Hot Sliver Companies To Watch In Right Now

Financial advisers who cannot conduct virtual client meetings may be hurting their own competitiveness.

"Every year, more and more clients are adopting the idea that we don't need to meet face to face," Alan Moore, founder of Serenity Financial Consulting LLC, said at the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors' national conference in Philadelphia last Thursday.

Conducting client meetings online, where clients can view the adviser and the adviser's computer screen, is more efficient than in-person meetings, which require one or more participants to travel to the meeting spot, Mr. Moore said.

Top Consumer Companies To Invest In Right Now: Perceptron Inc.(PRCP)

Perceptron, Inc. develops, produces, and sells non-contact measurement and inspection solutions in the Americas, Europe, and Asia. It offers AutoGauge systems that are used in the assembly and fabrication plants of automotive manufacturers; AutoGauge Plus, which offers freeform surface scanning and discrete feature measurement in one solution; AutoFit systems that are used in automotive manufacturing plants to contain, correct, and control the fit of exterior body panels; AutoScan systems, which provide a non-contact method of gathering data for the analysis of the surface contour of a part or product; and AutoGuide systems to calculate the difference between theoretical and actual relationships of a robot and the part being assembled, and send compensation data in six degrees of freedom to the robot. The company also offers ScanWorks, a hardware/software component set that allows customers to add digitizing capabilities to their machines or systems; ScanWorks xyz, a 3D sc anning solution designed for retrofitting 3-axis machines; ToolKit, a software solution for CMM manufacturers, system integrators, and application software developers; WheelWorks software and sensors that offer a non-contact method of measuring wheel position for use in automated or manual wheel alignment machines in automotive assembly plants; and Multi-line Sensors for use in automotive assembly plant wheel alignment systems. In addition, it manufactures visual inspection devices and accessories for the mechanical market; plumbing diagnostic equipment, meter imager systems, line detector accessories, and handheld inspection devices for the plumbing market; optical inspection devices for the construction and DIY market; and imaging solutions for the electrical market, as well as offers value-added services, including training, field services, launch support, consulting, maintenance agreements, repairs, and software tools. The company was founded in 1981 and is headquartered in Plymouth, Michigan.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Garrett Cook]

  In trading on Tuesday, industrials shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 0.26 percent. Top gainers in the sector included Perceptron (NASDAQ: PRCP), up 10.9 percent, China Ming Yang Wind Power Group (NYSE: MY), up 4.8 percent.

Hot Sliver Companies To Watch In Right Now: Old Republic International Corporation(ORI)

Old Republic International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, provides various insurance and mortgage guaranty products in North America. The company operates in three segments: General Insurance, Mortgage Guaranty, and Title Insurance. The General Insurance segment provides liability insurance coverages to businesses, government, and other institutions in commercial construction, forest products, energy, general manufacturing, and financial services industries; and transportation, including trucking and general aviation industries. It provides various insurance products, such as automobile extended warranty, aviation, commercial automobile insurance, general liability, home warranty, inland marine, travel accident, and workers? compensation, as well as liability coverage for claims arising from the acts of owners or employees, and protection for the physical assets of businesses. This segment also offers financial indemnity products, such as consumer credit indemnity , errors and omissions/directors and officers, guaranteed asset protection, and surety, as well as bonds that cover the exposures for losses of monies, or debt and equity securities due to acts of employee dishonesty. The Mortgage Guaranty segment insures first mortgage loans, primarily on residential properties incorporating one-to-four family dwelling units to mortgage bankers, brokers, commercial banks, and savings institutions. The Title Insurance segment provides lenders' and owners' title insurance policies to real estate purchasers and investors based upon searches of the public records. It also provides escrow closing and construction disbursement services; and real estate information products, national default management services, and services related to real estate transfers and loan transactions. Old Republic International Corporation markets its products directly, as well as through insurance agents and brokers. The company was founded in 1887 and is based in Chi cago, Illinois.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Its big day has also boosted other insurers. Radian Group (RDN) has risen 7.2% to $14.39, while Old Republic International (ORI) has advanced 2.1% to $15.24, Genworth Financial (GNW) is up 3.6% at $13.41 and MBIA Inc. (MBI) has jumped 4.3% to $10.76.

• [By Fredrik Arnold]

  Ten Champion dogs that promised the biggest dividend yields into July included firms representing five of nine market sectors. The top stocks were three of five from the financial sector: Universal Health Realty Trust (UHT); Mercury General Corp. (MCY); Old Republic Int'l (ORI). The other two financial firms, HCP Inc., and United Bankshares Inc. (UBSI), placed sixth and eighth.

Hot Sliver Companies To Watch In Right Now: Raptor Pharmaceutical Corp.(RPTP)

Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. operates as a biotechnology company in the United States. The company is dedicated to speeding the delivery of new treatment options to patients by working to improve existing therapeutics through the application of highly specialized drug targeting platforms and formulation expertise. Its clinical stage development products include DR Cysteamine, which is in phase IIb for the treatment of cystinosis; phase IIa for the non-alcoholic steatohepatitis; and phase II for the treatment of Huntington?s disease. Raptor?s clinical-stage products also include Convivia that is in Phase IIa stage for the potential management of acetaldehyde toxicity due to alcohol consumption; and Tezampanel and NGX 426, which completed phase I stage for the treatment of migraine and pain. Its preclinical product candidates comprise HepTide for the treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Hepatitis; WntTide for the treatment of breast cancer; NeuroTrans for the treatmen t of neurodegenerative diseases; and Tezampanel and NGX 426 for the treatment of Thrombosis and Spasticity Disorder. Raptor Pharmaceuticals Corp. is headquartered in Novato, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Sean Williams]

  Veloci-Raptor time?
  First up is Raptor Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: RPTP  ) with Procysbi (previously known as RP-103), its oral delayed and extended-release medication to treat nephropathic cystinosis. In trials, Procysbi proved to be non-inferior to the only other FDA-approved treatment for nephropathic cystinosis, known as Cystagon from Mylan (NASDAQ: MYL  ) .

Hot Sliver Companies To Watch In Right Now: Descartes Systems Group Inc (DSGX)

The Descartes Systems Group Inc. (Descartes) is a global provider of federated network and global logistics technology solutions that help its customers make and receive shipments and manage related resources. The Company�� network-based solutions, which primarily consist of services and software, connect people to their trading partners and enable business document exchange (bookings, bills of lading and status messages); regulatory compliance and customs filing; route and resource planning, execution, monitoring and reporting; inventory and asset visibility; rate and transportation management, and warehouse operations. Its pricing model provides its customers solutions either on a perpetual license, subscription or transactional basis. In December 2013, the Company acquired Compudata and Impatex Freight Software Limited.

The Company�� focus is on serving transportation providers (air, ocean and truck modes), logistics service providers (including third-party logistics providers, freight forwarders and customs brokers) and distribution-intensive companies. To help deliver the resources in motion management solutions (RiMMS) solutions to customers, Descartes developed the Logistics Technology Platform. Descartes��Logistics Technology Platform is synthesis of network, applications and community. The Logistics Technology Platform fuses Descartes��Global Logistics Network (GLN), logistics networks covering multiple transportation modes, with an array of modular, interoperable Web and wireless logistics management applications.

The applications available over the Logistics Technology Platform that work in conjunction with the GLN, help transportation companies and logistics service providers (LSPs) control their shipment management process, comply with regulatory requirements, expedite cross-border shipments and connect and communicate with their trading partners. Applications are also available on the Logistics Technology Platform to help manufacturer, retailer, distribu! tor and mobile service provider (MRDM) enterprises. Its applications are designed to support global trade and compliance systems (GT&C), which encompasses the preparation and filing of the necessary electronic documentation relating to a shipment, such as cross-border customs documentation, freight waybills or manifests; supply chain execution (SCE), which entails the processes related to managing shipments from their point of origin to their point of destination, as well as the documents related to those shipments (booking data, orders, contracts and rates, shipment status, proof of delivery, invoices and payments), and mobile resource management applications (MRM), which involves tracking, information gathering, measuring, reporting, compliance filing, delegating and optimizing the use of mobile assets and people that are involved in the movement of goods.

The Logistics Technology Platform supports a community of over 35,000 trading partners sending over one billion messages annually in over 160 countries. Designed specifically for logistics processes and their users, the Logistics Technology Platform enables organizations to centrally manage information, deliver messages and transform data.Customers use its modular, software-as-a-service solutions to route, schedule, track and measure delivery resources; plan, allocate and execute shipments; rate, audit and pay transportation invoices; file customs and security documents for imports and exports.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By CRWE]

  Descartes Systems Group (Nasdaq:DSGX), the global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, reported that Salient Management Company, a leading provider of performance management solutions, has selected Descartes’ advanced geographic information system (GIS) platform for incorporation into Salient’s performance management solution.

Hot Sliver Companies To Watch In Right Now: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG (BAMXF)

Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German holding company and automobile manufacturer that focuses on the automobile and motorcycle markets. It divides its activities into the three main segments: Automobiles, Motorcycles and Financial Services. It owns three brands: BMW, MINI and Rolls-Royce. Its BMW automobile range encompasses the 1 Series, including three-door, five-door, coupe and convertible models; the 3 Series, including sedan, touring, coupe and convertible models; the 5 Series, available in sedan and touring models; the 6 Series, available as a coupe or convertible; the 7 Series large sedan; the Z4 roadster and coupe; the sports utility vehicles, X3, X5 and X6 and M models, such as M3, M5 and M6. It also offers cars under the MINI brand and motorcycles under the BMW brand. The Rolls-Royce brand offers three luxury cars, Phantom, Coupe and Ghost. It has producing, assembly, service and sales subsidiaries throughout the world. In January 2013, it sold its Husqvarna brand. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Rosevear]

  Audi had about 29% of the Chinese luxury-car market last year. Together with German archrivals BMW (NASDAQOTH: BAMXF  ) and Mercedes-Benz (NASDAQOTH: DDAIF  ) , German brands account for about three-quarters of China's luxury-vehicle sales.

• [By John Rosevear]

  Cadillac's sales were up 39.9% in May, and are up 36.6% so far in 2013. What's driving that growth? Simple: great new product. The ATS and XTS sedans, both introduced last year, have impressed critics -- especially the ATS, a true rival to the BMW (NASDAQOTH: BAMXF  ) 3-Series that might be GM's best-ever sedan. Both have given Cadillac's overall sales numbers a big boost -- even as sales of the brand's longtime mainstay sedan, the CTS, decline in anticipation of the all-new version due this fall.

• [By John Rosevear and Rex Moore]

  BMW's� (NASDAQOTH: BAMXF  ) all-new i8 may�look like just an exotic sports car, but it's got one major distinctive feature: Instead of the snarling V8 or V12 engine that you'd expect in a car that looks like this, it has a three-cylinder turbo -- and an electric motor.

Hot Sliver Companies To Watch In Right Now: Weingarten Realty Investors(WRI)

Weingarten Realty Investors operates as a real estate investment trust (REIT). The company engages in the management, acquisition, and development of real estate. It operates in two segments, Shopping Center and Industrial. The Shopping Center segment engages in the acquisition, development, and management of real estate, primarily anchored neighborhood and community shopping centers located in Texas, California, Louisiana, Arizona, Nevada, Arkansas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Kansas, Colorado, Missouri, Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, Mississippi, Georgia, Utah, Kentucky, and Maine. Its customer base includes supermarkets, discount retailers, drugstores, and other retailers. The Industrial segment engages in the acquisition, development, and management of bulk warehouses and office/service centers. Its properties are located in Texas, Nevada, Georgia, Florida, California, and Tennessee. As of June 30, 2005, Weingarten Realty Investors owned or operated under long -term leases, directly or through its interest in joint ventures or partnerships, a total of 350 developed properties and 3 properties that are in various stages of development. Its properties include 294 shopping centers and 59 industrial properties. Weingarten Realty Investors qualifies as a REIT for federal income tax purposes. As a REIT, it would not be taxed on the portion of its income, which is distributed to shareholders, provided it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income. The company was founded in 1948 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Marc Bastow]

  Shopping center real estate investment trust (REIT) Weingarten Realty (WRI) raised its quarterly dividend 6.6% to 32.5 cents per share, payable March 14 to shareholders of record as of March 6.
  WGI Dividend Yield: 4.32%