When President Obama's budget proposal came out earlier this week, it included provisions to replace existing cost-of-living adjustments for Social Security with an alternative method using what's called the chained consumer price index. Immediately, politicians came out with wildly disparate characterizations of what impact switching to a chained CPI would have, most of which happened to coincide with their particular political views.
But rather than relying on biased opinions, you owe it to yourself to learn the facts. With that goal, here's a brief explanation of what chained CPI is and why it has led to such strong debate in Washington and across the nation.
The basics of chained CPI
To understand the chained CPI, you have to go to the group that calculates it: the Bureau of Labor Statistics. More than a decade ago, the BLS started calculating what it called the C-CPI-U, or Chained Consumer Price Index for All Urban Consumers. In 2003, a paper from three BLS economists�(link opens PDF file) explained the new inflation benchmark in great detail.
Best High Tech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Waste Management Inc.(WM)
Waste Management, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides waste management services to residential, commercial, industrial, and municipal customers in North America. It offers collection, transfer, recycling, and disposal services. The company also owns, develops, and operates waste-to-energy and landfill gas-to-energy facilities in the United States. Its collection services involves in picking up and transporting waste and recyclable materials from where it was generated to a transfer station, material recovery facility, or disposal site; and recycling operations include collection and materials processing, plastics materials recycling, and commodities recycling. In addition, it provides recycling brokerage, which includes managing the marketing of recyclable materials for third parties; and electronic recycling services, such as collection, sorting, and disassembling of discarded computers, communications equipment, and other electronic equipment. Further, the company e ngages in renting and servicing portable restroom facilities to municipalities and commercial customers under the Port-o-Let name; and involves in landfill gas-to-energy operations comprising recovering and processing the methane gas produced naturally by landfills into a renewable energy source, as well as provides street and parking lot sweeping services. Additionally, it offers portable self-storage, fluorescent lamp recycling, and medical waste services for healthcare facilities, pharmacies, and individuals, as well as provides services on behalf of third parties to construct waste facilities. The company was formerly known as USA Waste Services, Inc. and changed its name to Waste Management, Inc. in 1998. Waste Management, Inc. was incorporated in 1987 and is based in Houston, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Maxx Chatsko]
Consider that municipalities and industrial giants such as�Waste Management� (NYSE: WM ) �are converting their fleets -- in this case garbage trucks -- to�run on natural gas fuels�(link opens a video). It's a little easier for Waste Management, since it uses biogas generated from its managed landfills to fuel its own vehicles. Clean Energy Fuels also sources biomethane from one of its landfills in Dallas. In fact, the facility can produce up to 36,000 gasoline-equivalent gallons�each day. It's like the old saying goes: One man's trash is another man's fuel.��
- [By Daniel Sparks]
The payout ratio is an excellent tool for dividend investors. Without it, it's tough to judge how sustainable a company's dividend is. Though a lower payout ratio is always better than a high payout ratio, some companies can easily cope with higher ratios than others. In the video below, Fool contributor Daniel Sparks looks at�Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL ) , Microsoft (NASDAQ: MSFT ) , and Waste Management (NYSE: WM ) , illustrating how the ratio deserves careful attention during analysis.
- [By Helix Investment Research]
We note that Keating Capital's co-investors in many of its portfolio companies are not simply other venture capital or existing investors, but strategic investors as well. Examples include Agilyx, where Waste Management (WM) is a co-investor, BrightSource, where Chevron (CVX) and BP (BP) are co-investors, Kabam, where Google (GOOG) and Intel (INTC) are co-investors, or Tremor Video (TRMR), where Time Warner (TWX) is a co-investor. As of the end of Q2 2013, 9 (excluding Jumptap) of Keating Capital's portfolio companies had unrealized gains, with an average gain of 25.6% (again excluding Jumptap, which had unrealized gains of 8% as of the end of Q2 2013). The remaining 6 companies had an average loss of 44.46%. However, on an overall basis, Keating Capital's portfolio currently has an average unrealized gain of 2.15%. While this is not a large gain, we note that the bulk of Keating Capital's profits are realized upon exiting an investment in conjunction with the portfolio company's IPO or sale. Furthermore, portions of Keating Capital's portfolio are defended by structurally protected appreciation clauses that the company has struck with its portfolio companies, clauses that are not reflected on its balance sheet. These clauses, which are negotiated between Keating Capital and its portfolio companies, allow the company to receive shares in the portfolio company's IPO at a discount, or grant it warrants to purchase additional shares in an IPO for a nominal price. Since inception, Keating Capital has negotiated structurally protected appreciation clauses in 11 of the 20 companies it has invested in. As of the end of Q2 2013, 6 of Keating Capital's 15 portfolio companies were protected by structurally protected appreciation clauses, representing $22 million in total capital (almost 43% of the company's invested capital), thereby entitling Keating Capital to a weighted-average aggregate value of 1.9x its investment at the time of an IPO.
Best High Tech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: CRH PLC(CRH)
CRH public limited company, through its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and distribution of a range of building materials in the Republic of Ireland, Benelux counties, and the Americas. It offers a range of materials, including cement, aggregates, ready mixed concrete, asphalt/bitumen, and agricultural and/or chemical lime products. The company also involves in the production and sale of architectural and structural concrete products, clay products, fabricated and tempered glass products, and construction accessories, as well as the provision of inter-related products and services to the construction sector. In addition, it engages in the merchanting activities; and operation of Do-It-Yourself stores engaged in the marketing and sale of supplies to the construction sector and to the general public. Further, the company manufactures and installs pre-stressed concrete flooring planks, modular precast structures, and other products used in structures, such as hotels, apartments, dormitories, and prisons. Additionally, it offers concrete pipes used for storm and sanitary sewer applications. The company operates approximately 501 Builders Merchants stores in Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Netherlands, and Switzerland; and 243 Do-It-Yourself stores in Benelux, Germany, Portugal, and Spain. CRH public limited company was founded in 1949 and is headquartered in Dublin, Ireland.
5 Best Warren Buffett Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Qiagen N.V.(QGEN)
QIAGEN N.V., through its subsidiaries, provides sample and assay technologies worldwide. It offers approximately 500 core consumable products, such as sample and assay kits, and automated instrumentation systems that empower customers to transform raw biological samples into molecular information. The company?s consumable products are used for plasmid deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) purification, and ribonucleic acid purification and stabilization; genomic and viral nucleic acid purification; nucleic acid transfection; polymerase chain reaction (PCR) amplification; reverse transcription; DNA cleanup after PCR and sequencing; and DNA cloning and protein purification. The company sells the digene HC2 HPV Test, a signal-amplified test for high-risk strains of the human papillomavirus. It also offers co-development services for companion diagnostics, technology licensing and patent sales services, and custom services, including whole genome amplification, DNA sequencing, and non- cGMP DNA production on a contract basis. The company?s instrumentation systems automate the use of sample and assay technologies into solutions for a range of laboratory needs enabling customers to perform nucleic acid sample preparation, assay setup, target detection, and other laboratory tasks. Its automated systems include QIAsymphony, a modular system; Rotor-Gene Q, a rotary real-time PCR cycler system; PyroMark, a high-resolution detection platform based upon the Pyrosequencing technology; QIAcube, a sample processing instrument; QIAxcel for nucleic acid separation in low- to high-throughput laboratories; and ESE-Quant Tube Scanners, an optical measurement device. The company serves customer classes, including molecular diagnostics laboratories; applied testing customers in fields, such as forensics, veterinary diagnostics, and food safety; pharmaceutical research and development groups, and academic researchers. QIAGEN N.V. was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in Venlo, the Netherlands.
Best High Tech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Antofagasta Hdg Ord(ANTO.L)
Antofagasta plc, through its subsidiaries, engages in the exploration, development, and mining of copper; transportation of freight by rail and road; and distribution of water. Its Mining division owns and operates copper mines, including Los Pelambres, El Tesoro, Michilla, and Esperanza projects in the Sierra Gorda District, Chile. This division produces copper concentrates, molybdenum concentrates, and copper cathodes. The company?s Transport division engages in the transportation of copper cathodes from and sulphuric acid to mines in the Antofagasta region; and quicklime from cement plants to various mines. This division operates a rail network of approximately 900 kilometers and has in service approximately 60 diesel-electric locomotives and 1500 freight wagons, as well as specialized cathode and tank cars; and a fleet of approximately 110 trucks and trailers. Its Water division operates a concession for the distribution of water in the Antofagasta region; and provide s sewage and treatment services. This division supplies water to approximately 144,000 domestic customers, as well as serves mines and other industrial users. The company was incorporated in 1888 and is based in London, the United Kingdom. Antofagasta plc is a subsidiary of Metalinvest Establishment.
Best High Tech Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Dollar Financial Corp.(DLLR)
DFC Global Corp. provides retail financial services to unbanked and under-banked consumers, and small businesses. Its primary products and services include short-term consumer loans, single-payment consumer loans, check cashing services, secured pawn loans, and gold buying services. The company also provides other retail services and products comprising money order and money transfer products, foreign currency exchange, VISA and MasterCard branded reloadable debit cards, electronic tax filing, bill payment, and prepaid local and long-distance phone services. In addition, it offers military installment loan and education services, such as fee based services to enlisted military personnel applying for loans to purchase new and used vehicles. The company provides its products and services through storefront locations, as well as via the Internet. As of August 25, 2011, it operated through a network of approximately 1,300 retail storefront locations. It operates its locations principally under the Money Mart, The Money Shop, mce, Insta-Cheques, Suttons and Robertson, The Check Cashing Store, Sefina, Helsingin Panttism, Optima, and Money Now in Canada, the United Kingdom, the United States, Poland, the Republic of Ireland, Sweden, and Finland. The company was formerly known as Dollar Financial Corp. and changed its name to DFC Global Corp. in August 2011. DFC Global Corp. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in Berwyn, Pennsylvania.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Despite�a slow global economy and continued high unemployment in many countries, small cap payday or pawn stocks Cash Store Financial Services Inc (NYSE: CSFS), DFC Global Corp (NASDAQ: DLLR) and Cash America International, Inc (NYSE: CSH) have not exactly been performing well since the start of the year. In fact, these three stocks are the worst performers in the payday or pawn loan sector, down 38.5%, down 14.4% and up 4.6%, respectively, since the start of the year.
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