Ask most people about Aflac (NYSE: AFL ) , and they'll automatically start talking about the company's duck commercials. But those who've focused more on Aflac stock than on its advertising have been richly rewarded lately, and with new efforts to foster growth in the insurance company's largest market, Aflac has huge potential to cash in on improving conditions among its customer base.
Understanding Aflac
Aflac has done an excellent job of carving out a lucrative niche for itself in the U.S. insurance industry, with its focus on supplemental insurance that provides additional coverage beyond what traditional carriers provide. For instance, major health insurers UnitedHealth (NYSE: UNH ) and WellPoint (NYSE: WLP ) offer broad-based insurance coverage that forces them to take on a huge amount of risk and almost eliminates their ability to customize policies to respond to changes in demand for certain services. That reduces their opportunity to shift their business focus to capitalize on changing trends. By contrast, Aflac can target more lucrative niche offerings, such as coverage for cancer and other specified diseases, accident coverage, and short-term disability policies. Moreover, with such finely carved-out coverage, it's easier for Aflac to adjust rates to reflect specific loss experience.
Top 5 Performing Stocks To Own Right Now: CoStar Group Inc (CSGP)
CoStar Group, Inc. (CoStar), incorporated on February 2, 1998, is a provider of information, analytics and marketing services to the commercial real estate industry in the United States and United Kingdom. The Company�� suite of online service offerings includes information about space available for lease, comparable sales information, tenant information, information about properties for sale, Internet marketing services, analytical capabilities, information for clients' Websites, information about industry professionals and their business relationships, data integration and industry news. Its service offerings span all commercial property types, including office, industrial, retail, land, mixed-use, hospitality and multifamily. In April 2012, the Company completed the acquisition of LoopNet, Inc.
The Company�� subscription-based information services consist primarily of CoStar Property Professional, CoStar Tenant, CoStar COMPS Professional and FOCUS services. CoStar Property Professional, CoStar Tenant, and CoStar COMPS Professional are generally sold as a suite of similar services and through its mobile application, CoStarGo, and consists of its primary service offering in its United States operating segment. FOCUS is its primary service offering in its International operating segment. As of January 31, 2013, our database of real estate information covered the U.S., London, England and other parts of the U.K., and contained information about approximately 1.6 million sale and lease listings; approximately 4.2 million total properties; approximately 9.0 billion square feet of sale and lease listings; Approximately 5.8 million tenants; approximately 1.9 million sales transactions valued in the aggregate at approximately $4.5 trillion, and approximately 13.8 million digital attachments, including building photographs, aerial photographs, plat maps and floor plans.
CoStar Property Professional
CoStar Property Professional (CoStar Property) is the Company�� fl! agship service. It provides subscribers an inventory of office, industrial, retail and multifamily properties and land in markets throughout the United States and United Kingdom, including for-lease and for-sale listings, historical data, building photographs, maps and floor plans. Commercial real estate professionals use CoStar Property to identify available space for lease, evaluate leasing and sale opportunities, value assets and position properties in the marketplace. Its clients also use CoStar Property to analyze market conditions by calculating current vacancy rates, absorption rates or average rental rates, and forecasting future trends based on user selected variables. When used together with CoStar Connect, CoStar Property enables subscribers to share space surveys and transaction-related documents with their clients, accessed through their corporate Website. CoStar Property, along with all of CoStar�� other core information, analytics and marketing services, is delivered solely via the Internet.
CoStar COMPS Professional
CoStar COMPS Professional (COMPS Professional) provides coverage of comparable sales information in the United States and United Kingdom commercial real estate industries. COMPS Professional offers subscribers numerous fields of property information, access to support documents (deeds of trust) for new comparables, demographics and the ability to view for-sale properties alongside sold properties in three formats, plotted on a map, aerial image or in a table.
CoStar Tenant
CoStar Tenant is a detailed online business-to-business prospecting and analytical tool providing commercial real estate professionals with the commercial real estate-related the United States and United Kingdom tenant information available. CoStar Tenant profiles tenants occupying space in commercial buildings across the United States and provides updates on lease expirations, as well as occupancy levels, growth rates and numerous other facts. Deliverin! g this in! formation through the Internet allows users to target prospective clients quickly through a searchable database that identifies only those tenants meeting certain criteria.
CoStarGo
CoStarGo is an iPad application, which integrates and provides mobile access to subscribers of its property, tenant and comparable sales information in our suite of online service offerings-CoStar Property Professional, CoStar Tenant and CoStar COMPS Professional. CoStarGo provides a single, location-centric mobile interface that allows users to access and display information on millions of properties and gain instant access to analytic data and demographic information from the field.
CoStar Advertising
CoStar Advertising offers property owners and brokers a targeted and way to market a space for lease or a property for sale directly to the CoStar subscribers looking for that type of space through interactive advertising. With the CoStar Advertising program, when the advertiser�� listings appear in a results set, they receive priority positioning and are enhanced to stand out. The advertiser can also purchase exposure in additional submarkets, or the entire market area so that this ad will appear even when this listing would not be returned in a results set.
PPR
The Company�� subsidiary, PPR, and its United Kingdom subsidiary, PPR United Kingdom, offer products and services designed to meet the research needs of commercial real estate investors and lenders. PPR covers metropolitan areas throughout the United States, United Kingdom and Europe, with offerings, including historical and forecast market data and analysis by market and property type, and services, including access to PPR�� analysts, economists, and strategists to develop and deliver custom research solutions. PPR Portal is PPR�� primary delivery platform for research, forecasts, analytics, and granular data surrounding a specific address and property type. PPR COMPASS is PPR�� ! premier c! ommercial real estate risk management tool.
Resolve Portfolio Maximizer
Resolve Portfolio Maximizer is an industry real estate portfolio management software solution. Resolve Portfolio Maximizer allows users to model partnership structures, calculate waterfall distributions and fees, model and analyze debt obligations, and create multiple what if scenarios for alternative investment decision.
Resolve Request
Request is the business intelligence software solution built specifically for managing commercial real estate investments. Request helps users eliminate some of the difficulties of consolidating real estate investment data from disparate sources and facilitates standardization of information presentation and reporting across an organization. Request also provides a platform for users to develop business intelligence and reporting capabilities.
VP Corporate Edition
The Company�� subsidiary, Virtual Premise, offers VP Corporate Edition, a real estate management software solution designed for corporate real estate managers, company executives, business unit directors, brokers and project managers. VP Corporate Edition helps users connect real estate initiatives with company strategic goals, streamline portfolio operations, automate the process for collecting and managing space requests, reduce occupancy costs with analytics that track location performance against targets, and maximize location performance through proactive portfolio management. Virtual Premise also provides lease abstraction and data review services in order to facilitate the effective implementation of this software solution.
VP Retail Edition
VP Retail Edition is a real estate management software solution designed for company executives, real estate dealmakers and store planning and construction managers. VP Retail Edition helps users to utilize and real-time data to establish goals and store strategies, manage the execution of r! eal estat! e strategies, summarize critical portfolio data and prerequisite store-level information and metrics for maximizing location performance through proactive portfolio management. Virtual Premise also provides lease abstraction and data review services in order to facilitate the effective implementation of this software solution.
LoopNet Basic and Premium Membership
The Company�� subsidiary, LoopNet, offer two types of memberships on the LoopNet marketplace, basic and premium. As of January 31, 2013, LoopNet had approximately 6.8 million registered members, of which 82,915 were premium members. LoopNet Premium Lister is designed for commercial real estate professionals and other customers who seek the broadest possible exposure for their listings, access to leads lists, and advanced marketing and searching tools. LoopNet Premium Searcher is designed for members searching for commercial real estate who need unlimited marketplace searching access, professional-quality reports and advanced searching tools.
LoopLink
LoopLink is an online real estate marketing and database services suite that enables commercial real estate firms to showcase their available properties both on the LoopNet marketplace and on the brokerage firm�� Website using hosted search software. Within LoopNet, each LoopLink listing is branded with the client�� logo and is hyperlinked to the client�� Website. The LoopNet import service offers the opportunity to simplify the process of submitting listings to LoopNet from the client�� internal databases, and features advanced data matching and data integrity rules and file conversion capabilities. LoopNet charges a monthly subscription fee to commercial real estate firms for the LoopLink service.
LandsofAmerica and LandAndFarm
LandsofAmerica and LandAndFarm are online marketplaces for rural land for sale. Sellers pay a fee to list their land for sale, and interested buyers can search LoopNet's listings for f! ree.
BizBuySell and BizQuest
BizBuySell and BizQuest are online marketplaces for operating businesses for sale. Business sellers pay a fee to list their operating businesses for sale, and interested buyers can search LoopNet's listings for free. The BizBuySell and BizQuest Franchise Directories allow interested business buyers to search hundreds of franchise opportunities, and franchisors can list their availabilities in the directory on a cost per lead basis.
FOCUS
The Company�� the United Kingdom subsidiary, CoStar U.K. Limited, offers several services; its primary service is FOCUS. FOCUS is a digital online service offering information on the United Kingdom commercial real estate market. This service seamlessly links data on individual properties and companies across the United Kingdom, including comparable sales, available space, requirements, tenants, lease deals, planning information, socio-economics and demographics, credit ratings, photos and maps.
Grecam
The Company�� French subsidiary, Grecam S.A.S., provides commercial real estate information throughout the Paris region through its Observatoire Immobilier D��Entreprise (OIE) service offering. The OIE service provides commercial property availability and transaction information to its subscribers through both an online service and market reports.
The Company competes with commercialsearch.com, PropertyLine.com, Reed Business Information Limited, officespace.com, MrOfficeSpace.com, TenantWise, Inc., www.propertyshark.com, WorkplaceIQ, RealPoint LLC, estatesgazette.com, Xceligent, Inc., eProperty Data, CBRE Economic Advisors, Marshall & Swift, Yale Robbins, Inc., Reis, Inc., Real Capital Analytics, Inc., The Smith Guide, Inc., Catalyst, the National Association of Realtors, CCIM Institute, Society of Industrial and Office Realtors the Commercial Association of Realtors Data Services, the Association of Industrial Realtors, Cougar Software, Yardi Systems, MRI ! Software,! Altus, Intuit Inc., Accruent, Tririga, Manhattan Software and AMT.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Garrett Cook]
Financial sector was the top gainer in today’s trading. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included CoStar Group (NASDAQ: CSGP), up 11.5 percent, and Intermountain Community Bancorp (NASDAQ: IMCB), up 10.36 percent.
Best Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Saia Inc.(SAIA)
Saia, Inc., an asset-based trucking company, provides transportation and supply chain solutions primarily to the retail, chemical, and manufacturing industries in the United States. The company, through it subsidiary, Saia Motor Freight Line, LLC, offers regional and interregional less than truckload (LTL) services, selected national LTL, and time-definite services. It was formerly known as SCS Transportation, Inc. Saia, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is headquartered in Johns Creek, Georgia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ben Levisohn]
Wunderlich’s Nicholas Bender thinks FedEx’s results bode well for Old Dominion (ODFL), Con-way (CNW) and Saia (SAIA):
We expect all less-than-truckload carriers to benefit in 2Q14 from the same trends that carried FedEx Freight to a banner 4Q14. This includes Hold-rated Old Dominion, which will continue to grow at well above market rates, and Buy-rated Con-way, which we believe can leverage a strong 2Q14 to prime the pump on margin enhancement efforts. Our favorite name in the space remains Saia (SAIA-$42.92, Buy), which will once again see accelerating tonnage growth in 2Q14. Though tonnage growth will moderate in� 2H14 due to steeper comps, there remains considerable potential for the company to boost yield and continue winning incremental business with new accounts.
- [By John Udovich]
Despite what can best be described as a�soft economy, small cap trucking stocks YRC Worldwide, Inc (NASDAQ: YRCW), Arkansas Best Corporation (NASDAQ: ABFS), Frozen Food Express Industries, Inc (NASDAQ: FFEX), Saia Inc (NASDAQ: SAIA) and USA Truck, Inc (NASDAQ: USAK) have been trucking some pretty impressive returns since the start of the year. In fact, these small cap trucking stocks are up anywhere from 72% to 150% or so since the start of the year despite the slow economy. Certainly trucking stocks provide a good indicator of how the economy is doing, but might investors be�jumping the gun by pushing up these trucking stocks?
Best Services Companies To Invest In 2014: PFSweb Inc.(PFSW)
PFSweb, Inc. provides business process outsourcing and ecommerce solutions in the United States, Canada, and Europe. It offers digital marketing services comprising search engine optimization, pay-per-click, affiliate marketing, comparison shopping engines, merchandising, Web analytics, customer experience, email marketing, and social media; and ecommerce technology services, including End2End eCommerce solution for the direct-to-consumer (DTC) and business-to-business (B2B) online channels. The company also provides order management services consisting of order management interfaces, collaboration technologies, and information management services; customer care services, including customer relationship management, customer order assistance, quality monitoring, and interactive voice response; and logistics and fulfillment services comprising distribution facilities and infrastructure, facility operations and management, kitting and assembly, and product management and insp ection. In addition, it offers financial management services consisting of billing, credit, collection, and cash application services for B2B clients, as well as fraud review, chargeback management, and processing and settlement credit card services for DTC clients; and professional consulting services in the areas of interactive marketing ecommerce, supply chain management, distribution and fulfillment, technology interfacing, logistics, and customer support. Further, the company provides seller services financial models, including enablement financial, agent or flash financial, and retail financial models. It serves fashion apparel and accessories, fragrance and beauty products, consumer packaged goods, home furnishings and housewares, consumer electronics, office technology and network connectivity products, and aviation spare parts industries. The company was founded in 1999 and is headquartered in Allen, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Jake L'Ecuyer]
Leading and Lagging Sectors
Technology stocks gained Thursday, with Infinera (NASDAQ: INFN) leading advancers. Meanwhile, gainers in the sector included LiveDeal (NASDAQ: LIVE), with shares up 5.5 percent, and PFSweb (NASDAQ: PFSW), with shares up 5.4 percent.
Best Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Groupe Steria SCA (RIA)
Groupe Steria SCA is a France-based holding company engaged in the provision of end-to-end information technology (IT) services. The Company�� business is divided into four segments: Systems Integration, offering design and development of system; Application Management, providing maintenance and supervision of the stages in the life cycle of software applications; Management of IT Infrastructure, providing technical and business assistance, supervision of systems and network infrastructures, administration and operation of systems and network infrastructures, and hosting infrastructures in data centers; and Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), providing taking over the operation of part or all of business function on behalf of the customer. The Company is operational mainly in the United Kingdom, France, Germany and other European countries. The Company has subsidiaries in France, Morocco, the United Kingdom, India, Germany, Austria and Poland, among others. Advisors' Opinion:- [By victorselva]
The Charles Schwab Corporation (SCHW) is a savings and loan holding company. The company is engaged, through its subsidiaries, in securities brokerage, banking, money management, and financial advisory services. Its subsidiaries include Charles Schwab & Co. (a leading discount broker-dealer), Charles Schwab Investment Management (a mutual fund investment advisor) and Charles Schwab Bank.In this article, let's take a look at this brokerage firm and try to explain to investors the reasons this is an apparently appealing investment opportunity.The FocusThe company provides financial services to individuals and institutional clients through two segments: Investor Services and Institutional Services. The Investor Services segment provides retail brokerage and banking services to individual investors. The Institutional Services segment provides custodial, trading, and support services to independent investment advisors. The Institutional Services segment also provides retirement plan services, specialty brokerage services, and mutual fund clearing services. The company seeks to meet the financial services needs of investors, advisers and employers. It focuses on building client loyalty with the goal of attracting new clients and serving them. Additionally, Schwab麓s strengths through shared core processes and technology advances which help create services that are scalable and consistent with the business.Interest Rates, Capital Structure and Debt-to-Capital RatioThe results are dependent on short-term interest rates, as 37% of its top line came from net interest income in the first quarter of 2014.The broker has been making significant efforts to become less dependent on interest rates, which we expect Federal Reserve will raise them in late 2014 or 2015. Also, the company麓s plan is to reach a low-cost capital structure and targets a long-term debt-to-total financial capital ratio of less than 30%.Lucrative Derivatives Trading In 2011, the company acquired Compl
Best Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Greenhunter Resources Inc (GRH)
GreenHunter Resources, Inc., formerly GreenHunter Energy, Inc., incorporated on June 7, 2005, is engaged in providing Total Water Management Solutions to oil and gas operators who are active in the Marcellus, Eagle Ford and Bakken shale plays. The Company operates in three segments: Wind Energy, Water Management and Biomass. All of the Company�� segments are in development stages with no operations. The Company assembled a suite of water management products and services and markets them under the Total Water Management Solutions brand. The Company�� operations includes Total Water Management Solutions, Frac-Cycle, remote access management compliance asset tracking (RAMCAT), equipment and tank rentals, disposal wells, MAG Tank and salt water disposal animation. On February 17, 2012, the Company closed on the acquisition of 100% of the ownership interest of three fully operational commercial salt water disposal (SWD) wells and associated facilities located in Washington County, Ohio and Lee County, Kentucky. In March 2013, GreenHunter Water, LLC closed the purchase of a 10.8 acre barging terminal facility located in Wheeling, Ohio County, West Virginia. In February 2014, its wholly owned subsidiary, GreenHunter Water, LLC, sold its Kenedy Hunter salt water disposal (SWD) facilities and a SWD permit and surface acreage located at another South Texas property to Sable Environmental, LLC.
The Company�� subsidiary GreenHunter Water, LLC (GreenHunter Water) is focused on water resource management specifically as it pertains to the unconventional oil and natural gas shale resource plays with its business operations in the Appalachian and South Texas basins. GreenHunter Water engaged in providing a full range of solutions to address producers��needs and is built upon an identified need in the oilfield, to deliver a Total Water Management Solution to its customer base through long term agreements. The Company�� Total Water Management Solutions are custom developed to meet producers��wat! er resource planning needs. These solutions include owning and operating saltwater disposal facilities, fluids handling and hauling and logistics services, frac tank and next-generation modular above-ground tank rentals, mobile water treatment technologies and remote asset tracking to provide as value added services to its customers.
The Company�� asset included a fleet of nine water hauling vacuum trucks, and 37 frac tanks (500 barrel capacity each). As of December 31, 2011, total salt water disposal capacity is 9,000 barrels per day, of which 6,000 barrels per day is from two wells located in Ohio and approximately 3,000 barrels per day is from one well located in Kentucky. The Company is engaged in exploring various alternative means of water transport that include temporary and permanent above-ground or below-ground pipeline systems, and the use of rail and barge transport.
GreenHunter Water has assembled a variety of equipment and tanks for rental. Products available in the Eagle Ford and Marcellus Shale areas include 500 barrel frac Tanks, 425 barrel Weir Tanks, modular above-ground temporary storage tanks to replace frac ponds, available up to 41,000 barrel in capacity, frac manifolds and glass lined steel tanks, up to 100,000 barrel. During the year ended December 31, 2011, the Company Completed a project, that included the removal of chemicals and impurities in a sufficient amount for reuse in new wells that were scheduled for fracture stimulation. The project also included the treatment of a gel frac flowback and multiple sources of flowback water blended together. The Company purchased equipment assets to be used to service a long term contract to haul and dispose produced water for several oil companies that control mineral leasehold acreage positions in the Marcellus and Utica Shale plays located in Pennsylvania, West Virginia and Ohio. The equipment consists of five Peterbilt 388 trucks, five 130 barrel Vacuum Trailers and five vacuum pumps and related equipme! nt.
The Company�� water treatment services name is Frac-Cycle. Frac-Cycle�� flexible design allows the user to take in flow-back or produced water and recycle to either clean brine or fresh water. Recycled water can be used in subsequent frac jobs and in some cases an NPDES permit can be obtained to discharge fresh water into a stream. The Company�� RAMCAT is a system and compliance tool that bundles a combination of its software, advanced hardware and communications technologies to provide a method for remote activity observation via a Web-based portal for management of well-head fluids. RAMCAT includes online data monitoring, which provides oil and natural gas producers near real-time dynamic information on fluid levels, tank temperature, recent transactions, date and time of on-load and off-load, truck and driver identification, H2S and critical condition alarms and battery voltage.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By James E. Brumley]
In a perfect world, a stock's price is merely a reflection of a predictable combination of a company's history and forward-looking prospects. We don't live - or trade - in a perfect world though. In the real world, a chart not only tells a story, but illustrates traders' changing opinion of a stock. The good news is, traders move, thing, buy, and sell in fairly predictable patterns, and when you see certain hints fall in place, you can make a very good trade. Enter Authentidate Holding Corp. (NASDAQ:ADAT) and Greenhunter Resources Inc. (NYSEMKT:GRH). Both GRH as well as ADAT have taken on a bullish shape as of today, and both are apt to be at much higher levels in the foreseeable future.
Best Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (SFM)
Sprouts Farmers Market, Inc. (Sprouts), incorporated on January 27, 2011, is a specialty retailer of natural and organic food focusing on health and wellness. The Company offers fresh produce, bulk foods, vitamins and supplements, grocery, meat and seafood, bakery, dairy, frozen foods, body care and natural household items. The Company�� product offerings focus on fresh, natural and organic foods. Natural foods can be defined as foods that are minimally processed and are free of synthetic preservatives, artificial sweeteners, colors, flavors and other additives, growth hormones, antibiotics, hydrogenated oils, stabilizers and emulsifiers. The Company categorize the over 7,000 range of products, it sells as perishable and non-perishable. Perishable product categories include produce, meat, seafood, deli and bakery. Non-perishable product categories include grocery, vitamins and supplements, bulk items, dairy and dairy alternatives, frozen foods, beer and wine, and natural health and body care.
The cornerstones of the Company�� business are fresh, natural and organic products. As of July 19, 2013, the Company opened 87 new stores while rebranding 43 Henry�� and 39 Sunflower stores to the Sprouts banner. The Company�� stores include Produce, Bulk Items, Vitamins and Supplements, Grocery, Meat, Seafood, Deli, Bakery, Dairy and Dairy Alternatives, Frozen Foods, Beer and Wine and Natural Health and Body Care.The Company offer its customers a farmers market open-feel environment consisting of an abundant and affordable offering of fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs, focused on appearance, flavor and value. The Company�� stores include a crafted selection of more than 450 ranges of scoopable nuts, fruits, trail mixes, grains, beans, cereals, coffee, tea, spices, candy and snacks featured in the center of the store. The Company�� stores feature more than 4,200 vitamins, supplements, natural remedies, functional food, lifestyle support, and herbal supplements. This department includes ! an extensive private label offering.
The Company�� grocery offering focuses on healthy options. The Company carries approximately 4,200 natural and organic products in its grocery aisles, including meal components, natural sodas and other beverages, snacks and bars, baking goods, baby, pet and household items such as detergent and paper towels, and earth-friendly mercantile items. The Company�� Olde Tyme Butcher Shops combine sourcing through its trusted supplier network, product variety and old-fashioned customer service. The Company offers a range of seafood favorites delivered up to six days a week. The Conpany feature a range of fresh deli specialties, including sliced deli meat, salads, dips, entrees, side dishes, fresh made to order sandwiches at value prices and an abundant selection of over 200 varieties of cheeses from around the world.
The Company��bakery offering includes artisan bread alongside a wide assortment of sandwich breads, rolls, tortillas, pitas, muffins, cookies and pies as well as sugar free, gluten free and low carbohydrate products. The Company�� dairy department features a selection of organic, natural and regionally sourced milk, yogurt (including Greek, Australian, organic, and soy-based), butter and eggs, as well as a full selection of vegan and vegetarian alternative dairy products. The Company�� freezer cases feature traditional and ethnic natural and organic entrees and side dishes, along with frozen vegetables, desserts and specialty items, such as gluten-free breads and non-dairy ice creams. The Company offers approximately 2,400 natural, cruelty-free health and beauty products, old-fashioned remedies and modern body care innovations, including facial care products and make up, skin, hair, dental, baby care and grooming products.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Patricio Kehoe]
Although switching costs are almost nonexistent in the grocery industry, Whole Foods has developed a solid competitive position through a differentiated value proposition that comprises a vast array of products offering and distinct customer service. These traits and its large network of stores have kept the firm ahead of notable competitors like The Fresh Market Inc. (TFM) and Sprouts Farmers Market Inc. (SFM). These rivals operate roughly 150 stores each and handle an average of 10,000 stock- keeping units against 20,000 at Whole Foods.
- [By Ben Rooney]
Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM), which went public last year, has built its brand around health foods that cost less. Even big discount chains like Walmart (WMT, Fortune 500) and Target (TGT, Fortune 500) have been moving into the market for fresh produce and healthy packaged food.
- [By John Udovich]
Large cap natural and organic foods supermarket giant Whole Foods Market, Inc (NASDAQ: WFM), otherwise known as ��hole Wallet��r ��hole Paycheck,��is not the only player in the natural or organics supermarket space for consumers and investors alike as mid cap Sprouts Farmers Market Inc (NASDAQ: SFM) and small caps Fairway Group Holdings Corp (NASDAQ: FWM) and Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage Inc (NYSE: NGVC) are also players in the space. It should be mentioned that Whole Foods Market is down 15.7% since the start of the year and has a downward trending technical chart, but�shares are�still up 13% over the past year, up 426.3% over the past five years and up 3,108.6% since January 1992.
- [By Ben Levisohn]
Surprisingly, our AlphaWise survey showed that consumers��interest in online ordering (either to be picked-up at store, or delivered to home) is very low…only 12% of consumers surveyed said they would be ‘very likely’ to order groceries online in the next 6 months if the offering were available. This reflects the fact that consumers like to see and choose the food they��e purchasing, especially perishables. We believe this dynamic largely insulates traditional food retailers (both conventional like Kroger, and specialty like Whole Foods Market and Sprouts Farmers Market (SFM)) from online competition.
Best Services Companies To Invest In 2014: Hot Topic Inc.(HOTT)
Hot Topic, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a mall- and Web-based specialty retailer in the United States. The company operates Hot Topic and Torrid store concepts, as well as an e-space music discovery concept, ShockHound. Its Hot Topic stores sell music/pop culture-licensed merchandise, including tee shirts, hats, posters, stickers, patches, postcards, books, novelty accessories, CDs, and DVDs; and music/pop culture-influenced merchandise comprising women?s and men?s apparel and accessories, such as woven and knit tops, skirts, pants, shorts, jackets, shoes, costume jewelry, body jewelry, sunglasses, cosmetics, leather accessories, and gift items for young men and women primarily between the ages of 12 and 22. The company?s Torrid stores sells casual and dressy jeans and pants, fashion and novelty tops, sweaters, skirts, jackets, dresses, hosiery, shoes, intimate apparel, and fashion accessories for various lifestyles for plus-size females primarily betw een the ages of 15 and 29. As of July 30, 2011, it operated 636 Hot Topic stores in 50 states, Puerto Rico, and Canada; 145 Torrid stores; and Internet stores, hottopic.com and torrid.com. The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in City of Industry, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Marshall Hargrave]
In May True Religion (TRGL) announced a buyout offer from TowerBrook Capital for $826 million. Also in May, Rue21 decided to sell itself to Apax Partners for $2.2 billion. Before that, in March, Hot Topic (HOTT) announced that Sycamore Partners was buying out it out for $600 million.
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