Top Stocks To Buy 2016: March 2015

Monday, March 30, 2015

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now

Big pharma isn't the first industry many investors envision when dreaming of the big profits to be made from health care stocks. While blockbuster drugs can propel the top big pharma companies to massive profits, these broad behemoths can't match the exciting growth potential and immediate investor return of an up-and-coming biotech firm breaking out into its own.

For dividend investors, however, big pharma's unmatched in health care. Offering the stability of a wide drug portfolio and sizable revenue, top pharmaceutical firms are enticing picks for income investors. Merck (NYSE: MRK ) stock's 3.8% dividend yields stands out as one of the larger offerings in the sector, but is this the stock income investors can't afford to pass up?

Big payout, little flexibility
That 3.8% dividend with Merck stock is a big one: The yield tops many of its competitors in big pharma, but it does so at a cost. The dividend costs the firm an 87% dividend payout ratio, which is a tough pill to swallow for a company struggling with patent cliff-related revenue drops. There's little room for Merck to increase its dividend with that substantial of a payout.

Top 5 Dividend Companies To Watch For 2015: CPFL Energia S.A.(CPL)

CPFL Energia S.A., through its subsidiaries, engages in the generation, distribution, and sale of electricity in Brazil. It generates electricity through hydroelectric, thermal, biomass, and wind power plants. The company also involves in the provision of energy commercialization, consultancy, and advisory services to agents in the energy sector; manufacture, commercialization, rental, and maintenance of electromechanical equipment; and provision of administrative services, as well as telephone answering services. It has an installed generating capacity of 2,309 MW. The company was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Garrett Cook]
Toward the end of trading Friday, the Dow traded down 0.60 percent to 16,947.43 while the NASDAQ declined 0.75 percent to 4,557.59. The S&P also fell, dropping 0.83 percent to 1,980.97.
Leading and Lagging Sectors Cyclical consumer goods & services shares fell by just 0.50 percent in trading on Friday. Top gainers in the sector included ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance NASDAQ: (ULTA), up 17.5 percent, and 1-800-Flowers.com (NASDAQ: FLWS), up 4.5 percent. In trading on Friday, utilities shares were relative laggards, down on the day by about 1.89 percent. Meanwhile, top decliners in the sector included Companhia Energética de Minas Gerais - CEMIG (NYSE: CIG), down 4.7 percent, and CPFL Energia SA (NYSE: CPL), off 4.3 percent. Top Headline Darden Restaurants (NYSE: DRI) reported better-than-expected fiscal first quarter earnings. The Orlando, Florida-based company reported a quarterly loss of $19.3 million, or $0.14 per share, versus a year-ago profit of $42.2 million, or $0.32 per share. Excluding non-recurring items, the company earned $0.32 per share. Its sales surged to $1.6 billion versus $1.53 billion. However, analysts were expecting earnings of $0.30 per share on revenue of $1.6 billion. Equities Trading UP Conversant (NASDAQ: CNVR) shares shot up 30.25 percent to $34.79 after Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS) announced its plans to buy Conversant for $35 per share. Shares of ULTA Salon, Cosmetics & Fragrance (NASDAQ: ULTA) got a boost, shooting up 17.69 percent to $114.72 after the company reported upbeat second-quarter results and raised its outlook. The company also unveiled a five-year plan for impressive growth. Sportsman's Warehouse Holdings (NASDAQ: SPWH) shares were also up, gaining 15.89 percent to $7.00 after the company reported stronger-than-expected fiscal second-quarter results. Equities Trading DOWN Shares of Ruckus Wireless (NASDAQ: RKUS) were down 5.19 percent to $14.35. Buckingham
[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Utilities sector surged 0.26%, saw CPFL Energia SA (NYSE: CPL) as the top gainer. Among leading sector stocks, gains came from Consolidated Water Co (NASDAQ: CWCO), Companhia Paranaense de Energia (NYSE: ELP) and Public Service Enterprise Group (NYSE: PEG).
[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Utilities sector gained 1.12 percent, with Companhia Paranaense de Energia (NYSE: ELP) moving up 4.3 percent to gain the top spot. Among leading sector stocks, gains came from Companhia de Saneamento Basico do Estado de Sao Paulo (NYSE: SBS), CPFL Energia SA (NYSE: CPL) and Companhia Energ茅tica de Minas Gerais SA (NYSE: CIG).

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Consolidated Edison Company of New York Inc. (ED)

Consolidated Edison, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides electric, gas, and steam utility services in the United States. It provides electric service to approximately 3.3 million customers and gas service to approximately 1.1 million customers in New York City and Westchester County, as well as provides steam service to office buildings and apartment houses in parts of Manhattan. The company also provides electric service to approximately 0.3 million customers in southeastern New York and in adjacent areas of northern New Jersey, and northeastern Pennsylvania; and gas service to approximately 0.1 million customers in southeastern New York and adjacent areas of northeastern Pennsylvania. In addition, Consolidated Edison involves in the sale and related hedging of electricity to wholesale and retail customers; operation of generating plants; participation in other infrastructure projects; and provision of energy-efficiency services, including the design and installation of lighting retrofits, high-efficiency heating, ventilating and air conditioning equipment, and other energy saving technologies to government and commercial customers. It serves residential, industrial, and large commercial customers. The company was founded in 1884 and is based in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Dividends4Life]
Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Avg. High Yield Price 2. 20-Year DCF Price 3. Avg. P/E Price 4. Graham Number K is trading at a discount to only 3.) above. Since K's tangible book value is not meaningful, a Graham number can not be calculated. The stock is trading at a 130.9% premium to its calculated fair value of $28.13. K did not earn any Stars in this section.Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. Free Cash Flow Payout 2. Debt To Total Capital 3. Key Metrics 4. Dividend Growth Rate 5. Years of Div. Growth 6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15% K earned no Stars in this section. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1923 and has increased its dividend payments for 10 consecutive years.Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section, see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description: 1. NPV MMA Diff. 2. Years to > MMA The NPV MMA Diff. of the $37 is below the $2,500 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as K has. If K grows its dividend at 2.2% per year, it will take 8 years to equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.31%.Memberships and Peers: K is a member of the S&P 500. The company�� peer group includes: Campbell Soup Company (CPB) with a 2.7% yield, General Mills, Inc. (GIS) with a 3.0% yield, and The Hershey Company (HSY) with a 1.9% yield.Conclusion: K did not earn any Stars in the Fair Value section, did not earn any Stars in the Divi

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings(LH)

Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings operates as an independent clinical laboratory company in the United States. The company offers a range of testing services used by the medical profession in routine testing, patient diagnosis, and in the monitoring and treatment of disease, as well as specialty testing services. Its routine tests include blood chemistry analyses, urinalyses, blood cell counts, thyroid tests, Pap tests, HIV tests, microbiology cultures and procedures, and alcohol and other substance-abuse tests. The company?s specialty tests and related services comprise viral load measurements, genotyping and phenotyping, and host genetic factors for managing and treating HIV infections; cytogenetic, molecular cytogenetic, biochemical, and molecular genetic tests for diagnostic genetics; oncology tests for diagnosing and monitoring certain cancers and treatments; clinical trials testing for pharmaceutical companies, which conducts clinical research trials on diag nostic assays; forensic identity testing used in criminal proceedings and parentage evaluation services, as well as testing services in reconstruction cases; allergy testing; and occupational testing for the detection of drug and alcohol abuse. Its customers include independent physicians and physician groups, hospitals, managed care organizations, governmental agencies, employers, pharmaceutical companies, and other independent clinical laboratories. The company operates a network of 51 primary laboratories and approximately 1,700 patient service centers. In addition, it delivers a co-branded electronic health records Lite solution for physician practices. The company works with university, hospital, and academic institutions, such as Duke University, The Johns Hopkins University, the University of Minnesota, and Yale University to license and commercialize new diagnostic tests. Laboratory Corporation of America Holdings was founded in 1971 and is headquartered in Burlingto n, North Carolina.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Seth Jayson]
Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings (NYSE: LH ) reported earnings on July 19. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Laboratory Corp. of America Holdings met expectations on revenues and met expectations on earnings per share.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)

Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. The company?s Pharmaceutical segment provides human health pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders in the areas of bone, respiratory, immunology, dermatology, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, neurosciences and ophthalmology, oncology, vaccines, and women's health and endocrine. This segment also offers human health vaccines, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Its Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets animal health products. This segment offers antibiotics, anti-inflammatory products, vaccines, products for the treatment of fertility disorders, and parasiticides for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, dogs, cats, salmons, and fish. The Consumer Care segment develops, manufac tures, and markets over-the-counter, foot care, and sun care products. Its over-the-counter product line includes non-drowsy antihistamines; treatment for occasional constipation; decongestant-free cold/flu medicine for people with high blood pressure; nasal decongestant spray; and treatment for frequent heartburn. This segment?s foot care products comprise topical antifungal, and foot and sneaker odor/wetness products; and sun care products include sun care lotions, sprays and dry oils; and sunburn relief products. The company serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies, physicians, physician distributors, veterinarians, animal producers, and managed health care providers, as well as food chain and mass merchandiser outlets in the United States and Canada. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Pharma Reports]
Back in June, we published an article titled "Bristol-Myers Squibb: The Untold Story Of Led Zeppelin" where we detailed Bristol-Myers' product portfolio, highlighted potential risks due to loss of patent exclusivity and benchmarked its valuation ratios to a couple of its peers. We opined that Bristol-Myers might be richly valued. Share price trended slightly lower, hovered around $42 for a while and, since last week, started rising back again.
CompanyP/EP/SYieldCap.Bristol-Myers & PeersBristol-Myers53.14.13.2$72BEli Lilly - (LLY)11.92.73.7$60BMerck - (MRK)28.533.6$140BPfizer - (PFE)19.33.23.4$189B
When revisiting the benchmarks, three month on, Bristol-Myers still does not fare well in terms of price-to-earnings and price-to-sales ratios. Although it is the lowest in the group in terms of current dividend yield, 3.2 yield is still respectable. The question is whether the company will be able to maintain it going forward.
[By Matt Thalman]
Shares of Merck (NYSE: MRK ) are down 2.6% after the company announced earnings that beat expectations on earnings but missed on revenue. Additionally, investors didn't like that the company reduced its full-year 2013 guidance by $0.15 per share. Merck is facing tough competition from generic-drug makers, and whether or not the company can overcome the patent cliff remains to be seen.
[By Value Line]
The biggest contributors for the year so far were the aforementioned Intel (up 34.1%) and Microsoft (up 23.9%). The Dogs are also contending for a Canine Trifecta, of sorts, counting the three highest performing Industrials amongst their pack; the third being Merck & Co. (MRK), up 18.4%. The drugmaker�� top line has been in decline for three years now, due to patent losses. However, the company has been able to stem the profit erosion through growth in its core franchises.
[By Max Macaluso, Ph.D.]
Shares of health-care giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ ) have climbed more than 22% since the start of 2013. Part of this Dow component's success has been its growing pharmaceutical portfolio, which includes the recently approved type 2 diabetes drug Invokana. Shares of Merck (NYSE: MRK ) have also jumped around 15% year to date, but the company hasn't had a drug with blockbuster potential approved by the FDA so far this year. There is a great deal of optimism, however, surrounding Merck's PD-1 drug for the treatment of melanoma. In the following video, health-care analyst Max Macaluso discusses this experimental drug and another PD-1 drug in development at Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY ) .

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Snap-On Incorporated(SNA)

Snap-on Incorporated provides tools, equipment, diagnostics, repair information, and systems solutions for professional users. Its products include hand tools, such as wrenches, screwdrivers, sockets, pliers, ratchets, saws and cutting tools, pruning tools, and torque measuring instruments; power tools, including pneumatic, hydraulic, cordless, and corded tools; and tool storage products comprising tool chests, roll cabinets, and tool control systems. The company?s diagnostics and repair information products include handheld and PC-based diagnostics products, service and repair information products, diagnostic software solutions, electronic parts catalogs, business management systems, business services, point-of-sale systems, integrated systems for vehicle service shops, original equipment manufacturer purchasing facilitation services, and warranty management systems and analytics to manage and track performance. Snap-on Incorporated?s equipment products comprise solutions for the diagnosis and service of automotive and industrial equipment, such as wheel alignment, collision repair, air conditioning service, brake service, fluid exchange, transmission troubleshooting, and safety testing equipment, as well as wheel balancers, tire changers, vehicle lifts, test lane systems, battery chargers, and hoists. The company also provides financial services, including business loans and vehicle leases to franchisees; loans to the franchisees? customers; and loans to its industrial and other customers for the purchase of tools, equipment, and diagnostics products. Snap-on Incorporated sells its products and services through mobile vans, franchisees, company-direct sales, distributors, and the Internet in approximately 130 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Australia, France, Japan, Spain, Italy, Sweden, the Netherlands, Argentina, China, and Brazil. Snap-on Incorporated was founded in 1920 and is based in Kenosh a, Wisconsin.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Seth Jayson]
Snap-on (NYSE: SNA ) reported earnings on April 18. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 30 (Q1), Snap-on met expectations on revenues and beat expectations on earnings per share.
[By Matt Thalman]
Another player that operates heavily within this industry, but in a slightly different fashion, announced earnings today. Shares of tool company�Snap-On (NYSE: SNA ) �rose 7.76% today after beating estimates on both the top and bottom lines. Revenue came in at $797.5 million for the quarter, a 5.9% increase from last year and higher than the $779.5 million analysts were looking for. Earnings per share hit $1.60, again higher than the $1.56 that was expected. One of the areas that management would like to focus on moving forward is expanding its vehicle repair garage, which again would make sense given the average age of vehicles on the road today.�
[By Lisa Levin]
Snap-on (NYSE: SNA) shares gained 0.60% to create a new 52-week high of $106.62. Snap-on's PEG ratio is 1.78.

Posted-In: 52-Week HighsNews Intraday Update Markets Movers
[By Shauna O'Brien]
Snap-on Incorporated (SNA) announced on Friday that it has agreed to acquire all of the assets of Pro-Cut International for $45 million.

Snap-on will acquire Pro-Cut for $45 million in cash. Pro-Cut is a manufacturer and designed of on-car brake equipment. The company’s sales were approximately $25 million in 2013.

Snap-On’s CEO and Chairman Nick Pinchuk commented: “Pro-Cut’s advanced brake servicing product line enhances and increases Snap-on’s offering of productivity solutions for vehicle repair facilities, including independent shops, national service chains and OEM dealerships.”

“We believe Pro-Cut will be an important addition to our Repair Systems & Information Group and will help us move further along our coherent growth runway of expanding with repair shop owners and managers. We look forward to welcoming Pro-Cut associates to the Snap-on family,” Pinchuk added.
SNA Dividend Snapshot
As of Market Close on May 29, 2014

Click here to see the complete history of SNA dividends.

Snap-on shares were mostly flat during pre-market trading Friday. The stock is up 6.83% YTD.

Top Dividend Companies To Buy Right Now: Illinois Tool Works Inc.(ITW)

Illinois Tool Works Inc. manufactures a range of industrial products and equipment worldwide. The company?s Transportation segment offers metal and plastic components, fasteners, and assemblies; fluids and polymers; fillers and putties; polyester coatings, and patch and repair products; and truck remanufacturing and related parts and service. Its Industrial Packaging segment offers steel and plastic strapping and related tools and equipment; plastic stretch film and related equipment; paper and plastic products that protect goods in transit; and metal jacketing products. The company?s Food Equipment segment provides warewashing, cooking, refrigeration, and food processing equipment; and kitchen exhaust, ventilation, and pollution control systems. Its Power Systems & Electronics segment provides arc welding equipment; metal arc welding consumables; metal solder materials for PC board fabrication; equipment and services for microelectronics assembly; electronic components an d component packaging; and airport ground support equipment. The company?s Construction Products segment offers anchors, fasteners, and related fastening tools for wood, metal, and concrete applications; metal plate truss components, and related equipment and software; and packaged hardware and other products for retail. Its Polymers & Fluids segment provides adhesives, chemical fluids, epoxy and resin-based coating products, hand wipes and cleaners, and pressure-sensitive adhesives and components. The company?s Decorative Surfaces segment offers laminate for furniture, office and retail space, and countertops; and laminate flooring and worktops. In addition, the company offers plastic reclosable packages and bags, and consumables; plastic and metal fasteners, and components; foil and film products; product coding and marking, paint spray, and static and contamination control equipment; and swabs and mats. The company was founded in 1912 and is based in Glenview, Illinois. Advisors' Opinion:

[By Dividends4Life]
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[By Muhammad Bazil]
Though GE Capital has been a huge source of revenue for the parent company, its earnings aren�� always seen in the light of income from industrial activities leading to how it has been cheaply perceived among its peers. For example, among GE�� peers in the industrial sector like Honeywell International (HON), United Technologies (UTX), Illinois Tool Works (ITW) and Emerson Electric (EMR), only Illinois Tool Works is cheaper than GE, but it is miles apart in growth potential when compared with GE. So, GE stock trades at a huge discount relative to all of its industrial peers except ITW which is rather odd all because of GE Capital. Though GE Capital has been contributing about 30% of GE�� earnings and, hence, a good percentage of its earnings per share (EPS), shedding GE Capital is the only way to make the industrial segments of GE to strive for better growth in the near future to make up for the original earnings growth of GE facilitated by GE Capital.
[By Nicole Seghetti]
3. Illinois Tool Works (NYSE: ITW )
This maker of industrial products and equipment like fasteners, coatings, and plastic stretch films has increased its dividend for 49 consecutive years. Even though the stock suffered badly in 2008 when the construction and transportation industries it depends on were hit hard, Illinois Tool Works is greatly benefiting from the current economic recovery.
[By Dividend]
Illinois Tool Works (ITW) has a market capitalization of $33.02 billion. The company employs 60,000 people, generates revenue of $17.924 billion and has a net income of $2.495 billion. Illinois Tool Works�� earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization amounts to $3.462 billion. The EBITDA margin is 19.31 percent (the operating margin is 15.88 percent and the net profit margin 13.92 percent).

Sunday, March 29, 2015

Guard Your Portfolio's Gains With This Defensive Measure

In recent years, the phrase "seeking alpha" has come into vogue. This refers to the ability of a portfolio to outperform the broader market or a related set of benchmarks. Yet in light of the market's choppy start to the second quarter, it may be better to seek "beta."

What's beta? It's the measurement of how a stock tends to react to the broader market. A stock with a high beta -- say, of 2.0 -- means it will typically move up or down at twice the rate of the broader market. (You can find this figure on the StreetAuthority's Yaho o Finance page. Just enter in a stock symbol and click its "key statistics" page.)

Right now, it's time to focus on investments with low or even negative beta. That way, you'll sleep well at night -- or even profit -- if the market heads south.

Hot Life Sciences Stocks To Watch Right Now

Low Beta = Defense
Low-beta stocks are often referred to as "defensive stocks." These aren't stocks that operate in the defense industry -- they're stocks (and sectors) that tend to hold their own in any market environment.

Take electric utilities, for example. Both Consolidated Edison (NYSE: ED) and Southern Co. (NYSE: SO), which are among the largest power providers in the eastern United States, each have a beta of less than 0.25. For that matter, other utilities such as Northwest Natural Gas Co. (NYSE: NWN), PG&E (NYSE: PCG) and WGL Holdings (NYSE: WGL) have very low betas.

Of course, such a low beta means that these kinds of stocks may not move very quickly when high-growth tech stocks are zooming ahead. Instead, investors often like them for their steady and growing dividends. And with such low betas, a 20% drop in the stock market would typically entail less than a 5% drop for these stocks.

Companies in the food business are also often seen as low-beta plays. Regardless of the broader economic climate, people still need to eat. As a result, sales and profits for these companies tend to be quite stable.

General Mills (NYSE: GIS), which owns dozens of brands such as Betty Crocker, Haagen-Dazs and Yoplait, is a model of consistency. Every year, management hikes the dividend (at a 10% annual pace over the past five years), and the company's base of investors tends to simply buy and hold this stock. As a result, its beta is quite low. Yet even a seemingly defensive stock is capable of solid share price appreciation.

If you are looking for fresh stocks in this extended bull market but are leery of getting in as the party is ending, then be sure to check out the beta. It's a good practice to know the beta of all of your portfolio holdings, as the highest-beta stocks may make the best sell candidates when it comes time to raise cash.

Going Negative
For some investors, it's crucial to hedge against a falling market by owning stocks or funds that tend to move in the opposite direction of the stock market. These are known as "negative beta" investments. You won't find any stocks that have a negative beta, as they would eventually fall to zero as the stock market tends to rise over the course of many years.But there are a number of exchange-traded funds (ETFs) that do the job. These are known as inverse funds, as they move in the opposite direction of the market. The most popular negative-beta inverse funds include:

ProShares UltraShort S&P500 ETF (NYSE: SDS): This ETF moves at twice the rate of the S&P 500 in the opposite direction. Direxion Daily Small Cap Bear 3X Shares (NYSE: TZA): This ETF moves at three times the rate of the small-cap focused Russell 2000 in the opposite direction. ProShares Short QQQ (NYSE: PSQ): This fund moves in the opposite direction -- on a 1-to-1 basis -- as the Nasdaq 100.

Risks To Consider: A focus on low-beta stocks could lead to an underperforming portfolio if the market moves yet higher. A focus on negative-beta investments could cause you to lose money when the markets rise.

Action To Take --> The S&P 500 has already managed to fall more than 1% on two separate occasions since the beginning of April. Those drops may be a sign that the long-standing bull market is getting tired. A sideways market is often a harbinger of an eventual shift in market direction, which is why it's important to take a defensive posture when you're aiming for further upside. As this chart shows, the S&P 500 is just above its 50-day moving average, and any move below 1,540 may signal trouble ahead.

P.S. -- StreetAuthority's Amy Calistri has one objective for readers of Stock of the Month: to provide one quality stock pick each month, with in-depth analysis in plain English that investors can understand. In fact, she just released a special presentation, "How to Beat the Stock Market... In Just 12 Minutes per Month," that tells you more about her strategy. Click here to learn more.

Saturday, March 28, 2015

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Own For 2014

It turns out that Taseko Mines' loss is silver-and-gold miner Coeur d' Alene Mines' (NYSE: CDE ) gain, in terms of a CFO.

Earlier this week, Taseko announced that its chief financial officer, Peter C. Mitchell, was leaving for a company it did not identify. On Wednesday, we learned the identity of the company when Coeur d' Alene announced Mitchell will become its own new CFO. Coeur had been without a CFO since Frank Hanagarne was promoted out of the office back in February to take over as the company's chief operating officer.

In a filing with the SEC, Coeur said Mitchell will be paid a base salary of $400,000 with an annual bonus targeting 75% of salary. He will also receive an initial grant of $200,000 worth of restricted stock units, and a targeted long-term equity incentive award of 225% of base salary.

Those dollar amounts might buy more shares of Coeur stock than usual. The company announced disappointing earnings this morning, with the result that its stock price had gotten 5% cheaper, trading as of this writing around $14.43.

Top 5 Information Technology Stocks To Buy For 2015: Lattice Semiconductor Corporation(LSCC)

Lattice Semiconductor Corporation designs, develops, manufactures, and markets programmable logic products and related software. The company offers field programmable gate array (FPGA) products, including LatticeECP family for deployment in wireless infrastructure and wireline access equipment, as well as in video and imaging applications; and LatticeXP for the security, surveillance, and display markets. It also provides programmable logic device (PLD) products comprising various versions of ispMACH4000 in-system programmable complex programmable logic device family; MachXO family that is designed for a range of low density applications; platform manager, power manager, and ispClock programmable mixed signal devices; and software development tools and intellectual property cores. The company sells its products directly to end customers through a network of independent manufacturers? representatives and indirectly through a network of independent sell-in and sell-through distributors. It primarily serves original equipment manufacturers in the communications, computing, consumer, industrial, military, automotive, and medical end markets. The company was founded in 1983 and is headquartered in Hillsboro, Oregon.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By kcpl]
Lattice Semiconductor (LSCC) is doing well. It has seen improvements in its operations. The company excels in the manufacture of programmable chips which are sold in various segments such as mobile, communications, automotives, industrial etc. The reason for the company�� strong performance has been its key customers such as China Mobile and Cisco. On the back of a strong client base, Lattice has seen a good 40% growth in its stock price. Let us take a look at its business.
[By Lee Jackson]
Lattice Semiconductor Corp. (NASDAQ: LSCC) is a top chip stock to buy at Jefferies. The company announced last month three new complete reference designs that will make it easier for electronic OEMs to deliver media-rich experiences to their end users by taking advantage of low-cost, industry-standard MIPI (Mobile Industry Processor Interface) camera, application processor and display technologies. The Jefferies price objective for the stock is $6.50, and the consensus is also at $6.50. Lattice closed yesterday at $4.63.

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: Compass Minerals Intl Inc(CMP)

Compass Minerals International, Inc., through its subsidiaries, produces and markets inorganic mineral products primarily in North America and the United Kingdom. The company operates in two segments, Salt and Specialty Fertilizer. The Salt segment produces salt and magnesium chloride for use in road deicing and dust control, food processing, water softeners, pool salt, and agricultural and industrial applications. This segment also purchases potassium chloride and sells as a finished product. The Specialty Fertilizer segment produces and markets sulphate of potash crop nutrients and industrial grade sulfate of potash for use in the production of specialty fertilizers for vegetables, fruits, potatoes, nuts, tobacco, and turf grass. The company also produces and markets consumer deicing and water conditioning products, ingredients used in consumer and commercial food preparation, and other mineral-based products for consumer, agricultural, and industrial applications. In ad dition, Compass Minerals provides records management services to businesses located in the U.K. The company operates rock salt mines in Goderich, Ontario, Canada; and Winsford, Chesire, the United Kingdom. It primarily serves producers of intermediate chemical products used in the production of vinyls and other chemicals, and pulp and paper, as well as water treatment and other industrial uses. The company markets its products through direct sales personnel, contract personnel, and a network of brokers or manufacturers? representatives. Compass Minerals International, Inc., formerly known as Salt Holdings Corporation, was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Overland Park, Kansas.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By cody56]
Meridian Growth Fund performance
Compass Minerals�(CMP) is a leading producer of rock salt and specialty potash fertilizer. Its unique collection of resource assets has helped the company generate historically high returns on capital. We invested in Compass as we believed that earnings were due to turn after four years of weak road salt demand driven by mild Northeast winters and production problems at its potash mines. During 2013 the potash industry was rocked by the potential collapse of a European cartel, which led to falling potash prices. Facing significant uncertainty for the future of the potash market, we sold the stock.
We continue to remain focused on individual stock selection and portfolio construction that identifies quality companies that we believe are experiencing temporary disruptions to their businesses. These disruptions enable us to buy the businesses at attractive prices and provide the portfolio with what we believe is an attractive risk-reward profile for our shareholders.
[By Roberto Pedone]
Compass Minerals (CMP) is a producer of minerals, including salt, sulfate of potash specialty fertilizer and magnesium chloride. This stock closed up 3.4% at $75.60 in Wednesday's trading session.

Wednesday's Volume: 913,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 212,481

Volume % Change: 315%

From a technical perspective, CMP gapped higher here off its recent low of $64.24 with heavy upside volume. This stock recently gapped down sharply from around $90 to $64.24 with heavy downside volume. That move pushed shares of CMP into extremely oversold territory, since the stock's current relative strength index reading is 25.78. Oversold can always get more oversold, but it's also an area where a stock can experience a powerful bounce higher from. Shares of CMP are now starting to move within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if CMP manages to take out its gap down day high of $78.20 and then once it clears its 200-day moving average at $79.14 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in CMP as long as it's trending above Wednesday's low of $73.07 or $72.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that's near or above 212,481 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then CMP will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone that started near $90.
[By Brendan Mathews]
Compass Minerals (NYSE: CMP ) is a sleepy producer of a boring product: rock salt. But it has a strong competitive advantage. It owns the world's largest rock salt mine, which luckily is conveniently located near the major deicing markets of the Great Lakes region. This combination of a great mining resource and ideal location provide the company with a wide, crocodile-filled competitive moat.

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: International Business Machines Corporation(IBM)

International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) provides information technology (IT) products and services worldwide. Its Global Technology Services segment provides IT infrastructure and business process services, including strategic outsourcing, process, integrated technology, and maintenance services, as well as technology-based support services. The company?s Global Business Services segment offers consulting and systems integration, and application management services. Its Software segment offers middleware and operating systems software, such as WebSphere software to integrate and manage business processes; information management software for database and enterprise content management, information integration, data warehousing, business analytics and intelligence, performance management, and predictive analytics; Tivoli software for identity management, data security, storage management, and datacenter automation; Lotus software for collaboration, messaging, and so cial networking; rational software to support software development for IT and embedded systems; business intelligence software, which provides querying and forecasting tools; SPSS predictive analytics software to predict outcomes and act on that insight; and operating systems software. Its Systems and Technology segment provides computing and storage solutions, including servers, disk and tape storage systems and software, point-of-sale retail systems, and microelectronics. The company?s Global Financing segment provides lease and loan financing to end users and internal clients; commercial financing to dealers and remarketers of IT products; and remanufacturing and remarketing services. It serves financial services, public, industrial, distribution, communications, and general business sectors. The company was formerly known as Computing-Tabulating-Recording Co. and changed its name to International Business Machines Corporation in 1924. IBM was founded in 1910 and is based in Armonk, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Chris Neiger]
While consumer tech devices often focus on incremental changes -- think Apple's upcoming larger iPhone --�IBM� (NYSE: IBM ) �has been busy working on a new chip that processes information like a human brain.
[By Douglas A. McIntyre]
Big tech seems to get smaller and smaller, both in terms of sales and number of employees. International Business Machines Corp. (NYSE: IBM) said it would rebalance its workforce. Texas Instruments Inc. (NASDAQ: TXN) announced it would cut 1,100 people. These announcements come shortly after Intel Corp. (NASDAQ: INTC) said it would fire 5,000 people. While job cuts from the recession may have ended, old tech cannot afford to hold on to its workers.

Top 5 Cheap Companies To Own For 2014: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Brian Orelli]
I'm not sure Galxo could even get that many doctors to prescribe the drug. They've moved on to Merck's (NYSE: MRK ) Januvia. Sales of Januvia and combo drugs that contain it jumped from $2.4 billion in 2010, the year the restrictions started, to $5.7 billion last year.
[By Johanna Bennett]
Talk about a blast from the past. After waiting for years, U.S. drug giant Merck & Co. (MRK) set loose clinical trial results at today�� session of the American Heart Association�� annual meeting showing that the cholesterol-lowering medication Vytorin, which combines the drug Zocor and Zetia into one pill, helped prevent heart attacks, strokes and other cardiovascular events.
Bloomberg News
The study results showed a modest benefit ��a 6.4% reduction in cardiovascular events ��n high-risk patients compared to those being treated with Zocor alone. But the data is regarded as a big deal for Zetia.

Unlike Zocor, which is a member of the blockbuster statin class of cholesterol drugs, Zetia fights cholesterol by preventing its absorption from food. The data released today marks the first time a drug outside the statin family was shown to help lower the risk of serious cardiovascular problems.

Sales of Vytorin and Zetia have suffered over the year amid patent expirations and questions about whether the drugs lowered LDL without improving cardiovascular outcomes.

Share of Merck have gained rose 1% to $59.57 at 1:39 p.m.

As Mark Schoenebaum, the pharmaceutical analyst at Evercore ISI, wrote in a note out today:

The trial hit��he results today are positive for Merck’s Zetia and Vytorin but go beyond by suggesting that LDL lowering with drugs other than statins provides a cardiovascular benefit (a reaffirming of the LDL hypothesis that was beginning to be questioned) and that LDL levels should possibly be driven lower than guidelines have recommended (below 70 mg/dl).� Today’s results add the first real data point to our understanding of the relationship between LDL reduction and outcomes at very low LDL levels��/p>
Schoenebaum also writes that today�� study results bode well for other typed of cholesterol-lowering drugs now in R&D pipelines, namely the PCKSK9 inhibitors being developed b
[By anandjha89]
Large pharmaceutical companies like Pfizer (PFE) and Merck (MRK) are often celebrated for their marketing acumen. But, when compared with really successful marketing companies like the Internet giant Google (GOOG), their performance is less than stellar. True marketing leaders must innovate continuously to stay ahead of the market, by creating needs, rather than only responding to them. To them, marketing begins with choosing which products to develop and ends with the sales process. That is what Google has accomplished with Google Glass.
[By Matt Thalman]
Monday will be a busy day for earnings releases, though not from any of the Dow's components. Things will heat up for the index on Tuesday, with Pfizer (NYSE: PFE ) and Merck (NYSE: MRK ) both set to report earnings before the opening bell on Tuesday.

Thursday, March 26, 2015

Hot Energy Companies To Own In Right Now

Hot Energy Companies To Own In Right Now: Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (KRNGF)

Karoon Gas Australia Ltd (Karoon Gas) is an Australia-based exploration company. The Company is principally engaged in the hydrocarbon exploration and evaluation in Australia, Brazil and Peru. The Company operates in three segments: Australia, Brazil and Peru exploration. The Company's Australia segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in four offshore permit areas: WA-314-P, WA-315-P, WA-398-P and WA-482-P; The Company in its Brazil segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in five offshore blocks including Block S-M-1037, Block S-M-1101, Block S-M-1102, Block S-M-1165 and Block S-M-1166. The Company under its Peru exploration segment is involved in the exploration and evaluation of hydrocarbons in two blocks in Peru, including Block 144 (onshore) and Block Z-38 (offshore). Advisors' Opinion:

[By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks gave ground in early Friday trading, with banks broadly lower after overnight losses in the U.S., where investors worried that better-than-expected data would prompt the Federal Reserve to roll back stimulus soon. The S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) lost 0.4% to 5,178.30, as National Australia Bank Ltd. (AU:NAB) (NAUBF) fell 1.8%, Australia & New Zealand Banking Group (AU:ANZ) (ANEWF) lost 0.8%, and Macquarie Group Ltd. (AU:MQG) (MCQEF) retreated 1.3%. Among the resource shares, losses for gold both in New York and in early A! sian electronic trade helped send Evolution Mining Ltd. (AU:EVN) (CAHPF) down 1.9% and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. (AU:KCN) (KSKGF) off 4.5%, though Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) held the drop to 0.4%. Oil prices managed a modest gain, however, resulting in a 0.2% rise for Oil Search Ltd. (AU:OSH) (OISHF) and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. (AU:KAR) (KRNGF) , while Woodside Petroleum Ltd. (AU:WPL)
[By MARKETWATCH]
LOS ANGELES (MarketWatch) -- Australian stocks seesawed in early Monday trade, with gains for miners and energy names helping support the market, as the S&P/ASX 200 (AU:XJO) sat 0.1% higher at 5,325.90 after changing direction several times. Official Chinese data showing manufacturing holding its growth rate in October appeared to help some miners, as did gains for some commodity prices. Shares of Rio Tinto Ltd. (AU:RIO) (RIO) rose 0.5%, Fortescue Metals Group Ltd. (AU:FMG) (FSUMF) added 0.7%, Oz Minerals Ltd. (AU:OZL) (OZMLF) advanced 1%, and Whitehaven Coal Ltd. (AU:WHC) improved by ! 1.9%. Lik! ewise, an advance for gold futures sent Newcrest Mining Ltd. (AU:NCM) (NCMGF) rallying 3.4%, and Kingsgate Consolidated Ltd. (AU:KCN) (KSKGF) up 2.9%. Energy shares also traded higher, with Oil Search Ltd. (AU:OSH) (OISHF) up 1.3%, and Karoon Gas Australia Ltd. (AU:KAR) (KRNGF) adding 1.7%. On the downside, retailers were mostly lower, with David Jones Ltd. (AU:DJS) (DVDJF)

source from Top Stocks For 2015:http://www.topstocksblog.com/hot-energy-companies-to-own-in-right-now-6.html

Wednesday, March 25, 2015

How Sony and Disney Could Both Win Big With Spider-Man

Take heart, Spidey fans. Your favorite web-slinging superhero may still be in line to receive the proper big-screen treatment he deserves. In this case, that could be a huge catalyst for investors in both Sony (NYSE: SNE ) and The Walt Disney Company (NYSE: DIS ) .

Despite the fact Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment for $4 billion in 2009, Sony still holds the film rights to Spider-Man. And it's no mystery Sony Pictures has made a bundle in its attempts to capitalize on those rights, generating nearly $4 billion in gross box office receipts from five separate films featuring the character since 2002.

Sony's predicament
Unfortunately, all is not well in Sony's neck of the woods. Despite estimates pegging The Amazing Spider-Man 2's production budget at an enormous $255 million, Sony's most recent effort received not only the franchise's worst critical response with a painful 53% "Fresh" rating on Rotten Tomatoes, but also the lowest worldwide box office gross of any Spider-Man film, at $709 million.

Most notably, last year's The Amazing Spider-Man 2 failed to capture the important hearts of domestic audiences; waning stateside interest in Spidey resulted in the addition of a modest $202.9 million to that total. It's unsettling that the largest box-office market in the world couldn't seem to care less about Sony's cinematic vision of this formerly bankable character:

(Hover over chart to see exact dollar figures), Data source: Box Office Mojo.

Following Sony's widely publicized hacking debacle, The Wall Street Journal's Speakeasy blog reported on leaked emails which revealed that executives from both Sony Pictures and Disney had been communicating as late as Oct. 30, 2014, regarding a number of mutually beneficial Spider-Man crossovers.

Most notably, the WSJ noted that Disney and Marvel had wanted to include Spider-Man in 2016's Captain America: Civil War -- which makes sense considering Spider-Man plays a key role in the corresponding Civil War narrative in the comics. But those talks broke down when Sony Pictures learned such a deal would involve granting complete creative control to Marvel -- and it wanted to essentially start from scratch with its own version of the web slinger.

According to a more recent report from Latino-Review, a source said the proposed deal previously on the table was a co-production agreement under which Marvel would assume creative control, and also finance 60% of the cost of future Spider-Man films, with Sony shouldering the remaining 40%.

This isn't over yet
Everything changed following the hack. Specifically, Latino-Review says, the higher-ups at Sony Pictures parent Sony Japan not only view their subordinates' handling of Spider-Man as "disappointing," but also want Sony Pictures to return to the negotiating table with Disney regardless of whether it involves giving up creative control.

And why not? There are literally dozens of superhero movies already planned during the next several years that pull from the vast character universes controlled by both Disney's Marvel and Time Warner's DC. It's not hard, then, to envision the moviegoing public continuing to sweep Sony's less-compelling Spider-Man universe under the rug in favor of Disney's and Time Warner's more-established, more-cohesive franchises. Disney, in particular, has arguably set an impossibly high standard with regard to confluent storylines, leaving Sony in the unenviable position of trying to keep pace.

In short, if Sony can't beat Disney, why not join forces and share in its success?

It seems doubtful Sony can make such a deal happen in time to include Spider-Man in Captain America: Civil War. We already know Marvel has Black Panther effectively filling Spidey's original role in the film, which should segue nicely into Black Panther's own planned late-2017 movie.

With so many other Marvel movies already in the works, from Doctor Strange in late-2016 to Captain Marvel, Inhumans, and Avengers: Infinity War Part I in 2018, something tells me it wouldn't be too difficult for Disney to make room for a new Spider-Man somewhere in the mix. If that happens, it's hard to imagine any scenario in which it wouldn't have massive positive implications for the financial performance of whichever film Marvel chooses.

Monday, March 23, 2015

Netflix's strategy: Shows for every age

A modern version of the classic animated series "Care Bears" is the latest in a string of shows for kids commissioned by Netflix. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Just how important are children to the future of Netflix? The company famously doesn't release ratings, but it's willing to say that many of its shows for kids are TV-sized hits.

More than 70 kids shows have been streamed by some 2 million Netflix subscribers this year, according to the company's chief content officer, Ted Sarandos.

Although Sarandos won't name names, he said "more than a dozen" have been viewed by at least 5 million of Netflix's 35 million U.S. subscribers.

That underscores just how pivotal children's programming is, not just for Netflix, but for its competitors as well.

Netflix (NFLX, Tech30) carries scores of shows that have previously aired on the Disney Channel, Nickelodeon and elsewhere, giving it a foundation to gain and retain subscribers. And just like it launched adult franchises "House of Cards" and "Orange is the New Black," it is creating original franchises for children.

In an interview about his kids' programming strategy, Sarandos acknowledged that it's taking a while -- animation, in particular, has a lengthy production cycle -- but said the company is making great strides to "create new brands for our increasingly global footprint."

Netflix's first original series for children, "Turbo: FAST," premiered last year. There are more than a dozen other originals on the way in the next two years, beginning next month, with "VeggieTales In The House."

One series not previously announced by Netflix is "Care Bears and Cousins," a franchise that dates back to the 1980s. The first season is being targeted for early 2016, though a specific release date isn't scheduled yet.

"Care Bears" and forthcoming Netflix franchises like "The Magic School Bus 360" and "Popples" are part of a nostalgia trend in television.

"A lot of it is just 'trusted brand,'" Sarandos said. Translation: parents are likely to let their children watch a new version of a show that they themselves used to watch.

Many of Netflix's forthcoming children's series come from its partnership with DreamWorks for 300-plus hours of programming. Others come from production companies in other countries -- Italy in the case of "Winx Club WOW: World of Winx," Japan in the case of "Kong -- King of the Apes."

The rights to rebroadcast some of these shows after the! ir Netflix debuts will be up for sale at MIPCOM, an annual entertainment marketplace that takes place in France this week. Sarandos will be there too, for a keynote interview on Tuesday.

Vive le streaming! Netflix enters France

One of his messages: acquired shows from suppliers like Disney (DIS) remain a "very important part" of Netflix's overall programming plan, and many of those shows have millions of cumulative viewers on Netflix. (The subtext: Netflix's licensing fees help keep those shows in production.)

"At no point do I think the originals will dominate the acquisitions," he said.

But the originals will help bolster Netflix's brand -- and make up for acquired programs that the service might be lacking in the future, as Disney, Nickelodeon and other rivals direct fans of those programs to their own on-demand apps.

"I think Netflix is a channel, and it's a different kind of channel for every one of our members," Sarandos said. "To a 12-year-old boy, Netflix means something completely different than it does to a 5-year-old girl or a 40-year-old."

Best Healthcare Technology Stocks For 2015

That's what distinguishes Netflix from a traditional cable channel like the Disney Channel, which targets a specific demographic.

"When you look at almost any content channel, the audience ages out of them," Sarandos said. "I watched it happen with my own children, who started with PBS and migrated to the Disney Channel and then Nick and then back to the Disney Channel and then ABC Family and then into mainstream television."

A streaming service, on the other hand, has different "buckets of programming" for different demographics.! Sarandos! sounded enthusiastic while talking about the prospects of personalization technology to "recognize changes in viewing patterns."

Over time, he said, "the site can, in a very automated way, age with you, based on the things you're watching."

Thursday, March 19, 2015

It's Seamless over Starbucks for business travelers

Seamless is growing in popularity among business travelers in New York City. NEW YORK (CNNMoney) Turns out that snagging a Starbucks sandwich for a quick bite simply will not do -- at least if you're in New York.

A new study released Thursday found that business travelers in New York City are abandoning Starbucks in favor of a meal from Seamless, the food delivery website and app.

"[Seamless is] aggregating a lot of the meal traffic," said Robert Neveu, CEO of Certify, which manages business traveler accounts and published the study.

The study examined data from over 6 million transactions in the last quarter, looking at expenses from with businesses large and small.

Neveu said business travelers want something that's convenient, fast, of reasonable quality and within their budget. Enter Seamless, which allows customers to search for food by cuisine, price and rating.

The app's popularity with the hotel-bound set is consistent with a recent report by Seamless' parent company GrubHub (GRUB). That data suggest hotel takeout orders have increased 125% across the country over the last three years.

While Seamless doesn't specifically reach out to business travelers, it's useful for that breed of traveler because "companies utilize Seamless corporate accounts to streamline food expenses," according to GrubHub CEO Matt Maloney.

"Travelers have access to wide variety of options that hotel room service can't match -- all without having to pick up the phone," Maloney said. That's not good news for traditional room service, which has seen a revenue hit of 9.5% in recent years, according to data from PFK Hospitality Research.

And Seamless seems to be gathering steam. GrubHub announced quarterly earnings on Thursday, posting record revenues of $60 million and 48% growth.

GrubHub CEO talks about its tasty IPO

Though Starbucks (SBUX) lost its top spot in New York City, which it held since last year, it's still the most-expensed food vendor in the country for business travelers, who spend an average of $10 per visit. The coffee chain is ranked just above McDonald's and Subway overall. Seamless, on ! the other hand, isn't even in the top 25 vendors on the national scene.

Top 5 Supermarket Stocks To Invest In Right Now

"Their client base is clearly concentrated on the NYC marketplace," Neveu said.

The survey also found that the top city for business travelers was Chicago, followed closely by Houston. New York came in third, but also has the distinction of being the priciest city for dinner, with an average meal costing $71.

The average price for a Seamless-delivered meal in New York City? Less than half that, at $31.84.

Top 5 Freight Companies To Invest In 2015

Top 5 Freight Companies To Invest In 2015: Marten Transport Ltd (MRTN)

Marten Transport, Ltd. is a temperature-sensitive truckload carrier. The Company specializes in transporting and distributing food and other consumer packaged goods that require a temperature-controlled or insulated environment. It operates throughout the United States and in parts of Canada and Mexico. The Company operates in two segments: Truckload and Logistics. During the year ended December 31, 2011, approximately 81% of its truckload revenue resulted from hauling temperature-sensitive products and 19% from hauling dry freight. Its long-haul traffic lanes are between the Midwest and the West Coast, Southwest, Southeast, and the East Coast, as well as from California to the Pacific Northwest. It provides regional truckload carrier services in the Southeast, West Coast, Midwest, South Central and Northeast regions.

The Company derives truckload revenue from fuel surcharges, loading and unloading activities, equipment detention and other ancillary services. Its operating revenue also includes revenue reported within its Logistics segment, which consists of revenue from its internal brokerage and intermodal operations, and through its 45% interest in MW Logistics, LLC (MWL), a third-party provider of logistics services to the transportation industry. Brokerage services involve arranging for another company to transport freight for the Companys customers, while it retains the billing, collection and customer management responsibilities. Intermodal services involve the transport of its trailers on railroad flatcars for a portion of a trip, with the balance of the trip using its tractors or, to a lesser extent, contracted carriers. It focuses on large food and consumer-packaged goods companies whose products require temperature-sensitive services and who ship multiple truckloads per week. As of December 31, 2011, its customers were General Mills and Kraft.

As of December 31, 2011, the Company ope! rated a fleet of 2,2 81 tractors, including 2,233 company owned tractors and 48 t! ractors supplied by independent contractors. The average age of its company owned tractor fleet at December 31, 2011 was approximately 2.6 years. As of December 31, 2011, it operated a fleet of 4,124 trailers. Most of its trailers are equipped with Thermo-King refrigeration units, air ride suspensions and anti-lock brakes. The average age of its trailer fleet as of December 31, 2011 was approximately 2.4 years.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Seth Jayson]
Marten Transport (Nasdaq: MRTN ) reported earnings on July 16. Here are the numbers you need to know.

The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended June 30 (Q2), Marten Transport missed estimates on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.
[By Monica Gerson]
Marten Transport (NASDAQ: MRTN) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $0.23 per share on revenue of $168.28 million.

CSX (NYSE: CSX) is expected to post its Q3 earnings at $0.43 per share on revenue of $2.95 billion.

source from Top Penny Stocks For 2015:http://www.seekpennystocks.com/top-5-freight-companies-to-invest-in-2015.html

Monday, March 16, 2015

10 Best Medical Stocks For 2014

People who want to switch their Medicare coverage for 2014 have just a few weeks left in the annual open enrollment period, which ends Dec. 7. The choices can be overwhelming, but there are practical steps your clients can take now to make sure they have appropriate and affordable health care coverage next year.

Paula Muschler, operations manager of the Allsup Medicare Advisor, a Medicare plan selection service for consumers and financial advisers, outlined five last-minute tips for Medicare participants.

1. Identify health care needs and budget. Participants should prioritize their medical and prescription drug needs for next year, including medications and physicians.

Top China Companies For 2015: Juno Therapeutics Inc (JUNO)

Juno Therapeutics, Inc. (Juno) is a United States-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company. The Company is engaged in developing cell-based cancer immunotherapies based on its chimeric antigen receptor (CAR), and high-affinity T cell receptor (TCR), technologies to genetically engineer T cells to recognize and kill cancer cells. Through genetic engineering, the Company inserts a gene for a particular CAR or TCR construct into the T cell that enables it to better recognize cancer cells. Its CAR technology directs T cells to recognize cancer cells based on the expression of specific proteins located on the cell surface, whereas its TCR technology provides the T cells with a specific T cell receptor to recognize protein fragments derived from either the surface or inside the cell.

To provide treatment, the Company harvests blood cells from a cancer patient, separate the appropriate T cells, activate the cells, insert the gene sequence for the CAR or TCR construct into the cells��Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA), and grow these modified T cells to the desired dose level. The modified T cells can then be infused into the patient or frozen and stored for later infusion. Once infused, the T cells are designed to multiply, through a process known as cell expansion, when they encounter the targeted proteins and to kill the targeted cancer cells.

CD19-Directed Product Candidates

The Company�� product candidates, such as JCAR015, JCAR017, and JCAR014, which use CAR technology to target CD19, a protein expressed on the surface of almost all B cell leukemias and lymphomas. The Company has rights to commercialize each of these product candidates across the world. The Company�� JCAR015 is an advanced development product candidate, and it has demonstrated clinically meaningful complete remission rates in adult patients with r/r ALL. JCAR015 uses the CD28 costimulatory domain and CD3 enriched peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC), which requires fewer process steps for! manufacture than its defined cell composition product candidates. JCAR015 is being tested in a Phase I open label clinical trial of patients with r/r ALL for the treatment of refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

JCAR017 also targets CD19, but differs from JCAR015 in several important respects. JCAR017 uses the 4-1BB costimulatory domain and a defined cell composition of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells. JCAR017 is in development for pediatric patients with r/r ALL. JCAR017 is being evaluated in a Phase I/II clinical trial in pediatric r/r ALL.

JCAR014 also targets CD19. JCAR014 uses the 4-1BB costimulatory domain and is composed of CD8+ central memory T cells and CD4+ T cells in a defined ratio. JCAR014 is being evaluated in a Phase I/II trial as a treatment for a number of B cell malignancies in patients relapsed or refractory to standard therapies.

Additional Product Candidates

The Company is exploring the potential of its CAR and TCR technologies against targets that have the potential to treat cancers not targeted by CD19-directed products, in particular, difficult-to-treat solid organ tumors, such as certain breast, lung, and pancreatic cancers, as well as B cell malignancies that do not express CD19. The Company�� CD22 is a cell surface protein widely expressed on B lymphocytes. It is expressed by B cell malignancies, including non-Hodgkin�� lymphoma (NHL), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL), and chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL). The Company�� L1CAM, also known as CD171, is a cell-surface adhesion molecule that plays an important role in the development of a normal nervous system. It is overexpressed in neuroblastoma, and there is increasing evidence of aberrant expression in a variety of solid organ tumors, including glioblastoma and lung, pancreatic, and ovarian cancers.

The Company�� MUC-16 is a protein overexpressed in the ovarian cancers, but not on the surface of normal ovary cells. CA-125 is a protein found in the ! blood of ! ovarian cancer patients that results from the cleavage of MUC-16. CA-125 levels in the blood are a common test for ovarian cancer progression because they correlate with cancer progression. Its MUC-16/IL-12 product candidate uses its armored CAR technology. IL-12 is a cytokine that can help overcome the inhibitory effects that the tumor micro-environment can have on T cell activity.

The Company�� ROR-1 is a protein expressed in the formation of embryos, but in normal adult cells its surface expression is predominantly found at low levels on adipocytes, or fat cells, and briefly on precursors to B cells, or pre-B cells, during normal B cell maturation. ROR-1 is overexpressed on a variety of cancers including a subset of non-small cell lung cancer, triple negative breast cancer, pancreatic cancer, and prostate cancer. It is expressed on B cell chronic lymphocytic leukemia and mantle cell lymphoma. The Company�� high-affinity TCR T cell product candidate targets WT-1, an intracellular protein that is overexpressed in a number of cancers, including adult myeloid leukemia, or AML, and non-small cell lung, breast, pancreatic, ovarian, and colorectal cancers.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By John Udovich]
Small cap cancer drug stock Kite Pharma Inc (NASDAQ: KITE) has surged after announcing a�strategic research collaboration and license agreement with Amgen, Inc (NASDAQ: AMGN)�involving Chimeric Antigen Receptors (CAR) ��meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock, which had an IPO last June,�along with potential peers�Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: BLCM) and Juno Therapeutics (NASDAQ: JUNO) which are players in the CAR therapies space and had more recent IPOs.

10 Best Medical Stocks For 2014: CryoLife Inc (CRY)

CryoLife, Inc. (CryoLife,), incorporated in January 19,1984, is a biological medical device company. The Company preserves and distributes human tissues for transplantation and develops, manufactures, and commercializes medical devices for cardiac and vascular applications. The cardiac and vascular human tissues distributed by CryoLife include the CryoValve SG pulmonary heart valve (CryoValve SGPV) and the CryoPatch SG pulmonary cardiac patch tissue (CryoPatch SG), both processed using CryoLife�� SynerGraft technology. The Company operates in two segments: preservation services and medical devices segment. The preservation services segment includes services revenues from the preservation of cardiac and vascular tissues during the year ended December 31, 2011. The medical devices segment includes revenues from product sales of BioGlue, BioFoam, PerClot, HemoStase and revascularization technologies, as well as sales of other medical devices. CryoLife�� surgical sealants and hemostats include BioGlue Surgical Adhesive (BioGlue), BioFoam Surgical Matrix (BioFoam) and PerClot, an absorbable powdered hemostat. In May 2011, it acquired Cardiogenesis Corporation. In May 2012, the Company acquired Hemosphere, Inc. Hemosphere develops and markets the HeRO (Hemodialysis Reliable Outflow) Graft, a graft-based solution for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) hemodialysis patients with limited access options and central venous obstruction. In February 2014, CryoLife Inc announced the establishment of CryoLife Asia Pacific Pte. Ltd.

CryoLife distributes preserved human cardiac and vascular tissues to implanting institutions throughout the United States (U.S), Canada and Europe. CryoLife processes and preserves cardiac and vascular tissues using processing and freezing techniques, or cryopreservation. The Company�� preservation process involves the recovery of tissue from deceased human donors by tissue banks and organ procurement organizations (OTPOs), the delivery, of such tissue to the Company, the s! creening, dissection, disinfection, processing, and preservation of the tissue by the Company, and the storage and shipment of the preserved tissue.

The human heart valves and cardiac patch tissues preserved by the Company are used in cardiac reconstruction and heart valve replacement surgeries. The Company preserves human aortic and pulmonary heart valves for implantation by cardiac surgeons. In addition, the Company preserves human cardiac patches for surgeons. The Company preserves human cardiac patches in three primarily anatomic configurations: pulmonary hemi-artery, pulmonary trunk and pulmonary branch. As of December 31, 2011, CryoLife shipped approximately 77,600 heart valves and cardiac patch tissues, including approximately 3,000 shipments during 2011.

The human vascular tissues preserved by the Company, including the CryoVein and CryoArtery, are used to treat a variety of vascular reconstructions, such as peripheral bypass, hemodialysis access and aortic infections. The Company preserves small diameter human saphenous vein conduits (3 millimeter to 6 millimeter) for use in peripheral vascular reconstructions. The Company also preserves femoral veins and arteries and aortoiliac arteries for bypass, hemodialysis access, or reconstruction within infected surgical areas. As of December 31, 2011, the Company shipped approximately 66,100 human vascular tissues, including approximately 4,500 shipments during 2011.

CryoLife�� product BioGlue, designed for cardiac, vascular, pulmonary, and general surgical applications, is a polymer based on bovine blood protein and an agent for cross-linking proteins. CryoLife distributes BioGlue throughout the United States and approximately 75 other countries. CryoLife distributes BioGlue for repair of soft tissues under conformite Europeene Mark Product Certification (CE Mark). CryoLife distributes BioGlue in Japan for use in the repair of aortic dissections.

CryoLife�� product, BioFoam, is a protein hydr! ogel biom! aterial with an expansion agent, which generates a mixed-cell foam. The foam creates a mechanical barrier to decrease blood flow and develops pores for the blood to enter, leading to cellular aggregation and enhanced hemostasis. CryoLife distributes BioFoam under CE Mark certification.

CryoLife�� product, PerClot, is an absorbable, powdered hemostatic agent used in surgery. PerClot particles have a molecular structure that absorbs water from blood, creating a high concentration of platelets, red blood cells, and coagulation proteins at the bleeding site, which accelerates the physiologic clotting cascade. PerClot is readily dissolved by saline irrigation and is totally absorbed within several days. PerClot is available in one gram, three gram and five gram sizes with a 100 millimeter or 200 millimeter applicator tip. PerClot Laparoscopic is available in one gram and three gram sizes with a 380 millimeter applicator tip.

The Company competes with St. Jude Medical, Inc., Medtronic, Inc., Edwards Life Sciences, Inc., Neovasc, Inc., LifeNet Health, Inc. W.L. Gore & Associates��Propaten, C.R. Bard, Inc., Hancock Jaffe Laboratories, Inc., Maquet, Inc., CorMatrix Cardiovascular, Inc., Baxter International, Inc., Johnson & Johnson Company, Covidien Ltd, NeoMend, Inc., Pfizer, Inc., Orthovita, Inc., King Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Ethicon, Inc., ZymoGenetics, Inc. and Nycomed.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Eric Volkman]
CryoLife (NYSE: CRY ) is putting some zip into its shares with a dividend boost. The company has declared a fresh quarterly distribution of $0.0275 per share, to be paid on June 21 to shareholders of record as of June 14. This marks the company's first-ever dividend increase -- the new amount is 10% higher than its three prior (and only) payouts, each of which totaled $0.025.

10 Best Medical Stocks For 2014: Covidien PLC (COV)

Covidien Public Limited Company is engaged in the development, manufacture and sale of healthcare products for use in clinical and home settings. It operates its businesses through three segments: Medical Devices, which includes the development, manufacture and sale of endomechanical instruments, energy devices, soft tissue repair products, vascular products, oximetry and monitoring products, airway and ventilation products; Pharmaceuticals, which includes the development, manufacture and distribution of specialty pharmaceuticals and active pharmaceutical ingredients, and Medical Supplies, SharpSafety products and original equipment manufacturer products. In May 2012, it acquired Newport Medical Instruments, Inc. In May 2012, it acquired superDimension, Ltd. In June 2012, the Company acquired Oridion Systems Ltd. In October 2012, its Mallinckrodt acquired CNS Therapeutics, Inc. In January 2013, the Company acquired CV Ingenuity. Advisors' Opinion:

[By Aaron Smith and Greg Wallace]
The chance to save on taxes can be significant, considering that the top U.S. corporate rate is 35%. The medical device firm Medtronic (MDT) of Minneapolis recently announced plans to buy rival Covidien (COV), which is based in Ireland where the tax rate is 12.5%. Chicago drugmaker AbbVie (ABBV) announced an arrangement with the British company Shire that will slash its effective tax rate in half to 13%.
[By ovenerio]
In this article, let's take a look at Covidien PLC. (COV), a $41.12 billion market cap company, that develops, makes and distributes medical devices and supplies and other health care products.
[By Lisa Levin]
Medical Instruments & Supplies: This industry rose 2.98% by 10:30 am ET. The top performer in this industry was Covidien plc (NYSE: COV), which gained 22.7%. Medtronic (NYSE: MDT) announced its plans to buy Covidien for $42.9 billion in cash and stock.

10 Best Medical Stocks For 2014: Intellicell Biosciences Inc (SVFC)

Intellicell Biosciences, Inc., formerly Media Exchange Group, Inc., incorporated on March 8, 1999, is engaged in regenerative medicine company focused on the expanding regenerative medical markets using a process to separate adult autologous vascular cells (AAVC's) from blood vessels in adult adipose (fat) tissue. The Company is also exploring and undertaking, either on its own or in collaboration with a third party, providing a service for the collection, processing and storage of autologous cells for future use. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has developed technologies that allow reproducible separation of stromal vascular fraction (IntelliCell) containing adipose stem cells that can be performed in tissue processing centers and in doctors��offices. On June 3, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of Intellicell Biosciences, Inc. The Company formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, ICBS Research, Inc.

The Company's process involves the application of ultrasonic cavitation (sound waves) to the extracted adipose tissue, which results in the separation AAVC's from the blood vessels in adult adipose (fat) tissue. This AAVC, or stromal vascular fraction (IntelliCells), are removed from the patient at the point of care, and separated at the point of care under the supervision of its certified technicians following current good manufacturing practices (cGMPs) and current good tissue practices (cGTPs), and the cells are then returned to the medical professionals at the point of care for use a patient's own body (autologous treatment), by way of a same-day clinical procedure for homologous use of these cells.

Intellicell Biosciences, Inc., formerly Media Exchange Group, Inc., incorporated on March 8, 1999, is engaged in regenerative medicine company focused on the expanding regenerative medical markets using a process to separate adult autologous vascular cells (AAVC's) from blood vessels in adult adipose (fat) tissue. The Company is also exploring and undertaking, either on ! its own or in collaboration with a third party, providing a service for the collection, processing and storage of autologous cells for future use. As of December 31, 2011, the Company has developed technologies that allow reproducible separation of stromal vascular fraction (IntelliCell) containing adipose stem cells that can be performed in tissue processing centers and in doctors��offices. On June 3, 2011, the Company completed the acquisition of Intellicell Biosciences, Inc. The Company formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, ICBS Research, Inc.

The Company competes with Cytori Therapeutics, Stem Cell Assurance, Inc., Osiris, Aastrom Biosciences, Aldagen, BioTime, Baxter International, Celgene, Geron, Harvest Technologies, Mesoblast, Regenexx, NeoStem, X-Cell Center, Stem Cells, Athersys, and Tissue Genesis, Life Technologies, Asterand, pacific biosciences of california inc. and AllCells, LLC.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Bryan Murphy]
To say that shares of IntelliCell BioSciences, Inc. (OTCMKTS:SVFC) has been disappointing since 2011 would be an understatement. SVFC has been an outright disaster since 2011, falling from a peak of $19.00 to a low of, well, just a few pennies as of late last year. In fact, there are those who are understandably wondering how the company is still alive, only producing about a half a million dollars in revenue in 2012, and then dialing that figure back down to nothing for the last few quarters. Yet, there's just something about a company that refuses to go away.... something compelling now.
[By Bryan Murphy]
Well, though I give myself a C for timing, it looks like I'm going to be able to give myself an A for stock-picking. Back on January 27th I deemed IntelliCell BioSciences, Inc. (OTCMKTS:SVFC) was a compelling buy, and though SVFC was stagnant for a month after that, it looks like the stock's finally getting on its horse. If you didn't get it then, you may want to get in now.

10 Best Medical Stocks For 2014: Rosetta Genomics Ltd (ROSG)

Rosetta Genomics Ltd., incorporated on March 9, 2000, is seeking to develop and commercialize diagnostic tests based on discovered group of genes known as microRNAs. The Company has established a clinical laboratory improvement amendment (CLIA)-certified laboratory in Philadelphia, which enables it to develop, validate and commercialize its own diagnostic tests applying its microRNA technology. In July 2011, the Company launched its fifth product - miRview lung. As of December 31, 2011, the Company launched five tests based on its five microRNA technologies: miRview mets; miRview mets2; miRview squamous; miRview meso, and miRview lung.

Rimonim Consortium

In January 2011, the Company joined the Rimonim Consortium, which is supported by the Office of the Chief Scientist at the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor of the State of Israel, or the OCS. The purpose of the consortium is to develop RNA interference, or RNAi, -based therapeutics.

Rosetta Green

Rosetta Green Ltd. is an Israeli subsidiary of the Company, which was established to leverage its capabilities into the areas of cleantech and plant biotech by using its microRNA technologies to develop plants and algae more suitable for various applications, such as feedstocks for biofuels and agriculture. Research at the Rosetta Green project has been shown to develop algal strains with oil content, to discover potential novel microRNAs from commercially-important algae and to identify drought-regulated microRNAs in plants.

The Company competes with Pathwork Diagnostics, Inc., Biotheranostics, Inc., Combimatrix Corporation, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Asuragen Inc., Exiqon A/S, Life Technologies Corporation, Isis Pharmaceuticals, Merck & Co., Inc., Santaris Pharma A/S, and Regulus Therapeutics.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By John Udovich]
Small cap genomics stocks Rosetta Genomics Ltd (NASDAQ: ROSG), Genomic Health, Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) and CollabRx Inc (NASDAQ: CLRX) are at the forefront of genomics testing�or research. I should mention that Wikipedia defines genomics�as a�discipline in genetics that applies recombinant DNA, DNA sequencing methods and bioinformatics to sequence, assemble and analyze the function and structure of genomes (the complete set of DNA within a single cell of an organism). A 2013 Booz Allen Hamilton report on the sector noted that in�2011, the US genetic and genomic clinical testing market size was estimated to be $5.9 billion while the�number of available tests has grown substantially from 1,680 just 4 years ago to 2,886 in 2012.
[By Peter Graham]
The Q3 2014 earnings report for molecular diagnostic company Myriad Genetics, Inc (NASDAQ: MYGN) is due out after the market closes on Tuesday and things could get ugly since unlike potential diagnostic stock peers such as Rosetta Genomics Ltd (NASDAQ: ROSG) and mid cap diagnostic stock Quest Diagnostics Inc (NYSE: DGX), it�� the most shorted stock on the Nasdaq with short interest of 52.07%. Aside from the Myriad Genetics earnings report, it should be said that Rosetta Genomics Ltd last reported earnings on March 31st and those�earnings were for the full year 2013 while�Quest Diagnostics reported Q1 2014 earnings on April 24th that were a disappointment due to restructuring costs and harsh winter weather. However, Myriad Genetics has been the more interesting stock as Medicare reimbursement rate increases and the lost of a court bid to block competition while a patent-infringement case is pending have sent its shares all over the place.
[By John Udovich]
Small cap cancer diagnostic stock�Myriad Genetics, Inc (NASDAQ: MYGN) jumped to a five year high on Wednesday�thanks to good�news that the�government will be paying a heftier reimbursement for its main test than previously feared, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with small cap cancer diagnostic stocks like Rosetta Genomics Ltd (NASDAQ: ROSG) and�Genomic Health, Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) plus mid cap diagnostic stock Quest Diagnostics Inc (NYSE: DGX). I should also mention that Myriad Genetics has been in our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio since early February and we are now up some 32.5% since then ��thanks in part to the shorts being put in a short squeeze.
[By John Udovich]
On Tuesday, small cap cancer diagnostic stock Myriad Genetics, Inc (NASDAQ: MYGN) jumped 11.42% in one day, meaning its worth taking a closer look at the stock along with the performance of small cap cancer diagnostic stocks like Rosetta Genomics Ltd (NASDAQ: ROSG) and�Genomic Health, Inc (NASDAQ: GHDX) plus mid cap diagnostic stock Quest Diagnostics Inc (NYSE: DGX). I should mention that we have had�Myriad Genetics in our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio since February 5th and we are already up 18.50%��a nice return in just two weeks time.

10 Best Medical Stocks For 2014: Cell Therapeutics Inc (CTIC)

Cell Therapeutics, Inc. (CTI), incorporated in 1991, develops, acquires and commercializes treatments for cancer. The Company�� research, development, acquisition and in-licensing activities concentrate on identifying and developing new ways to treat cancer. As of December 31, 2011, CTI focused its efforts on Pixuvri (pixantrone dimaleate) (Pixuvri), OPAXIO (paclitaxel poliglumex) (OPAXIO), tosedostat, brostallicin and bisplatinates. As of December 31, 2011, it developed Pixuvri, an anthracycline derivative for the treatment of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. Another late-stage drug candidate of the Company, OPAXIO, is being studied as a potential maintenance therapy for women with advanced stage ovarian cancer, who achieve a complete remission following first-line therapy with paclitaxel and carboplatin. As of December 31, 2011, it also developed tosedostat in collaboration with Chroma Therapeutics, Ltd. (Chroma). On May 31, 2012, CTI completed its acquisition gaining worldwide rights to S*BIO Pte Ltd.'s (S*BIO) pacritinib.

Pixuvri

As of December 31, 2011, the Company developed Pixuvri, an aza-anthracenedione derivative, for the treatment of non-Hodgkin�� lymphoma (NHL), and various other hematologic malignancies, and solid tumors. Pixuvri was studied in the Company�� EXTEND, or PIX301, clinical trial, which was a phase III single-agent trial of Pixuvri for patients with relapsed, refractory aggressive NHL who received two or more prior therapies and who were sensitive to treatment with anthracyclines. On September 28, 2011, CTI announced that a second independent radiology assessment of response and progression endpoint data from its PIX301 clinical trial of Pixuvri was achieved with statistical significance. The results of the EXTEND trial met its primary endpoint and showed that patients randomized to treatment with Pixuvri achieved a significantly higher rate of confirmed and unconfirmed complete response compared to patients treated with standard chem! otherapy had a significantly increased overall response rate and experienced a statistically significant improvement in median progression free survival. Pixuvri had predictable and manageable toxicities when administered at the proposed dose and schedule in the EXTEND clinical trial in heavily pre-treated patients. In March 2011, the Company initiated the PIX-R trial to study Pixuvri in combination with rituximab in patients with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). Pixuvri has also been studied in patients with HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer who have tumor progression after at least two, but not more than three, prior chemotherapy regimens. In the second quarter of 2010, the NCCTG opened this phase II study for enrollment. The study is closed to accrual and results are expected to be reported by the NCCTG later in 2012.

OPAXIO

OPAXIO is the Company�� biologically-enhanced chemotherapeutic agent that links paclitaxel to a biodegradable polyglutamate polymer, resulting in a new chemical entity. As of December 31, 2011, the Company focused its development of OPAXIO on ovarian, brain, esophageal, head and neck cancer. OPAXIO was designed to improve the delivery of paclitaxel to tumor tissue while protecting normal tissue from toxic side effects. In November 2010, results were presented by the Brown University Oncology Group from a phase II trial of OPAXIO combined with temozolomide (TMZ), and radiotherapy in patients with newly-diagnosed, high-grade gliomas, a type of brain cancer. The trial demonstrated a high rate of complete and partial responses and a high rate of six month progression free survival (PFS). Based on these results, the Brown University Oncology Group has initiated a randomized, multicenter, phase II study of OPAXIO and standard radiotherapy versus TMZ and radiotherapy for newly diagnosed patients with glioblastoma with an active gene termed MGMT that reduces responsiveness to TMZ. A phase I/II study of OPAXIO combined with radi! otherapy ! and cisplatin was initiated by SUNY Upstate Medical University, in patients with locally advanced head and neck cancer.

Tosedostat

In March 2011, the Company entered into a co-development and license agreement with Chroma Therapeutics, Ltd. (Chroma), providing the Company with marketing and co-development rights to Chroma�� drug candidate, tosedostat, in North, Central and South America. Tosedostat is an oral, aminopeptidase inhibitor that has demonstrated anti-tumor responses in blood related cancers and solid tumors in phase I-II clinical trials. Interim results from the phase II OPAL study of tosedostat in elderly patients with relapsed or refractory acute myeloid leukemia (AML) showed that once-daily, oral doses of tosedostat had predictable and manageable toxicities and results demonstrated response rates, including a high-response rate among patients who received prior hypomethylating agents, which are used to treat myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS), a precursor of AML.

Brostallicin

As of December 31, 2011, the Company developed brostallicin through its wholly owned subsidiary, Systems Medicine LLC, which holds rights to use, develop, import and export brostallicin. Brostallicin is a synthetic deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) minor groove binding agent that has demonstrated anti-tumor activity and a favorable safety profile in clinical trials, in which more than 230 patients have been treated as of December 31, 2011. The Company uses a genomic-based platform to guide the development of brostallicin. A phase II study of brostallicin in relapsed, refractory soft tissue sarcoma met its predefined activity and safety hurdles and resulted in a first-line phase II clinical trial study that was conducted by the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC).

The Company competes with Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Sanofi-Aventis, Pfizer, Roche Group, Genentech, Inc., Astellas Pharma, Eli Lilly and Company, Celgene, Telik, I! nc., TEVA! Pharmaceuticals Industries Ltd. and PharmaMar.

Advisors' Opinion:

[By MONEYMORNING]
Cell Therapeutics Inc. (Nasdaq: CTIC), based in Seattle, Wash., acquires, develops, and commercializes treatments for cancers, including non-Hodgkin's leukemia and ovarian, neck, and brain cancers. The company just announced it has completed patient enrollment in clinical trials for an investigational agent to be used as a maintenance therapy in ovarian cancer patients. The trial is being conducted by the Gynecologic Oncology Group, one of the National Cancer Institute's funded research groups. Roth Capital recently reiterated a "Buy" rating on the stock and raised its price target from $6 to $7. Roth believes the company's treatment for leukemia, Pacritinib, is effectively evolving. Additionally, the investment firm sees potential in CTIC's Tosedostat, which deprives tumor cells of the amino acid building blocks needed to make proteins necessary for tumor cell survival. Shares rose 2% Tuesday to $3.52 on volume of 6 million shares.
[By Sean Williams]
Cell Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CTIC )
Certainly no discussion of companies with large accumulated deficits would be complete without discussing a biotechnology company. It's perfectly understandable to see a biotech, especially a clinical-stage one, run with an accumulated deficit, as it takes time and money to build up a drug pipeline. However, after multiple complete response letters (the equivalent of a rejection) by the Food and Drug Administration and years without an approved drug, Cell Therapeutics racked up an astounding $1.83 billion in accumulated deficits through the end of fiscal 2012. By comparison, that's nearly 56 times larger than its shareholder equity.�
[By John Udovich]
The start of 2014 shows that biotech is still a hot area with the sector along with small cap biotech stocks like AMAG Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: AMAG), Mast Therapeutics Inc (NYSEMKT: MSTX), Cell Therapeutics Inc (NASDAQ: CTIC), Imprimis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: IMMY) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) producing news or returns�plus Auspex Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ASPX), Cara Therapeutics (NASDAQ: CARA), Egalet (NASDAQ: EGLT), Flexion Therapeutics (NASDAQ: FLXN) and Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical (NASDAQ: RARE) are among the (many�� planned biotech IPOs that have recently been announced publicly:

10 Best Medical Stocks For 2014: Analogic Corp (ALOG)

Analogic Corporation (Analogic), incorporated in November 27, 1967, is a technology company that designs and manufactures advanced medical imaging and security systems and subsystems sold to Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and end users primarily in the healthcare and airport security markets. Analogic operate primarily three segments: Medical Imaging, Ultrasound, and Security Technology. Medical Imaging, which primarily includes systems and subsystems for computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) medical imaging equipment, Selenium-based detectors for screening and diagnostic applications in mammography. Ultrasound, which designs, manufactures, and distributes ultrasound systems and transducers primarily in the urology, surgery, robotic assisted surgery, anesthesia, and general imaging markets. Security Technology, which includes advanced threat detecting CT systems. In March 2013, it completed the acquisition of Ultrasonix Medical Corporation. In September 2013, the Company announced that it has acquired the remaining ownership stake in PocketSonics, Inc.

Medical Imaging

During the fiscal year ended July 31, 2012 (fiscal 2012), the Company�� medical imaging segment, which accounted for approximately 59% of its net revenue, which consists primarily of electronic systems and subsystems for medical imaging, sold globally to OEM producers of CT, MRI, and digital mammography systems. Products under this consist of: X-Ray Detectors, which converts the x-ray energy in a CT machine to useful analog signals for processing in the DAS.

DAS, which are used to process the signals created by the detectors and feed them as a digital stream to a reconstruction computer to create high resolution images. The DAS is designed with many multi-channel circuit boards that process the analog signals from the detectors and convert them into digital signals through an array of analog to digital.

converters. DMS, which the brains of the CT sys! tem and consists of both the detector array and the DAS in one package. This system provides its OEM customers a level of integration that allows for lower cost and faster time to market. Integrated Gantries, which is a component of the CT system (detectors, DAS, x-ray tube and power supplies), are mounted on a rotating ring assembly called a gantry. It provides integrated gantries to its OEM customers as another level of integration.

For OEM producers of MRI equipment, it also supplies two key components: gradient amplifiers and radio frequency, or RF, amplifiers. It has developed a range of amplifier solutions for its customers ranging from low-magnetic-field systems (< 0.3 Tesla) to ultra high-field systems (> 7.0 Tesla) used in academic research hospitals.

Gradient Amplifier, which is a power systems used to drive a set of coils located inside the MRI system and around the patient. The coils energize the atomic structure of patients��anatomy in order to develop tissue and structure images. Gradient amplifiers must be specifically designed for different MRI field strengths ranging from 0.3 Tesla to >7.0 Tesla. RF Amplifiers, which is a power systems used to control another set of the coils within the MRI system that are used to read-back the signals from the anatomy generated by the gradient coils. These signals are then processed in a reconstruction computer to create images. The RF amplifiers must have a high signal-to-noise ratio to produce the cleanest images.

The Company�� digital mammography products consist primarily of digital mammography selenium-based x-ray detector plates, sold directly to OEM customers for screening and diagnostic applications in mammography. These x-ray detector plates are used by OEMs in mammography systems to convert x-ray signals into high resolution two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) images of breast tissue to aid in the detection of breast cancer. Its detector plates for mammography applications are sold to! medical ! OEMs for use in products worldwide. Its mammography product portfolio consists of: LMAM, which is its large area detector plate, based on selenium technology, is used primarily for European markets and was recently introduced in the United States market. This detector plate is also compatible with systems that can perform tomosynthesis, which creates 3-D images through a series of exposures to more accurately detect lesions in the breast. SMAM, which is its small area detector plate uses the same selenium-based technology as the LMAM detector and is manufactured primarily for the Asian markets. Within its medical imaging segment, it also designs and manufactures precision motion control systems, which it supplies to OEM customers for use in computer-controlled automation systems primarily in the semiconductor and medical markets.

Ultrasound

The Company�� ultrasound segment designs and manufactures procedure-driven ultrasound systems and transducers, principally under the B-K Medical brand. These products are primarily for end-user markets in urology and surgery and accounted for approximately 29% of its net revenue in fiscal year 2012. Its ultrasound systems use acoustic waves to generate real-time images of the body�� internal anatomy that are used for interventional and medical diagnostic procedures. These ultrasound systems are also used for guiding robotic assisted surgical procedures and for guiding prostate cancer treatment employing a procedure called brachytherapy. It also manufactures and sells advanced ultrasound probes and transducers to medical OEMs.

Security Technology

Utilizing the Company�� CT technology, its Security Technology segment designs and manufactures airport security systems and subsystems primarily for checked bag applications and accounted for approximately 12% of its net revenue in fiscal year 2012. These systems generate 3-D images of objects contained within baggage and provide threat analysis of materials conta! ined with! in the bags. The Company sells the checked baggage systems through L-3 Communications Corporation (L-3): eXaminer XLB (High Speed), eXaminer 3DX (Medium Speed) and eXaminer SX (Reduced Size).

The Company competes with General Electric Corporation (GE) and Koninklijke Philips Electronics N.V. (Philips), Hitachi Medical Corporation, Fujifilm, Morpho Detection and Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC).

Advisors' Opinion:

[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Analogic (NASDAQ: ALOG) were down 16.66 percent to $80.47 after the company reported downbeat Q2 earnings. CJS Securities downgraded the stock from Market Outperform to Market Perform and cut the price target from $97.00 to $90.00.
[By Laura Brodbeck]
Monday
Earnings Releases Expected: Analogic Corporation (NASDAQ: ALOG) Economic Releases Expected: U.S. industrial production, U.S. manufacturing production
Tuesday
[By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Analogic (NASDAQ: ALOG) were down 16.00 percent to $80.11 after the company reported downbeat Q2 earnings. CJS Securities downgraded the stock from Market Outperform to Market Perform and cut the price target from $97.00 to $90.00.
[By Steven Russolillo]
WATCH FOR:�May ADP Jobs Survey (8:15 a.m. Eastern Time): seen +210K; previously +220K. April US Trade Deficit (8:30): seen $40.9B; previously $40.4B. First Quarter Productivity (8:30, second read): seen -3.1%; previously -1.7%. First Quarter Unit Labor Costs (8:30, second read): seen +5.5%: previously +4.2%. May ISM Non-Manufacturing PMI (10:00): seen 55.2; previously 55.2. Analogic(ALOG), Ciena(CIEN), Cooper, Diamond Foods(DMND), J.M. Smucker(SJM), Joy Global(JOY), Piedmont Natural Gas(PNY), UTi Worldwide, Vail Resorts, Vera Bradley(VRA) and VeriFone(PAY) are among companies scheduled to report quarterly results.