Stocks Market Today: May 2014

Saturday, May 31, 2014

Benefit from High-Speed Data Growth with These 2 Stocks

Demand for high-speed data is rapidly increasing. The shift to social networking and mobile devices in our lives has forced content providers to increasingly offer personalized data heavy content, including video, via high-speed networks to multiple access devices. There is also a transition underway in the corporate world. Cloud computing has changed the way businesses access the large amounts of data they use everyday. Now companies employ high-speed networks with Internet browsers or mobile devices to retrieve it on an as-needed basis.

Here are three companies making some significant changes in order to thrive in the new high-speed data environment:

Cisco Systems

Cisco (CSCO) is a leader in communications networking. It reported sales of $24.0 billion for the first six months of its fiscal year 2013, a modest 5.3% increase year-over-year. Concerning is that its core switching & router business, which accounts for about 60% of sales, showed no growth.

In response, the company is transitioning from a provider specializing in increasing network productivity to becoming one who also offers opportunities for improved revenue generation through high-speed access to enterprise data and securely delivered video entertainment. Cisco has made a couple of notable acquisitions to help them succeed in these areas.

In mid-2012, the company acquired NDS Group for about $5.0 billion. NDS was a leading provider of video software and content security solutions that enabled providers to securely deliver and monetize video entertainment. The acquisition of NDS is expected to accelerate the development of Cisco's own content delivery platform and expand into emerging markets such as China and India, where NDS has an established customer presence.

Cisco also recently acquired privately held Meraki Inc. for around $1.0 billion. Meraki offered customers networking solutions centrally managed from the cloud. With the purchase of Meraki, Cisco intends to expand its presence in cloud networking.

The company looks to have a fair business value, or cash earnings times a capitalization multiplier, of around $21 a share. This is based on expected sales of $48.0 billion and adjusted cash earnings at $8.1 billion. It also assumes a moderate-growth tech standard 14x multiplier. If Cisco can successfully penetrate the faster growing high-speed data markets, an elevated 16x multiplier might be considered.

ARRIS Group Inc.

ARRIS (ARRS) is a communications technology company that focuses on products that enable high-speed broadband transmission of video, telephony, and data. Most of the company's business is with cable TV system operators with Comcast and Time Warner Cableproviding about 50% of sales.

The company has produced some excellent results with revenues in the fourth quarter of 2012 at $344 million, around 22% higher than the fourth quarter of 2011 and the company's book-to-bill ratio, basically the ratio of orders received to orders shipped, in the fourth quarter 2012 was 1.11 as compared to 0.98 in last year's fourth quarter and 0.82 in the third quarter of 2012.

ARRIS is really changing its future with the planned acquisition of the Motorola Home business from Google. Motorola Home is a leading cable TV set-top box maker that generates around $3.4 billion in sales, more than double ARRIS Group's current revenue.

The purchase will be funded by $2.1 billion of debt and the issuance of about 21.2 million shares of stock. Because of the size of the purchase, significant transaction-related costs will be incurred but realization of efficiencies and cost cutting will probably provide a net benefit in the longer-term.

ARRIS is making a large transformative bet with the purchase. But it may have a meaningful payoff.

Prior to the Motorola Home purchase, ARRIS looks to have a fair business value of around $13 per share. This is based on a standard growing tech company 16x multiplier and expected sales of $1.4 billion and adjusted earnings at $95 million.

However, if the acquisition goes well and Motorola Home performs as it has done historically, the company is eventually expected to have revenues closer to $4.7 billion and cash earnings of $160 million. ARRIS would then have fair value nearer $18 with a 16x multiplier.

Conclusion

The increasing need for high-speed data is changing the world for both consumers and corporations. Tech companies able to successfully make this transition will be greatly rewarded; those that can't will be aptly punished. Investors in this space might want to keep a watchful eye on how their companies are playing this extremely important transformation.

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Friday, May 30, 2014

Congress Handcuffs DEA on Legal Marijuana

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- In a historic vote, Congress voted to support states on legalized medicinal marijuana. The measure will not allow the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA) to spend federal funds to interfere with states that have legalized medicinal marijuana.

"The states have spoken, the American people have spoken and now for the first time the U.S. House of Representatives have spoken on allowing medical marijuana," said Rep. Dana Rohrabacher, the sponsor of the measure, in a press conference on Friday.

Rohrabacher had offered the measure because patients and dispensaries in states that had legalized medicinal marijuana continued to be raided by the DEA as state law and federal law collided. Dispensaries had inventory confiscated, including cash, most of which was never returned. Patients with all the proper paperwork were thrown in jail.

>> Read More: Cannabis Legalization From Bloodshed to Regrowth The most egregious case cited is the Kettle 5, a family in Washington arrested for marijuana plants. Even though the family abided by Washington state law, the federal agents took the family car and all the family's medicinal marijuana. The family now faces a sentence of 10 years to life. The approval of the measure is the first time in history that Congress has voted to rein in the DEA from its war on drugs. It also showed a shift in Republicans, who tend to support the DEA and strict law enforcement. Forty-nine Republicans voted as the measure was approved 219-189. The amendment, one of many pieces of marijuana legislation, has been offered seven times since 2003, only to fail each vote.

"Congress has finally caught up with the supermajority of Americans across the nation supportive of protections for medical marijuana patients. This amendment protects people in 32 states and the District of Columbia, comprising an astonishing 60% of the population, who now live in states with medical marijuana laws," said Aaron Houston, a political advisor and strategist at Ghost Group, an operating company that specializes in marijuana technology companies. >> Read More: Hemp in Kentucky Creates Latest Drug War Battleground "This measure passed because it received more support from Republicans than ever before. It is refreshing to see conservatives in Congress sticking to their conservative principles when it comes to marijuana policy. Republicans increasingly recognize that marijuana prohibition is a failed Big Government program that infringes on states' rights," said Dan Riffle of the Marijuana Policy Project. There are currently 22 states that have legalized medicinal marijuana with Minnesota becoming the latest. The DEA will now have to stand down when it comes to raiding state-legal medical marijuana dispensaries and arresting approved patients. New York could also potentially legalize medicinal marijuana if the legislation comes up for a vote before the session ends June 19. Rohrabacher isn't done yet, saying, "Although it's a crucial moment we have to follow this up and turn this victory into law." -- Written by Debra Borchardt in New York.
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3 Soaring Stocks That Are Beating the Odds

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winnerslosers185 Between the current government shutdown and looming debt ceiling crisis, it’s almost no wonder stock have been showing some weakness of late. From Sept. 18 until Oct. 8, the Dow Jones Industrial Average shed nearly 6%, while the S&P 500 fell 4%.

But even without the broader market’s momentum, an impressive 29 stocks trading on U.S. exchanges managed to hit all-time highs on Oct. 8, according to Barchart.com.

Given the volatility in the markets over the past two weeks or so, it’s amazing that any equities are reaching new highs, quite frankly.

Of course, that recent upwards momentum doesn’t help investors if it isn’t going to continue. With that in mind, I sorted through the 29 stocks that rose to the top earlier in the week to find which ones are capable of keeping up the momentum.

Here are the top three stocks for investors to consider:

Wolverine World Wide

wolverineWWW185 Year-to-Date Return: 44%

Wolverine World Wide (WWW) simply isn’t the same company it was a year ago — and its record third-quarter results are proof. WWW completed a $2 billion acquisition of Collective Brands last year, adding the Sperry Top-Sider, Saucony, Stride Rite and Keds brands to its portfolio.

Transformational deals rarely come along, but this one surely is close. Prior to the deal, Wolverine’s Heritage Group — which includes Wolverine, Cat Footwear, Bates, Sebago, Harley-Davidson and HyTest — accounted for approximately 41% of its revenue. Today, the group represents just 20% of the company’s overall revenue.

That’s good, though, because WWW boasts a more balanced business model with three strong operating segments instead of only two. And each segment grew revenue year-over-year, with Lifestyle and Performance segments posting respective gains of 10% and 13%.

Plus, each of the acquired brands have contributed to the overall success of Wolverine’s business so far in 2013, while WWW also has a nicely growing global presence. The result: Wolverine raised its full-year adjusted earnings to at least $2.73 per share — which itself is 19% year-over-year growth.

For the cherry on top, Wolverine World Wide is focused on growing its business while also paying off its debt as quickly as possible. Its net debt of $994 million at the end of Q3 is 15% lower than than on the transaction closing date.

Amira Nature Foods

amira185 Year-to-Date Gains: 77%

Amira Nature Foods (ANFI) went public last October at $10 per share — and now the stock is trading around 40% higher than that offer price. Compared to IPOs in general, however, the past year’s been anything but smooth. ANFI dropped 19% on its first day of trading and didn’t rise above its offering price until early September.

Investors were disappointed with both the pricing and the gross proceeds, as Amira raised only $90 million. Originally, it had intended to repay $85 million of its debt with some of the net proceeds and was only able to repay $52 million.

But that’s all in the past now — and future for Amira Nature Foods is another story altogether. In fact, Jefferies & Co. (one of the underwriters) raised its 12-month target price on ANFI from $14 to $21, reiterating its “buy” rating. It sees four specific things driving Amira’s business: Strong results, U.S. expansion, debt refinancing and the further roll-out of its UK business.

The strong results are obvious. In the first quarter, revenue grew 38% while EPS expanded 62%. But for 2013, Amira generated just $6.8 million of its $414 million in revenue from the states. That’s a growth opportunity; it can and will do better. And the company does continue to gain ground in the UK — good news considering, with the exception of India, Britain is Amira’s fastest-growing market.

In terms of debt, ANFI reduced its obligations in the first quarter by 13% and it has refinanced some of its expensive Indian debt, which will lower interest costs. Plus, Amira’s enterprise value as a multiple of EBITDA is half that of Hain Celestial (HAIN), its much larger peer.

Mazor Robotics

Mazor185 Year-to-Date Gains: 100%

I don’t usually recommend companies that are losing money, but Mazor Robotics (MZOR) is an exception and I believe it is at the beginning of a very long run. Mazor is based in Israel and its Renaissance guidance system is transforming spinal surgery.

The potential market for Mazor is estimated by some to be as much as $14 billion. While such numbers are always wildly inflated and should be taken with a grain of salt, the estimate still gives you an idea of just how big the opportunity is — especially considering Mazor’s revenue in the first six months of the year was just $11.8 million.

No wonder Mazor Robotics stock has been sizzling. MZOR began trading as an ADR in late May and, in less than five months, has doubled in price to over $20.

Smart money believes in the stock too. Larry Feinberg runs a healthcare hedge fund and his firm invested $7.5 million in Mazor back in August 2012, and another $7.5 million over the summer. It’s not his biggest investment by a long shot — but it just might turn out to be one of his best.

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

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now

Hot Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Dycom Industries Inc.(DY)

Dycom Industries, Inc. provides specialty contracting services in the United States and Canada. The company?s services include engineering services, which comprise the design of service area concept boxes, terminals, buried and aerial drops, transmission and central office equipment, administration of feeder and distribution cable pairs, and fiber cable routing and design for telephone companies; and make-ready studies, strand mapping, field walk-out, computer-aided radio frequency design and drafting, and fiber cable routing and design for cable television multiple system operators. The company also provides construction, maintenance, and installation of splice fiber, copper, and coaxial cables to telephone companies; installation and maintenance of customer premise equipment, including set top boxes and cable modems to cable television multiple system operators; and premise wiring services, which include installation, repair, and maintenance of telecommunications infrast ructure within improved structures to various corporations, and state and local governments. In addition, Dycom offers underground utility locating services, such as locating telephone, cable television, power, water, sewer, and gas lines to various utility companies. Further, it provides construction and maintenance services for electric utilities and others, which include installing and maintaining overhead and underground power distribution lines, as well as maintenance and installation of underground natural gas transmission and distribution systems. The company was founded in 1969 and is based in Palm Beach Gardens, Florida.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Levisohn]
Shares of Harsco have gained 4.7% to $26.43 today at 1:16 p.m., outpacing other construction & engineering companies. Dycom (DY) has advanced 0.5% to $30, KBR Inc. (KBR) has ticked up 0.1% to $33.03, Worthington Industries(WOR) has risen 2.8%! to $38.85and Tutor Perini (TPC) has rallied 3.6% to $22.46.
[By Brian Pacampara]
What: Shares of telecom contractor Dycom Industries (NYSE: DY ) climbed 11% today after its quarterly results and outlook topped Wall Street expectations.
[By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Dycom Industries (NYSE: DY ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/hot-integrated-utility-stocks-to-invest-in-right-now.html

Thursday, May 29, 2014

Top 5 Income Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top 5 Income Stocks To Buy Right Now: NEW GOLD INC.(NGD)

New Gold Inc. engages in the acquisition, exploration, extraction, processing, and reclamation of mineral properties. The company primarily explore for gold, silver, and copper deposits. Its operating properties include the Mesquite gold mine in the United States; the Cerro San Pedro gold-silver mine in Mexico; and the Peak gold-copper mine in Australia. The company also has development projects, including the New Afton gold, silver, and copper project in Canada; and a 30% interest in the El Morro copper-gold project in Chile. The company was formerly known as DRC Resources Corporation and changed its name to New Gold Inc. in June 2005. New Gold Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in Vancouver, Canada.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Ben Levisohn]
January is nearing an end, and that means one thing: Gold miners will start announcing earnings. New Gold (NGD) will get things started on Feb 6, followed by Kinross Gold (KGC) on Feb. 12 and Goldcorp (GG) and Barrick Gold (ABX) on Feb. 13.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/top-5-income-stocks-to-buy-right-now.html

Pending Home Sales Rise in April but Miss Forecasts

Top Trucking Stocks To Watch Right Now

Pending Home Sales Show Signs of Stabilizing Matthew Staver/Bloomberg via Getty Images WASHINGTON -- More Americans signed contracts to purchase homes in April than the prior month. But the pace of buying is still weaker than last year, as higher prices and relatively tight supplies have limited sales. The National Association of Realtors said Thursday that its seasonally adjusted pending home sales index rose 0.4 percent to 97.8 last month. The index remains 9.2 percent below its level a year ago. Pending sales are a barometer of future purchases. A one- to two-month lag usually exists between a signed contract and a completed sale. The index indicates that home buying has barely increased in May. The gain in signed contracts partly reflects the slight decline in mortgage rates and the economic rebound from the brutal winter. But prices have risen by 12.4 percent year-over-year, according to Standard & Poor's/Case-Shiller 20-city home price index. That has put home ownership out of reach for a growing share of Americans who are stuck with stagnant incomes in the aftermath of the Great Recession. The number of signed contracts increased in the Northeast and Midwest month-to-month, suggesting that a modest weather-based rebound has occurred. However, pending sales dropped last month in the West and South, a sign to many economists that the price increases have muted buying activity more than nasty weather. "The end of the severe winter weather will not bring with it a sustained revival in the housing market," said Ian Shepherdson, chief economist at Pantheon Macroeconomics. "The real problem is last year's massive deterioration in affordability." Would-be buyers have gotten some help in recent weeks from falling mortgage rates. Average rates for 30-year, fixed mortgages declined for the fifth straight week to 4.12 percent, according to mortgage buyer Freddie Mac. Still, rates remain above their lows of 3.51 percent a year ago. The rising rates in the second half of 2013 and higher home prices appear to have reduced the pool of potential homebuyers. The Realtors said last week that sales rose 1.3 percent in April from March to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 4.65 million. Purchases of homes over the past 12 months have dropped 6.8 percent.

Still no charges for Wall Street execs five years after crash

Lanny Breuer, former head of the Justice Department's criminal division, said in 2009 that high-level crisis cases "will be brought."

NEW YORK (CNNMoney) It's been five years since the collapse of Lehman Brothers and the peak of the financial crisis, but the wait for criminal cases against bankers continues.

The financial sector hasn't evaded criminal charges entirely in the past five years -- a pair of former UBS (UBS) traders have been indicted over the Libor rate-fixing scandal, for example, and one-time employees from JPMorgan (JPM, Fortune 500), Bank of America and elsewhere have pleaded guilty to bid-rigging in the municipal-bond market.

Dozens of Wall Street professionals have also been charged as part of the Justice Department's ongoing crackdown on insider trading.

But when it comes to the activity on Wall Street that most directly contributed to the crisis -- the creation and sale of mortgage-backed securities that eventually failed in droves -- criminal cases against individuals have been notably absent.

"It's a gross miscarriage of justice," said Dennis Kelleher, president of the financial reform group Better Markets. "How can you have the biggest crash since 1929, causing the worst economy since the Great Depression, and not a single person at a major, politically connected, too-big-to-fail Wall Street bank is held accountable?"

Prosecutors have filed a number of civil lawsuits against financial institutions over mortgage-related securities, including Bank of America (BAC, Fortune 500), Goldman Sachs (FADXX) and Citigroup (C, Fortune 500).

"Clearly the government believes they have some kind of case, because they've secured hundreds of millions of dollars in settlements, but clearly they don't believe they have the evidence to charge people in the executive suites," said Michael Weinstein, a white-collar defense lawyer and former federal prosecutor.

SNL Financial estimated last month that overall, big banks have paid $66 billion in litigation costs in the past three-and-a-half years.

Weinstein said the higher bar for criminal cases, in which prosecutors must prove intent, has likely been a stumbling block for the Justice Department.

Things haven't been much better on the civil side.

In 2010, the Securities and Exchange Commission reached a $67.5 million settlement with Countrywide co-founder Angelo Mozilo, who had been accused of defrauding investors by hiding the growing risks of the company's mortgages. But Mozilo escaped criminal charges, and settled the SEC case without admitting or denying wrongdoing.

In August, the SEC scored a v! ictory in the trial of former Goldman Sachs vice president Fabrice Tourre, who was found liable for misleading investors in mortgage-related securities. But Tourre, too, escaped criminal charges. He was not even 30 when the crisis hit, and critics dismissed the case as the scapegoating of a low-level employee.

The SEC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The Justice Department started its post-crisis investigations with confidence. Questioned at a 2009 Senate hearing about why there hadn't yet been any high-level prosecutions, then-Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer responded that such cases were "being pursued and investigated."

"The folks who perpetrated a lot of these crimes, to the degree they were crimes, took a long time in hatching and developing [them], and bringing the cases will take a long time, but they will be brought," Breuer said.

In 2011, the government's Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission said that lenders "made loans that they knew borrowers could not afford and that could cause massive losses to investors in mortgage securities," and that banks sold such securities to investors without disclosing their true quality.

Even back in 2006, the Mortgage Brokers Association for Responsible Lending was warning that 37% of all U.S. loans were "stated income" loans, popularly known as "liars' loans" because they do not require borrowers to verify their income.

"Greed by mortgage brokers, banks, and real estate developers must not be encouraged by keeping this issue unaddressed," MBARL president Steven Krystofiak said at the time.

Although there are a number of charges with long statutes of limitations that prosecutors could still use in future indictments, experts said the chances of such cases become more remote as time goes on.

DOJ spokesman Peter Carr said that prosecutors "follow the evidence where it leads," and that "no individual or institution is immune from prosecution."

"T! he depart! ment has aggressively prosecuted a range of complex and sophisticated financial fraud cases, and a number of major investigations are still ongoing," Carr said.

The DOJ has filed charges against nearly 3,000 defendants in mortgage fraud-cases over the past three fiscal years, though those have largely targeted borrowers and "Main Street" scam artists.

"They're simply prioritizing the 'Dick and Mary' cases," said Bill Black, a law professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and a former banking regulator. "They only looked at the small cases and so they only reported the equivalent of white-collar street crime."

Perhaps attempting to rectify this situation, the Justice Department announced a joint state and federal task force in January of last year focused specifically on investigations related to mortgage-backed securities. The creation and sale of faulty mortgage securities, Attorney General Eric Holder wrote in a memo, "contributed significantly to the collapse of the housing market, damaged the public's trust and threatened the safety and soundness of our economy."

But all these months later, critics are still waiting for the task force to mount cases against individuals.

"As in any case, the passage of time makes it more difficult, but what's really needed is the prosecutorial chops and the political will to do it," Kelleher said.

Wednesday, May 28, 2014

Top 5 New Stocks To Buy For 2015

Top 5 New Stocks To Buy For 2015: Solazyme Inc (SZYM)

Solazyme, Inc. (Solazyme), incorporated on March 31, 2003, makes oil. The Companys technology transforms a range of plant-based sugars into oils. Its renewable products can replace or enhance oils derived from the worlds three existing sources-petroleum, plants and animal fats. The Company is focused on commercializing its products into three target markets: fuels and chemicals, nutrition, and skin and personal care. In 2010, the Company launched its products, the Golden Chlorella line of dietary supplements. In March 2011, the Company launched its Algenist brand for the luxury skin care market through marketing and distribution arrangements with Sephora S.A. (Sephora International), Sephora USA, Inc. (Sephora USA), and QVC, Inc. (QVC).

The Company is engaged in development activities with multiple partners, including Chevron U.S.A. Inc., through its division Chevron Technology Ventures (Chevron), The Dow Chemical Company (Dow), Ecopetrol S.A. (Ecopetro l), Qantas Airways Limited (Qantas) and Conopoco, Inc., doing business as Unilever (Unilever).

In 2010, the Company entered into a 50/50 joint venture with Roquette Freres, S.A. (Roquette). In November 2010, the Company entered into a joint venture and operating agreement for Solazyme Roquette Nutritionals with Roquette. In December 2010, the Company entered into an exclusive distribution relationship with Sephora International, and in January 2011, the Company entered into a distribution relationship with Sephora USA. Under the arrangements, each of Sephora International and Sephora USA will distribute the Algenist product line in their respective territories.

In Fuels and Chemicals market its renewable oils can be refined and sold as drop-in replacements for marine, motor vehicle and jet fuels, as well as replacements for chemicals that are traditionally derived from petroleum or other conventional oils. The Company work with its refining partne! r Honeywell UOP to produce Soladiesel (renewable diesel), So! ladiesel renewable diesel for United States Naval vessels, and Solajet renewable jet fuel for both military and commercial application testing. In nutrition market the Company has developed microalgae-based food ingredients, including oils and powders that enhance the nutritional profile and functionality of food products while reducing costs for consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies. In Skin and Personal Care market the Company hs developed a portfolio of branded microalgae-based products. Its ingredient is Alguronic Acid, which the Company has formulated into a range of skin care products with anti-aging benefits. The Company is also developing algal oils as replacements for the oils used in skin and personal care products.

The Company competes with BP p.l.c., Royal Dutch Shell plc, and Exxon Mobil Corporation, jatropha, camelina, SALOV North America Corporation, Archer Daniels Midland Company, Cargill, Incorporated, DSM Food Specialties and Danisco A/S

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Maxx Chatsko]
Renewable-oils manufacturer Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM ) began supplying the U.S. Navy with Naval marine diesel and Naval jet fuel in 2010. In all, the company delivered nearly 1 million liters of fuel under various contracts between 2009 and 2012. The company took a lot of heat for the $15-per-gallon price tag for the contract -- nearly four times the price of conventional jet fuel at the time -- but critics seemed to have dismissed the fact that those selling prices included costs for new equipment and non-commercial scale inefficiencies.
[By Maxx Chatsko]
Throw all of your revenue projections out the window for now. Renewable oils manufacturer Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM ) started out the week with some bad news. The company announced that it was dissolving its joint venturewith Roquette Freres -- a mutual agreement -- after the two had "divergent views on an ac! ceptable ! commercial strategy, timelines for manufacturing, and the marketing of joint venture products". Roquette remains committed to microalgae as a raw material and plans on continue developing non-genetically modified microalgae ingredients.
[By Brian Pacampara]
Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, renewable oil producer Solazyme (NASDAQ: SZYM ) has earned a respected four-star ranking.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-5-new-stocks-to-buy-for-2015.html

Best Quality Companies To Watch For 2015

Best Quality Companies To Watch For 2015: Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. (GGAL)

Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. operates as a financial services holding company in Argentina. The company offers financial products and services, including collection and payment services, commercial credit cards, direct payroll deposits, capital market alternatives, foreign trade solutions, and corporate e-banking solutions; corporate debt transactions and securitization transactions; and e-collection and payment solutions to various agencies, municipalities, and universities. It also provides a range of financial products and services, such as transactions, loans, and investments; and checking and savings accounts, credit and debit cards, payroll direct deposits, insurance, and retirement and pension payments. In addition, the company offers mutual funds and in brokerage services; manages positions in foreign currency and government securities; acts as an intermediary and distributes financial instruments for institutional investors, corporate customers, and individuals; and enables customers to buy and sell securities on the Buenos Aires Stock Exchange. Further, it provides life insurance products, including employee benefit plans and credit related insurance; and property and casualty insurance products, such as home and ATM theft insurance. As of December 31, 2012, the company operated 257 full service banking branches and 1,676 ATMs and self-service terminals. Grupo Financiero Galicia S.A. was founded in 1905 and is based in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Federico Zaldua]
Grupo Financiero Galicia (GGAL), which was once owned by Rob Citrone's hedge fund Discovery Capital Management, owns one of Argentina's biggest private banks by deposits and the fastest growing within the banks that count with national presence. As a matter of fact, according to management, "the bank's estimated market share of loans to private sector was 9.10% growing 56 basis points fro! m a year before and the market share of deposits from the private sector was 8.98% growing 28 basis points in the year."

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksforum.com/best-quality-companies-to-watch-for-2015.html

Best Stocks To Buy For 2015

Best Stocks To Buy For 2015: QCR Holdings Inc.(QCRH)

QCR Holdings, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides commercial and consumer banking, and trust and asset management services for the Quad City, Cedar Rapids, and Rockford communities. The company accepts deposits and invests in loans/leases and securities. Its deposit products comprise interest bearing deposits, non-interest bearing and interest bearing demand deposits, savings deposits, time deposits, and brokered time deposits. The company also offers a range of commercial and retail lending and investment services to corporations, partnerships, individuals, and government agencies. Its loan portfolio comprises commercial loans, including loans to wholesalers, manufacturers, building contractors, business services companies, other banks, and retailers; business loans, which include lines of credit for working capital and operational purposes; term loans for the acquisition of facilities, equipment, and other purposes; commercial real estate loans; and consumer loans c omprising motor vehicle, home improvement, home equity, and signature loans, as well as small personal credit lines. In addition, the company engages in the direct financing lease contracts; holding the real estate property; and issuing various trust preferred securities. QCR Holdings was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Moline, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Tim Melvin]
QCR Holdings (QCRH) is another bank that has consistently had a lower return on assets than its peer group. The Illinois based bank has 9 offices and about $2.4 billion in total assets. The bank has an equity-to-assets ratio of just 7.4, which is well below the national average. The Illinois market has seen strong merger and acquisition activity in the past year, and this bank could become a target .

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/best-stocks-to-buy-for-2015! .html

Tuesday, May 27, 2014

5 Best Sectors to Watch This Week

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The commercial banking, aerospace and defense, biotechnology, auto parts and life science sectors are showing strength this week, according to Portfolio Grader.

With 100% of the sector’s stocks (5 out of 5) rating a “buy,” the commercial banking sector is one of the strongest. Within the commercial banking sector, Pacific Capital Bancorp () and StellarOne Corporation () receive top marks of A’s. Citizens Republic Bancorp () is also getting a B.

Aerospace and defense is excelling, with 74% of stocks in the sector (31 out of 42) rating a “buy”. Huntington Ingalls Industries, Inc. (), Alliant Techsystem () and TASER International, Inc. () are all currently earning A’s.

Biotechnology stands out with 71% of the sector’s stocks (61 out of 86) rating a “buy”. Gentium S.p.A. Sponsored ADR (), Repligen Corporation () and Insys Therapeutics, Inc. () are lifting the sector overall, each earning a high grade of A.

The auto parts sector is thriving on Portfolio Grader this week, with 71% of its stocks (17 out of 24) currently rating a “buy”. With overall grades of A, Magna International (), Dorman Products, Inc. () and Cooper-Standard Holdings Inc. () are buoying the sector.

The life science sector’s track record is proving one of the best with 71% of its stocks (17 out of 24) rating a “buy”. Among life science stocks, Wuxi PharmaTech (Cayman) Inc. Sponsored ADR (), Covance () and Illumina, Inc. () are leading the way with A’s.

Louis Navellier’s proprietary Portfolio Grader stock ranking system assesses roughly 5,000 companies every week based on a number of fundamental and quantitative measures. Stocks are given a letter grade based on their results — with A being “strong buy,” and F being “strong sell.” Explore the tool here.

Wall Street This Week: Good News from AutoZone, Costco?

www.netflix.com From a fast-growing maker of luxury purses hoping to bag another blowout quarter to the country's leading streaming video service rolling out another exclusive series, here are some of the things that will help shape the week that lies ahead on Wall Street. Monday -- We Remember It's Memorial Day, and that means that all of the stateside exchanges are closed. Of course, there will be international stocks trading. But whether you honor the spirit of the Memorial Day holiday or just see it as the start of summer and a good excuse to fire up the barbecue, there's no reason to be glued to CNBC. Your investments can wait. Tuesday -- Checking Under the Hood The auto parts industry has proven to be an all-weather niche. When the economy's humming along, folks are spending money on their cars. When the economy's in a funk, drivers hold on to their cars longer, and that requires more money invested in maintaining their aging vehicles. It's against this backdrop that AutoZone (AZO) reports quarterly results on Tuesday morning. Analysts see sales climbing 6 percent higher with earnings per share soaring 16 percent. The 4,871-store chain has beaten Wall Street's profit targets every quarter over the past year, so let's not assume that analysts are being generous with their forecasts. Wednesday -- Kors of Action Michael Kors (KORS) continues to be the growth darling when it comes to luxury handbags. As the iconic Coach (COH) has struggled, Kors has taken market share with its fashionable purses, satchels and other accessories. It's not even close. Analysts see Coach's sales declining 6 percent for its fiscal year ending in June. Wall Street sees Kors growing its business by 47 percent for its fiscal year that ended in March. We'll know for sure how Kors wrapped up fiscal 2014 when it reports on Wednesday. Thursday -- Big Savings in Bulk Another retailing niche that has seemed to have the same all-weather appeal as auto parts is the warehouse club market. Shoppers relish buying quality supermarket products in bulk, and that resonates when times are well but also plays well when consumers need to stretch a dollar. Costco (COST) is the poster child for warehouse clubs, and it reports on Thursday. Investors shouldn't hold out for spectacular growth. That's not what Costco does. Investors flock to the stock because of its steady performance, and on Thursday the market expects to see sales clock in 7 percent higher for its latest quarter with a 5 percent uptick in earnings. Friday -- Now Streaming Netflix (NFLX) has achieved great success with its streaming service by landing original content. "House of Cards," "Orange Is the New Black" and the revival of "Arrested Development" have made Netflix a valuable digital platform. One of last year's shows that didn't generate the same kind of buzz was Ricky Gervais' "Derek." Whether it was the notoriety surrounding the lead character's mentally challenged ways or just that the show originally aired on BBC, it wasn't one of Netflix's biggest additions. However, Netflix doesn't give up easily. The second season of "Derek" premieres on Netflix come Friday. More from Rick Aristotle Munarriz
•Chinese Dot-Coms are Hot Again - Just Wait for Alibaba's IPO •Buyout Blunders: 5 Firms That Should've Said Yes to the Deals •Amazon Prime Pulls Out More Exclusive Content to Fight Netflix

Did Microsoft Just Pay $7 Billion for a New CEO?

The announced acquisition by Microsoft Corp. (NASDAQ: MSFT) of the mobile phone business of Nokia Corp. (NYSE: NOK) for $7.2 billion gives Microsoft a couple of things. First, is an internal candidate to replace retiring CEO Steve Ballmer. The other thing Microsoft gets is a firm grip on a hardware company that ranks second in global handset sales but that has seen its market share drop from over 40% to less than 15%.

Nokia CEO Stephen Elop now becomes the odds-on choice for the top spot at Microsoft. The peripatetic Elop spent three years at Microsoft as the head of its business (Office) division before taking over at Nokia. He'll be bumped down to executive vice-president now, until the acquisition by Microsoft is completed.

Elop did not create Nokia's troubles, but he didn't solve them either. According to Gartner Inc. (NYSE: IT), Nokia held a 14% share of the global mobile phone market at the end of the second quarter and sold nearly 61 million units, second only to Samsung Electronics which had a market share of almost 25% and sold more than 107 million units.

In terms only of smartphones, Nokia sells virtually all of the smartphones on the market that use Microsoft's Windows Phone operating system. That amounted to 7.4 million units in the second quarter. The good news is that the number was up 83% year-over-year. The bad news is that Microsoft's share totaled just 3.3% of the operating system market.

The 61 million Nokia phones shipped in the second quarter included nearly 54 million feature phones and the market for those is dropping quickly as cheaper smartphones come onto the market.

Elop's main contributions to Nokia have been the original deal with Microsoft, the cost-cutting at Nokia, and the buyout of Nokia Siemens Networks from joint venture partner Siemens AG (NYSE: SI) for $2.2 billion. Not a lot of those achievements have a lot to do with selling smartphones, unless you consider that the company started with zero smartphone sales when Elop arrived.

Zero to 7 million isn't nothing, but then, it isn't not much either and the path for growth really doesn't change much, no matter whether Nokia is independent or a division of Microsoft. Two China-based companies, Lenovo and ZTE, both sold more smartphones in the second quarter than did Nokia, and there are other Chinese companies, like Yulong and Xiaomi, that Microsoft/Nokia will have to contend with at the mid- to low-end of the market.

Nokia's Elop has proved he could slow, if not stop the bleeding, at Nokia, and he managed to push a number of new products out the door. Microsoft paid for a substantial bit of the marketing for those products and once the deal for Nokia is completed the Redmond giant will have to spend a lot more than it has in the past if it is serious about carving out a space in the smartphone market.

So, no, Microsoft did not pay $7 billion for a new CEO, but Stephen Elop likely has the inside track to prove that Microsoft can make a profit in a business that the company has yet to make an appreciable dent in.

Monday, May 26, 2014

Investor Watch: Colombia's Presidential Election

On Sunday Colombian voters cast their ballots and Oscar Ivan Zuluaga, a harsh critic of the country's current efforts to engage in peace talks with rebel fighters won a plurality of the votes. Zuluaga will face incumbent President Juan Manuel Santos in a run-off election in June.

The New York Times William Neuman explained, "The results revealed the weakness of President Juan Manuel Santos, who came in second and was seeking a new term, he told voters, to continue the peace talks he started and to put an end to five decades of guerrilla war."

"Colombians will have two options, between those who prefer an end to the war and those who want a war without end," Mr. Santos said.

Santos received 25 percent of the votes cast while Zuluaga received 29 percent. A majority vote is required to win the presidency in Colombia so a run-off election will be held on June 25.

According to Bloomberg, "Former Finance Minister Zuluaga has repeatedly attacked the government's negotiations with the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC, demanding that the guerrillas declare a unilateral cease-fire and serve at least six years in jail. "

Leticia - Port road Colombia's upcoming presidential run-off will impact the country's peace talks with rebels. (Photo credit: adrimcm)

Alejo Vargas, professor of political science from Bogota, Colombia's capital explained, "Zuluaga's triumph shows there's an important part of society that doesn't back the Havana talks."

Zuluaga, for his part, has promised to suspend peace talks and engage in "a full-frontal assault on terrorism."

The top 25 companies for pay and perks

Google (GOOG), Costco (COST) and Facebook (FB) top a new Glassdoor survey of companies with great salaries and benefits. What can we learn from them and the rest of the top 25 about attracting and retaining talent? Why is now the time to study their examples?

Pay is a hot topic, cropping up in all sorts of discussions -- from the fast-food industry to state minimum wage laws and speculation about the why The New York Times recently fired its first woman executive editor.

It's not surprising, then, that 39% of American workers in a recent Glassdoor survey say they believe they don't get paid fairly for their efforts. When that much of the workforce -- 42% of women surveyed and 34% of men -- feel they're under-compensated for their work, employee motivation and performance suffer.

Despite talk at the city and state level about living-wage standards and President Obama's recent executive order on equal pay and a higher minimum wage for federal contract employees, 57% of the workers surveyed said it's up to employers, rather than the government, to take care of the issue. The top items on their wish list are better pay policies, clearer top-down communication, and greater transparency about pay.

But there are companies that earn raves from employees for pay, benefits, and working conditions. On Friday, Glassdoor released its first report on the top 25 companies for compensation and benefits. The results are based on a year's worth of verified feedback from U.S. employees who use the career community website.

Naturally, the list features companies that pay well, but what stands out are the responsive and often creative benefits -- everything from flex-time and work-from-home options to more esoteric perks like pet insurance and onsite hair salons.

Top industries in the top 25

The tech sector makes up almost half of the list, with 12 companies earning top marks for pay and benefits, including Google, Microsoft (MSFT) and Adobe (ADBE).

Pharmaceutical and biotechno! logy make up the second-largest group with three representatives: Genentech, Amgen and Pfizer.

Costco, at No. 2 on the list, is the only retailer to make the chart, along with one company each from the insurance, transportation, energy and travel industries. Not surprisingly, no fast-food companies made the list.

1. Google
2. Costco
3. Facebook
4. Adobe
5. Epic
6. Intuit
7. USAA
8. Chevron
9. Salesforce.com
10. Monsanto
11. Genentech
12. Kaiser Permanente
13. Qualcomm
14. Riverbed
15. Verizon
16. Vmware
17. T-Mobile
18. Microsoft
19. Amgen
20. Pfizer
21. Southern California Edison
22. Orbitz
23. Procter & Gamble
24. Union Pacific
25. eBay

More than money

It's no secret that the tech sector pays well, and companies like USAA and Costco are legendary within their industries for employee satisfaction. But employees also cited interesting perks, beyond health insurance and 401K plans, as part of their satisfaction at work.

More control over their time, in one form or another, topped the wish list of employees in Glassdoor's fair-pay survey. More women than men want flex time and work from home options (men tend to prefer company stock), but the most-coveted perk was more vacation time. More than 60% of survey respondents would claim that benefit if they could.

Among the top 25, 10 companies -- including Chevron, Kaiser Permanente, and Orbitz -- were cited by workers for their vacation and personal day policies, flex-time options, and telecommuting arrangements.

Travel and an awesome home base

Google and salesforce.com in particular were mentioned by employees for fun business-travel destinations and for a home office worth coming back to. Hawaii is a recurring theme.

"I've been on off-sites to Tahoe, Vegas, and Hawaii in the last year," said a Google senior software engineer. And yet "the company creates an environment where you don't really want to leave campus." A Sales! force acc! ount executive was similarly enthusiastic about the office and company off-sites, describing a "very upbeat atmosphere" along with trips to Hawaii.

Working hard may be its own reward sometimes, but extra cash is even more rewarding. Bonuses were a repeated theme among Costco and USAA employees in the top 25 survey. The fair-pay survey didn't break out bonuses specifically as a desired perk, but it's hard to imagine anyone turning them down.

Onsite services for employees

Google and other companies know that employees who aren't leaving frequently for errands and appointments across town are less stressed and distracted. This has given rise to some perks that seem more suited to a resort than an office park, such as the onsite chiropractor and acupuncturist mentioned by a Facebook program manager based in Menlo Park, Calif. Gyms, day care centers, health and dental clinics, fine dining and hair salons helped push other companies onto the list.

Adobe stood out among the top 25 for offering pet health insurance to its employees along with a long list of pluses, such as a top-notch employee stock purchase plan, onsite gyms and spaces to relax during the work day.

Lessons for companies who want top talent

What can companies who want to attract and keep the best employees take away from these results? Scott Dobroski, Glassdoor community expert, said good salaries are just part of the total package.

"There are other pieces all employers can evaluate for their own company and do their best to offer employees. This can include offering bonuses, flexible schedules, more paid time off, the option to work remotely, health benefits beyond general health and dental, stock options and more."

He noted that what works for one company may not be the best fit for another. "What's key is determining what works best for your workforce and gauging employee feedback to determine what they want and what will make them more satisfied in and out of work."

Creating a straightfo! rward com! pensation structure is a big potential benefit too, according to Rusty Rueff, Glassdoor career and workplace expert. "When employees have a clearer understanding of how they're being compensated without secrecy around salaries, not only can they feel empowered in their current jobs, they're also often motivated to work toward the next level, which can improve productivity."

The payoff for employers

So how do companies justify paying above-average salaries and serving up lavish perks? It's all about getting the best from employees over the long haul, according to Dobrowski.

"Employees value a total compensation and benefits package when it comes to their overall job satisfaction, which can certainly impact how productive they are, how committed they are and how long they potentially stay with a company," he said. And it's not just about salary. "Glassdoor surveys show that employees value career opportunities and interesting work as some of the top considerations when determining where to work."

And if that interesting work happens to reward employees with great pay, flexible scheduling and trips to Hawaii, so much the better.

The Motley Fool is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Sunday, May 25, 2014

Wage issue comes to McDonald's gathering

Activists ended their two-day protest outside McDonald's Oak Brook, Ill., headquarters after the shareholders meeting on Thursday, but the pay issue they raised shows no signs of going away.

At Thursday's annual meeting, McDonald's CEO Don Thompson touched ever-so-briefly on the issue, even as 800 protesters outside marched to cement their $15-per-hour wage demand in the minds of investors in attendance. On Wednesday, an estimated 1,500 protesters gathered on the company campus, and 139 were arrested for intentionally crossing a police barricade.

"We respect the fact that they want to challenge us relative to wages," Thompson told some 350 shareholders at the unexpectedly high-profile meeting. "We pay fair and competitive wages and we provide opportunity, and we provide job opportunities and training for those entering the workforce."

For McDonald's, the current strategy is clear: publicly position the company as a great first employer for young workers. Even as it avoids specifically addressing the minimum wage issue, it is eager to portray McDonald's as a great job and job-experience enabler for young folks in an uncertain economy.

"McDonald's is often a first job for many entering the workforce," Thompson said. "About one-third of our employees are 16 to 19." Thompson also noted that 60% are age 24 or under — and 70% are part time. "We are proud that we open doors to opportunity."

But protesters said they were angered by the remarks, and some felt insulted.

"This isn't a starter job, and I'm not a teenager," said Ashona Osborne, 22, a mother and a McDonald's worker in Pittsburgh who makes $7.25 per hour. "This is my career, and I'm struggling to raise a family and provide for my son. That's not possible on $7.25. McDonald's needs to realize that the workforce has changed."

"I've been working for McDonald's for 10 years, and my hourly paycheck is the same now as it was my first day on the job: $7.35," said Cherri Delisline, a mother of four from Charlest! on, S.C. "McDonald's can keep on saying that we are teenagers, but saying it over and over again doesn't make it true."

The median age of fast-food workers, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, is 29 for all workers and 32 for women. About 70% of all workers are age 20 or older, the bureau reports.

Thompson also boasted about McDonald's hiring 50,000 armed forces veterans last year and said the company has committed to hire another 50,000 this year. That, he said, is "the most of anyone in the industry."

During the question-and-answer session, Thompson ticked off a list of about a half-dozen top corporate executives at McDonald's who began their careers as restaurant "crew members" as the workers are known, including Tim Fenton, the chief operating officer; and Jeff Stratton, who is president of McDonald's USA.

Also during the Q&A, Ricardo Caceres, 42, who came to the U.S. from El Salvador in 1993, lauded McDonald's for the opportunity it has given him. "I owe my success to McDonald's," said Caceres, who was brought to the meeting by McDonald's.

In a phone interview, he says, he started as a crew member and got promotions, even as McDonald's paid "many thousands" of his college costs. After working as director of operations for a McDonald's franchisee in the Los Angeles area, he's now preparing to buy his own franchise.

"I've saved money over the years while working for McDonald's, as I've been promoted to better and better positions," he says.

His starting wage: $4.25 an hour. At the time, he says, he was as a student in his early 20s and living with family.

Asked if he could now support his own family on the current minimum wage of $7.25 an hour, he hesitates, then says: "It would not be easy. But it has to be done, if that's the current situation you're in. And if you work hard, $7.25 is just a starting point."

It doesn't have to be that way, says Harry Moorhouse, owner of two fast-food restaurants in Detroit. He was not at! the meet! ing, but feels strongly that restaurant owners can afford to pay higher wages.

Moorhouse told USA TODAY that for the past year or so he has paid his 14 full-time employees $15 an hour at his Moo Cluck Moo restaurants in the Detroit area. His employees also get one week of paid vacation after the first year — and five paid sick days.

"We're making enough money," says Moorhouse. "It's the right thing to do."

Moorhouse says he started out paying $12 an hour and after a few months upped it to $15. He says his business can afford these wages, in part, because the turnover is so low. He says he has more than 400 résumés from folks wanting to work for him, "and I get lots and lots of calls."

He notes that one of his employees just bought her first house. "It's not much," he says, "but $15 is a livable wage."

In Moorhouse's favor vs. McDonald's, however, his businesses have been able to charge a buck or two more for his all-natural food than McDonald's. A burger, fries and a soft drink at his restaurants fetches about $7 or $7.50, he says. And his independent small business doesn't have to pay a big franchise fee to McDonald's or any other chain. Also, he says that his remodeling and start-up costs per store have been less than $100,000, rather than the $1.5 million to $2 million it might cost to build a new McDonald's store.

Back at the annual meeting, Thompson might have thought he had a rare moment to relax during the Q&A when Bob Liking, a middle school student from St. Charles, Ill., approached the microphone.

Liking said that he planned to do precisely as Thompson suggested, and start with an entry-level job at McDonald's some day after he reaches the legal working age of 16.

He said that he hoped to work his way up the fast-food giant's executive ranks. Then, he surprised Thompson by proclaiming, "Some day, I'd like to be considered for your job."

Without missing a beat, Thompson responded, "Bob, there are some days I'm ready to give it to! you."

Awards for great interiors go to cheap cars

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Saturday, May 24, 2014

The 1% is spending: Luxury stocks soar

All about the bling! Tiffany shines NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Catering to the one percent has its perks. Just look at the recent performance of luxury retail stocks.

Tiffany & Co (TIF)., Nordstrom (JWN, Fortune 500) and Michael Kors (KORS) are all on a tear, driven by wealthy consumers' appetite for high-end brands.

"They're serving a more affluent customer and they're selling brands that customers want," said Dorothy Lackner, an analyst at Topeka Capital Markets.

Shares of Tiffany spiked 8% Wednesday to an all-time high after the company reported a 50% jump in earnings for the first quarter. The jeweler also raised its profit outlook for the rest of the year.

Asia continues to be a hot market for Tiffany, as Chinese buyers flush with cash flock to expensive brand names.

The notion that the free spending rich are back in full force has gotten investors giddy. Shares of Nordstrom have popped more than 8% since the company released better-than-expected results last week.

And Michael Kors is up 13.5% for the year.

At the same time, retailers that cater to middle class consumers have gotten slammed. TJX Companies (TJX, Fortune 500), the parent company of T.J. Maxx and Marshalls, is down 13% in 2014. Even J.C. Penney (JCP, Fortune 500), which seemed to be making a comeback, is down almost 10% this week after posting sales that topped forecasts last week. The struggling retailer is still losing money.

So what it all mean for the state of the economy?

It seems that the rich are feeling good -- and with good reason. The Dow and S&P 500 are near record highs and home values are up, leading to a so-called wealth effect.

But the middle class isn't noticing the benefits of a slowly improving economy, and spending on discretionary goods such as new clothing is taking a back seat. Lackner said that middle class consumers are "thinking more carefully about what they spend on."

And that has shown up in the results of Wal-Mart (WMT, Fortune 500)and Target (TGT, Fortune 500) as well as many other retailers.

The world's most miserable countries

World news does not always fully capture people's level of happiness. Last year, Gallup found a majority of people in the world experienced positive emotions. Of course, in some countries and regions people were much more positive than others.

People living in the countries experiencing the most positive emotions were the most likely to report high levels of enjoyment, smiling and a good night's sleep. The people in the most miserable countries, on the other hand, were the least likely to experience these emotions. These are the world's most content and miserable countries.

According to Jon Clifton, managing director of the World Gallup Poll, a person's financial situation is one of five factors affecting well-being and far from a conclusive happiness indicator. Nine of the most content countries had estimated GDPs of less than $15,000 per capita last year. In Lithuania — the third most miserable country — GDP per capita was $22,566. On the other hand, Nicaragua — the third most content country — had a GDP per capita of just $4,548.

The state of a country's economy, however, can play a major role in determining the quality of its residents' experiences. Four of the most miserable countries had estimated inflation rates of at least 5% last year. In Belarus, it was as high as 17.5%. Inflation was comparatively low in the most content countries, with eight of the 10 most content countries had inflation rates of 5% or less.

With the exception of Denmark, most countries with the highest percentages of people experiencing positive emotions were in Latin America.

MOST CONTENT COUNTRIES: Yes, 24/7 Wall St. has that list, too

Clifton explained that the dominant presence of Latin American countries on this list has a cultural explanation. Residents of Latin America tend to have "strong communities and spend a great deal of time with their families." There is a similar phenomenon in the U.S. where "one of the biggest drivers of [well-being] is time spent with family membe! rs."

For the most miserable countries, cultural drivers played somewhat less of a role. Although a number of the least content countries were part of the former Soviet Union, the poor experiences in these countries may be due primarily to economic conditions brought on by the Soviet Union's collapse.

Note new first sentence: Residents in highly emotional countries reported both higher rates of positive and negative emotions. Latin Americans reported both the highest levels of positive emotions and the highest levels of negative emotions. They are perhaps the most emotional region in the world, Clifton explained. Former members of the Soviet Union, however, are the opposite. "They're just not reporting a lot of emotions in general," Clifton said.

In some cases, it is quite obvious why people report low positive emotions. For example, Syria, which had the lowest well-being score ever recorded by Gallup, is in the midst of an on-going, bloody civil war.

To identify the countries with the most and least positive experiences, 24/7 Wall St. reviewed Gallup's recent Positive Experience Index, which measured the experience of well-being the day before the survey in 138 countries. Survey respondents were asked whether they experienced lots of enjoyment, laughed or smiled a lot, felt well-rested, and were treated with respect. We also reviewed economic data from the International Monetary Fund (IMF). Life expectancy figures came from the World Bank.

These are the countries reporting the lowest positive emotions.

10. Nagorno-Karabakh

> Positive experience index score: 55 (tied – 8th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 55% (tied – 16th lowest)
> GDP per capita: N/A
> Life expectancy: N/A

An ongoing war between Azerbaijan and those living in Nagorno-Karabakh, who are backed by Armenia, may be one of the main reasons it has such a low positive experience index score. An estimated 30,000 people died in the conflict and millions of people were displ! aced befo! re the two nations agreed to a truce in 1994. Still, skirmishes between the two nations continue. The residents of Nagorno-Karabakh were among the least likely people surveyed to say they smiled or laughed a lot, or experienced enjoyment, or learned something new within the last day. Currently, the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE), along with the governments of France and the U.S., are trying to negotiate a permanent peace treaty between the sides involved.

9. Azerbaijan

> Positive experience index score: 55 (tied, 8th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 57% (23rd lowest)
> GDP per capita: $10,789 (67th highest)
> Life expectancy: 70 (tied, 53rd lowest)

One might expect oil-rich nations to have high GDPs. Azerbaijan, however, is one example where this is not the case. Despite being an oil-rich country, Azerbaijan's estimated GDP per capita was $10,789 last year. The country's government has been criticized for rigging elections and widespread corruption. In addition, a war for control of Nagorno-Karabakh, a predominantly Armenian region, broke out years ago with Armenia backing the region's people. The conflict claimed tens of thousands of lives as millions were displaced. High percentages of residents stated they did not feel treated with respect or learn something new within the last day.

MORE: America's most content (and miserable) states

8. Yemen

> Positive experience index score: 55 (tied, 8th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 55% (tied, 16th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $2,348 (27th lowest)
> Life expectancy: 62 (29th lowest)

Yemen suffers from political instability, threats of terrorist attacks, and a declining economy. Its citizens ranked close to last in nearly every measure of and happiness in Gallup's survey. Only half of Yemenis said they felt well-rested, and only 55% said they smiled or laughed within the past day. Both figures were among the lowest of all countries surveyed. In the wa! ke of vio! lent mass protests, long-time President Ali Abdullah Saleh finally gave up power at the beginning of 2012. However, al-Qaeda has gained a strong footing in the country, and terrorist activities in the country continue. For the past several years, Yemen's economy has struggled as oil revenues have shrunk. Inflation rate in Yemen was among the highest every year since 2010. Per capita GDP, too, is very low, at an estimated $2,348 last year, which ranked lower than most countries.

7. Belarus

> Positive experience index score: 54 (tied – 4th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 53% (11th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $16,106 (50th highest)
> Life expectancy: 70 (tied – 53rd lowest)

Just 53% of Belarusians surveyed last year reported they felt rested, among the least of all countries reviewed. Similarly, a lower percentage of residents than in most other nations said they smiled or laughed the previous day.The Belarusian economy has struggled with spiking prices in recent years. The country's inflation rate was 53.2% in 2011 and 59.2% in 2012, the highest in the world in both years. The national economy is largely state-controlled and is dependent on oil and natural gas subsidies from Russia. In addition to to its economic issues, Belarus is also considered Europe's last dictatorship, and residents do not have the freedom to assemble or freedom of the press.

6. Nepal

> Positive experience index score: 54 (tied, 4th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 55% (tied, 16th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $1,506 (15th lowest)
> Life expectancy: 67 (38th lowest)

A mere half of Nepal residents said they were treated with respect the day before Gallup's survey, nearly the worst rate among all countries reviewed. And less than one quarter of survey-respondents said they learned something new the day before, worse than in every country except for Georgia and Pakistan. One explanation could be the poor state of the economy. The inflation rate was an estima! ted 9.9% ! last year, among the higher rates in the world. GDP was also exceptionally low, at just $1,506 per person last year, among the lowest in the world. Although the country's Maoist rebellion ended in 2006, Nepal has struggled to create well-functioning, stable political institutions.

5. Serbia

> Positive experience index score: 54 (tied – 4th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 45% (3rd lowest)
> GDP per capita: $11,085 (65th highest)
> Life expectancy: 74 (49th highest)

The Serbian people have not had a particularly pleasant recent history, starting with the Yugoslav wars in the early 1990s and later the Kosovo War. These bloody armed conflicts were accompanied by war crimes committed by most parties. The Republic of Serbia, its most recent formation, was established in 2006. The country's political corruption and weak economy likely only added to Serbians' lack of positivity. Nearly one in four Serbians are unemployed, among the highest unemployment rates of the countries surveyed. Just 45% of Serbian survey respondents said they laughed or smiled in the previous day, and 49% said they felt well-rested — both among the lowest of all of the countries.

4. Bosnia and Herzegovina

> Positive experience index score: 54 (tied – 4th lowest)
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 47% (4th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $8,293 (60th lowest)
> Life expectancy: 76 (33rd highest)

Bosnia and Herzegovina suffered through a violent ethnic conflict in the early and mid-1990s following the breakup of Yugoslavia. Although it has been nearly two decades since the war ended, international peacekeeping forces remain active in the country. Local institutions, including schools, are often segregated along ethnic lines between Bosniaks, Croats, and Serbs. The country is relatively poor by European standards, with a per capita GDP of just $8,293 in 2013, while its unemployment rate was an exceptionally high 27.0% last year. A number of former Yugoslavian nations had ! similarly! high unemployment, including Serbia, Macedonia, and Croatia.

3. Lithuania

> Positive experience index score: 53
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 54% (14th lowest)
> GDP per capita: $22,566 (35th highest)
> Life expectancy: 73 (62nd highest)

Lithuania had a relatively high GDP per capita, at $22,566, in 2013. Despite the seemingly capable economy, Lithuanians were among the unhappiest people in the world. The country has a high suicide rate. It also had among the highest alcohol consumption per capita in the world, according to the World Health Organization. Heavy alcohol consumption can exacerbate or, in some cases, even cause depression. Lithuanians were among the least likely to say they have experienced enjoyment in the previous day or to say they smiled or laughed in the preceding 24 hours.

2. Chad

> Positive experience index score: 52
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 37% (the lowest)
> GDP per capita: $2,543 (30th lowest)
> Life expectancy: 49 (3rd lowest)

Chad is one of the poorest countries and most undeveloped nations in the world. According to the World Bank, 47% of Chad's residents lived in poverty in 2011, with a majority of the poor living in rural areas. As of 2011, life expectancy at birth was an abysmal 49 years in Chad, among the lowest in the world. Less than 2% of the population in Chad, largely a desert country, had access to electricity. A conflict between native Chadians and Muslims in the country continues. Chad ranked close to the bottom in the percentage of its people who said they smiled or laughed in the past day, and in the percentage of people who felt they were treated with respect.

1. Syria

> Positive experience index score: 36
> Pct. smiled or laughed: 41% (2nd lowest)
> GDP per capita: N/A
> Life expectancy: 75 (40th highest)

Syria's positive experience index score of 36 marks the all-time lowest score for any country Gallup has ever surveyed. Just 36% of Syrians said t! hey felt ! happy in the last day, the lowest percentage in the world. Syrians were also less likely to feel well-rested than people almost anywhere else in the world. The country is in the middle of a civil war between the nation's military forces and rebels seeking to oust President Bashar Al-Assad. The war has taken the lives of more than 160,000 people, according to some sources. The IMF has not gathered data from Syria since 2010, nor does it produce estimates.

24/7 Wall St. is a USA TODAY content partner offering financial news and commentary. Its content is produced independently of USA TODAY.

Best Insurance Stocks To Buy Right Now

Best Insurance Stocks To Buy Right Now: Aflac Incorporated(AFL)

Aflac Incorporated, through its subsidiary, American Family Life Assurance Company of Columbus (Aflac), provides supplemental health and life insurance. The company offers various voluntary supplemental insurance products, including cancer plans, general medical indemnity plans, medical/sickness riders, care plans, living benefit life plans, ordinary life insurance plans, and annuities in Japan. It also provides loss-of-income products, such as life and short-term disability plans; and products designed to protect individuals from depletion of assets, which comprise hospital indemnity, fixed-benefit dental, vision care, accident, cancer, critical illness/critical care, and hospital intensive care plans in the United States. The company sells its products through sales associates and brokers, affiliated corporate agencies, independent corporate agencies, and individual agencies. Aflac Incorporated was founded in 1955 and is headquartered in Columbus, Georgia.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Tim McAleenan Jr.]
The next country Mankiw cites for needed exposure is Japan. The most straightforward way for an American stock investor to use common stocks to get Japanese exposure is to buy shares of Aflac (AFL). When you read the balance sheet, you will see that Aflac is really a Japanese company camouflaged as an American insurance company. Check out this part from the company's latest news release:
[By Dan Caplinger]
Ask most people about Aflac (NYSE: AFL ) , and they'll automatically start talking about the company's duck commercials. But those who've focused more on Aflac stock than on its advertising have been richly rewarded lately, and with new efforts to foster growth in the insurance company's largest market, Aflac has huge potential to cash in on improving conditions among its customer base.
[By Michael Flannelly]
Insurance company Aflac Inc! orporated (AFL) was upgraded by analysts at FBR Capital on Tuesday, noting that the company’s sales and solvency margin ratio data points should help the stock catch up to its peers.

The analysts upgraded AFL from “Market Perform” to “Outperform” and now see shares reaching $71, up from its previous target of $60. This new price target suggests a 14.5% upside to the stock’s Monday closing price of $61.99.

“We are upgrading AFL to Outperform from Market Perform based on our view that sales data following the Japan Post deal, and better news on solvency margin ratio (SMR) management and yen repatriation, should help shares close their ~30% underperformance to the group year to date,” FBR Capital analyst Randy Binner commented.

Aflac shares were up 63 cents, or 1.02%, during pre-market trading on Tuesday. The stock is up 16.7% year-to-date.

source from USA Best Stocks:http://www.usabeststocks.com/best-insurance-stocks-to-buy-right-now-2.html

Friday, May 23, 2014

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now

Top 10 High Tech Companies To Buy Right Now: Pioneer Floating Rate Trust(PHD)

Pioneer Floating Rate Trust is closed ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Pioneer Investment Management, Inc. It invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. The fund primarily invests in senior secured floating-rate loans. It invests in fixed income securities with average credit quality of B. The fund benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the Credit Suisse Leveraged Loan Index. Pioneer Floating Rate Trust was formed on October 6, 2004 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By John Dowdee]
The following 10 funds satisfied all of these conditions:
BlackRock Float Rate Strategies (FRA). This CEF sells at a discount of 3%, which is low compared to an average premium of 2% over the past year. The distribution has been managed at 6.1% and a small amount (less than 10%) has been return of capital (ROC). However, this has not negatively affected net asset value (NAV) so has not been destructive. The fund holds 447 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. FRA utilizes 27% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.7%, including interest payments. Eaton Vance Floating Rate (EFR). This CEF sells at a 1% premium, which is low compared to an average premium of 5% over the past year. The distribution is 6.2%, none of which was ROC. The fund holds 800 securities, with 90% in floating rate loans. About 85% of the securities are from U.S. companies. EFR utilizes 35% leverage and has an expense ratio of 1.8% including interest payments. ING Prime Rate Tr ust (PPR). This CEF sells for a premium of 2%, which is below the average premium of 5%. It has a distribution of 6.8%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 350 holdings, virtually all in senior loans and from US companies. PPR utilizes 29% leverage and has a high expens! e ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Dynamic Credit Opportunities (VTA). This CEF sells for a discount of 5%, which is below the average discount of 1%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has 495 holdings, with 76% in floating rate loans. About 25% of the loans are from non-US companies. VTA utilizes a relatively low 20% leverage but still has a high expense ratio of 2.1%, including interest payments. Invesco VK Senior Income (VVR). This CEF sells for a discount of 1%, which is below the average premium of 3%. It has a distribution of 7.1%, none of which was ROC. The fund has over 500 holdings, with 89% in floating rate loans. Almost all (95%) securities are from US companies. VVR ut

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-10-high-tech-companies-to-buy-right-now-2.html

4 Money Challenges Veterans Face - and How to Defeat Them

Best Regional Bank Companies To Own For 2015

An F-18 Super Hornet readies to launch from an aircraft carrier at sunset Derek Gordon/Shutterstock

The transition from military to civilian life can be fraught with emotional challenges, but practical things like getting a job, finding a place to live and paying bills can be just as difficult. Many veterans entered the military young, having never received much guidance about money management. If they've never spent much time as adults out of uniform, they are likely to need extra help to learning to handle debt and homeownership issues, and advice on creating a personal financial plan. When Mechel Lashawn Glass returned from her deployment as an Army intelligence analyst in Turkey during the Persian Gulf War in the early 1990s, she moved back in with her parents. Glass had joined the military and left home at 17; she returned home as an adult, but without a job or a home. "There used to be a two-year transition for veterans before they left service so they could put a plan in place and decide where they wanted to live and what they want to do with the rest of their lives as civilians," says Glass. "Now with the drawdown, many veterans are given 30 to 60 days' notice to leave the military and start a new life. The emotional, physical, and behavioral challenges for veterans are unique because so many of them have been overseas for years and don't really know where to begin. They usually go home but find that their families and friends have all changed or even moved away." A Hard Homecoming Glass stayed with her parents for a little while but the emotional trauma of her deployment left her withdrawn and difficult to communicate with, she says, so her mother asked her to leave the house. She eventually pulled herself together, found an entry-level job with IBM, and used her military benefits to go to college and eventually get a better position with the company. Today she is vice president of education for ClearPoint Credit Counseling Solutions. Glass says that the military has a lot of programs in place to help veterans find work and handle financial problems, but not all veterans are aware of them, and some are too proud to ask for help. So she co-authored with Scott Scredon "The Veteran's Money Book: A Step-by-Step Program to Help Military Veterans Build a Personal Financial Action Plan and Map Their Futures to give advice to veterans about paying off debt, repairing their credit and creating a long-term financial plan that can help them overcome some of the challenges of returning to civilian life. Glass says that many veterans face four major challenges.

Finding civilian employment. "Since the drawdown started, more veterans are coming back home to look for employment," says Glass. "The problem they're having is how to equate military experience with private employment."

4 Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume

DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- Professional traders running mutual funds and hedge funds don't just look at a stock's price moves; they also track big changes in volume activity. Often when above-average volume moves into an equity, it precedes a large spike in volatility.

>>5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love

Major moves in volume can signal unusual activity, such as insider buying or selling -- or buying or selling by "superinvestors."

Unusual volume can also be a major signal that hedge funds and momentum traders are piling into a stock ahead of a catalyst. These types of traders like to get in well before a large spike, so it's always a smart move to monitor unusual volume. That said, remember to combine trend and price action with unusual volume. Put them all together to help you decipher the next big trend for any stock.

>>5 Rocket Stocks Ready for Blastoff

With that in mind, let's take a look at several stocks rising on unusual volume recently.

Maxwell Technologies

Maxwell Technologies (MXWL), together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures and markets energy storage and power delivery products worldwide. This stock closed up 6.5% to $16.64 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 1.62 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.04 million

Volume % Change: 115%

From a technical perspective, MXWL ripped higher here right above some near-term support at $15.05 with above-average volume. This move pushed shares of MXWL into breakout and new 52-week-high territory, since this stock cleared or flirted with some near-term overhead resistance levels at $16.33 to $17.02. Market players should now look for a continuation move to the upside in the short-term if MXWL manages to take out its new 52-week high at $17.15 with strong volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MXWL as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $16.16 or above more support at $15.05 and then once it sustains a move or close above $17.15 with volume that hits near or above 1.04 million shares. If we get that move soon, then MXWL will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that move are $20 to $22.

Covenant Technologies

Covenant Technologies (CVTI), together with its subsidiaries, offers truckload transportation and brokerage services in the continental U.S. This stock closed up 10.2% to $10.84 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 84,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 52,581

Volume % Change: 50%

From a technical perspective, CVTI ripped sharply higher here back above its 50-day moving average of $10.21 with above-average volume. This move pushed shares of CVTI into breakout territory, since this stock took out some near-term overheard resistance levels at $10.07 to $10.45. This sharp spike higher on Wednesday is quickly pushing shares of CVTI within range of triggering another breakout trade. That trade will hit if CVTI manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance at $11 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CVTI as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $9.96 or above $9.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above $11 with volume that hits near or above 52,581 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then CVTI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $11.97 to its 52-week high at $12.29.

Interval Leisure Group

Interval Leisure Group (IILG), together with its subsidiaries, provides membership and leisure services to the vacation industry in the U.S., the U.K. and internationally. This stock closed up 2.6% at $19.61 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 678,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 257,869

Volume % Change: 145%

From a technical perspective, IILG spiked notably higher here right above its recent 52-week low of $18.96 with above-average volume. This stock recently gapped down sharply from over $25 to under $21 with heavy downside volume. Following that move, shares of IILG continued to slide lower and the stock hit a new 52-week low of $18.96. That said, shares of IILG are now starting to rebound off that $18.96 low and off extremely oversold levels, since its current relative strength index reading is 22.54. Oversold can always get more oversold, but it's also an area where a stock can make a powerful bounce higher from.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in IILG as long as it's trending above its 52-week low of $18.96 and then once it sustains a move or close above Wednesday's intraday high of $20.23 to some more near-term overhead resistance at $21.39 with volume that hits near or above 257,869 shares. If that move gets underway soon, then IILG will set up for a potential powerful rebound back towards its 50-day moving average of $24.99 or its 200-day moving average of $25.42.

Xylem

Xylem (XYL) is engaged in the design, manufacture and application of engineered technologies for the water and wastewater application. This stock closed up 1.4% at $37.82 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 2.06 million

Three-Month Average Volume: 1.07 million

Volume % Change: 125%

From a technical perspective, XYL trended modestly higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $36.45 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of XYL within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if XYL manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $38.37 to its 52-week high at $39.79 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in XYL as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $36.45 or above more near-term support at $36.20 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 1.07 million shares. If that breakout kicks off soon, then XYL will set up to enter new 52-week-high territory above $39.79, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets off that breakout are $45 to $50.

To see more stocks rising on unusual volume, check out the Stocks Rising on Unusual Volume portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.