What Went Wrong With Coal's Biggest Player?

Peabody Energy (NYSE: BTU  ) is the largest and most diversified publicly traded pure-play coal miner. Its first quarter loss of nearly $0.20 a share doesn't inspire confidence in the broader coal market's future. But the company's global footprint does provide a glimpse of what's going on throughout the industry. 

Met coal's stranglehold
A year ago, Peabody lost $0.09 a share in the first quarter. Management had been calling for earnings to fall between $0.14 a share and a loss of a dime. They obviously missed their estimate, though some of that was from one-time items. The biggest detractor, however, was continued supply-driven pricing pressures in metallurgical coal.

(Source: CIA)

Peabody only mines met coal in Australia, where coal revenues fell around 17% in 2013 despite selling nearly 6% more tons of coal from the region. The big problem was an over 20% drop in revenues per ton, largely driven by the oversupply of met coal. The company's Aussie business hasn't improved, with revenues per ton down about 17% year over year in the just-ended quarter.

That pairs nicely with what's going on at domestic player Natural Resource Partners (NYSE: NRP  ) , which cut its dividend by 36% in early January because of continued weakness in the coal market. However, in an April presentation it gave an update on the market that helps to clarify where the problem lies. The thermal outlook was generally positive, but the first two bullet points on the met side were, "Prices at lowest level in several years" and, "Market is currently being overproduced." So the outlook for Peabody's Aussie operations through the rest of the year isn't great.

It's no wonder that Natural Resource Partners has been buying into non-coal assets in recent years. Those businesses accounted for around 30% of the top line in 2013, up from about 5% in 2005. And that number should get even larger this year as recent investments in natural gas assets should lead to a doubling of revenues from the relatively new gas segment.

Thermal goodness
The diversification effort should lead to a relatively solid first quarter for Natural Resource Partners -- especially since the company's outlook for thermal coal is actually pretty constructive. For example, management highlighted the cold winter, low utility inventories, an increase in natural gas prices, and foreign demand as positives. This suggests that the domestic thermal downturn might actually be nearing an end.

(Source: XTUV0010 via Wikimedia Commons)

In fact, during Peabody Energy's fourth quarter conference call, CEO Gregory Boyce noted, "PRB prices were up nearly 40% from their lows of last year." Based on Natural Resource Partners' April update on the thermal market, it's no surprise that U.S. thermal coal was actually a positive for Peabody, with a 10% jump in PRB shipments offsetting an overall 7% price decline in its U.S. business (the company also mines in the Illinois Basin).

The PRB accounted for almost 40% of revenues in 2013. Moreover, Peabody produced over 4.5 times as much coal from its PRB business as it did from its Australian met mines, its second largest operating segment. So, even a small price increase in the PRB will do a lot of good through the rest of the year. Keep an eye on this region and its impact on Peabody's business.

That's less true for Natural Resource Partners, which has relatively little exposure to the PRB. In fact, met coal is the partnership's largest revenue source at around 25% of the top line -- thus the dividend cut despite continuing diversification efforts and the signs of a nascent turnaround in the U.S. thermal coal market.

Listen to the words
At the end of the day, Peabody's update on the coal market is probably more important than its weak earnings result. The big news is that the PRB appears to be signaling a U.S. thermal coal rebound. That would be good for all of the domestic miners, particularly if it starts to spread to the other major coal basins. The other big news is that metallurgical coal is still struggling. That, unfortunately, means continued headwinds for Peabody and Natural Resource Partners.

Coal may be in trouble, but this energy boom is just getting underway
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Bank of America Corp Halts Dividend Increases; Suspends $4B Buyback Program (BAC)

Bank of America Corp (BAC) released devastating news today as far its stock is concerned. The company will be forced to suspend its buyback program and dividend raises after it was discovered that the bank’s capital levels are lower than previously thought.

To be clear, the firm will continue to pay out a dividend of $0.04 per share, but will not be able to raise that payout as it previously wished to do. The error was attributed to an incorrect calculation regarding some key metrics dating back to its acquisition of Merrill Lynch.

This news comes just weeks after investors cheered the news that the company’s capital plan was approved by the Federal Reserve. That plan included a $4 billion buyback and a 25% increase to its quarterly dividend. Due to the material change this miscalculation has brought up, the company will be forced to re-submit its capital plan to the Fed before it can commence any action regarding dividend raises.

Though its dividend is quite minor, the news that the company is forced to suspend payouts and buybacks reflects very poorly on the stock, especially in a very scrutinized space. Just weeks ago, Citigroup (C) was put through the ringer after its capital plan was rejected by the Fed; its stock dropped 6.3% the day of the announcement.

BAC fared little better today, as it dropped $1.00 or 6.27%. This drop came on volume of more than 340 million shares, more than three times the average daily volume for the stock. Investors may want to note that C has yet to recover from its capital plan failure, suggesting BAC may have a few tough trading weeks ahead, barring any unexpected news.

BAC Dividend Snapshot

As of Market Close on April 28, 2014

Click here to see the complete history of BAC dividends.

Does EA Have Any Game Left?

Top 10 Cheap Stocks For 2015

Electronic Arts (NASDAQ:EA) stock is up more than 100 percent in the past year. The share price has surged during a period in which CEO John Ricciteilo resigned after a disastrous release of a new SimCity game and the company was voted the worst company in America for the second time in a row. So what's actually behind the rise of the stock, and can it continue to climb higher? Let's use our CHEAT SHEET investing framework to decide whether EA is an OUTPERFORM, WAIT AND SEE, or STAY AWAY.

C = Catalysts for the Stock's Movement

After the resignation of its CEO and “winning” the title of worst company in America earlier this year, EA managed to give investors good news via its first-quarter earnings results (from an accounting perspective, these results were actually EA's fourth-quarter 2013 results). EA's first-quarter revenue was up 6 percent from the year before and its gross margin increased by 10 basis points due to increased sales in higher margin mobile gaming and increased cost-cutting initiatives.

EA's new strategy focuses on growing its social and mobile game offerings. The company has performed well so far: Mobile game revenues increased 21 percent from the previous year. EA is also enjoying success in generating incremental sales and stronger user engagement from bringing its most popular console games to mobile and social platforms. Look for EA's mobile game revenues to continue to grow, as the company has 15 new mobile titles slated for release this year.

EA has been in the business of creating and maintaining relationships this year. Recently, the company inked contracts with Disney (NYSE:DIS), in which the company will produce a line of Star Wars games, and Hasbro (NASDAQ:HAS), in which EA is planning on releasing adaptations of popular board games on mobile platforms such as Monopoly. EA seems poised for success on new generation console releases later this year by Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT) and Sony (NYSE:SNE). The company recently renewed its contracts with major sports organizations and is set to release new sports titles along with the release of next-generation consoles.

E = Excellent Relative Performance to Peers?

While EA looks poised for profitability this year, how does it stack up against its chief competitor, Activision Blizzard (NASDAQ:ATVI)? Activision has a much more attractive operating margin, due mainly to more in-house content production. Additionally, Activision is relatively less expensive than EA with a forward P/E ratio, and it pays a healthy dividend yielding 1.3 percent. Its growth prospects are more stifled than EA's because of declining popularity in its World of Warcraft game series and increased competition facing its celebrated Call of Duty game. EA's growth rate is projected to be higher as margins continue to grow and the company pushes into the mobile and social gaming sectors.

	EA	ATVI
Forward P/E	16.79	14.80
PEG Ratio	1.31	2.29
Operating Margin	3.24%	30.93%
Growth Est. (Next 5 yrs.)	15.18%	7.65%

T = Technicals on the Stock Chart are Strong

Electronic Arts is currently trading at around $23.75, well above both its 200-day moving average of $18.66 and its 50-day moving average of $22.75. The stock has been experiencing a strong uptrend over the past year and is up more than 100 percent over the last 12 months. The stock hit a fresh 52-week high of $23.99 on Monday.

Conclusion

With a new CEO in place and a clear focus on expansion into the growing mobile and social gaming spheres, EA should experience stable profitability in the medium term. However, the company is expensive right now compared to its historical price-to-earnings ratio. EA seems to have put its PR problems and release glitches in the past and has an impressive lineup of games in the pipeline. In-house content creation is an area EA must expand on to maintain success in the marketplace. Still, EA doesn't appear to have ample growth prospects to justify its relatively high price. Investors should WAIT AND SEE if they can acquire shares of EA at a lower price in the future.

Top 5 India Stocks To Buy Right Now

Top 5 India Stocks To Buy Right Now: Stewart Information Services Corporation(STC)

Stewart Information Services Corporation provides title insurance and related information services required for settlement by the real estate and mortgage industries. It operates in two segments, Title Insurance-Related Services and Real Estate Information. The Title Insurance-Related Services segment offers services that include searching for and examining documents, such as deeds, mortgages, wills, divorce decrees, court judgments, liens, paving assessments, and tax records, as well as provides titles insurance for residential and commercial properties, undeveloped acreage, farms, ranches, and water rights. This segment serves attorneys, builders, developers, home buyers and home sellers, lenders, and real estate brokers. The Real Estate Information segment offers products and services, which primarily include lender services, title technology, foreign and domestic government services, mapping, title information, Internal Revenue Code Section 1031 tax-deferred property e xchanges, pre-employment services, and online filing and transaction management. Its customers include mortgage lenders and servicers, mortgage brokers, mortgage investors, government entities, commercial and residential real estate agents, land developers, builders, title insurance agencies, and others interested in obtaining property information, as well as accountants, attorneys, investors, and employers. The company has operations primarily in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, central Europe, Mexico, central America, and Australia. Stewart Information Services Corporation was founded in 1893 and is based in Houston, Texas.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James Fink]

  My housing pick is Houston-based Stewart Information Services (STC), a 120-year-old real estate business founded in 1893, that is still owned and m! anaged by the founding family.

• [By Ben Levisohn]

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

• [By Ben Levisohn]

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

source from Top Stocks Blog:http://www.topstocksblog.com/top-5-india-stocks-to-buy-right-now.html

Google Keeps Bleeding Through Motorola

There is no bandage large enough to stop Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) from bleeding through its Motorola subsidiary. The controversial acquisition hasn't exactly yielded the benefits that Google was seeking when it bought the struggling handset maker for its intellectual-property portfolio, and Moto continues to generate substantial operating losses.

The search giant reported earnings on Thursday, and Motorola's performance is getting worse before it gets better. The smartphone vendor generated $998 million in revenue during the second quarter, which was up from the $843 million in sales from a year prior (excluding the home segment that has since been sold off).

That all translated into an operating loss of $342 million for the hardware operations, or a negative-34% operating margin. Google closed the acquisition in Q2 2012, and Motorola's cumulative operating losses since then now stand at $1.73 billion.

Source: SEC filings.

Earlier this month, there were reports that Google was potentially committing another $500 million in marketing for Motorola's upcoming products. In light of Motorola's continued operating losses, investors now get an idea of how immense that budget would be. The Moto X is set to launch soon, and the company has begun rolling out an aggressive ad campaign focusing on its being made in the United States.

On the conference call, CEO Larry Page declined to address that rumor specifically, but reiterated that Google continues to operate Motorola independently as to not alienate other Android OEMs, and that Google runs Motorola like it would run any business.

At this rate, Motorola is on track to keep losing over $1 billion annually. That's a little better than Microsoft, which just ate $900 million last quarter alone over Surface inventory charges (more than half of Google's cumulative Motorola losses), but that's still quite a sum for the questionable acquisition.

Can the Moto X turn things around? Not unless Google can cut Moto's operating expenses significantly first.

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 among the five kings of tech. Click here to keep reading.

Can Smartphones Make Driving Safer?

One trend you should be aware of as an investor is that of the "connected car". Your vehicle can connect with the outside world through a dedicated modem, such as General Motors' (NYSE: GM  ) 17-year-old OnStar service, or -- increasingly these days -- through your smartphone.

At the recent Connected Car Conference in New York City, Roger Lanctot of Strategy Analytics spoke about the role of smartphones and modems in the vehicle: Beside entertainment, they can help sell cars, route motorists, and facilitate commerce through various payment options for tolls, parking, etc. Done properly, a connected car even can save lives and make driving safer.

Our roving reporter Rex Moore attended the conference, and was able to speak to Roger about the role of the smartphone in the car. Today's video delves into how auto manufacturers are addressing the safety issue.

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Who's really smart?
Want to get in on the smartphone phenomenon? Truth be told, one company sits at the crossroads of smartphone technology as we know it. It's not your typical household name, either. In fact, you've probably never even heard of it! But it stands to reap massive profits NO MATTER WHO ultimately wins the smartphone war. To find out what it is, click here to access the "One Stock You Must Buy Before the iPhone-Android War Escalates Any Further..."

Mid-Day Market Update: Allergan Surges On Buyout Offer; Lexmark Shares Slip

Related BZSUM Mid-Morning Market Update: Markets Gain; McDonald's Posts Lower Profit #PreMarket Primer: Tuesday, April 22: Japan Refocuses Massive Pension Fund

Midway through trading Tuesday, the Dow traded up 0.57 percent to 16,543.40 while the NASDAQ surged 0.95 percent to 4,160.65. The S&P also rose, gaining 0.49 percent to 1,881.02.

Leading and Lagging Sectors
In trading on Tuesday, healthcare shares were relative leaders, up on the day by about 1.50 percent. Meanwhile, top gainers in the sector included Allergan (NYSE: AGN), up 15.7 percent, and Idera Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: IDRA), up 16.5 percent. Non-cyclical consumer goods & services shares dropped around 0.05 percent in today's trading.

Top Bank Companies To Invest In Right Now

Top decliners in the sector included The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO), off 0.3 percent, and Kimberly-Clark (NYSE: KMB), down 1.8 percent.

Top Headline
McDonald's (NYSE: MCD) reported a drop in its first-quarter profit. McDonald's posted its quarterly profit of $1.20 billion, or $1.21 per share, down from $1.27 billion, or $1.26 per share, in the year-ago period. Its total revenue rose to $6.70 billion versus $6.61 billion, while operating income slipped to $1.94 billion versus $1.95 billion. However, analysts were estimating earnings of $1.24 per share on revenue of $6.71 billion. McDonald's global same-store sales climbed 0.5%, while US same-store sales declined 1.7%. Equities Trading UP
Revance Therapeutics (NASDAQ: RVNC) shares shot up 14.01 percent to $32.63 after the company reported positive results from the RT002 Phase 1/2 study in glabellar (frown) lines.

Shares of Centene (NYSE: CNC) got a boost, shooting up 12.72 percent to $64.58 on upbeat quarterly results. Centene reported its Q1 earnings of $0.57 per share on revenue of $3.46 billion.

Allergan (NYSE: AGN) shares were also up, gaining 15.49 percent to $163.99 on buyout offer from Valeant Pharmaceuticals International (NYSE: VRX).

Equities Trading DOWN
Shares of Medidata Solutions (NASDAQ: MDSO) were 27.49 percent to $38.21 after the company reported downbeat quarterly results.

Lexmark International (NYSE: LXK) shares tumbled 10.80 percent to $41.72 after the company reported Q1 adjusted earnings of $0.92 per share on revenue of $877.70 million.

Koninklijke Philips NV (NYSE: PHG) was down, falling 5.52 percent to $32.68 after the company reported a drop in its Q1 profit.

Commodities
In commodity news, oil traded down 1.91 percent to $102.38, while gold traded down 0.52 percent to $1,281.80. Silver traded up 0.05 percent Tuesday to $19.36, while copper rose 0.10 percent to $3.03.

Eurozone
European shares were higher today.

The Spanish Ibex Index rose 1.37 percent, while Italy's FTSE MIB Index jumped 1.46 percent.

Meanwhile, the German DAX climbed 1.98 percent and the French CAC 40 jumped 1.18 percent while U.K. shares gained 0.89 percent.

Economics
The ICSC-Goldman same-store sales index gained 0.4% in the week ended Saturday versus the prior week.

The Johnson Redbook Retail Sales Index dropped 0.5% in the first two weeks of April versus March.

The FHFA house price index rose 0.60% in February, versus economists' expectations for a 0.50% growth.

The Richmond Fed manufacturing index rose to 7.00 in April, versus a prior reading of -7.00. However, economists were expecting a reading of 2.00.

Sales of existing homes declined 0.2% to an annual rate of 4.59 million in March, versus a rate of 4.6 million in February, the National Association of Realtors said. However, economists were projecting a sales rate of 4.55 million.

Posted-In: Earnings News Guidance Eurozone Futures Commodities Forex Global Econ #s Economics Intraday Update Markets Movers Tech

© 2014 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved.

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SandRidge Energy (SD) Hits One-Year High Today After Last Week's Gains

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- Sandridge Energy  (SD) hit a one-year high on Monday as the company continued its gains from late last week after Jim Cramer spoke bullishly about the stock on CNBC's Mad Money on Wednesday evening.

The stock hit a high of $6.98 for the day as of 3 p.m. More than 12.5 million shares had changed hands, which surpassed the average volume of 8,560,540.

Cramer said on the show that Wall Street seems to hate the stock even though the oil and natural gas exploration company's turnaround is in plain sight.

"The former CEO practically ran the company into the ground. Because of mismanagement and other factors, shares tumbled from $67 in 2008 to the single digits. And the stock never really bounced back," Cramer said. He added "because SandRidge is so hated by Wall Street, the analysts can't see the incredible turnaround happening in front of their faces." Cramer went on to note "since new CEO James Bennett took over, SandRidge has delivered three consecutive quarters where the company beat the estimates and raised guidance."  Must Read: Warren Buffett's 10 Favorite Growth Stocks STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12 months. Learn more. ---------- Separately, TheStreet Ratings team rates SANDRIDGE ENERGY INC as a "hold" with a ratings score of C. TheStreet Ratings Team has this to say about their recommendation: "We rate SANDRIDGE ENERGY INC (SD) a HOLD. The primary factors that have impacted our rating are mixed - some indicating strength, some showing weaknesses, with little evidence to justify the expectation of either a positive or negative performance for this stock relative to most other stocks. The company's strengths can be seen in multiple areas, such as its solid stock price performance, increase in net income and good cash flow from operations. However, as a counter to these strengths, we also find weaknesses including disappointing return on equity and generally higher debt management risk." Highlights from the analysis by TheStreet Ratings Team goes as follows: The net income growth from the same quarter one year ago has significantly exceeded that of the S&P 500 and the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry. The net income increased by 106.6% when compared to the same quarter one year prior, rising from -$287.90 million to $19.08 million. Powered by its strong earnings growth of 101.58% and other important driving factors, this stock has surged by 33.88% over the past year, outperforming the rise in the S&P 500 Index during the same period. Regarding the stock's future course, our hold rating indicates that we do not recommend additional investment in this stock despite its gains in the past year. SANDRIDGE ENERGY INC reported significant earnings per share improvement in the most recent quarter compared to the same quarter a year ago. This company has reported somewhat volatile earnings recently. But, we feel it is poised for EPS growth in the coming year. During the past fiscal year, SANDRIDGE ENERGY INC reported poor results of -$1.27 versus -$0.14 in the prior year. This year, the market expects an improvement in earnings ($0.08 versus -$1.27). Currently the debt-to-equity ratio of 1.75 is quite high overall and when compared to the industry average, suggesting that the current management of debt levels should be re-evaluated. Even though the debt-to-equity ratio is weak, SD's quick ratio is somewhat strong at 1.25, demonstrating the ability to handle short-term liquidity needs. Return on equity has greatly decreased when compared to its ROE from the same quarter one year prior. This is a signal of major weakness within the corporation. Compared to other companies in the Oil, Gas & Consumable Fuels industry and the overall market, SANDRIDGE ENERGY INC's return on equity significantly trails that of both the industry average and the S&P 500. You can view the full analysis from the report here: SD Ratings Report STOCKS TO BUY: TheStreet Quant Ratings has identified a handful of stocks that can potentially TRIPLE in the next 12 months. Learn more.

Stock quotes in this article: SD 

Netflix: The $13 Billion Question

Netflix (NASDAQ: NFLX  ) is getting bigger. After sinking to a market cap of less than $5 billion a year ago, the company's stock has surged to cross the $13 billion mark this week. That's still far from Netflix's record, which was north of $15 billion two years back:

NFLX Market Cap data by YCharts

In the following video, Fool contributor Demitrios Kalogeropoulos and analyst Blake Bos discuss Netflix's wild valuation swings. Demitrios argues that expanding profits in its U.S. business shows the strength of the company's model, while Blake takes a more bearish perspective.

The two also name a few content owners, such as DreamWorks and Lions Gate, that profit from Netflix's growth regardless of its valuation.

The television landscape is changing quickly, with new entrants such as Netflix and Amazon.com disrupting traditional networks. The Motley Fool's new free report "Who Will Own the Future of Television?" details the risks and opportunities in TV. Click here to read the full report!

Hot Internet Stocks To Invest In Right Now

��heir office ��Castle Schloss has one room ��is spare; they don�� visit companies; they rarely speak to management; they don�� speak to analysts; and they don�� use the Internet. Not wanting to be swayed to do something they shouldn��, they limit their conversation. There is an abundance of articulate and intelligent people in the investment world, most of whom can cite persuasive reasons for buying this stock or that bond��

I begin the article by quoting this paragraph from the book ��rom Graham to Buffett and Beyond��by Professor Bruce Greenwald. This quote came from value investing legend Walter Schloss who outperformed the market for 45 years.

My personal investment philosophy is to avoid buying stocks based purely on good management, but always avoid buying stocks with known bad management. To use a racing horse analogy, a good jockey may not win you the horserace, but a bad jockey will ruin the race and may even throw himself (and the shareholders) off the horse on purpose.

Hot Internet Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Symantec Corporation(SYMC)

Symantec Corporation provides security, storage, and systems management solutions internationally. The company?s Consumer segment delivers Internet security, PC tune-up, and online backup solutions and services to individual users and home offices. Its Security and Compliance segment provides solutions for endpoint security and management, compliance, messaging management, data loss prevention, encryption, and authentication services to large, medium, and small-sized businesses, as well as offers solutions through its software-as-a-service (SaaS) security offerings. This segment?s products enable customers to secure, provision, and remotely manage their laptops, PCs, mobile devices, and servers. The company?s Storage and Server Management segment provides storage and server management, backup, archiving, and data protection solutions across heterogeneous storage and server platforms, as well as solutions delivered through its SaaS offerings to large, medium, and small-s ized businesses. Symantec?s Services segment offers implementation services and solutions, including consulting, business critical services, education, and managed security services. The company also provides various enterprise support offerings, such as annual maintenance support contracts, including content, upgrades, and technical support. It sells its products through its eCommerce platform, as well as through distributors, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, system builders, ISPs, and retail locations worldwide. Symantec markets and sells its products through distributors, retailers, direct marketers, Internet-based resellers, original equipment manufacturers, system builders, and Internet service providers; and its e-commerce channels, as well as direct sales force, value-added and large account resellers, and system integrators. The company was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Shauna O'Brien]

  On Thursday, Morgan Stanley reported that it has downgraded security and storage management company Symantec Corporation (SYMC).

  Morgan Stanley has cut its rating on SYMC to an “Equal Weight.” Analysts believe that the company lacks near term catalysts.

  Symantec shares were down 55 cents, or 2.18%, during pre-market trading Thursday. The stock is up 34% YTD.

Hot Internet Stocks To Invest In Right Now: IAC/InterActiveCorp (IACI)

IAC/InterActiveCorp engages in the Internet business in the United States and internationally. The company�s Search segment develops, markets, and distributes various downloadable toolbars; provides search, reference, and content services through its destination search and other Websites, including Ask.com and Dictionary.com; and aggregates and integrates local advertising and content for distribution to publishers on Web and mobile platforms, as well as markets and distributes mobile applications through which it provides search and additional services. Its Match segment offers subscription-based and advertiser-supported online personals services through its Websites comprising Match.com, Chemistry.com, OurTime.com, BlackPeopleMeet.com, and OkCupid.com, as well as through mobile applications and Meetic-branded Websites. The company�s ServiceMagic segment offers Market Match service that matches consumers with service professionals; Exact Match service, which enables con sumers to review service professional profiles and select the service professional that meets their specific needs; and 1800Contractor.com, an online directory of service professionals. This segment also offers Website design and hosting services. Its Media and Other segment operates CollegeHumor.com, an online entertainment Website that targets young males; Vimeo, a Website on which users can upload, share, and view video; and Pronto.com, a comparison search engine. This segment also engages in the creation of video content for various distribution platforms; and operates as an Internet retailer of footwear and related apparel and accessories, as well as focuses on multimedia business. The company was formerly known as InterActiveCorp and changed its name to IAC/InterActiveCorp in July 2004. IAC/InterActiveCorp was founded in 1986 and is headquartered in New York, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Eric Volkman]

  Rhyu joins the company from IAC's (NASDAQ: IACI  ) Match.com, where he has filled the roles of both CFO and chief administrative officer since 2011. Previous to that, he was a senior vice president at News Corp's (NASDAQ: FOXA  ) Dow Jones & Company. He also served as corporate controller for both Sirius XM Radio and GrafTech International (NYSE: GTI  ) .

• [By John Kell]

  IAC/InterActiveCorp(IACI). said its fourth-quarter earnings jumped 89% as the Internet firm managed to offset a decline in search and media revenue with cost cutting. Revenue missed estimates, sending shares down 5.6% to $65 in light premarket trading.

• [By Timothy Lutts, Publisher, Cabot Heritage Corporation]

  In 2004, TripAdvisor (TRIP) was purchased by conglomerate Interactive Corp (IACI), which spun off its travel businesses under the name of Expedia in 2005. In December 2011, TripAdvisor was spun off from Expedia in an IPO.

• [By Chris Isidore]

  Newsweek, the news magazine whose print version was abandoned late last year, was sold in August by IAC (IACI) to another all-digital news company, IBT Media.

Best Value Stocks To Own Right Now: Google Inc.(GOOG)

Google Inc. maintains an index of Web sites and other online content for users, advertisers, and Google network members and other content providers. It offers AdWords, an auction-based advertising program; AdSense program, which enables Web sites that are part of the Google Network to deliver ads from its AdWords advertisers; Google Display, a display advertising network that comprises the videos, text, images, and other interactive ads; DoubleClick Ad Exchange, a real-time auction marketplace for the trading of display ad space; and YouTube that provides video, interactive, and other ad formats for advertisers. The company also provides Google Mobile that optimizes Google?s applications for mobile devices in browser and downloadable form; and enables advertisers to run search ad campaigns on mobile devices, as well as Google Local that provides local information on the Web; and Google Boost for small businesses to participate in the ads auction. In addition, it offers And roid, an open source mobile software platform; Google Chrome OS, an open source operating system; Google Chrome, a Web browser; Google TV, a platform for the consumers to use the television and the Internet on a single screen; and Google Books platform to discover, search, and consume content from printed books online. Further, the company provides Google Apps, a cloud computing suite of message and collaboration tools, which includes Gmail, Google Docs, Google Calendar, and Google Sites; Google Search Appliance that offers real-time search of business and intranet applications, and public Web sites; Google Site Search, a custom search engine; Google Commerce Search for online retail enterprises; Google Checkout to make online shopping and payments streamlined and secure; Google Maps Application Programming Interface; and Google Earth Enterprise, a firewall software solution for imagery and data visualization. Google Inc. was founded in 1998 and is headquartered in Mountain View, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Beyers]

  Want to make a fast $15? Recommend Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) business apps suite to a friend and help the search king disrupt Microsoft's (NASDAQ: MSFT  ) Office. Fool contributor Tim Beyers explains the strategy's implications in the following video.

• [By Kiplinger]

  Karen Bleier, AFP/Getty Images When it comes to holiday shopping, more and more consumers are heading to their computers rather than the mall. Nearly 52 percent of those surveyed by the National Retail Federation plan to shop online this year, up from 44 percent in 2012. That's a smart move according to the deal experts we consulted, because shopping online can save time and money. The savings hold true even on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving when stores have big sales. Most retailers will be offering the same discounts on their websites as in their stores this holiday season, says Rob Gough, president of CouponChad.com and DefinitiveDeals.com. Plus, when you shop online, you have access to several tools that make it easy to compare prices and find the best deals -- without spending money on gas to drive all over town and giving up time with family over the holiday weekend to battle the crowds. Price-comparison sites and tools. It's easy to find out which retailers have the best prices on items on your holiday gift list if you use price-comparison sites such as Amazon.com (AMZN), PriceGrabber.com or Google Shopping (GOOG). When you search for an item on these sites, they produce lists of the retailers offering the product, prices, shipping costs, and seller information and ratings. Or you could download a browser add-on, such as PriceBlink, which can help you find the lowest price when you shop online. When you are viewing a product online, it scans more than 4,000 merchants' sites to determine if any offer that product at a lower price. A toolbar will pop up at the top of your browser alerting you to savings. Karl Quist, president of PriceBlink, says that if you see a merchant offering a product for up to 20 percent less than other retailers, recognize that it's a special deal that you should snap up because it won't last. Coupon codes. When you're comparing prices at several online retailers, be sure to check whether any are offering coupons

• [By Evan Niu, CFA]

  The whole reason Samsung has been trying to undermine Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) Android lately in the first place is in an effort to differentiate itself and fend off commoditization, which reduces the chances that fellow Android enlistees will steal its crown. If any vendor is going to topple Samsung, chances are it'll be another Android OEM. So long as it all contributes to Android ubiquity, don't expect much preference out of Big G as to who wins. In fact, the search giant already isn't particularly comfortable with Samsung's dominance anyway.

Hot Internet Stocks To Invest In Right Now: eBay Inc.(EBAY)

eBay Inc. provides online platforms, services, and tools to help individuals and merchants in online and mobile commerce and payments in the United States and internationally. Its Marketplaces segment operates ecommerce platform eBay.com; vertical shopping sites, such as StubHub, Fashion, Motors, and Half.com; and classifieds Websites, including Den Bl�Avis, BilBasen, Gumtree, Kijiji, LoQUo, Marktplaats.nl, mobile.de, Alamaula, Rent.com, eBay Anuncios, eBay Kleinanzeigen, and eBay Annunci, as well as provides advertising services. The company?s Payments segment offers payment and settlement services for consumers and merchants on and off eBay Websites and other merchant Websites. This segment operates PayPal, which enables individuals and businesses to send and receive payments online and through mobile devices; Bill Me Later that enables the United States merchants to offer, the United States consumers to obtain, credit at the point of sale for ecommerce and mobile tra nsactions; Zong, which allows users with mobile phones to purchase digital goods and have the transactions charged to their phone bill; and BillSAFE that enables customers pay for purchases upon receipt of an invoice. Its GSI segment offers an ecommerce services suite for enterprise clients that operate in general merchandise categories, including apparel, sporting goods, toys and baby, health and beauty, and home; and marketing services comprising full-service digital agency, enterprise email marketing, mobile advertising, affiliate marketing, advertisement retargeting, and in-depth analytics services. The company also offers X.commerce platform that provides software developers access to the company?s applications programming interfaces to develop functionality for various merchants; and Magento Connect, which allows developers to market and sell add-on functionality and solutions to merchants that use a Magento storefront. eBay Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquarter ed in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Tim Beyers]

  Suddenly, Google (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) is getting grabby. According to a report from the Google Operating System, a new service called Google Mine is in the works that would allow Google+ users to document and share what they own.
  
  All Google will say is that it is always working on new things. No news there. But imagine if Google Mine does come to be. Not only could you share notes about your collections, or document valuables for insurance purposes, but you could also Imagine a barter system whereby you sell or trade via Google+, with any money exchanged via Google Wallet. A tailored credit or debit card might not be far behind, says Fool contributor Tim Beyers in the following video.
  
  At the very least, the idea threatens eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) . The company depends on an ever-increasing volume of transactions to fund growth. In Q1, the auctioneer was responsible for $49 billion worth of commerce. By 2015, eBay wants to enable $300 billion in commerce annually, up from $175 billion last year. Google Mine, like Craigslist before it, could stand in the way of that.
  
  Do you agree? Please watch the video to get Tim's full take, and then let us know if having Google Mine would make you more or less bullish on the search king's long-term prospects.

• [By victorselva]

  Two websites are at the top of the purchases made on the Internet. eBay Inc. (EBAY) and Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) are two websites where you can buy and sell the products you want. The difference between them is that Amazon is more specialized in books, CDs and DVDs, while eBay specializes in digital technology.

• [By Associated Press]

  The high bid on the eBay (NASDAQ: EBAY  ) auction Friday morning was $775,100, but the biggest bids often aren't made until just before the end, which was scheduled for 9:30 p.m. CDT.

• [By Andy Obermueller]

  The magazine examined some large companies as the drivers in this new technological push, which hinges largely on the continued adoption of portable devices, like cellphones, that can be used much like a credit or debit card. Its winners are Google (Nasdaq: GOOG) because of its Google Wallet initiative, which I was among the first to cover; eBay's (Nasdaq: EBAY) PayPal; Visa (NYSE: V); MasterCard (NYSE: MA); Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL) and Facebook (Nasdaq: FB).

Hot Internet Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Amazon.com Inc.(AMZN)

Amazon.com, Inc. operates as an online retailer in North America and internationally. It operates retail Web sites, including amazon.com and amazon.ca. The company serves consumers through its retail Web sites and focuses on selection, price, and convenience. It also offers programs that enable sellers to sell their products on its Web sites, and their own branded Web sites. In addition, the company serves developer customers through Amazon Web Services, which provides access to technology infrastructure that developers can use to enable virtually various type of business. Further, it manufactures and sells the Kindle e-reader. Additionally, the company provides fulfillment; miscellaneous marketing and promotional agreements, such as online advertising; and co-branded credit cards. Amazon.com, Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Seattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rex Crum]

  Gains also came from Netflix (NFLX) , up 4.3% to close at $345.74; Groupon Inc. (GRPN) , which rose 4.4% to end the day at $7.41 a share, as well as Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) �and Apple Inc. (AAPL) .�

• [By Sue Chang and Saumya Vaishampayan]

  AMZN: Amazon.com Inc. (AMZN) �shares slid 3.2%. The Internet retailer released Fire TV, a new gadget that allows access to various content, including movies and games, from different sources to a tepid response.

• [By Jonas Elmerraji]

  Nearest Resistance: $410��br>Nearest Support: $360��br>Catalyst: Earnings

  We've heard it all before: Valuation doesn't matter in Amazon.com (AMZN).

  Well, until today, that is. AMZN is off nearly 10% on the heels of an earnings miss that had the firm's 51 cents per share in earnings a full 15 cents shy of estimates. Maybe worse, the announcement that a price hike could be coming for its Prime service could provide a big test of just how sticky all of those Amazon customers really are.

  I wouldn't recommend buying the dip in Amazon. While shares had been showing an ostensibly bullish setup earlier this month, that trade broke before it ever triggered. Now, with today's big gap down, there's no question that this chart is broken. Stay away until it finds support.

• [By Robyn Gearey]

  Alamy "Would you like to save an extra 10 percent today?" We've all been offered store credit cards in exchange for an instant discount. For years, my answer was an automatic no. Who needs all those extra cards cluttering up their wallet ... and their credit report? But it turns out that some of these cards really can be worthwhile for frequent shoppers, with many offering extra savings, lots of rewards, and perks like free shipping on online purchases. Good credit, plus the ability (and discipline) to pay the bills in full each month, are the key to getting the benefits out of these cards -- otherwise their higher interest rates will quickly erase the savings. And even if you possess both of those attributes, you don't want to go crazy signing up for store cards; it's best to choose just one or two from stores you shop at often enough to rack up real savings. So if, like me, you find yourself at Target (TGT) every weekend, are all too familiar with Amazon's (AMZN) one-click buying option, and have kids who outgrow their Old Navy jeans every six months, then consider these store-branded card options. Note: Credit card companies are wily, and sometimes offer different deals to different customers, depending on factors like whether you're a current customer or how often you visit the store's website. The information below is based on the offers we received; if you see less favorable offers, give the company a call and ask for the better deal!

Hot Internet Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Yahoo! Inc.(YHOO)

Yahoo! Inc., together with its subsidiaries, operates as a digital media company that delivers personalized digital content and experiences through various devices worldwide. It offers online properties and services to users; and a range of marketing services to businesses. The company?s communications and communities offerings include Yahoo! Mail, Yahoo! Messenger, Yahoo! Groups, Yahoo! Answers, Flickr, and Connected TV, which provide a range of communication and social services to users and small businesses enabling users to organize into groups and share knowledge, common interests, and photos. Its search products comprise Yahoo! Search and Yahoo! Local, available free to users to navigate the Internet and discover content. The company?s marketplaces offerings and services include Yahoo! Shopping, Yahoo! Travel, Yahoo! Real Estate, Yahoo! Autos, and Yahoo! Small Business, which allow users to research specific topics, products, services, or areas of interest by review ing and exchanging information, obtaining contact details, or considering offers from providers of goods, services, or parties with similar interests. Its media offerings comprise Yahoo! Homepage, Yahoo! News, Yahoo! Sports, Yahoo! Finance, My Yahoo!, Yahoo! Toolbar, Yahoo! Entertainment & Lifestyles, Yahoo! Contributor Network, and Yahoo! Pulse, which are designed to engage users with online content and services on the Web. The company also offers marketing services, such as display and search advertising, listing-based services, and commerce-based transactions to advertisers. In addition, it provides software and platform offerings for third-party developers, advertisers, and publishers, such as Yahoo! Developer Network, Yahoo! Open Strategy, Yahoo! Application Platform, Yahoo! Updates, Yahoo! Query Language, and Yahoo! Search BOSS. The company has strategic alliances with Nokia and ABC News, Inc. Yahoo! Inc. was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Sunnyvale, Californi a.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Yahoo is an Internet bellwether that provides a multitude of services to consumers and companies worldwide. The company�has increased its stock buyback plan by $5 billion and will sell $1 billion in convertible debt that will mature in 2018. The stock has been moving higher in recent quarters and is now trading near highs for the year. Over the last four quarters, earnings and revenues have been mixed, which have produced conflicting feelings among investors about earnings announcements. Relative to its peers and sector, Yahoo has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Yahoo to OUTPERFORM.

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  We can start with Yahoo! (NASDAQ: YHOO  ) .�The dot-com pioneer keeps showing its bottom-line sizzle under CEO Marissa Mayer. Yahoo!'s quarterly profit of $0.38 a share obliterated the $0.24 a share that analysts were forecasting. Yahoo! has managed to beat profit estimates by double-digit percentage margins in each of the company's quarters under Mayer.

• [By WALLSTCHEATSHEET]

  Yahoo is an Internet bellwether that provides a multitude of services to consumers and companies worldwide. There’s no doubt that Marissa Mayer, the new CEO, has improved the image of the company through a new corporate culture and recent investments. The stock has been on a powerful surge towards higher prices, and is now trading at levels not seen since the mid-2000s. Over the last four quarters, investors have had mixed feelings about the company, as earnings have improved while revenue has remained mixed. Relative to its peers and sector, Yahoo has been a year-to-date performance leader. Look for Yahoo to OUTPERFORM.

Preventing and Fixing Broken 401(k) Plans: 12 Common Compliance Errors

ED Note: This article is an excerpt from a section in “The Advisor’s Guide to 401(k) Plans” called, “Preventing and Fixing Broken 401(k) Plans.” For the full guide on this and other topics please check out our bookstore.

Introduction 

As we have noted in prior chapters, a qualified 401(k) plan is a defined contribution retirement plan that by its nature will likely run decades. It might be expected to continue beyond current management and maybe even current ownership in the case of family-owned, closely-held companies.

And, as we have discussed, in order to obtain and maintain the desired tax and other qualified plan benefits of a 401(k) plan for the participants (primarily income tax deferral and tax-free growth of earnings) and for the sponsoring company (business expense deduction for employee and employer contributions to the 401(k)), the plan must be properly documented and then operate according to the plan-documented 401(k) design and required legal terms for the life of the plan. That compliance period extends until the plan is officially terminated under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA requirements.

In summary, the plan must always be in both (1) form and (2) operational compliance, including demographic eligibility compliance, with the terms of the plan document for the life of the 401(k) plan in order to claim the benefits granted to a qualified plan.

Why Comply

As noted, there is the possibility of the 401(k) plan losing its qualified plan status, resulting in immediate taxation of all plan participants as well as the loss of the employer’s business expense deduction for all contributions made to the 401(k) plan. These negative tax consequences are bad enough in themselves for the employer sponsor and the plan participants. However, even worse consequences can occur. As we have already discussed, the sponsor and its designated officials in charge of the plan take on certain personal fiduciary duties and other legal responsibilities with regard to the plan and, with this duty, assume certain legal liabilities if they do not assure proper qualified 401(k) plan compliance.

For example, the DOL has instituted a special program to track down and recover from the fiduciaries on certain plans the employee salary reduction contributions that should have been made to a 401(k) by the employer and were not. The liability for these missed employee contributions (or misdirected and misused contributions due the plan) is not avoided by either corporate or personal bankruptcies. In effect they are like income tax obligations owed; they may not be avoided. Moreover, if there is evidence of intentionality in the actions, even criminal charges may be applied, and have been.

Who Is an ERISA Fiduciary?

According to ERISA, “every employee benefit plan shall be established and maintained pursuant to a written instrument (plan document). Such instrument shall provide for one or more named fiduciaries (emphasis added) who jointly or severally shall have authority to control and manage the operation and administration of the plan.”

***

[T]he IRS and the DOL have both stepped up audit programs to increase and assure compliance. The IRS is currently—as of the date of this publication—conducting audits based upon the 401(k) questionnaire it has been sending out to plan sponsors and fiduciaries. A nonresponse to the questionnaire will cause an automatic IRS audit on the nonresponder. Otherwise, the IRS is zeroing in on common problems identified by the responses as the focus of its selected compliance program audits. For instance, recently it has been targeting those companies with safe harbor plans that are failing to provide the required annual safe harbor plan notice to participants, as apparently identified from the questionnaire.

And, while many errors offer the opportunity for self-correction under the IRS and DOL correction programs, higher penalties will normally apply if the IRS identifies the problem and takes action on the violation before the plan sponsor. With the advent of the electronic filing of Form 5500, the IRS is likely to discover noncompliance and violations in a plan more quickly than in the past. In this regard, it is valuable to understand the errors and mistakes most commonly made by plan sponsors and fiduciaries with regard to 401(k) plans so that preventative process and procedure measures might be installed from the outset to avoid or reduce the incidence of errors and violations.

Finally, it is unreasonable to assume that such a complex retirement plan with substantial initial and ongoing compliance requirements will never experience an error in its documentation or violation in its operation. In fact, realistic practitioners will say that some errors in connection with qualified 401(k) plans are 100 percent certain to happen given enough time. Fortunately, even the IRS and the DOL have recognized this reality. Therefore, both agencies have adopted extensive programs for the correction of nonegregious qualified plan errors; that is, those made accidentally and without intent to avoid compliance. They have recently even updated and expanded them in Revenue Procedure 2013-12 to make it easier for plan sponsors and their designated officials on the plans to make the necessary corrections.

Common 401(k) Plan Compliance Errors

According to the IRS, the most common errors in connection with qualified plans, and specifically a 401(k) defined contribution plan, are as follows:

Conclusion

401(k) plans offer substantial tax benefits to both the plan participants and the plan sponsor that are worth protecting. Both the IRS and the DOL have provided corrective programs to cure violations in both documentation and operation of a 401(k) plan. The best approach is to establish a set of internal controls and plan documentation files that support correct documentation and operation from inception to termination of the plan in the distant future. Plan sponsors and plan fiduciaries should acquaint themselves with the most common violations that may occur with their 401(k) plan and establish internal plan controls and procedures to help prevent these violations in the first instance. They may also help surface and identify operational and fiduciary prohibited transaction violations early if they should occur despite the controls and procedures. Use of a knowledgeable and experienced qualified plan administrator can assist in this important process of compliance.

However, with the aid of its legal advisors, the plan sponsor should move quickly to ascertain the best available IRS or DOL program to cure the violation once a documentation or operational violation has been identified. It should then move forward to make the necessary correction under the selected program at the earliest date in order to protect the plan’s income tax benefits for all concerned. And, this action to correct a form or operational error may also protect the fiduciaries and plan sponsor from penalties for any fiduciary failures in connection with the 401(k) plan.

3 Pharmaceuticals to Profit on Obamacare

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Although the political battles over the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will not end anytime soon, one thing is certain: More people with health insurance coverage translates into higher sales of prescription medicines and other innovative treatments, and that’s good news for pharmaceuticals.

Source: Flickr

Pharmaceuticals are attractive even independent of ACA concerns, thanks to their size and stability, not to mention dividends.

Even before Obamacare’s individual mandate took effect, total spending on medicines in the U.S. rose 4.2% to $329.2 billion last year, according to a study on medicine use and healthcare costs released by the IMS Institute for Healthcare Informatics this week.

Factors driving the growth included drug price increases, greater use of the healthcare system, higher spending on new medicines and a reduction in the impact of patent expirations. And transformations in disease treatment will continue to be a game changer for Big Pharma companies. The IMS study noted that these new offerings promise fewer doctor visits and hospitalizations, better outcomes and reduced use of long-term care facilities – all objectives of Obamacare.

In a global medicine market that IMS predicts will break the $1 trillion sales threshold this year, investors looking for growth and income can find a lot of ways to play the sector. When it comes to pharmaceuticals, I like large, stable companies with strong pipelines and a dividend yield of at least 2.7%. Pharmaceuticals that have been roughed up by the market in recent weeks are an added value.

That said, here are three pharmaceuticals to cash in on Obamacare and other industry trends:

Johnson & Johnson (JNJ)

Market Cap: $280 billion
Current Dividend Yield: 2.7%

If you're looking for pharmaceuticals that have taken their share of lumps over the past few years, Johnson & Johnson (JNJ) must be near the top of your list.

Massive quality-control problems in products ranging from common over-the-counter medications such as Tylenol, Benadryl and Motrin to high failure rates in hip prostheses and recalls of insulin syringes have weighed on JNJ stock since 2009, triggering thousands of lawsuits and a tarnished reputation.

But CEO Alex Gorsky is working to revive JNJ's fortunes and reputation, settling lawsuits and moving the company forward. JNJ's quarterly earnings of $1.54 a share, which it reported on Tuesday, easily beat Wall Street's expected $1.48 EPS. Revenue for the quarter was $18.11 billion, a hair above analysts' expected $18 billion.

JNJ has a well-diversified product line and strong international sales; the company's drug pipeline includes innovative treatments like Vokanamet for Type 2 diabetes. Last month, JNJ announced its' Janssen Pharmaceuticals unit would team with biotech startup Alector on Alzheimer's treatments.

JNJ had a tough start to 2014, dropping nearly 9% between Jan. 17 and Feb. 4, but JNJ stock has rebounded nicely since then, gaining more than 8% since early March.

Sanofi (SNY)

Market Cap: $137 billion
Current Dividend Yield: 3.7%

Patent expirations have been a real problem for pharmaceuticals in recent years — and Paris-based Sanofi (SNY) has felt its share of pain on that front, particularly after its clot-busting drug Plavix went off patent two years ago.

More recently, the FDA delayed the launch of SNY's multiple-sclerosis drug Lemtrada; the company plans to resubmit that application in the second quarter. That said, SNY's blockbuster diabetes drug Lantus racked up $7.5 billion in sales last year alone and sales have grown by double-digit rates over the past couple of years.

Although Sanofi faces a patent cliff on the drug as early as next year, U300 is in late-stage clinical trials and has demonstrated even greater success in controlling blood sugar levels — particularly at night. SNY also is making a major play for emerging markets: most notably Africa.

Sanofi already has had a rough start to 2014, losing nearly 11% between Jan.1 and Feb. 6.  Although the stock has recovered that lost ground in the past seven weeks, SNY still looks affordable, trading at just 13 times forward earnings.

Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY)

Market Cap: $81 billion
Current Dividend Yield: 2.9%

According to the latest Express Scripts Drug Trend Report released last week, Hepatitis C treatments are projected to grow by 100% this year — and by 200% in each of the next two years.

That’s one great reason why pharmaceuticals like Bristol-Myers Squibb (BMY) are challenging Gilead Sciences’ (GILD) powerful Hep C franchise. It didn’t hurt BMY that the FDA gave its combination daclatasvir (DCV) and asunaprevir (ASV) drug its “breakthrough therapy designation” in February.

BMY also is raising the ante in its HIV franchise: last week, it submitted a new drug application to the FDA for a fixed-dose combination of atazanavir sulfate and a boosting agent known as cobicistat that can increase the level of certain HIV-1 medicines in the blood and make them more effective. If approved, atazanavir sulfate and cobicistat could offer patients living with HIV-1 a single tablet that eliminates the need to take a boosting agent in a separate tablet.

BMY shares are down 8% so far this year, and although its forward P/E of nearly 29 doesn't look cheap, I still rank it a buy now for the growth prospects and the stability. BMY has a beta of only 0.36 — that indicates it is 64% less volatile than the broader market.

As of this writing, Susan J. Aluise did not hold a position in any of the aforementioned securities.

The Retirement Reality Gap

LJSphotography/Alamy The new post-Great Recession economy has taken its toll on retirees, as well as those of us looking forward to retirement in the near future. Unfortunately, there's something of a reality gap between what today's workers think about retirement and what actually happens in retirement. Here's a look at the perceptions and the realities. Today, many people plan to delay retirement. According to a 2013 survey by the Employee Benefit Research Institute of 1,000 individuals age 25 and older, some 22 percent of workers said the age at which they expect to retire has increased. Respondents cited a poor economy and the inability to afford retirement as their main reasons for the delay. Almost 10 percent of workers said they'll never retire. At the same time, the number of people expecting to retire early, before age 65, is just about half of what it was 20 years ago. The gap: People retire sooner than they expect. Almost half of retirees surveyed reported that they retired sooner than they had planned. Those who retired early cited a number of reasons. A few retired because they could afford it. But many more cited a layoff, health issue or disability. Baby boomers feel younger than they really are. According to a 2012 AARP-sponsored poll of 1,852 registered voters, including 1,331 age 50 and older, health and longevity are not topics that often come up in conversation among baby boomers. Only about half of those nearing retirement said they had discussed the issues of poor health, disability and death with their spouse or doctor. And according to a 2009 Pew Research Center survey of nearly 3,000 adults, boomers felt at least 10 years younger than their actual age. They peg "old age" at somewhere above 75. The gap: The biggest reason for early retirement is an unexpected health issue. According to the EBRI survey, 55 percent of those who retired earlier than planned say they did so because of a health problem. An unforeseen illness can disrupt your retirement dreams and cause other complications. For example, if you think you'll work until age 75, you might not consider things like long-term health insurance. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, someone turning 65 today has almost a 70 percent chance of needing long-term care services. Today's workers plan to work part time in retirement. Almost three quarters of people now holding a job said they expect to work after they retire to supplement their income, according to the EBRI survey. Over half admitted that they are counting on income from a part-time job to be a significant source of income in their later years. The gap: Only about 25 percent of retirees report that they are actually working in retirement. The reality is that many retirees want to keep working part time for their old employer, but their old employer doesn't need their services. Or they want to find a consulting job, but discover that their experience is not relevant in the current marketplace. Many find that the majority of help-wanted opportunities are minimum-wage jobs in retail or hospitality, and they decide not to work after all. If you do want to work part time in retirement, the best time to find the job is before you retire. Workers are aware that they are left largely to their own devices to save for retirement. Multiple surveys have shown that workers have lost faith in Social Security, know that defined-benefit retirement plans are on the wane and that they should take advantage of various retirement accounts such as 401(k) plans and individual retirement accounts. Major financial firms including Fidelity and Aon/Hewitt recommend saving up to 10 times your annual income, which along with Social Security should allow you to replace approximately 85 percent of your preretirement income. The gap: People fall far short of their savings targets. According to a 2013 study by the National Institute on Retirement Security, 45 percent of working-age households do not own any retirement account assets. And two-thirds of older households ages 55 to 64 have retirement savings of less than one time their annual income, which is far below what they need to maintain their standard of living. A little over a third of retirees say a pension provides a significant amount of their income. Still, some 70 percent of Americans credit Social Security for their main source of income, according to the EBRI survey. The solution. There is often a major difference between what people expect in retirement and what they actually get. As you go about planning your own retirement, pay attention to the gap -- the one that can be caused by a layoff, unexpected health issue or unfamiliar job market. And make plans to close that gap.

TIAA-CREF in $6.25B deal to buy Nuveen Investments

In a deal that reshuffles the mutual fund space, TIAA-CREF said Monday it had agreed to acquire Nuveen Investments Inc. for $6.25 billion from a group led by private-equity firm Madison Dearborn Partners.

The deal is the largest transaction in the asset management business since 2006 and is a major coup for TIAA-CREF, an asset manager with $569 billion under management and roots as a major retirement servicer for nonprofit organizations such as universities and hospitals.

The acquisition deepens TIAA-CREF's investment expertise and distribution capabilities in the adviser-sold market for mutual funds, given Nuveen's deep relationships with broker-dealers and financial planners, according to industry consultant Geoffrey H. Bobroff.

“It's a significant step for TIAA-CREF, which has not been known to be an acquirer,” said Mr. Bobroff. “It is a distribution play.”

Nuveen, which has its roots in municipal bonds, brings some $221 billion in assets and an entrenched brand in mutual funds. Through the years, the company has acquired boutiques and worked to expand its expertise in areas such as equities and commodities. The business includes one of the largest sponsors of closed-end funds, as well as $54 billion in open-end mutual funds and offerings in separately managed accounts.

Madison Dearborn was the lead buyer in the $5.75 billion deal in 2007.

What TIAA-CREF's acquisition of Nuveen means for financial advisers

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now

Pall Corporation (PLL) is a supplier of filtration, separation and purification technologies, principally made by the company, for the removal of solid, liquid and gaseous contaminants from a range of liquids and gases. The company serves customers through two businesses globally: Life Sciences and Industrial. While Pall competes with many companies in the Life Sciences markets and Industrial, few companies operate in both, like ESCO Technologies Inc. (ESE) and Danaher Corp. (DHR).

In this article, let's take a look at this company and try to explain to investors the reasons this is an apparently appealing investment.

Cost Reduction

Pall targeted $100 million in structural cost reductions over the next three years. It saved $50 million during fiscal 2013 by reducing SG&A expenses along with other costs. It expects to save another $50 million in the next couple of years. Further, we think new management is going to focus on improving the company's cost structure in emerging markets as well. Moreover, Pall will focus on markets such as Asia, expanding its outsourcing network in low-cost countries.

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: Burlington Stores Inc (BURL)

Burlington Stores, Inc., incorporated on February 13, 2013, is a national off-price retailer of branded apparel, operating 503 stores, inclusive of an Internet store, in 44 states and Puerto Rico. The Company offers its merchandise using an Every Day Low Price (EDLP) model with savings up to 60-70% off department and specialty store regular prices. It provides its customers with a selection of fashionable branded product in women�� ready-to-wear apparel, menswear, youth apparel, baby products, footwear, accessories, home goods and coats. The Company merchandise from over 3,500 vendors, with a focus on nationally-recognized brands. This vendor breadth provides its customers with a treasure hunt experience of searching for great brands at great value.

The Company�� average store size is approximately 80,000 square feet, which is two to three times the size of its off-price competitors��stores. Its larger store size has allowed the Company to offer more categories and substantially more breadth in each product category than its off-price competitors and to establish ourselves as a destination for select categories, including coats, youth and baby, special-occasion dresses and men�� tailored apparel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Paul Ausick]

  Ross Stores Inc. (NASDAQ: ROST) has said that its more than 1,100 stores will remain closed on Thanksgiving, as has The TJX Companies Inc. (NYSE: TJX), owner of the TJ Maxx, Marshall��, and other retail brands. Another off-price retailer, Burlington Stores Inc. (NYSE: BURL), owner of the Burlington Coat Factory stores, will also remain closed on the holiday.

• [By Tom Taulli]

  Competition: While TJX attempts to undercut more traditional retailers, it has plenty of competition in the deep-discount game, Ross Stores (ROST), Kohl’s (KSS) and Burlington Stores (BURL). TJX also must contend with big-box operators like Target (TGT). So far, TJX has been able to dig itself a niche and remain fairly differentiated, but it’s fair to point out the danger in slipping — in retail, customers always have plenty of alternatives.

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: Microvision Inc.(MVIS)

MicroVision, Inc. engages in the development of miniature laser display and imaging engines based upon its proprietary PicoP display engine technology. Its technology uses two dimensional micro-electrical mechanical systems, lasers, optics, and electronics to create a video or still image from a small form factor device. The company offers Pico projector displays intended to be used for users of mobile consumer devices, such as smartphones, media players, tablet PCs, and other consumer electronics products. Its products also comprise automotive head-up displays that project high-resolution images onto the windshield of an automobile providing the driver with information consisting of GPS mapping images, audio controls, and other automobile instrumentation information related to the car's operation. In addition, the company offers near-eye wearable display platform to provide personal viewing of information from a mobile device through a wired or wireless connection. Furthe r, it offers ROV hand held bar code scanners, and bar code scanner enabled enterprise solutions through distributors and original equipment manufacturers, as well as directly to end users through its online store. The company serves customers operating in the consumer, defense, industrial, and medical markets. MicroVision, Inc. was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Redmond, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James E. Brumley]

  Did you miss the first big runup from Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS) a couple of weeks ago? If you were regretting it then, it may have all worked out for the best. Though MVIS jumped from a close of $1.35 on the 19th to a peak of $3.38 on the 21st, it was also on the 21st that the weight of that big gain started to bear down. By the 25th, Microvision shares hit a low of $2.01, basically cutting in half the 150% gain that has been made in just a couple of days.

• [By Bryan Murphy]

  If the cash you have available is money you absolutely need to invest safely and wisely because you need it (and its appreciation) to love on in retirement, then let me stop you right now - the rest of what you're about to read probably isn't for you. On the other hand, if you and your qualified financial adviser agree you've got some money you can gamble with [i.e. if you lose it all, it won't matter], then may I direct your attention to Microvision, Inc. (NASDAQ:MVIS)? Long story made short, MVIS has dropped hints of a brewing rebound.

• [By Charley Blaine]

  Shares of MicroVision Inc. (NASDAQ: MVIS) were jumping for a second day in a row Friday on the heels of Sony Inc.’s (NYSE: SNE) introduction of a new handheld projector that uses Microvision’s technology.

Best Value Stocks To Own Right Now: Industrias CH SAB de CV (ICHB)

Industrias CH SAB de CV (ICH) is a Mexico-based holding company engaged, together with its subsidiaries, in the steel industry. The Company's activities include the production, processing and distribution of special bar quality (SBQ) steel products; coated and uncoated seamed pipes; structural steel products, such as beams, channels, flat bars and angles; light structurals, such as angles, flat and merchant bars; as well as reinforced and corrugated steel bars. The Company�� facilities include production and processing plants in Mexico, the United States and Canada. Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Julia Leite]

  The IPC rose 2.5 percent to 40,623.30 at the close in Mexico City. The index gained 6.8 percent on the week, the most since July 2009. Steelmaker Industrias CH SAB (ICHB) was the biggest gainer today, while homebuilders Desarrolladora Homex SAB, Urbi Desarrollos Urbanos SAB, and Corp. Geo SAB were the week�� best performers.

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd.(GILT)

Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. provides Internet Protocol (IP) based digital satellite communication and networking products and services worldwide. The company engages in the design, production, and marketing of very small aperture terminals (VSATs) and related VSAT network equipment, such as power amplifiers and low-profile antennas. Its VSAT products include SkyEdge and SkyEdge II products that deliver broadband connectivity, such as Internet, voice, data, and video services. The company also provides Spacenet managed network communications services through satellite networks and hybrid satellite terrestrial networks; and Wavestream solid state power amplifiers to system integrators that serve various defense and homeland security agencies. It also offers SkyAbis solution that provides cellular backhaul for rural communications; Connexstar networks that are standardized commercial grade satellite services; and StarBand satellite Internet services, which are geared for sm all office and residential users. In addition, the company provides various solutions, including project management, network design, deployment logistics, implementation and integration, operational services, and maintenance and support. It sells its products primarily to communication service providers and operators that use VSATs to serve enterprise, government, and residential users, as well as directly to end-users. Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. was founded in 1987 and is headquartered in Petah Tikva, Israel.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By James Miller Phd]

  The company has a current ratio of 13.05% which is higher than the one registered by Charter Communications Inc. (CHTR), Digital Globe Inc. (DGI), EchoStar Corp (SATS), Gilat Satellite Networks Ltd. (GILT) and Intelsat SA (I).

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: LaSalle Hotel Properties (LHO)

LaSalle Hotel Properties, a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in the purchase, ownership, redevelopment, and leasing of primarily upscale and luxury full-service hotels in convention, resort, and urban business markets in the United States. It owns 34 hotels, totaling approximately 9,200 guest rooms in 15 markets in 11 states and the District of Columbia. The company qualifies as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code of 1986. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal corporate income tax to the extent that it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. The company was founded in 1998 and is based in Bethesda, Maryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rich Duprey]

  Upscale hotel operator�LaSalle Hotel Properties (NYSE: LHO  ) announced yesterday its third-quarter dividend of $0.28 per share, a 40% increase in the payout made to investors from the $0.20 per share paid last quarter.

• [By Marshall Hargrave]

  The other key benefit for Strategic is that it enjoys industry-leading earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (EBITDA) per available room. For 2012, Strategic generated $81 per room of EBITDA. Compare this to top comps LaSalle Hotel (NYSE: LHO) at $74 per room and Pebblebrook Hotel Trust (NYSE: PEB) at $71. The reason for this is that Strategic is much less reliant than its peers on rooms, with much greater exposure to food and beverages. Strategic earns 53% of its revenue from rooms, while its peers get around 66% of revenues from rooms.

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: Cloud Peak Energy Inc(CLD)

Cloud Peak Energy Inc., through its subsidiaries, engages in coal mining operations in the Powder River Basin of the United States. It produces sub-bituminous steam coal with low sulfur content for electric utilities and industrial customers. The company owns and operates Antelope surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; the Cordero Rojo surface coal mine located to the south of Gillette, Wyoming; and the Spring Creek surface coal mine located in Montana. It also owns a 50% interest in the Decker surface coal mine located in Montana. As of December 31, 2010, it had approximately 970 million tons of proven and probable reserves. The company was founded in 1993 and is headquartered in Gillette, Wyoming.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Simply put, the coal stocks trio of Peabody Energy (BTU), Alpha Natural Resources (ANR) and Cloud Peak Energy (CLD) could be some of the biggest bargains out all energy stocks.

• [By Dimitra DeFotis]

  Consol Energy (CNX), �which also produces natural gas, was up more than 3%, as was Cloud Peak Energy (CLD).

  The Moody’s press release, here. Coal insiders were active earlier this year, we noted here.

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: EDGAR Online Inc.(EDGR)

EDGAR Online, Inc. creates and distributes financial data and public filings for equities, mutual funds, and other publicly traded assets worldwide. The company?s data products include access to SEC filings in various formats, standardized and as-reported fundamental financial data, annual and quarterly financial statements, insider trades, institutional holdings, initial and secondary public offerings, Form 8-K disclosures, electronic prospectuses, and other investment instrument disclosure information. Its data solutions comprise the configuration of its data products; conversion of data from unstructured content into XML, extensible business reporting language (XBRL), and PDF formats; and storage and delivery of data and custom feeds, and tools to access information. The company delivers its data and analysis products through online subscriptions, embedded in other Web sites, and through redistributors. It also provides various end-user subscription services, including I-Metrix, which delivers a Web only service; I-Metrix Professional that allows a user to do in-depth analysis through the Web and a Microsoft Excel add-in; EDGAR Pro, which offers financial data, stock ownership, public offering data sets, and advanced search tools; and EDGAR Access, a retail product, which is available through single-seat credit card purchase. In addition, the company provides a mechanism that helps customers in converting financial statements into XBRL for filing with the SEC and other regulators. It serves generally financial, corporate, and advisory professionals who work in investment funds, asset management firms, insurance companies and banks, stock exchanges, and government agencies; and accounting firms, law firms, corporations, or individual investors. The company was formerly known as Cybernet Data Systems, Inc. and changed its name to EDGAR Online, Inc. in January 1999. EDGAR Online, Inc. was founded in 1995 and is headquartered in Rockville, Ma ryland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Bill Smith]

  FDS operates in a highly competitive industry, some with more resources. Their competitors include:
  Thomson Reuters Corp. (TRI)BloombergInteractive (IDC)MSCI Inc. (MXB)Morningstar Inc. (MORN)Track Data Corp. (TRAC)Edgar Online (EDGR)McGraw-Hill (MHP )

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: JinkoSolar Holding Company Limited(JKS)

JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the manufacture and sale of solar power products in China and internationally. The company provides solar modules, silicon wafers and ingots, and solar cells, as well as processing services, including silicon wafer tolling services. It sells its products under the JinkoSolar brand name. The company?s customers include distributors, project developers, and system integrators. It trades its products under short-term contracts and by spot market sales. The company also produces accessory materials for solar power products, such as solar aluminum frame, solar junction box, aluminum materials windows, and other metal component parts. JinkoSolar Holding Co., Ltd. was founded in 2006 and is based in Shangrao, the People?s Republic of China.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Rick Munarriz]

  Briefly in the news
  And now let's take a quick look at some of the other stories that shaped our week.

  VeriFone (NYSE: PAY  ) shares tumbled 21% on Thursday, after the transactions enabler missed Wall Street's profit expectations and issued disappointing guidance. VeriFone wasn't very fun. TiVo (NASDAQ: TIVO  ) can't catch a break. The DVR pioneer was on the receiving end of a $490 million settlement, but the stock still took a hit because it was less than the market was expecting. Go figure. TiVo's intellectual capital alone has been enough to be awarded $1.6 billion in damages in recent years, but the company's enterprise value is a mere $1 billion. Amazon.com (NASDAQ: AMZN  ) is not the second coming of Webvan, but it is expanding its AmazonFresh grocery delivery service to Los Angeles. It's been testing the service fir years in select neighborhoods in its home turf of Seattle. JinkoSolar (NYSE: JKS  ) moved higher on Friday after reporting a 36% surge in shipments. Solar energy was out of favor last year, but some players are starting to show signs of brightening.

• [By Aaron Levitt]

  Like FSLR, CSIQ and JinkoSolar (JKS), ReneSola has moved beyond its original focus of creating just wafers. That means SOL stock investors are now betting on one of the more integrated solar stocks … and one that has grown to become a strong module shipper over the last few years. That includes outsourcing modules to nations like India, South Africa and Poland. SOL has done well in this regard and has been catching up to sizzling solar stocks like Yingli Green Energy (YGE).

• [By Lisa Levin]

  JinkoSolar Holding Co (NYSE: JKS) dropped 9.88% to $16.87 after the company announced the offering of 3,500,000 American Depositary Shares.

  Fuwei Films (Holdings) Co (NASDAQ: FFHL) dropped 9.66% to $1.30. Fuwei Films' trailing-twelve-month ROE is -10.85%.

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: Cott Corp (COT)

Cott Corporation (Cott), incorporated on December 31, 2006, is a producers of beverages on behalf of retailers, brand owners and distributors. The Company�� product lines include carbonated soft drinks (CSDs), 100% shelf stable juice and juice-based products, clear, still and sparkling flavored waters, energy products, sports products, new age beverages, and ready-to-drink teas, as well as alcoholic beverages for brand owners. The Company operates in five segments: North America (which includes the United States operating segment and Canada operating segment), the United Kingdom (which includes its United Kingdom reporting unit and its Continental European reporting unit), Mexico, Royal Crown International (RCI) and All Other. The Company markets or supplies over 500 retailer, licensed and Company-owned brands in its four core geographic segments. In March of 2012, its U.K. reporting segment acquired a beverage and wholesale business based in Scotland.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Roberto Pedone]

  Cott (COT) is engaged in the production of beverages on behalf of retailers and distributors. This stock closed up 4.5% to $8.75 a share in Thursday's trading session.

  Thursday's Range: $8.29-$8.84
  
  52-Week Range: $7.24-$11.25
  
  Thursday's Volume: 1.82 million
  
  Three-Month Average Volume: 466,884

  From a technical perspective, COT jumped higher here right above its 50-day moving average of $8.14 with monster upside volume. This stock has been uptrending strong for the last month and change, with shares moving higher from its low of $7.39 to its intraday high of $8.84. During that move, shares of COT have been consistently making higher lows and higher highs, which is bullish technical price action. That move has now pushed shares of COT within range of triggering a major breakout trade. That trade will hit if COT manages to take out some near-term overhead resistance levels at $8.84 to $9 with high volume.

  Traders should now look for long-biased trades in COT as long as it's trending above its 50-day at $8.14 and then once it sustains a move or close above those breakout levels with volume that hits near or above 466,884 shares. If that breakout hits soon, then COT will set up to re-test or possibly take out its next major overhead resistance levels at $9.50 to 10.25. Any high-volume move above $10.25 will then give COT a chance to re-fill its previous gap-down zone from May that stared near $11.

• [By Lee Jackson]

  Cott Corp. (NYSE: COT) stock has pulled back some 30% from its 52-week high of $11.25 after second-quarter market conditions were presented as “challenging.” However, the dividend was reinstated after a ten-year hiatus, and the company bought back $6 million worth of shares in the second quarter. The company mainly does business in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada and Mexico, but it also sells beverage concentrate to 50 other countries. Deutsche Bank rates Cott as a stock to buy and has an $11 price target. The consensus is posted at $10. Investors are paid a decent 2.9% dividend. The Friday close for Cott was $7.87.

• [By Dan Moskowitz]

  Cott (NYSE: COT  ) produces and sells over 200 different types of beverages in over 50 countries, and it implements a highly effective strategy. Cott is what is known as a Fast Follower, which makes it unique to other beverage companies.�

• [By Nicole Seghetti]

  Private-label pressures
  Regardless, private labels are becoming a bigger problem for companies such as Kraft and, to a lesser extent, Mondelez. According to an industry profile compiled by First Research, these brands typically cost 20% to 40% less than name-brand products. Couple that with the fact that more consumers are ditching big brands, and we can easily see why ConAgra (NYSE: CAG  ) , Cott (NYSE: COT  ) , and others are continually strengthening their private-label positions.

Top 10 Life Sciences Companies To Own In Right Now: Amkor Technology Inc.(AMKR)

Amkor Technology, Inc. provides outsourced semiconductor packaging and test services in the United States and internationally. It offers package formats and services using wirebonding and flip chip interconnect technologies that connect the die to the package carrier. The company?s package carriers include leadframe packages that utilize metal and place the electrical interconnect leads to the system board around the perimeter of the package; substrate packages, which utilize a laminate as the package carrier; and wafer-level packages. It provides chip scale packages comprising stacked chip scale packages for chipsets and memory applications; package-on-package solutions for the integration of logic and memory in a single footprint; and system-in-package modules that integrate two or more chips and passive device elements into a single package. The company also offers ball grid array packages comprising flip chip ball grid array packages that are used with silicon nodes f or small devices and other applications; and plastic ball grid array packages, which use wirebond technology. In addition, it provides other packaging services, such as wafer bumping services. Further, the company offers semiconductor testing services, including wafer testing or probe, final testing, strip testing, and end-of-line test services; and specialized logistical services, such as security certification and anti-counterfeit measures. It primarily serves the communications, consumer, computing, networking, automotive, and industrial markets. Amkor Technology, Inc. was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Chandler, Arizona.

Advisors' Opinion:

• [By Alex Planes]

  What: Shares of Amkor Technology (NASDAQ: AMKR  ) are up by over 10% today after beating expectations on both top and bottom lines in its first-quarter earnings report.

• [By Monica Gerson]

  Amkor Technology (NASDAQ: AMKR) shares gained 1.63% to touch a new 52-week high of $7.46. Amkor Technology's PEG ratio is 0.94.

  Abraxas Petroleum (NASDAQ: AXAS) shares gained 2.94% to reach a new 52-week high of $4.55. Abraxas Petroleum shares have jumped 93.01% over the past 52 weeks, while the S&P 500 index has gained 17.50% in the same period.