Tesla Motors (TSLA) is off to the races this morning on news that Germany has taken a giant monkey off its back. Specifically, TSLA stock is up more than 10% following the announcement that the German Federal Motor Transport Authority has deemed the Tesla Model S defect-free. The review came after three recent crashes resulted in Tesla fires.
Considering Germany knows a thing or two about auto engineering, I�� taking this is an opportunity to breathe easy and let Tesla Motors get back to doing what it does best.
That�� making cars, and making people (namely, TSLA stock investors) money.
Ignore TSLA Stock NaysayersTesla stock is up more than 300% year-to-date, and at its October nadir just a few dollars shy of $200, TSLA had advanced roughly 470%.
Best Healthcare Technology Stocks To Own For 2015: Emulex Corp (ELX)
Emulex Corporation (Emulex) is a provider of a range of network convergence solutions that connect servers, storage, and networks within the data center. The Company�� product portfolio includes Host Bus Adapters (HBAs), Converged Network Adapters (CNAs), Network Interface Cards (NICs), mezzanine cards for blade servers, Application Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), embedded storage bridges, routers, and switches, Input/Output Controllers (IOCs), and connectivity management solutions. The Company is a designer, developer and supplier of HBAs, CNAs, NICs, mezzanine cards, Pass-Through Modules (PTM), embedded storage switches, embedded bridges, embedded routers, I/O ASICs, switch-on-a-chip (SOC) ASICs, Internet Baseboard management controllers (iBMC��) and connectivity management solutions. On August 25, 2010, Emulex acquired ServerEngines Corporation. In February 2013, Emulex acquired 89% ownership of Endace Ltd. In April 2013, Emulex Corp announced the completion of acquisition of Endace Limited.
Host Server Products
The Company�� Host Server Products include the development of chip level and board level server-based I/O adapters, including HBAs, Universal Converged Network Adapters (UCNAs), and mezzanine cards that connect servers and storage to networks using a range of products. Its products support Internet protocol (IP) and storage networking, including transmission control protocol (TCP)/IP, Internet small computer system interface (iSCSI), network attached storage (NAS), Fibre Channel, and Fibre Channel over Ethernet (FCoE). Host Server Products (HSP) include LightPulse HBAs, OneConnecttm UCNAs, custom form factor solutions for original equipment manufacturer (OEM) blade servers, and ASICs. These products enable servers to connect to local area networks (LANs), storage area networks (SANs), and NAS by offloading data communication processing tasks from the server as information is delivered and sent to the network.
Its Fibre Channel H! BAs connect host computers to a Fibre Channel network. The Company�� adapters support a range of operating systems and host computer system interfaces, including Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) and PCI Express-based platforms. Its Fibre Channel HBA offerings include single, dual, and quad port adapters at throughput speeds of two gigabyte per second, four gigabyte per second, and eight gigabyte per second for use in enterprise, large, medium, and small-sized organizations. The Emulex OneConnect UCNA is a single chip 10 gigabyte per second Ethernet platform designed to address the challenges of data center networks. The Emulex UCNA platform enables data center managers to consolidate multiple one gigabyte per second Ethernet links on to a single 10 gigabyte per second Ethernet link. Emulex HBAs and UCNAs are based upon its internally developed Fibre Channel and Ethernet IOCs. In addition, these IOCs can be used in embedded I/O environments, such as disk and tape storage arrays and storage appliances. Revenues from these applications are included in the Company�� Embedded Storage Products.
Embedded Storage Products
The Company�� Embedded Storage Products include the development of chip level, board level, and box level array based products that are deployed inside storage arrays, tape libraries, and other storage products to provide connectivity and protocol emulation functions. These products include embedded IOCs, I/O Processors (IOPs), SOCs, embedded bridges (FC/SATA/SAS), and embedded routers (FC/SATA/SAS). Emulex offers a range of integrated, embedded storage networking products for enterprise storage systems that deliver improved performance, reliability and storage connectivity. InSpeed is an advanced switching architecture that results in a single chip capable of handling multiple Fibre Channel devices operating at two, four, or eight gigabyte per second speeds. Its embedded router and bridge products consist of chip and firmware solutions.
! The Compa! ny competes with QLogic Corporation, Brocade Communications Systems, Inc., Broadcom Corporation, Intel Corporation, Chelsio Communications, Inc., Mellanox Technologies, Ltd., LSI, Marvell Technology Group Ltd., Maxim Integrated Products, Inc. and PMC-Sierra, Inc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
Emulex (ELX) is a provider of a range of network convergence solutions that intelligently connect servers, storage and networks within the data center. This stock closed up 1.6% to $8.14 in Thursday's trading session.
Thursday's Range: $8.05-$8.22
52-Week Range: $5.72-$8.99
Thursday's Volume: 727,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 786,981From a technical perspective, ELX bounced modestly higher here right above some near-term support at $7.95 with decent upside volume. This stock has been trending sideways inside of a consolidation chart pattern over the last month, with shares moving between 7.50 on the downside and $8.46 on the upside. This modest spike is now starting to push shares of ELX within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade above the upper-end of its recent sideways trading chart pattern. That trade will hit if ELX manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $8.34 to $8.46 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ELX as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $7.95 or $7.50 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 786,981 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ELX will set up to re-test or possibly take out its 52-week high at $8.99. Any high-volume move above $8.99 will then give ELX a chance to tag its next major overhead resistance levels at $10 to $11.19.
- [By Eric Volkman]
A top-level promotion has taken place at Emulex (NYSE: ELX ) . The company announced that it has appointed Jeffrey Benck to be its CEO, effective immediately. He replaces James McCluney, who was named executive chairman of the board. In turn, McCluney displaces ex-chairman Paul Folino, who is to continue to serve as a director.
- [By John Udovich]
Mid cap networking solutions company Brocade Communications Systems, Inc (NASDAQ: BRCD) has pretty much been a sleeper for investors since the dot.com bust, but that has changed over the past year���meaning its worth revisiting the stock along with potential performance benchmarks�like QLogic Corporation (NASDAQ: QLGC), Emulex Corporation (NYSE: ELX) and iShares North American Tech-Multimedia Networking ETF (NYSEARCA: IGN). I should mention that we have recently Brocade Communications Systems to our SmallCap Network Elite Opportunity (SCN EO) portfolio because the company has successfully transitioned from being a hardware company to supporting virtual networks via software and it continues to offer best-of-breed technology.
Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Webster Financial Corp (WBS)
Webster Financial Corporation (Webster), incorporated on September 10, 1986, is a bank holding company and financial holding company. Webster�� principal asset as of December 31, 2012, was Webster Bank, National Association (Webster Bank). Webster, through Webster Bank and various subsidiaries, delivers financial services to individuals, families and businesses primarily throughout southern New England and into Westchester County, New York. Webster provides business and consumer banking, mortgage lending, financial planning, trust and investment services through 167 banking offices, 293 automated teller machines (ATMs), telephone banking, mobile banking and its Internet Website www.websterbank.com. Webster also offers equipment financing, commercial real estate lending and asset-based lending across the Northeast. Webster Bank offers health savings accounts on a nationwide basis, through its HSA Bank division and its Internet Website www.hsabank.com. Webster�� operations are managed along four business segments: Commercial Banking, Retail Banking, Consumer Finance and Other. Other includes Health Savings Accounts (HSA) and Private Banking (including Webster Financial Advisors (WFA)).
Commercial Banking
The Commercial Banking segment includes middle market, asset-based lending, commercial real estate, equipment finance, and Government and not-for-profit banking. Webster�� Commercial Banking group provides lending, deposit and cash management services to middle market companies in its franchise territory. Additionally, it serves as a primary referral source to Wealth Management and Retail Banking.
Retail Banking
Retail Banking serves consumers and small businesses primarily throughout southern New England and into Westchester County, New York, with a distribution network of 167 banking offices and 293 owned ATMs, and a full range of Internet and mobile banking services. Retail Banking includes Webster�� branch network, Consumer deposits, Busin! ess and Professional Banking (BPB), Webster Investment Services (WIS) and the Customer Care Center.
Consumer Finance
Consumer Finance offers lending solutions for consumers primarily in southern New England and Westchester County, New York. Products include: residential mortgages, home equity loans and lines of credit, unsecured personal loans as well as credit card options.
Other
Other includes HSA Bank (HSA) and Private Banking. HSA Bank is a bank custodian of health savings accounts. These accounts are provided for high deductible health plans offered by employers or directly to consumers. Private Banking provides local full relationship banking that serves high net worth clients, not-for-profit organizations and business clients for asset management, trust, loan and deposit products and financial planning services.
Subsidiaries of Webster Financial Corporation
Webster�� direct subsidiaries as of December 31, 2012 included Webster Bank, Fleming, Perry & Cox, Inc., and Webster Licensing, LLC. Webster also owns all of the outstanding common stock of Webster Statutory Trust, an unconsolidated financial vehicle that has issued or may in the future issue trust preferred securities. On July 18, 2012, the Company completed the redemption at par of all the outstanding principal amount of Webster Capital Trust IV fixed to floating-rate trust preferred securities. Webster Bank's direct subsidiaries include Webster Mortgage Investment Corporation, Webster Business Credit Corporation (WBCC) and Webster Capital Finance, Inc. (WCF). Webster Bank is the primary source of retail activity within the consolidated Company. Webster Bank is the primary source of retail activity within the consolidated group. Webster Bank provides banking services through 167 banking offices, 293 owned ATMs, telephone banking, mobile banking and its Internet websites. Residential mortgage origination activity is conducted through Webster Bank. Webster Mortgage! Investme! nt Corporation is a passive investment subsidiary whose primary function is to provide servicing on passive investments, such as residential real estate and commercial mortgage real estate loans transferred from Webster Bank. Various commercial lending products are provided through Webster Bank and its subsidiaries to clients within the region from Westchester County, NY to Boston, MA. WBCC provides asset-based lending services. WCF provides equipment financing for end users of equipment. Additionally, Webster Bank has various other subsidiaries that are not significant to the consolidated Company.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marc Bastow]
Bank holding and financial company Webster Bank (WBS) raised its quarterly dividend 33% to 20 cents per share payable June 16 to shareholders of record June 2.
WBS Dividend Yield: 2.63% - [By Rich Duprey]
Business and consumer banking concern�Webster Financial� (NYSE: WBS ) �announced yesterday that its board of directors has approved increasing its quarterly dividend by 50%, from�$0.10 per share to�$0.15 per share.�The new, higher payment�will be made on May 20 to stockholders of record as of May 6.
- [By Monica Gerson]
Webster Financial (NYSE: WBS) is projected to report its Q3 earnings at $0.49 per share on revenue of $149.73 million.
Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE: WFC) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $0.97 per share on revenue of $20.97 billion.
Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Inter Parfums Inc.(IPAR)
Inter Parfums, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, develops, manufactures, markets, and distributes a range of fragrances and fragrance related products worldwide. It offers fragrance products primarily under license agreements with brand owners; specialty retail and designer products; alternative designer fragrances and personal care products; Aziza line of eye shadow kits, mascara, and pencils; and a line of health and beauty aids comprising shampoo, conditioner, hand lotion, and baby oil under its Intimate and Johnson Parker brands. The company offers its products under the Burberry, Van Cleef & Arpels, Jimmy Choo, Montblanc, Boucheron, Balmain, Repetto, Gap, Banana Republic, New York & Company, Brooks Brothers, bebe, Nine West, Betsey Johnson, Lane Bryant, Anna Sui, S.T. Dupont, Paul Smith, and Jordache brands under license agreements, as well as Lanvin, Intimate, Aziza, Nickel, Tristar, Regal Collections, Royal Selections, and Apple brands. Inter Parfums, Inc. distr ibutes its products through independent distribution companies and duty-free operators to department stores, perfumeries, specialty retailers, mass-market retailers, supermarkets, and domestic and international wholesalers and distributors. The company was formerly known as Jean Philippe Fragrances, Inc. and changed its name to Inter Parfums, Inc. in July 1999. Inter Parfums, Inc. was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Chuck Carnevale]
Inter Parfums Inc. (IPAR): Develops, Manufactures and Distributes Prestige Perfumes
Our final example, Inter Parfums Inc., is an above-average growing small-cap that validates our PE 15 standard, but with a twist. Small-cap. companies tend to carry greater risk than larger capitalization companies. As a result, it is not uncommon to see, as we do with Inter Parfums Inc., an earnings and price correlated graphic with wilder price swings.
Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Verint Systems Inc (VRNT)
Verint Systems Inc. (Verint), incorporated in February 1994, is engaged in Actionable Intelligence solutions and value-added services. More than 10,000 organizations use Verint Actionable Intelligence solutions to capture, distill, and analyze complex and underused information sources, such as voice, video, and unstructured text. In the security intelligence market, it offers communications and cyber intelligence, video and situation intelligence, and public safety solutions help government and commercial organizations to protect people and property. On March 30, 2011, the Company acquired Rontal Engineering Applications Ltd. On August 2, 2011, the Company acquired a privately held provider of communications intelligence solutions, data retention services, and network performance management, based in the Americas region. On August 4, 2011, the Company acquired Vovici Corporation (Vovici). On October 7, 2011, the completed the acquisition of Global Management Technologies (GMT). On November 1, 2011, the Company acquired certain technology and other assets for use in its Communications Intelligence operating segment. On November 10, 2011, the Company acquired certain technology and other assets for use in its Enterprise Intelligence operating segment in a transaction. On January 5, 2012, the Company acquired a privately held provider of Web intelligence technology, based in the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region. In February 2014, Verint Systems Inc has completed its acquisition of KANA Software, Inc, a portfolio company of Accel-KKR.
The Enterprise Intelligence Solutions Segment
The Company is a provider of enterprise intelligence software and services. Its solutions enable organizations to extract and analyze information from customer interactions and related operational data. It markets these solutions under the Impact 360 brand to contact center, back-office, and branch and remote office operations, to other customer-facing departments, such as sale! s and marketing. These solutions comprise a range of enterprise workforce optimization and voice of the customer solutions and services, which include Internet protocol (IP) and Time Division Multiplexing (TDM) voice recording, quality monitoring, voice of the customer analytics (speech, text, and enterprise feedback management), workforce management, e-Learning and coaching, performance management, and desktop and process analytics. These solutions can be deployed stand-alone or in an integrated fashion.
The Company�� Impact 360 is an unified portfolio of workforce optimization and voice of the customer solutions. Its portfolio of Enterprise Intelligence Solutions include Quality Monitoring, Full-Time and Compliance Recording, Workforce Management, Voice of the Customer Analytics (Speech, Text, and Enterprise Feedback Management), Performance Management, e-Learning and Coaching, Desktop and Process Analytics, Workforce Optimization and Voice of the Customer for Small-to-Medium Sized Businesses and Public Safety. Quality Monitoring records multimedia interactions based on user-defined business rules and provides interaction assessment functionality, including intelligent evaluation forms and automatic delivery of calls for evaluation according to quotas or contact-related criteria. Its Full-Time and Compliance Recording provides contact center recording for compliance, sales verification, and monitoring in IP, traditional TDM, and mixed telephony environments. It includes encryption capabilities to help support the payment card industry data security standard and other regulatory requirements for protecting sensitive data. Workforce Management Helps enterprises forecast staffing requirements, deploy the appropriate level of resources, and evaluate the productivity of their customer service staff. It also includes optional strategic planning capabilities. Its speech analytics solutions analyze call content for the purpose of identifying business trends, building containment and customer s! ervice st! rategies, and quality monitoring programs. Its text analytics analyze structured and unstructured data in multiple text sources include e-mail, chat sessions, blogs, contact center notes, white mail, survey comments, and social media channels. Its enterprise feedback management solutions provide enterprise-wide customer feedback capabilities through surveys and online communities to centralize and simplify survey management, deployment, and analysis across survey platforms, including interactive voice response, e-mail, social media, and mobile devices. Performance Management Provides a view of key performance indicators (KPIs), with performance scorecards and reports on customer interactions, customer experience trends, and contact center, back-office, branch, remote office, and customer service staff performance. e-Learning and Coaching Enables enterprises to deliver Web-based training to customer service staff desktops, including learning clips created from recordings and other customized materials to staff needs and competencies. Desktop and Process Analytics Captures information from customer service employee interactions with their desktop applications to provide insights into productivity, training issues, process adherence, and bottlenecks. Workforce Optimization and Voice of the Customer for Small-to-Medium Sized Businesses is designed for smaller companies (with contact centers), which face the same business requirements as their larger competitors. Public Safety includes quality assurance, forecasting and scheduling, speech analytics, performance scorecards, citizen surveys, incident investigation and analytics, and full-time and compliance recording solutions under the brand Impact 360 for Public Safety Powered by Audiolog. Its public safety solution allows first responders (police, fire departments, emergency medical services, etc.) in the security intelligence market to deploy workforce optimization solutions to record, manage, and act on incoming assistance requests and related data.
! The Company competes with Aspect Software, Inc., HP company, Genesys Telecommunications, NICE Systems Ltd. (NICE).
The Video and Situation Intelligence Solutions Segment
The Company is a provider of networked IP video solutions and a provider of situation intelligence solutions to optimize security and enhance operations. Its solutions, marketed under the Nextiva brand, include IP video management software and services, edge devices for capturing, digitizing, and transmitting video over different types of wired and wireless networks, video analytics, network video recorders, and physical security information management. Its networked IP video portfolio enables organizations to deploy an end-to-end IP video solution with analytics or evolve to IP video solutions. Its situation intelligence solutions enable organizations to view, correlate, and analyze information from various stand-alone systems and sensors. It is engaged in the networked IP video market with Nextiva, an end-to-end, networked IP video solution portfolio. Its IP Video Management Software simplifies management of video and geographically dispersed video surveillance operations, with a suite of applications, which includes automated system health monitoring, policy-based video distribution, networked video viewing, and investigation management. It is designed for use with industry-standard servers and storage solutions and for interoperability with other enterprise systems. Edge Devices captures, digitizes, and transmits video across enterprise networks. It includes IP cameras, bandwidth-efficient video encoders to convert analog images to IP video for transmission over IP networks, and wireless devices, which perform both video encoding and wireless IP transmission. Video Analytics Analyzes video content to detect anomalies and activities of interest, such as perimeter intrusion, unattended objects, camera tampering, and vehicles moving in the wrong direction. It also includes industry-specific analytics applicati! ons. Netw! ork Video Recorders Performs networked video recording utilizing secure, embedded operating systems and market-specific data integrations for applications, which require local storage, as well as remote networking.
The Company�� Physical Security Information Management (Situation Intelligence) captures and integrates information from various stand-alone security and public safety systems, such as access control, video, intrusion, fire and public safety, first responder, and other mobile device systems. Its Video Intelligence solutions are deployed across a range of industries, including banking, retail, critical infrastructure, government, corporate campuses, education, airports, seaports, public transportation, and homeland security. Its video solutions include video analytics and data integrations.
The Company competes with 3VR, Tyco, Genetec Inc., March Networks Corporation, Milestone Systems A/S, NICE and Schneider Electric Limited.
The Communications and Cyber Intelligence Solutions Segment
The Company is a provider of communications intelligence solutions and a developer of cyber intelligence solutions, which help law enforcement, national security, intelligence, and civilian government agencies detect, investigate, and neutralize criminal and terrorist threats and detect and thwart cyber-attacks. Its portfolio includes solutions for communications interception, service provider compliance, mobile location tracking, open source Web intelligence, cyber intelligence and tactical communications intelligence. These solutions can be deployed stand-alone or collectively. The Company is engaged in the market for communications intelligence solutions and a developer of cyber intelligence solutions, which are marketed under the RELIANT, VANTAGE, STAR-GATE, ENGAGE, FOCALINFO, and CYBERVISION brand names. Its Communications Interception enables the interception, monitoring, and analysis of information collected from a range of communications networks, inc! luding fi! xed and mobile networks, IP networks, and the Internet. It includes lawful interception solutions designed to intercept specific target communications pursuant to legal warrants and mass interception solutions for investigating and proactively addressing criminal and terrorist threats. Communications Service Provider Compliance enables communication service providers to collect and deliver to government agencies specific call-related and call-content information in compliance with Communications Assistance for Law Enforcement Act (CALEA), European Telecommunications Standards Institute (ETSI), and other compliance regulations and standards. It includes a scalable warrant and subpoena management system. Its Mobile Location Tracking tracks the location of mobile network devices for intelligence and evidence gathering, with analytics and workflow designed to support investigative activities. It provides real-time tracking of multiple targets, real-time alerts, and investigative capabilities, such as geospatial fencing and events correlation. Its Open Source Web Intelligence features advanced data collection, text analysis, data enrichment and analytics. Tactical Communications Intelligence provides portable communications interception and location tracking capabilities for local use or integration with centralized monitoring systems, to support tactical field operations. Its Cyber Intelligence designed to provide network-based cyber security, including malware detection capabilities for high-speed networks, for national cyber protection organizations.
The Company competes with Bosch Security Systems, Cisco Systems, Inc., United Technologies Corp., Honeywell International Inc., Aqsacom Inc., BAE Systems, JSI Telecom, NICE, Pen-Link, Ltd., RCS S.R.L., Rohde & Schwarz, Trovicor, SS8 Networks, Inc. and Sophos, Plc.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Verint Systems (NASDAQ: VRNT) shares rose 3.88% to $48.75. The volume of Verint Systems shares traded was 881% higher than normal. Verint reported better-than-expected fourth-quarter results and issued a strong full-year forecast. Verint reported its adjusted earnings of $0.91 per share on revenue of $257.1 million.
- [By Monica Gerson]
Verint Systems (NASDAQ: VRNT) is estimated to post its Q2 earnings at $0.60 per share on revenue of $270.88 million.
Mattress Firm Holding (NASDAQ: MFRM) is projected to report its Q2 earnings at $0.60 per share on revenue of $409.99 million.
- [By Tess Stynes]
Verint Systems Inc.(VRNT) agreed to buy customer-service software firm Kana Software Inc.(SWKH) from private equity firm Accel-KKR for about $514 million in cash, as the data-analysis company seeks to expand its offerings.
- [By Lee Jackson]
Verint Systems Inc. (NASDAQ: VRNT) is a global leader in actionable intelligence solutions. Its portfolio of Enterprise Intelligence Solutions and Security Intelligence Solutions helps organizations make Big Data actionable through the ability to capture, analyze and act on large volumes of rich, complex and often underused information sources — such as voice, video and unstructured text. With Verint solutions and value-added services, organizations of all sizes can make more timely and effective decisions. More than 10,000 organizations in over 150 countries, including more than 80% of the Fortune 100, count on Verint solutions to improve enterprise performance. The J.P. Morgan price target is $51, and consensus estimate is inline at $51.29. Verint closed Tuesday at $47.12.
Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Windstream Corporation(WIN)
Windstream Corporation provides communications and technology solutions in the United States. The company offers various solutions, including IP-based voice and data services, multiprotocol label switching (MPLS) networking, data center and managed services, hosting services, and communications systems to businesses and government agencies. It also provides high-speed Internet, voice, and digital television services to residential customers primarily located in rural areas. The company?s data services include data center and managed hosting, MPLS networking, and dedicated access, as well as high-speed Internet to business customers; integrated solutions consist of multiple voice and data services delivered over an IP connection; voice services comprise local and long distance, call waiting, caller identification, and voicemail; and special access services include point-to-point switching arrangements for voice and data traffic. In addition, it provides wholesale services, which primarily include voice and data services on a wholesale basis to other carriers; usage sensitive services to long distance companies; and other local exchange carriers for access to the network in connection with the completion of long-distance calls, as well as reciprocal compensation received from wireless and other local connecting carriers for the use of its facilities. As of June 30, 2011, the company served approximately 3.3 million access lines, 1.3 million high-speed Internet customers, and operated approximately 60,000 fiber route miles. Windstream Corporation is based in Little Rock, Arkansas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Selena Maranjian]
What to seek and avoid
When you're seeking dividend investments, go ahead and favor hefty dividend yields, but be wary when they're really hefty, because they might be unsustainable. Seek healthy and growing companies, too, and ones that are not paying out more in dividends than they're actually earning. For a sobering lesson, check out an article from October of last year by my colleague Brian Stoffel, who wrote about "3 Extremely Dangerous Dividends," discussing rural telecom specialist Windstream (NASDAQ: WIN ) , supermarket concern Roundy's (NYSE: RNDY ) , and electronics retailer RadioShack (NYSE: RSH ) . It hasn't been much more than five months since the article was published, and while Windstream's payout is intact, RadioShack's has disappeared, and Roundy's has roughly been cut in half. Windstream may have low profit margins and a lot of debt, but it's been investing in new directions and growing its revenue. Roundy's is also saddled with debt and low margins, and operates in a tough industry. Still, it's at least free-cash-flow positive. RadioShack has long been struggling and recently posted shrinking quarterly revenue and widening losses. One ray of hope is its new CEO, turnaround specialist Joseph Magnacca. - [By Dan Caplinger]
For years, investors turned to lesser-known telecom companies for high dividend yields. Windstream (NASDAQ: WIN ) and Frontier Communications (NASDAQ: FTR ) became especially popular, as they focused on rural areas where consumers have fewer choices on where to get telecom services. Even though those businesses have been in slow decline, both Frontier and Windstream have made efforts to broaden their offerings to keep up with competition in broadband Internet and business services, with varying degrees of success. Windstream has managed to keep its dividend steady, but Frontier had to cut its dividend twice in recent years, sending its shares down substantially.
- [By Seth Jayson]
Windstream (Nasdaq: WIN ) reported earnings on May 9. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), Windstream missed slightly on revenues and missed estimates on earnings per share.
Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II(PFN)
PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II is a closed-ended fixed income mutual fund launched and managed by Allianz Global Investors Fund Management LLC. It is co-managed by Pacific Investment Management Company LLC. The fund invests in the fixed income markets of the United States. It invests in securities of companies operating across the diversified sectors. The fund invests in floating-rate debt instruments primarily high-yield senior floating-rate loans. It employs fundamental analysis with top-down approach to create its portfolio. The fund conducts an in-house research to make its investments. It was formerly known as PIMCO Floating Rate Strategy Fund. PIMCO Income Strategy Fund II was formed on June 30, 2004 and is domiciled in the United States.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Gerard Lewis]
Pimco Income Strategy II Fund (PFN) - 15% Allocation
Pimco has a mind-boggling number of fixed-income offerings, all, at least by reputation, influenced by the philosophies of legendary "bond king" Bill Gross. PFN is the pick here, though, because it yields about 9.5% while selling at roughly 2% below NAV. And it's personally managed by Mr. Gross.
Best Integrated Utility Stocks To Invest In 2014: Lancaster Colony Corporation(LANC)
Lancaster Colony Corporation engages in the manufacture and marketing of consumer products focusing primarily on specialty foods for the retail and foodservice markets in the United States. The company operates in two segments, Specialty Foods, and Glassware and Candles. The Specialty Foods segment produces and sells food products, including salad dressings and sauces under the Marzetti, T. Marzetti, Cardini?s, Pfeiffer, and Girard?s brands; fruit glazes, vegetable dips, and fruit dips under T. Marzetti brand; Greek yogurt vegetable dips under the Otria brand; frozen breads under New York BRAND and Mamma Bella brands; frozen Parkerhouse style yeast dinner rolls and sweet rolls, as well as biscuits, under the Sister Schubert?s, Marshall?s, and Mary B?s brands; premium dry egg noodles under the Inn Maid and Amish Kitchen brands; frozen specialty noodles and pastas under the Reames and Aunt Vi?s brands; croutons and related products under the New York BRAND, Texas Toast , Chatham Village, Cardini?s, and T. Marzetti brands; and caviar under the Romanoff brand. This segment markets its products through sales personnel, food brokers, and distributors to retail, club store, foodservice, and industrial markets. The Glassware and Candles segment produces and markets candles, candle accessories, and other home fragrance products in various sizes, forms, and fragrance in retail markets to mass merchants, supermarkets, drug stores, and specialty shops under the Candle-lite brand name. This segment also sells candles, glassware, and various other products to customers in commercial markets, including restaurants, hotels, hospitals, and schools. The company was founded in 1961 and is based in Columbus, Ohio.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
Specialty-foods maker�Lancaster Colony� (NASDAQ: LANC ) �announced yesterday�its second-quarter dividend of $0.40 per share, a 5% increase over the $0.38 per share payout it's made the last two quarters. It marks the 200th consecutive dividend payment it has made putting it in elite company, as only 16 other companies have�increased its regular cash dividend each year for 50 consecutive years.
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