Tuesday, December 31, 2013

3 Stocks Under $10 in Breakout Territory


DELAFIELD, Wis. (Stockpickr) -- At Stockpickr, we track daily portfolios of stocks that are the biggest percentage gainers and the biggest percentage losers.

>>5 Stocks Set to Soar on Bullish Earnings

Stocks that are making large moves like these are favorites among short-term traders because they can jump into these names and try to capture some of that massive volatility. Stocks that are making big-percentage moves either up or down are usually in play because their sector is becoming attractive or they have a major fundamental catalyst such as a recent earnings release. Sometimes stocks making big moves have been hit with an analyst upgrade or an analyst downgrade.

Regardless of the reason behind it, when a stock makes a large-percentage move, it is often just the start of a new major trend -- a trend that can lead to huge profits. If you time your trade correctly, combining technical indicators with fundamental trends, discipline and sound money management, you will be well on your way to investment success.

>>5 Breakout Trades for a Santa Claus Rally

With that in mind, let's take a closer look at a several stocks under $10 that are making large moves to the upside today.

Medgenics

Medgenics (MDGN) is a medical technology and therapeutics company engaged in providing sustained protein therapies to treat chronic diseases and conditions. This stock closed up 4.8% to $6.54 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $6.31-$6.67

52-Week Range: $3.50-$10.05

Thursday's Volume: 107,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 106,648

>>5 Rocket Stocks to Buy in December

From a technical perspective, MDGN spiked sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $6.15 with above-average volume. This move is starting to push shares of MDGN within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if MDGN manages to take out Tuesday's high of $6.67 to its 50-day moving average of $6.81 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in MDGN as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $6.15 to $5.83 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 106,648 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then MDGN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $7.50 to $8.

InnerWorkings

InnerWorkings (INWK) is a provider of managed print and promotional procurement solutions to corporate clients across a range of industries. This stock closed up 1.2% to $6.56 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $6.42-$6.64

52-Week Range: $5.54-$15.80

Tuesday's Volume: 558,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 511,438

>>5 Stocks Under $10 Set to Soar

From a technical perspective, INWK spiked modestly higher here with above-average volume. This move is starting to push shares of INWK within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if INWK manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $7 to $7.21 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in INWK as long as it's trending above some near-term support at $6 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 511,438 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then INWK will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from November that started at $9.75. Some possible upside targets if INWK gets into that gap with volume are its 50-day at $8.58 to $9.

Acorn Energy

Acorn Energy (ACFN) is a holding company which provides digital solutions for energy infrastructure asset management. This stock closed up 5.5% to $3.79 in Tuesday's trading session.

Tuesday's Range: $3.60-$3.85

52-Week Range: $2.85-$9.90

Tuesday's Volume: 317,000

Three-Month Average Volume: 315,325

>>5 Stocks Poised for Breakouts

From a technical perspective, ACFN spiked sharply higher here right above some near-term support at $3.50 with above-average volume. This move is quickly pushing shares of ACFN within range of triggering a near-term breakout trade. That trade will hit if ACFN manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $3.97 to its 50-day moving average of $4 with high volume.

Traders should now look for long-biased trades in ACFN as long as it's trending above some key near-term support levels at $3.50 or at $3.21, and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 315,325 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then ACFN will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $4.24 to $4.64. Any high-volume move above $4.64 will then give ACFN a chance to tag $5.50 to $6.


To see more stocks that are making notable moves higher today, check out the Stocks Under $10 Moving Higher portfolio on Stockpickr.

-- Written by Roberto Pedone in Delafield, Wis.


RELATED LINKS:



>>4 Stocks Rising on Big Volume



>>5 Hated Earnings Stocks You Should Love



>>5 Short-Squeeze Stocks Ready to Pop

Follow Stockpickr on Twitter and become a fan on Facebook.

At the time of publication, author had no positions in stocks mentioned.

Roberto Pedone, based out of Delafield, Wis., is an independent trader who focuses on technical analysis for small- and large-cap stocks, options, futures, commodities and currencies. Roberto studied international business at the Milwaukee School of Engineering, and he spent a year overseas studying business in Lubeck, Germany. His work has appeared on financial outlets including

CNBC.com and Forbes.com. You can follow Pedone on Twitter at www.twitter.com/zerosum24 or @zerosum24.


Monday, December 30, 2013

Sony Corporation (ADR) (SNE): PS4 Google Trending In The Right Direction

Today is the day that gamers will be able to purchase Sony Corporation's (SNE) PlayStation 4 a.k.a. PS4. It's the generational upgrade since PlayStation 3 was released in the US in 2006. This version will be priced at $399.

As we like to do with much anticipated, new product releases, iStock checked Google Trends to see if we can get a sense of how popular the PS4 will be with consumers. So, we compared search volume intensity for the keywords "PS3" and "PS4"

PlayStation 3 was available for sale on November 17, 2006. At the time, SNE was trading around $40 per share. On May 22, 2007, Sony shares hit an intra-day, 52-week high of $59.84. Obviously, shareholders were happy to ride the success of PS3 for nearly a 50% gain.

[Related -Futures Down Amid Lack Of Catalysts; International Business Machines Corp. (IBM) In Focus]

The question is whether PS4 will follow PS3's success, blaze its own trail, or dash the hopes of investors.

On November 17, 2006, search volume intensity for PS3 peaked at a score of 60 out of 100. Fast forward to today and we find that web queries for PS4 are reaching their high, but about a third less than PS3's November score.

iStock anticipates that PlayStation 4's score will continue its vertical ascent tomorrow. PS3 saw its search volume intensity jump by 69.5% on launch-day verses launch-eve. If the same trend holds, then PS4 should push a Google Trend score of close to 70, which could mean that PS4 will have a more successful start than PS3.

[Related -Sony Options Active As Shares Hit Fresh 52-Week High]

Sony's stock chart shows that investors are gearing up for a hot start. SNE shares have jumped a couple of bucks in the past few days. Wall Street's interest appears to be building as volume is stepping up as tomorrow approaches. In fact, yesterday was one of the top 10 active days for 2013.  

The enthusiasm helped create a bullish MACD crossover, which has been a reliable buy signal for SNE shares in the past year; four-! out-of-four times, Sony's share price increased immediately afterwards. This time, PS4 could prove to be the catalyst that makes it five-for-five.

Overall: Google Trends suggest that PlayStation 4 should be well received by consumers. iStock does have some concerns as PS3 was initially sold at less than what it cost to build the console. If Sony applies the same model again, then margins and the stock could take a hit, which is exactly what happened in 2006 before Sony Corporation's (SNE) embarked on its 50% march higher. 

Wednesday, December 25, 2013

Budget Analysis: A clean jump in the last attempt

Even before the finance minister rose to present the Union budget 2013 before the Parliament, it was quite evident he had an unenviable task of maintaining the balance between the fiscal prudence and populism as this was going to be the last budget before the general elections. While on the one hand the finance minister was expected to revive growth, contain inflation and reduce the current account deficit, on the other hand he needed to keep the UPA hopes alive for the next general elections. To his credit, the finance minister managed to present a prudent and a responsible budget as promised and did not breach the red line of the fiscal deficit. 

While the fiscal year for the current year has been contained at 5.2 percent, it is pegged at 4.8 percent for the next financial year. Considering that this was a key number for more than one reasons, the finance minister did a commendable job. Besides, clearly highlighting the fact that only higher growth will lead to sustainable and inclusive grow, higher allocations have been made to education, rural development and planned expenditure.

The finance minister has announced a few steps that would help in attracting retail investors to the stock market either directly or indirectly. First, the reach of Rajiv Gandhi Equity Savings Scheme (RGESS) has been expanded by increasing the income level eligibility to Rs. 12 lacs as against Rs. 10 lacs. Besides, a first time equity investor will now be able to enjoy the tax benefit for three successive years.  Second, Mutual fund distributors have been allowed to become the members of the stock exchanges. Considering that a large section of mutual fund investors depend on these advisors to invest, there is a likelihood of increased participation in the ETFs, if not the stocks, thru this channel. Third, the Securities Transaction tax (STT) on redemption of mutual funds/ ETFs at the fund counters has been reduced to 0.001 percent from the 0.025 percent. The STT on MFs/ETFs sale/purchase on exchanges has been reduced from o.1 percent to 0.001 percent only on the seller.

Besides, STT has also been reduced from 0.017 percent to 0.010 percent on equity futures. While it may not of a great value to retail investors, it is a positive for the stock market. For the debt portfolios of investors, the announcement of inflation indexed bonds/certificates is a major positive. Considering that investors have been grappling with higher inflation, there was definitely a need for such instruments. Besides, investors will continue to have an opportunity to invest in tax free bonds as some financial institutions have been allowed to raise Rs.50,000 crore in 2013-14 to boost infrastructure sector.

Another positive is that the KYC done by the bank will be enough to buy an insurance policy. The same could have been done for mutual funds too.
On the direct taxation front, no change has been proposed in the personal as well as corporate tax rates.  However, tax payers with an income between Rs. 2- 5 lacs would be granted a tax credit of Rs.2000.  The finance minister has also proposed an additional tax deduction of Rs. 1 lac on housing loan interest for loans upto Rs. 25 lacs.

With an objective to tax the super rich, a onetime surcharge of 10 percent has been proposed for those who have an income in excess of Rs. 1 crore.  Besides, for domestic companies wherein the annual income crosses Rs. 10 crore, the surcharge will be levied at 10 percent as against 5 percent earlier. Foreign companies too will have to pay 5 percent surcharge as against the current rate of 2 percent.  The surcharge on DDT has also been increased from 5 percent to 10 percent. While these tax provisions are not likely to contribute much to the exchequer, these can be seen as a token  efforts made to tax a little more to those who can afford to pay more. However, not much seem to have been done to expand the tax base.

While Sports utility vehicles (SUVs), imported cars and motorcycles, high end mobiles, eating out at air conditioned restaurants and cigarettes will be costlier as the finance minister has imposed higher taxes on these items, the branded apparel will become cheaper as there will be no excise duty on them.

In a bid to improve reporting and accountability, 1 percent TDS will be charged if the property transacted is for more than Rs.50 lacs. However, agricultural land has been exempted. This will certainly create inconvenience for those sellers who may like to invest in capital gains bonds to save taxes. 

Overall, the finance minister has presented a pragmatic budget. While the union budget may have disappointed those who were expecting too much from it, it may have done enough to spur investments and growth.

Get full Budget coverage

Monday, December 23, 2013

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now

Whether or not you've been keeping tabs, the American Society of Clinical Oncology's annual meeting is less than two weeks away. ASCO, as it's more commonly known, is arguably the single-most important event in the biotechnology and pharmaceutical sector each year.

You might be straining for a reason why a mention of ASCO would find its way into a discussion about high-cholesterol medications, but the release this week of the hundreds of study abstracts from this upcoming conference have potentially shed positive light on a class of LDL-lowering drugs known as statins.

Statins: the gold standard in high-cholesterol treatment
Those with high cholesterol who are at high risk of cardiovascular disease really have five options when it comes to cholesterol medications: statins, bile acid resins, fibrates, niacin, and cholesterol absorption inhibitors. Despite this handful of choices, statins are the most commonly prescribed medication in the world because of their superior results in trials compared with the remaining cholesterol-lowering choices with relatively few serious adverse events.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc(SVNT)

Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a specialty biopharmaceutical company, focuses on developing KRYSTEXXA, a biologic PEGylated uricase in the United States. The KRYSTEXXA is being developed as a treatment for chronic gout in patients refractory to conventional therapy. The company also sells and distributes branded and generic versions of oxandrolone, a drug used to promote weight gain following involuntary weight loss. It sells its products directly to drug wholesalers. The company, formerly known as Bio-Technology General Corp. and changed its name to Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. in June 2003. Savient Pharmaceuticals, Inc. was founded in 1980 and is headquartered in East Brunswick, New Jersey.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By James E. Brumley]

    Since 2008's implosion from the stock, the interest in Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:SVNT) has been waning. There was a brief burst of bullishness in September of last year, which stirred the bullish pot a little. But, when SVNT started to fade in October of that year - just as quickly as it had perked up - what lingering hopes there were for the stock finally started to melt away. By the middle of this year, pretty much everyone had written Savient Pharmaceuticals off as a lost cause. Big mistake. Over the last few days, SVNT has almost wiggled its way buck into a bullish zone.

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    It's still too soon to say Savient Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:SVNT) is off and running. In fact, the stock's decidedly NOT off and running yet. But, it's not too soon to put SVNT on your watchlist of potential breakout candidates, as it's much closer to a breakout than most anyone can see.

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Nektar Therapeutics(NKTR)

Nektar Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company, engages in developing a pipeline of drug candidates that utilize its PEGylation and polymer conjugate technology platforms. The company?s product pipeline consists of drug candidates across various therapeutic areas, including oncology, pain, anti-infectives, anti-viral, and immunology. Its research and development activities involve small molecule drugs, peptides, and other potential biologic drug candidates. The company?s proprietary drug candidates in clinical development comprise NKTR-118, a peripheral opioid antagonist, which has completed Phase II clinical trail for the treatment of opioid-induced constipation; BAY41-6551 that has completed Phase II clinical trail to treat gram-negative pneumonias; NKTR-102, a topoisomerase I inhibitor-polymer conjugate, which is in Phase II clinical trail for multiple cancer indications, including breast, ovarian, and colorectal; and NKTR-105 that is in Phase I clinica l trail to treat solid tumors. Its preclinical products consists of NKTR-119 (Opioid/NKTR-118 combinations) for the treatment of pain; NKTR-181 (abuse deterrent, tamper-resistant opioid) to treat pain; NKTR-194 (non-scheduled opioid) for the treatment of mild to moderate pain; NKTR-171 (tricyclic antidepressant) to treat neuropathic pain; and NKTR-140 (protease inhibitor candidate) to treat HIV. The company has collaboration with Bayer Healthcare LLC to develop BAY41-6551 (NKTR-061, Amikacin Inhale), which is an inhaled solution of amikacin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic; and a license agreement with AstraZeneca AB for the development and commercialization of Oral NKTR-118 and NKTR-119. In addition, Nektar Therapeutics has various license, manufacturing, and supply agreements for its technology with biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies, such as Affymax, Amgen, Baxter, Roche, Merck, Pfizer, and UCB Pharma. The company was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in San Franc isco, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    This is particularly intriguing now both to Allergan, which purchased MAP Pharmaceuticals earlier this year for $958 million, and to�Nektar Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR  ) , which would gain royalties from the sale of Levadex due to its intellectual property contribution to the making of the drug.

Best Penny Stocks To Buy Right Now: Oncolytics Biotech Inc (ONCY)

Oncolytics Biotech Inc. (Oncolytics), incorporated on April 2, 1998, is a development-stage company. The Company is focused on its research and development of REOLYSIN, which is its cancer therapeutic. REOLYSIN is developed from the reovirus. This virus has been demonstrated in tumour cells bearing an activated Ras pathway. Oncolytics is directing a clinical trial program with the focus of developing REOLYSIN as a human cancer therapeutic. The clinical program includes clinical trials, which it sponsors directly along with Third Party Clinical Trials. Third Party Clinical Trials are clinical trials that are being sponsored by other institutions. As of December 31, 2011, the United States National Cancer Institute (NCI), the University of Leeds and the Cancer Therapy & Research Center at the University of Texas Health Center in San Antonio (CTRC) were sponsoring part of its clinical trial program.

The Company�� clinical trial program has included human trials using REOLYSIN alone, and in combination with radiation and chemotherapy, and delivered via local administration and/or intravenous administration. Oncolytics uses contract toll manufacturers to produce REOLYSIN. On December 31, 2011, the Company had two wholly owned subsidiaries, Oncolytics Biotech (Barbados) Inc. (OBB) and Valens Pharma Ltd. Oncolytics Biotech (US) Inc. and Oncolytics Biotech (U.K.) are wholly owned subsidiaries of OBB.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Maxx Chatsko]

    T-VEC is not your traditional biologic drug. It is actually a bioengineered form of the herpes virus that, once injected into cancerous tumors, replicates, and produces an immune-stimulating protein that puts a bulls eye on cancer cells throughout the body. Despite its promise and intriguing mechanism of action, T-VEC is not in further development at Amgen. However, Oncolytics (NASDAQ: ONCY  ) has shown promising results for its bioengineered form of reovirus called Reolysin. Initial phase 3 results showed that 86% of patients taking the drug had reduced tumor mass or growth after six weeks of treatment. �

  • [By John Udovich]

    The biotech sector along with small cap biotech stocks Cardiome Pharma Corp (NASDAQ: CRME), Oncolytics Biotech, Inc (NASDAQ: ONCY), Vital Therapies Inc (NASDAQ: VTL) and TNI BioTech (OTCMKTS: TNIB) have all been producing their share of news this week for investors and traders alike to trade on. Moreover and while some 42 ��ife sciences��companies have gone public raising about $3 billion from investors so far this year, there are a growing number of biotechs pulling the plug on upcoming IPOs who are citing market conditions. With that in mind, here is a look at important news from the biotech sector and small cap biotech stocks this week:

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Inovio Pharmaceuticals Inc (INO)

Inovio Pharmaceuticals, Inc., incorporated on June 29, 1983, is engaged in the development of a new generation of vaccines, called synthetic vaccines, focused on cancers and infectious diseases. The Company's SynCon technology enables the design of universal vaccines capable of providing cross-protection against existing or changing strains of pathogens, such as influenza and human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The Company's electroporation delivery technology uses brief, controlled electrical pulses to increase cellular uptake of the vaccine. Its clinical programs include cervical dysplasia (therapeutic), avian influenza (preventive), prostate cancer (therapeutic), leukemia (therapeutic), hepatitis C virus (HCV) and HIV vaccines. It is advancing preclinical research and clinical development for a universal seasonal/pandemic influenza vaccine, as well as preclinical work for other products, including malaria and prostate cancer vaccines. Its partners and collaborators include University of Pennsylvania, Drexel University, National Microbiology Laboratory of the Public Health Agency of Canada, Program for Appropriate Technology in Health/Malaria Vaccine Initiative (PATH/MVI), National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), Merck, ChronTech, University of Southampton, United States Military HIV Research Program (USMHRP), the United States Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases (USAMRIID) and HIV Vaccines Trial Network (HVTN). As of December 31, 2011 it owned 16.1% interest in VGX Int��.

Inovio�� Solution

The Company�� synthetic vaccine platform consists of its SynCon vaccine design process and electroporation delivery technology. It has developed a preclinical and clinical stage pipeline of vaccines. The Company�� synthetic vaccines are designed to prevent a disease (prophylactic vaccines) or treat an existing disease (therapeutic vaccines). Its synthetic vaccine consists of a deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) plasmid encoding a selected antigen! (s), which is introduced into cells of humans or animals with the purpose of evoking an immune response to the encoded antigen. The Company�� synthetic vaccines are designed to generate specific antibody and/or T-cell responses.

The Company�� SynCon technology provides processes that employ bioinformatics, which combine extensive genetic data and sophisticated algorithms. Its design process uses the genetic make-up of a common antigen(s) from multiple strains of a virus within a viral sub-type or taxonomic group (family) of pathogens, such as HIV, hepatitis C virus (HCV), human papillomavirus (HPV), influenza and other diseases to synthetically create a new antigen for the desired pathogen target that does not exist in nature. Its synthetic vaccine candidates are being delivered into cells of the body using its electroporation (EP) DNA delivery technology.

Cancer Synthetic Vaccines

The Company has two broad types of cancer vaccines: preventive (or prophylactic) vaccines, which are intended to prevent cancer from developing in healthy people, and treatment (or therapeutic) vaccines, which are intended to treat an existing cancer by strengthening the body�� natural defenses against the cancer. Two types of cancer preventive vaccines are available in the United States. The United States Food and Drug Administration (the FDA) has approved two vaccines, Gardasil and Cervarix that protect against infection by the two types of HPV-types 16 and 18-that cause approximately 70% of all cases of cervical cancer worldwide. In addition, Gardasil protects against infection by two additional HPV types, 6 and 11, which are responsible for about 90% of all cases of genital warts in males and females but do not cause cervical cancer.

Cervarix manufactured by GlaxoSmithKline, is composed of virus-like particles (VLPs) made with proteins from HPV types 16 and 18. Cervarix is approved for use in females��ages 10 to 25 for the prevention of cervical cancer caused by! HPV type! s 16 and 18. Gardasil manufactured by Merck, is approved for use in females for the prevention of cervical cancer, and some vulvar and vaginal cancers, caused by HPV types 16 and 18 and for use in males and females for the prevention of genital warts caused by HPV types 6 and 11. The vaccine is approved for these uses in females and males ages 9 to 26. The FDA has also approved a cancer preventive vaccine that protects against hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection.

Inovio�� VGX-3100 is designed to raise immune responses against the E6 and E7 genes of HPV types 16 and 18 that are present in both pre-cancerous and cancerous cells transformed by these HPV types. E6 and E7 are oncogenes that play an integral role in transforming HPV-infected cells into cancerous cells. In March 2011, it initiated a randomized, double-blind Phase II study of VGX-3100 delivered using the CELLECTRA intramuscular electroporation device in women with HPV Type 16 or 18 and diagnosed with, but not yet treated for, cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN) 2/3. The study is designed to enroll 148 subjects. In January 2011, it announced the publication of a scientific paper in the journal Human Vaccines detailing potent immune responses in a preclinical study of its SynCon vaccine for prostate cancer targeting two antigens, prostate specific antigen (PSA) and prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA).

In January 2011, the Company announced the regulatory approval of a Phase II clinical trial (WIN Trial) to treat leukemia utilizing its new ELGEN 1000 automated vaccine delivery device. The single dose level, Phase II study, called WT1 immunity via DNA fusion gene vaccination in haematological malignancies by intramuscular injection followed by intramuscular electroporation. Cancer Vaccines encodes for hTERT, an antigen related to non-small cell lung, breast and prostate cancers. The vaccine is delivered using its electroporation delivery technology.

Infectious Disease Synthetic Vaccines

In Marc! h 2011, the Company announced the initiation of a follow-on open label, single dose Phase II clinical study in collaboration with ChronTech of the ChronVac-C HCV DNA vaccine delivered using its electroporation technology in treatment naive HCV infected individuals. Its HIV vaccines consist of candidates for HIV prevention, as well as therapy or treatment. PENNVAX-B is designed to target HIV clade B (most commonly found in the United States, North America, Australia and the European Union (EU). PENNVAX-G is designed to target HIV clades A, C and D, which are more commonly found in Asia, Africa, Russia and South America. This Phase I clinical study of PENNVAX-B (HVTN-080) vaccinated 48 healthy, HIV-negative volunteers to assess safety and levels of immune responses generated by Inovio�� PENNVAX-B vaccine delivered with its CELLECTRA electroporation device. PENNVAX-B is a SynCon vaccine that targets HIV gag, pol, and env proteins.

The Company�� VGX-3400X targets H5N1. The vaccine consists of three distinct DNA plasmids coded for a consensus hemagglutinin (HA) antigen derived from different H5N1 virus strains; a consensus neuraminidase (NA) antigen derived from different N1 sequences; and a consensus nucleoprotein (NP) fused to a small portion of the m2 protein (m2E) based on a broader cross-section of influenza viruses in addition to H5N1 and H1N1. Conventional vaccines are strain-specific and have limited ability to protect against genetic shifts in the influenza strains they target. They are therefore modified annually in anticipation of the next flu season�� new strain(s). It is focused on developing DNA-based influenza vaccines able to provide broad protection against known as well as newly emerging, unknown seasonal and pandemic influenza strains.

Animal Health/Veterinary

VGX Animal Health, Inc. (VGX AH), a majority-owned subsidiary, has licensed LifeTide, a plasmid-based growth hormone releasing hormone (GHRH) technology for swine. LifeTide is one of onl! y four DN! A-based treatments approved for use in animals and is the only DNA-based agent delivered using electroporation that has been granted marketing approval (Australia). VGX AH is also developing a GHRH-based treatment for cancer and anemia in dogs and cats. It is developing a synthetic vaccine for foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) administered by its vaccine delivery technology. The FMD virus is one of the most infectious diseases affecting farm animals, including cattle, swine, sheep and goats, and is a serious threat to global food safety.

The Company competes with Crucell N.V, Sanofi-Aventis, Novartis, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Merck, Pfizer, AstraZeneca, Inc., Novartis, Inc., MedImmune and CSL.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By George Budwell]

    Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NYSEMKT: INO  ) develops DNA-based vaccines and delivers them using a proprietary electroporation technique. Shares of Inovio have been a roller coaster all year long, and have certainly been the playground of day traders. Last week, Inovio shares lost more than 10% of their value on heavy volume, suggesting the stock may continue to experience downward pressure. This rapid move downward is surprising because the company recently signed a licensing deal with Roche (NASDAQOTH: RHHBY  ) to commercialize Inovio's multi-antigen DNA immunotherapies for prostate cancer and hepatitis B. As part of the deal, Inovio received $10 million upfront, and milestone payments could go as high as $412 million.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    On the clinical data front, Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALNY  ) and Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NYSEMKT: INO  ) both put investors in their happy place.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    No fairytale ending
    Fairytale endings work great in the movies, but you rarely see them come to fruition in the real world. Small-cap biopharmaceutical Inovio Pharmaceuticals (NYSEMKT: INO  ) has seen shares nearly triple since April on the heels of multiple intriguing studies, but will the glass slipper fit over the long term?

Hot Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Fuse Science Inc (DROP.PK)

Fuse Science, Inc. ( Fuse Science), incorporated on September 21, 1988, is a consumer products holding company. The Company maintains the rights to sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactive agents that can effectively encapsulate and charge many varying molecules in order to produce complete product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or delivered otherwise sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The Fuse Science technology is designed to accelerate conveyance of medicines or nutrients relative to traditional pills and liquids and can enhance how consumers receive these products. In December 2012, the Company launched its initial DROP products, PowerFuse, an energy formulation in a concentrated drop and ElectroFuse, an electrolyte formula in a concentrated drop, online, with the expansion into targeted retail distribution channels.

The Compan y is developing formulations and devices, which are compatible with alternative delivery systems for energy, medicines, vitamins and minerals, among other bioactives. These alternative systems include, but are not limited to, sublingual, transdermal and buccal drug delivery methods. use Science has developed and continues to advance, in conjunction with its scientific team, sublingual and transdermal delivery systems for bioactives that can effectively encapsulate and charge varying molecules in order to produce product formulations which can be consumed orally, applied topically or otherwise delivered sublingually or transdermally, thereby bypassing the gastrointestinal tract and entering the blood stream directly. The delivery technology is consists of encapsulation vesicles and ion exchange permeation enhancers. This technology utilizes a gradient across the mucosa membrane to help deliver the bioactive more efficiently through the mucosa.

The Company

Sunday, December 22, 2013

OfficeMax and Office Depot Hire Consultant for CEO Search

As the merger between office products suppliers OfficeMax (NYSE: OMX  ) and Office Depot (NYSE: ODP  ) wends its way through the regulatory process, they've hired global talent management consultancy Korn/Ferry International (NYSE: KFY  ) to begin the process of finding a CEO to lead the combined companies once the deal is completed.

Dennis Carey, vice chairman of Korn/Ferry International, is leading the search.

While individuals outside of the respective companies will be included in the search process, both CEOs at the merging companies will be considered as well. Both Neil Austrian of Office Depot and Ravi Saligram of OfficeMax will remain in their current positions throughout the search process, which is anticipated to be completed by the time the transaction closes. The merger, which was announced on Feb. 20, is expected to close by the end of 2013, and is subject to shareholder approval, receipt of regulatory approvals, and the satisfaction of other customary closing conditions.

Korn/Ferry was chosen by the CEO selection committee that had previously been appointed for the task. The committee is co-chaired by Office Depot board member Nigel Travis, who is also chairman and CEO of Dunkin' Brands, and OfficeMax board member Jim Marino, the former president and CEO of Alberto Culver.

link

Saturday, December 21, 2013

CAPScall of the Week: Rentech Nitrogen Partners

For years, satirical late-night TV host Stephen Colbert has been running a series on his show called "Better Know a District," which highlights one of the 435 U.S. congressional districts and its representative. While I am no Stephen Colbert, I am brutally inquisitive when it comes to the 5,000-plus listed companies on the U.S. stock exchanges.

That's why I've made it a weekly tradition to examine one seldom-followed company within the Motley Fool CAPS database, and make a CAPScall of outperform or underperform on that company.

For this week's round of "Better Know a Stock," I'm going to take a closer look at Rentech Nitrogen Partners (NYSE: RNF  ) .

What Rentech Nitrogen Partners does
As you may have correctly suspected from the name, Rentech Nitrogen is a nitrogen-based fertilizer company. It has two production facilities in the U.S., and its fertilizers, which include ammonia, urea ammonium nitrate solution (UAN), and ammonium sulfate, are sold through distribution agreements to help aid farmers with regard to crop yield.

In Rentech Nitrogen's most recent quarter, revenue increased by 47% to $92.4 million as operating income fell slightly to $21.3 million. Both results -- the boost in revenue and the reduction in operating income -- relate to the company's acquisition of its Pasadena facility, which was included in two months of last quarters' results. What you might refer to as comparable-store sales fell because of lower realized fertilizer prices and demand, and gross margin dipped 10 percentage points to 31%.

Whom it competes against
There is certainly no shortage of competitors in the fertilizer industry. Rentech is actually somewhat of a small player at a $1.4 billion valuation compared with CVR Partners (NYSE: UAN  ) at $1.9 billion, Terra Nitrogen (NYSE: TNH  ) at $3.8 billion, and Agrium (NYSE: AGU  ) at $13.5 billion.

Working against the entire industry have been weaker commodity prices, which have sacked fertilizer prices across the board. Potash producers such as PotashCorp (NYSE: POT  ) and Agrium have seen prices per ton sink from more than $455 last year to just $390 as of the end of March. Things are even worse, though, for nitrogen-based fertilizer producers in terms of the price drop they've witnessed. Last spring, liquid UAN had been going for $450 a ton and was down to $350 a ton to start the year. The drop was even more noticeable for dry urea nitrogen, which tumbled from as high as $750 a ton to $440 a ton. 

For Terra Nitrogen and Rentech, there's not much flexibility. With natural gas being a primary input to creating nitrogen-based fertilizers (the hydrogen in natural gas reacts with nitrogen to create ammonia), higher nat-gas prices will work against both companies. Since last year, nat-gas prices have roughly doubled, which has quickly reduced margins in all three cases.

CVR Partners is a special case, as my Foolish colleague Maxx Chatsko pointed out last month, because it doesn't use nat-gas to make nitrogen-based fertilizer. Instead, as Maxx points out, CVR uses pet coke, which offers a much less volatile cost solution than natural gas.

Agrium presents a particular challenge to Rentech as well, since it transcends all barriers, producing potash, phosphate, and nitrogen-based fertilizers. With global and product diversity under its belt, Agrium is a tough company for Rentech Nitrogen to compete against.

The call
After carefully reviewing the prospects for Rentech Nitrogen Partners, I've decided to place a CAPScall of outperform on the company.

There are three primary reasons I think Rentech Nitrogen makes for an attractive buy, even near a 52-week high.

First, it seems like a pretty safe bet that the need for higher crop yields is only going to increase as time moves on. The world's population is increasing, and urban areas are becoming even more densely populated, putting greater pressure on farmers and genetic companies to modify seeds and nutrients in an optimal way to create higher crop yields. This isn't so much as a case of "my company is better than yours" as opposed to a market that's constantly growing and creating additional market share.

Second, Rentech Nitrogen just completed a refinancing of $320 million, which is going to lower its interest expense, freeing up precious cash to complete its expansion and significantly boost its quarterly distributions over the coming years. According to the company's press release, beginning in 2014 shareholders can expect an $0.18 increase to their annual payout, with that total rising to $0.69 by 2017. With Rentech already paying $2 per year in dividends (a 5.4% yield), we could be looking at a bump over 6% by next year, assuming the share price remains unchanged.

Finally, while I'm a natural gas bull over the long term, I also can't see how nat-gas prices head considerably higher in the interim, with such an overabundance of supply buried in the various shale regions of the United States. If prices head much higher, nat-gas drillers will simply produce more and prices will begin to fall as stored supplies rise. It's a vicious Catch-22 that ensures costs will never get too out of control for nitrogen-based fertilizer companies.

Is this the most trusted name in fertilizer?
With less and less arable land available around the world, increasing yields from existing plots could become vitally important to keeping up with expected population growth. Cheap and effective fertilizers could be the key to achieving this goal. As the global leader in potash production, PotashCorp has established several barriers to entry that make it nearly impossible for competition to break through. Click here now to access The Motley Fool's premium research report that covers precisely what these barriers to entry are and details several other key reasons why PotashCorp presents such a compelling investment opportunity today.

Friday, December 20, 2013

10 Big-Name Stocks Going Ex-Dividend Next Week (Dec 23-27)

Ex-dividend dates are very important to dividend investors, since you must purchase a stock prior to its ex-dividend date in order to receive its upcoming dividend payout. For more information, check out Everything Investors Need to Know About Ex-Dividend Dates.

Below we highlight 10 big-name stocks going ex-dividend for the week of December 23-27:

1. AltriaAltria

Altria Group Inc (MO) is set to trade ex-dividend on December 23. The tobacco company offers a dividend yield of 5.03% based on Wednesday's closing price of $38.16 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of 48 cents. The stock is up 21% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates MO as “Recommended” with a DARS™ rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

2. Phillip MorrisPhillip Morris

Philip Morris International Inc. (PM) is set to trade ex-dividend on December 23. The tobacco company offers a dividend yield of 4.40% based on Wednesday's closing price of $85.48 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of 94 cents. The stock is up 2% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates PM as “Recommended” with a DARS™ rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

3. KraftKraft

Kraft Foods Group Inc (KRFT) is set to trade ex-dividend on December 24. The packaged foods company offers a dividend yield of 3.94% based on Wednesday's closing price of $53.34 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of 52.5 cents. The stock is up 17% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates KRFT as “Recommended” with a DARS™ rating of 3.5 stars out of 5 stars.

4. Illinois Tool Works Illinois Tool Works

Illinois Tool Works Inc. (ITW) is set to trade ex-dividend on December 27. The industrial product maker offers a dividend yield of 2.07% based on Wednesday's closing price of $81.19 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of 42 cents. The stock is up 34% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates ITW as “Neutral” with a DARS™ rating of 3.4 stars out of 5 stars.

5. Dow Chemical

The Dow Chemical Company (DOW) is set to trade ex-dividend on December 27. The chemical company offers a dividend yield of 2.94% based on Wednesday's closing price of $43.51 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of 32 cents. The stock is up 35% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates DOW as “Neutral” with a DARS™ rating of 3.4 stars out of 5 stars.

6. Avalon Bay

AvalonBay Communities Inc (AVB) is set to trade ex-dividend on December 27. The real estate investment trust offers a dividend yield of 3.58% based on Wednesday's closing price of $119.63 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of $1.07. The stock is down 11% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates AVB as “Neutral” with a DARS™ rating of 3.4 stars out of 5 stars.

7. Deere & CompanyDeere & Company

Deere & Company (DE) is set to trade ex-dividend on December 27. The agriculture machinery maker offers a dividend yield of 2.28% based on Wednesday's closing price of $89.41 and the company's quarterly dividend payout of 45 cents. The stock is up 67% year-to-date. Dividend.com currently rates DE as “Neutral” with a DARS™ rating of 3.4 stars out of 5 stars.

7. U.S. BancorpU.S. Bancorp

U.S. Bancorp (USB

Thursday, December 19, 2013

4 Ways Women Are Better Investors Than Men

4 Ways Women Are Better Investors Than MenGetty Images The evidence is in: According to a number of studies from banks and investment firms over the past decade, women make better investors than men. The most recent, from the tax and advisory firm Rothstein Kass, found that hedge funds run by by women outperformed those managed by men by 6 percentage points over a nine-month period in 2012. Why do women, on average, do better? No one knows for sure. And, of course, there are plenty of exceptions like Warren Buffett. But when tallied over the long term, women generally produce better investment returns than men. There are four likely reasons: 1. Men are more competitive. You'd think this would be a good thing, right? But as in so many areas of investing, the obvious answer is not the right answer. For many men, the most important thing is not the absolute return of an investment, but whether or not they beat their rivals. This often leads male managers to make riskier bets, which are less likely to pay off. The second most important investment criteria for many men is bragging about their returns. And as we all know, men are less likely to ask for advice. Somehow it's seen as a mark of weakness. All this leads men to focus on the short term and lose sight of the real objective of investing: producing consistent, positive returns over an extended period of time. 2. Women take fewer risks. According to research by behavioral scientists, women as a rule are more risk-averse than men. Women are more inclined than men to wear seat belts, avoid cigarette smoking and get their blood pressure checked. They are 40 percent less likely to run yellow traffic lights. So it should come as no surprise that women gravitate toward safer investments and hold stock portfolios that are less volatile. One investment study concluded that when things go wrong, men get angry, while women become more fearful. Anger can lead people to take action that will lead to more losses, such as doubling down on losing investments or trying to "catch a falling knife." By contrast, fearful women are more likely to avoid market downturns in the first place, and then if they do suffer losses they are more likely pull in the reins and step away from big disasters. 3. Women do more homework. Women are less confident than men, and therefore less likely to be deluded into believing they know more than they do. They want to be in control, and therefore do more research to find out exactly what they are investing in. Women also have more realistic ideas about what an investment can reasonably deliver. In short, they have lower expectations. Therefore, they are less likely to jump on the "next big thing" or fall for a "can't miss" stock tip. One report found that a quarter of the men surveyed admitted they would gamble on a "hot" investment without doing any real research, while only half as many women would make that same mistake. As a result, women trade less frequently. They incur fewer transaction costs and fewer tax consequences. Women commit to their investments, and because they've done their homework, are more likely to honor their commitments. They are more patient investors and typically do not get spooked by a short-term hiccup in a company's performance. 4. Women realize they are not in control. Surveys have shown that women are more likely than men to attribute success to factors outside themselves like luck or fate. This apparent contradiction – aiming to achieve control when you know you can only control so much -- gives women the perspective they need to avoid panic. And yet, paradoxically, it also allows them to admit when they have made a mistake. Women look out for the next storm. When it arrives they batten down the hatches and ride it out. They know the market is like the ocean. It is much bigger than any one investor, subject to huge global forces. But over time there's a certain ebb and flow, and if you're a good navigator you can sail on to richer shores. So how is it that the best investor of all, the legendary Warren Buffett, happens to be a man? Perhaps you should ask author Louann Lofton, who wrote the book: "Warren Buffett Invests Like a Girl: And Why You Should Too."

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) Q2 Preview: Can FedEx Deliver Another Earnings Upside?

FedEx Corporation (NYSE:FDX) is expected to release its second quarter financial results on Dec.18. The delivery services company will host a conference call for the investment community on the same day at 8.30 Eastern Time.

FedEx, with annual revenue of $45 billion, provides customers and businesses worldwide with a broad portfolio of transportation, e-commerce and business services.

Wall Street expects FedEx to earn $1.63 a share, according to analysts polled by Thomson Reuters. The consensus estimate implies an increase of 17.3 percent from $1.39 a share in the same quarter last year. FedEx saw EPS growth of 6 and 7 percent the last two quarters, after reporting three straight periods of falling profits in late 2012 and early 2013.

[Related -FedEx Corporation (FDX) Breakout Into Parabolic Arc Pattern]

FedEx's earnings have managed to top Street view twice in the past four quarters. The consensus estimate has improved by a penny the last 90 days, and six analysts have upped their earnings estimate for the company in the past month.

Quarterly revenue is expected to increase 2.9 percent to $11.43 billion from $11.11 billion in the corresponding quarter last year. In the past four quarters, the average revenue growth was 3 percent.

FedEx is turning around its core business and reporting growth in overall demand for its global portfolio of solutions. FedEx Express remains focused on reducing costs while facing challenging global economic conditions, and FedEx Ground continues to generate strong profitability on growing customer demand for its services.

[Related -Calls Options Active in Dreamworks Animation Skg Inc (DWA)and FedEx Corporation (FDX)]

Package volume (both domestic and international) is a key metric in FedEx results. For the first quarter, U.S. domestic average daily package volume increased 1 percent while U.S. domestic revenue per package was essentially flat as a higher rate per pound and weight per package were offset by lower fuel surcha! rges.

FedEx international's export average daily volume grew 4 during the first quarter as FedEx International Economy grew 15 percent. International export revenue per package fell 4% primarily due to lower fuel surcharges, lower rates and the demand shift to lower-yielding international services.

Operating income and margin growth would be watched as they were generally constrained by the significant net negative impact of the fuel surcharge timings.

FedEx Ground is the sweet spot of FedEx operating results, with volume growth hovering around 10 percent, and FedEx Freight Segment is showing improvement in the less-than-truckload (LTL) yields.

The company would also benefit from the recently announced rate increases. Effective Jan. 6, 2014, the company would increase shipping rates for FedEx Ground and FedEx Home Delivery by an average of 4.9 percent FedEx Express will increase shipping rates by an average of 3.9 percent for U.S. domestic, U.S. export and U.S. import services. FedEx Freight implemented a 4.5 percent general rate increase on July 1, 2013.

Top 5 Canadian Companies To Buy For 2014

Meanwhile, the outlook for the third quarter should hog the limelight as it includes the results of the busiest holiday period amid surging e-commerce sales.

According to the National Retail Federation (NRF), holiday sales are expected to grow 3.9 percent to $602 billion. This is higher than the average increase of 3.3 percent over the last 10 years. Online holiday sales are expected to increase 15.1 percent year-over-year to $61.8 billion, according to eMarketer.

FedEx saw its busiest day in company history when it moved more than 22 million shipments around the world on Cyber Monday, Dec. 2, 2013. The 11 percent year-over-year increase was driven by online retailers feeding the FedEx Ground and FedEx SmartPost networks. During the busiest week of the year, Dec. 1 – 7, F! edEx reco! rded more than 85 million shipments through its global networks.

The Street will look for any update on the full year outlook. FedEx sees full-year earnings per share growth of 7 to 13 percent from last year's adjusted results. This outlook assumes the market outlook for fuel prices, U.S. GDP growth of 2.1 percent and world GDP growth of 2.6 percent. The capital spending forecast for fiscal 2014 remains $4 billion. FedEx Express unit is expected to achieve its $1.6 billion operating profit improvement target by the end of fiscal 2016.

For the first quarter ended Aug.31, FedEx reported earnings of $1.53 a share, compared to $1.45 a share last year. Net income grew 7 percent to $489 million, and revenue rose 2 percent to $11.0 billion.

Shares of FDX have gained 46 percent this year and 20 percent since its last quarterly report. They trade 15.6 times forward earnings versus larger rival UPS' 18.6 times.

On the Market - Iffy underpinnings dominate

Pre-market – Monday 12-16-2013

"The most important single central fact about a free market is that no exchange takes place unless both parties benefit."

~ Milton Friedman ~

Dr. John L. Faessel

ON THE MARKET

Commentary and Insights

Quotes of the day

"The extent of government intervention has been so horrendous that businesses cannot basically decide what to do about the future."

&

"The level of uncertainty about the very long-term future is far greater than at any time I particularly remember."

~ Alan Greenspan ~

12/8/2013

***

MARKET

Last week the S&P 500 (SPX) / market spun back from an extended set-up to the upper trend line and support of the channel that goes back to 2009. It also closed near the 50-day moving average and support that sits 6 S&P points below. Last week's multiyear and decade highs in some models of bullish sentiment* suggested a frothy market that needed a retreat. I continue to be a believer that the market is setting up for a larger retrench soon.

Historically speaking, long periods of "no fear" in the market do not last and during these times prudence suggests taking defensive positioning. We are still in the sweet days of seasonal strength with the wind at our backs because of the Santa Claus rally – not to mention the Fed's money faucet gushing liquidity. And while the S&P futures are up 9 points this week's Congressional 'interviews' of the Fed, where the taper question loams large, could wreak havoc to a market that has dubious and highly questionable underpinnings.Because we are yet extended and above the long term channel highs we remain in La La Land technically speaking.

The McClellan Oscillator is in Neutral at minus 120 – Thursday's posting was an OVERSOLD minus 164

Charts of the Week

Recovery Only With the High Earners

Real Estate Recovery?

Consumers Can't Spend What They Don't Have

Does this look like we are in any kind of real recovery? These charts speak volumes about the health of the economy.

Notable CNBC Interview Today

Robert Benmosche, AIG (AIG) president & CEO said, ""When I go around to my fellow CEOs, people are frightened about whether you want to invest in the United States."

S&P 500

The S&P 500 (SPX) closed Friday at 1775.32. The prior Friday it was 1805.09

Price resistance is at the top tick of 1813 registered on 11/29/2013.

The 50-day moving average support is 1761

Short term 'Price' support is at 1779

The a bit further out 1762 / 1746 / 1740 / 1716 / 1646 and 1627

The 200-day moving average support is at 1664

The top trend line of the channel that goes back 2009 to at (SPX) 1784 - 'that' previous resistance was breached on October 22nd.

Channel and trend line support of (November 2012) is at 1748

Then deep channel and trend line support of (October 2011) is at 1623

Then the deepest channel and trend line support of (March 2009) is at 1402

* This Week's Investor Sentiment

The Bullishness / Bearishness complex overview is mixed, but disturbingly high with some models that posted multi-year and more than decade highs last week. The overall message is a clear danger signal.

(High BULLISH readings in the Investor Sentiment Readings usually are signs of Market tops; low ones, market bottoms.)

Consensus Index of BULLISH sentiment now at 76% from the cycle and multi-year highs of 78% of last week. These new cycle highs in Bullishness of 78% topped the top of 77% Bullish posted on 10/11/2007.

Top Growth Stocks To Buy Right Now

The Citigroup "Panic / Euphoria" Model eased to a plus 0.51 from the plus 0.56 that was more than decade highs in the Euphoria Zone. In early 2000 it ticked its all-time high at plus 0.72. At the end of June, 2011 it ticked cycle lows of minus0.31 in the Panic mode.

The American Association of Individual Investors [AAII]Investor Sentiment Survey of BULLISHNESS has faded to 41.3% from 47.3% of three weeks ago.

The "Bullish" survey posted recent highs of 52.3% 9-months ago. It posted cycle lows of 22.2% on 7/23/2012 the lowest percentile since August 2010. Long-Term Average: Bullish: 39.0%

The American Association of Individual Investors [AAII] Investor Survey of BEARISHNESS lost a few percentiles to 25.0 % from last week's 27.6%. Ten weeks ago it registered the lowest read since 1/12/2012 at 17.6%. Cycle highs of Bearishness of 54.5% were posted 17 weeks ago. Long-Term Average: Bearish: 30.5%

The Market Vane (Market Letter Survey) was up a tick to 66% from last week's 65% In October 2007 it topped at 70% bullish.

Obamacare

"The problem with ObamaCare isn't just a glitch. It's fundamental and it's taking away our freedom. At the heart of the program is the idea that the government should decide your health coverage — what you require and how much you should pay. Never mind what you want, what you need and what you can afford." Pennsylvania Senator Pat Toomey.

On the Mimimum Wage

"the centrist view is probably that minimum wages 'do,' in fact, reduce employment, but that the effects are small."

Paul Krugman - Nobel laureate - The New York Times economist

Friday's key indicators and metrics

Cycle highs or lows are in red

·McClellan Oscillator in Neutral at minus 120 – Thursday's posting was an OVERSOLD minus 164

·3-month $ LIBOR was 2.4385%.Rose again - lows were 0.23660%

·CBOE Put / Call Volume Ratio – 0.85

·VIX – 15.76

·Natural Gas (Globex) – 4.351 @ 7-month highs

·Swiss Franc – 1.1236

·US Dollar Index – 80.22

·Euro – 1.3735

·Japanese Yen – 0.9691 new 7-months lows; close to lows of 0.955 posted in May.

·Canadian Dollar – 0.9440 just off 3½ year lows

·Aussie Dollar –0.8963

·Crude oil (NYMEX) 96.60

·Brent crude 109.43

·Copper – 3.2120

·Gold (COMEX) – 1234.6 looks to test deep support lows of late May

·The Treasury 5-year yield – 1.53%

·The Treasury 10-year yield – 2.87% - cycle high was on 9/10/2013 at 2.98%

·The 30-year Treasury – 3.87% - cycle high was on August 22nd at 3.93%

·Silver (COMEX) – 19.604

·Platinum 1362.9

·Palladium 716.20

·Lumber (CME) – 365.90

.

Monday, December 16, 2013

How VMware's Earnings Will Fare This Quarter

Next Tuesday, VMware (NYSE: VMW  ) will release its latest quarterly results. The key to making smart investment decisions on stocks reporting earnings is to anticipate how they'll do before they announce results, leaving you fully prepared to respond quickly to whatever inevitable surprises arise.

VMware has been a long-term growth giant in the red-hot virtual-computing industry. But last quarter, the company saw its growth slow down sharply, and that led investors to knock the stock from its nosebleed-level valuations. Let's take an early look at what's been happening with VMware over the past quarter and what we're likely to see in its report.

Stats on VMware

Analyst EPS Estimate

$0.70

Change From Year-Ago EPS

6.1%

Revenue Estimate

$1.18 billion

Change From Year-Ago Revenue

12.2%

Earnings Beats in Past 4 Quarters

4

Source: Yahoo! Finance.

Can VMware regain investors' confidence this quarter?
Analysts have been somewhat negative on VMware's earnings prospects in recent months, reducing their estimates for the just-ended quarter by $0.04 per share but limiting their consensus reduction for full-year 2013 to $0.01. The stock has plunged, though, losing almost a quarter of its value since mid-January.

VMware has done an exceptional job of taking advantage of the move toward cloud computing and virtualization software, as its customers have turned to the company for help in optimizing data-center efficiency to make the most of the cloud and the data that it helps those customers collect. But as the industry has gotten more competitive, it's been increasingly difficult for VMware to produce the growth necessary to justify investors' high expectations of the company.

Moreover, competition has gotten tougher in the industry. Citrix Systems (NASDAQ: CTXS  ) has managed to sustain strong growth in product and license revenue in its most recent quarter and appears to be poised to start taking market share away from VMware. In addition, Red Hat (NYSE: RHT  ) has also achieved better license-revenue growth, suggesting that the problem may be solely with VMware rather than reflective of an industrywide trend.

Shares bounced somewhat last month when VMware said it and parent company EMC (NYSE: EMC  ) would spin off VMware's Cloud Foundry service and EMC's data analytics software business. The spinoff, to be called Pivotal, won't go public anytime soon, but it might help focus VMware on making the most of all of its various opportunities.

In VMware's report, pay close attention to whether the company can see renewed growth in its core sources of revenue. If the slowdown continues, then VMware could see another big shift down for its share price.

It's incredible to think just how much of our digital and technological lives are almost entirely shaped and molded by just a handful of companies. Find out "Who Will Win the War Between the 5 Biggest Tech Stocks?" in The Motley Fool's latest free report, which details the knock-down, drag-out battle being waged by the five kings of tech. Click here to keep reading.

Click here to add VMware to My Watchlist, which can find all of our Foolish analysis on it and all your other stocks.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

2014 Jobs Outlook Upbeat, Says Chase's Anthony Chan

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Chase Chief Economist Anthony Chan tells TheStreet, Inc. (TST)TST that the U.S. labor market is poised for a rebound in 2014. And while the pace of job growth just doesn't feel fast enough, Chan, an economist at the Chase unit of JPMorgan Chase (JPM) says the prognosis is largely positive and growing more positive heading into the coming year.

 

The U.S. unemployment rate recently dropped to 7%, a decline that many argue is skewed to a weaker labor force participation rate. But Chan, who also serves as a managing director JPMorgan Chase, pulls up metrics derived from capital equipment expenditures and the participation rate that underscore the flaw in this line of thinking. The hard numbers, Chan argues, not only illustrate that labor weakness is concentrated in one particular group under temporary labor slack conditions, but that job opportunities could accelerate in the U.S. in the coming year.

The improving economic conditions, Chan says, is in no small part due to the $85 billion a month Federal Reserve bond-buying program. The stimulus has enabled the U.S. economy to gradually regain most of the 8.7 million jobs lost during the financial crisis. In his most recent winter report delving into the 2014 U.S. economic crystal ball, Chan says that signs of an improving U.S. economy are lifting consumer sentiment and stock market values despite the temporary setback from the closure of the federal government.

Chan commented that housing and consumer spending are two areas that have benefited the most from government stimulus. By extension, these two sectors have been important contributors to real gross domestic product growth so far this year.

Heading in 2014, Chan is expecting a calm on the fiscal front, hopeful that next year won't see a repeat of the fiscal drama out of Washington punctuated by the October government shutdown. With that in mind, Chan told TheStreet over the phone that even as the economy keeps strengthening, the Federal Reserve under Janet Yellen would approach the subject of tapering with balance, flexibility and sensitivity. That should prevent any residual shocks to the market when the action does take place.

Chan points out that signs of that flexible approach in fact are already emerging as outgoing Fed Chair Ben Bernanke hands over the reins to Yellen. Although the jobless rate declined last month to the 7% guidepost Bernanke highlighted as the mark of the conclusion of the central bank's asset purchasing program, the wind-back hasn't even begun yet, highlighting the flexibility with which the Fed can maneuver on its tapering timeline, Chan remarked. It's an extremely tough balancing act. But given Yellen's easy monetary stance coupled with a deep sensitivity to inflationary risks, and combined with the integral role she has played in shaping the Fed's directive towards transparent communications, the soon-to-be central bank chair should be an expert in carrying out the delicate act of managing market expectations. U.S. stock markets plunged the most in 19 months on June 20, a day after Bernanke explicitly laid out details of the central bank's plans to taper down its stimulus program and referenced the 7% jobless number, dragging down U.S. equities to their first monthly retreat since October. But "I think this time it will be different," said Chan of the day that the first round of tapering is announced. Granted, while in 2014 the Fed will c

Friday, December 13, 2013

5 Forgotten Stocks in the Facebook Index Shuffle

Facebook certainly took the spotlight in the decision from S&P Dow Jones Indices to include the social media giant in the S&P 500. But lost in the Facebook news was the fact that Alliance Data Systems (NYSE: ADS  ) and Mohawk Industries (NYSE: MHK  ) also gained admission to the prestigious index, while Abercrombie & Fitch (NYSE: ANF  ) , JDS Uniphase (NASDAQ: JDSU  ) , and Teradyne (NYSE: TER  ) made their exit. Let's take a closer look at the other winners and losers in the Facebook index shuffle.

The in-crowd
Alliance Data Systems has been among the largest companies in the S&P Midcap 400 index for months, putting it near the top of the list for inclusion in the index. The company has prospered by offering business services related to marketing, including loyalty programs, credit card processing for private label retailers, and more general marketing and analytics support. With so many companies looking for ways to reach potential clients more effectively and get more from their relationships with their existing customers, Alliance Data has been in exactly the right place at the right time to benefit.

Mohawk, on the other hand, is an old-economy stalwart, providing flooring materials including tile and carpet. After suffering particularly hard during the housing bust, improving home prices and conditions in the real estate market have helped shares more than triple over the past two years. In conjunction with Facebook and Alliance, Mohawk's addition keeps some balance in the S&P 500 rather than allowing tech dominance to rule the day.

The outcasts
The companies moving through the exit door pose few surprises as well. For Abercrombie & Fitch, years of underperformance have led many to question whether it can regain its once-unparalleled command of the teen retail market. Having lost half its value in the past two years, Abercrombie stock gives the retailer a market cap of just $2.5 billion -- about a quarter of Mohawk's and Alliance Data's. Today's S&P decision only highlights the loss of investor confidence that Abercrombie & Fitch has suffered, and the retailer will have to work hard to regain shareholders' trust. It's also noteworthy that S&P chose Abercrombie rather than J.C. Penney as the retailer to kick out of the index, granting the department store chain at least a brief reprieve.

JDS Uniphase has been a similar disappointment. After spiking higher in early 2011, the shares have remained locked in a tight range, leaving the company with a market cap below $3 billion. Conditions in the fiber optic business have been difficult because of weak spending from telecommunications companies, but JDS Uniphase in particular has seen signs that it might be losing market share to rivals that are rebounding more quickly. The question for JDS Uniphase is whether major telecoms will choose its equipment over its rivals' offerings, but S&P wasn't willing to wait any longer for the company to prove itself.

Teradyne is another tech stock that has had trouble, with its testing equipment business for semiconductors and other electronics having faced falling revenue and earnings this year. With a market cap of $3.2 billion, many would have expected other companies to get the boot earlier. But choosing a second tech company to match up with Alliance Data and Facebook has a certain symmetry to it, which S&P likes to have in its index changes.

What's next?
For those who are disappointed to see their stocks leave the S&P 500, note that some studies have suggested that companies that get removed from the index actually do better than the stocks that replace them. Still, S&P's decisions show the way that the economy constantly changes to adapt to changing customer demands, and it'll be interesting to see how Mohawk, Alliance Data, and Facebook respond to their newfound status.

Will this stock join the S&P next?
Opportunities to get wealthy from a single investment don't come around often, but they do exist, and our chief technology officer believes he's found one. In this free report, Jeremy Phillips shares the single company that he believes could transform not only your portfolio, but your entire life. To learn the identity of this stock for free and see why Jeremy is putting more than $100,000 of his own money into it, all you have to do is click here now.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Ask Matt: Fees make beating index tough to do

USA TODAY markets reporter Matt Krantz answers a different reader question every weekday. To submit a question, e-mail Matt at mkrantz@usatoday.com.

Q: How good must a stock-picker be to beat the index?

A: Jack Bogle built an entire financial empire at Vanguard on the concept beating the market is all but impossible over the long term. But that doesn't stop stock pickers and professional money managers from trying to beat the odds.

But do stock pickers have a shot? After all, it's pretty tough to beat the indexes. Investors who simply invested in the market, measured by the MSCI USA equity index, between January 1970 and December 2012 scored an average annual gain of 9.6%. That return consisted of 3.37% coming from dividends and 6.26% in capital gains, according to research from Greenline Partners.

Top Canadian Companies To Own For 2014

But to keep up with the index return, stock pickers need to do much better than 9.6%. Since active traders tend to buy and sell more frequently, they have to generate a return of 11% on average a year just to achieve the same after-tax returns as the index,Greenline Partners says.

Investors who simply buy the indexes also get big discounts on fees, which are one of the biggest killers of returns. The average management fees for investors just buying the indexes is 0.05%, Greenline says, well below the average 1% annual fee of active investors and 2% annual fee charged by hedge funds. The bottom line: beating the market may be remotely possible, but it's highly unlikely.

TRACK YOUR STOCKS: Get real-time quotes with our free Portfolio Tracker

Follow Matt Krantz on Twitter: @mattkrantz.

Monday, December 9, 2013

Three Sink or Swim Small Cap Stocks: DBMM, BLUU & MIHI

Last Friday, small cap Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group Inc (OTCMKTS: DBMM) surged 22.22% while Blue Water Global Group Inc (OTCBB: BLUU) sank 18.42% and Medina International Holdings, Inc (OTCMKTS: MIHI) sank 50%. However, one of these small caps (Blue Water Global Group) appears to be reversing course in early morning trading today. So with it and the rest of these small cap stocks either sink or swim in trading this week? Here is a closer look to help you decide on an investing or trading strategy:

Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group Inc (OTCMKTS: DBMM) is Making ProgressDBMM

Small cap Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group crafts, designs and executes digital marketing strategies across multiple ad platforms and social media networks for a broad array of clients to help each of them establish a uniform brand identity across the digital universe. On Friday, Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group surged 22.22% to $0.0011 for a market cap of $40,455 plus DBMM is up 175% since the start of the year and down 89% since February 2011 according to Google Finance.

z?s=DBMM&t=5d&q=l&l=on&z=l&a=v&p=s&lang=

What's the Catch With Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group Inc? According to various disclosures, no transactions have occurred to mention Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group in various investment newsletters. The last news from the Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group dates from mid-November and was a joint announcement with VMS Holdings (VMS) about an enhancement to the partnership relationship released to the press on August 18th that coincided with Letter of Intent between the parties. Both parties expect to finalize an Agreement shortly following conclusion of the due diligence process. The press release also noted that the "Chill" imposed by the Depository Trust Company (DTCC) in September, 2012 had been satisfactorily resolved earlier in the month plus the Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group is in the midst of its 10-K audit preparation for the fiscal year ending August 31, 2013 with the 10-K expected to be filed on or about December 15, 2013. A quick look at Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group's financials reveal revenues of $106k (most recent reported quarter), $86k, $137k and $126k for the past four quarters along with net income of $134k (most recent reported quarter) and net losses of $337k, $217k and $212k. At the end of August, Digital Brand Media & Marketing Group had $78k in cash to cover $1,644k in current liabilities. So maybe investors should wait a little longer for more financials to appear and some kind of deal with VMS Holdings to push through.

Blue Water Global Group Inc (OTCBB: BLUU) Announces an Acquisition

Small cap Blue Water Global Group Inc is a developer of casual dining restaurant properties. Currently, Blue Water is developing a chain of casual dining restaurants in popular tourist destinations throughout the Caribbean under the Blue Water Bar & Grill brand plus the company is involved in making strategic equity investments in promising businesses that are in the early stages of obtaining their own listing on the OTCBB. On Friday, Blue Water Global Group Inc sank 18.42% to $0.0062 for a market cap of $1.41 million plus BLUU is down 93.8% since last June.

z?s=BLUU&t=5d&q=l&l=on&z=l&a=v&p=s&lang=

What's the Catch With Blue Water Global Group Inc? According to various disclosures, a transaction or transactions of $15k has or will occur to mention Blue Water Global Group Inc in various investment newsletters. Last Wednesday, Blue Water Global Group Inc announced it had entered into an agreement to acquire a significant equity ownership in Stream Flow Media, Inc. - a development stage business focused on developing online gaming and media solutions for customer loyalty and retention applications, including corporate training solutions. The press release noted that Blue Water Global Group Inc's shares of Stream Flow are currently valued at $200,000, the ownership position is expected to be accretive to Blue Water's 2014 and 2015 earnings and the company will be going public on the OTCBB in early 2014. A quick look at Blue Water Global Group Inc's financials reveals revenues of zero (most recent reported quarter), zero, $10k and zero for the last four reported quarters along with net losses of $92k (most recent reported quarter), $22k, $56k and $44k. At the end of September, Blue Water Global Group Inc had $26k in cash to cover $216k in current liabilities. So investors better hope the ownership position is accretive in the near future.

Medina International Holdings, Inc (OTCMKTS: MIHI)

Small cap Medina International Holdings under its two wholly owned subsidiaries, Harbor Guard Boats, Inc. and Medina Marine, Inc., plans to manufacture and sell recreational and commercial boats. On Friday, Medina International Holdings sank 50% to $0.03 for a market cap of $1.68 million plus the stock is up 328.6% since mid January according to Google Finance.

z?s=MIHI&t=5y&q=&l=&z=l&a=v&p=s&lang=en-

What's the Catch With Medina International Holdings, Inc? According to various disclosures, a transaction of $22k has or will occur to mention Medina International Holdings in various investment newsletters. However, Medina International Holdings has been quiet lately with news as the only recent news was a mid-November filing about replacing the company's independent registered public accountant due to his retirement. A quick look at Medina International Holdings' financials reveals revenues of $57k (most recent reported quarter), $307k, $348k and $58k for the past four quarters along with net losses of $122k (most recent reported quarter), $107k, $241k and $86k. At the end of July, Medina International Holdings had $22k in cash to cover $3,474k in current liabilities. So baring any new news, its hard for investors to be more than indifferent with Medina International Holdings right now.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Is Comcast A Good Portfolio Play?

With shares of Comcast (NASDAQ:CMCSA) trading around $49, is CMCSA an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE or STAY AWAY? Let's analyze the stock with the relevant sections of our CHEAT SHEET investing framework:

T = Trends for a Stock’s Movement

Comcast is a provider of entertainment, information, and communications products and services. The company operates in five segments: cable communications, cable networks, broadcast television, filmed entertainment, and theme parks. Comcast offers television, video, high-speed Internet, and voice services to residential and business customers. It also operates NBC and Telemundo broadcast networks; provides filmed entertainment under the Universal Pictures, Focus Features, and Illumination names; and operates theme parks, studios, and a dining, retail, and entertainment complex.

Television is changing and adapting to accommodate consumers' desire for binge-watching and on demand television shows. As a result, Comcast is changing commercials to adapt alongside television's evolution, according to Reuters. As the largest cable provider in the U.S., Comcast is understandably anxious to keep advertising relevant in television. It's newest attempt to do so has older television episodes being edited to include new ads. This could aid shows in obtaining revenue from advertisement. Past season are often available commercial free from services such as Comcast-owned Hulu and major online streamer Netflix (NASDAQ:NFLX). Still, for seasons coming out with new episodes, most are only available via cable boxes, iTunes, and network websites. There are less commercial free options for the more recent seasons.

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart are Strong

Top 5 Canadian Stocks To Watch Right Now

Comcast stock has been trending higher over the past few quarters. The stock is currently trading near highs for the year and looks poised to continue. Analyzing the price trend and its strength can be done using key simple moving averages. What are the key moving averages? The 50-day (pink), 100-day (blue), and 200-day (yellow) simple moving averages. As seen in the daily price chart below, Comcast is trading above its rising key averages which signal neutral to bullish price action in the near-term.

CMCSA

(Source: Thinkorswim)

Taking a look at the implied volatility (red) and implied volatility skew levels of Comcast options may help determine if investors are bullish, neutral, or bearish.

Implied Volatility (IV)

30-Day IV Percentile

90-Day IV Percentile

Comcast options

23.85%

66%

64%

What does this mean? This means that investors or traders are buying a very significant amount of call and put options contracts, as compared to the last 30 and 90 trading days.

Put IV Skew

Call IV Skew

December Options

Flat

Average

January Options

Flat

Average

As of today, there is an average demand from call buyers or sellers and low demand by put buyers or high demand by put sellers, all neutral to bullish over the next two months. To summarize, investors are buying a very significant amount of call and put option contracts and are leaning neutral to bullish over the next two months.

On the next page, let’s take a look at the earnings and revenue growth rates and the conclusion.

E = Earnings Are Increasing Quarter-Over-Quarter

Rising stock prices are often strongly correlated with rising earnings and revenue growth rates. Also, the last four quarterly earnings announcement reactions help gauge investor sentiment on Comcast’s stock. What do the last four quarterly earnings and revenue growth (Y-O-Y) figures for Comcast look like and more importantly, how did the markets like these numbers?

2013 Q3

2013 Q2

2013 Q1

2012 Q4

Earnings Growth (Y-O-Y)

-16.67%

30.00%

20.00%

20.09%

Revenue Growth (Y-O-Y)

-2.38%

6.96%

2.90%

5.95%

Earnings Reaction

-1.29%

5.54%

1.35%

0.85%

Comcast has seen increasing earnings and revenue figures over the last four quarters. From these numbers, the markets have been pleased with Comcast’s recent earnings announcements.

P = Weak Relative Performance Versus Peers and Sector

How has Comcast stock done relative to its peers, Time Warner Cable (NYSE:TWC), DirecTV (NASDAQ:DTV), Dish Network (NASDAQ:DISH), and sector?

Comcast

Time Warner Cable

DirecTV

Dish Network

Sector

Year-to-Date Return

31.96%

34.79%

33.15%

50.77%

38.66%

Comcast has been a poor relative performer, year-to-date.

Conclusion

Comcast provides communications and entertainment products and services to consumers and companies. The company is changing commercials to adapt alongside television's evolution. The stock has been trending higher over the past few quarters and is currently trading near highs for the year. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenues have been increasing, which has left investors pleased about recent earnings announcements. Relative to its peers and sector, Comcast has been a weak year-to-date performer. Look for Comcast to OUTPERFORM.