Amazon (NASDAQ: AMZN ) is firing on all cylinders, and Bezos' e-commerce behemoth will roll over any brick-and-mortar retailer that stands in its way... right?
Amazon's net sales in the company's first quarter were up about $2.02 billion, or 22%. Meanwhile, some brick-and-mortar retailers are struggling to grow their top line, and Amazon is likely at fault (or at least partly). Best Buy (NYSE: BBY ) , for instance, saw revenue decline 9.6%, and comparable-store sales fall 1.3% from the year-ago quarter. Amazon rival Barnes & Noble continues to face rough waters; revenue continues to slide, and the company's CEO recently resigned.
For brick-and-mortar retailers in Amazon's lane, all is lost -- or so it seems. Is there any hope for Amazon competitors? Possibly. Are brick-and-mortar retail stocks competing with Amazon all a dangerous bet? Not necessarily.
A look at Amazon competitors Best Buy and Wal-Mart (NYSE: WMT ) reveals some promising numbers.
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Boral Ltd (BLD)
Boral Limited (Boral), is engaged in the manufacture and supply of building and construction materials in Australia, the United States and Asia. The Company�� operating segments include Construction Materials & Cement, Building Products, Boral Gypsum, and Boral USA. The Construction Materials & Cement is engaged in quarries, concrete, asphalt, transport, landfill, property, cement and concrete placing. The Building Products segment is engaged in Australian bricks, roof tiles, masonry, timber products and windows. The Boral Gypsum involves Australian and Asian plasterboard. The Boral USA is engaged in Bricks, cultured stone, roof tiles, fly ash, concrete and quarries. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Eric Lam]
Ballard Power (BLD), which designs and manufactures hydrogen fuel cells, slumped 15 percent to C$1.42, the biggest decline since March. The company yesterday said it will sell about 9 million units at $1.40 a unit for proceeds of about $12.6 million. The cash generated will be used to fund working capital, support growth and general corporate purposes, the company said.
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Diamondback Energy Inc (FANG)
Diamondback Energy, Inc., incorporated on December 30, 2011, is an independent oil and natural gas company. The Company is focused on the acquisition, development, exploration and exploitation of unconventional, onshore oil and natural gas reserves in the Permian Basin in West Texas. The Company is the operator of Janey 16H in Upton County with a 3,842 foot lateral in the Wolfcamp B interval. During the year ended December 31, 2012, the Janey 16H had produced a total of 48 thousand barrels of oil and 62 million cubic feet of natural gas. As of December 31, 2012, the Company had drilled 193 gross (176 net) wells, and participated in an additional 18 gross (eight net) non-operated wells, in the Permian Basin. Of these 211 gross wells, 191 were completed as producing wells and 20 were in various stages of completion. In the aggregate, as of December 31, 2012, it held interests in 225 gross (201 net) producing well in the Permian Basin.
The Company�� activities are primarily focused on the Clearfork, Spraberry, Wolfcamp, Cline, Strawn and Atoka formations, which it refers to collectively as the Wolfberry play. The Wolfberry play is characterized by high oil and liquids rich natural gas, multiple vertical and horizontal target horizons, extensive production history, long-lived reserves and high drilling success rates. The Wolfberry play is a modification and extension of the Spraberry play, the majority of which is designated in the Spraberry Trend area field. As of December 31, 2012, its estimated proved oil and natural gas reserves were 40,210 million barrels of oil equivalent based on a reserve report prepared by Ryder Scott Company L.P. (Ryder Scott), its independent reserve engineers. Of these reserves, approximately 29.5% are classified as proved developed producing, (PDP). Proved undeveloped (PUD), reserves included in this estimate are from 306 vertical gross well locations on 40-acre spacing and four gross horizontal well locations. As of December 31, 2012, these proved reserves wer! e approximately 65% oil, 21% natural gas liquids and 14% natural gas.
The Company had have 881 identified potential vertical drilling locations on 40-acre spacing based on its evaluation of applicable geologic and engineering data as of December 31, 2012, and had an additional 1,118 identified potential vertical drilling locations based on 20-acre downspacing. It also has identified 731 potential horizontal drilling locations in multiple horizons on its acreage. The Company�� second horizontal well, Kemmer 4209H in Midland County is a non-operated well in which the Company owns a 47% working interest. In 2012, the Kemmer 4209H produced a total of 41 thousand barrels of oil and 45 million cubic feet of natural gas. In addition to the Janey and Kemmer wells, as of February 28, 2013, the Company had three additional horizontal wells in Midland County and four horizontal wells in Upton County in various stages of development. In Midland County, it drilled the ST25-1H well (83% working interest) with a lateral length of 4,617 feet.
In Upton County, the Company drilled three additional wells, the Neal 8-1H (100% working interest) with a lateral length of 7,652 feet, the Neal 8-2H (100% working interest) with a lateral length of 6,658 feet and the Janey 3H (100% working interest) with a lateral length of 4,629 feet. It completed a 32 stage frac on the Neal 8-1H well in January 2013. As of February 26, 2013, flowback operations were underway and for the last seven days the well averaged 806 barrel of oil equivalent per day with a peak rate of 871 barrel of oil equivalent per day with an 85% oil component.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Robert Rapier]
Viper Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: VNOM) also debuted on June 18, but saw much stronger demand. VNOM is a spinoff from one of the hottest independent oil and gas producers in the Permian Basin,�Diamondback Energy�(NASDAQ: FANG). Since its own IPO in October 2012, Diamondback Energy has rallied more than 400 percent, and its market capitalization has grown to $4.6 billion.
- [By Robert Rapier]
Viper Energy Partners�(NASDAQ: VNOM), a spinoff from�Diamondback Energy�(NASDAQ: FANG). Viper owns mineral rights on 14,804 acres in the Permian Basin in West Texas, and became the first US-listed partnership structured on the basis of royalty payments
- [By Michael Cintolo]
Diamondback Energy (FANG) went public in October 2012, and has been growing at a breakneck pace ever since. The company currently explores and is developing the oil-rich Wolfberry area of the Permian Basin in West Texas.
Top Electric Utility Stocks To Buy For 2015: Astrotech Corporation(ASTC)
Astrotech Corporation operates as a commercial aerospace company in the United States. The company provides spacecraft payload processing and related services; designs and manufactures space hardware; and commercializes space technologies for use on the earth. It also offers satellite launch processing support to government and commercial customers for their communication, earth observation, and deep space satellites. The company?s processing activities consist of satellite ground transportation; pre-launch hardware integration and testing; satellite encapsulation, fueling, launch pad delivery; and communication linked launch control, as well as engineering services. In addition, it develops Miniature Chemical Detector, a chemical analyzer for use on international space station, as well as detects residues and vapors from a range of chemicals, including explosives, chemical warfare agents, toxic chemicals, and volatile organic compounds. The company serves the United Stat es Government and commercial satellite and spacecraft customers. Astrotech Corporation was founded in 1984 is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Peter Graham]
The Q3 2014 earnings report for small cap space stock Orbital Sciences Corp (NYSE: ORB), a potential peer of Alliant Techsystems Inc (NYSE: ATK) who ORB is actually merging with plus Astrotech Corp (NASDAQ: ASTC) which actually just completed the sale of�part of its�space business to subsidiary of Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE: LMT) and Toronto listed Macdonald Dettwiler & Associates Ltd (TSE: MDA), is scheduled for before the market opens on Thursday (October 16th). Aside from the Orbital Sciences Corp earnings report, it should be said that Alliant Techsystems Inc will report earnings before the market opens on October 30th; Astrotech Corp reported Q4 2014 earnings on September 29th (they completed the sale of Astrotech Space Operations in August); and Macdonald Dettwiler & Associates Ltd will report earnings on October 29th after the market closes.��
- [By Roberto Pedone]
Astrotech (ASTC) operates as a commercial aerospace company in the U.S. This stock closed up 7.2% to $3.26 a share in Thursday's trading session.
Thursday's Range: $3.02-$3.31
52-Week Range: $0.61-$4.05
Thursday's Volume: 295,000
Three-Month Average Volume: 570,805From a technical perspective, ASTC spiked sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $2.96 with lighter-than-average volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last four months, with shares moving higher from its low of 63 cents per share to its recent high of $4.05. During that uptrend, shares of ASTC have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. This spike on Thursday is now starting to push shares of ASTC within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if ASTC manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.50 to $3.75 and then once it takes out its 52-week high at $4.05 with high volume.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ASTC as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $2.66 or above more near-term support at $2.62 and then once it sustain a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 570,805 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ASTC will set up to enter new 52-week high territory, which is bullish technical price action. Some possible upside targets of that breakout are $5 to $5.50.
- [By Quick Pen]
American aerospace and defense giant Lockheed Martin (LMT) recently announced its plans of acquiring the satellite wing of Astrotech Corp. (ASTC), Astrotech Space Operations. Lockheed expects to close the deal by the third quarter of the current year. After the deal closes, Astrotech Space Operations would become the wholly owned subsidiary of Lockheed Martin and would operate under the company�� Space Systems business segment.
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Kansas City Southern (KSU)
Kansas City Southern, through its subsidiaries, engages primarily in the freight rail transportation business. It operates north/south rail between Kansas City, Missouri, and various ports along the Gulf of Mexico in Alabama, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Texas in the midwest and southeast regions of the United States. The company also operates direct rail passageway between Mexico City and Laredo in Texas, serving various Mexico?s industrial cities and 3 of its shipping ports; and a 157-mile rail line extending from Laredo, Texas to the port city of Corpus Christi, Texas, as well as owns the northern half of the rail bridge at Laredo, Texas. In addition, Kansas City Southern holds a concession to operate a 47-mile railroad located adjacent to the Panama Canal, as well as operates and promotes commuter and tourist passenger services. Further, the company operates a bulk materials handling facility with deep-water access to the Gulf of Mexico at Port Arthur, Texas that stores and transfers petroleum coke from rail cars to ships primarily for export; and a railroad wood tie treatment facility. It serves customers conducting business in various industries, including electric-generating utilities, chemical and petroleum products, industrial and consumer products, agriculture and mineral products, automotive products, and intermodal freight transportation. The company was formerly known as Kansas City Southern Industries, Inc. and changed its name to Kansas City Southern in 2002. Kansas City Southern was founded in 1962 and is based in Kansas City, Missouri.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Dan Caplinger]
But CSX has recognized the potential of moving important commodities like crops and oil from the center of the country to the East Coast. The success that Union Pacific (NYSE: UNP ) has had in transporting oil across the country has inspired plenty of copycat moves from its railroad rivals as they all seek to make up for lost revenue elsewhere. For its part, CSX expects to spend $2.3 billion on infrastructure improvements like higher bridges, larger tunnels, and improving clearance to allow for double-decker-container transport to ports on the Atlantic coast. Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU ) is also trying to capitalize on this trend, with its own plans to spend half a billion dollars on capital expenditures this year.
- [By Sara Murphy]
CSX (NYSE: CSX ) and Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU ) are all over the eastern seaboard, and they're both getting skin in the game. CSX plans to spend $2.3 billion on wide-ranging expansion activities such as raising highway bridges, enlarging mountain tunnels, and clearing obstacles to make room for double-decker containers from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic ports.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Kansas City Southern (NYSE: KSU) were down 15.32 percent to $99.22 after the company reported downbeat Q4 earnings. International Game Technology (NYSE: IGT) shares tumbled 14.16 percent to $15.15 after the company reported weaker-than-expected fiscal first-quarter results. Sterne Agee downgraded the stock from Buy to Neutral and cut the price target from $21.50 to $18.00. First Niagara Financial Group (NASDAQ: FNFG) was down, falling 10.79 percent to $9.22 on Q4 results. The company issued weak FY14 earnings outlook.
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Fiserv Inc.(FISV)
Fiserv, Inc. and its subsidiaries provide various financial services technology solutions. Its solutions include electronic commerce systems and services, such as transaction processing, electronic bill payment and presentment, business process outsourcing, document distribution services, and software and systems solutions. The company operates in two segments, Payments and Industry Products, and Financial Institution Services. The Payments and Industry Products segment provides electronic bill payment and presentment services, and debit and other card-based payment products and services to meet the electronic transaction processing needs of the financial services industry. It also offers Internet banking, investment account processing services for separately managed accounts, card and print personalization services, and fraud and risk management products and services. The Financial Institution Services segment provides account processing services, item processing services , loan origination and servicing products, cash management and consulting services, and other products and services that support various types of financial transactions. The company serves banks, thrifts, credit unions, investment management firms, leasing and finance companies, retailers, merchants, and government agencies. It has operations in the United States, Argentina, Australia, Canada, China, Colombia, Costa Rica, France, India, Indonesia, Luxembourg, Malaysia, Mexico, the Netherlands, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, Poland, Singapore, and the United Kingdom. Fiserv, Inc. was founded in 1984 and is headquartered in Brookfield, Wisconsin.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jay Jenkins]
For U.S. Bancorp, a fine of this magnitude is nothing more than a slap on the wrist. However, it is a harbinger for change in how regulators view third-party relationships. Banks will now have to think long and hard about outsourcing, even to reputable companies like Jack Henry and Associates (NASDAQ: JKHY ) and Fiserv (NASDAQ: FISV ) .�
- [By Lee Jackson]
Fiserv Inc. (NASDAQ: FISV) is a leading global technology provider serving the financial services industry, driving innovation in payments, processing services, risk and compliance, customer and channel management, and business insights and optimization. The company announced last month a 10 million share buyback, which is almost 8% of the outstanding shares. The consensus price target for the stock is $100.
- [By Rich Smith]
On Tuesday, the regional banker, which does business in 16 states throughout the American South, Midwest, and Texas, announced it's inked a deal with online banking software Fiserv (NASDAQ: FISV ) to revamp its online banking and bill-pay system to enhance the customer experience.
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: T. Rowe Price Group Inc.(TROW)
T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. is a publicly owned asset management holding company. The firm primarily provides its services to individual and institutional investors, retirement plans, and financial intermediaries. Through its subsidiaries it manages separate client-focused equity, fixed income, and balanced portfolios along with mutual funds. It also provides advisory services. The firm invests in the public equity, venture capital, and fixed income markets across the globe. T. Rowe Price Group was founded in 1937 and is based in Baltimore, Maryland with additional offices in London, United Kingdom; Central Hong Kong, Hong Kong; Tokyo, Japan; and Singapore.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
T. Rowe Price Group (Nasdaq: TROW ) reported earnings on April 24. Here are the numbers you need to know.
The 10-second takeaway
For the quarter ended March 31 (Q1), T. Rowe Price Group met expectations on revenues and beat slightly on earnings per share. - [By Michael Flannelly]
Analysts at Susquehanna raised the price target and earnings estimates on T. Rowe Price Group, Inc. (TROW) early on Wednesday.
The analysts maintain a “Neutral” rating on TROW, but now see shares reaching $74, up from the previous target of $70. This new price target suggests a 4% upside to the stock’s Tuesday closing price of $70.98.
Susquehanna analyst Doug Sipkin noted, ��e are raising our 3Q13 and full-year estimates. Our 3Q estimate is now $0.93 compared to $0.91, previously. Our full-year 2013 and 2014 estimates are $3.77 and $4.11 compared to $3.72 and $3.95, previously. The revision is reflective of solid equity performance for the quarter in the range of 8%-9%. We are modeling total outflows of $2 billion. Shares are screening cheaper than they have in some time. However, questions remain regarding the pace of other portfolio outflows, lack of buyback activity, and choppy mutual fund flows. We do raise our target to $74 to reflect the earnings revision but we believe shares are now a ��how me��story, which is unusual for T. Rowe Price. Investors want stabilization in other portfolios and buybacks. We would view either as a potential catalyst. Reiterate Neutral.��/p>
T. Rowe Price Group shares were up 78 cents, or 1.10%, during morning trading on Wednesday. The stock is up 10.2% year-to-date.
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Elizabeth Arden Inc.(RDEN)
Elizabeth Arden, Inc., a beauty products company, engages in the manufacture, distribution, marketing, and sale of fragrances, skin care, and cosmetic products to retailers and other outlets worldwide. It offers various fragrance products for men and women, including perfume, colognes, eau de toilettes, eau de parfums, body sprays, and gift sets, as well as bath and body products, such as soaps, deodorants, body lotions, gels, creams, and dusting powders. The company sells its fragrance products under the Red Door, Elizabeth Arden 5th Avenue, Elizabeth Arden green tea, Pretty Elizabeth Arden, Curve, Giorgio Beverly Hills, PS Fine Cologne, White Shoulders, Juicy Couture, Kate Spade New York, John Varvatos, Rocawear, Alberta Ferretti, Halston, Geoffrey Beene, Alfred Sung, Bob Mackie, and Lucky. Its skin care products comprise moisturizers, creams, lotions, and cleansers under the Ceramide, Prevage, Eight Hour Cream, and Visible Difference. The company?s cosmetic products co nsist of foundations, lipsticks, mascaras, eye shadows, and powders in various shades and colors under the Elizabeth Arden brand name. Elizabeth Arden, Inc. sells its products primarily to department and specialty stores, mass retailers, perfumeries, boutiques, distributors, and travel retail outlets, as well as to independent fragrance, cosmetic, gift, and other stores. It also markets and sells its products through its e-commerce site at elizabetharden.com. The company was founded in 1960 and is headquartered in Miramar, Florida.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Lisa Levin]
Elizabeth Arden (NASDAQ: RDEN) shares fell 1.66% to touch a new 52-week low of $27.32. Elizabeth Arden's trailing-twelve-month profit margin is 2.99%.
- [By John Kell]
Elizabeth Arden Inc.(RDEN) tempered its expectations for the fiscal year and then said it would withdraw those targets, as the beauty-products company warned of lower sales and a weaker-than-expected holiday season. Shares dropped 21% to $27.18 premarket.
- [By Jack Kramer and Nick Martell] What's the best way to share your enthusiasm for stocks reaching new records? "Primp" your dog to look like a panda. (It's the cool thing to do in China right now, according to the New York Post. Seriously.) The Dow Jones Industrial Average (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) (DJINDICES: ^DJI ) gained 20 points Tuesday, touching a new all-time high midday.
1. Cosmetics giant Elizabeth Arden delivers ugly earnings
It's too bad you can't put some foundation and blush on a corporate earnings report to make it look better. That's what the cosmetics chemists over at makeup giant Elizabeth Arden (NASDAQ: RDEN ) wish they had done after the stock fell 22.8% Tuesday following its unattractive earnings report -- revenue fell 20% last quarter to $210.8 million, well below the $256.9 million Wall Street expected.
Unlike everyone's favorite model, Heidi Klum, Elizabeth Arden struggled all across Planet Earth to kick off 2014. In North America, sales fell 23% as the company launched fewer fragrances than usual and dealt with the brutal winter weather deterring beauty-seeking consumers. And despite Arden's presence in 120 countries worldwide, international sales fell 16% after management "strategically decides" to reduce its shipments to avoid giving out brand-hurting discounts at the end of the season.
The takeaway is that Elizabeth Arden is trying to get picked up like it's on a corporate date. Just last month, Household Health & Care announced that it was interested in purchasing Arden. So during the earnings report, the company tried to please investors by mentioning that it's working with Goldman Sachs, as if the bank is a matchmaker, to explore "strategic options" for its future.
2. Green Mountain Coffee Roasters enjoys some Coke love
It was a caffeine surge for Keurig Green Mountain (NASDAQ: GMCR ) after soda giant Coca-Cola (NYSE: KO ) announced Tuesday it will buy millions more share
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: Orchids Paper Products Company(TIS)
Orchids Paper Products Company manufactures private label tissue products for the consumer market in the United States. Its product line includes paper towels, bathroom tissue, and paper napkins. The company also offers its products under the Orchids, Velvet, Colortex, Ultra Valu, Dri-Mop, Big Mopper, Soft & Fluffy, Tackle, My-Size, and Care brand names. It serves value retailers (dollar stores), discount retailers, grocery stores, grocery wholesalers and cooperatives, and convenience stores. The company markets its products directly, as well as through independent brokers. Orchids Paper Products Company was founded in 1976 and is headquartered in Pryor, Oklahoma.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By David Goodboy]
My next step was to locate stocks in this industry. One company stood out above the rest as a top performer with plenty of upside. That company is Orchids Paper Products Co. (NYSE: TIS).
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: ANA Holdings Inc (ALNPF)
ANA HOLDINGS INC., formerly All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd., is a Japan-based airline holding company. Its Air Transportation segment is engaged in the air transportation business, the provision of various services at airports, the provision of reservation services via telephone, the freight express business, and the maintenance of aircrafts in domestic and overseas markets. The Traveling segment plans and sells tour packages under the brand names ANA Hello Tour and ANA Sky Holiday, it also offers services to travelers at arrival areas and sells travel products and air tickets. The Others segment involves in the information communication, trading and merchandise business, building management, logistics and airplane fixture repair business, and hotel operation. On March 4 and March 5, 2013, it fully acquired all shares of one and two consolidated subsidiaries through stock swap, respectively, made them become wholly-owned subsidiaries. Advisors' Opinion:- [By Daniel Inman]
In Tokyo, ANA Holdings (JP:9202) � (ALNPF) �declined 4.7% after the airline lowered its 2013 fiscal-year net profit forecast by 65% on higher fuel costs and slow service expansion because of delays in Boeing (BA) �787 Dreamliner deliveries.
Top 10 Promising Stocks To Invest In 2015: G&K Services Inc (GK)
G&K Services, Inc., incorporated on December 1, 1934, provides branded uniform and facility services programs. The Company serves a base of approximately 170,000 customers. The Company serves customers in all industries, including automotive, warehousing, distribution, transportation, energy, manufacturing, food processing, pharmaceutical, retail, restaurants, hospitality, government, healthcare and many others. The Company provides service to customers of almost every size, from Fortune 100 companies to small and midsize firms. The Company has one million people within its customer base who wear G&K work apparel every work day. In January 2014, the Company announced that it has sold its direct sale program business.
The Company's customer focused relationships involve customers renting or directly purchasing uniforms and providing facility products and services to meet a variety of critical needs in the workplace, including Image, Organization safety and security, Brand awareness, Employee retention, Employee protection and Product protection. The Company also offers facility services programs that provide a range of dust control, maintenance, hand care and hygiene products and services. They include floor mat offerings (traction control, logo, message, scraper, anti-fatigue), towel products (shop, kitchen, bar, bath, dish, continuous roll, microfiber), mop offerings (dust, microfiber, wet), fender covers, selected linen items and restroom hygiene products. The Company's providing of regularly scheduled weekly service of these products and services helps the Company's customers maintain a clean, safe and attractive environment within their facilities for their employees and customers.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Seth Jayson]
Calling all cash flows
When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on G&K Services (Nasdaq: GK ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.
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