Stocks fell slightly at the open on Wall Street Wednesday after a report showed businesses added a lower-than-expected 139,000 jobs in February.
The Dow Jones industrial average was down 0.1% and the Standard & Poor's 500 index dropped 0.1%. The Nasdaq composite index was flat.
Payroll processor ADP said Wednesday that businesses added 139,000 jobs last month, up from 127,000 in January. But January's figure was revised sharply lower from an original estimate of 175,000. Economists expected ADP to report 158,000 additional private-sector jobs, according to a consensus forecast
The ADP numbers cover only private businesses and often diverge from the government's more comprehensive report. The U.S. Department of Labor releases its own employment report Friday. Economists believe that the U.S. will report that employers generated 145,000 jobs in February.
Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: Boston Properties Inc. (BXP)
Boston Properties, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), together with its subsidiaries, engages in the ownership and development of office properties. Its properties are located in Boston, Massachusetts; Washington, D.C.; midtown Manhattan, New York; San Francisco, California; and Princeton, New Jersey. As of December 31, 2008, the company owned interests in 147 properties, totaling approximately 49.8 million net rentable square feet and structured parking for vehicles containing approximately 11.2 million square feet. Its properties also included 143 office properties, 1 hotel, and 3 retail properties. In addition, the company owned or controlled an undeveloped land totaling approximately 509.3 acres. Boston Properties, Inc. has elected to be taxed as REIT under the Internal Revenue Code and would not be subject to federal income taxes, if it distributes approximately at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. The company was founded in 1970 and is ba sed in Boston, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Dimitra DeFotis]
Among real estate trusts:
American Tower��(AMT),�the diversified �REIT, is the best performer in the index.�It was�up 4.6% after saying�Friday it will buy the parent of tower operator Global Tower Partners for $4.8 billion. HCP (HCP), a healthcare REIT, was�up 3.3%. Prologis (PLD) an industrial REIT, was�up 2.8%. Vornado Realty Trust (VNO) was�up 2.7%. Boston Properties (BXP), the office REIT, was�up 2.3%. Equity Residential (EQR), a residential REIT, was�up 2.4%. Ventas (VTR), a healthcare REIT, was�up 2%.
- [By Markus Aarnio]
Owens Realty Mortgage's competitors include American Assets Trust (AAT), Alexandria Real Estate Equities (ARE) and Boston Properties (BXP). American Assets Trust has seen five insider buy transactions and four insider sell transactions this year. American Assets Trust has a dividend yield of 2.78%. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has seen 14 insider sell transactions this year. Alexandria Real Estate Equities has a dividend yield of 4.10%. Boston Properties has seen one insider buy transaction and four insider sell transactions this year. Boston Properties has a dividend yield of 2.43%.
Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: iShares Dow Jones US Energy Sector Fund (IYE)
iShares Dow Jones U.S. Energy Sector Index Fund (the Fund) seeks investment results that correspond generally to the price and yield performance of the Dow Jones U.S. Oil & Gas Index (the Index). The Index measures the performance of the oil and gas sector of the United States equity market. The Index includes companies in industry groups, such as oil and gas producers, and oil equipment, services and distribution. The Index is a subset of the Dow Jones U.S. Total Market Index and is capitalization weighted. The Index is reconstituted quarterly.
The Fund will concentrate its investments in a particular industry or group of industries to approximately the same extent as the Index is so concentrated. The Fund�� investment advisor is Barclays Global Fund Advisors.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Aaron Levitt]
Fellow InvestorPlace contributor Lawrence Meyers recently recommended the Energy SPDR (XLE) as good ETF to hold for life. I like the pick and you could certainly do worse, but my personal favorite way�to play WTI crude would be the iShares U.S. Energy ETF (IYE).
- [By Louis Navellier]
The ishares Dow Jones U.S. Energy Sector Fund (IYE) tracks the performance of 99 major energy stocks in the U.S. IYE is actually up 20% for the year, but it has been trending downward over the past month. Meanwhile, the ishares S&P Global Energy Sector Fund (IXC) is up just 10% so far for the year. This fund, which also contains 99 holdings from all over the world, provides perhaps the best view of how the energy sector is faring on the global level. It has also fallen in the past month.
Top Income Stocks To Own For 2015: Genworth Financial Inc (GNW)
Genworth Financial, Inc., a financial security company, provides insurance, wealth management, investment, and financial solutions in the United States and internationally. The company offers various insurance and fixed annuity products, including life and long-term care insurance products; payment protection insurance products for consumers primarily to meet specified payment obligations; and wealth management products, such as managed account programs with advisor support and financial planning services. It also provides mortgage insurance products and related services to insure prime-based, individually underwritten residential mortgage loans or flow mortgage insurance; and mortgage insurance on a structured or bulk basis, as well as offers services, analytical tools, and technology that enable lenders to operate and manage risk. In addition, the company provides institutional products consisting of funding agreements, funding agreements backing notes, and guaranteed in vestment contracts. Genworth Financial, Inc. distributes its products and services through financial intermediaries, advisors, independent distributors, affinity groups, and sales specialists. The company was founded in 2003 and is headquartered in Richmond, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By James E. Brumley]
Never let it be said I didn't follow up on my prior ideas and commentaries. In November of last year I said MGIC Investment Corp. (NYSE:MTG), Radian Group Inc. (NYSE:RDN), and Genworth Financial Inc. (NYSE:GNW) were budding bullish idea.
For those of you with good memories, you'll likely know why that sounds a little bit "off." Though GNW, MTG, and RDN had all three been quite bullish that particular day as well as flashed bursts of bullishness in the days leading up to that November 1st look, the market was still more than a little pessimistic on on insurers like Radian Group, MGIC Investment, and Genworth Financial. I'm sure glad I was willing to go out on a limb. All three stocks have gone on to make big - and surprising - gains.
So do I come here to pound my chest on RDN, GNW, and MTG? Nope - not at all. I'm chiming in again today to let you know if you got in on my advice, it's now time to lock in those gains and get out.
Just so there's no confusion, I don't see any particular overbearing problems hanging over the industry's head. It's just that these stocks have outlived their usefulness and opportunity for us.
Take MGIC Investment Corp. for instance. MTG has advances 340% since then, yet still isn't profitable on a net trailing basis. Positive earnings are sill in the cards. But, priced at 27.6 times 2014's projected income, the value argument is gone, as well as the technical one.
Ditto for Genworth Financial and Radian Group Inc. Both stocks have posted huge gains over the past ten months, and while their forward-looking ratios are more attractive, after a 118% and 200% runup, respectively - given the back stories and timing - you have to believe the best-case scenario has already been priced into RDN and GNW shares.
Just for the record, I would be more than willing to buy back into any and all of these names once we get a healthy pullback and start to see decent evidence of a bullish reversal. While we
- [By Jon C. Ogg]
Genworth Financial Inc. (NYSE: GNW) has not paid a dividend since 2008. That may soon be about to change if an analyst call from Monday turns out to be true. UBS raised the financial services firm up to Buy from Neutral, with a focus on the dividend and return of capital.
- [By Sally Jones]
Genworth Financial Inc. (GNW): Sold Out
Up 142% over 12 months, Genworth Financial has a market cap of $6.26 billion and trades with a P/E of 14.10. The current share price is $12.68.
Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: Obagi Medical Products Inc.(OMPI)
Obagi Medical Products, Inc., a specialty pharmaceutical company, develops, markets, and sells topical aesthetic and therapeutic prescription skin care systems. It offers Obagi Nu-Derm System, including prescription and OTC drugs that are used for the treatment of fine lines, wrinkles, acne, photo damage, hyperpigmentation, melasma, laxity, and skin sallowness; Obagi Condition and Enhance Systems that are used before and after surgical and non-surgical cosmetic procedures; Obagi-C Rx System comprises Vitamin C with 4% hydroquinone system to treat skin conditions resulting from sun damage and the oxidative damage of free radicals; and Professional-C products consisting of Vitamin C serums for the treatment of antioxidant protection, fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. The company also provides ELASTIderm Eye and D�olletage, which increases the elasticity and skin tone of eyes, face, neckline, and chest; ELASTILash Eyelash Solution that enhances the appearance of thickness and fullness of eyelashes; CLENZIderm M.D. Systems and Tretinoin for treating acne; and Obagi Rosaclear System used for the treatment of rosacea. In addition, it offers Refissa and Blue Peel RADIANCE used for the treatment of fine facial lines, hyperpigmentation, and tactile roughness; Metronidazole used for the treatment of rosacea; Obagi Blue Peel Essential Kit used for the treatment of fine lines, wrinkles, and hyperpigmentation. Further, the company licenses non-prescription product concepts under the Obagi trademark to a Japanese-based pharmaceutical company for sale through consumer distribution channels in Japan. Obagi Medical Products, Inc. sells its products through sales force and distribution partners in the United States, North and Central America, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia to dermatologists, plastic surgeons, and other physicians that are focused on aesthetic and therapeutic skin care. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Lon g Beach, California.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By David Williamson]
Though many excited traders had hoped to see the bidding war continue between Valeant Pharmaceuticals (NYSE: VRX ) and Merz over Obagi Medical Products (NASDAQ: OMPI ) and a subsequent run-up in the stock price of the smaller dermatological products maker, Merz has now walked away from the table, leaving the highly acquisitive Valeant the victor. In this video, Motley Fool health care analyst David Williamson gives us some background on these companies and tells us how Valeant plans to profit from the deal, and describes for investors why this is a win both for Obagi and for Valeant.
- [By Keith Speights]
"Bidness" is good
Last week, Obagi Medical Products (NASDAQ: OMPI ) made our list of humongous performers after Valeant Pharmaceuticals� (NYSE: VRX ) announced a $344 million bid for the company. This week saw a bidding frenzy, with Obagi shares jumping another 29%.
Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: Omnicare Inc (OCR)
Omnicare, Inc. (Omnicare) is a healthcare services company. The Company operates in two primary businesses: Long-Term Care Group (LTC) and Specialty Care Group (SCG). Through LTC, Omnicare provides pharmaceuticals and related pharmacy and ancillary services to long-term care facilities, as well as chronic care facilities and other settings. SCG provides commercialization services for the biopharmaceutical industry in addition to end-of-life pharmaceutical care management for hospice care agencies. At December 31, 2011, LTC provided its pharmacy services in 47 states in the United States, the District of Columbia and in Canada. In September 2012, Five Star Quality Care, Inc. sold its pharmacy business to Omnicare.
Long-Term Care Group
Omnicare operates the institutional pharmacy business in North America. LTC's customers consist of skilled nursing facilities (SNFs), assisted living facilities (ALFs), independent living communities, hospitals, correctional facilities, and other healthcare service providers. LTC consisted of approximately 83% of the Company�� total net sales during the year ended December 31, 2011 and dispensed approximately 115.1 million prescriptions. The Company provides pharmacy consulting, including monthly patient drug therapy evaluations, assist in compliance with state and federal regulations and provide clinical and health management programs (utilizing outcomes-based algorithm technology). LTC also provides a range of technology solutions based on its Omniview Web-based platform.
LTC also provides a range of other products and services, including intravenous medications and nutrition products (infusion therapy products and services), respiratory therapy services, medical supplies and equipment (including billing the Medicare Part B program for eligible patients) and clinical care planning. It also provides pharmaceutical case management services for retirees, employees and dependents. The Company purchases, repackages and dispenses presc! ription and non-prescription medication in accordance with physician orders and deliver such prescriptions to long-term care facilities for administration to individual residents (by the facilities��nursing staff for SNFs).
The Company services long-term care facilities typically within a radius of approximately 150 miles of its pharmacy locations and maintain an around-the-clock, seven-day per week, on-call pharmacist service for emergency dispensing and delivery, and for consultation with the facility's staff or attending physician. The Company utilizes a unit-of-use drug distribution system. This means that its prescriptions are packaged for dispensing in individual doses. The Company�� range of technologies allow Web-based access to electronic medical records, automated pharmacy billing, online medication refills and returns processing, census tracking, pre-admission medication assessment and access to the Omnicare Guidelines.
Specialty Care Group
SCG serves the needs of biopharmaceutical manufacturers, physicians, nurses, caregivers and patients. Its services are based on five platforms: brand support services, third party logistics, patient assistance programs, specialty pharmacy and disease management for end-of-life care. In the Company�� specialty pharmacy platform, it provides dispensing of specialized pharmaceuticals. These specialized drugs deal primarily with specific categories of drugs and disease states, such as rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, oncology and growth hormones. In its end-of-life care platform, Omnicare provides hospice care pharmaceutical management. SCG accounted for approximately 17% of the Company�� total net sales during 2011.
Omnicare competes with PharMerica Corporation.
Advisors' Opinion: Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: Mondelez International Inc (MDLZ)
Mondelez International, Inc. (Mondelez International), formerly Kraft Foods Inc., incorporated on December 7, 2000, is a maker of chocolate, biscuits, gum, candy, coffee and powdered beverages. The Company consists of the global snacking and food brands. Mondelez International's portfolio includes several brands, such as Cadbury and Milka chocolate, Jacobs coffee, LU, Nabisco and Oreo biscuits, Tang powdered beverages and Trident gums. The Company�� products include chocolates, cookies, gums, beverages and crackers. Alpen Gold is a chocolate brand in Russia. Alpen Gold is available in chocolate bars, boxed chocolates and creamy, mouth-watering pralines. Its markets include Poland, Russia and Ukraine. Bubbaloo is a gum brand sold in more than 25 countries and three different continents, including India, Mexico, Portugal and Spain. Belvita are breakfast biscuits made with wholegrain, cereals and fiber. It is sold in Belgium, France, Netherlands, United Kingdom and the United States.
The Cadbury Creme Egg brand is available annually from New Year�� Day to Easter Day. It is sold in Australia, Canada, New Zealand the United Kingdom and the United States. Carte Noire is the coffee brand in France. It is sold in France, Ireland, Russia, Ukraine and the United Kingdom. Chips Ahoy! cookies are chocolate chip cookies packed with chocolate chips. It is sold in Brazil, Canada, China, Ecuador, Mexico, Philippines, Portugal, Puerto Rico, Spain, the United States and Venezuela. Club Social is a cracker in Brazil and Latin America. The newest addition to the Club Social family is Club Social chips in Argentina, available in original, parmesano, and cream and onion flavors. Cote d'Or is a chocolate brand sold in Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Middle East, Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States.
Cadbury Dairy Milk is a milk chocolate bar sold in 33 countries, including Australia, Canada, India, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, and available in more than! 23 varieties, like fruit and nut, WholeNut, Snack, Caramello and Breakaway. Dentyne is a gum to aid in oral hygiene sold in Canada and the United States.
Cadbury Flake is chocolate bars sold in Australia, Egypt, Ireland, New Zealand and the United Kingdom. Gevalia brand offers more than 50 varieties of coffee and 20 choices of tea, and sold in the United States, Denmark, Finland, Sweden and the United States. Grand Mere coffee brand is sold at France. Green & Black�� is a chocolate brand and also includes gift chocolates, ice cream, biscuits and hot beverages. Halls is sold as a cold relief product. Halls is used as a refreshing candy. Halls products are available in more than 26 flavors.
Hollywood gum is a chewing gum in France. Jacobs coffee is sold throughout Europe and the Middle East, and in Austria, Germany, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania and Ukraine. Jacobs is available in roast and ground, whole beans, soluble crystals, coffee pods and flavored mixes. Kenco coffee is a coffee brand sold in Ireland and the United Kingdom. Lacta is a chocolate in Brazil. It also includes Bis chocolate wafers, Sonho de Valsa pralines and Lacta white chocolate.
LU biscuits are available in 100 countries. Other international brands under the LU name include Petit Dejuener, Mikado, Pepito (Mini Stars), Cracotte, Ourson and Tuc. Milka is a European chocolate. Marabou is a chocolate brand in Sweden. Nabisco�� brands include cookies and crackers. Nabisco 100 Calorie Packs includes 12 varieties, such as Chips Ahoy! Thin Crisps, Oreo Thin Crisps, Lorna Doone Shortbread Cookie Crisps, Ritz Snack Mix, Planters Peanut Butter Cookie Crisps, Kraft Cheese Nips Thin Crisps, Wheat Thins Multigrain Chips, Ritz Chips, Honey Maid Cinnamon Thin Crisps, Mini Teddy Grahams Cinnamon Cubs, Alpha-Bits Mini Cookies and Barnum�� Animals Choco Crackers.
Nutter Butter are sandwich cookies sold in the United States. Nilla wafers include original, reduced-fat and mini wafers. Newtons! are whol! esome snack made with real fruit. It also offers Newtons Fruit Thins and Fruit Crisps. The Natural Confectionery Company is a candy product. Onko offers coffee mixes in cappuccino flavors.
Oreo is a milk favorite cookie. Oreo is available in many flavors and varieties, such as chocolate covered, wafers, pie crusts and soft snack cakes. Premium saltine crackers come in six varieties, including unsalted tops, original, fat-free, low-sodium, soup and oyster and multi-grain. Prince biscuits are available in more than eight countries, including Algeria, Austria, Belgium, China, France, Germany, Netherlands and Spain. Prince biscuits come in creme-filled sandwiches, rolls and chocolate-covered varieties.
Stimorol is a chewing gum brand in Northern Europe, as well as 40 other markets from Greenland to Fiji. Simmenthal is a canned meat in jelly. Simmenthal�� products include beef in jelly with chili and chicken in jelly with curry. Tang is available in more than 30 countries and is a powdered beverage. Tassimo is a hot beverage system, which helps in making coffee, tea, hot chocolate, cappuccino, espresso and lattes. Toblerone is a Swiss chocolate bar made with honey and almond nougat. Trakinas is a creme-filled sandwich cookie.
Trident is a chewing gum brand in the world. Triscuit varieties include original, reduced fat, cheddar, cracked pepper and olive oil, fire roasted tomato and olive oil, garden herb, deli-style rye, roasted garlic, thin crisps, and rosemary and olive oil. Wheat Thins are wheat crackers in a variety of flavors, including sundried tomato and basil, multigrain and parmesan basil.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Dan Caplinger]
In that light, PepsiCo's snack segment seems to be a better driver of potential future growth. With CEO Indra Nooyi having successfully positioned the company to be ahead of the curve with the trend toward healthier snacks and beverages, PepsiCo has tapped into what could become a much faster-growing market than traditional drinks and snack foods. As rumors have flown about the potential for the company to merge with Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ ) to create a snack supergiant, the importance of the food side of PepsiCo's business looks poised only to increase. The move would also help Mondelez broaden its offerings and potentially benefit the combined entity with an even stronger marketing image and brand awareness.
- [By Rich Duprey]
If activist investor Nelson Peltz had his druthers, beverage giant PepsiCo (NYSE: PEP ) would calve off its drinks business, and focus on just the snack-food portion by buying Mondelez (NASDAQ: MDLZ ) .
- [By Pratik Thacker]
Compared to others
When compared to its peers such as General Mills and Mondelez International (NASDAQ: MDLZ ) , Kellogg's performance has not been up to the mark. The stock price performance of each player in the last five years is shown in the chart below:
Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: Societe Libanaise des Ciments Blancs SAL (CBN)
Societe Libanaise des Ciments Blancs SAL is a Lebanon-based joint stock company that operates in the construction materials industry sector. The Company is engaged in the production and sale of white cement. The Company is a 65.99% owned by Holcim (Liban) SAL.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By CanadianValue]
Nigeria�� reformed banking system has provided many foreigners with an attractive means to invest in the fast-growing domestic economy. The banking industry is important, not only because of the rise of microfinance, but because of the move by banks into consumer banking. Until recently, banks were mainly financing large businesses or the government through bond purchases. Following a banking crisis in 2008, the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) conducted an audit of the commercial banking sector. All banks that failed the audit had their CEOs replaced. The state-owned Asset Management Corporation (AMCON) was created to purchase non-performing loans and recapitalize the unhealthy banks. A recent review of the country�� banks by the IMF showed a dramatic increase in profits for the industry in 2012, while the capital adequacy ratio was above the minimum requirement of 10% and non-performing loans were below the mandated threshold of 5%5.
Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: Pluristem Therapeutics Inc.(PSTI)
Pluristem Therapeutics Inc., a bio-therapeutic company, engages in the research, development, and commercialization of standardized cell therapy products for the treatment of life threatening diseases. The company?s products are derived from human placenta, a non-controversial, non-embryonic, adult cell source. Its Placental adherent stromal cells are grown in the company's proprietary PluriX three-dimensional process that allows cells to grow in a natural environment. The company provides PLX-PAD that has completed Phase I clinical trials for people suffering from peripheral artery disease. It also offers various product candidates for diabetic foot ulcers, adjuvant hip replacement surgery, athletic injuries, inflammatory bowel disease, multiple sclerosis, neuropathic pain, ischemic stroke, adjuvant for UCB transplantation, and radiation exposure. The company was formerly known as Pluristem Life Systems Inc. and changed its name to Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. in November 2007. Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. was founded in 2001 and is headquartered in Haifa, Israel.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By James E. Brumley]
Traders may not want to get married for the long haul to any of them, but for speculators looking for a quick, profitable hit, Arca Biopharma Inc. (NASDAQ:ABIO), Pluristem Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:PSTI), and Bacterin International Holdings Inc. (NYSEMKT:BONE) may be better-than-average bets. Here's why.
- [By John Udovich]
Stem cell stocks have not exactly been the best performers lately in part because the controversy over their use has died down over the years while major breakthroughs have been few or far between, but the industry along with small cap stem cell stocks Pluristem Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: PSTI), BioTime, Inc (NYSEMKT: BTX) and BioRestorative Therapies (OTCBB: BRTX) are still quietly producing their share of news or minor breakthroughs worth taking note of. Just consider the following stem cell news or news from small cap players in the sector:
Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: North American Palladium Ltd (PAL)
North American Palladium Ltd. (NAP) is a precious metals producer that has been operating its flagship Lac des Iles mine (LDI) located in Ontario, Canada. The Company is in the business of exploring and mining palladium, platinum, gold and certain base metals. The Company�� 100%-owned subsidiary is the Lac des Iles Mines Ltd. (LDI).
The Company�� Lac des Iles (LDI) palladium mine is a palladium producer. The mine is located approximately 85 kilometers northwest of the city of Thunder Bay in Ontario, Canada, and consists of open pit and underground mining operations and a 15,000 ton per day mill.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By James E. Brumley]
Are you a gambling man (or gambling woman, as the case may be)? Then now may be the right time to place a bet on North American Palladium Ltd (NYSEMKT:PAL) ... the micro cap precious metals miner that has watched its stock fall from just under $2.00 in early February to a low of 44 cents yesterday. That's a 78% drubbing, for those of you who are counting, with a big chunk of that loss coming yesterday when PAL shares lost 28% of their value on the heels of two... shall we say "less than flattering" articles about the company were posted? Yet, sometimes the very best trades are ideas that never looked good on paper.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
4. Platinum-group metals
Platinum and palladium both fell sharply, losing 5% and 6% of their value, respectively. Those losses weren't as extreme as gold's, but they nevertheless represented a drop to levels not seen since late last year. The two major miners producing the white metals, Stillwater Mining (NYSE: SWC ) and North American Palladium (NYSEMKT: PAL ) , both lost more than 10% on the day.
Top 10 Sliver Companies To Watch For 2015: Fidia SpA (FDA)
Fidia SpA is an Italy-based company primarily engaged in the production of numerical controls and machine tools. The Company�� activities are divided into three main business lines. In the High-speed Milling Systems, it is involved in the production and sale of milling heads kits and cutting-edge equipment. Through the Numerical Controls, Dives and Software sector, it is active in the manufacture of numerical controls for milling systems, as well as in the development and distribution of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer-aided manufacturing (CAM) software. The After-sales Service sector includes the provision of technical services, sale of spare parts and scheduled maintenance contracts. The Company operates in Germany, France, Brazil, China, Poland and India, among others.
Advisors' Opinion: - [By Steven Silver]
Its Apremilast is currently under Food and Drug Administration (FDA) review for the anti-inflammatory condition, psoriatic arthritis, and has also shown promise in such indications as psoriasis and ankylosing spondylitis.
- [By Patricio Kehoe]
Despite recent anti-tobacco laws passed by the European Union and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the U.S, the company�� pricing power has helped maintain its margins. In 2012, for example, Phillip Morris hiked prices on its products in Russia, Germany, Belgium, Canada, France, Greece and Spain, among others. Although the necessary measure caused substantial volume declines in these countries, consumers rapidly became accustomed to the increased prices, and returned to their habitual product consumption. Given the success of this strategy, the firm is likely to rely on it in Japan for 2014, where taxes are expected to increase yet again by 8%, after the 40% spike in October 2010.
Patrick T. Fallon/Bloomberg via Getty Images Toll Brothers' quarterly profit more than doubled as a recovering housing market allowed the largest U.S. luxury homebuilder to sell more homes at higher prices, sending its shares up 4 percent. The company, which sells homes that can cost more than $2 million, has been able to perform better during the past few quarters than most large U.S. homebuilders as its buyers were less affected by a recent rise in mortgage rates. Toll's average selling price rose about 22 percent to $706,000 in the second quarter ended April 30 -- a period well into the spring selling season, which is to homebuilders what the holiday shopping season is to retailers. Toll (TOL), which mainly builds single-family houses, handed over 1,218 homes in the quarter, up 36 percent from a year earlier. While the company's sales remain strong, it decided last year to build and rent apartments to cater to the demand for rentals as higher interest rates and slow income growth pushes home ownership out of reach for many Americans. Permits to build multifamily housing such as apartment blocks rose 19.5 percent in the United States last month, compared with a 0.3 percent rise in permits for single-family homes. Toll Brothers said Wednesday it had about 1,500 rental units under construction and that it controlled sites for another 3,800. Lennar (LEN), the second-largest U.S. homebuilder, is the only other builder that is offering apartment rental units. 'Impressive Results' Toll's net income soared to $65.2 million, or 35 cents a share, in the second quarter from $24.7 million, or 14 cents a share, a year earlier. Revenue jumped 67 percent to $860.4 million. Orders stayed almost flat at 1,749 homes, compared with a 6 percent fall in the first quarter. "We are in a leveling period in the early stages of the housing recovery with significant pent-up demand building," Chief Executive Officer Douglas Yearley said in a statement. UBS analyst David Goldberg called the results impressive but said they were already reflected in the company's valuation. Toll trades at 17.7 times 12-months forward earnings, and is expensive compared to an average of 14 times for top five U.S. builders D.R. Horton (DHI), Lennar, PulteGroup (PHM), NVR (NVR) and KB Home (KBH), according to Thomson Reuters StarMine. Toll's shares were up 3.7 percent at $36.95 in early trading. Shares of D.R. Horton, Lennar, PulteGroup and KB Home also rose. -.
) announced on Friday morning that it will be selling its Red Lobster brand of restaurants and other assets to Golden Gate Capital in a $2.1 billion cash deal.
