Often, when faced with significant losses, some investors become rattled and shaken, maybe even frightened away from investing entirely, but now Norman Rothery of Globe Investor has some possible ways to protect yourself and your portfolio.
The sharp smell of singed electronics reminds me of a conversation I had, in a physics lab, while fixing a distressed piece of equipment. My colleague and I talked about his encounters with the stock market and the fact that his portfolio was also in dire need of a tune-up.
He first got into the market in the mid-1980s after stocks had advanced smartly. But his resolve was tested in late 1987 when the S&P 500 suddenly lost just over 20%, on what became known as Black Monday. The plunge scared him out of stocks.
But the 1987 crash turned out to be a temporary blip in a much longer bull market. These days, it's easy to wonder what the big deal was all about, even though the crash was quite worrisome at the time.
Top Valued Stocks For 2015: Silver Spring Networks Inc (SSNI)
Silver Spring Networks, Inc., incorporated on July 3, 2002, provides a networking platform and solutions that enable utilities to transform the power grid infrastructure into the smart grid. The Company�� networking platform provides two-way communications between the utility back office and devices on the power grid. In addition to its networking platform, it offers a suite of solutions that run on top of its network and complementary services, all of which is referred to as its Smart Energy Platform. Its service offerings include professional services to implement its products, managed services and software as a service ( SaaS), to assist utilities with managing the network and solutions, and ongoing customer support. Its Smart Energy Platform consists of hardware, software and services and combines with devices manufactured by third-party partners to form end-to-end smart grid offerings.
The Company�� solutions include advanced metering, which allows utilities to automate a number of manual processes and improve operational efficiencies, offer flexible pricing programs to consumers, and improve customer service with faster outage detection and restoration; distribution automation, which provides utilities with real-time visibility into the health of the grid, enabling better management and control of power distribution assets to improve grid reliability, and demand-side management, which enables utilities to offer consumers a variety of programs and incentives to use energy more efficiently and reduce usage at times of peak demand. The Company markets its Smart Energy Platform directly to utilities around the world. The Company�� network is composed of its hardware, such as access points and relays, its UtilOS network operating system, and GridScape software suite, which together provide utilities the ability to communicate with and control devices connected to the power grid.
The Company also offers a suite of solutions that run on top of its network, including ad! vanced metering, distribution automation, and demand-side management. These solutions include additional hardware, such as its communications modules and bridges, and applications from UtilityIQ and CustomerIQ software. Its solutions combine with devices from the large number of third parties with whom it collaborates to form end-to-end smart grid offerings built on its network. In addition, itoffers a range of services that enable its utility customers to deploy, operate and maintain its networking platform and solutions. These service offerings include professional services to implement its products, managed services and SaaS to assist utilities with managing the network and solutions, and ongoing customer support.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Roberto Pedone]
A technology stock that's quickly moving within range of triggering a big breakout trade is Silver Spring Networks (SSNI), which provides a networking platform and solutions that enable utilities to transform the power grid infrastructure into the smart grid. This stock has been on a hot streak over the last six months, with shares up by 22%.
If you look at the chart for Silver Spring Networks, you'll notice that this stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $14.63 to its recent high of $22 a share. During that uptrend, shares of SSNI have been making mostly higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of SSNI within range of triggering a big breakout trade.
Traders should now look for long-biased trades in SSNI if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at $22 to $22.73 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 491,731 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then SSNI will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $23.90 to its gap down day high from August at $25.25 a share. Any high-volume move above $25.25 a share will then give SSNI a chance to re-fill some of that previous gap down zone that started near $32 a share.
Traders can look to buy SSNI off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below some key near-term support at $19.01 a share, or near $18 a share. One can also buy SSNI off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.
- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Silver Spring Networks (NYSE: SSNI) were down 23.66 percent to $17.91 after the company issued downbeat Q4 forecast. Credit Suisse downgraded the stock from Outperform to Neutral and cut the price target from $26.00 to $23.00. - [By John Udovich]
Although small cap smart metering stock Silver Spring Networks Inc (NYSE: SSNI) recently soared on earnings, it also plunged yesterday�after loosing�out on important contract ��meaning it might be time to take a closer look at it along with other smart metering stocks like Itron, Inc (NASDAQ: ITRI) or Echelon Corporation (NASDAQ: ELON) to see if they are smart investments.
Top 10 Net Payout Yield Companies To Own For 2014: Hercules Technology Growth Capital Inc (HTGC)
Hercules Technology Growth Capital, Inc. (HTGC), incorporated on December 18, 2003, is an internally managed, non-diversified closed-end investment company. The Company is a specialty finance company focused on providing senior secured loans to venture capital-backed companies in technology-related markets, including technology, biotechnology, life science, and clean-technology industries at all stages of development. The Company's investment objective is to maximize the Company's portfolio total return by generating current income from its debt investments and capital appreciation from its equity-related investments. The Company invests primarily in structured debt with warrants and, to a lesser extent, in senior debt and equity investments. The Company also makes investments in qualifying small businesses through two wholly-owned, small business investment company (SBIC) subsidiaries, Hercules Technology II, L.P. (HT II) and Hercules Technology III, L.P. (HT III).
The Company focuses its investments in companies active in the technology industry sub-sectors characterized by products or services that requires advanced technologies, including, but not limited to, computer software and hardware, networking systems, semiconductors, semiconductor capital equipment, information technology infrastructure or services, Internet consumer and business services, telecommunications, telecommunications equipment, renewable or alternative energy, media and life science. Within the life science sub-sector, the Company generally focuses on medical devices, bio-pharmaceutical, drug discovery, drug delivery, health care services and information systems companies. Within the clean technology sub-sector, the Company focuses on sustainable and renewable energy technologies and energy efficiency and monitoring technologies. The Company refers to all of these companies as technology-related companies and intend, under normal circumstances, to invest at least 80% of the value of its assets in such businesses. Advisors' Opinion:
- [By Helix Investment Research]
Keating Capital is far from the only publicly traded pre-IPO investment company. There are several others, including GSV Capital (GSVC) and Firsthand Technology Value Fund (SVVC). Hercules Technology Growth Capital (HTGC) is also a pre-IPO fund, but with the bulk of its assets (over 92%) invested into loans to and debt of private companies, as opposed to their equity, the company's investment philosophy is different than that of these other pre-IPO funds. Unlike GSV Capital and Firsthand, Keating Capital, as a matter of policy, always purchases equity directly from portfolio companies, never from secondary markets such as SharesPost or SecondMarket. Mr. Keating outlined that this is due to the company's requirement that it be given access to all relevant financial data and managerial projections of its portfolio companies at all times, something that Mr. Keating believes is essential to being able to make informed investor decisions. We note that shares of Facebook (FB) and Twitter are conspicuously absent from Keating Capital's portfolio; the company declined to purchase shares of either company due to an inability to acquire direct financial information regarding these companies. In addition, Keating Capital has a stated goal of investing in the most senior equity securities available at each portfolio company.
- [By Bryan Perry]
My first BDC recommendation for you is Hercules Technology Growth Capital (HTGC). Based in Palo Alto, Calif., Hercules is a leading specialty finance company that provides venture debt and equity to venture capital and private equity-backed technology and life-science companies.
Top 10 Net Payout Yield Companies To Own For 2014: Kimberly-Clark Corporation(KMB)
Kimberly-Clark Corporation, together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and marketing of various health care products worldwide. The company operates in four segments: Personal Care, Consumer Tissue, K-C Professional & Other, and Health Care. The Personal Care segment provides disposable diapers, training and youth pants, and swimpants; baby wipes; and feminine and incontinence care products, and related products. It offers its products primarily for household use under various brand names, including Huggies, Pull-Ups, Little Swimmers, GoodNites, Kotex, Lightdays, Depend, and Poise. The Consumer Tissue segment offers facial and bathroom tissue, paper towels, napkins, and related products for household use under the Kleenex, Scott, Cottonelle, Viva, Andrex, Scottex, Hakle, and Page brands. The K-C Professional & Other segment offers facial and bathroom tissue, paper towels, napkins, wipers, and a range of safety products for the away-from-home marketplace und er Kimberly-Clark, Kleenex, Scott, WypAll, Kimtech, KleenGuard, Kimcare, and Jackson brand names. The Health Care segment offers disposable health care products, such as surgical drapes and gowns, infection control products, face masks, exam gloves, respiratory products, pain management products, and other disposable medical products under the Kimberly-Clark, Ballard, and ON-Q brand names. The company sells its products to supermarkets; mass merchandisers; drugstores; warehouse clubs; variety and department stores; retail outlets; manufacturing, lodging, office building, food service, and health care establishments; and high volume public facilities. It markets its products through wholesalers, distributors, and direct sales. The company was founded in 1872 and is based in Dallas, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Monica Gerson]
Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB) is estimated to report its Q3 earnings at $1.40 per share on revenue of $5.23 billion.
Cree (NASDAQ: CREE) is projected to post its Q1 earnings at $0.39 per share on revenue of $392.31 million.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Procter & Gamble (NYSE: PG ) will release its quarterly report on Friday, and investors have watched the stock hit new all-time record highs in November before falling back in the past two months. Despite the optimism, Procter & Gamble earnings face pressure from international giant Unilever (NYSE: UL ) as well as domestic rivals Colgate-Palmolive (NYSE: CL ) and Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB ) . The question facing investors is whether P&G can sustain its longtime competitive advantages against its rivals and bolster its growth.
Top 10 Net Payout Yield Companies To Own For 2014: Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings(AAWW)
Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings, Inc. provides air cargo and outsourced aircraft operating solutions worldwide. The company operates through four segments: Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance (ACMI); Air Mobility Command (AMC) Charter; Commercial Charter; and Dry Leasing. The ACMI segment offers aircraft that is crewed, maintained, and insured by the company for lease. The AMC Charter segment provides full planeload charter flights to the U.S. military. The Commercial Charter segment provides planeload of capacity charter services to charter brokers, freight forwarders, direct shippers, and airlines. The Dry Leasing segment provides for the leasing of aircraft and/or engines to customers. The company operates a fleet of Boeing 747 freighters. Its customers include airlines, express delivery providers, freight forwarders, the U.S. military, and charter brokers. It operates in Asia, the Middle-East, Australia, Europe, South America, Africa, and North America. As of Decem ber 31, 2009, the company operated a fleet of 747-400 freighter aircraft. Atlas Air Worldwide Holdings was founded in 1992 and is based in Purchase, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Anders Bylund]
Jet chartering service Atlas Air Worldwide (NASDAQ: AAWW ) started a poison pill in 2009 "during a period of turmoil," only to cancel it a year later when the risk of hostile takeover attempts had waned. Shares of Atlas have fallen 20% since the cancellation, while the S&P 500 surged 66% higher, but Atlas is most certainly an independent company today.
Top 10 Net Payout Yield Companies To Own For 2014: American Water Works(AWK)
American Water Works Company, Inc. provides water and wastewater services to residential, commercial, industrial, public, and other customers in the United States and Canada. As of December 31, 2010, the company served approximately 15 million people with drinking water, wastewater, and other water-related services in approximately 30 states and 2 Canadian provinces. It owned approximately 90 surface water treatment plants, 600 groundwater treatment plants, 1,200 groundwater wells, 60 wastewater treatment facilities, 1,300 treated water storage facilities, 1,300 pumping stations and 100 dams, and 49,000 miles of mains and collection pipes. American Water Works Company also enters into public/private partnerships, including operation and maintenance contracts; and design, build, and operate contracts for the provision of services to water and wastewater facilities for municipalities and the United States military. In addition, it enters into contracts to operate and maintai n water and wastewater facilities for the United States military, municipalities, the food and beverage industry, and other customers; and provides services to domestic homeowners to protect against the cost of repairing broken or leaking pipes inside and outside their homes. Further, the company provides biosolids management, transport, and disposal services to municipal and industrial customers. Additionally, it offers granular carbon technologies and products for cleansing water and wastewater, wastewater residuals management services, and water and wastewater facility engineering services. The company was founded in 1886 and is based in Voorhees, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rich Duprey]
The country's largest water utility is getting larger. American Water (NYSE: AWK ) subsidiary Pennsylvania American Water -- that state's largest utility -- has acquired�a municipal wastewater system in Beaver County that provides wastewater collection and treatment services to approximately 500 customers in Koppel Borough and a portion of Big Beaver Borough.
- [By David Dittman]
Question: I like the H2O business. I��e owned American Water Works Co Inc (NYSE: AWK) for eons. Is there any compelling reason to own more than one water utility? At what point does is there no marginal benefit added? I do like Connecticut Water Service Inc (NSDQ: CTWS) and York Water Co (NSDQ: YORW) as slow, consistent growers.
As Ben Franklin said, ��ittle strokes fell great oaks.��/p>
Top 10 Net Payout Yield Companies To Own For 2014: Dolby Laboratories Inc (DLB)
Dolby Laboratories, Inc., incorporated in 1967, develops and delivers products and technologies that are used in the entertainment industry. Its audio technologies are used throughout the global entertainment industry. It is developing and marketing video technologies to improve the quality of video presentation. Its offerings include video products aimed at the cinema market, such as its digital cinema server, its Dolby three-dimensional (3D) Digital Cinema products, and its Dolby PRM-4200 Professional Reference Monitor. It offers products and services to content creators, such as studios, broadcasters, and downloadable content service providers to encode content using Dolby�� technologies. As of September 24, 2010, the Company sold its products and provide services in over 85 countries. In addition, it has licensed its technologies to CE manufacturers and to software vendors in 40 countries, which in turn distribute their products incorporating its technologies throughout the world.
The Company designs and manufactures video and audio products for the film production, cinema, and television broadcast industries. Distributed in over 60 countries, these products are used in content creation, distribution and playback to improve image and sound quality, provide surround sound, and increase the efficiency of sound storage and distribution. Its product sales are derived from sales of its digital 3D products, which provide 3D capabilities, as well as sales of digital cinema servers that load, store, decrypt, and decode encrypted digital film files for presentation on digital projectors in theaters. Revenue is also derived from sales of its traditional cinema processors, which movie theaters use to process film soundtracks, and from sales of broadcast products used to encode and distribute content to viewers. It also offers related digital cinema processors and media adapters to decode digital cinema soundtracks, and digital cinema accessories that allow exhibitors to integrate its digital ! cinema servers with their existing automation systems.
The Company offers a variety of services to support film production, television broadcast and music production. The Company enters into service agreements with motion picture studios or filmmakers to provide them with production services related to the preparation of a Dolby soundtrack, such as equipment calibration, mixing room alignment and equalization. Dolby provides other services, such as print quality control, professional film mastering services to prepare movies for digital release, and theatre system calibration for important screenings, such as premieres, film festivals, and press screenings. Its engineers also provide training, system design consultation and onsite technical expertise to cinema operators throughout the world to help them configure their screening rooms and equipment to ensure that movies are replayed with consistent high quality.
The Company�� technologies include dolby digital, dolby digital plus, dolby digital surround EX, dolby digital EX, advanced audio coding (AAC), HE AAC, dolby pulse, dolby trueHD, dolby E, dolby digital live, dolby pro logic II, dolby pro logic II(x), dolby pro logic IIz, dolby virtual speaker, dolby headphone, dolby mobile, dolby axon, PC entertainment experience (PCEE), dolby digital stereo creator, dolby digital 5.1 creator, dolby volume, dolby contrast, dolby vision and analog signal processing technologies. Its products include traditional cinema processors, digital cinema products, digital 3D products, digital media adapters, broadcast products and professional reference monitor.
Traditional cinema processors are used to read, decode and play back a film�� soundtrack and calibrate the sound system in a movie theater. Digital cinema products are used for digital cinema encoding, distribution and playback. Our digital cinema server is used to load, store, decrypt, decode and re-encrypt digital film files for presentation on a digital cinema project! or. We al! so provide products that encrypt, encode and package digital films, and digital cinema processors to decode digital cinema soundtracks. Digital 3D products deliver a 3D image with an existing digital cinema server and white screen, providing exhibitors a flexible 3D solution. Its Dolby 3D glasses feature high-quality multicoated lenses with a special curvature that delivers 3D images.
Digital media adapters are used to adapt existing analog cinema audio systems to the latest digital audio technologies. Broadcast products are used to encode, transmit and decode multiple channels of high-quality audio for Digital Television (DTV) and high-definition television (HDTV) program production and broadcast distribution and to measure the subjective loudness of audio content within broadcast programming. Professional reference monitor is a video monitor used during the production and post-production of cinematic and video content in situations, where grade one reference performance is required.
The Company competes with Audyssey Laboratories, DTS, Fraunhofer Institute for Integrated Circuits, Microsoft, Philips, RealNetworks, Sonic Solutions, Sony, SRS Labs, Thomson, Barco, Doremi, GDC, IMAX, MasterImage 3D, NEC, Panavision, QSC Audio Products, Qube Cinema, REAL D, Technicolor, Texas Instruments, USL, XpanD and DTS.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Steve Symington]
Enter Dolby 3D
That's why I'm so intrigued by Monday's news that Dolby (NYSE: DLB ) and Philips (NYSE: PHG ) have collaborated in a joint project to create a new content delivery specification for the Dolby 3D format, which will be part of a "suite of technologies" to more easily allow content creators the ability to make, deliver, and play back glasses-free 3-D content. - [By Steve Symington]
Given the last 2.5 years, it seems an understatement to say Dolby (NYSE: DLB ) shareholders have had it tough.
Following the stock's relentless climb through the end of 2011, shares of the audio specialist have underperformed the S&P 500 by almost 75% as demand for its products waned in its core PC, DVD, and Blu-ray device markets:
- [By Rich Duprey]
Enter Dolby Labs' (NYSE: DLB ) glasses-free technology, which could revolutionize or at least revitalize the�3-D TV industry.
In partnership with Philips (NYSE: PHG ) , the sound specialist is developing a suite of technologies that are used during production and in the TV sets themselves that allows viewers to see a picture in�3-D without having to wear glasses. Moreover, the technology works�on any 3-D TV, tablet, laptop, or smartphone, and can convert any 2-D display into an equally sharp 3-D display.
Top 10 Net Payout Yield Companies To Own For 2014: Ultratech Inc.(UTEK)
Ultratech, Inc. develops, manufactures, and markets photolithography and laser thermal processing equipment. It supplies step-and-repeat photolithography systems based on one-to-one imaging technology to semiconductor device manufacturers for applications involving line geometries of 0.75 microns or greater and to nanotechnology manufacturers. The company?s steppers are also used to manufacture semiconductors that are used in various applications, such as telecommunications, automotive control systems, power systems, and consumer electronics. It also supplies 1X photolithography systems to thin film head manufacturers; and offers LSA100, a laser-based thermal annealing tool used by the semiconductor industry for various process steps, including activation of implanted impurities, dielectric film formation, formation of silicides, and stabilization of copper grain structures. Ultratech, Inc. sells its systems to semiconductor, advanced packaging, high-brightness light emit ting diodes, thin film head, and various other nanotechnology manufacturers in North America, Europe, and Asia. The company was founded in 1979 and is headquartered in San Jose, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Evan Niu, CFA]
What: Shares of Ultratech (NASDAQ: UTEK ) dropped today by as much as 13% after the company reported earnings that fell short of expectations.
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