Company supply controls for automotive, structural and fatigue testing.

The Company supply electromechanical motion simulation bases for the flight simulation and training markets. In the power generation market , the Company designs, manufactures and integrates complete control assemblies for fuel, steam and variable geometry control applications. For the test markets, the Company supply controls for automotive, structural and fatigue testing. Metal forming markets use its systems to provide precise control of position, velocity, force, pressure, acceleration and other critical parameters. Heavy industry uses its high precision electrical and hydraulic servovalves for steel and aluminum mill equipment. Other markets include oil exploration, material handling, auto racing, carpet tufting, paper and lumber mills.

The Company competes with Bosch Rexroth, Danaher, Baumueller, Siemens, SSB, Parker Hannifin, Suzhou ReEnergy, MTS Systems Corp., Exlar and Hydraudyne.

Components

The Components segments product categories are slip rings, fiber optic rotary joints and motors. Slip rings and fiber optic rotary joints use sliding contacts! and opti! cal te chnology to allow unimpeded rotation while delivering power ! and data ! through a rotating interface. They come in a range of sizes that allow them to be used in many applications, including diagnostic imaging computed tomography (CT) scan medical equipment featuring high-speed data communications, de-icing and data transfer for rotorcraft, forward-looking infrared camera installations, radar pedestals, satellites, missiles, wind turbines, surveillance cameras and remotely operated vehicles and floating platforms for offshore oil exploration.

The Companys motors are used in an equally range of markets, many of which are the same as for slip rings. Components designs and manufactures a series of fractional horsepower brushless motors that provide extremely low acoustic noise and reliable long life operation, with the market being sleep apnea equipment. Industrial markets use its motors for material handling and electric pumps. Military applications use its motors for gimbals, missiles and radar pedestals. Components other prod uct lines include electromechanical actuators for military, aerospace and commercial applications, fiber optic modems that provide electrical-to-optical conversion of communication and data signals, avionic instrumentation, optical switches and resolvers.

The Company competes with Danaher, Allied Motion, Ametek, Woodward MPC, Axsys, Schleifring, Airflyte, Smiths, Kearfott and Stemmann.

Medical Devices

Medical Devices segment operates within four medical devices market areas: infusion therapy, enteral clinical nutrition, sensors and surgical hand pieces. For infusion therapy, its primary products are electronic ambulatory infusion pumps along with the associated administration sets. Applications of these products include hydration, nutrition, patient-controlled analgesia, local anesthesia, chemotherapy and antibiotics. The Company manufactures and distributes a complete line of portable pumps, stationary pumps and disp! osable se! ts that ar e used in the delivery of enteral nutrition for patients in ! their own! homes, hospitals and long-term care facilities. The Company manufactures and distributes ultrasonic and optical sensors used to detect air bubbles in infusion pump lines and ensure accurate fluid delivery. The Companys surgical hand pieces are used to safely fragment and aspirate tissue in common medical procedures such as cataract removal.

The Company competes with B. Braun, CareFusion, Smiths Medical, Hospira, Alcon, Baxter International, CME, I-Flow, Covidien, Etalon, Introtek and Ross (Abbott).

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Seth Jayson]

  Moog (NYSE: MOGA  ) reported earnings on April 26. Here are the numbers you need to know.

  The 10-second takeaway
  For the quarter ended March 30 (Q2), Moog met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/5-best-defense-stocks-to-watch-right-now.html

Google rolling out its own driverless car

RANCHO PALOS VERDES, Calif. — Google is building a fleet of electric-powered self-driving cars that it plans to begin testing by the end of the year.

The technology giant plans to test the compact two-seat vehicles with safety drivers, Google co-founder Sergey Brin said in an interview on Tuesday night.

Brin says the cars are part of Google's effort to reengineer transportation.

"What I'm excited about is how we could change transportation today," Brin said. "If you look at people who are too old, too young, or disabled, and can't get around, that's a big challenge for them."

Google plans to build 100 to 200 prototypes.

The next stop on the road to a self-driving car http://t.co/gniIr42rmQpic.twitter.com/AkpLOpMWWB

— A Googler (@google) May 28, 2014

The Google cars do not have a steering wheel, brakes or gas pedal but come equipped with sensors and software designed to help them steer clear of accidents. The driver has a button he or she can push to stop the car in case of emergency. The cars can't go any faster than 25 miles per hour.

"We took a look from the ground up of what a self-driving car would look like," Brin said at the Code conference.

In this Sept. 2012 file photo, Google co-founder Sergey Brin gestures after riding in a driverless car with California Gov. Edmund G Brown Jr., left, and state Senator Alex Padilla, second from left, to a bill signing for driverless cars at Google headquarters in Mountain View, Calif. The California Department of Motor Vehicles on Tuesday, March 11, 2014, held a public hearing to solicit ideas on how to integrate driverless cars, sometimes called "autonomous vehicles," onto public roads.(Photo: Eric Risberg, AP)

It's unclear if Google! plans to manufacture the cars or if it will decide instead to supply the technology to carmakers. But Brin said he's hopeful regulators will agree that cars can operate safely without a driver.

So far the cars have operated without incident, Brin said. They have two feet of foam on the front and use glass instead of plastic.

10 Best Transportation Stocks To Invest In 2015

10 Best Transportation Stocks To Invest In 2015: Nordic American Tanker Ltd (NAT)

Nordic American Tankers Limited is an international tanker company. As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 20 Suezmax tankers. The Company's vessels include Nordic Harrier, Nordic Hawk, Nordic Hunter, Nordic Voyager, Nordic Freedom, Nordic Fighter, Nordic Discovery, Nordic Saturn, Nordic Jupiter, Nordic Apollo and Nordic Moon. Its vessels also include Nordic Cosmos, Nordic Sprite, Nordic Grace, Nordic Mistral, Nordic Passat, Nordic Vega, Nordic Breeze, Nordic Aurora and Nordic Zenith. In September 2011, the Company acquired the vessel, Nordic Aurora. It chartered all of its vessels in the spot market pursuant to a cooperative arrangement with Gemini Tankers LLC until November 24, 2011. In November 2011, the Orion Tankers pool was established with Orion Tankers Ltd. as pool manager and its vessels were transferred from the Gemini Tankers LLC arrangement to the Orion Tankers pool. On December 17, 2012, the Company acquired 100% interest in Scandic American Shipping Ltd. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Robert Rapier]

  Nordic American Tanker (NYSE: NAT) is a Bermuda-based tanker company that acquires and charters double-hull tankers. Its fleet consists of 20 double-hull Suezmax tankers. Besides the factor you mention about more ships coming onto the market, NAT has underperformed — period. Shares have lost two-thirds of their value over the past five years, and the dividend has been cut multiple times.

• [By Jake L'Ecuyer]

  Equities Trading DOWN
  Shares of Nordic American Tankers (NYSE: NAT) were down 10.08 percent to $7.98 after the company announced the pricing of follow-on offering.

• [By Tim Melvin]

  One of the better-financed shipping companies is Bermuda-based Nordic American Tankers (NAT). NAT has a debt-to-equity ratio of just 0.25, unlike! many of its highly levered competitors. The company owns 20 double hulled SuezMax size oil tankers and will benefit when global energy demand picks up.

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/10-best-transportation-stocks-to-invest-in-2015.html

10 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Own For 2015

10 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Own For 2015: Health Net Inc. (HNT)

Health Net, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides managed health care services. The company offers commercial health care products, such as health maintenance organization plans through contracts with participating network physicians, hospitals, and other providers; preferred provider organization plans that provide coverage for services received from health care provider; and point of service plans. It also provides Medicare products, including Medicare advantage plans with and without prescription drug coverage; and Medicare supplement products that supplement fee-for-service Medicare coverage. In addition, the company offers Medicaid and related products; indemnity insurance products; auxiliary non-health products, such as life, accidental death and dismemberment, dental, vision, and behavioral health insurance; and other specialty services and products comprising pharmacy benefits, behavioral health, dental, and vision products and services, as well as managed care products for hospitals, health plans, and other entities. Further, it engages in government-sponsored managed care federal contract with the Department of Defense under the TRICARE program in the North Region; and other health care, mental health, and behavioral health government contracts. The company provides administrative services comprising provider network and referral management, medical and disease management, enrollment, customer service, clinical support service, and claims processing service to military health system eligible beneficiaries. It serves approximately 5.4 million individuals in the United States through group, individual, Medicare, Medicaid, the U.S. Department of Defense, and Veterans Affairs programs. Health Net, Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Woodland Hills, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Health Net (HNT) is an integrated managed care organization that deli! vers managed health care services through health plans and government-sponsored managed care plans. This stock closed up 2.9% at $32.51 in Thursday's trading session.

  Thursday's Volume: 1.17 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 665,534
  
  Volume % Change: 65%

  From a technical perspective, HNT jumped higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $31.37 with above-average volume. This stock has been uptrending for the last few weeks, with shares moving higher from its low of $29.11 to its intraday high of $32.80. During that move, shares of HNT have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move is starting to push shares of HNT within range of triggering a big breakout trade. That trade will hit if HNT manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $33.61 to its 52-week high at $33.70 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in HNT as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $31.37 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 665,534 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then HNT will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $38 to its three-year high at $41.22.

• [By Sean Williams]

  What: Shares of Health Net (NYSE: HNT  ) , a managed health-care provider, jumped higher by as much as 18% following the release of the company's first-quarter earnings results. Shares have since given back a majority of their gains and are up "just" 7% as of this writing.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  United’s disappointment has helped drag down other health insurers. WellPoint (WLP) dropped 1.3% to $88.53, Health Net (HNT) has fallen 1.7% to $31.25, Aetna (AET) has declined 2.4% to $64.11 and Cigna (CI) is off 3.5% at $77.69.

• [By Brian Stoffel]

  Will it ca! rry throu! gh?
  Other Fools have already covered much about this topic. Keith Speights wondered aloud if the ultimate winners would be companies that chose to participate in the plan -- like WellPoint (NYSE: WLP  ) and Health Net (NYSE: HNT  ) -- or those that opted not to.

source from Top Penny Stocks:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/10-best-up-and-coming-stocks-to-own-for-2015.html

Awards for great interiors go to cheap cars

A pair of unexpected automakers had a very good day when the editors of Ward's Auto World magazine honored the best new automotive interiors in Dearborn last week.

Chrysler Group and Hyundai-Kia each placed two vehicles among the 10 winners — more than luxury icons BMW, Jaguar and Lexus.

"The line separating luxury and mainstream is becoming extremely blurry" when it comes to interior looks, feel and features, Auto World editor-in-chief Drew Winter.

Maybe so, but Ward's top 10 includes two cars with six-figure sticker prices — the Mercedes-Benz S550 and Rolls-Royce Wraith.

Ward's editors evaluated 41 vehicles in every market segment to choose the winner. Any vehicle that's new or has a new interior was eligible.

Here are the top 10, with the price of the model tested and some standout features. They're in alphabetical order.

•2014 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray ($71,960) — The first Corvette with an interior as good as the car's exterior design and performance. The designers were "on a mission to compete with much more expensive cars" like the Porsche 911, Winter said. Highlights include supportive, sporty seats, a suede-like headliner and a high-visibility instrument cluster. "It's what Corvette owners have always wanted: A truly great interior," Ward's executive editor Tom Murphy said.

•2015 Chrysler 200C ($31,470) — Chrysler's new midsize sedan boasts a "well-equipped, roomy, handsome and clever" interior, Murphy said. Noteworthy features include a piece of wood trim that's nearly three feet long and plenty of storage and prices starting at $21,700.

•2014 GMC Sierra Denali ($56,685) — The Sierra Denali luxury pickup won because it couples capability and comfort. Ward's editors singled out attractive metallic trim and multiple power outlets for electronic gizmos.

•2014 Hyundai Equus Ultimate ($68,920) — "Anybody who doubts Hyundai can make a luxury car clearly hasn't climbed behind the wheel of an Equus," Winter said. Developed with! chauffeured passengers in mind, the "impeccably finished" Equus has a reclining rear seat and brushed aluminum trim.

•2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited ($37,525) — "Two words come to mind: rugged style," Murphy said. The Cherokee scored points for advanced connectivity, comfortable and attractive two-tone leather seats and details like a double line of stitching across the top of the dash and a beefy shifter.

•2014 Kia Soul ($24,010) — The least expensive winner scored with a combination of value and offbeat design. Ward's praised it as "a small car, but it offers a lot of room and doesn't feel cheap," thanks to soft-touch materials and details like lime green stitching that complement the exterior paint.

•2014 Mazda3 ($30,415) — "It's a compact car that's a step above the mainstream," Murphy said. Designers took some chances with features like multicolor gauges, stitching in three different colors and two-tone perforated leather.

•2014 Mercedes-Benz S550 ($122,895) — A benchmark for the whole industry, for its combination of aesthetics, technology and safety, Winter said. The interior features a double-wide display for navigation, rear headrests designed to mimic pillows and a "hot stone" massage feature that combines heat and pressure to remove the kinks after a long day at the wheel.

•2014 Rolls-Royce Wraith ($372,800) — From lamb's wool floor mats to wood panels big enough to deck a yacht, the Wraith redefines "handcrafted interior" for the 21st Century. And don't forget the starlight headliner. It's made of leather and has 1,340 variable-intensity fiber optic lights to mimic the night sky. For a few dollars more, Rolls will craft the owner's zodiac sign into the scene.

•2015 Volkswagen Golf GTI (Est. $30,695) — Another compact that sidesteps the mainstream, the sporty GTI hatchback features bright red stitching and supportive deeply sculpted seats. Brushed aluminum trim and a user-friendly touch screen keep the dark gray interior from seeming ov! erly seve! re.

4 Stocks Under $10 Making Big Moves

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

 

 

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

 

Regardless of the reason behind it, when a stock makes a large-percentage move, it is often just the start of a new major trend -- a trend that can lead to huge profits. If you time your trade correctly, combining technical indicators with fundamental trends, discipline and sound money management, you will be well on your way to investment success.

 

 

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

 

American Apparel

 

American Apparel (APP), designs, manufactures, distributes, retails and sells branded fashion basic apparel products, and clothing and accessories for women, men, children, and babies. This stock closed up 6.3% to 65 cents per share in Thursday's trading session.

 

Thursday's Range: $0.57-$0.66

52-Week Range: $0.46-$2.17

Thursday's Volume: 2.12 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 2.65 million

 

From a technical perspective, APP bounced sharply higher here right off its 50-day moving average of 61 cents per share with decent upside volume. This stock recently pulled back from 75 cents per share to Thursday's low of 57 cents per share with light downside volume. Market players should now look for a continuation move higher in the short-term if APP manages to take out Thursday's intraday high of 66 cents per share with high volume.

 

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in APP as long as it's trending above its 50-day at 61 cents per share and then once it sustains a move or close above 66 cents per share with volume that hits near or above 2.65 million shares. If that move kicks off soon, then APP will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at 75 to 82 cents per share.

 

Oi

 

Oi (OIBR) provides integrated telecommunication services for residential customers, companies and governmental agencies in Brazil. This stock closed up 2.5% to 85 cents per share in Thursday's trading session.

 

Thursday's Range: $0.82-$0.86

52-Week Range: $0.76-$2.34

Thursday's Volume: 22.83 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 14.72 million

 

From a technical perspective, OIBR jumped modestly higher here right above some near-term support at 80 cents per share with heavy upside volume. This stock has been downtrending badly for the last five months, with shares sliding lower from its high of $1.97 to its recent 52-week low of 76 cents per share. During that downtrend, shares of OBIR have been making mostly lower highs and lower lows, which is bearish technical price action. That said, shares of OIBR now look ready to rebound and potentially trigger a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if OIBR manages to take out Thursday's intraday high of 86 cents to more near-term overhead resistance at 90 cents per share with high volume.

 

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in OIBR as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at 80 cents to 76 cents per share and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 14.72 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then OIBR will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $1.02 to $1.08 a share. Any high-volume move above those levels will then give OIBR a chance to tag its 50-day moving average of $1.18 to more resistance at $1.27.

 

Endocyte

 

Endocyte (ECYT), a biopharmaceutical company, develops targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer and inflammatory diseases in the U.S. This stock closed up 2.2% to $6.45 a share in Thursday's trading session.

 

Thursday's Range: $6.14-$6.48

52-Week Range: $6.01-$33.70

Thursday's Volume: 893,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.91 million

 

From a technical perspective, ECYT jumped higher here right above its recent 52-week low of $6.01 with lighter-than-average volume. This move higher on Thursday is starting to push shares of ECYT within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if ECYT manages to clear some near-term overhead resistance levels at $6.82 to $7.30 with high volume.

 

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ECYT as long as it's trending above its 52-week low of $6.01 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 1.91 million shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ECYT will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap-down-day zone from earlier this month that started above $17.50.

 

Ciber

 

Ciber (CBR) operates as an information technology company. This stock closed up 6.8 % to $4.50 a share in Thursday's trading session.

 

Thursday's Range: $4.21-$4.54

52-Week Range: $3.08-$4.91

Thursday's Volume: 787,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 221,444

 

From a technical perspective, CBR bounced sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $4.13 and back above its 50-day moving average of $4.41 with heavy upside volume flows. This bounce higher on Thursday is quickly pushing shares of CBR within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if CBR manages to take out some key near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.64 to $4.73 and then once it takes out its 52-week high of $4.91 with high volume.

 

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CBR as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $4.13 or at $4.10 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 221,444 shares. If that breakout gets underway soon, then CBR will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory above $4.91, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $5.50 to $6.

 

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

 

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.

 

RELATED LINKS:

 

>>5 Dividend Stocks Ready to Pay You More

 

>>A Horrible Chart to Trade for Wonderful Gains

 

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

 

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

 

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

 

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

 

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

Put Money in Your Pocket… And Send Wall Street on the Run

It was Sir Francis Bacon who gave us the truism that "knowledge is power."

And the 17th century English philosopher and statesman did so centuries before Wall Street was even conceived.

But the brokers, fund managers, and other pros who dreamed up the investment markets knew a good thing when they saw it. They embraced Bacon's maxim, launched the first U.S. stock exchange in 1790, and spent the next two centuries transforming this country's individual investors into scared vassals of the Wall Street elite.

And the big banks, brokerages, and other investment pros did this by never forgetting the simple precept that "knowledge is power."

I see this play out on an almost-daily basis thanks to the endless streams of impenetrable reports that come from the bankers in New York or our elected leaders in Washington.

Most Main Street investors lack the knowledge to "decode" these reports, so they also lack the power to respond in a constructive manner.

Instead most of us just react - panic, really. Here's a better idea that will lead to profits...

Why There's So Much Market "Noise" Out There

An upbeat economic report prompts investors to shoot stocks higher one day. But on the next, a seemingly conflicting report causes share prices to plummet.

Wall Street isn't fazed by this whipsaw trading, of course: As individual investors, we must travel the road that's owned by the pros. And that means we must pay a "toll" - in the form of a commission or transaction fee - with every move we make.

In fact, there's even an incentive to make us take more trips - heading north (bullish) one day and south (bearish) the next: The more trips we take, the more of those "tolls" that we have to pay - and the larger the pile of profits that Wall Street reaps.

Knowledge isn't just power: It also represents profits... even wealth.

I'm putting such a fine point on this - and telling you about Francis Bacon - for a very specific reason: Thanks to the 30 years I've spent watching and working with Silicon Valley companies, I long ago "cracked the code" that gives Wall Street so much power over America's Main Street investors.

I've identified the three specific economic reports that matter - and have deciphered what they mean. And I know which ones are just claptrap - mind-numbing clutter - designed to maintain the very one-sided status quo.

And today I'm going to give you a backstage pass... so you'll have direct access to that "knowledge" - and the "power" profits that accompany it.

Use This Backstage Pass to the Market's Condition

I'm sure that almost all of you - at one time or another - have heard someone talk about a "velvet rope." If so, have you stopped to think about what the term means?

Think about some of the finer places you've visited - a Broadway play, a hot new restaurant, or that just-opened nightclub: As you wait your turn, the "gatekeeper" - a maître d', hostess, or bouncer - keeps you on that "other" side of a literal "velvet rope."

That wait can be long... and frustrating - especially when the "connected" patrons get in before you.

Wall Street plays the same game. The bankers, fund managers, and other pros want to keep you at bay - while giving their best clients first access to the "best-in-show" investments. But in this case, the velvet rope is knowledge - about the relative health of the U.S. and global economies.

And the Wall Street crowd will hate me for telling you this, but the game is nowhere near as complicated as the pros would have you believe. In fact, in assessing the strength of the U.S. economy as I analyze tech plays, I've really found that three economic "data points" are the most important to follow.

I'm talking about jobs (hiring), autos, and housing.

At its most basic level, this makes complete sense. The jobs situation is the key to U.S. economic health. As much as two-thirds of America's market-based economy is driven by consumer spending. Business spending is also crucial - particularly when it comes to the "stuff" that the tech sector makes.

Consumers and businesses spend the most when they are confident about the future.

And confidence has a lot to do with predictability - like the wage predictability that comes with job stability... or, better still, when there's outright hiring taking place.

When consumers start feeling a bit more secure about the future, they'll ramp up their spending a bit on bigger-ticket items like new vehicles. And when they're really confident, they'll get into even bigger-ticket purchases - like new houses.

To give you more knowledge - and more power (enough to make you smarter and richer, in fact) - I've used these insights to create three smart-investor indicators.

If enough Main Street investors learn to spot and use these three rules, Wall Street will find itself at our mercy. And what a day that will be.

Let's peruse each of the three. And we'll start with the basic building block - jobs.

Smart Investor Indicator No. 1 Hiring = Confidence

This number, which measures how tech leaders feel about hiring, comes from the Silicon Valley Leadership Group's regular poll of sector CEOs. According to the organization's most recent poll, more than half the members of the corner-office crowd say they plan to hire more workers this year.

Just think about how you feel when you know that your employer is thinking about expansion - which necessitates hiring: It's definitely a confidence booster.

So if the Silicon Valley cognoscenti expect to hire, it clearly means they are expecting continued strong demand for the products and services their companies offer.

And right now, tech CEOs are bullish. Of the 222 surveyed, 59% plan to hire this year - up from 46% a year ago. In fact, in the most recent survey that appeared in March, most CEOs were worried about not being able to hire enough workers.

Clearly, we don't want to rely on a single survey, no matter how good, to tell us what's happening with employment.

That's why I also keep abreast of the official jobs numbers coming out of Washington.

The U.S. economy added 288,000 jobs in April. That's the fourth-best monthly gain in the recovery's five-year history.

The timing also was great. It came right after Washington told us the economy grew at a dismal 0.1% for the first quarter.

I grant you, that GDP report paints a less-than-upbeat portrait of how healthy America really was during the first three months of the year. But I'm actually not that concerned: I believe that number will be revised upward because of another important set of stats I track regularly...

Smart Investor Indicator No. 2 When Vehicle Sales Zoom, Growth Follows

I've been following the U.S. automobile industry for decades now. As a young analyst, I spent my formative years in Detroit, where I met with CEOs of all the car companies, and many of the parts producers.

I've visited assembly plants here in the United States and overseas. I was in Detroit in the very early days of robotics manufacturing. I also witnessed the rollout of computer technology that improved the performance, reliability, and fuel economy of new cars and trucks.

As heady as those days were, they've been dramatically eclipsed by today's vehicles, each of which is a high-tech "ecosystem" unto itself. They're brimming with sensors, semiconductors, LEDs, GPS, wireless web communications systems, and much more.

In fact, the Institute of Physics says that NASA sent the Apollo astronauts to the moon back in 1969 using less computing power than you'll find in the typical family car. Today's typical luxury car has more than 100 million lines of computer code, while software and electronics account for 40% of the car's cost and half of warranty claims.

So it's no surprise that auto sales are a strong indicator of the health of Silicon Valley.

And I'm very happy to report to you that the U.S. auto industry has snapped back after a tough winter and is racing ahead.

In April, the industry sold 1.39 million new vehicles, an 8% increase from the year-ago period. On an adjusted basis, the surge pushed the annualized run rate to 16.1 million, a yearly gain of 6%.

I also like to get the pulse of the industry by looking at what the automakers are projecting for total industry sales.

And every single major automaker polled so far expects total cars and trucks sold this year to hit at least 16 million units, compared with 2013's final tally of 15.3 million.

Clearly, job growth and auto sales are crucial barometers of the health of the American economy.

But there's one other metric that is critical for us to understand if we're to start making smarter investments...

Smart Investor Indicator No. 3 Housing Heals the Bulls

There's a good reason why Uncle Sam lets you deduct mortgage interest payments from your taxes: A healthy housing industry is a major catalyst for economic growth.

And it's not just the millions of construction and home-contractor jobs that are involved. A healthy housing market also means more sales of appliances, furniture, home furnishings, paint, and lumber - as well as the equipment for home-entertainment systems and in-house Wi-Fi networks.

Right now, a lot of analysts see trouble brewing. Sales of new homes fell 13% in March from a year ago. Plus, sales of existing homes have fallen for several months.

But I'm not worried about these numbers - and for two very strong reasons.

First, severe winter weather in much of the country shut down construction. And it kept many prospective homebuyers indoors. It also prevented many home-improvement projects from being completed, a fact the mainstream media seems to be ignoring.

Second, sales of existing homes have declined because the supply of distressed housing continues to fall. In other words, we don't have an oversupply of homes; there aren't enough homes to satisfy demand.

Put more simply: You can't sell what you don't have.

I came to this conclusion courtesy of another housing stat. Data provider CoreLogic Inc. (NYSE: CLGX) says average housing prices rose 11% in March compared with the same month in 2013.

CoreLogic didn't provide median price estimates. But the company did say that we've seen higher annualized housing prices for 25 straight months.

Putting It All Together

As most of you folks know, one of my investing mantras tells us to "separate the signal from the noise." As I see it, these three signals are telling us that America's economy is healthy and growing. Tech CEOs are still hiring, new cars and trucks are moving off lots at near-record levels, and the demand for homes still exceeds supply.

I know some investors keep an eye on a longer list of economic indicators. And in their own attempts at subterfuge, the Wall Street pros try to bury us with an avalanche of often-contradictory indicators... the goal being to keep the knowledge and the power on their side of the investment velvet rope.

But the goal here is to cut through the clutter and get a quick snapshot of what's really happening with the economy.

By focusing on such key signals as hiring, auto sales, and housing-market health, you'll cut through most of the noise. You'll have the knowledge... and the power.

And that will make you a smarter, more profitable investor - and will put you on the path to meaningful wealth.

Editor's Note: For the last 12 months, Michael has been hot on the trail of something called Operation BlueStar. It surrounds a mysterious facility - about the size of 174 football fields - being built here in the U.S.... a facility that could single-handedly disrupt $737 billion of America's economy. Michael's investigation has led him to one of the most exciting investment opportunities we've ever come across. Click here so Michael can walk you through everything he dug up.

Deere & Company (DE) Q2 Earnings Preview: Bulldozing EPS - Again

Deere & Company (NYSE:DE) is scheduled to report second quarter, fiscal year (FY) 2014 sales and earnings before the opening of financial markets on Wednesday, May 14, 2014. The company will webcast a call with financial analysts and investors that day at 9:00 AM CT.

Wall Street anticipates that the agriculture machinery maker will earn $2.48 per share for the quarter, which is $0.28 less than last year's profit of $2.76 per share. iStock expects DE to run by Wall Street's consensus number, the iEstimate is $2.61.

Revenue, like earnings, is expected to slip, decreasing 6% year-over-year (YoY). Deere's consensus revenue estimate for Q2 is $9.65 billion, more than a half-bill less than last year's $10.26 billion.

[Related -Deere & Company (DE) Q3 Earnings Preview: Nothing Runs Backwards Like A Deere]

Deere & Company operates in three segments: agriculture and turf, construction and forestry and financial services.

The John Deere agriculture and turf segment manufactures and distributes a line of agricultural and turf equipment and related service parts. John Deere construction segment makes earthmoving, material handling and forestry equipment i.e. backhoes. The financial services segment primarily finances sales and leases by John Deere dealers of new and used agriculture and turf equipment and construction and forestry equipment.

According to Wall Street Cheat Sheet, DE's "whisper number" is $2.49, a penny more than expected.  He site reports that DE has topped the "whisper" 28 quarters, missed 13 quarters and never hit the number on the nose.

[Related -Deere & Company (DE): Short-Term Risks, Long-Term Opportunities]

Exceeding Wall Street's outlook is nothing new for the machinery maker. DE's EPS topped the consensus 12 of the last 13 quarterly checkups and usually by wide margins. On average, Deere earned 22.15% more than projected profits per share with a range of 3.03% to 100% above the street's view. Meanwhile, the lone miss was a shortfall of -7.69%.

Although Deere's EPS track record is just one shy of perfect in the last 13 quarters, earnings-driven price-sensitivity has been mixed. Investors greeted shares with gains eight of the last 13 announcements, gaining anywhere from 0.16% to 9.39% in the days surrounding the profit news. On five occasions, which includes the lone miss, the stock dropped an average of -4.22%.

For the most part, Deere's financial statements appear to be in order; although, there is room for improvement. According the first quarter's 10-Q, total sales increased 3.13% with other income (crop insurance premiums) and finance and interest income delivering the fastest growth rates, 36.36% and 6.09%, respectively. Meanwhile, total expenses were in-line, moving higher by 3.30%. The difference may not sound like much, but it works out to more than $1 million, which is a rounding error on the income statement.

The most concerning issue we see is inventory rising at almost 5.5 times the rate of equipment sales. Inventory increased 12.56% versus revenue growth of 2.29%. If demand doesn't meet the extra-supply, then discounts may be necessary to move machines. It may not be a concern this quarter, but will become one if the trend persists.

Overall: Deere & Company's (NYSE:DE) recent history, whisper number, and iEstimate strongly suggests another bullish surprise. At the same time, investors might be wise to pay attention to DE's inventory. If the line-item continues to grow faster than revenue, it could be a warning that demand is slowing and downward revisions/guidance coming. 

Stocks Set To Rise Ahead of Fed

*DISCLOSURES: Scott Redler is flat

There are mixed and subdued markets around the world as Europe hugs the flat line EU bond yields rise in Italy and Spain (we haven't heard that in a while). The ECB is also is in focus as some think they could go to negative interest rates. Asia is mixed as Japan was off small as it waits on the BOJ and the Shanghai bounces back 0.84%.

Today we get Fed minutes, which sometimes move markets, especially after Plosser's remarks yesterday that some believe ignited the weakness mid-day. I'm not so sure it was his statements that made the difference, all I know is that frustration is running high and there is a distinct difference between the action in each market. Some think the erratic, random, thin action could lead to a big decline in the S&P and Dow.

Some think that the correction we saw in many growth stocks and sectors "was the correction" and the broader indices held up just fine. I am trying to take it day by day as buying after a multi-day move has been stressful except for "unique" situations. But if you try and press shorts after an initial move (especially SPY, DIA) you probably didn't do so well either.

Today S&P futures are up 3-4 handles. We are still above important intermediate support of 1862-1865ish. As long as we stay above this, you can't be super short this index. Resistance stands at 1885-1890 then 1902. I am on my toes and very flexible.

The Nasdaq ETF (QQQ) is trying to act better, as we've had a few better set ups recently.  There is some support at $87.30 but more important support here is $86.50ish. Resistance stands at $88.60.

The Russell 2000 ETF (IWM) turned back lower after a move off last week's lows. The 21-day has been big resistance here for the past few weeks where it got rejected again. Big support is $107.44-108.42.

High beta tech hangs a bit tougher.

Netflix (NFLX) was able to eke out another 2% gain after the clean breakout on Monday as it was listed on our Off The Charts newsletter on Sunday night with an entry at $350. The stock went as high as $372.70 and closed on highs, showing some commitment. It's hard to buy after a three-day rally but it's nice to see this high beta waking up again. Some digestion above the two-day support of $362 could keep its momentum intact for a further short squeeze.

Apple (AAPL) held above the breakout level of $597.50 as it put in a pivot low at $600.73 and stayed above this level most of yesterday's session. Use yesterday's low as the new point of reference to trade against as holding above this could lead to a potential breakout above $607.

Google (GOOG) had a nice two-day rally to retest the short-term resistance of $536. It did close well off of highs but found support at Monday's intra-day level of $526. Holding above the 2-day support of $526 would keep it in the game for a break above this pivot resistance.

Amazon (AMZN) took its turn to lead this group up as the stock showed relative strength in the morning to get a nice rally up to retest its 21-day EMA at $305. It still has a lot to prove but holding above the recent pivot low of $290 would keep it in the game. The pivot action area was $299 from yesterday's note.

Tesla (TSLA) has been inching up since dip buyers stepped in at the 200-day EMA two weeks ago. There's been a few trades along the way. The stock has regained the support of its 8-day EMA. I do think it's vulnerable. A break below $190 could put pressure back on.

Facebook (FB) tried to build on Monday's Day #1 but failed yesterday. It couldn't hold $59.56 (RDR pivot) and then got pressured. Perhaps a trade below $58.18 and some that are trying to be short this could have some success. This range is getting frustrating.

There's been some action in biotech stocks.

The Biotech ETF (IBB) continued to build a tight mid-level range above its 200-day EMA. The longer it stays above $225, the higher the probability it could see a break above the weekly resistance of $233.80.

Biogen (BIIB) has been hovering around its 8- and 21-day EMA to build a tight range. A break above $294 on good volume could set it back in motion. I'd keep stops in at $285.

5 Dividend Stocks You Never Saw Comin’

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Most of the market’s best dividend stocks are well-known, and well-owned.

AT&T (T). Verizon (VZ). McDonald’s (MCD). Consistent payers-and-raisers for years, and everyone knows it.

Thing is, there’s more than another handful of stocks with strong dividend yields that are either off-the-radar, unrecognized as solid dividend stocks or both.

So, if you’re looking for a few possibly underestimated and underappreciated dividend stocks out there, consider this list of five of the best names with a great dividend yield that might surprise most investors.

Dividend Stocks to Buy: Cisco (CSCO)

Dividend Yield: 3.1%

The networking and router company pays a dividend? Yes, and a pretty good one too. The current dividend yield for Cisco (CSCO) is just north of 3% — so no, it’s not the market’s best dividend payer, but CSCO certainly is one of the best dividend stocks within the tech sector.

“But isn’t Cisco a struggling brand?” Yes, challenges remain on all fronts, with year-over-year sales as well as earnings slipping in each of the past two quarters. But much of the reason Cisco hasn’t grown of late is that CEO John Chambers didn’t want to open up the company’s $50 billion war chest.

That’s changing, though. Recently, Chambers has been more keen to invest in growth.

CSCO stock might be one of the market’s dark-horse stories of 2014; the dividend yield is the icing on the cake.

Dividend Stocks to Buy: Tupperware Brands (TUP)

Dividend Yield: 3.2%

The idea of selling plastic kitchen bowls by hosting parties might seem antiquated. But the fact that Tupperware Brands (TUP) has continued to grow sales for years now says, antiquated or not, it’s an effective approach.

That said, there’s another reason that income-seekers may like TUP stock … it has a surprisingly strong dividend yield of 3.2%. Again, there are higher-yielding dividend stocks out there, but there aren’t too many that doubled their quarterly dividend between 2011 and 201. Tupperware’s quarterly payout has gone from 30 cents in 2011 to 68 cents as of this writing.

While the pace of that dividend growth will have to slow sooner or later (and probably sooner) for TUP stock, it’s pretty clear that Tupperware Brands is listening to its shareholders and giving them what they want — cash.

Dividend Stocks to Buy: ABB Ltd (ABB)

Dividend Yield: 3.4%

A power-management hardware company might not be riveting stuff, but if the dividend yield is solid enough, some investors could be swayed.

Hot Solar Stocks To Own Right Now

And what kind of payout does Swiss company ABB Ltd (ABB) offer? A solid 3.4% currently, paid once annually.

Not only does it pay a dividend religiously, it raises it like clockwork. ABB stock has upped its payout every year, from 9 cents per share in 2006 to 78 cents this year, making ABB one of the better dividend stocks in addition to offering investors some overseas exposure.

But what about its recently reported quarter, which could only be described as miserable? Yes, ABB blew it in Q1 thanks to weak sales of high-voltage equipment. And, ABB stock suffered a handful of downgrades in the shadow of the setback, tumbling 8% as a result.

The time to go bargain shopping, though, is when a stock is actually on sale. And that setback means a better yield on cost for anyone buying now.

Dividend Stocks to Buy: Canon (CAJ)

Dividend Yield: 4%

Contrary to popular belief, the paperless office isn’t going to become a reality anytime soon. In fact, our ability (and willingness) to create a paper document is as strong now as it’s ever been.

That’s why photocopier and printer maker Canon (CAJ) is still alive and kicking. Well, it’s not the only reason. While photographic film is all but extinct, Canon is waist-deep into cameras, camcorders and a wide variety of other lens-centric products, all of which remain highly marketable.

But what does CAJ stock offer to income seekers? A dividend yield hovering around 4%, and reliable increases of that payout (paid semiannually) over time, make it one of the market’s more attractive dividend stocks.

Dividend Stocks to Buy: Paychex (PAYX)

Dividend Yield: 3.4%

Don’t worry if you’ve never heard of Paychex (PAYX) — a lot of people haven’t. The company provides outsourced human resources services, including benefits administration services.

In other words, PAYX stock is a temporary staffing play.

It’s not a bad business to be in, either. Following the economic implosion of 2007 and the subsequent recession of 2008, temporary staffing employment following a recession has grown faster than it ever has before. It’s apt to stay that way as well, as businesses now recognize that a permanent workforce is an unnecessary liability.

That’s not the only reason an investor might want to own PAYX stock, however. The current dividend yield for Paychex is a healthy 3.4%, and the payout has been steadily rising for years. There are better-paying dividend stocks out there, but there aren’t many that offer the same combination of income, growth and reliability that Paychex does.

As of this writing, James Brumley did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

Now Is A Good Time to Buy Himax

Hot Airline Companies To Invest In Right Now

Himax (HIMX) is a company with a strong product portfolio. Despite the stock being beaten down massively in the recent past, the product portfolio of Himax could lead to growth as they are used in various gadgets like smartphones, LED drivers, lighting, and consumer electronics. The market for these products is rising. This opens up opportunity for Himax to drive revenue growth. Since the revenue of Himax is from diversified areas, it also offsets the decline, if witnessed from any individual segment.

The company was recently downgraded by Bank of America. The LCoS business of the company, which is partially dependent on Google Glass, is partially affected as the Google Glass official launch is delayed. But investors should be optimistic about Himax's growth as its products are used in various devices & gadgets. So investors should really not bother about this update provided by Bank of America relevant to Google Glass.

Revenue growth

The company recently posted its Q4-2013 results. It recorded revenue of $195 million, up by 2.4% as compared to Q4 2012. The revenue of Q4 also surpassed the anticipated guidance of the company. The boost in revenue was primarily due to high sales of IC drivers used in smartphones and tablet. This growth resulted in high demand of its product from the Chinese and Korean markets.

Driver IC from small and medium sized applications contributed roughly 58% of the total revenue in the quarter, and this segment of Himax is recording constant sequential and year over year growth, which again is a good sign for the company. The non-driver business of the company has been growing steadily. It was up by 28.1% same quarter last year and 2.4% sequentially.

Growth markets

Timing controllers, programmable gamma OP, touch panel controllers, CMOS image sensors, power management ICs, LED drivers and ASIC services were the main contributors to the growth of the non-driver product segment. Also adding to this growth were pilot shipments of LCOS micro displays for new and exciting head-mounted display applications.

In 2013, the global display driver IC market skyrocketed by 10.7% to $6.882 billion, and is expected to be worth $7.278 billion in 2014, an increase of 5.6%. The company is focusing to increase its market share of large panel driver IC solutions. Himax's strong presence in the Chinese market, where a display capacity expansion is taking place, should help it benefit from the growing market.

Himax provides cutting-edge technologies in large panel driver IC solutions, and has recently developed a solution that addresses thermal issues in 4K TVs. Driven by such innovation, along with its presence in the mobile market, Himax expects an improvement in sales from both existing and new customers across the world.

The Chinese and Korean markets are witnessing strong growth in smartphones and tablets. This growth is boosting Himax's growth. Looking ahead, Himax expects steady growth across its diversified business segments in the current fiscal year. Growth in smartphones, tablets, automotive displays, and wearable devices are expected to be strong drivers of Himax's business this year.

Google Glass scenario

Also, Himax expects its non-driver products, such as CMOS image sensors, timing controllers, touch panel controllers, power management ICs, WLED drivers, and LCOS micro-display to grow in the current fiscal. These products are seeing strong demand from its local and international clients. Himax's LCOS micro display drivers should certainly boost the company's sales in this segment in the long run, driven by the Google Glass.

While analysts might say that Google Glass is not an imminent driver for Himax, but over the long run, it is one of its most important drivers. Google recently entered into a pact with Luxottica (LUX), the maker of Ray-Ban and Oakley brand of sunglasses. Through this deal, Google will be able to sell its Glass as a fashion accessory to a wide range of consumers around the world with the help of Luxottica's retail network.

Conclusion

Himax might be struggling, but not all is bad for the company. The shares trade at a forward P/E of just 13.5, while also paying a dividend of 2.20%. In addition, looking at the various segments that Himax deals in, analysts anticipate the company's earnings to grow at a CAGR of almost 40% for the next five years. All these brilliant projections, along with Himax's probable gains from mobile devices and the wearables market make the company a solid buy on the pullback.

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Need a small business idea? Find a niche, fill it

NEW YORK (AP) — Jumping on the latest hot trend seems like a sure-fire way to strike entrepreneurial gold. But while yoga studios and gluten-free bakeries may be popular, investors and business consultants say take a broader view.

Trends in society, including changing demographics and technology are the best guide. Instead of joining the pack, would-be small business owners should look for a niche and fill it.

Make life easier

The opportunity: Products or services that make life easier, particularly for the well-to-do.

Businesses that deliver ready-to-cook dinner ingredients or care for elderly relatives are good bets, says Brian Cohen, chairman of New York Angels, a group of investors that buy stakes in small or young companies.

"Over and over again, the companies that are getting funding are serving upper-income people," Cohen says.

Think about things that are convenient, save time and are fun to use — such as dinner ingredient companies, which deliver to customers all the makings of a dish like stir-fried beef or vegetable lasagna. They offer people who like to cook the satisfaction of making a meal, without having to shop.

Elder-care companies, which send aides to care or do housekeeping for older or sick people, relieve the stress on family members when a parent or other relative needs full- or part-time attention.

Why now? The economy is growing and people have more money to spend on things that aren't necessities. As for elder care, people are living longer and are more likely to need help.

Entrepreneur beware: There's already a lot of competition. Two companies, Blue Apron and Plated, already deliver dinner ingredients to a large part of the country. And home-care businesses abound.

Been there, doing that: Jen Collins Moore started Chicago-based Meez Meals, which delivers ready-to-cook ingredients to consumers, in 2010. She realized there was a demand for an ingredient delivery service when she worked with focus groups of women at a ! consumer products company. The women wanted to cook but didn't have time to do all the work. She started her business before Blue Apron and Plated, but isn't worried about the competition; unlike Moore's rivals, Meez Meals delivers food that's already cut up and chopped, saving customers time.

"We do it differently. We do the prep work," Moore says.

Stand out from the food crowd

The opportunity: Organic, natural and gluten-free foods.

The market for gluten-free foods, estimated at $10.5 billion in 2013, is expected to grow to more than $15 billion by 2016, according to market research company Mintel. But rather than trying to come up with a product like another gluten-free muffin, consider a business that supports or services the gluten-free industry, says Dwight Richmond, a purchasing executive at Whole Foods, the grocery chain. One example: a company that creates gluten-free ingredients like Penford, based in Centennial, Colo. It makes tapioca and other ingredients used in gluten-free food.

Top 10 Semiconductor Companies To Buy Right Now

"The people thriving are the ones who find new and better ways to innovate," Richmond says.

A product that gives consumers the information they want about their food may also be a good choice. Investor Alicia Syrett bought a stake in a company that makes high-end muffin and cake mixes, Cisse Trading. She likes that it allows people to go online and research its ingredients and where they come from.

"Consumers want transparency. They want to know, what are we putting in our bodies?" says Syrett, CEO of Pantegrion Capital, an angel investment firm.

Why now? About 3 million people in the U.S. have celiac disease, an intolerance for gluten. Millions of others have food allergies. Many people are concerned about food additives like hormones and chemicals and foods that have been genetically modified. Others want what are! called f! air trade foods, produced by companies that treat their workers and the environment well.

Entrepreneur beware: By the time many would-be entrepreneurs grab hold of an idea, the field could be packed, says Dennis Ceru, adjunct professor of entrepreneurship at Babson College and a business consultant. "The most hot trend is probably at least at its midpoint," he says.

"See what other industries, what other business services or products support that trend. That might be an opportunity," he says.

Been there, doing that: Kelly LeDonni got the idea to sell labels and tags for gluten-free food after she was diagnosed with celiac disease. A tiny amount of gluten can make her very sick. She started Gluten Free Labels in February 2013, selling to consumers online. The Washington Crossing, Penn., company's customers include restaurants, retailers and university cafeterias.

Hunt and gather

The opportunity: Businesses that gather or process information.

Companies that use technology to gather information to use in all sorts of ways are valuable for websites or mobile apps that allow people and businesses to find the information they need, or to navigate daily life. The information can help retailers and other companies find good customers. Think businesses modeled after OpenTable, the online restaurant reservation service or Beauty Booked, a website that allows users to book appointments for hair and nail salons, spas and other personal care businesses.

Why now? Consumers and businesses expect to find answers to their questions online, and to accomplish tasks fast.

Entrepreneur beware: Hackers. They keep finding new ways to infiltrate computer systems and databases. Businesses must comply with laws that aim to protect consumer data.

Been there, doing that: Jalem Getz started Wantable, in 2012, selling makeup, accessories and lingerie based on information supplied by customers. Wantable first collects customers' answers to detailed questions about their preference! s for mak! eup, colors and clothes. Then, if they give Wantable access to their Facebook account, the Milwaukee-based company gathers information about their online purchases and searches. The information is used to suggest merchandise for customers to buy.

"We see ourselves as a matchmaker between customers and products," Getz says.

Boeing: Looking for a Catalyst

Boeing (BA) is preparing for its May 21 investor meeting–and shareholders should be too. Citigroup’s Jason Gursky and Jonathan Raviv are hopeful that a positive catalyst could emerge for Boeing’s stock. They explain:

Dhiraj Singh/Bloomberg News

Although the conference hasn't driven material stock out/underperformance in the last 2 years, relatively low expectations heading into next week could provide some upside as we expect BA to reiterate its targets supporting our bullish view…

The most important focus item is the deferred production build on the 787 which is targeted to peak at $25b by year-end. We suspect that consensus expects Boeing to miss by a few billion, but at this point we don't see any reason not to believe BA since they have production experience already under their belt. We'll also want to gain more clarity on how the 737 & 777 order books are shaping up to bridge to the new models in 2017 & 2020, respectively.

Shares of Boeing have dropped 1.6% to $130.92 at 3:26 p.m. today, while Embraer (ERJ) has fallen 1.3% to $33.68 and Airbus Group (EADSY) has declined 1.9% to $17.47.

‘We’re Not Going to Have Anyone to Employ by 2021’: David Rosenberg

Gluskin Sheff economist David Rosenberg kicked off the Altegris Strategic Investment conference on Wednesday with a largely upbeat view of the economy, saying the odds of a recession in the coming year are close to zero.

Indeed, Rosenberg, whose Breakfast with Dave daily research report is popular in the investment community, told an audience of more than 600 investment professionals meeting in San Diego that “we’re probably only in the fourth inning” of the current business cycle.

What’s more, headwinds that were stalling U.S. economic progress are rapidly dissipating. A slowdown in housing should not be cause for concern, he said, as housing is an “early cycle indicator” whose slowing is typically followed by a handing off of “the baton to the consumer.”

Nor should fears of rising household debt worry us, since it is not debt but “the capacity to service debt that is fundamental,” he said.

That capacity has grown, as has bank lending to consumers, which should translate into improved aggregate demand.

For perspective, he noted that the ratio of debt to GDP was 10% five years ago and proving intractable, but is now almost down to 2.5% — well past the 4% threshold that signals economic healing.

Rosenberg, a former chief North American economist of Bank of America Merrill Lynch, expressed deep concern about employment conditions, yet the socioeconomic woes he describes are not likely to move markets — only “change at the margin” does that, and there the trend is mildly positive, he says.

The disturbing trend is the number of people leaving the labor force — more than 90 million Americans are out of the work force and more are leaving, he says, adding that the oft-commented upon phenomenon of discouraged workers accounts for just one-quarter of the trend.

“Something else is going on here as it relates to the pool of available labor in the U.S.

"Part of it is when you create an environment in which you pay people not to work — that’s what we’ve done in this cycle — the number of people collecting a benefit is up 40% in 5 years,” Rosenberg says.

He cited statistics from a University of Chicago researcher indicating that large numbers of Americans can make more money sitting on the couch collecting benefits than as an administrative assistant or teacher.

Another factor — the most significant factor — affecting today’s low labor market participation rate is the wave of 78 million aging boomers who began reaching age 65 in 2011.

“Of course the labor market participation rate is going down — it’s just mathematical. Three-fourths of the reason is demographic. So get used to… ever-declining rates of unemployment.”

The Gluskin Sheff economist decried work force imbalances, with U.S. colleges producing more psychologists than engineers.

“A large part of the labor force is having trouble finding work — they don’t have the skills,” he says, or their skills are declining.

But the larger problem — that the pool of available labor is declining (it is currently at a 5-year low, he says) — requires immediate legislative attention. At the current rate of decline, “we’re not going to have anyone to employ by 2021,” he quipped, calling for immigration incentives.

In the meantime, Rosenberg’s studies indicate that labor’s share of the economic spoils is now 56% and rising. Whether through market forces or politics, he says, wage increases will accelerate over the coming years.

Addressing monetary policy, Rosenberg cited statements by  Federal Reserve Chairwoman Janet Yellen to the effect that the path of the economy is “uncertain,” on which he commented:

“What does an uncertain central banker do? Nothing!”

Therefore, the Fed will be keeping rates low indefinitely, the resulting yield curve suggests to Rosenberg that “the odds of a recession in the next year are close to zero.”

What’s more, “we’ll get corrections along the way, but not a bear market.”

Hot Mid Cap Companies To Invest In Right Now

The Gluskin Sheff economist also cautioned investors to stay away from bonds, citing newspaper headlines that “Some fear the economy needs more inflation.”

“Who’s the ‘some'?” he asked.

“The Fed!” he answered, quoting former Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke’s last official speech, in which he said: “we’re committed to making sure that inflation doesn’t stay too low.”

“They think inflation is too low — why would you bet against that? said bond bear Rosenberg, who wants to see 10-year bond rates in the 4% range before he gets comfortable with them again.

---

Check out Is Your Cash Trash? Eye-Popping Chart Raises Question on ThinkAdvisor.

Gabelli Asset Management Comments on CST Brands

Top 10 Consumer Service Companies To Watch In Right Now

CST Brands Inc. (0.4%) (CST)(CST - $31.24 - NYSE), headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is one of the largest independent convenience store operators in North America, with 1,900 stores located in nine U.S. midwest states and Canada. The company was spun-off by Valero on May 1, 2013. CST's store-base is concentrated in markets with above average population growth; 849 of the 1,034 total U.S. stores are located in three states with projected cumulative population growth of over 15% over the next decade: Texas (628), Colorado (158) and Arizona (63). CST owns the majority of its real estate, which mitigates lease risk and should provide downside protection. We estimate the real estate to be worth in the range of $1.5 billion to $2 billion or ~$20 to $26 per CST share. CST has generated $12.8 billion in revenue and $366 million of EBITDA during 2013.From Mario Gabelli (Trades, Portfolio)'s Value 25 Fund first quarter 2014 shareholder commentary. Also check out: Mario Gabelli Undervalued Stocks Mario Gabelli Top Growth Companies Mario Gabelli High Yield stocks, and Stocks that Mario Gabelli keeps buying

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RSS Feed	Monthly Newsl Monday, May 12, 2014 Stocks: Dow ready for another record? NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Markets look set to ignore rising tension in Ukraine Monday and the Dow Jones industrial average could power forward to new record highs. Major world markets and U.S. stock futures were all moving up ahead of the opening bell, shrugging off Sunday's vote in a region of eastern Ukraine showing an overwhelming majority in favor of independence. Ukraine and several Western countries have condemned the referendum, organized by pro-Russian separatists. The major U.S. stock indexes all pushed up Friday. The Dow's close of 16,583.3 narrowly topped the previous record set on April 30. The S&P 500 and Nasdaq also closed firmly in positive territory. There are no major quarterly results coming out Monday as earnings season draws to a close. But a number of retailers including Macy's (M, Fortune 500), Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500) and J.C. Penney (JCP, Fortune 500) will report later in the week. In economic news, the April Treasury budget will come out at 2 p.m. ET. European Union foreign ministers will discuss the situation in Ukraine Monday but are unlikely to announce any new sanctions against Russia or separatist leaders before Ukraine's presidential election due on May 25. European markets weren't making any big moves in morning trading. The CAC 40 in Paris was in negative territory, but other indexes were rising. Most major Asian markets ended firmer. The Shanghai Composite index surged by just over 2% and the Hang Seng in Hong Kong rose by 1.8%. The Mumbai Sensex index also shot into record territory as India's marathon parliamentary elections come to an end. Exit polls are due to be published after the market close Monday. Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) Blog Archive ►  2019 (35) ►  March (18) ►  February (17) ►  2018 (25) ►  August (2) ►  July (10) ►  June (6) ►  May (7) ►  2016 (3) ►  December (3) ►  2015 (124) ►  August (1) ►  July (6) ►  June (17) ►  May (16) ►  April (14) ►  March (21) ►  February (19) ►  January (30) ▼  2014 (325) ►  December (15) ►  November (18) ►  October (35) ►  September (35) ►  August (35) ►  July (43) ►  June (33) ▼  May (26) Smith & Wesson Holding Corp. Earnings: Can the Sto... Hot Gold Stocks For 2015 5 Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Watch Right Now Last-Chance Weekend to Get Your Bid in for BlackBerry 5 Best Defense Stocks To Watch Right Now Google rolling out its own driverless car 10 Best Transportation Stocks To Invest In 2015 10 Best Up And Coming Stocks To Own For 2015 Awards for great interiors go to cheap cars 4 Stocks Under $10 Making Big Moves Put Money in Your Pocket… And Send Wall Street on ... Deere & Company (DE) Q2 Earnings Preview: Bulldozi... Stocks Set To Rise Ahead of Fed 5 Dividend Stocks You Never Saw Comin’ Now Is A Good Time to Buy Himax Need a small business idea? Find a niche, fill it Boeing: Looking for a Catalyst ‘We’re Not Going to Have Anyone to Employ by 2... Gabelli Asset Management Comments on CST Brands Stocks: Dow ready for another record? T-Mobile and Déjà Vu Stocks jump as Dow, S&P 500 near record levels MRK: Merck Sells Consumer Business to Double Down ... Top Communications Equipment Companies To Buy For ... Why Microsoft Corporation Wants to Be a TV Mogul Test Drive: Major overhaul for Chevy Tahoe ►  April (24) ►  March (23) ►  February (13) ►  January (25) ►  2013 (74) ►  December (15) ►  November (16) ►  October (22) ►  September (15) ►  August (6) About Me Stocks Blog View my complete profile Simple theme. Theme images by gaffera. Powered by Blogger.