Monday, December 30, 2013

Save money on holiday expenses

thanksgiving travel

Thanksgiving Day airfares surged 8.2% in September alone.

(Money Magazine) A jump in airfares is just one of the ways this holiday season can carve a hole in your wallet.

With airlines cutting back on seats, Turkey Day fares in late September were 8.2% costlier than a year earlier, reports CheapAir.com. And that price differential could hit 20% by November. Use these travel, shopping, and giving strategies, then, to make it through 2013 with more cash left over.

More holiday tips

Fly a day less traveled. Save a bundle by avoiding the standard Wednesday-to-Sunday rush, says CheapAir CEO Jeff Klee. A Monday return, for example, cuts $90 from the $593 average domestic fare.

Get a delayed discount. Use the free deal-alert web app Hukkster to bookmark each gift you buy, and you'll be notified if the store cuts the price. Then ask for cash back. Most national retailers offer 15- or 30-day price adjustments, says co-founder Erica Bell.

Angry traveler pays big bucks for tweet   Angry traveler pays big bucks for tweet

Magnify your charity. Give more, painlessly, by adding a matching gift from your employer. At least $10 billion in workplace matches go unclaimed annually, though 65% of big companies offer them. Yours doesn't? Find givers who do at matchingdonations.org. To top of page

Sunday, December 22, 2013

Can Apple Succeed in Payments Where Google Failed?

Launched in 2011 as a unified mobile payment system, Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG  ) ambitious Google Wallet service has failed to take off. Part of the search giant's push was to embrace near-field communications, or NFC, which was hailed as the next revolution in mobile payment technology. NFC has been around for ages, but the prospect of using it for mobile payments renewed interest in the short-range communication protocol.

Bloomberg Businessweek describes how much of a money pit Google Wallet has become. Over the years, Big G has plunged a vast amount of resources into developing Wallet, including $300 million in small acquisitions. For instance, Google purchased Zetawire in 2010 and TxVia a year ago, both of which specialized in payment technology.

Since Google isn't looking to monetize Wallet directly, characteristically going after user data instead, Wallet operates in the red since Google pays out hefty fees to credit card companies. Heading into Google I/O, there were even rumors that Google was considering launching a Wallet credit card.

Hot Performing Companies To Own For 2014

Still, payments are too important to mobile computing to give up on. Google even expanded and unified Wallet last month, shuttering the older Google Checkout system and rolling it into Wallet. The company also added new features, such as the ability to send money through its popular Gmail service.

Carriers also don't support Wallet, since it competes directly with their own Isis network. Verizon blocked Google Wallet in 2011 from the Galaxy Nexus, and Sprint Nextel remains the only carrier to support the payment service.

Wallet fetches an average rating of only 3.2 stars on Google Play, and users mostly either love it (five stars) or hate it (one star).

Google Wallet user ratings. Source: Google Play.

By just about any measure, Google Wallet hasn't moved the needle in any meaningful way. Will Apple (NASDAQ: AAPL  ) fare any better?

The Mac maker is widely expected to unveil some type of mobile-payments solution in the near future. Apple now has more than 500 million active iTunes accounts with payment information just a tap away, and it could easily leverage immediate network effects for a payment service.

We also know that Apple purchased fingerprint-sensor specialist AuthenTec last year, which promises to add a layer of biometric security that's more robust than simple PINs and passwords. Apple has downplayed the use of NFC, noting that the infrastructure simply isn't there yet and merchants won't invest to upgrade terminals until consumers adopt it -- a classic chicken-and-egg dilemma.

Apple could unveil the service as soon as Monday, when the company's Worldwide Developer Conference begins. Whenever Apple is late to market, it's usually because it's spending the extra time to get things right and with an innovative or unique approach.

Will Apple get payments right? Or will it become the next Maps or Siri?

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.

Saturday, December 21, 2013

Citigroup Stock at 52-Week High on Broad Bank Rally

Shares of Citigroup (NYSE: C  ) are up modestly today to a new 52-week high despite downbeat news from the jobs market. Roughly halfway through the trading session, the nation's third-largest bank by assets is higher by $0.43, or 0.91%.

Data released this morning showed that the number of job openings fell in March from the highest level in nearly five years. The Labor Department said that the number of vacant positions dropped by 55,000, down to 3.84 million. According to Bloomberg News, the drop showed that employers are "waiting to see how the economy performs as federal budget cuts take effect."

Despite the disappointing figure, bank stocks are nevertheless broadly higher, with the KBW Bank Index (DJINDICES: ^BKX  ) advancing 0.81% at the time of writing. Much of the performance can likely be traced to Bank of America's comprehensive settlement with mortgage-bond insurer MBIA. The case resolves significant uncertainty for both of these companies and paves the way for Bank of America to more fully support the housing recovery through heightened lending.

In other news impacting the sector, according to The Wall Street Journal, another major proxy advisory firm is recommending that shareholders of JPMorgan Chase (NYSE: JPM  ) vote in favor of a proposal to split the bank's chairman and CEO roles, both of which are currently occupied by Jamie Dimon. The move from Glass Lewis follows a similar recommendation, released at the end of last week, by Institutional Shareholder Services.

And finally, concerning Citigroup itself, the bank has filed a lawsuit against Barclays in an effort to recover more than $141 million related to the provision of foreign exchange services to a unit of Lehman Brothers Holdings, the corporate entity housing the failed investment bank Lehman Brothers. While the lawsuit is admittedly peanuts compared to, say, Bank of America's, if successful it will nevertheless add to Citigroup's bottom line.

Is Citigroup's stock a buy at today's price?
Citigroup's stock looks tantalizingly cheap. Yet the bank's balance sheet is still in need of more repair, and there's a considerable amount of uncertainty after a shocking management shake-up. Should investors be treading carefully or jumping on an opportunity to buy? To help figure out whether Citigroup deserves a spot on your watchlist, I invite you to read our premium research report on the bank today. It will fill you in on both reasons to buy and reasons to sell Citigroup and the areas Citigroup investors need to watch going forward. Click here now for instant access to our best expert's take on Citigroup.

Friday, December 20, 2013

Judge: Ex-Morgan exec owes company $31.1M

NEW YORK -- A former hedge fund manager at Morgan Stanley has to fork over $31.1 million to the bank for engaging in insider trading, a federal judge ruled.

The amount is the compensation that Joseph "Chip" Skowron III received during the three-and-a-half year period he was engaged in insider trading as a portfolio manager at bank-owned FrontPoint Partners, said the ruling from the U.S. District Court, Southern District of New York.

"Insider trading is the ultimate abuse of a portfolio manager's position and privileges," Judge Shira Scheindlin said in her ruling. in legal terms, Skowron was found to be a "faithless" employee.

At Skowron's sentencing, he was ordered to pay Morgan Stanley 20% of the $31.1 million. The bank then brought a civil suit seeking all of it.

In August 2011, Skowron pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit insider trading "from at least April 2007 through November 2010," the Thursday ruling from Scheindlin reads. He used non-public information to gain investment advantages and also lied to the Securities and Exchange Commission about it, Scheindlin's ruling said. Skowron is now serving a five-year sentence.

Skowron's regular yearly salary -- $1.5 million -- was small compared to bonuses his contract with Morgan granted him. All told, millions more rolled in during that period, reaching that total of $31.1 million.

"In addition to exposing Morgan Stanley to government investigations to and direct financial losses, Skowron's behavior damaged the firm's reputation, a valuable corporate asset," Scheindlin said.

Morgan Stanley cheered the ruling. "We are extremely pleased that the court has granted our request to recover compensation paid to Chip Skowron while he was engaged in insider trading and obstruction of justice," spokesman Matt Burkhard said. "We expect all of our employees to act with honesty and integrity and follow both the letter and the spirit of the law and our own Code of Conduct."

Contributing: Kevin McCoy

Thursday, December 19, 2013

Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now

Popular Posts: 7 Biotechnology Stocks to Buy Now17 Oil and Gas Stocks to Sell Now4 Pharmaceutical Stocks to Buy Now Recent Posts: 5 Worst Sectors to Avoid This Week 5 Stocks With Ugly Earnings Growth ��KWK GNK SOL CRK LM 3 Building Products Stocks to Buy Now View All Posts

This week, the Computer and Personal Electronics, Energy Services, Computer and Personal Electronics, Oil and Gas, and Marine sectors look weak according to Portfolio Grader.

With 78% of its stocks (74 out of 95) rated “sell,” the Metals and Mining sector is struggling this week. Out of the Metals and Mining stocks, Cliffs Natural Resources (NYSE:), Walter Energy (NYSE:), and Thompson Creek Metals Company Inc. (NYSE:) are near the bottom with F’s. Over the last 12 months, Walter Energy is the worst performer in this sector, with a 74.6% decline.

Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Dendreon Corporation(DNDN)

Dendreon Corporation, a biotechnology company, engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of therapeutics to enhance cancer treatment options for patients. The company offers active cellular immunotherapy and small molecule product candidates to treat various cancers. Its product candidates comprise Provenge (sipuleucel-T), an active cellular immunotherapy for the treatment of metastatic, castrate-resistant prostate cancer; DN24-02, an investigational active immunotherapy for the treatment of patients with bladder, breast, ovarian, and other solid tumors expressing HER2/neu; and TRPM8, a small molecule agonist to transient receptor potential ion channel, for multiple cancers. The company also has a range of products in preclinical studies, which include Carcinoembryonic antigen for the treatment of lung, colon, and breast cancer; and Carbonic AnhydraseIX for the treatment of kidney cancer. Dendreon Corporation was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in S eattle, Washington.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    Not to sound like a broken record, but Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) shareholders received some much-awaited positive news, and they have the EMA's panel to thank. The CHMP recommended that Dendreon's cellular immunotherapy treatment Provenge be approved in the EU for the treatment of metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer. Dendreon has been bleeding money because of Provenge's high price tag in the U.S., which caused insurers to shy away from covering the three-course treatment, and from increased competition. It remains to be seen if this will be too little, too late for Dendreon, but it's nonetheless a big stepping stone toward an expected EU approval.�

  • [By Ant贸nio Costa]

    Dendreon Corporation (NASDAQ: DNDN) continued its strong rally today as the stock closed near the highs of the session, and its highest level since this rally began in mid of November. The uptrend is strong based upon the MACD reading and the AC/DT indicator. Look for a quick run to $3.41 then on to $3.80. Stop 2.88 EMA50

    During the day I tweet many times to my readers. I encourage everybody to subscribe AC Investor Blog twitter and newsletter, so you can receive my trade ideas and stock news in real time.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    Today, I'd like to add a familiar name to the list and discuss why Dendreon (NASDAQ: DNDN  ) should be raising the white flag and looking for marketing assistance.

Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: EntreMed Inc (ENMD.PH)

EntreMed, Inc. (EntreMed), incorporated in 1991, is a clinical-stage pharmaceutical company. EntreMed's drug candidate is ENMD-2076, an Aurora A and angiogenic kinase inhibitor for the treatment of cancer. ENMD-2076 has completed Phase I studies in patients with advanced solid tumors, multiple myeloma and leukemia and is completing data for a multi-center Phase II study in patients with platinum resistant ovarian cancer. The Company�� other product candidates have includes MKC-1, ENMD-1198 and 2-methoxyestrdiol (2ME2, Panzem) for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

ENMD-2076 is a novel orally-active, Aurora A/angiogenic kinase inhibitor with potent activity against Aurora A and multiple tyrosine kinases linked to cancer and inflammatory diseases. ENMD-2076 is relatively selective for the Aurora A isoform in comparison to Aurora B. Aurora kinases are key regulators of the process of mitosis, or cell division, and are often over-expressed in human cancers. E NMD-2076 exerts its effects through multiple mechanisms of action, including anti-proliferative activity and the inhibition of angiogenesis. ENMD-2076 has demonstrated significant, dose-dependent preclinical activity as a single agent, including tumor regression, in multiple xenograft models (such as breast, colon, leukemia), as well as activity towards ex vivo-treated human leukemia patient cells.

Top Low Price Stocks To Own For 2014: Celgene Corp (CELG)

Celgene Corporation is a global biopharmaceutical company primarily engaged in the discovery, development and commercialization of therapies designed to treat cancer and immune-inflammatory related diseases. The Company is engaged in the research and development, which is designed to bring new therapies to market, and is engaged in research in several scientific areas that may deliver therapies, focusing areas, such as intracellular signaling pathways in cancer and immune cells, immunomodulation in cancer and autoimmune diseases, and therapeutic application of cell therapies. The Company�� primary commercial stage products include REVLIMID, VIDAZA, THALOMID, ABRAXANE and ISTODAX. Additional sources of revenue include a licensing agreement with Novartis, which entitles it to royalties on FOCALIN XR and the entire RITALIN family of drugs, the sale of services through its Cellular Therapeutics subsidiary and other miscellaneous licensing agreements. In March 2012, it acquired Avila Therapeutics.

The Company invests in research and development, and the drug candidates in its pipeline at various stages of preclinical and clinical development. These candidates include pomalidomide and apremilast, its oral anti-cancer and anti-inflammatory agents, PDA-001, its cellular therapy, oral azacitidine, CC-223 and CC-115 for hematological and solid tumor malignancies, CC-122, its anti-cancer pleiotropic pathway modifier, and ACE-011 and ACE-536 biological products for anemia in several clinical settings of unmet need. Celgene product candidates include Pomalidomide (CC-4047), Oral Anti-Inflammatory: Apremilast (CC-10004), CC-11050, Kinase Inhibitors:Tanzisertib (CC-930), Cellular Therapies: PDA-001, Activin Biology: Sotatercept (ACE-011) ACE-536, and Anti-tumor Agents: CC-22, CC-115, CC-122 and Oral Azacitidine. It owns and operates a manufacturing facility in Zofingen, Switzerland. The Company also owns and operates a drug product manufacturing facility in Boudry, Switzerland.

Commercial! Stage Products

REVLIMID (lenalidomide) is an oral immunomodulatory drug marketed in the United States and many international markets, in combination with dexamethasone, for treatment of patients with multiple myeloma who have received at least one prior therapy. It is also marketed in the United States and certain international markets for the treatment of transfusion-dependent anemia due to low- or intermediate-1-risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) associated with a deletion 5q cytogenetic abnormality with or without additional cytogenetic abnormalities. REVLIMID is distributed in the United States through contracted pharmacies under the RevAssist program, which is a risk-management distribution program. Internationally, REVLIMID is distributed under mandatory risk-management distribution programs.

REVLIMID continues to be evaluated in numerous clinical trials worldwide either alone or in combination with one or more other therapies in the treatment of a range of hematological malignancies, including multiple myeloma (MDS) various lymphomas, chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) other cancers and other diseases. VIDAZA (azacitidine for injection) is a pyrimidine nucleoside. VIDAZA is a Category 1 recommended treatment for patients with intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS and is marketed in the United States for the treatment of all subtypes of MDS. In Europe, VIDAZA is marketed for the treatment of intermediate-2 and high-risk MDS, as well as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) with 30% blasts and has been granted orphan drug designation for the treatment of MDS and AML.

THALOMID (thalidomide) is marketed for patients with newly diagnosed multiple myeloma and for the acute treatment of the cutaneous manifestations of moderate to severe erythema nodosum leprosum (ENL) an inflammatory complication of leprosy and as maintenance therapy for prevention and suppression of the cutaneous manifestation of ENL recurrence. THALOMID is distributed in the United States under its System f! or Thalid! omide Education and Prescribing Safety (S.T.E.P.S.) program. Internationally, THALOMID is also distributed under mandatory risk-management distribution programs. ABRAXANE (paclitaxel albumin-bound particles for injectable suspension) is a solvent-free chemotherapy treatment option for metastatic breast cancer, which was developed using its nab technology platform. This protein-bound chemotherapy agent combines paclitaxel with albumin. As of December 31, 2011, ABRAXANE was in various stages of investigation for the treatment of expanded applications for metastatic breast; non-small cell lung; malignant melanoma; pancreatic; bladder and ovarian.

ISTODAX (romidepsin) has received orphan drug designation for the treatment of non-Hodgkin's T-cell lymphomas, which includes CTCL and PTCL. The Company has licensed the worldwide rights (excluding Canada) regarding certain chirally pure forms of methylphenidate for FOCALIN and FOCALIN XR to Novartis. It also licensed to Novartis the rights related to long-acting formulations of methylphenidate and dex-methylphenidate products which are used in FOCALIN XR and RITALIN LA.

Preclinical and Clinical-Stage Pipeline

The product candidates in the Company�� pipeline are at various stages of preclinical and clinical development. Pomalidomide is a small molecule that is orally available and modulates the immune system and other biologically important targets. Pomalidomide is being evaluated in a phase III clinical trial for the treatment of myelofibrosis and a phase III clinical trial evaluating pomalidomide as a treatment for patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma is accruing patients.

The Company is developing a product, ORAL ANTI-INFLAMMATORY AGENTS, which is orally available small molecules that target PDE4, an intracellular enzyme that modulates the production of multiple pro-inflammatory and anti-inflammatory mediators, including interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-10, IL-12, IL-23, INF-gamma, TNF-a, leukotrienes,! and nitr! ic oxide synthase. Its investigational drug, apremilast (CC-10004), is used for the treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis and active psoriatic arthritis and is being evaluated in a phase II trial for rheumatoid arthritis and six phase III multi-center international clinical trials. In addition, it is investigating its oral PDE4 inhibitor, CC-11050, which is an anti-inflammatory compound that treat a variety of chronic inflammatory conditions, such as Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus (CLE).

The Company�� oral kinase inhibitor platform includes inhibitors of the c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) mTOR kinase, spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) c-fms tyrosine kinase (c-FMS) and DNA-dependent protein kinase (DNAPK). Its oral Syk, c-FMS and DNAPK kinase inhibitors are being investigated in pre-clinical studies. The Company�� new second generation JNK inhibitor, tanzisertib (CC-930), is being evaluated in a phase II trial for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and a phase II trial for the treatment of discoid lupus is accruing patients. Amrubicin is a third-generation fully synthetic anthracycline molecule with potent topoisomerase II inhibition.

At Celgene Cellular Therapeutics (CCT), it is researching stem cells derived from the human placenta, as well as from the umbilical cord. CCT is the Company�� research and development division. Stem cell based therapies provide disease-modifying outcomes for serious diseases, which lack adequate therapy. It has developed technology for collecting, processing and storing placental stem cells with broad therapeutic applications in cancer, auto-immune diseases, including Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, neurological disorders, including stroke and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), graft-versus-host disease, and other immunological / anti-inflammatory, rheumatologic and bone disorders.

The Company has collaborated with Acceleron Pharma, Inc. (Acceleron) to develop sotatercept. Two phase I clinical studies have been co! mpleted. ! An additional phase II clinical study has been initiated and is ongoing related to treatments for end-stage renal anemia and to evaluate effects on red blood cell mass and plasma volume.

The Company competes with Abbott Laboratories, Amgen Inc. (Amgen), AstraZeneca PLC., Biogen Idec Inc., Bristol-Myers Squibb Co., Eisai Co., Ltd., F. Hoffmann-LaRoche Ltd., Johnson and Johnson, Merck and Co., Inc., Novartis AG, Pfizer, Sanofi and Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. (Takeda).

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Sean Williams]

    The current standard of treatment
    Celgene's (NASDAQ: CELG  ) Revlimid is the current shining star of multiple myeloma. Approved in 2006, Revlimid met its primary endpoint of extending time-to-progression when taken with dexamethasone in the first of two studies (median TTP of 37.1 weeks compared to just 19.9 weeks for the dexamethasone control arm). Sales of the drug have really taken off and accounted for $3.8 billion of Celgene's nearly $5.4 billion in product sales in 2012.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Small cap cancer stock Ariad Pharmaceuticals, Inc (NASDAQ: ARIA) got annihilated yesterday on bad news which seemed to spread like a virus through other biotech stocks, but not all the recent�news surrounding cancer or both large cap and small cap cancer stocks has been�bad as there is good news coming from AstraZeneca plc (NYSE: AZN), Celgene Corporation (NASDAQ: CELG) and MetaStat Inc (OTCMKTS: MTST). Moreover, many investors are distracted by the sideshow going on in Washington DC and may not be paying attention to the following news, good or bad, surrounding the cancer space or cancer stocks:

  • [By David Williamson]

    It looks like the CHMP, Europe's version of the FDA advisory committee, didn't want the month to end without two big positive opinions, giving investors a nice little present heading into the weekend.�Celgene's (NASDAQ: CELG  ) relapsed and refractory multiple myeloma drug pomalidomide, and Aegerion's (NASDAQ: AEGR  ) HoFH drug Juxtapid, are now likely to be approved in the EU.

  • [By Sean Williams]

    In addition, by moving ibrutinib along via this expedited pathway, it gives a previous small fry in the biotech sector, Pharmacyclics, a chance to kick around the big boys like AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV  ) and Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG  ) . AbbVie's experimental late-stage CLL and SLL drug, ABT-199, was placed on clinical hold in February following the death of two patients from a condition known as tumor lysis syndrome. This hold will delay any additional trials until the proper dosing is worked out and gives ibrutinib a chance to run away in treating CLL/SLL. For Celgene, which just received the added indication for Revlimid to treat MCL, it's a kick in the pants. Revlimid's MCL trial overall response rate was 26% compared to the 68% ORR in ibrutinib's mid-stage trial.

Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Galena Biopharma Inc (GALE.PH)

Galena Biopharma, Inc. (Galena), formerly RXi Pharmaceuticals Corporation, incorporated on April 3, 2006, is a biotechnology company focused on discovering, developing and commercializing therapies addressing unmet medical needs using targeted biotherapeutics. The Company is pursuing the development of cancer therapeutics using peptide-based immunotherapy products, including its main product candidate, NeuVaxTM (E75), for the treatment of breast cancer and other tumors. NeuVax is a peptide-based immunotherapy intended to reduce the recurrence of breast cancer in low-to-intermediate HER2-positive breast cancer patients not eligible for trastuzumab (Herceptin; Genentech/Roche). On January 19, 2012, the Company initiated enrollment in its Phase 3 PRESENT clinical trial for NeuVax (E75 peptide plus GM-CSF) vaccine in low-to-intermediate HER2 1+ and 2+ breast cancer patients in the adjuvant setting to prevent recurrence (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01479244). The Preven tion of Recurrence in Early-Stage, Node-Positive Breast Cancer with Low to Intermediate HER2 Expression with NeuVax Treatment study is a randomized, multicenter, multinational clinical trial that will enroll approximately 700 breast cancer patients. The Company�� Phase 2 trial of NeuVax achieved its primary endpoint of disease-free survival (DFS). On April 13, 2011, the Company completed its acquisition of Apthera, Inc.,(Apthera).

The Company focuses to start a Phase 2 trial comparing NeuVax in combination with trastuzumab (Herceptin) versus trastuzumab, alone, in a 300-patient, randomized study in the adjuvant breast cancer setting. The Company's second product candidate, Folate Binding Protein-E39 (FBP), is a vaccine, consisting of the peptides E39 and J65, aimed at preventing the recurrence of ovarian, endometrial, and breast cancers. On February 14, 2012, the Company announced the initiation of a Phase 1/2 clinical trial in two gynecological cancers: ovari an and endometrial adenocarcinomas. Folate binding protein! h! as very limited tissue distribution and expression in non-malignant tissue and is over-expressed in more than 90% of ovarian and endometrial cancers, as well as in 20% to 50% of breast, lung, colorectal and renal cell carcinomas.

In April 2011, the Company acquired Apthera Inc and its NeuVax product candidate. The Company focuses on developing a pipeline of immunotherapy product candidates for the treatment of various cancers based on the E75 peptide, the advanced of which is NeuVax, which is targeted at preventing the recurrence of breast cancer. NeuVax has had positive Phase 1/2 clinical trial results for the prevention of breast cancer recurrence in patients who have had breast cancer and received the standard of care treatment (surgery, chemotherapy, radiotherapy and hormonal therapy as indicated). The Company had also initiated its Phase 3 PRESENT clinical trial of NeuVax for the prevention of breast cancer recurrence in early-stage low-to-intermediate HER2 breast cancer patients. NeuVax directs killer T-cells to target and destroy cancer cells that express HER2/neu, a protein associated with epithelial tumors in breast, ovarian, pancreatic, colon, bladder and prostate cancers. NeuVax is comprised of a HER2/neu-derived peptide called E75. E75 is a nine-amino acid sequence that is immunogenic (produces an immune response) and GM-CSF is a commercially available protein that acts to stimulate and activate components of the immune system such as macrophages and dendritic cells.

The Company also develops novel applications for NeuVax based on preclinical studies and phases 2 clinical trials which suggest that combining NeuVax and trastuzumab (Herceptin; Genentech/Roche) can increase antigen presentation by tumor cells by promoting receptor internalization and subsequent proteosomal degradation of the HER2 protein. The Company also is pursuing additional therapeutic indications for NeuVax that are in Phase 1/2 clinical trials. RXI-109, is a dermal anti-scarring therapy that ! targ! ets! conne! ctive tissue growth factor (CTGF) and that may inhibit connective tissue formation in human fibrotic disease.

The Company competes with Roche Laboratories, Inc., Pfizer Inc., Bayer HealthCare AG, Sanofi-Aventis, US, LLC, Amgen, Inc., GlaxoSmithKline plc, Renovo Group plc, CoDa Therapeutics, Inc., Sirnaomics, Inc., FirstString Research, Inc., Merz Pharmaceuticals, LLC, Capstone Therapeutics, Halscion, Inc., Garnet Bio Therapeutics, Inc., AkPharma Inc., Promedior, Inc., Kissei Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., Eyegene, Derma Sciences, Inc., Healthpoint Biotherapeutics, Pharmaxon, Excaliard Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Marina Biotech, Inc., Tacere Therapeutics, Inc., Benitec Limited, OPKO Health, Inc., Silence Therapeutics plc, Quark Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Rosetta Genomics Ltd., Lorus Therapeutics, Inc., Tekmira Pharmaceuticals Corporation, Arrowhead Research Corporation, Regulus Therapeutics Inc. and Santaris.

Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Amarantus Bioscience Holdings Inc (AMBS)

Amarantus BioScience Holdings, Inc., formerly Amarantus BioSciences, Inc., incorporated on March 22, 2013, is focuses on developing intellectual property and proprietary technology in order to develop drug candidates and diagnostic blood tests to diagnose and treat human diseases. The Company owns the intellectual property rights to a therapeutic protein known as Mesencephalic-Astrocyte-derived Neurotrophic Factor (MANF), owns the intellectual property rights to biomarkers related to oncology and neurodegeneration named BC-SeraPro and NuroPro respectively, has a license to an Alzheimer�� disease blood test named LymPro, and owns a number of proprietary cell lines called PhenoGuard. MANF was the first therapeutic protein discovered from a PhenoGuard Cell Line. In December 2012, the Company acquired neurodegenerative diagnostic portfolio from Power3 Medical Products. On March 22, 2013, the Company was merged with into Amarantus Bioscience Inc.

The Company also owns an inventory of 88 cell lines that Amarantus refers to as PhenoGuard Cell Lines. MANF is a protein that corrects protein misfolding. The Company�� MANF product development effort is centered on a therapy for Parkinson�� disease.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    Two weeks ago I penned some bullish thoughts on Amarantus BioScience, Inc. (OTC:AMBS). In simplest terms, I liked the way the stock had spent some time in consolidation mode, and looked like was testing the upper boundary of that zone - I figured a breakout from AMBS was imminent. So I waited... and waited.... and waited. Nothing. A week and a half later, I let the stock fall off my mental radar. As it turns out, I should have been a little more patient. Amarantus BioScience finally did the deed yesterday, and is following through today.

  • [By James E. Brumley]

    At first glance, Amarantus Bioscience Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB:AMBS) doesn't look like anything more than a volatile mess. It's up 17% today, but had been up twice that amount this morning. Even more exhausting is the fact AMBS, currently at $0.0529, had been as high as $0.089 and as low as $0.039 within the past three months. Point being, Amarantus Bioscience Holdings has been, and continues to be, all over the map.

Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc.(ALNY)

Alnylam Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company, engages in discovering, developing, and commercializing novel therapeutics based on RNA interference (RNAi). Its core product programs under clinical or pre-clinical development include ALN-TTR, a Phase I clinical trial program for the treatment of transthyretin-mediated amyloidosis; ALN-APC, a Phase I clinical trial program for the treatment of hemophilia; ALN-PCS for the treatment of severe hypercholesterolemia; ALN-HPN, a pre-clinical development for the treatment of refractory anemia; and ALN-TMP, a pre-clinical development for the treatment of hemoglobinopathies, including beta-thalassemia and sickle cell anemia. The company?s partner-based programs comprise ALN-RSV01, a Phase II clinical trial program for the treatment of respiratory syncytial virus infection; ALN-VSP, a Phase I clinical trial completed program for the treatment of liver cancers; and ALN-HTT, a pre-clinical development for the treatment of Huntington?s disease. It has strategic alliances with Novartis Pharma AG; F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd; Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited; Isis Pharmaceuticals, Inc.; Medtronic Inc.; Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd.; and Cubist Pharmaceuticals, Inc. The company was founded in 2002 and is headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Ben Levisohn]

    Markey rates the stock a Buy with an $11 price target. Shares of MannKind have jumped 14% to $7.85 today. The SPDR Biotech ETF (XBI) has gained 0.7% to $119.85 today, while Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY) has gained 1% to $49.05, NPS Pharmaceuticals (NPSP) has fallen 4.1% to $23.56, and InterMune (ITMN) has risen 2.6% to $14.89.

  • [By Markus Aarnio]

    2. Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (ALNY), a biopharmaceutical company, engages in discovering, developing, and commercializing novel therapeutics based on RNA interference [RNAi].

  • [By Keith Speights]

    Early validation
    Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALNY  ) was another big winner this week, with shares jumping 32%. Good news from an early-stage study powered the stock's climb.

  • [By Keith Speights]

    Good news comes in threes
    Alnylam Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ALNY  ) had a triple-whammy of good news this week. Shares shot up by 22% as a result.

Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Neurocrine Biosciences Inc.(NBIX)

Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. engages in the discovery, development, and commercialization of drugs for the treatment of neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders in the United States. It develops drugs for endometriosis, stress-related disorders, pain, tardive dyskinesia, uterine fibroids, diabetes, insomnia, and other neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders. The company?s products in clinical development include Elagolix, a Phase II drug for endometriosis; Vesicular Monoamine Transporter 2 Inhibitor (VMAT2), a Phase II drug for movement disorders; CRF2 Peptide Agonist, a Phase II drug for cardiovascular diseases; CRF1 Antagonist, a Phase II drug for stress-related disorders; and Elagolix, a Phase II drug for uterine fibroids. Its research programs comprise G Protein-Coupled Receptor 119 (GPR119) for type II diabetes; VMAT2 for schizophrenia; GnRH Antagonists for men?s and women?s health, and oncology; Antiepileptic Drugs for epilepsy, essential tremor, and pain; and G Protein-Coupled Receptors for other conditions. The company has collaborations with GlaxoSmithKline to develop and commercialize CRF antagonists for psychiatric, neurological, and gastrointestinal diseases; Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma Co. Ltd. to develop and commercialize Indiplon in Japan; Abbott International Luxembourg S.�r.l. to develop and commercialize elagolix and GnRH antagonists for women?s and men?s health indications; and Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH to research, develop, and commercialize small molecule GPR119 agonists for the treatment of type II diabetes and other indications. Neurocrine Biosciences, Inc. was founded in 1992 and is headquartered in San Diego, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Roberto Pedone]

    Another stock that's starting to trend within range of triggering a major breakout trade is Neurocrine Biosciences (NBIX), which discovers, develops and commercializes drugs for the treatment of neurological and endocrine-related diseases and disorders. This stock has been a hot name with bulls so far in 2013, with shares up 57%.

    If you look at the chart for Neurocrine Biosciences, you'll notice that this stock recently gapped down sharply from $16.74 to below $11.50 a share with heavy downside volume flows. Following that gap down, shares of NBIX went on to continue its trend lower and the stock hit a new low of $10.42 a share. Shares of NBIX have started to rebound off that $10.42 low and it's now moving within range of triggering a major breakout trade.

    Traders should now look for long-biased trades in NBIX if it manages to break out above some near-term overhead resistance levels at its 200-day moving average of $11.92 a share and above its gap down day high of $12.17 a share with high volume. Look for a sustained move or close above those levels with volume that hits near or above its three-month average action of 894,145 shares. If that breakout triggers soon, then NBIX will set up to re-fill some of its previous gap down zone from September that started at $16.74 a share. Some possible upside targets for NBIX if it gets into that gap with volume are $14 to $15 a share.

    Traders can look to buy NBIX off any weakness to anticipate that breakout and simply use a stop that sits right below support at $11 a share, or below that recent low of $10.42 a share. One can also buy NBIX off strength once it takes out that breakout levels with volume and then simply use a stop that sits a comfortable percentage from your entry point.

Best Biotech Stocks To Watch Right Now: Cannabis Science Inc (CBIS)

Cannabis Science, Inc., incorporated on May 4, 2007, is a development-stage company. The Company is engaged in the creation of cannabis-based medicines, both with and without psychoactive properties, to treats disease and the symptoms of disease, as well as for general health maintenance. On February 9, 2012, the Company acquired GGECO University, Inc. (GGECO). On March 21, 2012, the Company acquired Cannabis Consulting Inc. (CCI Group).

The Company is engaged in medical marijuana research and development. The Company works with world authorities on phytocannabinoid science targeting critical illnesses, and adheres to scientific methodologies to develop, produce, and commercialize phytocannabinoid-based pharmaceutical products.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Bryan Murphy]

    The difference between Growlife's leadership and, say that of competitors like Cannabis Science Inc. (OTCMKTS: CBIS) or Medical Marijuana Inc. (OTCMKTS: MJNA), has been relatively well documented here at the SmallCap Network site. I think the way I - well, someone else - put it back on June 25th says it best...."Growlife is sort of the demure girl in the corner who doesn't do shots off her navel in the bar." It may not have sizzle, but it does have substance.

  • [By John Udovich]

    Although its summer, there has been a steady stream of good news about medical marijuana even though important small cap marijuana stocks�Medical Marijuana Inc (OTCMKTS: MJNA) and Cannabis Science Inc (OTCMKTS: CBIS) have been fairly quietly lately while Growlife Inc (OTCBB: PHOT), a more indirect play on the spread of legalized marijuana, has produced�some news for investors:

Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Investors Overreact to a Revolution-ary Contract

As you've probably heard by now, shares of LED lighting specialist Revolution Lighting  (NASDAQ: RVLT  ) popped by nearly 18% in Monday trading. But why?

One word: ignorance.

First, the facts
Let's start with what we know, and see if we can figure out whether investors were right to bid up the shares so high. According to the press release that Revolution put out Monday, the U.S. Navy's Military Sealift Command (MSC) contracted to buy 17,000 Seesmart 2- and 4-foot LED tube lamps. Further specifics on the lights were not provided. But Revolution has previously disclosed that its 15-watt LED tube lamp, for example, produces more than 1,700 lumens of light, and says it's "the industry's most efficient four-foot LED T8 lamp, utilizing the lowest wattage and generating the highest light output available." So far, so good.

We know, too, that MSC intends to install these lamps on the 14 newish Lewis and Clark-class Auxiliary Cargo and Ammunition Ships that General Dynamics (NYSE: GD  ) built for it over the past 12 years, retrofitting these relatively new ships with even newer lighting technology.

Now, the math
Revolution didn't disclose the value of this contract. But judging from advertisements available on the Web, these lights appear to retail for anywhere from $50 to $70 apiece. Presumably, the Navy got a discount for buying in bulk. But even if it paid full freight, this still gives a maximum value on Revolution's contract of perhaps $1.2 million for 17,000 4-foot tube lamps.

That's certainly a sizable contract for a company like Revolution, which did only $20 million in sales over the past year. Yet consider: The 17.6% spike in the shares yesterday -- $0.50 per share -- added not $1.2 million, but rather $40.8 million to Revolution's market cap. This seems a bit excessive given our estimated value of the contract. When you consider further that Revolution is earning negative profit margins on its revenues, the logic of turning even a $1.2 million sales contract into a $40.8 million increase in market cap seems even more tenuous.

Granted, in time this Navy deal could get bigger. If MSC decides it likes the product, and expands its purchases to retrofit, say, its entire 110-ship fleet, this could result in orders eight times as large as Monday's 14-ship, 17,000-unit contract. But even if that happens ... we'd still be looking at a sales contract worth less than $10 million.

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Turning news this small into an increase $40.8 million big is quite simply ridiculous. Investors got carried away, and I suspect they'll rue the day.

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Monday, December 16, 2013

U.S. forecasts natural gas boom through 2040

America's energy boom will continue for decades, and natural gas will replace coal as the largest source of U.S. electricity by 2040, the Department of Energy forecast today.

U.S. production of crude oil will increase through 2016, when it will approach the record set in 1970, before leveling off and then slowly declining after 2020. Natural gas production will grow steadily, jumping 56% between 2012 and 2040, according to an early release of an annual report by DOE's Energy Information Administration.

"Advanced technologies for crude oil and natural gas production are continuing to increase domestic supply and reshape the U.S. energy economy as well as expand the potential for U.S. natural gas exports," Adam Sieminski, EIA Administrator, said in releasing the Annual Energy Outlook 2014.

This energy bonanza is largely due to the combined use of horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing or fracking, which releases oil and gas from shale deposits by blasting chemical-laced water underground to break up the rock. Yet fracking faces growing criticism as some scientists link leftover fracking fluids to groundwater contamination.

EIA's 2014 forecast says low prices will make natural gas increasingly attractive so in some areas, it will replace power once supplied by nuclear or coal plants. In 2040, it expects natural gas will account for 35% of the nation's electricity generation while coal will account for 32%.

Two other trends will also intensify: more efficient cars and light trucks will reduce energy use while renewable sources such as solar and wind will produce more power. The result: The United States will export more energy and import less. The net import share of U.S. energy consumption could drop to as little as 4% by 2040 -- down from 16% in 2012 and 30% in 2005..

The 2014 forecast sees a more robust U.S. energy market than did its 2013 counterpart. But it offers only one scenario, known as the "reference case," that assumes current laws and regulations will r! emain generally unchanged through 2040. Next year, EIA will release a complete forecast, offering varying scenarios that account for pending proposals.

For example, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has proposed to limit greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants -- a rule that would disproportionately affect coal-fired plants and further impede their ability to compete on price.

The 2014 forecast has good news for U.S. energy-related carbon dioxide emissions. It says they'll remain below their 2005 level through 2040 because of the nation's growing reliance on wind and solar power, which emit no CO2, as well as natural gas-fired plants, which emit considerably less than do coal plants.

Saturday, December 14, 2013

Friday Links

101713 - friday links NEW YORK (CNNMoney) -

A weekly collection of design, data and interactive links. Photo/Video It's paper | Digital paper animation by Pingo van der Brinkloev Frozen bubble lake | Canada's Lake Abraham bitsweep | Fun project made with Cinema 4D Design/Data viz Seene | iPhone app to create and share 3d photos Pizza place geography | Visualization of pizza chains nationwide Visualizing 3 billion tweets | Geotagged tweets since Sept. 2011 Raw | From spreadsheets to vector graphics GED Viz | Visualizing complex economic relations Music Piano projections | Keyboard projection system to learn the piano Symphonies | Visual comparison of six iconic symphonies Verdi and Wagner | A timeline of symphonies Hardware Phonebloks | Component based phone concept Triggertrap Redsnap | Affordable high-speed photography See last week's links Have a nice weekend! @dubly and @talyellin To top of page

Friday, December 13, 2013

How to use CPAs to attract new business

Paul Saganey

As I have built my practice through strategic and professional partnerships, I am often asked: How do I effectively work with CPAs?

Advisers understand the benefits of having a revenue-sharing relationship with top accounting firms. Conversely, more and more CPAs have been getting licensed as advisers, so that in addition to working as accountants they can act as financial planners and avoid sharing/losing out on additional revenue.

Though the trend of CPAs seeking financial advisory licenses does exist, many successful CPAs believe teaming up with top financial advisers is their best way to bring optimum services to their clients. Some CPAs have learned the hard way and some realized early on it is more advantageous for them to have a revenue-sharing relationship with a financial adviser than to risk reaching a complexity ceiling alone. Many CPAs come to this realization on their own, or by learning about the services their clients are missing out on by not working with an adviser.

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That said, when seeking a revenue-sharing partnership, it is imperative that you be in a position to explain to a CPA the benefits of entering into a partnership rather than going it alone. These relationships are not about educating each other; they are about working together to build a successful full-service offering. The best partnerships are formed when each side recognizes their own (and each other's) strengths and weaknesses. As advisers, you need to recog

Thursday, December 12, 2013

CytRx (CYTR) Soars on 2-Day Rally

NEW YORK (TheStreet) -- CytRx Corp. (CYTR) extended its gains, parlaying an announcement Wednesday into a two-day rally. Shares closed 52.2% higher to $6.12 during Thursday's trading session, adding to an overall 152.1% gain since Wednesday's open. CYTR Chart
CYTR data by YCharts

A rally was sparked after the oncological specialist announced the success of a mid-stage clinical trial of its cancer treatment before the bell Wednesday. The aldoxorubicin study, an experimental treatment targeting soft-tissue sarcomas, was found to have an 80% to 100% success rate in progression-free survival over using chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin in isolation.

Best Medical Stocks To Own For 2014

The success of CytRx is in stark contrast to ImmunoCellular Therapeutics (IMUC) which more than halved its value on Thursday. The cancer immunotherapy researcher closed 59.9% lower to $1.09, after a phase II study of its cell-based vaccine treating aggressive brain tumors failed to reap statistical significance in overall survival among patients.

--Written by Keris Alison Lahiff

Stock quotes in this article: CYTR, IMUC 

Wednesday, December 11, 2013

Oil futures edge up ahead of U.S. inventory data

HONG KONG (MarketWatch) — Oil futures on Tuesday inched higher, paring Monday's losses, with investors awaiting weekly data on U.S. crude supplies expected to show a drop in inventories.

Crude oil for January delivery (CLF4)   rose 9 cents, or 0.1%, to $97.43 a barrel in electronic trading.

Oil prices on Monday settled down by 0.3% on the New York Mercantile Exchange for their first loss in seven sessions after Federal Reserve officials said the central bank could begin tapering down its stimulus program at its meeting next week.

Reuters Enlarge Image

Oil prices rose 5.3% last week for their best performance since July, according to FactSet data tracking the most-active contracts.

The American Petroleum Institute was due to release its weekly oil inventory report Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. Eastern time, followed on Wednesday by the more closely watched U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) weekly data.

U.S. commercial crude oil stocks are expected to have fallen for the second consecutive week, with a draw of 2.8 million barrels during the week ended Dec. 6, a according to a Platts survey of oil analysts.

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The previous week, the EIA report showed a larger-than-expected 5.6-million-barrel drop for the week ended Nov. 29, the first decrease in 11 weeks.

In other trading Tuesday, Brent crude for January delivery (UK:LCOF4)   edged up 5 cents, or 0.1%, to $109.44 a barrel.

January natural gas (NGF14)  added 0.1% to $4.14 million British thermal units. January gasoline (RBF4)  increased slightly to $2.68 a gallon, and January heating oil (HOF4)   was up 0.1% at $3.02 a gallon.

More MarketWatch news

Willard: This bubble blowing bull market won't end well

Fed's Bullard floats idea of small taper in December

Gilburt: Is a 100-point S&P decline out of the question?.

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

Twitter Strengthens Its Board With This Move

Source: Twitter

Social micro-blogging site Twitter (NYSE: TWTR  ) faced its fair share of detractors as made its public market debut last month. Twitter lacked any real profits... Twitter was astoundingly overvalued... and so forth.

However, one of the less covered -- but perhaps more meaningful-- criticisms of Twitter has been its lack of diversity. Twitter didn't have a single a female board member. And while this might sound like a minor storyline to some investors, Twitter shareholders should have been worried about the lack of a female presence for good reason.

In its defense, Twitter had been open that it wanted to add a female board member as soon as it found the right candidate. And thankfully, that day has come: Twitter announced on Thursday that it would be welcoming Marjorie Scardino  to its board.

@twitter Thank you. There couldn't be a more exciting time in Twitter's history to join!

— Marjorie M Scardino (@marjscar) December 5, 2013

Who is Marjorie Scardino?
Scardino brings a wealth of publishing and media expertise to Twitter. She's best known for her role at publishing giant Pearson, where she served as CEO from 1997 to 2012. In her time at the helm of Pearson, Scardino helped grow Pearson into the world's largest publisher. In the process, Pearson's revenue and operating profits both tripled. Her track record speaks for itself.

Scardino's experience at Pearson was also broadly international. Pearson gets well over 80% of its revenue from markets outside the U.K., its home base. This kind of expertise seems especially well-suited to helping Twitter achieve one of its most important strategic goals: international monetization.

In its S-1 filing, Twitter revealed that in the previous three months, 76% of its monthly active users were outside the United States. However, those same international users only accounted for 26% of Twitter's consolidated revenue during the same period.  With her deep expertise in running a complex, global business, Scardino's talents certainly seem well-aligned with Twitter's top needs.

There's also plenty of data to support the idea that Twitter stands to gain from adding its first female director.

Gender diversity should help Twitter
There's admittedly a lot of debate about the importance of gender diversity on a company's board. But there's a growing body of research that demonstrates companies with gender-diverse boards tend to outperform both broad market indexes -- and male-only boards.

For example, research from Credit Suisse found that over a six-year period, stocks of companies that had at least one female board member outperformed stocks of companies with male-only boards by 26%. Similarly, a study conducted by Thompson Reuters found that companies lacking women on their boards "underperformed, on average, relative to gender-diverse boards."

Foolish bottom line
There were a whole host of reasons that Twitter wanted and needed a female board member. Thankfully, with the recent addition of Scardino, Twitter has now added one very capable female voice. Twitter still needs to make major progress toward other key business objects (like actually making money!). But this move should inspire confidence in Twitter investors.

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Monday, December 9, 2013

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014

Bull JACK 071713 rev1Jackin the Box JACK wasa momentum play last year and today it returnsas the Bull of the Day, albeit a unique story that may have slightlyhigherrisk due to some reorganization within the company after noticing acontinuousdecline in traffic due to macro concerns and conservative spending incertain arearestaurants.

After an extensive operational reviewand financial analysisof its Qdoba Mexican restaurants, Jack in the Box has made the decisionto close67 (10% of total) underperforming restaurants under its Qdoba MexicanGrillbrand by the end of fiscal 2013 (ending Sept 29, 2013).

There are currently 647 Qdobarestaurants worldwide, which includes340 company-owned units. When all is said and done, the company expectstoincur about $28 million as impairment charges related to the closingsandapproximately $12 million in lease-related costs during fiscal 2013.

Management believes that since therestaurants were notdoing well, closing them would improve the company�� future profit andenhancethe cash flow position.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: O'Reilly Automotive Inc.(ORLY)

O?Reilly Automotive, Inc., together with its subsidiaries, engages in the retail of automotive aftermarket parts, tools, supplies, equipment, and accessories in the United States. The company?s stores provide new and remanufactured automotive hard parts, including alternators, starters, fuel pumps, water pumps, brake system components, batteries, belts, hoses, chassis parts, and engine parts; maintenance items comprising oil, antifreeze, fluids, filters, wiper blades, lighting, engine additives, and appearance products; and accessories, such as floor mats, seat covers, and truck accessories. Its stores also offer auto body paint and related materials, automotive tools, and professional service provider service equipment. The company?s stores sell its brand name and private label products for domestic and imported automobiles, vans, and trucks to do-it-yourself customers and professional service providers. As of March 31, 2011, it operated 3,613 stores. The company was foun ded in 1957 and is headquartered in Springfield, Missouri.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Monica Gerson]

    O'Reilly Automotive (NASDAQ: ORLY) is estimated to post its Q3 earnings at $1.65 per share on revenue of $1.75 billion.

    Whiting Petroleum (NYSE: WLL) is projected to post its Q3 earnings at $1.06 per share on revenue of $678.69 million.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: It Way Spa(ITW.MI)

Itway S.p.A. engages in the distribution and integration of software and hardware products for the logical security of information systems primarily in Italy, France, the Iberian Peninsula, Greece, and Turkey. The company offers consultancy services and system integration services, as well as produces solutions and software technologies for e-businesses. Its services also include training and supporting companies in the areas of e-business, e-security, central access management, internetworking and wireless. In addition, the company offers specialized certification services on software technologies and pre- and post-sale technical assistance services. Itway S.p.A. is headquartered in Ravenna, Italy.

10 Best Penny Stocks To Buy Right Now: Rec Minerals Corp(REC.V)

Reliant Gold Corp. engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of precious, base metal, and uranium properties in Canada. It holds options to acquire 100% interests in the MC Dalhousie, North Nonacho, Esten, and Borden Lake South properties located in northwestern British Columbia, Northwest Territories, and Ontario. The company was formerly known as REC Minerals Corp. and changed its name to Reliant Gold Corp. in February 2011. Reliant Gold Corp. was founded in 2005 and is based in Toronto, Canada.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: 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 )

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: AmerisourceBergen Corporation (HOLDING CO)

AmerisourceBergen Corporation, a pharmaceutical services company, provides drug distribution and related services to healthcare providers and pharmaceutical manufacturers in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Canada. The company distributes brand-name and generic pharmaceuticals, over-the-counter healthcare products, home healthcare supplies and equipment, and related services to various healthcare providers, including acute care hospitals and health systems, independent and chain retail pharmacies, mail order pharmacies, medical and dialysis clinics, physicians, and long-term care and other alternate site pharmacies. It also offers various services, such as pharmaceutical packaging, pharmacy automation, inventory management, reimbursement and pharmaceutical consulting and staffing services, logistics services, and pharmacy management. In addition, AmerisourceBergen provides scalable automated pharmacy dispensing equipment, medication and supply dispensing cabinets , and supply management software to various retail and institutional healthcare providers. Further, the company offers distribution and other services to physicians, who specialize in various disease states; distributes plasma and other blood products, injectible pharmaceuticals, and vaccines; and provides drug commercialization, third party logistics, reimbursement consulting, data analytics, and outcomes research services for biotech and other pharmaceutical manufacturers, as well as practice management and group purchasing services for physician practices. Additionally, it delivers unit dose, punch card, unit-of-use, and other packaging solutions to institutional and retail healthcare providers; and offers contract packaging and clinical trial material services for pharmaceutical manufacturers. The company serves customers through a network of distribution and service centers, and packaging facilities. AmerisourceBergen was founded in 1985 and is headquartered in Chesterb rook, Pennsylvania.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: CTPartners Executive Search Inc. (CTP)

CTPartners Executive Search Inc., together with its subsidiaries, provides retained executive search services to clients worldwide. It facilitates the recruitment and hiring of C-level executives, such as chief executive officers, chief financial officers, chief legal officers, chief marketing officers, and chief human resource officers; other senior executives; and board members. The company also offers board advisory services. It primarily serves various industry verticals, including financial services, professional services, life sciences, technology/media/telecom, and consumer/industrial. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in New York, New York.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: One Liberty Properties Inc.(OLP)

One Liberty Properties, Inc., a real estate investment trust (REIT), engages in the acquisition, ownership, and management of commercial real estate properties in the United States. The company�?s property portfolio includes retail furniture stores, as well as industrial, office, flex, health and fitness, and other properties. As of March 31, 2008, it owned 67 properties; holds a 50% tenancy in common interest in 1 property; and owns 4 properties through joint ventures. The company has elected to be treated as a REIT under the Internal Revenue Code. As a REIT, it would not be subject to federal income tax, if it distributes at least 90% of its taxable income to its shareholders. One Liberty Properties was founded in 1982 and is based in Great Neck, New York.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Brian Pacampara]

    Based on the aggregated intelligence of 180,000-plus investors participating in Motley Fool CAPS, the Fool's free investing community, commercial REIT One Liberty Properties (NYSE: OLP  ) has earned a coveted five-star ranking.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: Sanmina-SCI Corporation(SANM)

Sanmina-SCI Corporation provides integrated electronics manufacturing services worldwide. It offers product design and engineering services, including initial development, detailed design, prototyping, validation, preproduction, and manufacturing design; volume manufacturing of complete systems, components, and subassemblies; final system assembly and testing services; direct order fulfillment and logistics services; and after-market product service and support services. The company also manufactures various system components and subassemblies consisting of printed circuit boards, printed circuit board assemblies, backplanes and backplane assemblies, enclosures, cable assemblies, precision machine components, optical components and modules, and memory modules. It provides its services to original equipment manufacturers primarily in the communication, enterprise computing and storage, multimedia, industrial and semiconductor capital equipment, defense and aerospace, medica l, clean technology, and automotive industries. The company was founded in 1980 and is based in San Jose, California.

Advisors' Opinion:
  • [By Seth Jayson]

    Calling all cash flows
    When you are trying to buy the market's best stocks, it's worth checking up on your companies' free cash flow once a quarter or so, to see whether it bears any relationship to the net income in the headlines. That's what we do with this series. Today, we're checking in on Sanmina (Nasdaq: SANM  ) , whose recent revenue and earnings are plotted below.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: Dragon Oil(DGO.L)

Dragon Oil plc engages in the exploration, development, and production of oil and gas properties in Turkmenistan, Yemen, and Tunisia. Its principal producing asset includes a 100% interest in the Cheleken Contract Area, located in the eastern section of the Caspian Sea, offshore Turkmenistan. As of December 31, 2011, it had proved and probable reserves of 658 million barrels of oil and condensate; 88 million barrels of oil and condensate contingent resources; 1.5 trillion cubic feet of gas reserves; and 1.4 trillion cubic feet of gas contingent resources. The company was incorporated in 1971 and is headquartered in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates. Dragon Oil plc is a subsidiary of Emirates National Oil Company Limited L.L.C.

10 Best Performing Stocks To Buy For 2014: Eagle Plains Resources Ltd. (EPL.V)

Eagle Plains Resources Ltd., a junior resource company, engages in the acquisition, exploration, and development of mineral resource properties in western Canada. It primarily controls approximately 40 gold, silver, uranium, copper, molybdenum, lead, zinc, gypsum, and rare earth mineral projects in British Columbia, Yukon, the Northwest Territories, and Saskatchewan. The company was founded in 1994 and is headquartered in Cranbrook, Canada.

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Female Merrill Lynch advisers object to gender bias settlement

A group of nearly four dozen female Merrill Lynch advisers are opposing a proposed $39 million settlement in response to gender bias accusations, saying that the brokerage firm's payout represents “a huge step backwards.”

The advisers' 25-page filing, which was filed in federal court on Friday, said that the settlement filed Sept. 9 was “meager” and “unfair,” and “will enshrine the very policy that the plaintiffs challenged in this lawsuit as discriminatory.”

(Why aren't there more female advisers?)

At issue are two Merrill Lynch policies that the advisers say are discriminatory and will continue despite the settlement.

The first is a compensation policy that the advisers say is partly based on past performance and, as a result, favors men.

The second is a policy that the advisers said favors teams, which historically excluded women who were thought to be underperforming.

A complaint filed in October 2011 said that Merrill Lynch ranks high-producing advisers first on the distribution list to receive accounts, and that a greater number of accounts and more of the lucrative accounts are given to men.

“These additional accounts and business opportunities, as well as house account production credits, directly and indirectly increase the male [advisers'] production and place male [advisers] in an even better position for the next round of account distributions based on systematically documented and unvalidated criteria,” the complaint said.

(Firms rally for female adviser advancement)

The filing contends that the settlement on gender bias issues could erode the benefits of a larger $160 million settlement, McReynolds v. Merrill Lynch, for African American women. That settlement, which is also being considered in court, deals with allegations of racial bias against African-American brokers and trainees.

The objection, which was first reported on Monday afternoon by Law360, could influence the judge tasked with considering the settlement at a Dec. 19 hearing.

Merrill parent Bank of America Corp., which has hailed the settlement as enriching opportunities for women to advance as advisers, declined to comment through a spokesman, William

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Coca-Cola Company (KO) Dividend Stock Analysis

5 Best Heal Care Stocks To Invest In 2014

Linked here is a detailed quantitative analysis of Coca-Cola Company (KO). Below are some highlights from the above linked analysis:

Company Description: The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest soft drink company, KO also has a sizable fruit juice business.

Fair Value: In calculating fair value, I consider the NPV MMA Differential Fair Value along with these four calculations of fair value (see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description):

1. Avg. High Yield Price
2. 20-Year DCF Price
3. Avg. P/E Price
4. Graham Number

KO is trading at a premium to all four valuations above. The stock is trading at a 5.2% premium to its calculated fair value of $38.25. KO did not earn any Stars in this section.

Dividend Analytical Data: In this section there are three possible Stars and three key metrics (see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description):

1. Free Cash Flow Payout
2. Debt To Total Capital
3. Key Metrics
4. Dividend Growth Rate
5. Years of Div. Growth
6. Rolling 4-yr Div. > 15%

KO earned one Star in this section for 3.) above. KO earned a Star for having an acceptable score in at least two of the four Key Metrics measured. The company has paid a cash dividend to shareholders every year since 1893 and has increased its dividend payments for 51 consecutive years.

Dividend Income vs. MMA: Why would you assume the equity risk and invest in a dividend stock if you could earn a better return in a much less risky money market account (MMA) or Treasury bond? This section compares the earning ability of this stock with a high yield MMA. Two items are considered in this section (see page 2 of the linked PDF for a detailed description):

1. NPV MMA Diff.
2. Years to > MMA

KO earned a Star in this section for its NPV MMA Diff. of the $843. This amount is in excess of th! e $500 target I look for in a stock that has increased dividends as long as KO has. If KO grows its dividend at 8.0% per year, it will take three years to equal a MMA yielding an estimated 20-year average rate of 3.41%. KO earned a check for the Key Metric 'Years to >MMA' since its 3 years is less than the five-year target.

Memberships and Peers: KO is a member of the S&P 500, a Dividend Aristocrat, a member of the Broad Dividend Achievers™ Index and a Dividend Champion. The company's peer group includes: Dr. Pepper Snapple Group (DPS) with a 3.2% yield, Pepsico Inc (PEP) with a 2.6% yield and Fomento Economico ADR (FMX) with a 1.7% yield.

Conclusion: KO did not earn any Stars in the Fair Value section, earned one Star in the Dividend Analytical Data section and earned one Star in the Dividend Income vs. MMA section for a total of two Stars. This quantitatively ranks KO as a 2-Star Weak stock.

Using my D4L-PreScreen.xls model, I determined the share price would need to increase to $47.45 before KO's NPV MMA Differential decreased to the $500 minimum that I look for in a stock with 51 years of consecutive dividend increases. At that price the stock would yield 2.4%.

Resetting the D4L-PreScreen.xls model and solving for the dividend growth rate needed to generate the target $500 NPV MMA Differential, the calculated rate is 6.4%. This dividend growth rate is lower than the 8.0% used in this analysis, thus providing a margin of safety. KO has a risk rating of 1.25 which classifies it as a low-risk stock.

Coca-Cola is one of the most recognizable names in the world. KO is able to deliver products to more than 200 countries around the globe through an extensive direct distribution network that has few peers. Its world presence, particularly in faster-growing emerging markets, will be relied on to compensate for declining consumption of carbonated beverages in the North American market.

The company has accelerated its refranchising of the U.S. bottling system by announci! ng in Apr! il 2013 partnerships with five U.S. bottling partners. These transactions will likely close in 2014 and should improve operating margins since the bottling business has significantly lower operating margins than the concentrate business.

At 62%, KO's free cash flow payout is above the 60% I look for and its debt to total capital at 53% is above my 45% threshold. Both have increased since my last review. However, KO remains a desirable stock and I will continue to give it consideration when it is trading near my calculated fair value price of $38.25.

Disclaimer: Material presented here is for informational purposes only. The above quantitative stock analysis, including the Star rating, is mechanically calculated and is based on historical information. The analysis assumes the stock will perform in the future as it has in the past. This is generally never true. Before buying or selling any stock you should do your own research and reach your own conclusion. See my Disclaimer for more information.

Full Disclosure: At the time of this writing, I was long in KO (2.4% of my Dividend Growth Portfolio) and also long PEP. See a list of all my dividend growth holdings here.

Related Articles:
- Raytheon Company (RTN) Dividend Stock Analysis
- Occidental Petroleum Corporation (OXY) Dividend Stock Analysis
- Nike, Inc. (NKE) Dividend Stock Analysis
- Microsoft Corporation (MSFT) Dividend Stock Analysis
- More Stock AnalysisAlso check out: (Free Trial) High Yield Dividend Stocks in Gurus' Portfolio Top dividend stocks of Warren Buffett Top dividend stocks of George Soros

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Wednesday, December 4, 2013

Australian LNG Has Bright Future

Print FriendlyEach month we host a joint web chat for subscribers of The Energy Strategist (TES) and MLP Profits. The chat is conducted by Igor Greenwald, managing editor for The Energy Strategist and chief investment strategist for MLP Profits, and myself.

We place a priority on answering questions about portfolio holdings and recommendations during the chat, but often get questions about companies we don’t currently recommend. Sometimes we may get questions that require an extended answer, or there may just be so many questions we can’t get to them all. For the most recent chat there were a few questions that warrant some elaboration.

Q: Do you have any thoughts on the immediate success of the Australians becoming really active in exporting LNG?

Australia has a lot of potential for LNG exports, and the country is ideally situated geographically to export to southeast Asia. Australia’s proved natural gas reserves have grown steadily over the past 20 years, from 1 trillion cubic meters (tcm) in 1992 to 2.5 tcm in 2002 and 3.8 tcm in 2012. Australia’s proved reserves would last 77 years at the current production rate. For perspective, US reserves are more than twice Australia’s at 8.5 tcm, but US production is also higher. The reserves to production ratio (R/P) for the US is 12.5.

In the US, growing gas output has been driven by shale exploitation. In Australia, it is coal seam gas (CSG) that is driving the current gas rush. CSG can be extracted like tight shale gas in the US, with hydraulic fracturing (fracking) of a coal seam (as opposed to a shale formation).

CSG is transforming Australia’s gas industry in the same way that shale gas has done in the US. Between 2004 and 2010 production of CSG increased by more than a factor of 20. CSG now supplies a third of eastern Australia’s gas, and some project that Australia will overtake Qatar as the world’s leadi! ng LNG exporter by 2020.

Currently, Australia has three operating LNG plants, and seven others are being built. The North West Shelf Venture is owned by an international consortium, and started exporting LNG in 1989.

Elsewhere, ConocoPhillips (NYSE: COP) is the majority owner and operator of the Darwin LNG facility, which began production in 2006.

The Pluto LNG project is a joint venture between Woodside, the operator, with a 90 percent interest, Tokyo Gas (5 percent) and Kansai Electric (5 percent). Pluto started production in April 2012.

In conclusion, yes, Australia has tremendous potential for greatly increasing LNG exports. It enjoys a major advantage relative to the US given proximity to Asian import markets, but there are also fracking bans in place in certain areas that may slow development. Those with projects already in place have a significant first mover advantage, but there is still lots of opportunity given the projections for Australia’s gas production growth.

Q: Do you have an opinion on Susser Petroleum Partners LP?

Susser Petroleum Partners (NYSE: SUSP) engages in fee-based wholesale distribution of motor fuels. The partnership also distributes petroleum products like propane and lube oil, and receives rental income from real estate.

SUSP went public in September 2012, and has advanced 45 percent since. The most recent quarterly distribution was $0.4687 per unit, or $1.87 on an annualized basis. At the recent closing price of $33.40, that corresponds to an annual yield of 5.6 percent.

Non-traditional MLPs like Susser and Lehigh Gas Partners (NYSE: LGP) have risks and opportunities that are different from the midstream mainstream. Such MLPs can provide some diversification from the midstream MLPs that make up the bulk of the space, with less commodity and execution risk than most upstream partnerships. On the other hand, they are unlikely to have the same potential upside and growth opportunities as most midstream names. I might consider Susser as part a broader portfolio of MLPs, but it wouldn’t be a core holding in my own portfolio.

Q: Any opinion on Lightstream?

Most investors may not have heard of Calgary-based Lightstream Resources (OTC: LSTMF), but they may have heard of its predecessor, PetroBakken Energy, which was spun out of Petrobank Energy and Resources. The latter struggled to make its novel Toe-to-Heel Air Injection (THAI) technology commercially viable, and partially as a result of Petrobank’s struggles, PetroBakken suffered as well.

So in May of this year the company announced it would break from its past and move forward under a new name, Lightstream Resources. But Lightstream struggled with some of the legacy issues from PetroBakken, like dividends that had to be cut and high debt levels, and shares declined. Following the name change in May, shares have fallen 36 percent.

In the US, we associate the Bakken mostly with North Dakota, but the Bakken formation also lies underneath parts of South Dakota, Montana, and southern Saskatchewan. Lightstream Resources is developing Bakken acreage in Saskatchewan. In addition the company is focused on growth in the Cardium formation in central Alberta, and in north-central Alberta it’s working on emerging light oil resource plays. Lightstream also has land holdings in the Horn River and Montney plays in northeast British Columbia.

While the company has struggled in recent years — and the share price has suffered — it may be turning the corner. Last week Lightstream unveiled its strategic plan and 2014 capital program and production guidance. The plan involves reducing 2014 capex while holding production flat for the year, cutting the dividend in half, eliminating the dividend reinvestment plan, and targeting $600 million from sales of non-core assets.

The immediate market reaction was negative, but these are all moves that should put the company in a much better financial shape. Further, the shares appear to be oversold at this point, and the company is trading at a discount to its asset value. On the downside, investors have been generally unhappy with management decisions, and the same managers continue to run the company.

For aggressive investors, though, this one could be worth the plunge. The downside looks fairly limited at this point, and if the quarterly results begin to show the positive effect of the recent changes, there is tremendous upside.

Q: Is the worst over for LINN?  Would you be taking a look at it now?

We got numerous questions about Linn Energy (Nasdaq: LINE) in the chat. I commented on this in last week’s MLP Investing Insider, but it bears repeating here as there is obviously still a lot of interest. Igor’s answer to this question was “I expect the merger to close by year’s end, but I think Linn has some structural issues that go beyond [pending merger partner Berry Petroleum (NYSE: BRY)] with its debt load and past acquisition quality, so I’m steering clear. There are better upstream MLPs in our portfolios.”

I would add that we have been pretty steadfast in believing that the SEC inquiry wouldn’t turn up anything substantive. However, we couldn’t recommend Linn with that inquiry hanging over the partnership. MLP investors in general are not looking to take on that kind of risk, and I suspect most didn’t think it was possible to see Linn drop like it did (down ~40 percent over the summer). This kind of volatility might be acceptable for aggressive speculators, but that doesn’t fit the profile of most MLP investors.

Now that the SEC cloud appears to be lifting and the merger with Berry seems imminent, we have taken another look at Linn. But after comparing it with peer upstream MLPs, we feel that there are safer options, especially given the increased purchase price Linn had to pay for Berry, and Linn’s relatively high debt level. The present dividend yield of nearly 10 percent is certainly attractive, but our view is that the downside risk will continue to be unacceptably high for conservative investors.

(Follow Robert Rapier on Twitter, LinkedIn, or Facebook.)