Atisha Paulson/Bloomberg via Getty ImagesAn employee sews printed leather patterns for a Rebecca Minkoff handbag at the Baikal manufacturing facility in New York. DETROIT -- Call it the comeback kid. A new ranking of the competitiveness of the world's top 25 exporting countries says the United States is once again a "rising star" of global manufacturing thanks to falling domestic natural gas prices, rising worker productivity and a lack of upward wage pressure. The report, released Friday by the Boston Consulting Group, found that while China remains the world's No. 1 country in terms of manufacturing competitiveness, its position is "under pressure" as a result of rising labor and transportation costs and lagging productivity growth. The United States, meanwhile, which has lost nearly 7.5 million industrial jobs since employment in the sector peaked in 1979 as manufacturers shipped production to low-cost countries, is now No. 2 in terms of overall competitiveness, BCG said. The biggest factor driving the U.S. rebound, according to BCG: cheap natural gas prices, which have tumbled 50 percent over the last decade as a result of the shale gas revolution. Also contributing to the country's attractiveness, according to BCG, is "stable wage growth" -- a euphemism for the fact that, in inflation-adjusted terms, industrial wages here are lower today than they were in the 1960s even though worker productivity has doubled over the same period of time. "Overall costs in the U.S.," the report's authors write, "are 10 to 25 percent lower than those of the world's ten leading goods-exporting nations other than China" and on par with Eastern Europe. Another standout in the rankings is Mexico, which BCG categorizes as a "rising star" with lower average manufacturing costs than China. But the country failed to make BCG's list of Top 10 manufacturers because of other factors, including rampant crime and corruption. BCG arrived at the rankings using a proprietary index that focuses on four major factors: wages, productivity growth, energy costs and exchange rates. In addition to China, four other countries with reputations as low-cost production centers -- Brazil, the Czech Republic, Poland and Russia -- are classified as being "under pressure" in terms of their manufacturing costs.
Top Defense Stocks To Invest In 2015: CVS Corporation(CVS)
CVS Caremark Corporation operates as a pharmacy services company in the United States. The company?s Pharmacy Services segment provides a range of pharmacy benefit management services, including mail order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy services, plan design and administration, formulary management, and claims processing; and drug benefits to eligible beneficiaries under the Federal Government?s Medicare Part D program. This segment primarily serves employers, insurance companies, unions, government employee groups, managed care organizations and other sponsors of health benefit plans, and individuals. As of December 31, 2010, it operated 44 retail specialty pharmacy stores, 18 specialty mail order pharmacies, and 4 mail service pharmacies located in 25 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia. This segment operates business under the CVS Caremark Pharmacy Services, Caremark, CVS Caremark, CarePlus CVS/pharmacy, CarePlus, RxAmerica, Accordant, and TheraCom names. The company?s Retail Pharmacy segment sells prescription drugs, over-the-counter drugs, beauty products and cosmetics, seasonal merchandise, greeting cards, and convenience foods through its pharmacy retail stores and online, as well as offers film and photo finishing, and health care services. This segment operated 7,182 retail drugstores located in 41 states, Puerto Rico, and the District of Columbia; and 560 retail health care clinics in 26 states and the District of Columbia under the MinuteClinic name. It has a strategic alliance with Alere, L.L.C. for the management of disease management program offerings that cover chronic diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, congestive heart failure, and coronary artery disease. CVS Caremark Corporation was founded in 1892 and is based in Woonsocket, Rhode Island.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]
CVS Caremark provides healthcare and general products and services to consumers across the nation. The company named long-serving executive Helena Foulkes to replace Mark Cosby as president of the company’s pharmacy business. The stock has been rising higher and is now trading near all time high prices. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenue figures have been increasing leaving investors pleased about CVS Caremark�� earnings announcements. Relative to its peers and sector, CVS Caremark has been an average year-to-date performer. Look for CVS Caremark to OUTPERFORM.
Top Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Progress Software Corporation(PRGS)
Progress Software Corporation operates as an enterprise software company worldwide. Its products include Progress OpenEdge platform, which offers development tools, application servers, application management tools, and an embedded database; Progress Orbix to address enterprise integration problems with standards-based solutions; and Progress ObjectStore, an object data management system to store data faster than relational database management system or file-based storage system. The company?s products also comprise Progress Responsiveness Process Management suite for business users; Progress Control Tower, an interactive business control panel; Progress Sonic, which comprises an enterprise messaging system and the enterprise service buses; Progress Actional that provides operational and business visibility, root cause analysis, and policy-based security and control of services; Progress Apama, which offers tools for creating, testing, and deploying strategies for applicat ions, including algorithmic trading, market aggregation, smart order routing, market surveillance and monitoring, and risk management; Progress Savvion BusinessManager, a business process management software; and Fuse products that provide customers with access to professional open source integration and messaging software. In addition, it offers Progress DataDirect Connect products, which provide data connectivity components; Progress DataDirect Shadow to provide foundation architecture for standards-based mainframe integration; and Progress Data Services product set that offers data integration for distributed applications. Further, the company provides maintenance, consulting, training, and customer support services. Progress Software Corporation sells its products to independent software vendors, original equipment manufacturers, and system integrators through direct sales force and independent distributors. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Bedford, Massac husetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
In trading on Friday, technology shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.31 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Aware (NASDAQ: AWRE), up 15.4 percent, and Progress Software (NASDAQ: PRGS), up 7.7 percent.
Top Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: 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 Holly LaFon]
Question: Talk about your IBM (IBM) investment and where you see moat? I work for Microsoft.
Warren: I don�� understand the moat around IBM as much as around Coca-Cola. I have some understanding of it but would have more conviction about moat around Coke or Wrigley or Heinz than IBM but I feel good enough about IBM that I put money in it and nothing precludes Microsoft and IBM both being successful. In fact I hope both are. We have enough conviction about IBM�� position. I like their financial position. Odds are good. Don�� feel the same degree about conviction about that than BNSF railroad. I can�� think of anything going wrong with bnsf. I can think of some things wrong with IBM. They have a huge pension fund too. Asset and liabilities ��a big annuity company on the side. Can have balls that take 20 bounces in annuities. I would rather they didn�� have it but the fact is they do. They show asset and liabilities equal but assets are more reliable over time.
Top Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: UnitedHealth Group Incorporated(UNH)
UnitedHealth Group Incorporated provides healthcare services in the United States. Its Health Benefits segment offers consumer-oriented health benefit plans and services to national employers, public sector employers, mid-sized employers, small businesses, and individuals; and non-employer based insurance options for purchase by individuals. It also provides health and well-being services for individuals aged 50 and older; and for services dealing with chronic disease and other specialized issues for older individuals, as well as health plans for the beneficiaries of acute and long-term care Medicaid plans. This segment offers its services through a network of 730,000 physicians and other health care professionals, and 5,300 hospitals. Its OptumHealth segment provides health, financial, and ancillary services and products that assist consumers through personalized health management solutions; benefit administration, and clinical and network management; health-based financi al services; behavioral solutions; and specialty benefits, such as dental, vision, life, critical illness, short-term disability, and stop-loss product offerings. The company?s Ingenix segment offers database and data management services, software products, publications, consulting and actuarial services, business process outsourcing services, and pharmaceutical data consulting and research services. Its Prescription Solutions segment provides integrated pharmacy benefit management services comprising retail network pharmacy contracting and management, claims processing, mail order pharmacy services, specialty pharmacy, benefit design consultation, rebate contracting and management, drug utilization review, formulary management programs, disease therapy management, and adherence programs to employer groups, union trusts, managed care organizations, Medicare-contracted plans, Medicaid plans, and third party administrators. The company was founded in 1974 and is based in Minne tonka, Minnesota.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
Finally, UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH ) rose 0.8%. A report over the weekend found that almost half of all states expect to expand their Medicaid programs in order to meet demand for poor residents seeking health insurance coverage under Obamacare's individual mandate. The news gives UnitedHealth and other insurance companies a second bite at the health-care apple, as the company can seek both to cover individuals through insurance policies as well as go after lucrative Medicaid business at the state level.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH ) has climbed 2.1% as the long-awaited state health exchanges under Obamacare finally start to take shape. As Fool contributor Sean Williams noted last week, the newly unveiled California exchange included neither UnitedHealth nor many other major insurance companies, raising concerns about whether the program will really deliver the rise in profitable policyholders that some investors were looking for. Some insurance peers have already started to cut their internal growth projections, but for now at least, investors don't appear to be too concerned.
- [By Sean Williams]
These numbers are great news for health benefits providers like CIGNA�and UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH ) . UnitedHealth is one of Colorado's largest insurers, while CIGNA offers a big presence in Utah. If fewer people are dealing with high blood pressure and diabetes in these states, then UnitedHealth and CIGNA would be expected to keep more of their premium as profit since people in these states should be visiting the doctor less often. Understandably the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act will cap health insurers' medical loss ratio at 80%, but this is still great news for insurers operating in these states.
Top Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ford Motor Credit Company(F)
Ford Motor Company primarily develops, manufactures, distributes, and services vehicles and parts worldwide. It operates in two sectors, Automotive and Financial Services. The Automotive sector offers vehicles primarily under the Ford and Lincoln brand names. This sector markets cars, trucks, and parts through retail dealers in North America, and through distributors and dealers outside of North America. It also sells cars and trucks to dealers for sale to fleet customers, including daily rental car companies, commercial fleet customers, leasing companies, and governments. In addition, this sector provides retail customers with a range of after-sale vehicle services and products in the areas, such as maintenance and light repair, heavy repair, collision repair, vehicle accessories, and extended service contracts under the Ford Service, Lincoln Service, Ford Custom Accessories, Ford Extended Service Plan, and Motorcraft brand names. The Financial Services sector offers vari ous automotive financing products to and through automotive dealers. It offers retail financing, which includes retail installment contracts for new and used vehicles; direct financing leases; wholesale financing products that comprise loans to dealers to finance the purchase of vehicle inventory; loans to dealers to finance working capital, purchase real estate dealership, and/or make improvements to dealership facilities; and other financing products, as well as provides insurance services. Ford Motor Company was founded in 1903 and is based in Dearborn, Michigan.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
Ford (NYSE: F ) had a great April.
The car manufacturer announced that sales in April rose 18% when pitted against April of last year. Car sales were up 21%, along with a 16% increase in trucks and utilities.�
- [By Jim Royal]
Johnson Controls is involved in both the building control and HVAC market and in the auto components market. Johnson controls serves some of the biggest automobile companies, including Ford (NYSE: F ) and General Motors (NYSE: GM ) . However, as the competitive position of these companies weakens, Johnson Controls needs to find new growth opportunities. While the company tried to improve its competitive position through the acquisition of A123 Systems' assets, it lost out to Chinese company Wanxiang America. While this failed bid may have been bad for Johnson Controls, it was good for Exide, which will not suffer from the competitive advantages Johnson would have gained through this acquisition.
- [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]
Toyota looks like it has put its worst days behind it, as Japan has largely recovered from the 2011 tsunami disaster, and the yen is at a more attractive rate for exporters. It looks like the weak yen is here to stay: Prime Minister Abe shows no sign of scaling back ��benomics,��and the U.S. dollar should appreciate as the domestic economy continues to strengthen. Additionally, increased global aggregate lightweight vehicle demand, as well as improved relations between China and Japan, should increase Toyota�� sales in the coming quarters. Even though Toyota trades at a relatively high price, its future earnings growth is very attractive. Look for Toyota to OUTPERFORM.
Top Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)
Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and changed its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Grgurich]
Buckle up, Fools. The last few weeks have been a real roller coaster ride not just for Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) but for its big-four brethren, too. And if the start of the day's trading is any indication, it looks like the ride is going to continue.
- [By Jessica Alling]
First things first -- immediately following the bank's earnings report, its shares rose 4% in trading thanks to a 30% increase in profits, among other improvements. But two days later, Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) underwhelmed the Street and most of the Big Four banks dropped pretty rapidly on the trading boards. After a week, investors came back to the banks and remembered that analyst expectations are not everything when it comes to earnings and brought Citi back to its post-earnings highs.
Top Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Whole Foods Market Inc.(WFM)
Whole Foods Market, Inc. engages in the ownership and operation of natural and organic food supermarkets. The company offers produce, seafood, grocery, meat and poultry, bakery, prepared foods and catering, coffee and tea, nutritional supplements, and vitamins. It also provides specialty products, such as beer, wine, and cheese; body care and educational products, such as books; and floral, pet, and household products. As of February 9, 2011, the company operated 302 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tess Stynes var popups = dojo.query(".socialByline .popC"); popups.forEach(fu]
Among the companies with shares expected to actively trade in Wednesday’s session are Mondelez International Inc.(MDLZ), Whole Foods Market Inc.(WFM) and AOL Inc.(AOL)
- [By Rich Smith]
This series, brought to you by Yahoo! Finance, looks at which upgrades and downgrades make sense, and which ones investors should act on. Today, we'll be looking at a pair of downgrades for both Lear (NYSE: LEA ) and Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM ) , followed by an improved price target at 3M (NYSE: MMM ) . Let's start with that one.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
For years, Whole Foods Market (NASDAQ: WFM ) has been on the cutting edge of the grocery industry, changing the way millions of Americans shop for food by putting greater emphasis on quality ingredients and healthy offerings. Yet during much of 2014, shareholders have worried that Whole Foods had lost its way, with slowing growth seeming to be inevitable, driving growth-oriented investors away from the stock. In just the past month, though, Whole Foods has regained the confidence of its shareholders, and now, it appears the company does have more growth prospects than some had feared. Let's take a closer look at Whole Foods to discover how it turned things around, and what's next for the premium grocery chain.
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