Disney's Deal With Netflix Was Inevitable

No company other than Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX  ) could have given Walt Disney (NYSE: DIS  ) the deal it wanted for four new superhero TV shows, Fool contributor Tim Beyers argues in the following video.

Netflix offers each new Marvel show international distribution to as many as 40 million viewers worldwide. Disney can't achieve that on its own, Tim says, because it controls a limited number of channels for offering live action superhero content and ABC already airs Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.

History also favors the deal. More than 66% of gross receipts for Iron Man 3 came from overseas territories. Thor: The Dark World is also tracking well in foreign territories, much like its predecessor. Settling for U.S.-centric distribution would be aiming too low, Tim says.

Disney also has a history of licensing properties to experts. Think of how it shuttered LucasArts in the months following its acquisition of Lucasfilm. Electronic Arts is now tasked with creating the next round of Star Wars video games.

Now it's your turn to weigh in. What do you expect from Marvel now that Disney's deal with Netflix is in place? Please watch the video to get Tim's full take, and then leave a comment to let us know what you think.

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Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now

NEW YORK ( TheStreet ) -- Most exchange-traded funds that track the financial sector have rallied lately, but the gains have been particularly strong for ETFs that specialize in insurance and regional banks.

This year SPDR S&P Regional Banking (KRE) returned 28.0%, and SPDR S&P Insurance (KIE) gained 28.5%, according to Morningstar. [Read: The 5 Dumbest Things on Wall Street This Week: Sept. 13]

In comparison, Vanguard Financials (VFH), which holds a broad mix of financial stocks, gained 21.6%, and the S&P 500 returned 19.7%.

The outlook for the hottest financial ETFs remains positive because regional banks and insurers tend to perform well when interest rates are climbing. Insurance companies take in premiums and invest the cash in portfolios of bonds. When yields increase, the income from bond portfolios also climbs. If we are entering an era of higher interest rates -- as most economists expect -- then it is likely that insurers will report stronger returns on equity in coming years. This year insurance companies have gotten an additional boost from rising premiums. The gains appear to signal the beginning of an upward cycle. The industry tends to go through premium cycles that last for several years. During some periods, insurers become more aggressive, slashing premiums to gain more market share. Eventually premiums become too skimpy. With profit margins unacceptably low, the industry begins raising premiums, and a new cycle starts. In recent years, premium cuts hurt profits. Now companies are raising premiums as the industry strives to fatten bottom lines -- and avoid destructive price cutting. The biggest insurance ETFs are SPDR S&P Insurance, with $354 million in assets, and iShares U.S. Insurance (IAK), with $149 million. The two funds have delivered similar returns recently. During the past 12 months, the SPDR ETF returned 33.5%, while the iShares competitor returned 34.8%. When rates rise, banks can charge customers more for loans. That helps institutions of all sizes. But regional and community banks tend to receive a special lift from climbing rates. [Read: What U.S. Investors Should Do About Syria] The smaller banks tend to be simple operations that focus on making loans to individuals and small businesses. Besides making loans, money center banks have a variety of complex businesses -- such as investment banking and derivatives trading -- that don't necessarily improve when rates rise.

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: CASH CONVERTERS INTERNATIONAL UTS(COMP 1 ORD AUD0.20&1DIV ACCESS GBP)

Cash Converters International Limited operates as a franchisor of second hand goods and financial services stores under the Cash Converters name. Its franchise operations involve in the sale of franchises for the retail sale of second hand goods and the sale of master licenses for the development of franchises. The company also offers secured and unsecured loans. As of June 30, 2011, it owned and operated 49 stores in the United Kingdom and 42 stores in Australia, as well as franchised 522 stores comprising 148 stores in the United Kingdom, 98 stores in Australia, and 276 stores internationally. In addition, the company provides the Internet platform and administration services for the Cash Converters network to offer small cash advance loans to their customers. Cash Converters International Limited was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Perth, Australia.

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Wolverine Bancorp Inc.(WBKC)

Wolverine Bancorp, Inc. operates as a holding company for Wolverine Bank that provides banking and financial services primarily to individuals, families, and businesses in the Great Lakes Bay Region of Michigan, the United States. It accepts various deposit accounts, including statement savings accounts, certificates of deposit, money market accounts, commercial and regular checking accounts, retirement accounts, and health savings accounts. The company?s loan products comprise commercial real estate loans, such as multi-family loans and land loans; one-to four-family residential mortgage loans and home equity loans; and lines of credit and construction loans and commercial non-mortgage loans; and consumer loans consisting of mobile home loans, automobile loans, loans secured by savings deposits, and other consumer loans. It operates three banking offices located in Midland; and one banking office in Frankenmuth and a loan center in Saginaw, Michigan. The company was foun ded in 1933 and is headquartered in Midland, Michigan.

Top 5 Tech Stocks To Buy For 2015: Shanda Games Ltd (GAME)

Shanda Games Limited (Shanda Games), incorporated on June 12, 2008, is engaged in the development and operation of online games and related businesses in the People�� Republic of China. Some of its online games are also Web games, which the Company categorizes as either massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) or advanced casual games, rather than as a separate category of online games. As of February 29, 2012, Shanda Games operated 35 online games. Its game player base, which consisted of 20.4 million average monthly active users and 4.5 million average monthly paying users for the three-month period ended December 31, 2011. In April 2011, the Company acquired a 51.85% interest in a game operating company, which provides services in East Asia.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company owned 149 software copyrights. As of December 31, 2011, it owned or licensed 53 trademarks. As of December 31, 2011, it owned or licensed 329 registered domain names, including its official Website and domain names registered in connection with each of the games the Company offers. As of December 31, 2011, it had 17 patent applications pending with the State Intellectual Property Office of China. The Company operates MMORPGs, advanced casual games and Web games in China. Its MMORPGs are action adventure-based and draw upon themes, such as martial arts adventure, fantasy, strategy and historical events. The Company develops and sources an array of game content through multiple channels, including in-house development, licensing, investment and acquisition, and joint operation. Through these channels, it has built a diversified game portfolio and a game pipeline.

The Company licenses games from international and domestic developers. As of February 29, 2012, 13 of its 35 online games were licensed from third-party developers, including Mir II. It invests in independent game development and operating studios identified by 18 Capital. The Company acquire intellectual property rights t! o online games; equity rights in online game development and operating studios, or an option to acquire equity interests in online game development and operating studios in the future.

The Company operates its business in People's Republic of China, through its wholly owned subsidiaries, which consist of Shengqu Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Shengqu), Shengji Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Shengji), Lansha Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. (Lansha) and Kuyin Software (Shanghai) Co., Ltd (Kuyin); its variable interest entities and their subsidiaries (VIEs), which consist of Shanghai Hongli Digital Technology Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Hongli) and Shanghai Shulong Technology Development Co., Ltd. (Shanghai Shulong) and their wholly owned subsidiaries, Shanghai Shulong Computer Technology Co., Ltd. (Shulong Computer), Nanjing Shulong Computer Technology Co., Ltd. (Nanjing Shulong), Chengdu Youji Technology Co., Ltd. (Chengdu Youji), Tianjin Youji Technology Co., Ltd. (Tianjin Youji), Chengdu Aurora Technology Development Co., Ltd. (Chengdu Aurora), and Chengdu Simo Technology Co., Ltd. (Chengdu Simo).

The Company competes with Tencent Holdings Limited, NetEase.com, Changyou.com Limited, Perfect World Co., Ltd., Giant Interactive, Kingsoft Corporation Limited, KongZhong Corporation, NetDragon Websoft Inc., Nineyou International Limited, The9 Limited, Activision Blizzard, Inc., Electronic Arts Inc., Zynga Inc., NCSoft Corporation, and Nexon Corporation.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Another under-$10 gaming player that's starting to move within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Shanda Games (GAME), which is an online game company in China in terms of the size, diversity of its game portfolio, game revenues and game player base. This stock is off to a strong start in 2013, with shares up by 24%.

  If you take a look at the chart for Shanda Games, you'll notice that this stock has formed a major bottoming chart pattern over the last two months, with shares of GAME finding significant buying interest whenever it's pulled back to around $3.80 a share. Shares of GAME are now starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade above some key near-term overhead resistance levels. Those levels have acted as resistance for GAME for the last two months.

  Market players should now look for long-biased trades in GAME if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $4.85 to $4.98 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 1.71 million shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then GAME will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $6.42 a share.

  Traders can look to buy GAME off weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below its 50-day at $4.18 a share or below that major support at $3.80 a share. One can also buy GAME off strength once it clears those breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of Shanda Games� (NASDAQ: GAME  ) fell 20% today after the company announced an acquisition.

  So what: The company will buy affiliates who provide user and payment platform services from Shanda Interactive for $811.5 million. Management says it will lower costs and improve earnings by about 40% to 50% going forward. �

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  What: Shares of Shanda Games (NASDAQ: GAME  ) have popped today by as much as 11% after the game maker launched a new title with early success.

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Shanda Games� (NASDAQ: GAME  ) saw a decline in bottom line for its Q3, but still beat analyst estimates. The China-based company posted revenue of 1.12 billion yuan�($183 million), modestly higher than the 1.09 billion yuan�($178 million)�in the same period the previous year. Attributable net income came in at just under 399 million yuan ($65 million;�$0.24 per diluted American depositary share), compared with Q3 2012's 405 million yuan ($66 million;�$0.24).

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Inter-Citic Minera Com Npv(ICI.TO)

Inter-Citic Minerals Inc., a development stage company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in the People?s Republic of China. Its principal property includes the Dachang gold project consisting of 4 exploration licenses covering approximately 279 square kilometers located in Qinghai province, the People's Republic of China. The company was formerly known as Inter-Citic Mineral Technologies Inc. and changed its name to Inter-Citic Minerals Inc. in December 2003. Inter-Citic Minerals Inc. was incorporated in 1985 and is headquartered in Markham, Canada.

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Raffaele Caruso SpA (YRC.MI)

Raffaele Caruso SpA is an Italy-based company, operating in the apparel sector. It produces tailor-made suits, coats and jackets, for men only. The Company owns three industrial facilities in Soragna and in Ponte dell��glio, Italy. The Company distributes its products worldwide through its own brands Raffaele Caruso and Fluo. The Company also acts as wholesaler for brands of other companies.

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Amarium Technologies Inc (AMMG)

Amarium Technologies Inc., formerly Cirond Corporation, incorporated on April 6, 2000, develops software solutions, and provides network security products and consulting services to governments and private sector businesses to combat the threat to wired networks represented by the deployment of unauthorized wireless networks. The Company's solutions can also be used to implement, secure and manage wireless networks. It receives revenues from the licensing of its Winc Manager, Winc, pocketWinc, AirPatrol Mobile, AirPatrol Sentinel and AirPatrol Enterprise software products. The Company operates through its wholly owned subsidiary, Cirond Networks Inc. (CNI). On April 10, 2006, it completed the acquisition of certain assets of ServGate Technologies, Inc. (ServGate), which has developed unified threat management software. The assets acquired consisted of primarily of intellectual property rights (patents, domain names and product trade marks) to the ServGate products. The Company plans to continue as an intellectual property licensing and services company under the new name of Amarium Technologies, and use the ServGate assets to establish a unified threat management network security division known as EdgeForce. In August 2013, Amarium Technologies Inc. through its wholly owned subsidiary Amarium Minerals Inc., announced that the Company has acquired the San Pedro Copper Mine and Flotation Mill in Michoacan, Mexico, from Minera Rio Cobre SA de CV.

The Company's subsidiary, CNI, conducts its research and development activities through its subsidiary, Cirond Networks (Canada) Inc. CNI's initial product set included a wireless network management and security solution known as Winc Manager, and a pair of wireless connectivity utilities known as WiNc and pocketWiNc. During the year ended December 31, 2003, the Company announced a family of products dedicated primarily for the purpose of securing wired networks against the threat of unauthorized wireless devices (such as wireless-equipped laptop co! mputers and wireless access points). These products were launched under the AirPatrol name, and included AirPatrol Enterprise and AirPatrol Mobile. AirPatrol Enterprise is a network security product aimed at securing an organization's network against the wireless threat around the clock, and is capable of being repurposed as a wireless network management solution at such time as the customer implements a wireless network. AirPatrol Mobile is a software-only solution that allows customers to detect and locate unauthorized wireless devices and access points without the use of any specialized hardware. CNI also developed and introduced a line of products under the AirSafe name. On January 19, 2006, CNI entered into a source code licensing agreement with Air Patrol Corporation. CNI granted a worldwide license to AirPatrol Corporation for the WiNc, AirPatrol and AirSafe software products, and for the associated trademarks and trade names.

It competes with Watchguard, McAfee, Cisco, Sonic Wall and Fortinet.

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: NTS Inc (NTS)

NTS Inc, formerly Xfone, Inc, incorporated in September 2000, is a holding and managing company providing, through its subsidiaries, integrated communications services, which include voice, video and data over its Fiber-To-The-Premise (FTTP) and other networks. The Company has operations in Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana and it also serves customers in Arizona, Colorado, Kansas, New Mexico and Oklahoma. The Company provides telecommunication products/services, including retail services, Wholesale Services and Internet Based Customer Service. The Company�� divisions include Customer Service Division, Operations Division, Administration Division and Marketing Division.

NTS Communications, Inc. (NTSC) delivers local telephony service to its customers through an on-net UNE-L connection, including voice mail, caller ID, forwarding, 3-way calling, blocking, and PBX services. In addition, NTSC sells off-net total service resale lines. NTSC provides UNE-L services in Lubbock, Abilene, Amarillo, Midland, Odessa, Pampa, Plainview, and Wichita Falls, Texas. NTSC provides local services via Fiber-To-The-Premise (FTTP) in Lubbock, Wolfforth, Levelland, Littlefield, Burkburnett, and Smyer, Texas. NTSC provides resold local services throughout Texas via its resale agreement with AT&T.

NTSC offers a range of long distance services to its customers, including switched long distance (including intrastate, interstate, and international), toll-free service, dedicated T-1 long distance and calling cards. The majority of its customers are concentrated in West Texas. A minority of its long distance customers are in Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Colorado. NTSC provides broadband and dial-up Internet service in all of its Texas markets. Download speeds for broadband range from 500 Kilobits to 100 Megabits per second, depending on the end user's distance from an NTSC collocation or the type of facilities used to deliver the service. NTSC also offers Web hosting and wide area networkin! g solutions for business applications. NTSC offers a selection of video services, including basic cable, video on demand, high definition television (HDTV) and digital video recorder (DVR). In addition to providing video service via its FTTP network, NTSC offers CATV via a coaxial cable network in Anton, Brownfield, Colorado City, Hale Center, Idalou, Levelland, Littlefield, Meadow, Morton, New Deal, O'Donnell, Olton, Ropesville, Shallowater, Slaton, Smyer, Tahoka, and Wolfforth Texas. NTSC offers a selection of video services via its CATV offering basic cable, over 250 channels, including sports and movie channels, and Pay Per View. NTSC resells a variety of CPE and CPE related services to its customers.

NTSC offers aggregation and resale of leased fiber transport network from AT&T and other fiber network operators. This service is provided for carrier customers that need direct network connectivity, as well as enterprises that require branch office connections. Services are offered under 1-year contracts for a fixed amount per month. NTSC provides private line service nationwide. NTSC provides multi-regional switched termination, switched toll free origination and wholesale Internet access services to various carrier customers. Services are offered for a fixed amount per minute. NTSC provides wholesale switched termination services to customers via network connections in NTSC POPs and switch sites.

NTSC provides voice, data, and video services for NTS Telephone Company and also provides billing, sales and marketing, back and front offices services to this subsidiary. The Company provides local dial tone and calling features, such as hunting, calls forwarding and call waiting to both business and residential customers throughout Louisiana and Mississippi, including T-1 and PRI local telephone services to business customers.

The Company uses its own network where available and QWEST , a nationwide long distances carrier, as its underlying long distance network prov! ider. In ! conjunction with Local Telephone Services, it provides Long Distance Services to its residential and business customers. The Company provides two different categories of long distance services-Switched Services to both residential and small business customers, which includes 1+ Outbound Service, Toll Free Inbound Service and Calling Card Service. The Company also provides services, such as T-1 and PRI Services. The Company's long distance services are only available to customers who use the Company's local telephone services.

The Company provides high-speed broadband Internet access to residential and business customers utilizing its own integrated digital data network and utilizing the broadband gateway network of the new ATT. Its DSL service provides up to three megabytes per second (Mbps) of streaming speed combined with Dynamic IP addresses, as well as multiple mailboxes and Web space. The Company's DSL services also include spam filter, instant messaging, pop-up blocking, Web mail access, and parental controls. The Company also provides dial-up Internet access service for quick and dependable connection to the Web. The Company's Internet/Data services are stand-alone products or are bundled with its voice services for residential and business customers. Its customer service department is an additional product offering, which sells, as well as retains customers. The scope of communications service entails network service, customer service, and repair service.

Xfone USA resells a variety of CPE and CPE related services to its customers. Primarily, these sales involve acting with NTSC as an authorized dealer for Toshiba phone systems. These systems are sold to customers either on a stand-alone basis, or in conjunction with the purchase of local, long distance, and/or data services from the Company. In addition, it sells a variety of other electronics such as high-definition (HD) displays, surveillance equipment, paging systems, nurse call systems, routers switches and interne! tworking ! gear.

The Company competes with AT&T, SuddenLink Communications, Time Warner Communication, Qwest, Level 3 and Verizon.

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Seven Group Holdings Limited(SVW.AX)

Seven Group Holdings Limited, through its subsidiaries, engages in the media and broadcasting, newspaper and magazine publishing, heavy equipment sales and service, equipment hire, and online businesses in Australia and China. The company operates as a Caterpillar dealer, which provides heavy equipment sales and support services to customers in Western Australia, New South Wales, and the Australian Capital Territory. It is also involved in the manufacture, assembly, sale, and support of lighting, power generation, and dewatering equipment; and rental of equipment, as well as distribution of Perkins engines. In addition, it engages in the operations of broadband, telephony, and other listed investments and properties. The company was formerly known as Seven Network Limited and changed its name to Seven Group Holdings Limited in April 2010, as a result of merger with WesTrac Holdings Pty Limited. Seven Group Holdings Limited is headquartered in Pyrmont, Australia.

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: Afri-Can Marine Minerals Corpor (AFA.V)

Afri-Can Marine Minerals Corporation engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of marine and terrestrial mineral properties in Namibia. It primarily explores for diamonds deposits. The company primarily holds interests in EPL 3403 project, which covers an area of 800 square kilometers and is located to the south of Luderitz town. It also has interests in the Block J Woduna diamond concession that covers an area of approximately 994 square kilometers and is located off the coast of Namibia; and the Haib Copper project, which covers an area of approximately 37,000 hectares and is located in the Karas region. The company is based in Montreal, Canada.

Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now: UK MAIL GROUP PLC ORD GBP 0.10(UKM.L)

UK Mail Group plc, through its subsidiaries, operates as an independent parcel, mail, and logistics services company in the United Kingdom. The company provides express collection and delivery services for parcels, mail, and palletized goods. It operates through four divisions: Mail, Parcels, Courier, and Pallets. The Mail division provides postal services, two-day time-definite delivery services, and other value added services for its customers. The Parcel division offers next day business-to-business, business-to-consumer, and international collection and delivery services through a network of 55 sites and 2,500 vehicles. The Courier division offers fulfillment services, including ad hoc, contract, and international courier; logistics; and technical courier solutions, such as delivery swap-out and installation services. The Pallets division provides pallet delivery solutions through a network of approximately 70 independent distribution and logistics specialists with var ious next-day and three-day delivery options. The company was formerly known as Business Post Group plc and changed its name to UK Mail Group plc in October 2009. UK Mail Group plc was founded in 1974 and is based in Slough, the United Kingdom.

Abenomics' Special Economic Zones, Sans Labor Deregulation, Head for Approval

During the past week, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo and his cabinet have been presenting and defending key Abenomics initiatives before a special session

English: Margaret Thatcher, former UK PM. Français : Margaret Thatcher 日本語: 「鉄の女」サッチャー英首相 Nederlands: Margaret Thatcher Svenska: Margaret Thatcher som oppositionsledare 1975 Русский: Маргарет Тэтчер, бывшая премьер-министр Великобритании (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

of the Japanese Diet. Watching the live NHK broadcasts, one has to admire the British parliamentary system's direct Q & A format, where opposition politicians can grill the prime minister et al directly with repeated follow up questions, and demand answers, for 15 minutes or longer.

Since Abe's Liberal Democratic Party/New Komeito (LDP/NK) coalition victory in the July upper house election, the situation of "divided government"—with opposition parties controlling one Diet chamber and blocking most reform–which prevailed for most of past six years, has been resolved. As in the British system, the government is now virtually assured of passing any legislative proposals it presents.

The trouble for Abe is not the opposition parties, but members of his own coalition:  with dissident members of his own party, and sometimes with cabinet ministers. Ironically, the landslide LDP victory brought in a host of new LDP Dietmen beholden to special interest constituencies and opposed to reform. Cabinet ministers will represent the bureaucratic interests of their ministries.

About the cabinet, a critical point was explained to me yesterday by Professor Yashiro Naohiro, one of Japan's most authoritative voices on labor policies, and a key player in Koizumi-era key deregulation efforts, particularly "Special Zones for Structural Reform" (see my interview with Yashiro last year). I visited Yashiro in his academic office in Sangenjiaya to ask about labor issues and Abe's "national strategic zones" initiative.

Explained Yashiro, as in the British system, the Japanese prime minister is just one minister among others within a cabinet.  Policy proposals must be supported unanimously by all cabinet members. Thus, a cabinet member, by dissenting, can prevent a proposal opposed by the ministry he represents from being adopted by the cabinet.

Margaret Thatcher, pursuing her reform agenda against bureaucratic opposition, did not hesitate to fire dissenting ministers, replacing them with supporters, remarked Yashiro. Abe is more polite.

We are seeing these elements of Japanese political economy playing out now.

Abe's government is planning to push through some key legislation of the "third arrow" growth strategy during the current special Diet session that ends on December 6. On November 1 Abe is schedule to present to the full Diet lower house bill to enhance business competitiveness, including tax incentives to promote investment and sector restructuring. The new draft laws—generally favored also by the opposition Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ)–could be approved by mid-month.

Abe's second major "growth strategy" push this Diet session is to establish next year geographically-limited "national strategic zones" within which to pursue "bold deregulation." Draft legislation will be presented to the in early November.

Hot Financial Stocks For 2015

PM Abe has been heading a committee hammering out draft legislation for the "zones." The committee includes only four minister level members—PM Abe, the chief cabinet secretary, Suga Yoshihide, the minister for internal affairs, Shindo Yoshitaka, and the minister for economic and fiscal policy, Amari Akira, as well as "knowledgeable persons" from the private sector

The absence of ministers from the various ministries in either of these groups gives the impression that Abe is determined not to allow bureaucratic interests to derail reform.  Professor Yashiro points out that central ministry officials will always be involved in substantive deliberations, and their opposition will be enough to block progress. This has happened in the case of labor rule reform.

The zones have been conceived as places for relaxing or eliminating Japan's regulatory restrictions in the areas of medical care, employment, agriculture, education, construction, and residential property use. While many politicians dream of reviving rural areas, it appears that the four or five zones are likely to be established first in Tokyo, Osaka, Nagoya, and Fukuoka.

One of the main targets of the zones is international investors and companies. Abe clearly believes that Japan needs to attract more foreign investment and corporate operations to Japan's major cities. The zones are intended to remove restrictions and regulations that are believed to have discouraged such investments and operations.

Thus, in the outlines reforms within the zones we see allowing foreign doctors to practice (but only on foreigners) and to use drugs not currently approved in Japan.  Likewise, foreign teachers can be employed and foreign educational institutions will be allowed to use public facilities (classrooms, etc.) within the zones, providing schooling for foreign staff.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now

Absenteeism is an employee's intentional or habitual absence from work. While employers expect workers to miss a certain number of workdays each year, excessive absences can equate to decreased productivity and can have a major effect on company finances, morale and other factors. This article looks at the causes of absenteeism, the costs of lost productivity and what employers can do to reduce absenteeism rates in the workplace.

Causes of Absenteeism
People miss work for a variety of reasons, many of which are legitimate and others less so. Some of the common causes of absenteeism include (but are not limited to):

Bullying and harassment - Employees who are bullied or harassed by coworkers and/or bosses are more likely to call in sick to avoid the situation Burnout, stress and low morale - Heavy workloads, stressful meetings/presentations and feelings of being unappreciated can cause employees to avoid going into work. Personal stress (outside of work) can lead to absenteeism. Childcare and eldercare - Employees may be forced to miss work in order to stay home and take care of a child/elder when normal arrangements have fallen through (for example, a sick caregiver or a snow day at school) or if a child/elder is sick. Depression - According to the National Institute of Mental Health, the leading cause of absenteeism in the United States is depression. Depression can lead to substance abuse if people turn to drugs or alcohol to self-medicate their pain or anxiety. Disengagement - Employees who are not committed to their jobs, coworkers and/or the company are more likely to miss work simply because they have no motivation to go. Illness - Injuries, illness and medical appointments are the most commonly reported reasons for missing work (though not always the actual reason). Not surprisingly, each year during the cold and flu season, there is a dramatic spike in absenteeism rates for both full-time and part-time employees. Injuries - Accidents can occur on the job or outside of work, resulting in absences. In addition to acute injuries, chronic injuries such as back and neck problems are a common cause of absenteeism. Job hunting - Employees may call in sick to attend a job interview, visit with a headhunter or work on their resumes/CVs. Partial shifts - Arriving late, leaving early and taking longer breaks than allowed are considered forms of absenteeism and can affect productivity and workplace morale.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Calamos Asset Management Inc.(CLMS)

Calamos Asset Management Inc. is a publicly owned investment manager. The firm provides investment advisory services to individuals including high net worth individuals, and institutions. It also manages accounts for family offices and private foundations. The firm manages separate client-focused equity and fixed income for its clients. It also launches and manages equity, fixed income, and balanced mutual funds for its clients. The firm invests in the public equity and fixed income markets across the globe. It also invests in alternative investments markets. The firm primarily invests in growth stocks of large-cap, mid-cap, and small-cap companies to make its investments. For fixed income, it invests in high yield bonds. The firm employs qualitative and fundamental analysis with a top-down and bottom-up stock picking approach to make its investments. It benchmarks the performance of its equity portfolios against the MSCI Indices, Russell Indices, and S&P 500 Index and its fixed income investments against the BofA Merrill Lynch Global 300 Convertible Index, BofA Merrill Lynch All U.S. Convertibles Ex-Mandatory Index, and CS High Yield Index. Calamos Asset Management Inc. was founded in 1977 and is based in Naperville, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By David Sterman]

   

  6. Calamos Asset Management (Nasdaq: CLMS) This asset manager's founder and CEO, John Calamos Sr., is a bit vexed right now. As I noted six weeks ago, he had been aggressively buying company stock. He kept doing so in late July and early August, buying more than $1 million more in stock at prices in the $10.50 to $10.75 range. Yet the market pullback has pushed this stock down below $10.

  Calamos is in the process of shifting resources away from poorly performing funds and toward higher-performing ones. Recent signs are promising, though it appears as though the firm's founder is the only believer in this turnaround thus far.

• [By GuruFocus]

  Director Eric Singer sold 343,410 shares of SIGM stock on 12/20/2013 at the average price of 5.5. Eric Singer owns at least 464,499 shares after this. The price of the stock has decreased by 15.45% since.

  Calamos Asset Management, Inc. (CLMS): Chairman, CEO & Global Co-CIO, 10% Owner John P Sr Calamos Bought 74,505 Shares

  Chairman, CEO & Global Co-CIO, 10% Owner of Calamos Asset Management, Inc. (CLMS) John P Sr Calamos bought 74,505 shares during the past week at an average price of $11.99. Calamos Asset Management, Inc., is a global asset management firm that offers strategies to fulfill a range of asset allocation goals through a multi-team platform. Calamos Asset Management, Inc. has a market cap of $245.547 million; its shares were traded at around $11.99 with a P/E ratio of 20.20 and P/S ratio of 0.88. The dividend yield of Calamos Asset Management, Inc. stocks is 4.18%.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Quantum Energy Ltd (QTM.AX)

Quantum Energy Limited, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and distribution of energy saving hot water, heating, and cooling systems for residential and commercial markets in Australia and internationally. It provides solar power systems, hot water heaters, and pool heaters, as well as commercial and industrial building heaters. The company is also involved in the distribution of medical products primarily in the field of nuclear medicine. Quantum Energy Limited is based in Alexandria, Australia.

Top 10 Cheap Companies To Invest In Right Now: Yelp Inc (YELP.N)

Yelp Inc., incorporated on September 03, 2004, connects people with great local businesses. Its users have contributed a total of approximately 36.0 million cumulative reviews of almost every type of local business, from restaurants, boutiques and salons to dentists, mechanics and plumbers. Its platform provides local businesses with a range of free and paid services, which help them to engage with consumers at moment when they are deciding where to spend their money. The Company generates revenue from local advertising, brand advertising and other services. As of December 31, 2012, the Company was active in 53 Yelp markets in the United States and 44 Yelp markets internationally. Effective July 18, 2013, Yelp Inc acquired SeatMe Inc, which is a developer of restaurant and nightlife categories reservation applications.

Local Business

The Company enables businesses to create a free online business account and claim the page for each of their bus iness locations. Business representatives can verify their affiliation with the business through an automated telephone verification process, which requires that they be reachable at the phone number, which is publicly displayed for their business listing on its platform. With their free business accounts, businesses can view business trends, message customers, update information and offer Yelp Deals. Its listing solution eliminates search advertising from the businesses��profile pages and allows them to incorporate a video clip or photo slide show on the pages. It allows local businesses to promote themselves as a sponsored search result on its platform or on related business pages.

The Company�� Yelp Deals product allows local business owners to create promotional discounted deals for their products and services, which are marketed to consumers through its platform. Yelp Deals have a fee structure based solely on transaction volume with no upfront costs, a nd it earns a fee based on the discounted price of each de! al! sold. It processes all customer payments and remits to the business the revenue share of any Yelp Deal purchased. It offers both e-mail deals, which are focused on demand generation and deals on its platform that are focused on demand fulfillment where businesses can target intent-driven consumers who are specifically searching for a product or service on its platform.

The Company�� Gift Certificates product allows local business owners to sell full price gift certificates directly to customers through their business profile page. The business chooses the price points to offer, and the buyer may purchase a Gift Certificate in one of those amounts. The Company earns a fee based on the amount of the Gift Certificate sold. The Company processes all consumer payments and remit to the business the revenue share of any Gift Certificate purchased.

National/Brand Advertisers

The Company offers its advertising solution for national brands tha t want to improve their local presence. These solutions consist of search and display ads (both graphic and text) on its Website, which are typically sold to advertisers on a per-impression basis. Its national advertisers include brands in the automobile, financial services, logistics, consumer goods and health and fitness industries.

Transaction Partners

The Company�� partnership, through a written agreement, with OpenTable provides consumers the ability to reserve seats directly on the business listing pages of restaurants, which participate in OpenTable�� network. Its partnership, through a written agreement, with Orbitz allows consumers to book rooms directly on the business listing pages of hotels, which affiliate with Orbitz.

The Company competes with Google, Yahoo! and Bing.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Beige Holdings Ltd (BEGJ.J)

Beige Holdings Limited (Beige) is a contract manufacturer and distributor of cosmetics, soaps, household products, toiletries, laundry soaps and allied bath and body care products for South African and international markets. It operates in two segments: outsource manufacturing and packaging. The majority of Beige�� products are produced for Southern Africa-based customers, comprising a range of companies, such as Johnson & Johnson, Unilever, Reckitt Benkiser, Colomer, Johnson Diversy, Novartis and Janssen Cilag, and fast moving consumer goods (FMCG) companies, including Tiger Brands, Adcock Ingram, Avon-Justine, Incolabs, Thebe Medicare and Enaleni, and retailers, such as Woolworths, Clicks, Dischem, Edgars, Foschini, Truworths and Pick'n Pay. With effect from October 1, 2009, Beige acquired 61.41% of Herbal and Homeopathic (Pty) Ltd, which is a contract manufacturer in South Africa, supplying more products to its customer base.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Westamerica Bancorporation(WABC)

Westamerica Bancorporation operates as the holding company for Westamerica Bank that provides various banking services to individual and corporate customers in northern and central California. Its deposit products include money market savings and checking accounts; non interest bearing demand deposits; interest bearing transaction, savings, and time deposits; and certificates of deposit. The company?s loan portfolio comprises commercial and residential real estate loans, commercial loans, and real estate construction loans. It operates through 98 branch offices in 21 counties in northern and central California, including 14 offices in Fresno county; 13 in Sonoma county; 11 in Marin county; 7 each in Merced, Napa, and Stanislaus counties; 5 each in Lake, Contra Costa, and Solano counties; 4 in Kern county; 3 each in Alameda, Sacramento, and Tulare counties; 2 each in Mendocino, Nevada, and Placer counties; and 1 each in San Francisco, Tuolumne, Kings, Madera, and Mariposa counties. The company was formerly known as Independent Bankshares Corporation and changed its name to Westamerica Bancorporation in 1983. Westamerica Bancorporation was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in San Rafael, California.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Pacific Ethanol Inc.(PEIX)

Pacific Ethanol, Inc. produces and markets low carbon renewable fuels in the United States. It sells ethanol to gasoline refining and distribution companies; provides ethanol transportation, storage, and delivery services in the Western United States, primarily in California, Arizona, Nevada, Utah, Oregon, Colorado, Idaho, and Washington; and markets ethanol co-products, including wet distiller grains and syrup to dairy operators and animal feed distributors. The company also provides operations, maintenance, and accounting services to a cellulosic integrated bio-refinery in Boardman, Oregon. Pacific Ethanol, Inc. was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Sacramento, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tristan R. Brown]

  Three months ago I wrote that the stock performance YTD of independent ethanol producer Pacific Ethanol (PEIX) was an "aberration", especially in light of the performance of its industry peers' shares. The discrepancy between Pacific Ethanol's share price and those of its peers has only grown more pronounced since July (see figure). Green Plains Renewable Energy (GPRE) and REX American Resources (REX) have continued to greatly outperform the S&P 500. Even Biofuel Energy, which fell behind on its interest and debt payments over the summer and is facing a shareholder-ruining liquidation, has seen its share price perform significantly better than Pacific Ethanol's in 2013. The oddest part about the stock's performance over the last three months, however, is that the period has been marked by multiple positive announcements from the company. It late July it reported its first positive EPS in almost two years for Q2 (0.07). Its Q2 EBITDA of $3.8 million was its highest since Q4 2011. Its current ratio is well above its previous lows, its ratio of total assets to total liabilities is increasing, and its total shareholders' equity is at a 3-year high. Despite these improvements, the company's price/book ratio is a mere 0.77.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Ethanol producers like Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX), The Andersons Inc. (NASDAQ: ANDE) and Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM), as well as other members of the trade group Renewable Fuels Association (RFA), are mightily displeased by this EPA proposal. Refiner and ethanol producer Valero Corp. (NYSE: VLO), which is not a member of the trade group, has been among the loudest critics of the higher blending requirements.

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Ethanol producers and farmers are the losers and the RFA is steaming mad. The group claims that the ��PA is proposing to place the nation�� renewable energy policy in the hands of the oil companies.��Producers like Archer Daniels Midland Co. (NYSE: ADM), Pacific Ethanol Inc. (NASDAQ: PEIX), and The Andersons Inc. (NASDAQ: ANDE) don�� have an oil refining business to offset the proposed cuts to ethanol volumes.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: NewLead Holdings Ltd.(NEWL)

NewLead Holdings Ltd. operates as an international shipping company that owns and operates product tankers and dry bulk carriers. It operates in two segments, Wet Operations and Dry Operations. The Wet Operations segment transports various refined petroleum products simultaneously in segregated coated cargo tanks that include gasoline, jet fuel, kerosene, naphtha, and gas oil. The Dry Operations segment involves in transporting and handling bulk cargoes through ownership, operation, and trading of vessels. As of August 2, 2011, the company operated a fleet of 6 double-hull product tankers and 16 dry bulk vessels. The company was formerly known as Aries Maritime Transport Limited and changed its name to NewLead Holdings Ltd. in December 2009. NewLead Holdings Ltd. was incorporated in 2005 and is based in Athens, Greece.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  The last few weeks have been, shall we say "interesting" for maritime shipping stocks like FreeSeas Inc. (NASDAQ:FREE), DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS), and NewLead Holdings Ltd (NASDAQ:NEWL). The strong rise in the Baltic Dry Index - the average daily charter rate of a dry goods vessel - since mid-August (and really since early June) has meant maritime shippers can charge more for their services, and who knows? Maybe they can even turn a profit sometime in the foreseeable future. As a result of that possibility, DRYS gained nearly 100% in a little over a month., NEWL was up as much as 70% at one point in late September, and FREE advanced nearly 300% on the heels of the Baltic Dry Index's runup from 1000 to more than 2000 in just a little over a month.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  NewLead Holdings (NASDAQ: NEWL) shares dipped 6.56% to touch a new 52-week low of $0.08 after the company completed the acquisition of titles in the Viking Mine located in Kentucky, USA.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Loans4less.Com Inc (LFLS)

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Navios Maritime Partners LP (NMM)

Navios Maritime Partners L.P. (Navios Partners) is an international owner and operator of dry cargo vessels formed by Navios Holdings. Navios GP L.L.C. (the General Partner), a wholly owned subsidiary of Navios Maritime Holdings Inc. (Navios Holdings) acts as the general partner of Navios Partners and received a 2% general partner interest in Navios Partners. Navios Partners is engaged in the seaborne transportation services of a range of drybulk commodities, including iron ore, coal, grain and fertilizer, chartering its vessels under medium to long-term charters. On May 19, 2011, Navios Partners acquired from Navios Holdings the Navios Orbiter, a 76,602 deadweight Panamax vessel. On May 19, 2011, Navios Partners acquired from Navios Holdings the Navios Luz. In June 2012, the Company purchased the Navios Buena Ventura, a 2010 South-Korean-built Capesize vessel of 179,259 dwt from Navios Maritime Holdings Inc.

The Company is an international owner and operator of drybulk carriers formed by Navios Maritime Holdings Inc., a vertically integrated seaborne shipping company. Its vessels are chartered-out under medium to long-term time charters with an average remaining term of approximately four years to a group of counterparties, consisting of Cosco Bulk Carrier Co. Ltd., Mitsui O.S.K. Lines Ltd., Samsun Logix, STX Panocean, Sanko Steamship Co. Ltd., Daiichi Chuo Kisen Kaisha, Augustea Imprese Maritime, Rio Tinto, Constellation Energy Group and Mansel.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company�� fleet consisted of 11 Panamax vessels, six Capesize vessels and one Ultra-Handymax vessel. Its fleet of dry cargo vessels has an average age of approximately 5.6 years. Panamax vessels are flexible vessels capable of carrying a range of drybulk commodities, including iron ore, coal, grain and fertilizer. All of its vessels operate under medium to long-term time charters of three or more years at inception with counterparties. It also operates vessels in the spot market until the vessels have! been fixed under appropriate medium to long-term charters.

The Company competes with China Ocean Shipping, China Shipping Group, Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Kawasaki Kisen, Nippon Yusen Kaisha, Cargill, Pacific Basin Shipping, Bocimar, Zodiac Maritime, Louis Dreyfus/Cetragpa, Cobelfret and Torvald Klaveness.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Igor Greenwald]

  Our Aggressive Portfolio already includes one beneficiary of these trends��avios Maritime Partners (NMM), a partnership with 25 dry bulk carriers, and now, five newly-acquired container ships.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Oroco Resource Corp (OCO.V)

Oroco Resource Corp., an exploration stage company, engages in acquiring, exploring, evaluating, and developing mineral resource properties in Mexico. It explores for gold, silver, zinc, and lead. The company primarily focuses on the Cerro Prieto project that consists of the San Felix, San Francisco, Cerro Prieto North, Argonauta 6, Elba, Huerto de Oro, and Reyna de Plata mineral concessions in northern Sonora State, Mexico. Oroco Resource Corp. was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Prospero Silver Corp (PSL.V)

Prospero Silver Corp., together with its subsidiary, Minera Fumarola S.A. de C.V., engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral properties in Mexico. The company primarily explores for gold, silver, and base metals. Its properties include the Campana property consisting of 9 titled claims with an area of 6,035 hectares and an untitled claim of 7,226 hectares in north-central Durango; San Luis del Cordero project situated in Durango City in Durango state; Baborigame property comprising 8 claims with an area of 8,736 hectares located to the southwest of Chihuahua city in Chihuahua state; and Santa Maria del Oro project covering 33,800 hectares situated in Durango state. The company was founded in 2008 and is headquartered in Richmond, Canada.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Independent Bank Corporation(IBCP)

Independent Bank Corporation operates as a holding company for the Independent Bank that provides various retail and commercial banking services in Michigan. The company offers various deposit products, including non-interest bearing demand deposits, time deposits, checking and savings accounts, and NOW accounts. It also provides commercial lending, direct and indirect consumer financing, mortgage lending, and safe deposit box services. The company, through its other subsidiaries, offers payment plans used by consumers to purchase vehicle service contracts and title insurance services, as well as provides investment and insurance services. As of May 2, 2011, it operated approximately 100 offices across Michigan?s Lower Peninsula. The company was founded in 1864 and is based in Ionia, Michigan.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Mainstream Minerals Corporation (MJO.V)

Mainstream Minerals Corporation engages in the acquisition and exploration of mineral resource properties in Canada. The company primarily explores for gold, copper, zinc, silver, and lead, as well as rare metals and rare earth elements. Its principal properties include the Bobjo Mine Project, a 100% owned gold property comprising 9 patented and 218 unpatented claim units in an area of 9,080 acres located in Earngey and Agnew Townships in the Red Lake Mining Division of Ontario; and the Hazard Lake/Northgate Deposit, a 100% owned gold property consisting of 3 claims for 24 claim units in approximately 480 hectares located in Uchi Lake Township in the Red Lake Mining Division of Ontario. The company also holds interests in properties located in north-central Ontario, northern Quebec, and north-western Ontario. Mainstream Minerals Corporation was founded in 2006 and is headquartered in Winnipeg, Canada.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: Canadian Pacific Railway Limited(CP)

Canadian Pacific Railway Limited, through its subsidiaries, operates as a transcontinental railway providing freight transportation services, logistics solutions, and supply chain expertise in Canada and the United States. It transports bulk commodities, including grain, coal, sulphur, and fertilizers; merchandise freight; finished vehicles and automotive parts; forest products, which include wood pulp, paper, paperboard, newsprint, lumber, panel, and oriented strand board; and industrial and consumer products comprising chemicals, energy, and plastics, as well as mine, metals, and aggregates. The company provides rail and intermodal transportation services over a network of approximately 14,700 miles serving the principal business centers of Canada, from Montreal to Vancouver, British Columbia; and the Midwest and Northeast regions of the United States. Canadian Pacific Railway Limited was founded in 1881 and is headquartered in Calgary, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Arjun Sreekumar]

  Not surprisingly, Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP  ) , one of largest rail companies in the U.S., tripled the amount of crude oil it shipped last year, while Berkshire Hathaway's (NYSE: BRK-B  ) Burlington Northern Santa Fe, or BNSF, another rail giant, is currently moving about 650,000 barrels of crude oil per day, up from next to nothing just five years ago. And Canadian Pacific Railway (NYSE: CP  ) expects to ship some 70,000 carloads of crude this year, up from just 500 in 2009.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: NCI Inc.(NCIT)

NCI, Inc. provides information technology (IT) and professional services and solutions to the United States Federal Government defense, intelligence, and civilian agencies. It offers enterprise systems management services, including infrastructure operations and management; outsourcing and managed; infrastructure consolidation and modernization; public/private cloud computing; planning and disaster recovery; virtual desktop infrastructure; application and network management; network design, implementation, and migration; network monitoring and performance evaluation; multi-site environments; and data center modernization and consolidation. The company also provides network engineering services comprising architecture development and design; protocol and topology optimization; disaster response planning and recovery; installation, test, and evaluation; network configuration and compliance audit; network security evaluation; protocol and topology optimization; reliability an d contingency assessment; requirements analysis; redundant routing/switching solutions; and enterprise vulnerability management. In addition, it offers cybersecurity and information assurance services consisting of intrusion detection/prevention system development; public key infrastructure implementation; certification and accreditation; computer forensics and ediscovery; policy and procedures development; threat assessment and mitigation; products evaluation and integration; security test and evaluation; cybersecurity fusion centers; and risk management and continuous monitoring. Further, the company provides software development and systems engineering services; program management and lifecycle support services; professional engineering, logistics, and support services; health IT and informatics services; and modeling, simulation, and training services. NCI, Inc. is headquartered in Reston, Virginia.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  NCI, Inc. (NASDAQ:NCIT) will issue its third quarter 2012 financial results after the market closes on Wednesday, October 31, 2012. Management will then discuss the results, as well as operating trends and future performance expectations, on a conference call beginning at 4:30 p.m. Eastern Time.

Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now: AmeriGas Partners L.P. (APU)

AmeriGas Partners, L.P. operates as a retail and wholesale distributor of propane gas, and related equipment and supplies in the United States. As of November 8, 2012, it served approximately 2 million residential, commercial, industrial, agricultural, wholesale, and motor fuel customers in 50 states through approximately 2,000 propane distribution locations. The company also sells, installs, and services propane appliances, including heating systems. It markets propane primarily under the AmeriGas, America's Propane Company, Heritage Propane, Titan Propane, and Relationships Matter trade names and related service marks. Its propane is used for home heating, water heating, and cooking purposes; to fire furnaces, as a cutting gas, and in other process applications; as a supplemental fuel and motor fuel; and for tobacco curing, chicken brooding, and crop drying applications. AmeriGas Propane, Inc. serves as the general partner of the company. AmeriGas Partners, L.P. was foun ded in 1994 and is based in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Ferrellgas Partners (NYSE: FGP  ) will release its quarterly report on Friday, and shares of the propane distributor have jumped to two-year highs recently. Yet with a somewhat different exposure to the industry than rivals AmeriGas (NYSE: APU  ) and Suburban Propane (NYSE: SPH  ) , will Ferrellgas earnings be able to grow enough to make optimistic investors satisfied?

• [By The Part-time Investor]

  I sold AmeriGas Partners (APU), 339 shares at $43.78, and replaced it with UGI Corp, which is the general partner for APU, 379 shares at $39.29.

  I sold ONEOK Partners (OKS), 265 shares at $51.25, and replaced it with ONEOK inc. (OKE), 267 shares at $52.31.

• [By Rich Smith]

  AmeriGas Propane, the general partner of AmeriGas Partners (NYSE: APU  ) and subsidiary of propane distributor UGI (NYSE: UGI  ) , announced Monday that it has promoted its treasurer, Hugh J. Gallagher, to the position of company vice president for finance, and chief financial officer.

FAA orders inspections of Boeing 767s

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) The Federal Aviation Administration is ordering inspections of the Boeing 767, one of the aircraft maker's most popular commercial jets, to check for problems that it says could cause loss of control of the planes.

The problem being cited is something that the FAA and Boeing have been looking into since 2000, and the planes have already been subject to earlier inspections.

But the FAA, in a notice in the Federal Register on Monday, said it has determined that potential problems with rivets could cause "failures or jams" that affect the plane's ability to climb or descend. The failure could result in "possible loss of control of the airplane," the FAA said.

The problem has not been cited as a cause in any crash of a 767, which is one of the most widely-used Boeing jets. Boeing has delivered 1,061 of the long-range, widebody planes since it went into service in 1982.

Some of the airlines objected to the proposed FAA action. United Continental (UAL, Fortune 500) filed comments arguing that previous inspections ordered by the FAA, along with service bulletins from Boeing, have addressed the risks being cited by the FAA in its new order. But the FAA rejected that argument.

Boeing (BA, Fortune 500) spokespeople were not immediately available for comment Monday. The order takes effect March 3, and airlines must perform the inspections within 6,000 flight hours of that date for each aircraft.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy For 2015

You can be sure that the next few weeks will see plenty of activity on Wall Street, as earnings season gets into full swing. While markets eased higher today partially due to Citigroup's�beat, the main reason the Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI  ) edged higher Monday was due to the performance of just a few blue chip mainstays. Although 60% of its components actually fell today, the Dow managed to add about 20 points, or 0.1%, to end at 15,484.

The Dow is a price-weighted index, the top nine stocks with the highest share price (not largest market capitalization) account for about 50% of the benchmark's movements on any given day. Boeing (NYSE: BA  ) happens to be the fourth heaviest-weighted blue chip, so its 3.7% jump today helped the average big time. Shareholders breathed a little easier after early investigations indicated that Friday's fire on a Boeing 787 was unrelated to the plane's battery. The company grounded its 787 Dreamliners for a while earlier this year after a January fire proved to originate in the battery.�

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy For 2015: Philip Morris International Inc(PM)

Philip Morris International Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of cigarettes and other tobacco products in markets outside of the United States. Its international product brand line comprises Marlboro, Merit, Parliament, Virginia Slims, L&M, Chesterfield, Bond Street, Lark, Muratti, Next, Philip Morris, and Red & White. The company also offers its products under the A Mild, Dji Sam Soe, and A Hijau in Indonesia; Diana in Italy; Optima and Apollo-Soyuz in the Russian Federation; Morven Gold in Pakistan; Boston in Colombia; Belmont, Canadian Classics, and Number 7 in Canada; Best and Classic in Serbia; f6 in Germany; Delicados in Mexico; Assos in Greece; and Petra in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. It operates primarily in the European Union, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Canada, and Latin America. The company is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Editor , Dividend Growth Investor]

  Philip Morris� (PM), through its subsidiaries, manufactures and sells cigarettes and other tobacco products. This dividend machine has rewarded shareholders with a dividend increase since being spun-offs from Altria Group (MO) in 2008.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy For 2015: Visa Inc.(V)

Visa Inc., a payments technology company, engages in the operation of retail electronic payments network worldwide. It facilitates commerce through the transfer of value and information among financial institutions, merchants, consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company owns and operates VisaNet, a global processing platform that provides transaction processing services. It also offers a range of payments platforms, which enable credit, charge, deferred debit, debit, and prepaid payments, as well as cash access for consumers, businesses, and government entities. The company provides its payment platforms under the Visa, Visa Electron, PLUS, and Interlink brand names. In addition, it offers value-added services, including risk management, issuer processing, loyalty, dispute management, value-added information, and CyberSource-branded services. The company is headquartered in San Francisco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Matt Thalman]

  After losing 1.92%, Visa (NYSE: V  ) became the Dow's third worst stock to own last week. Once again, the move comes after the company reported earnings. While on the surface Visa's results were impressive -- revenue up 8%; earnings up 20%, increased dividend; announcement of a bigger share buyback -- the stock fell on Wednesday after the report came out. One likely cause is that investors were looking for slightly more from the company. For one thing, client incentives rose 20% during the quarter, which put a damper on revenue growth and made the earnings increase look less impressive. High expectations can mean price loses from time to time in the short run, but that shouldn't drive investors away from strong long-term companies, such as Visa. �

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Stocks rebounded from yesterday’s rout today as 3M (MMM), Visa (V), Regeneron Pharmaceuticals (REGN), Allergan (AGN) and Mosaic (MOS) helped lead the major indexes higher.

• [By David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer]

  Stocks jumped during the early hours of trading, but credit card network monster Visa (NYSE: V  ) was lagging behind.

  In this video, Motley Fool financial analysts David Hanson and Matt Koppenheffer discuss the business of Visa and tell investors if they believe the stock is fairly valued or overvalued.

Best Casino Stocks To Watch For 2015: Colgate-Palmolive Company(CL)

Colgate-Palmolive Company, together with its subsidiaries, manufactures and markets consumer products worldwide. It offers oral care products, including toothpaste, toothbrushes, and mouth rinses, as well as dental floss and pharmaceutical products for dentists and other oral health professionals; personal care products, such as liquid hand soap, shower gels, bar soaps, deodorants, antiperspirants, shampoos, and conditioners; and home care products comprising laundry and dishwashing detergents, fabric conditioners, household cleaners, bleaches, dishwashing liquids, and oil soaps. The company offers its oral, personal, and home care products under the Colgate Total, Colgate Max Fresh, Colgate 360 Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG  ) will release its quarterly report on Friday, and investors have watched the stock hit new all-time record highs in November before falling back in the past two months. Despite the optimism, Procter & Gamble earnings face pressure from international giant Unilever (NYSE: UL  ) as well as domestic rivals Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL  ) and Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB  ) . The question facing investors is whether P&G can sustain its longtime competitive advantages against its rivals and bolster its growth.

• [By Dan Caplinger]

  Investors have always been interested in stocks that pay dividends, but lately, low interest rates on bonds and other fixed-income investments have made solid dividend payers even more valuable. Among the most promising dividend stocks in the market is Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL  ) , and one big reason is that it is one of the few exclusive companies to make the list of Dividend Aristocrats. In order to become a member of this elite group, a company must have raised its dividend payouts to shareholders every single year for at least a quarter-century. Only a few dozen stocks manage to make the cut, and those that do tend to stay there for a long time.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  Colgate-Palmolive Co. (NYSE: CL) was raised to Overweight from Equal Weight and the price target is now $68 (versus a $59.93 close) at Morgan Stanley.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy For 2015: McDonald's Corporation(MCD)

McDonald?s Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, operates as a worldwide foodservice retailer. It franchises and operates McDonald?s restaurants that offer various food items, soft drinks, coffee, and other beverages. As of December 31, 2009, the company operated 32,478 restaurants in 117 countries, of which 26,216 were operated by franchisees; and 6,262 were operated by the company. McDonald?s Corporation was founded in 1948 and is based in Oak Brook, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET.COM]

  McDonald�� is a well-recognized company that fulfills cravings and demand for quick and delicious food choices that many consumers across the globe enjoy. The stock has been steadily chugging higher but is now pulling-back a bit from all-time high prices. Over most of the last four quarters, earnings and revenue figures have been on the rise, however, investors have grown to expect a little more from the company. Relative to its peers and sector, McDonald’s has been an average performer, year-to-date. Look for McDonald’s to stabilize and OUTPERFORM.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy For 2015: Apple Inc.(AAPL)

Apple Inc., together with subsidiaries, designs, manufactures, and markets personal computers, mobile communication and media devices, and portable digital music players, as well as sells related software, services, peripherals, networking solutions, and third-party digital content and applications worldwide. The company sells its products worldwide through its online stores, retail stores, direct sales force, third-party wholesalers, resellers, and value-added resellers. In addition, it sells third-party Mac, iPhone, iPad, and iPod compatible products, including application software, printers, storage devices, speakers, headphones, and other accessories and peripherals through its online and retail stores; and digital content and applications through the iTunes Store. The company sells its products to consumer, small and mid-sized business, education, enterprise, government, and creative markets. As of September 25, 2010, it had 317 retail stores, including 233 stores in the United States and 84 stores internationally. The company, formerly known as Apple Computer, Inc., was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Cupertino, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  As Samsung gets cooler -- and Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) sheds some of its swagger -- Best Buy has positioned itself as a beneficiary.

  BB&T Capital Markets analyst Anthony Chukumba made the argument in January, raising his rating and price target on Best Buy on the theory that folks will flock back to the superstore chain now that there's less reason to hit up a dedicated Apple store.

• [By Doug Ehrman]

  Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) recently announced the release of Windows 8.1 in a test version -- Mr. Softy's attempt to answer the myriad complaints it received about Windows 8. While the new release fixed some of the biggest problems, there are at least two issues that remain problems with the release, and one issue that continues to plague the company. As Microsoft is competing with Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) and Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) in the mobile and app worlds in ever-changing ways, the company's ability to be nimble is critical.

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  That didn't take long. Just months after finally getting the iPhone in its lineup, Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) device is already surging at T-Mobile (NYSE: TMUS  ) .

• [By Rex Moore]

  That was one of the questions addressed recently at CE Week in New York City. According to Mashable, which hosted a panel on "The Battle Over Smartphone Screen Size," it's impossible to buy a top Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) Android phone these days with a screen smaller than 4.7 inches. Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) is still lagging in this area -- its iPhone 5 finally stepped up to a 4-inch display -- but there's speculation it will have to go larger as well.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy For 2015: Chevron Corporation(CVX)

Chevron Corporation, through its subsidiaries, engages in petroleum, chemicals, mining, power generation, and energy operations worldwide. It operates in two segments, Upstream and Downstream. The Upstream segment involves in the exploration, development, and production of crude oil and natural gas; processing, liquefaction, transportation, and regasification associated with liquefied natural gas; transportation of crude oil through pipelines; and transportation, storage, and marketing of natural gas, as well as holds interest in a gas-to-liquids project. The Downstream segment engages in the refining of crude oil into petroleum products; marketing of crude oil and refined products primarily under the Chevron, Texaco, and Caltex brand names; transportation of crude oil and refined products by pipeline, marine vessel, motor equipment, and rail car; and manufacture and marketing of commodity petrochemicals, plastics for industrial uses, and fuel and lubricant additives. It a lso produces and markets coal and molybdenum; and holds interests in 13 power assets with a total operating capacity of approximately 3,100 megawatts, as well as involves in cash management and debt financing activities, insurance operations, real estate activities, energy services, and alternative fuels and technology business. Chevron Corporation has a joint venture agreement with China National Petroleum Corporation. The company was formerly known as ChevronTexaco Corp. and changed its name to Chevron Corporation in May 2005. Chevron Corporation was founded in 1879 and is based in San Ramon, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  As with just about any Buffett purchases, shares of ExxonMobil have gotten a pop. They’ve gained 1.9% to $94.96, well above the S&P 500′s 0.3% gain. Exxon has also outpaced ConocoPhillips (COP), which has dropped 0.8% to $73.06 and Chevron (CVX), which has risen 0.4% to $119.99. BP (BP) is up 1.2% to $47.15.

Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy For 2015: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Smith]

  Xerox stock is cheap
  When you stack up Xerox stock against two of its rivals in the international "business process outsourcing" industry -- Accenture (NYSE: ACN  ) and IBM (NYSE: IBM  ) -- it's clear that Xerox is one of the cheapest options out there. Its 9.7 price-to-earnings ratio falls 32% below the P/E of IBM. It sells for a whopping 45% discount to the price of a share of Accenture.

• [By Benjamin Pimentel]

  IBM Corp (IBM) �was down 0.5%, while Cisco Systems (CSCO) �was off 0.3% and Intel Corp. (INTC) �gave up 0.2%.

• [By Gregory Ness]

  Most of the biggest technology payoffs have been generated by companies that drove transformations in business operations. From the mainframe era with IBM (IBM) through the PC era with Microsoft (MSFT) and the networking era with Cisco (CSCO), disruptive technologies that set new standards for business productivity established built-to-last companies with massive market capitalizations.

Dr. Doom Roubini on Bloomberg

 

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Sears to Close Flagship Store in Dowtown Chicago

Nam Y. Huh/APCustomers ride escalators inside the Sears store in downtown Chicago. NEW YORK -- Sears Holdings (SHLD) is closing its downtown Chicago flagship outlet in April, the latest move by the retailer to cut the number of its stores as it relies more on online retailing. The store has lost "millions of dollars" since opening in 2001, a Sears spokesman said Tuesday. The closing will leave Sears' namesake chain without a store in the downtown core of its hometown. Sears is based in suburban Hoffman Estates, Ill. It has three other stores in Chicago. In a blog post Tuesday, hedge fund manager Edward Lampert, who is Sears' CEO and top shareholder, said store closings are necessary because shoppers' habits are changing as they buy more online. "The consensus about decreased store traffic also highlights another decision that has steered our work: we very often need less space to serve our members better and we may need fewer locations as well," Lampert said. "As difficult as these changes are, we believe the alternative of failing to plan for or even see where the retail industry is heading would be far, far worse." Sears reported a 9.2 percent decline in comparable sales for the holiday season at its namesake chain, the latest poor showing by the retailer. The company also operates the Kmart discount chain. Sears Holdings has closed about 300 U.S. stores since 2010. The company has about 2,000 Sears and Kmart locations in the United States. Other retailers are also closing stores. J.C. Penney (JCP) announced last week that it was closing 33 of its 1,100 stores. Macy's (M) is closing five stores, although it plans to open eight new locations. The news of the Chicago store closing was first reported by Crain's. Percentage of U.S. population who visited in March: 14.2%  Revenue: $73.3 billion  1-year stock price change: 27.56%  Store category: Discount & variety stores

Why Chelsea Therapeutics Stock Is on Fire

The 91.74% gain in Chelsea Therapeutics International Ltd (Nasdaq: CHTP) stock yesterday (Wednesday) is the latest biotech to see a massive one-day surge. More development-stage biotechs are nearing approval for new treatments - and doubling or tripling their share prices.

Shares of 10-year-old Charlotte, N.C.-based Chelsea Therapeutics surged as much as 120% Wednesday after an independent panel found CHTP's drug to treat a rare form of low blood pressure effective enough to warrant regulatory approval.

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Top 5 Safest Companies To Invest In 2014

Tuesday's decision from the group, an advisory panel to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, was nearly unanimous. Sixteen cast votes in favor of the drug; just one voted against it.

While the FDA isn't bound by the advisory group's advice, the government agency does take its guidance into consideration and frequently follows it.

The FDA is scheduled to make a decision on Chelsea's drug, Northera, on Feb. 14.

Chelsea's (CHTP) Northera Drug

Northera is used to treat patients with neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH), a rare, lingering type of low blood pressure. nOH typically occurs upon standing and is commonly experienced by those with certain neurological disorders, including Parkinson's disease. Nearly 300,000 patients presently suffer from nOH in the U.S. and EU combined.

Also known as droxidopa, Northera works like a chemical messenger. It sends signals to blood vessels and the heart to regulate blood pressure and prevent things such as light-headedness, dizziness, blurred vision, fatigue, poor concentration, and fainting upon standing.

"Chelsea is committed to improving the lives of patients with nOH, a debilitating disorder which often severely limits a person's ability to perform routine daily activities," Joseph G. Oliveto, Interim Chelsea chief executive officer, said in a statement.

One cardiologist who voted in Northera's favor told Reuters he did so "based on the compelling evidence of suffering and the absence of viable alternatives." But, the doctor added FDA approval should be contingent on additional studies.

Meanwhile, patient and patient advocates who testified before the panel made compelling statements about the positive impact Northera has had on their lives.

Strong Support for Chelsea (CHPT)

This is a second time Northera faces the FDA...

Chelsea first filed for approval of Northera in 2011. In March 2012, the FDA rejected Northera's application, requesting more efficacy data about the medicine.

Following additional studies that addressed the FDA's concerns, and more than a year of delays in efforts to bring its first and lead candidate to market, Chelsea resubmitted its application in September.

In a research note Wednesday, Wedbush analysts said they think the "overwhelming positive vote this time may pressure the FDA to approve Northera." The investment firm gives Northera a 65% chance of getting the FDA nod next month.

In a note of caution, an advisory panel also recommended approval in February 2012. That endorsement was prior to the FDA's first rejection. Shares sorely suffered following the rejection, slumping more than 36%.

This time around, Chelsea has a more solid, albeit independent, backing.

In addition to Northera, Chelsea's pipeline of potential therapies include treatments for rheumatoid arthritis that may also prove appropriate in the treatment of a number of other autoimmune disorders.

CHTP stock traded as high as $5.78 Wednesday before closing at $4.41. CHTP is up 3% to $4.55 in Thursday morning trading.

Chelsea Isn't the Only Biotech Worth Watching: Here Are Three More Headline-Grabbing Biotechs to Buy

Related Articles:

The Wall Street Journal:
Chelsea Therapeutics' Northera Get Strong Support From FDA Panel Reuters:
FDA Panel Backs Chelsea Therapeutics Drug MarketWatch:
Opening Buzzer: Chelsea Therapeutics International, Tesla Motors Inc, NQ Mobile Inc, Rexahn Pharmaceuticals

Top Insider Trades 1/17/14: MVC SYRG RHP ACSF

By Jonathan Moreland, founder of Insider Insights and author of Profit From Legal Insider Trading.

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Which stocks are getting attention from insiders?

In a victory for common sense, tracking the trading behavior of company executives, directors and large shareholders in the stocks of companies at which they're registered as "insiders" has proven to be profitable, according to both academic studies and (more important) the experience of professional investors.

Below are lists of the top 10 mainly open-market insider purchases and sales filed at the Securities and Exchange Commission Friday, Jan. 17, 2014 as ranked by dollar value. Please note, however, that these are factual lists, not buy and sell recommendations. Dollar value is only one metric to assess the importance of an insider transaction, and, frankly, often not even the most important metric that determines if an insider transaction is significant.

At InsiderInsights.com, we find new investment ideas just about every day using these and more intricate insider screens to determine where we should focus our subsequent fundamental and technical analysis. And while stocks don't (or shouldn't) move up or down based on insider activity alone, insiders tend to be good indicators of when real stock-moving events like earnings surprises, corporate actions, and new products may be in the offing. So use these regular blog posts as the initial research tools they are meant to be, and click the links in the tables to analyze a company's or insider's full insider history. Also feel free to email us with any questions on our proprietary insider data, and how it is best analyzed.

Insider Purchases #:Filer NameInsider TitlesCompany NameTickerTrans
TypeDollar Value

1	Pelletier Mark	PR,CIO	Am Cap Sr Floating	ACSF	JB*	$495,000
2	Knapp Robert C	DIR	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) ►  April (24) ►  March (23) ►  February (13) ▼  January (25) Disney's Deal With Netflix Was Inevitable Hot Regional Bank Companies To Own In Right Now Abenomics' Special Economic Zones, Sans Labor Dere... Best Rising Companies To Own In Right Now FAA orders inspections of Boeing 767s Top 10 Blue Chip Stocks To Buy For 2015 Dr. Doom Roubini on Bloomberg Sears to Close Flagship Store in Dowtown Chicago Why Chelsea Therapeutics Stock Is on Fire Top Insider Trades 1/17/14: MVC SYRG RHP ACSF If companies shared their cash with employees 3 Reasons Why You Need Inflation Protection Now Donald Yacktman Interview with GuruFocus 4G LTE in Africa: Courtesy Alcatel-Lucent - Analy... Delamaide: Hot air inflates big bank 'fines' Top 10 Canadian Companies For 2014 The Next Earnings Season Starts Tonight! Twitter embraces Twittersphere for earnings call The 5 Companies I Could Not Live Without Rockwell Collins Wins $44.5 Million French Defense... Court rejects Cooper Tire claim in Apollo dispute SanDisk and Western Digital Team Up A Cystic Fibrosis Backup Plan Stocks set to end 2013 on a high note Ford warns that 2014 profit margins will fall ►  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.