Among the nation's top 50 destinations, when not counting sales taxes, Portland, Ore., ranked the worst when it came to the amount of taxes paid for a car rental, hotel room and restaurant meal, according to a new report from the Global Business Travel Association. A visitor there paid $22.86 a day in those travel-related taxes. Portland was followed by Boston, where travelers paid $19.34 a day and Indianapolis where those travel-related taxes totaled $18.10.
Meanwhile, the 10 cities with the lowest travel tax burdens were in California and Florida, with Burbank coming out the cheapest at $1.58 a day.
Travel-related taxes have become a popular way for cash-strapped cities to boost revenue, says Joe Bates, GBTA's vice president of research.
Top 5 Supermarket Companies To Watch In Right Now: Virgin Media Inc.(VMED)
Virgin Media Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides entertainment and communications services in the United Kingdom. The company offers cable broadband Internet, television, and fixed line telephone services under the Virgin Media brand to residential customers; mobile telephony services through Virgin Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator; broadband and telephone services to residential customers through third-party telecommunications networks; and video on demand services, including access to movies, television programs, music videos, and other on-demand content, as well as provides digital video recorders. It also offers voice, data, and Internet solutions to commercial customers comprising analog telephony and managed data networks and applications, as well as supplies communications services to health and emergency services providers. As of December 31, 2011, the company provided cable broadband services to approximately 4 million subscribers; cable television s ervices to approximately 3.76 million residential subscribers; cable telephony services to approximately 4.2 million residential subscribers; mobile telephony services to approximately 3 million customers; non-cable fixed line telephone services to approximately 163,300 subscribers; and voice, data, and Internet solutions to approximately 50,000 businesses and 250 public sector organizations. The company offers its products and services through telesales, customer care centers, and online, as well as through its sales force. It serves mobile and fixed-line service providers, systems integrators, and Internet service providers; and private and public sector organizations. The company was formerly known as NTL Incorporated and changed its name to Virgin Media Inc. in February 2007. The company was founded in 1993 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Tim Brugger]
Upon Liberty Global's (NASDAQ: LBTYA ) successfully closing its acquisition of Virgin Media (NASDAQ: VMED ) , Tom Mockridge will assume CEO responsibilities of the U.K. communications firm, Liberty Global announced today.
Top 10 Cheapest Stocks To Watch For 2014: Gentiva Health Services Inc.(GTIV)
Gentiva Health Services, Inc. provides home health services and hospice care in the United States. The company offers skilled nursing and therapy services, paraprofessional nursing services, and homemaker services primarily to adult and elderly patients through licensed and Medicare-certified agencies. It also provides its services through specialty programs comprising Gentiva Orthopedics, which offers individualized home orthopedic rehabilitation services to patients recovering from joint replacement or other major orthopedic surgery; Gentiva Safe Strides that provides therapies for patients with balance issues; and Gentiva Cardiopulmonary, which helps patients and their physicians manage heart and lung health in a home-based environment. In addition, the company offers services through Gentiva Neurorehabilitation, which helps patients who have experienced a neurological injury or condition by removing the obstacles to healing in the patient?s home; Gentiva Senior Health that addresses the needs of patients with age-related diseases and issues; and Rehab Without Walls unit, which provides neurorehabilitation therapies for patients with traumatic brain injury, cerebrovascular accident injury, and acquired brain injury. Further, it offers consulting services to home health agencies, which include operational support, billing and collection activities, and on-site agency support and consulting. Additionally, the company provides hospice services primarily in the patient?s home or other residence, such as an assisted living residence or nursing home, as well as in a hospital. Gentiva Health Services, Inc. was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Anna Prior]
Kindred Healthcare Inc.(KND) boosted its offer to about $589 million to buy a smaller stake in Gentiva Health Services Inc.(GTIV), as it tries to draw the home health-care company to the negotiating table.
- [By Keith Speights]
Medicare mayhem
Unwelcome news from Medicare last week sent home health provider stocks reeling at the end of last week. The aftermath continued into the first week of July, particularly for Gentiva Health Services (NASDAQ: GTIV ) . Gentiva's shares dropped almost 11% this week after falling by roughly the same amount last Friday.
Top 10 Cheapest Stocks To Watch For 2014: Streamtrack Inc (STTK)
StreamTrack, Inc. (StreamTrack), formerly Lux Digital Pictures, Inc., incorporated on May 6, 2008, is a digital media and technology services company. StreamTrack provides streaming and advertising services through its RadioLoyalty Platform to over 1,100 Internet and terrestrial radio stations and other broadcast content providers. It has developed a video in-steam technology that enables radio broadcasters to enhance the end users experience. StreamTrack is also developing additional Internet products and Internet and mobile technologies, including WatchThis, a merchandising in-stream technology to provide Internet Protocol (IP) television streaming services, advertising and e-commerce services. In May 2012, the Company acquired the entire WatchThis business and assets. On August 31, 2012, it acquired RadioLoyalty, Inc.
Within StreamTrack Digital, the Company is specializes in traffic whether its display, video, mobile, lead gen, search or social. Its short message service (SMS) and multimedia messaging service (MMS) Delivery Platform manages SMS and MMS campaigns, MMS event boards, mobile Websites and has a detailed reporting engine.
The Company�� revenue is principally derived from advertising services. The Company generates advertising revenue primarily from display and video advertising. The Company generates the majority of its advertising revenue through the delivery of advertising impressions sold on a cost per thousand (CPM) basis. Its advertising revenues are generated through its technologies from Internet-based content. The Company generated services revenues related to the management and resale of its webhosting capacity at its two facilities.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Last Friday, small cap stocks Boreal Water Collection, Inc (OTCMKTS: BRWC), Streamtrack Inc (OTCMKTS: STTK) and Nexia Holdings Inc (OTCMKTS: NXHD) surged 66.67%, 45.67% and 29.41%, respectively. Moreover, only one of these small cap stocks appears to be the subject of some kind of paid promotions or investor relations activities. So will these small cap stocks keep surging for the new trading week? Here is a closer look to help you decide on a trading or investing strategy:
Top 10 Cheapest Stocks To Watch For 2014: Bovie Medical Corporation (BVX)
Bovie Medical Corporation develops, manufactures, and markets medical products and devices with an emphasis on electrosurgical generators and electrosurgical disposables primarily in the United States. Its electrosurgery product line comprises desiccators, generators, electrodes, electrosurgical pencils, and various ancillary disposable products used in surgical procedures in gynecology, urology, plastic surgery, dermatology, veterinary, and other surgical markets for the cutting and coagulation of tissue. The company offers Aaron 900 and Aaron 940, which are high frequency desiccators designed primarily for dermatology and family practice physicians for removing small skin lesions and growths, as well as for office based coagulation. It also provides Aaron 950, a high frequency desiccator with cut capacity for outpatient surgical procedures; Aaron 1250U, a 120-watt multipurpose electrosurgery generator; and Aaron 2250/3250 and IDS 200/300/400 multipurpose digital electros urgery generators. In addition, the company offers ICON GI, ICON GP, and ICON VS specialty electrosurgical generators; Resistick II, a coating that is applied to stainless steel, which resists eschar during surgery; disposable laparoscopic instruments; and ICON GS (J-Plasma), a plasma system. Further, it provides battery operated cauteries used for sculpting woven grafts in bypass surgery, vasectomies, and evacuation of subungual hematoma, as well as for arresting bleeding in various types of surgeries; battery operated medical lights that act as specialty lighting instruments for use in ophthalmology as well as specialty lighting instruments for general surgery, hip replacement surgery, and for the placement of endotracheal tubes in emergency and surgical procedures; and nerve locator stimulators used for identifying motor nerves in hand and facial reconstructive surgery. Bovie Medical Corporation was founded in 1982 and is based in Melville, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Andrew Stephan]
The J-Plasma surgical technology from Bovie Medical Corporation (BVX) has recently begun to hit the market. Although it is anticipated sales will start out slowly due to the time involved in building and deploying a sales force specific to J-Plasma and in hospital capital equipment purchasing decisions, revenues from J-Plasma are expected to become very strong in 2014, leading to a correspondingly large upward move in the share price.
Top 10 Cheapest Stocks To Watch For 2014: BOK Financial Corporation(BOKF)
BOK Financial Corporation, a financial holding company, offers a range of financial products and services to commercial and industrial customers, and other financial institutions and consumers. It operates in three segments: Commercial Banking, Consumer Banking, and Wealth Management. The Commercial Banking segment offers lending, treasury, and cash management services; and customer risk management products to small businesses, middle market, and larger commercial customers. The Consumer Banking segment involves in retail lending and deposit services, and mortgage banking activities, as well as offers indirect automobile lending products. The Wealth Management segment provides fiduciary, brokerage and trading, private bank, and investment advisory services. As of December 31, 2010, the company operated 207 consumer banking locations, including branch banking locations and mortgage lending offices; and 1,943 ATM locations. BOK Financial Corporation operates in Oklahoma, Tex as, New Mexico, Northwest Arkansas, Colorado, Arizona, and Kansas/Missouri. The company was founded in 1910 and is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Maxfield]
Given that you clicked on this article, it seems safe to assume you either own stock in BOK Financial (NASDAQ: BOKF ) or are considering buying shares in the near future. If so, then you've come to the right place. The table below reveals the nine most critical numbers that investors need to know about BOK (which stands for "Bank of Oklahoma") before deciding whether to buy, sell, or hold its stock.
Top 10 Cheapest Stocks To Watch For 2014: Utah Medical Products Inc.(UTMD)
Utah Medical Products, Inc. produces medical devices for the healthcare industry primarily in the United States and Europe. The company provides labor and delivery/obstetrics products, including fetal monitoring accessories, vacuum-assisted delivery systems, and other obstetrical tools, as well as neonatal intensive care products, such as DISPOSA-HOOD, an infant respiratory hood; DELTRAN PLUS, a blood pressure monitoring system; and GESCO, a biocompatible silicone catheter. It also offers umbilical vessel and artery, thermosensitive polyurethane, and peripherally inserted central venous catheters; enteral feeding devices; DIALY-NATE, a disposable peritoneal dialysis set; PALA-NATE, a silicone oral protection device; and MYELO-NATE for obtaining cerebral spinal fluid samples. In addition, the company provides gynecology/urology/electrosurgery products comprising LETZ System to excise cervical intraepithelial neoplasia; FINESSE electrosurgical generator; FILTRESSE evacuators ; EPITOME, an electrosurgical scalpel; PATHFINDER PLUS, an endoscopic irrigation device; LIBERTY system to treat and control urinary incontinence in women; ENDOCURETTE, a curette for uterine endometrial tissue sampling; TVUS/HSG-Cath to assess abnormal uterine bleeding; and LUMIN for manipulating the uterus. Further, it offers DELTRAN for blood pressure monitoring; and pressure monitoring accessories, components, and other molded parts. The company?s products are used in neonatal intensive care units, labor and delivery departments, and women?s health center in hospitals, as well as in outpatient clinics and physician's offices. It markets its products through direct sales representatives, independent manufacturers? representatives, specialty distributors, national hospital distribution companies, and other medical device manufacturers; and through other medical device companies and independent medical products distributors. The company was founded in 1978 and is headquar tered in Midvale, Utah.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Geoff Gannon]
Utah Medical Products (UTMD)
There are some interesting stories on that list. Buffett watchers know The Washington Post. Ben Graham fans know National Presto. Anyone who follows net-nets is familiar with Micropac. If you��e a high ROC investor you��e probably come across Utah Medical Products (operating margins are over 30%). Atrion has one of the most interesting histories of value creation starting in the 1990s. And Arden is a grocer that earns a 15% return on equity in a bad year.
Top 10 Cheapest Stocks To Watch For 2014: LKQ Corp (LKQ)
LKQ Corporation (LKQ) provides replacement parts, components and systems needed to repair vehicles (cars and trucks). The Company operates in four segments: Wholesale-North America, Wholesale-Europe, Self Service and Heavy-Duty Truck. Buyers of vehicle replacement products have the option to purchase from primarily five sources: new products produced by original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), which are known as OEM products; new products produced by companies other than the OEMs, which are sometimes referred to as aftermarket products; recycled products originally produced by OEMs, which it refers to as recycled products; used products that have been refurbished; and used products that have been remanufactured. October 1, 2011, it acquired Euro Car Parts Holdings Limited (ECP). On May 27, 2011, it acquired AkzoNobel Coatings Inc.'s paint distribution business consisting of 40 locations across the United States. In February 2012, the Company announced that it had acquired Pieces Automobiles Lecavalier IncEffective August 6, 2013, LKQ Corp acquired Premier Paints Ltd, a manufacturer of motor vehicle parts, form Iris Coatings Ltd, and concurrently, LKQ acquired Bee Bee Refinishing Supplies Halstead, JCA Coatings, Milton Keynes Paint & Equipment and Sinemaster Motor Factors Ltd.
The Company distributes a variety of products to collision and mechanical repair shops, including aftermarket collision and mechanical products, recycled collision and mechanical products, refurbished collision replacement products such as wheels, bumper covers and lights, and remanufactured engines. Collectively, it refers to its products as alternative parts. The Company is a provider of alternative vehicle collision replacement products, and a provider of alternative vehicle mechanical replacement products. Its sales, processing, and distribution facilities reach markets in the United States and Canada. In addition to its wholesale operations, it operates self service retail facilities that sell recycled automotiv! e products. The Company also sells recycled heavy-duty truck products and used heavy-duty trucks.
The Company obtains its aftermarket inventory from auto parts manufacturers and distributors based in the United States, Taiwan, Europe and China. The Company procures recycled automotive products mainly by purchasing salvage vehicles, typically severely damaged by collisions and primarily sold at salvage auctions or pools, and then dismantling and inventorying the parts. The refurbished and remanufactured products that it sells, such as wheels, bumper covers, lights and engines, originate from Companyparts from the salvage vehicles bought at auctions, parts received in trade at collision shops purchasing replacement products from the, and damaged parts bought through bulk purchases from core sales companies that collect damaged parts. The majority of our products and services are sold to collision repair shops, also known as body shops, and mechanical repair shops.
WHOLESALE AUTO PRODUCTS-NORTH AMERICA
The Company�� wholesale automobile product operations in North America are organized by geographic regions serving the United States and Canada that sell all four product types to collision and mechanical automobile repair businesses. As of December 31, 2011, these wholesale operations conducted business from more than 290 facilities. its aftermarket product operations may include a combination of sales, warehousing and distribution, and in many cases will be co-located with its refurbishing operations. Its salvage operation typically has processing, sales, distribution and administrative operations on site, indoor and outdoor storage areas, and include a warehouse with multiple bays to dismantle vehicles.
The Company�� 2011, sales included more than 86,000 stock keeping units (SKUs) of aftermarket collision products and repair materials for the models of domestic and foreign automobiles and light trucks. Its aftermarket product types consist of thos! e frequen! tly damaged in collisions, including automotive body panels, bumper covers and lights. The Company distributes paint and other materials used in repairing damaged vehicles, including sandpaper, abrasives, masking products and plastic filler. The paint and other materials distributed by the Company are purchased from numerous suppliers in the United States and Canada. Certain of these products are distributed under the brand Keystone. Platinum Plus is its exclusive brand offered in the Keystone product line of aftermarket products. The aftermarket products it distributes are purchased from independent manufacturers and distributors located primarily in the United States and Taiwan. The Company has business arrangements with manufacturers to produce its Platinum Plus products.
The Company�� recycled products include engines, transmissions, doors, front end assemblies, trunk lids, bumper assemblies, head and tail lamp assemblies and mirrors. Some insurance companies mandate that the recycled products must be of the same model year or newer as the vehicle being repaired. The Company procures recycled products for its wholesale operations by acquiring damaged or totaled vehicles. During the year ended December 31, 2011, LKQ acquired approximately 228,000 salvage vehicles for its wholesale recycled product operations. Vehicle processing for its wholesale recycled operations involves dismantling a salvage vehicle into recycled products that are ready for sale.
As of December 31, 2011, it operated 34 plastic bumper and bumper cover refurbishing plants, a chrome bumper plating plant, 15 wheel plants, one light refurbishing plant and four engine remanufacturing facilities. Most of its refurbished and remanufactured products are sold through its wholesale distribution channels. The balance is sold to retail automotive stores, wholesale distributors and through Internet sales. Its wholesale recycled product operations generate scrap metal and other materials that it sells to recyclers. T! he Compan! y has a distribution network of over 290 wholesale plants and warehouses across the United States and Canada, of which 50 function as hub or cross dock facilities.
WHOLESALE AUTO PRODUCTS-EUROPE
The Company�� European wholesale operating segment was formed in 2011 with its acquisition of ECP, the distributor of automotive aftermarket products. The Company operates 90 branches, supported by eight regional hubs and a national distribution center, which allows us to reach major markets within the United Kingdom. In 2011, it sold more than 121,000 SKUs of aftermarket products, primarily composed of mechanical aftermarket parts for the repair of vehicles five to 15 years old. Its products include electrical products, such as spark plugs and ignition coils, clutches and related parts, steering and suspension parts, and brake pads and sensors. The Company sells its products to over 32,000 professional repairers, including primarily independent mechanical repair shops and collision repair shops.
SELF SERVICE RETAIL PRODUCTS
The Company�� self service retail operations sell parts from older cars and light trucks directly to consumers. In addition to revenue from the sale of parts, core and scrap, it charges admission fee to access the property. Its self service facilities typically consist of a fenced or enclosed area of several acres with vehicles stored outdoors and a retail building through which customers are able to access the yard. As of December 31, 2011, it conducted our self service retail operations from 47 facilities in North America. Its self service auto recycling operations generate scrap metal, alloys and other materials that it sells to recyclers.
HEAVY-DUTY TRUCK PRODUCTS
As of December 31, 2011, it had a total of 18 facilities in the United States and Canada. Its inventory is comprised of used heavy- and medium-duty trucks, usually five years or older, which are purchased at salvage and truck auctions or direct! ly from i! nsurance companies or fleet operators. During 2011, it purchased approximately 6,000 vehicles. Depending on the condition of the vehicles, they may be dismantled for parts or resold as running vehicles. If certain mechanical parts are damaged, such as transmissions, it may remanufacture them and offer them to its customers. The vehicles that are acquired for resale are typically special purpose or vocational use trucks, such as those used for garbage pickup or cement delivery. If requested by the sellers of the vehicles, it provide an assurance that the vehicles will be sold to foreign buyers and exported to countries for use outside of the United States, or to domestic buyers after the vehicles have been reconditioned and modified for use other than their original purpose.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Holly LaFon]
Our worst performers during the third quarter were Cummins (CMI) (-颅14.5%), Schlumberger (SLB) (-颅13.8%) and Cognizant Technology (CTSH) (-颅8.5%). Our best performers during the quarter were EMC (EMC) (+11.1%), Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A) (+9.2%) and Apple (AAPL) (+8.4%). During the quarter we trimmed positions in Apple as it approached our maximum position weighting of 10%. We added to existing positions in Qualcomm (QCOM), LKQ (LKQ) and Cognizant Technology (CTSH) ��all on improved prospective risk-颅reward on respective share-price declines. The Great Bull Market of 2009-2014 started on March 9, 2009 when the S&P 500 Index stood at 667. The S&P 500�� relentless bull market advance over the course of the next 2,000 days would reach a record high index level of 2000 in late August. Relentless indeed, according to Bespoke, the S&P 500 Index has been up seven quarters in a row ��the best streak since 1998 and the fourth best since 1950.
- [By Chris Hill]
In this segment, Mike talks about�LKQ (NASDAQ: LKQ ) , and why the largest operator of junkyards has turned its scale into an incredibly well-run business, and Matt takes a look into�McDonald's (NYSE: MCD ) , which reports earnings tomorrow. After a rough period for McDonald's as the competitive landscape shifts toward fast-casual dining options such as Panera and Chipotle, Matt will be looking for signs in the earnings report that the strategy at McDonald's to adapt and shift its business focuses is coming to fruition.
- [By Holly LaFon]
LKQ Corporation (LKQ) is the world's largest procurer and distributor of alternative and aftermarket collision replacement parts for automobiles and other vehicles. The Company has grown rapidly since its inception in 1998, by executing an expansion strategy that has included aggressive organic and inorganic investments. To date, LKQ's strategy has resulted in a business with unparalleled scale, at over $5 billion in revenues across three continents, compared with aftermarket and salvage parts competitors that routinely post less then $100 million in sales, usually with the largest footprints limited to regional geographies.
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