Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015

David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images Applications for U.S. home mortgages decreased last week with potential buyers shying away from the market as rates held steady just below their two-year highs. The Mortgage Bankers Association said its seasonally adjusted index of mortgage application activity, which includes both refinancing and home purchase demand, declined 3.7 percent in the week ended July 26. It was the seventh week in a row the index has been lower. The MBA's seasonally adjusted index of loan requests for home purchases, a leading indicator of home sales, fell 3.4 percent. Fixed 30-year mortgage rates averaged 4.58 percent, unchanged from the week before and only 10 basis points below a two-year high hit earlier in July. Rates have risen sharply since early May, pushed higher by the Federal Reserve's plan to start slowing its economic stimulus later this year if the economy progresses as expected. The Fed is currently buying $85 billion in bonds a month to keep borrowing costs low. The cheap mortgage rates have helped lure homebuyers and worries have emerged that higher costs could take some of the strength out of the housing market's recovery. Still, most economists don't expect it to derail housing's growth altogether. Rates have risen about 1 percentage point since early May, but still remain low by historical standards. Refinancing activity has been hit harder than purchases by the rise in rates, which makes refinancing less lucrative. The gauge of refinancing applications fell 3.8 percent. The refinance share of total mortgage activity was unchanged at 63 percent of applications. The survey covers more than 75 percent of U.S. retail residential mortgage applications, according to MBA.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: The Navigators Group Inc.(NAVG)

The Navigators Group, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in underwriting ocean marine, property and casualty, professional liability, and specialty insurance products and services. The company?s marine and inland marine insurance products include marine and energy liability, cargo, craft/fishing vessel, bluewater hull, brownwater hull, protection and indemnity, war, customs bonds, commercial output policy, construction, transportation, specialty, specie, and marine excess-of-loss reinsurance Its property and casualty insurance products comprise general and environmental liability, umbrella and excess, offshore energy, onshore energy, operational engineering, construction, life sciences, exporters package liability, accident and health reinsurance, Latin America property and casualty reinsurance, agriculture reinsurance, professional liability reinsurance, bloodstock, and the U.S. casualty insurance products. The company?s professional liability products inclu de directors and officers, employment practices, fiduciary, crime, accountants professional, lawyers professional, insurance agent errors and omissions, miscellaneous professional, technology and media, design professionals, and real estate agent liability insurance products. The Navigators Group, Inc. distributes its products through global, national, and regional retail and wholesale insurance brokers. The company was founded in 1981 and is based in Rye Brook, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Tower Group has dropped 12% to $3.88 today at 11:39 a.m., while Stewart Information Services (STC) has dipped 0.1% to $31.16, the�Navigators Group�(NAVG) has fallen 1.4% to $54.78 and HCI Group�(HCI) has gained 1% to $38.16.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

  Tower Group has dropped 40% to $4.43 today, and some other small insurers are also getting dinged this morning. HCI Group (HCI) has fallen 1.8% to $39.36, Stewart Information Services (STC) has declined 0.7% to $31.36 and the Navigators Group (NAVG) has ticked down 0.4% to $56.10.

• [By CRWE]

  The Navigators Group, Inc. (NASDAQ:NAVG) reported that its principal underwriting agency subsidiary, Navigators Management Company, Inc., has expanded Adrien T. Robinson’s responsibilities to include the open-brokerage products of Life Sciences, Global Package, Environmental Casualty, Commercial Auto and Excess Casualty Retail. Mr. Robinson was previously President of the Environmental Casualty division.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: Vimicro International Corporation(VIMC)

Vimicro International Corporation, through its subsidiaries, designs, develops, and markets mixed-signal semiconductor products and system-level solutions for the consumer electronics, communications, and surveillance markets in Mainland China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, and Hong Kong. It provides mixed-signal multimedia processors for personal computer and embedded notebook cameras, as well as for mobile phones. The company also offers system-level solutions that include integrated semiconductors, customizable firmware and software, software development tools, reference designs, and applications support. In addition, it provides security and surveillance products comprising video capturing, compression, transmission, storage, processing, display, and video analysis products. Further, the company involves in packaging, testing, and reselling third party image sensors. It sells its multimedia processor products through direct sales force and distributors to original design manuf acturers, original equipment manufacturers, design houses, and module manufacturers, as well as its security and surveillance products to government entities, telecommunications operators, schools, banks, railway companies, supermarkets, and theaters. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Beijing, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap stocks Vimicro International Corporation (NASDAQ: VIMC), Cohu, Inc (NASDAQ: COHU) and View Systems Inc (OTCBB: VSYM) are also surveillance and security stocks because they�also offer products that can be used to keep an eye on us���for better or for worst. After all and go to any public space (whether its a shopping mall, entertainment venue or even a street corner), you will probably see (or maybe not see) some sort of security or surveillance equipment. With that in mind, here is a look at three small cap surveillance and security stocks you may have overlooked:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Beijing-based Vimicro International Corp. (NASDAQ: VIMC) was up about 33% after the company raised its guidance for the fourth quarter of 2013 and the first quarter of 2014. The company is a fabless designer and marketer of mixed-signal processors and other products for the consumer, communications and surveillance markets in China and Hong Kong. Shares trade at around $4.00 in a 52-week range of $1.10 to $4.64, and that high was set earlier today. About 1.4 million shares had traded hands, more than 10 times the daily average of around 100,000.

• [By John Udovich]

  Small cap security and surveillance stocks like Vimicro International Corporation (NASDAQ: VIMC), TASER International, Inc (NASDAQ: TASR), Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc (NASDAQ: KTOS)�and View Systems Inc (OTCBB: VSYM) have been producing a steady stream of news lately for investors and traders alike to digest. After all, the entire�security and surveillance industry is pretty vast as it would include everything from airport scanners to security cameras or monitoring equipment to actual weapons for domestic or national defense to software securing everyone�� personal or online data to the technology groups like the NSA and other "Big Brother" agencies use to spy on us. With that in mind, here is a look at the latest news from important small cap security and surveillance stocks:

Top Long Term Stocks To Buy Right Now: Special Opportunities Fund Inc.(SPE)

Special Opportunities Fund, Inc. is a close-ended fund of funds launched and managed by Brooklyn Capital Management LLC. It invests in close-ended funds investing in public equity and fixed income markets. The fund employs a combination of value, opportunistic and special situations strategies to make its investments. It benchmarks the performance of its portfolio against the S&P 500 Index. The fund was previously known as Insured Municipal Income Fund, Inc. Special Opportunities Fund, Inc. was formed on February 18, 1993 and is domiciled in the United States.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Whopper Investments]

  For example, his Special Opportunity Fund (SPE) needed more capital to effectively implement its activist strategy after he took over. Unfortunately, most of the ways to raise capital are expensive and seriously dilute shareholder value. For example, a common stock offering, the most common way a closed end fund would raise capital, has to be priced at a discount and an investment bank needs to be paid to organize and sell it. Obviously, paying to issue shares at a discount is a disaster for long term shareholder value, so he instead pursued a rights offering for convertible preferred stock, which allowed the company to raise money without the expense of an investment bank while allowing shareholders the opportunity to increase their holdings in the fund without paying a commission. From the prospectus,

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: SAP AG(SAP)

SAP AG provides business software primarily in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, the Americas, and the Asia Pacific Japan region. The company?s products includes SAP Business Suite software, which supports large organizations in their core business operations, such as supplier relationship, production, warehouse management, sales, administration, and customer relationship; SAP Business All-in-One, a business management software that assists midsize companies in managing various business functions, including financials, human resources, procurement, inventory, manufacturing, logistics, product development, sales, and marketing; SAP Business One, a business management application for small businesses; and SAP Business ByDesign, an on-demand solution for integrated business management applications. Its products also comprises SAP BusinessObjects Edge business intelligence and enterprise performance management solutions; Xcelsius, a data visualization software; Crystal Reports, which helps users design interactive reports; Sybase IQ, an optimized analytics server designed to deliver results for business intelligence, analytics, data warehousing, and reporting solutions; SAP solutions for sustainability; and SAP NetWeaver technology platform, which integrates information and business processes across various technologies and organizational structures. In addition, the company offers industry and solution-focused, business transformation, information technology transformation, custom development, and support services; and program, project management, quality assurance, and education and certification services. It sells its products through its subsidiaries and resellers. SAP AG has a strategic relationship with Cap Gemini S.A. to develop and deploy enterprise mobility solutions. The company was formerly known as SAP Aktiengesellschaft Systeme, Anwendungen, Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung. SAP AG was founded in 1972 and is headquartered in Walldorf , Germany.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James Miller Phd]

  Bullish analysts think Salesforce is leader in the on-demand delivery of CRM software, and providing its services in the public cloud will attract more customers as the cheaper cost and more mature product poses strong competition to Oracle�� and SAP AG (SAP)�� products. However, many customers are reluctant to put all of their information in the public cloud due to security and compliance concerns, making more attractive the hybrid cloud solutions. Keep watching how business develops in the technological field as well as the new Asia-Pacific expansion driven by the increased business Japanese segment.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: Questar Corporation(STR)

Questar Corporation operates as an integrated natural gas holding company. The company develops and produces natural gas and crude oil from its properties located in the Rocky Mountain region, primarily in the Pinedale, Moxa Arch, Vermillion, and Uinta producing areas. It also provides interstate natural gas-transportation and underground-storage services in Utah, Wyoming, and Colorado; and wellhead automation and measurement services for Rockies oil and gas producers. The company owns and operates approximately 2,568 miles of interstate pipeline with total firm-capacity commitments of 4,983 Mdth per day transporting natural gas from Rocky Mountain producing areas to other pipeline systems, distribution systems, and other utility systems; the Overthrust Pipeline in southwestern Wyoming and the eastern segment of Southern Trails Pipeline, a 487-mile line that extends from the Blanco hub in the San Juan Basin to just inside the California state line near the Arizona border; the White River Hub facilities that connect with 6 interstate-pipeline systems and a processing plant near Meeker, Colorado; the Clay Basin storage facility, an underground-storage reservoir in the Rocky Mountain region; and gathering lines and processing facilities, which provide gas-processing services for third parties near Price, Utah. In addition, it distributes natural gas as a public utility in Utah, southwestern Wyoming, and a small portion of southeastern Idaho. Questar Corporation was founded in 1922 and is headquartered in Salt Lake City, Utah.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Justin Loiseau]

  Questar (NYSE: STR  ) announced today that it is adding on to its natural gas investments. The company's subsidiary, Wexpro, has entered into an agreement to acquire $106.4 million of gas-producing property by increasing its working interest from 46% to 88% in 78 Wexpro-operated wells in southwestern Wyoming.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: Ingram Micro Inc. (IM)

Ingram Micro Inc. distributes information technology (IT) products; and provides supply chain solutions, mobile device lifecycle services, and logistics solutions worldwide. The company�s IT peripherals include printers, scanners, displays, projectors, monitors, panels, mass storage, and tape; large format LCD and plasma displays, enclosures, mounts, media players, content software, and content creation and hosting; mobile phones, digital cameras and video disc players, game consoles, televisions, audio, media management, and home control products; barcode/card printers, AIDC scanners and software, and wireless infrastructure products; IP video surveillance, security and fire alarm systems, and access control smart cards; processors, motherboards, hard drives, and memory products; and ink and toner supplies, paper, carrying cases, and anti-glare screens. It also provides various systems, including rack, tower, and blade servers; desktops; portable personal computers and t ablets; and software products, such as business application, operating system, entertainment, security, storage, and virtualization software products, as well as middleware and developer software tools. The company�s networking products comprise switches, hubs, routers, wireless local area networks, wireless wide area networks, network interface cards, cellular data cards, network-attached storage, and storage area networks; voice over Internet protocol, communications, modems, phone systems, and video/audio conferencing; and firewalls, virtual private networks, intrusion detection, and authentication devices and appliances. In addition, it provides integration, technical support, training, financial and credit, marketing, predictive analytics, eCommerce, reseller community hosting, managed, cloud, managed print, and professional services. The company sells its products to resellers through sales representatives. Ingram Micro Inc. was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in Santa Ana, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Geoff Gannon]

  A huge net-net like Ingram Micro (IM) with nine out of ten years of profits in the last decade is pretty unusual. And Ingram operates on a razor-thin margin. It usually makes about one cent in profit for every dollar of sales.

• [By Jon C. Ogg]

  The first list of 24/7 Wall St. stocks under book value for the month of August are Apache Corp. (NYSE: APA), Fresh Del Monte Produce Inc. (NYSE: FDP), Genworth Financial Inc. (NYSE: GNW), Ingram Micro Inc. (NYSE: IM) and JetBlue Airways Corp. (NASDAQ: JBLU). We generally have�focused on net asset values and tangible book values, as well as forward price-to-earnings multiples, share price performance, analyst expectations via the Thomson Reuters consensus price target and more.

• [By Keith Speights]

  My take is that Qualcomm has rapidly established itself as the de facto standard for connecting with medical devices. The company isn't doing it alone, though. It teamed with Ingram Micro (NYSE: IM  ) , the world's largest technology distributor, to support the implementation, logistics, and financial services related to the 2net hub and platform. This partnership should help propagate Qualcomm's technology more effectively than the company could have done on its own.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: Foot Locker Inc (FL)

Foot Locker, Inc., incorporated on April 7, 1989, is a global retailer of shoes and apparel, operating 3,335 primarily mall-based stores in the United States, Canada, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand as of February 2, 2013. The Company operates in two segments: Athletic Stores and Direct-to-Customers. The Athletic Stores segment is an athletic footwear and apparel retailer whose formats include Foot Locker, Lady Foot Locker, Kids Foot Locker, Champs Sports, Footaction, and CCS. The Direct-to-Customers segment includes Footlocker.com, Inc. and other affiliates, including Eastbay, Inc. and CCS, which sell to customers through Internet websites, mobile devices, and catalogs. In September 2013, the Company acquired Runners Point Warenhandels GmbH (Runners) from Hannover Finanz GmbH.

Athletic Stores

Foot Locker is a global athletic footwear and apparel retailer. Its stores offer the products manufactured primarily by the athletic brands. Foot Locker offers products for a variety of activities, including basketball, running, and training. Additionally, the Company operates 65 House of Hoops, primarily a shop-in-shop concept, which sells basketball inspired products. Foot Locker�� 1,883 stores are located in 23 countries, including 1,072 in the United States, Puerto Rico, United States Virgin Islands, and Guam, 129 in Canada, 590 in Europe, and a combined 92 in Australia and New Zealand. The domestic stores have an average of 2,300 selling square feet and the international stores have an average of 1,500 selling square feet. Lady Foot Locker is a United States retailer of athletic footwear, apparel, and accessories for active women. Its stores carry athletic footwear and apparel brands, as well as casual wear and an assortment of apparel designed for a variety of activities, including running, walking, training, and fitness. In November 2012, the Company announced the introduction of a new banner named SIX:02. This new banner is an elevated retail concept featuring brand! s in fitness apparel and athletic footwear for women. Lady Foot Locker and SIX:02 operate 300 and 3 stores, and are located in the United States, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. These stores have an average of 1,300 selling square feet.

The Company�� Kids Foot Locker is a national children�� athletic retailer that offers a selection of brand-name athletic footwear, apparel and accessories for children. Its stores feature an environment geared to appeal to both parents and children. Its 305 stores are located in the United States, Puerto Rico, the United States Virgin Islands, Europe, and Canada. These stores have an average of 1,400 selling square feet. Footaction is a national athletic footwear and apparel retailer. Its 283 stores are located throughout the United States and Puerto Rico and focus on marquee footwear and branded apparel. The Footaction stores have an average of 2,900 selling square feet. Champs Sports is a mall-based specialty athletic footwear and apparel retailers in North America. Its product categories include athletic footwear and apparel, and sport-lifestyle inspired accessories. Its 539 stores are located throughout the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and the United States Virgin Islands. The Champs Sports stores have an average of 3,500 selling square feet. As of February 2, 2013, the Company operated 22 stores in the United States.

Direct-to-Customers

The Company�� Direct-to-Customers segment is multi-branded and multi-channeled. This segment sells, through its affiliates, directly to customers through its Internet websites, mobile devices, and catalogs. The Direct-to-Customers segment operates the Websites for eastbay.com, final-score.com, eastbayteamservices.com, ccs.com, as well as Websites aligned with the brand names of its store banners (footlocker.com, ladyfootlocker.com, kidsfootlocker.com, footaction.com, and champssports.com). Eastbay is a direct marketer in the United States, providing the high sch! ool athle! te with a sports solution, including athletic footwear, apparel, equipment, team licensed, and private-label merchandise. CCS serves the needs of the 12-20 year old seeking an authentic board lifestyle shop. CCS is anchored in skate but appealing to the surrounding board culture. The CCS format offers board lifestyle merchandise that will fit the needs of the customer all year long and stocks a selection of both core and lifestyle brands. The retail store operations of CCS are included in the Athletic Stores segment.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Vinay Singh]

  In fact, peer Foot Locker (FL), which concentrates more on basketball products, could not match up with Finish Line's same-store sales. In its recent quarter, Foot Locker witnessed comparable store sales growth of 4.1%, with total sales growing 6.4% to $1.6 billion over last year. However, both Foot Locker and Finish Line witnessed growth in basketball sales. The popular brands were Jordan and Nike (NYSE: NKE), which saw increased demand.

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: Medifirst Solutions Inc (MFST)

Medifirst Solutions, Inc. (MSI), incorporated in November 2010, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in business planning activities, including researching the industry, identifying target markets for its products, developing its Medifirst Solutions, Inc. models and financial forecasts. The Company has diverse product line, including both consumer products and digital media. The Company intends to launch Florida Health Community as an on-line healthcare directory and social media site geared towards both professionals and consumers. MSI also intends to produce a tabloid size newsletter with healthcare industry related news and events. Its products include Miracle-cig and Florida Health Community Website and newsletter. In February 2014, the Company announced that it has acquired Consumer Resources Consultants Inc., a provider of online remote technical support to PC users.

The Florida Health Community Website is designed to be a medical directory with a social media component for users. The Miracle-cig is a name for its brand of disposable electronic cigarette. It is sold online at www.miraclecig.com. It intends to offer the Miracle-cig through retail outlets and convenience stores throughout the United States. It intends to add an electronic cigarette that is packaged and marketed to consumers 21 to 25 years old. The Miracle-cig will be sold at a suggested retail price of $9.95 per unit. It purchases the Miracle-cig directly from the manufacturer in China. Florida Health Community.com (FHC) is a Website currently under construction.

The Company competes with Green Smoke, NJOY. Eco and Blu.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Peter Graham]

  The marijuana field keeps sprouting small cap marijuana stocks like Primco Management Inc (OTCBB: PMCM), Medifirst Solutions Inc (OTCMKTS: MFST) and Modern Mobility Aids, Inc (OTCMKTS: MDRM) which are all trying to seek a high by playing up their connections (no matter how tenuous�� to what many consider to be the next high flying sector. But are these small cap marijuana stocks just blowing smoke at investors? Here is a quick reality check:

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: Core Laboratories N.V. (CLB)

Core Laboratories N.V. engages in the provision of reservoir description, production enhancement, and reservoir management services to the oil and gas industry worldwide. The company�s reservoir description services comprise the characterization of petroleum reservoir rock, fluid, and gas samples; and provision of analytical and field services to characterize properties of crude oil and petroleum products. Its production enhancement products and services relate to reservoir well completions, perforations, stimulations, and production, as well as include integrated services to evaluate the effectiveness of well completions and to develop solutions to increase the effectiveness of enhanced oil recovery projects. The company�s reservoir management services consist of the combination and integration of information from reservoir description and production enhancement services to increase production and enhance recovery of oil and gas from clients' reservoirs. Core Laboratori es N.V. markets and sells its services and products through sales representatives, technical seminars, trade shows, and print advertising, as well as through direct sales force, technical experts, operating managers, sales representatives, and distributors in various markets. The company was founded in 1936 and is based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Stoyan Bojinov]

  The Amsterdam-based oil & gas reservoir producer, Core Labs NV (CLB), reported third quarter earnings after the closing bell on Wednesday, which topped analyst projections.

  Core Labs managed to rake in $273.16 million in revenues during the third quarter, marking a sizable improvement over last quarter’s revenues figure which came in at $267.21 million. In terms of earnings-per-share, the company generated $1.36 per share last quarter, beating the projected EPS of $1.34 by two pennies; looking back further, Core Labs has been growing its earnings when considering that its EPS in Q3 one year ago was $1.13.

  Looking ahead, the company expects Q2 2013 EPS of $1.39-$1.40 compared to analyst estimates of $1.38; in terms of revenues, the company sees this figure in the range of $278 million to $281 million compared to the expected $272.6 million.

  Core Labs NV shares inched higher on Wednesday, gaining 0.75% on the day. The stock is up 60% YTD.

• [By Louis Navellier]

  Oil companies are finding it increasingly difficult to extract gas from traditional deposits and are now being forced to look to alternative sources and methods of extraction. And Core Laboratories (CLB) is a Netherlands-based company that provides the technology that oil producers use to develop their oil and gas properties��ncluding reservoir description, production enhancement and reservoir management services. Here’s a quick rundown of those services:

• [By Travis Hoium]

  What: Shares of oil and gas service company Core Laboratories (NYSE: CLB  ) jumped as much as 10% today after the company released first quarter earnings.

• [By Joel South and Taylor Muckerman]

  In this video, Joel South and Taylor Muckerman discuss Core Laboratories'� (NYSE: CLB  ) earnings and prospects. The company reported another record quarterly earnings, at $1.22 per share. Consecutive record quarters are one reason the stock is up 15% year to date. The future looks good, too.�Core Labs provides reservoir description, production enhancement, and reservoir management services to oil companies. As oil becomes increasingly expensive to�produce, Core Labs' services become increasingly important. For investors,�Core Labs converts roughly one quarter of its revenues into free cash. The company also sells at a premium, 30 times earnings. However, given the growth�prospects, this may not be as expensive as the number might suggest. Big Oil uses Core Labs, both for onshore and offshore assets, and this should keep Core Labs generating record quarterly earnings.�

Top 10 Managed Healthcare Stocks To Own For 2015: 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 Seth Jayson]

  There's no foolproof way to know the future for Cynosure (Nasdaq: CYNO  ) or any other company. However, certain clues may help you see potential stumbles before they happen -- and before your stock craters as a result.

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Aesthetic-laser maker Cynosure (NASDAQ: CYNO  ) announced yesterday that it had completed the acquisition of rival laser specialist Palomar Medical Technologies for $146 million cash and 6 million shares for a total value of around $294 million.

• [By John Udovich]

  On Tuesday, small cap biotech stock Kythera Biopharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: KYTH) surged around 25% after announcing that its ATX-101 REFINE-1 and REFINE-2 Phase III trials met all primary and secondary endpoints for the reduction of so-called double chins; but if investors missed out on that rally, small caps Zeltiq Aesthetics Inc (NASDAQ: ZLTQ), Solta Medical Inc (NASDAQ: SLTM) and Cynosure, Inc (NASDAQ: CYNO) each have a piece of the aesthetic market as well. In the case of Kythera Biopharmaceuticals, its ATX-101 can be injected to deal with double chins���meaning its less invasive than liposuction as the drug dissolves fat cells but leaves other tissue alone. JP Morgan has noted: