That's right, folks. Hewlett-Packard (NYSE: HPQ ) will be releasing a massive 21.5-inch tablet, which hardly qualifies as a mobile computing device. Despite the impracticality of traveling with a 21.5-inch tablet that has no battery, HP's newest brainchild will run Google (NASDAQ: GOOG ) Android, sport an NVIDIA Tegra 4 processor, be compatible with a mouse and keyboard, and include a kickstand to prop it up like an all-in-one device. Perhaps the most surprising element of this announcement is the price. Starting at $400 and available in September, this tablet-meets-all-in-one device retails for half the current MSRP of HP's cheapest touch-enabled Microsoft Windows all-in-one PC.
A HP Slate 21 AIO mockup. Source: HP.
It's for the family
As easy as it is to dismiss the Slate 21 as a massively impractical tablet, HP may not be that crazy after all. The company has positioned the device as an affordable all-in-one PC alternative for families that want a rich yet simplistic user experience. The added affordability can be attributed to the open-source nature of Android and a much cheaper Tegra 4 processor, giving the Slate 21 a healthy pricing edge over Windows-based all-in-one devices. For families that live mostly in the cloud, the Slate 21 may turn out to be a palatable choice.
Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Merck & Company Inc.(MRK)
Merck & Co., Inc. provides various health solutions through its prescription medicines, vaccines, biologic therapies, animal health, and consumer care products. The company?s Pharmaceutical segment provides human health pharmaceutical products, such as therapeutic and preventive agents for the treatment of human disorders in the areas of bone, respiratory, immunology, dermatology, cardiovascular, diabetes and obesity, infectious diseases, neurosciences and ophthalmology, oncology, vaccines, and women's health and endocrine. This segment also offers human health vaccines, such as preventive pediatric, adolescent, and adult vaccines. Its Animal Health segment discovers, develops, manufactures, and markets animal health products. This segment offers antibiotics, anti-inflammatory products, vaccines, products for the treatment of fertility disorders, and parasiticides for cattle, swine, horses, poultry, dogs, cats, salmons, and fish. The Consumer Care segment develops, manufac tures, and markets over-the-counter, foot care, and sun care products. Its over-the-counter product line includes non-drowsy antihistamines; treatment for occasional constipation; decongestant-free cold/flu medicine for people with high blood pressure; nasal decongestant spray; and treatment for frequent heartburn. This segment?s foot care products comprise topical antifungal, and foot and sneaker odor/wetness products; and sun care products include sun care lotions, sprays and dry oils; and sunburn relief products. The company serves drug wholesalers and retailers, hospitals, government agencies, physicians, physician distributors, veterinarians, animal producers, and managed health care providers, as well as food chain and mass merchandiser outlets in the United States and Canada. Merck & Co., Inc. was founded in 1891 and is headquartered in Whitehouse Station, New Jersey.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Matt Thalman]
Shares of Merck (NYSE: MRK ) are down 2.6% after the company announced earnings that beat expectations on earnings but missed on revenue. Additionally, investors didn't like that the company reduced its full-year 2013 guidance by $0.15 per share. Merck is facing tough competition from generic-drug makers, and whether or not the company can overcome the patent cliff remains to be seen.
- [By John Divine]
It says something about the bearishness of Friday's market that Merck (NYSE: MRK ) , advancing just 0.1%, merits mention as one of the Dow's top performers. As one of only four advancing blue chips, Merck shares ended barely in the black, as the company scales back on its research expenses. Cutting R&D isn't always a good thing in research-heavy industries like pharma, but smarter spending is always better than more spending, and Wall Street seems to think Merck's planned cutbacks streamline intelligently.�
- [By John Divine]
Health care was one of the strongest sectors today, and Merck (NYSE: MRK ) shares didn't disappoint, adding 2.9% to lead the Dow. A Jefferies analyst raised his price target on the shares to $48, citing his bullish view on pharmaceuticals, because of compelling valuation. The company also announced that the FDA will review Merck's application to market an antifungal drug it's trying to hawk in Europe as well.
- [By Brian Orelli]
Second-quarter earnings are scheduled to be released on July 16. Investors should keep their eyes on Johnson & Johnson's recently launched diabetes drug Invokana. If Johnson & Johnson can persuade doctors to give it a try, there's potential for the drug to compete with Merck's (NYSE: MRK ) top-selling oral medication Januvia. Taking just a portion of Januvia's multibillion-dollar market would give Johnson & Johnson stock a nice boost.
Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: The Travelers Companies Inc.(TRV)
The Travelers Companies, Inc., through its subsidiaries, provides various commercial and personal property and casualty insurance products and services to businesses, government units, associations, and individuals primarily in the United States. The company operates in three segments: Business Insurance; Financial, Professional, and International Insurance; and Personal Insurance. The Business Insurance segment offers property and casualty products and services, such as commercial multi-peril, property, general liability, commercial auto, and workers? compensation insurance. It operates in six groups: Select Accounts, which serves small businesses; Commercial Accounts that serves mid-sized businesses; National Accounts, which serves large companies; Industry-Focused Underwriting that serves targeted industries; Target Risk Underwriting, which serves commercial businesses requiring specialized product underwriting, claims handling, and risk management services; and Special ized Distribution that offers products to customers through licensed wholesale, general, and program agents. The Financial, Professional, and International Insurance segment provides surety and financial liability coverage, which uses a credit-based underwriting process; and property and casualty products primarily in the United States., the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Canada. The Personal Insurance segment offers property and casualty insurance covering personal risks, primarily automobile and homeowners insurance to individuals. It distributes its products through independent agents, sponsoring organizations, joint marketing arrangements with other insurers, and direct marketing. The company was founded in 1853 and is based in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Michael Flannelly]
Travelers Companies Inc (TRV) was downgraded by analysts at Wells Fargo on Thursday, as they believe shares of the insurance provider will lose some steam going forward.
The analysts downgraded TRV from “Outperform” to “Market Perform” and see shares reaching a valuation range of $89-$92, down from the previous target range of $94-$98. This new price target range suggests a 6% to 10% upside to the stock’s Wednesday closing price of $83.73.
Furthermore, the analysts note that TRV is up 41% since they started recommending the stock in January 2012, versus a 32% gain for the S&P 500. “Travelers has been a leader in gaining commercial lines renewal rate increases utilizing a disciplined, segmented approach. Yet as TRV reaches rate adequacy across more of its segmentation bands, we think there is less profit leverage, which could slow multiple expansion going forward.”
Travelers shares were inactive during pre-market trading on Thursday. The stock is up 16.58% year-to-date.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Earnings news played a big role in the advance. Within the Dow, Travelers (NYSE: TRV ) rose 2.6% after it moved to increase premiums on certain policies and suffered fewer major catastrophic events during the quarter. Although revenue declined, the company boosted its profit by 11% and raised its quarterly dividend to $0.50 per share -- a 9% jump from its previous rate. Even when hurricane season returns later this year, the insurance company will have established a strong foundation on which to weather future storms. DuPont also impressed investors, gaining 3% after reporting better-than-expected earnings and affirming its full-year earnings guidance, adding a 5% dividend hike to boot.
Top 5 Wireless Telecom Stocks To Buy For 2015: Sirius XM Radio Inc.(SIRI)
Sirius XM Radio Inc. provides satellite radio services in the United States and Canada. It broadcasts a programming lineup of approximately 135 channels of commercial-free music, sports, news and information, talk and entertainment, traffic, and weather on subscription fee basis through two satellite radio systems in the United States; and holds an interest in the satellite radio services offered in Canada. The company also simulcasts music and selected non-music channels over the Internet; and offers applications to allow consumers to access its Internet services on mobile devices. As of December 31, 2010, it had 20,190,964 subscribers. In addition, the company designs, establishes specifications, sources or specifies parts and components, and manages various aspects of the logistics and production of satellite radios; licenses its technology to various electronics manufacturers to develop, manufacture, and distribute radios under various brands; and imports radios distri buted through its Websites. The company?s satellite radios are primarily distributed through automakers, retailers, and its Websites. Further, it provides music services for commercial establishments; a satellite television service to offer music channels as part of certain programming packages on the DISH Network satellite television service; music and comedy channels to mobile phone users through mobile phone carriers; Backseat TV, a service offering television content designed primarily for children in the backseat of vehicles; Travel Link, a suite of data services that include graphical weather, fuel prices, sports schedules and scores, and movie listings; and real-time traffic and weather services. The company was formerly known as Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. and changed its name to Sirius XM Radio Inc. in August 2008. Sirius XM Radio Inc. was founded in 1990 and is headquartered in New York, New York.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Rick Munarriz]
Shares of Sirius XM Radio (NASDAQ: SIRI ) hit yet another five-year high earlier this week, but you wouldn't know if from the shorts that just can't seem to give up their bearish dreams.
- [By Chris Neiger]
Living the stream
64% of teenagers prefer listening to music on Google's (NASDAQ: GOOG ) YouTube than from any other service. 53% of teens prefer Apple's (NASDAQ: AAPL ) iTunes to other music destinations. Pandora (NYSE: P ) streamed 13 billion hours of music in 2012. That's right, billions. SiriusXM (NASDAQ: SIRI ) has more than 25 million subscribers. Warner Music Group received 25% of its digital revenue from music streaming last year. According to NPD, online radio services make up 23% of music listening for people ages 13 to 35, compared to 24% for AM/FM radio.
Take a quick look at these stats showing the popularity of digital music and online streaming:But those are a just a few simple statistics -- the overall streaming market is about to get much more complicated.
- [By Lee Jackson]
Sirius XM Radio Inc. (NASDAQ: SIRI) continues to draw new subscribers with its programming, and it is also a stock to buy at Merrill Lynch. Despite challenges from other companies offering audio programming, Sirius XM has continued to be a strong player, and the stock actually hit a six-year high last week. Merrill Lynch has a $5 target, and the consensus target stands at $4.45, versus a closing price of $3.82.
Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Oracle Corporation(ORCL)
Oracle Corporation, an enterprise software company, develops, manufactures, markets, distributes, and services database and middleware software, applications software, and hardware systems worldwide. It licenses of database and middleware software, including database management software, application server software, service-oriented architecture and business process management software, data integration software, business intelligence software, identity and access management software, content management software, portals and user interaction software, development tools, and Java; and applications software comprising enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management, enterprise performance management, supply chain management, business intelligence applications, enterprise portfolio project management, Web commerce, and industry-specific applications software. The company also offers customers with rights to unspecified software product upgrades and maintenance releases; Internet access to technical content; and Internet and telephone access to technical support personnel. In addition, its hardware systems products consist of computer server and hardware-related software, including the Oracle Solaris Operating System; and storage products, such as tape, disk and networking solutions for open systems and mainframe server environments. Its hardware systems support solutions include software updates for the software components. Further, the company offers consulting solutions in business and IT strategy alignment, enterprise architecture planning and design, initial product implementation and integration, and ongoing product enhancements and upgrades; cloud services, including Oracle Cloud Services and Advanced Customer Services; and education solutions comprising instructor-led, media-based, and Internet-based training in the use of its software and hardware products. The company was founded in 1977 and is headquartered in Redwood Ci ty, California.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Bryan Murphy]
What do Abercrombie & Fitch Co. (NYSE:ANF), Goldman Sachs Group Inc. (NYSE:GS), and Capital One Financial Corp. (NYSE:COF) have in common with Oracle Corporation (NYSE:ORCL)? The CEOs of those three organizations also receive what most would consider an exorbitant amount of pay. It's just that the one guy at the top of the heap is usually singled out as "the" target when there's social outcry afoot, and ORCL CEO Larry Ellison's $77 million annual pay package is the most outrageous of the several outrageous paychecks. Make no mistake, though... the same seeds of discontent from Oracle's shareholders will eventually be sewn for Richard Fairbank, Michael Jeffries, and Lloyd Blankfein... CEO's of Capital One Financial, Abercrombie & Fitch, and Goldman Sachs Group, respectively. Here's why.
- [By Ingrid Hendershot]
Oracle (ORCL) reported fiscal second quarter revenues rose 2% to $9.3 billion, with EPS up 6% on lower shares outstanding. Revenue growth was driven by a 6% increase in software license updates, and product support offset by declines in hardware system, product, and service revenues.
- [By Anders Bylund]
This quarter was a though slough for most enterprise IT specialists. Oracle (NYSE: ORCL ) disappointed in its latest report, citing poor sales execution against a difficult macroeconomic backdrop. IBM (NYSE: IBM ) followed suit, blaming its unusual miss on soft government orders and a "once-every-10-year event" in China. Both stocks plunged after reporting results, 8% in IBM's case and more than 10% for Oracle.
Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Whole Foods Market Inc.(WFM)
Whole Foods Market, Inc. engages in the ownership and operation of natural and organic food supermarkets. The company offers produce, seafood, grocery, meat and poultry, bakery, prepared foods and catering, coffee and tea, nutritional supplements, and vitamins. It also provides specialty products, such as beer, wine, and cheese; body care and educational products, such as books; and floral, pet, and household products. As of February 9, 2011, the company operated 302 stores in the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Whole Foods Market, Inc. was founded in 1978 and is headquartered in Austin, Texas.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Brian Stoffel]
In the depths of the Great Recession, many people thought Whole Foods (NASDAQ: WFM ) was done for. I didn't agree with those folks, and I backed that assertion up two years ago -- when I pledged �to buy $4,000 worth of Whole Foods stock for my retirement portfolio.
Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Bank of America Corporation(BAC)
Bank of America Corporation, a financial holding company, provides banking and nonbanking financial services and products to individuals, small- and middle-market businesses, large corporations, and governments in the United States and internationally. The company?s Deposits segment generates savings accounts, money market savings accounts, certificate of deposits, and checking accounts; and Global Card Services segment provides the U.S. consumer and business card, consumer lending, international card and debit card services. Its Home Loans & Insurance segment offers consumer real estate products and services, including mortgage loans, reverse mortgages, home equity lines of credit, and home equity loans. It also provides property, disability, and credit insurance. The company?s Global Commercial Banking segment offers lending products, including commercial loans and commitment facilities, real estate lending, leasing, trade finance, short-term credit, asset-based lending, and indirect consumer loans; and capital management and treasury solutions, such as treasury management, foreign exchange, and short-term investing options. Its Global Banking & Markets segment provides financial products, advisory services, settlement, and custody services; debt and equity underwriting and distribution, merger-related advisory services, and risk management products; and integrated working capital management and treasury solutions. The company?s Global Wealth & Investment Management segment offers investment and brokerage services, estate management, financial planning services, fiduciary management, credit and banking expertise, and asset management products. Bank of America Corporation serves customers through a network of approximately 5,900 banking centers and 18,000 automated teller machines. It was formerly known as NationsBank Corporation and changed its name on October 1, 1998. Bank of America Corporation was founded in 1874 and is based in Charlott e, North Carolina.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Laura Brodbeck]
Stocks moving in the pre-market included:
Corning Inc (NYSE: GLW) gained 24.43 percent in pre-market trade after rising 6.45 percent over the past week. Bank of America Corporation (NYSE: BAC) lost 1.24 percent in pre-market trade after falling 0.14 percent on Tuesday Citigroup Inc (NYSE: C) lost 0.81 percent after slipping 0.53 percent on Tuesday. JP Morgan Chase and Company (NYSE: JPM) fell 0.73 percent in pre-market trade after losing 1.20 percent on Tuesday.Earnings
- [By John Maxfield]
Yet it's critical to appreciate how much the banking industry has changed since 2008 and how this works in certain banks' favors. For example, Wells Fargo's 2008 acquisition of Wachovia gives it a much-coveted nationwide footprint. And while Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) and others retreated from the mortgage market to lick their wounds, Wells Fargo stepped in to fill the void. It now originates or services a staggering one in three mortgages.
- [By Dan Caplinger]
Leading the Dow higher was Bank of America (NYSE: BAC ) , which has risen 2.1% to a new two-year high. Favorable comments by hedge-fund investor David Tepper about the stock market and the banking sector in particular have helped bolster the stock. Having made so much progress in building its balance sheet back up to health, B of A faces the same struggles as its banking peers in figuring out the next step forward to further growth, but a faster-paced recovery for the U.S. economy could be exactly what the bank needs to boost its lending and increase profits.
Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Advance Auto Parts Inc(AAP)
Advance Auto Parts, Inc., through its subsidiaries, operates as a retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries, and maintenance items. It operates in two segments, Advance Auto Parts (AAP) and Autopart International (AI). The AAP segment operates stores, which primarily offer auto parts, including alternators, batteries, chassis parts, clutches, engines and engine parts, radiators, starters, transmissions, and water pumps; accessories comprising floor mats, mirrors, vent shades, MP3 and cell phone accessories, and seat and steering wheel covers; chemicals consisting of antifreeze, freon, fuel additives, and car washes and waxes; and oil and other automotive petroleum products. This segment also provides battery and wiper installation, battery charging, check engine light reading, electrical system testing, video clinics and project brochures, loaner tool programs, and oil and battery recycling services; and sells its products through online. The AI segm ent operates stores that offer replacement parts for domestic and imported cars, and light trucks to customers in northeast and mid-Atlantic regions, as well as to warehouse distributors and jobbers in North America. As of January 1, 2011, the company operated 3,369 AAP stores, including 3,343 stores located in the northeastern, southeastern, and Midwestern regions of the United States under the Advance Auto Parts and Advance Discount Auto Parts trade names; 26 stores situated in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands under the Advance Auto Parts and Western Auto trade names; and 194 stores under the Autopart International trade name in the United States. It serves do-it-yourself, do-it-for-me, or commercial customers. The company was founded in 1929 and is based in Roanoke, Virginia.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By Ning Jia]
Reuters Description: Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (Advance), incorporated on August 1, 2001, is a specialty retailer of automotive aftermarket parts, accessories, batteries and maintenance items primarily operating within the United States. The Company operates in two segments: Advance Auto Parts (AAP), and Autopart International (AI). The AAP segment is comprised of its store operations, which operate under the trade names Advance Auto Parts and Advance Discount Auto Parts.The AI segment consists of the operations of Autopart International, Inc. which operates under the Autopart International trade name. The Company�� stores carry a product line for cars, vans, sport utility vehicles and light trucks.The Company serves both do-it-yourself (DIY), and do-it-for-me (Commercial), customers. Its Commercial customers consist primarily of delivery customers for whom the Company delivers product from its store locations to it Commercial customers��places of business, including independent garages, service stations and auto dealers. On December 31, 2012, the Company acquired B.W.P. Distributors, Inc.
- [By John Udovich]
Auto parts retailers like large cap O'Reilly Automotive Inc (NASDAQ: ORLY) and mid cap Advance Auto Parts, Inc (NYSE: AAP)�along with small cap auto parts stock Federal-Mogul Corp (NASDAQ: FDML) have been a bright spot on the economy as consumers try to stretch the lives of their automobiles or vehicles in the bad or uncertain economy. In fact, Investors Business Daily has recently noted that the�average age of cars on the road is about 11.5 years and that�� of course good news for auto parts retailers while�any uptick in sales or production of auto parts in general�will be good for companies like Federal-Mogul Corp. With that in mind, here�is a look at�how these three auto parts retailers or auto parts stocks are taking investors for a ride in a good way:
- [By James E. Brumley]
O'Reilly Automotive Inc. (NASDAQ:ORLY), AutoZone, Inc. (NYSE:AZO), The Pep Boys - Manny, Moe & Jack (NYSE:PBY), and Advance Auto Parts, Inc. (NYSE:AAP) may all technically be in the same business, but they're hardly in the same proverbial boat. In fact, their performances - sales and earnings - are oddly disparate. Which among PBY, AZO, ORLY, and AAP are the winners and the losers, and perhaps more important, why? The question can at least partially be answered by a chart, and what the chart can't tell us about each, the narrative can.
O'Reilly Automotive
Best Cheap Stocks To Invest In Right Now: Ur Energy Inc(URG)
Ur-Energy Inc., an exploration stage junior mining company, engages in the identification, acquisition, evaluation, exploration, and development of uranium mineral properties. The company has 13 projects located in Wyoming and Nebraska, the United States; and 3 exploration projects located in the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, Canada. Its landholdings cover approximately 90,000 acres in the United States and approximately 140,000 acres in Canada. The company was founded in 2004 and is headquartered in Littleton, Colorado.
Advisors' Opinion:- [By John Udovich]
Since the start of the week, small cap nuclear fuel stock USEC Inc (NYSE: USU) more than doubled for investors, something that has not happened for investors in uranium stocks like Uranium Resources, Inc (NASDAQ: URRE), Denison Mines Corp (NYSEMKT: DNN), Ur-Energy Inc. (NYSEMKT: URG) and Uranerz Energy Corp (NYSEMKT: URZ). To recap: USEC Inc closed at the $6 level on Friday, but then it surged to the $15 level on Monday only to open at the $10 level on Tuesday when it ultimately closed at $12.46. So what in the world is going on with USEC Inc and is it time to revisit nuclear fuel and uranium stocks?
- [By The Energy Report]
DS: Two of our top picks are Cameco Corp. (CCJ) and Ur-Energy Inc. (URG). For Cameco, we've got a $25/share target and an outperform rating. This company is the industry's go-to, the blue chip uranium company. It's organically growing very low-cost operations, which are for the most part in very safe jurisdictions. It has a lower-risk approach to contracts, with a targeted pricing mix of about 40% fixed-pricing and 60% market-related pricing in the contract book. The company's got a solid balance sheet. We think it's going to end Q3/13 with about $800M in working capital and another $2 billion [$2B] in undrawn lines of credit. It's also diversified across the nuclear fuel chain, with exposure not only to its core uranium mining business but also with nuclear fuel services, like conversion and fuel fabrication. It's got a stake in the Bruce nuclear power plant as well as a newly bolted-on uranium trading business, so it's quite diversified. On top of that, Cameco pays a 2% dividend. We think it offers a very attractive risk/reward proposition at these levels.
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