Merchants jumped to upgrade and protect their systems. Along with data security companies, payment processors and lawmakers on Capitol Hill they joined a growing chorus calling for better standards and technology to safeguard data.
Target, after acknowledging that as many as 110 million customers had personal information and card data stolen, said it would speed up its adoption of more secure payment technology. Suddenly, banks were being pressured to issue customers new cards with microchips, which have been used in Europe for more than 20 years. Congressional committees asked, with urgency, what more could be done.
Top 10 Safest Companies To Watch In Right Now: Alterra Capital Holdings Ltd(ALTE)
Alterra Capital Holdings Limited, together with its subsidiaries, provides specialty insurance and reinsurance products to corporations, public entities, and property and casualty insurers in North America, Europe, and internationally. It offers professional liability products, which include errors and omissions insurance, employment practices liability insurance, and directors and officers insurance; excess liability products, such as excess umbrella liability insurance, excess product liability insurance, excess medical malpractice insurance, and excess product recall insurance; and property insurance, as well as provides airline, general aviation, and aerospace insurance. The company also offers reinsurance products consisting of agriculture, auto, aviation, credit/surety, general casualty, marine and energy, medical malpractice, professional liability, property, whole account, and workers? compensation reinsurance. In addition, it offers general liability, inland mari ne, and ocean marine insurance; accident and health insurance and reinsurance, financial institutions insurance, and surety reinsurance; and employers? and public liability insurance, and medical malpractice insurance, as well as life and annuity reinsurance. The company was formerly known as Max Capital Group Ltd. and changed its name to Alterra Capital Holdings Limited in May 2010. Alterra Capital Holdings Limited was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Steve Symington]
About that whale...
If that weren't enough, Markel also announced this morning it has officially completed its $3 billion acquisition of Alterra (NASDAQ: ALTE ) , which, as I noted back in February, was a radical departure from Markel's typically smaller buyout targets. While it will undoubtedly take some time to fully integrate Alterra's operations, management expressed excitement for Alterra's ability to help Markel expand its global footprint in the insurance and reinsurance market.
Top Gas Utility Stocks For 2014: Cynosure Inc.(CYNO)
Cynosure, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets aesthetic treatment systems to the dermatology, plastic surgery, and general medical markets. Its aesthetic treatment systems incorporate a range of laser and other light-based energy sources, including Alexandrite, pulse dye, Nd:Yag, and diode lasers, as well as intense pulsed light. The company?s aesthetic treatment systems comprise the Elite product line for hair removal, treatment of facial, and leg veins and pigmentations; the Smartlipo product line for LaserBodySculpting for the removal of unwanted fat; the Cellulaze, SmoothShapes XV, and TriActive product line for the temporary and long-term reduction in the appearance of cellulite; the Affirm/SmartSkin product line for anti-aging applications, such as treatments for wrinkles, skin texture, skin discoloration, and skin tightening; the Cynergy product line for the treatment of vascular lesions; and the Accolade product line for the removal of benign pigmented lesion s, as well as multi-colored tattoos. It sells its products through a direct sales force in North America, France, Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, Korea, China, Japan, and Mexico; and through international distributors in 84 other countries. Cynosure, Inc. was founded in 1991 and is based in Westford, Massachusetts.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
Small cap hair, eye, skin�care and disease management stock PhotoMedex Inc (NASDAQ: PHMD), a potential peer of small caps�Cynosure, Inc (NASDAQ: CYNO), Cutera, Inc (NASDAQ: CUTR) and�Syneron Medical Ltd (NASDAQ: ELOS), is ranked as the�twelfth most shorted stock on the Nasdaq with short interest of 38.25% according to Highshortinterest.com.�PhotoMedex does face its share of headwinds as a lackluster economy and low consumer confidence limits demand for its products and services.The company is also in default of the credit facilities.
- [By John Udovich]
Large cap serial acquirer�Valeant Pharmaceuticals International Inc (NYSE: VRX) is teaming up with activist investor�Bill Ackman to pursue large cap Botox maker Allergan, Inc (NYSE: AGN), but stocks like Cutera, Inc (NASDAQ: CUTR), Cynosure, Inc (NASDAQ: CYNO), PhotoMedex Inc (NASDAQ: PHMD) and Syneron Medical Ltd (NASDAQ: ELOS)�actually offer investors more exposure to the growing anti aging and aesthetics market (Note: See my recent article: These Small Caps Seek to Treat Your Crow�� Feet and Double Chin (RVNC & KYTH)). To begin with, Valeant Pharmaceuticals International has a wide focus on neurology, dermatology and infectious diseases�but acquiring the maker of Botox won�� be its first foray into the aesthetic market�because earlier this year, the company completed its acquisition of Solta Medical Inc (NASDAQ: SLTM) -�a designer, developer, manufacturer and marketer of�energy-based medical device systems for aesthetic applications.�And while�Allergan, Inc may be most well known for Botox, its actually a pretty big�company focused on a diverse range of areas, including ophthalmic pharmaceuticals, dermatology, neuroscience, urology and cosmetics���meaning the following stocks offer investors better exposure to the aesthetics market:
Top Gas Utility Stocks For 2014: British American Tobacco PLC (BATS)
British American Tobacco p.l.c. (British American Tobacco) is a holding company. The Company�� four principal brands include Dunhill, Kent, Lucky Strike and Pall Mall. The Company has many other famous international and local brands, including Rothmans, Vogue, Viceroy, Kool, Peter Stuyvesant and Benson & Hedges. The Company�� brands are sold in over 180 markets. The Company�� products include Cigarettes, Smokeless snus and Cigars. The Company has over 44 cigarette factories in 39 countries. In addition to cigarettes, the Company makes cigarillos, roll your own and pipe tobacco. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Namitha Jagadeesh]
European stocks advanced for a fifth day, their longest rally this year, as data showed the U.K. avoided a triple-dip recession and as companies including British American Tobacco Plc (BATS) reported results.
Top Gas Utility Stocks For 2014: Tronox Ltd (TROX)
Tronox Limited, incorporated on September 21, 2011, is engaged in production and marketing of titanium bearing mineral sands and titanium dioxide pigment (TiO2). The Company�� TiO2 products are critical components of everyday applications, such as coatings, plastics, paper and other applications. The Company�� mineral sands business consists primarily of two product streams: titanium feedstock and zircon. The Company operates in three segments: mineral sands, pigment and corporate and other. The corporate and other include its electrolytic manufacturing business. It has operations in North America, Europe, South Africa and the Asia-Pacific region. The Company operates three TiO2 facilities at the locations in Hamilton, Mississippi, Botlek, The Netherlands, and Kwinana, Western Australia, representing approximately 465,000 tons of annual TiO2 production capacity. In addition, it operates three separate mining operations: KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) Sands located in South Africa, Namakwa Sands located in South Africa and the Tiwest Joint Venture located in Western Australia, which has a combined annual production capacity of approximately 723,000 tons of titanium feedstock and approximately 265,000 tons of zircon. On June 15, 2012, the existing business of Tronox Incorporated was combined with the mineral sands business under Tronox Limited.
Mineral Sand segment
The Company's minerals segment includes the exploration, mining and beneficiation of mineral sands deposits. These operations produce titanium feedstock, including ilmenite, chloride slag, slag fines and rutile, as well as zircon, pig iron and activated charcoal. Titanium feedstock is used primarily to manufacture TiO2. Zircon is a mineral which is primarily used as an opacifier in ceramic glazes for tiles, plates, dishes and industrial products.
Pigment segment
The Company's pigment segment primarily produces and markets TiO2, and has production facilities in the United States, Australia, and the! Netherlands. TiO2 is used in a range of products due to its ability to impart whiteness, brightness and opacity. TiO2 is used in the manufacture of coatings, plastics and paper and in a range of other applications, including inks, fibers, rubber, food, cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. TiO2 is a critical component of everyday consumer applications due to its superior ability to cover or mask other materials effectively and efficiently relative to alternative white pigments and extenders.
Corporate and other
Corporate and other is comprised of corporate activities and businesses that are no longer in operation, as well as its electrolytic manufacturing and marketing operations, all of which are located in the United States. It�� electrolytic and other chemical products operations are focused on advanced battery materials, sodium chlorate and specialty boron products.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Neha Chamaria]
On the same day that DuPont declared its intentions, Tronox (NYSE: TROX ) , another big TiO2 producer, chipped in with a similar announcement to increase prices effective June 1. These two were among the only major TiO2 companies that were left to jump on the price-hike bandwagon. Others, like Huntsman (NYSE: HUN ) and Kronos Worldwide, already took the plunge some weeks back.
- [By John Udovich] Kronos Worldwide, Inc. Since 1916, Kronos Worldwide has been producing titanium dioxide pigments (TiO2), the world's primary pigment for providing whiteness, brightness and opacity. Kronos Worldwide also owns the�world�� largest mining operation of ilmenite, the raw material used for titanium products such as white pigment titanium oxide and titanium metal products. Citi analyst�James Finnerty told clients in a note Monday that Kronos Worldwide�could be a target for�Tronox Ltd (NYSE: TROX)�as the�combined entity would account for 19% of global titanium dioxide capacity. Moreover, a buyout�offer could be partially funded by a seven-year $1.5 billion term loan that Tronox Ltd secured in March, with around $700 million used to pay down existing debt. On Monday, Kronos Worldwide rose 7.96% to $18.58 (KRO has a 52 week trading range of $14.44 to $20.52 a share) for a market cap of $2.15 billion plus the stock is down 4.7% since the start of the year and up 273.1% over the past five years. Kronos Worldwide has no P/E and has a forward dividend of $0.60 for a dividend yield of 3.5%.
- [By Rich Smith]
Stamford, Conn.-based Tronox Limited (NYSE: TROX ) has a new CFO.
Tronox announced this week that it has hired former Rio Tinto business development officer Katherine C. Harper to become its new Chief Financial Officer. In a statement, company CEO Tom Casey expressed confidence that "her deep knowledge� in both sectors [the global mining and chemical industries], as well as her work in international financial markets will help drive Tronox's strategic vision of growth and profitability."
No comments:
Post a Comment